Dog is man’s best friend. Since time immemorial, people have lived side by side with these faithful and friendly animals. Initially, they served to protect the home and helped with the hunt. Today, more and more people have dogs for aesthetic pleasure. And for this role, small dogs are suitable. They do not require special care, eat little and do not cause trouble.
Pygmy chihuahua
Before you make a four-legged friend, you must be sure of your decision. Calculate the cost of maintenance and care. Calculate your strengths and capabilities. Explore information on various sites. If there are small children in the house who may injure a miniature dog, postpone the purchase until another time. If you still decide, then you will get not only a faithful friend, but also a loving family member.
A bit of history
This is one of the breeds, formed not by selection and crossbreeding, but in nature. There are several versions of the appearance of the Chihuahua:
- Mexican. Indian Maya, Aztecs, Incas revered and personified a small dog techichi. The cave paintings, statuettes and the remains of these dogs resemble a modern chihuahua. This version is considered the most probable.
- Maltese. It is believed that on the island of Malta a dog lived, similar in its non-healing fontanel to modern Chihuahua. Her mummies were found in Egyptian burials. In the paintings of the Sistine Chapel you can see images similar to Chihuahua.
- African. It is believed that their ancestor was Fenech, which has large eyes, ears, and small sizes.
- Cosmic. Due to the non-healing fontanel, many believe that this breed appeared from space.
This could look like the progenitor of a modern chihuahua.
Several historical dates:
1884, Philadelphia - the first exhibition.
1904 The first long-haired chihuahua is bred in the USA.
1956 Separation of individuals with long and short hair into separate varieties.
1959 First appearance in Russia.
Breed description
Among dogs, pygmy chihuahuas are considered the smallest. Weight varies from 450 grams to 2 kg, and height - from 10 to 23 cm. They are convenient to carry on trips, they are unpretentious in care.
Today it is very fashionable to cross a chihuahua with various small dogs. To make sure this is not a mestizo of the pygmy pinscher and chihuahua, study the signs of a purebred breed:
- Apple-shaped head, large relative to the body. A pronounced transition from the forehead to the muzzle. The nose is either pink or black, depending on the color. Muzzle slightly flattened, but not flattened.
- The ears are wide, large. Located at a great distance from each other. In moments of danger, they are pressed.
- The eyes are expressive, large, but not convex. Planted at a great distance from each other. The color is saturated, often dark.
- Tick bite. The upper teeth cover the lower.
- The tail is straight, slightly touching the lower back.
- Feet are flat, not tilted. They are located at a decent distance from each other.
Build is divided into two types:
- Cobbies are stocky with short paws. The tail is thick. Wool is soft with undercoat. The neck is powerful, wide chest.
- Deer is the exact opposite of the first type. Slender with long legs. No undercoat. The neck is thin, the chest is narrow.
There are two types of wool:
- Longhair - soft, long hair. There is a “collar” on the neck, “panties” on the legs, “Sultan” on the tail, and “feathers” on the ears. Well developed undercoat.
- Shorthair - the coat is short, smooth, silky. No undercoat.
Longhair require more care than shorthair.
If you look at the photo of a smooth-haired dwarf chihuahua and a short-haired one, you can see that they differ only in the length of the coat. Otherwise, the difference is almost not visible. This suggests that it is a species of one breed.
In the photo - a dog Chihuahuasobaka Chihuahua.
Color
Color is different:
- Red (from monophonic colors is more common than others).
- The black.
- White.
- Tricolor.
- Chocolate.
- Purple.
- Blue, puppies with this color are rare and, accordingly, expensive. The reason is the mutant gene, which is responsible for a rare color that is difficult to breed. In the photo, the pygmy chihuahua, which is the carrier of such a gene, looks quite attractive. But these puppies are susceptible to diseases, have weak immunity.
- Merle. A distinctive feature is the "marble" color and blue eyes. Dogs with this color are considered prohibited. The gene that is responsible for the appearance of distinctive features is called "merle" and is indicated by the letter M. Puppies of a dwarf chihuahua with this gene are born blind, deaf, with a sick heart and bones. Most often, the litter dies. In the photo there is a blue pygmy chihuahua with the Merle gene. Such dogs are very rare.
If the breeder offers you to pay money for a beautiful dog, but without a pedigree, think about it. You can get not only a mongrel, but also a sick animal.
Knowing the variety of colors, the distinctive features of purebred dogs, you will not be mistaken in your choice.
Character
Courageous, courageous, curious, funny and proud - all these qualities are inherent in the small chihuahua dogs. These little friends will protect the owner, no matter what. Starting to bark loudly and loudly, they frighten off larger dogs with their perseverance and "impudence". But, in spite of all this, it is impossible to call them "hollow". They bark mainly in the case.
It is believed that a long-haired individual is calmer than a short-haired one.
Dogs recognize only one owner, but treat other households with warmth. They don’t like conflicts if they shout at them, take offense and leave, showing their character. With other animals get along easily. With children it is more difficult if, while playing, the child scares the pet, it can bite. It is not recommended to make a little friend if there are children under 8 in the house.
Chihuahua is very obedient, easy to train, rarely run away from home.
Pros and Cons of a Dwarf Chihuahua
Any breed of dog has its own advantages and disadvantages. Table 1 shows some of them.
| Positive traits | Negative qualities |
| Convenient to carry, easy to travel | The female cannot bear offspring. For breeding, a dwarf male and an ordinary female are crossed |
| Observant | High price |
| Easily adapt to your mood. | Often get sick |
| Low feed consumption | Easy to injure |
| Affectionate, loyal friends | |
| Amenable to training | |
From all this, we can conclude that there are still more pluses than minuses. And if you decide to make yourself a little friend, do not think.
Care
This small dog can be kept both in a large house and in a small apartment. Quickly adapts to new conditions. In this case, the best solution would be to buy a house where she can hide. Place it in a cool place, without drafts. Carried in rare cases.
A walk in the fresh air is necessary, but, despite this, they are easily accustomed to walking on a diaper or in a tray. You can walk in the summer, and in the cold season limit yourself to short exits to the street. Your darling will appreciate if you put on a sweater or overalls in the cool time. But not only is cold undesirable for your pet, he also does not tolerate hot weather, can get sunburn and heat stroke. If you travel with him to hot countries, sun protection should be provided for him. Spread unprotected areas (stomach, legs, ears) with a special cream for dogs. If not, use your sunblock. Make sure that he does not lick the cream, there may be severe poisoning.
On a walk, do not let your pet go without a leash, especially in an unfenced area. He may get lost, get hit by a car or get injured from larger animals.
Chihuahua has no pungent odor like other dogs.
Does not require special care. Long-haired Chihuahua must be combed with a soft brush. At 3 months, you can use a comb. Haircut is carried out as the hair regrowth.
These dogs are clean, they are recommended to be washed more than 1-2 times a year. And to cut nails and to clean ears is required regularly.
Parenting
As soon as the puppy of the pygmy chihuahua got into the house and settled down, you can "explain" the rules of behavior. And you need to start small: where to relieve need, where is the bowl. It is important to show that you are the master from the first days. If this is not done, then you will get an uncontrollable pet who will guide you. This is not a sofa decoration, but a small one, but a dog that needs training. If you punish a puppy for misconduct, do it after it is committed, otherwise he will not understand the essence of the punishment. Do not beat him, he will be afraid of you.
Always refer to the puppy as you named it. Do not use the appeals “small”, “pretty”, “honey”. He must know his nickname.
Feeding
Place food and water plates next to each other. They must be stable, clean, without chips and cracks, so that the pet does not hurt the tongue.
A few simple tips for feeding your pet:
- Boil water.
- Warm food.
- Do not feed food that is prepared for people.
- Eating should be in small portions.
Table number 2. "What can and should not be included in the diet"
| Permitted | Forbidden |
Meat: - boiled, finely chopped or scroll;
- 3-4 times a week after one year.
| pork, steamed, and chicken necks, sausages. |
Bones (an important component of the diet): - with meat and cartilage;
- puppies when their teeth are cut
| tubular because fragile and can pierce the stomach. |
A fish: marine, boiled, boneless | |
Vegetables: - carrots, turnips, garlic (a remedy for worms), parsley, salad, spinach;
- raw or processed.
| potatoes, corn, legumes - poorly digested |
Cereals: - boil cereals in milk or broth;
- with sunflower oil or dried fruits.
| |
Goodies: raisins, dried apricots, prunes, dried bananas. | sweets, cakes, sweets. |
Milk products: - cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, milk (diluted with water 2: 3);
- 2 times per week.
| |
Eggs: half, not more than once a week. | |
Vitamins, fish oil | |
To keep the dog healthy, watch out for its nutrition.
Disease
If you notice that your pet has changed behavior, has lost appetite, diarrhea, high fever, extreme thirst, coughing, sneezing, and incontinence, consult a doctor immediately. At an early stage, the disease is easier to prevent.
There are many diseases that a pygmy chihuahua is prone to.
Table number 3. "Signs of the disease and methods for their treatment"
| Disease | Causes and signs | Prevention and treatment |
Ticks: - Encephalitis.
- Scabies.
| - Found in animal hair.
- Itching, loss of appetite, hair loss, ulcers on the skin.
| - After walking in the forest, inspect the ears and hind legs.
- If it is detected, drop oil or alcohol on it, remove the dead insect. See a doctor.
- If these signs are found, take the animal to the veterinarian. Process the apartment.
|
| Fleas | - Transmitted from other animals.
- Frequent scratching, biting the tip of the tail, black formations in the coat of dogs.
| Treatment with an insecticide, while excluding contact with the mouth, eyes and nose. |
Worms: - Tape.
- Round.
| From mother, eating fleas and stale meat | - Elimination of fleas.
- Medication.
|
ARI | - Hypothermia.
- Sneezing, coughing, lethargy.
| - After a walk, wipe with a dry cloth, dry the coat. In cold weather, walking a little.
- Contact your veterinarian.
|
| Digestive system | - Incorrect feeding.
- Diarrhea, loss of appetite.
| Cleanse the intestines with a little castor oil. Pour strong tea into the drinker |
Tooth disease | | - Stuffed Toys.
- In the diet include cleaning feed.
|
Help with injuries
When playing or during fights, dogs often inflict injuries of varying severity. If you find a wound in your dog, it is important to provide first aid in a timely manner:
- Cut hair around the wound.
- Then treat with peroxide and grease the edges with iodine.
- Bandage a shallow wound with a clean cloth.
- If a deep wound is taken to the veterinarian and sutured.
If you notice that the pet is limping or cannot step on the foot, examine the limb. With a dislocation, it will be changed. Having no experience with joint reduction, give the dog pain medication and take it to the veterinarian. If the limb is not changed, then perhaps this is a bruise. A cold compress should be applied to the damaged foot and a painkiller given.
Whatever happens to your pet, provide him peace and be sure to show the veterinarian.
Purchase
When buying a puppy you need to be careful. You can be sold both a regular chihuahua and a mixture of chihuahuas and a pygmy pinscher, which are difficult to distinguish.
Here are some tips to consider before buying:
- Look at the puppy’s pedigree.
- An age of 3-4 months is best for buying a mini chihuahua, at this age all vaccinations are made. Request them from the seller.
- If the price is low, there is a risk of acquiring a sick animal.
Breeders mate chihuas with different breeds, ranging from pugs to husky dogs. Crossing a chihuahua with a dwarf pincher, you can get a litter that will not differ much from purebred puppies. This is often used by unscrupulous scammers.
Listen to your heart, if possible, get your favorites only in trusted and reliable nurseries.