Chihuahua is a small dog, the breed of which was recognized as the smallest in the world. These are the smallest animals among representatives of canids. However, among the little ones (in the light of fashion trends to acquire dogs that can fit in a purse), even more tiny doggies appeared, which they called the micro chihuahua.
Why do people choose this breed, and what will future owners of such crumbs have to face?
Breed history
According to various sources, the ancestors of the Chihuahua breed are dogs that lived among the oldest Indian tribes. Wall paintings confirmed such statements. Miniature sculptures in the form of chihuahua dogs in ancient Mexican temples were also discovered.
During archaeological excavations, remains of bones similar in structure to the skeleton with modern representatives of the breed were found. Historians have come to the conclusion that miniature dogs were held in high esteem, perhaps even considered sacred animals, since the remains of canids were discovered near the burial places of the leaders.
The appearance of a chihuahua
When mentally trying to imagine what a chihuahua looks like, a smile appears on your face, because tiny doggies are cute, funny and always positively tuned.
Dogs of this breed are divided into two categories:
- Longhair is the most common type. The coat of representatives of this type is wavy, soft to the touch, interspersed with a glossy shine. A distinctive feature of the species is a slight elongation of the hair in the neck, along the entire length of the tail, as well as the abdomen.
- Smooth-haired - dogs with a short and dense coat of hair.
In the article you can see a photo of a smooth-haired micro chihuahua.
Colors
The colors of the Chihuahua breed are diverse: white, black, tan, tricolor or spotted. It is considered to be rare that the blue color is merle, when the dog's coat has a silver-gray shade with a bluish tint.
Deriving a blue-tinted Chihuahua is extremely difficult, because the gene that is responsible for the rare color is associated with genetic mutations.
Description of breed features
Given such a "deep" history of origin, in compliance with all formalities, the breed was recognized only at the beginning of the XIX century. Literally immediately, the tiny doggie received the title of "secular" favorites.
The Chihuahua breed standard was approved in 1923. Dogs must meet the following description:
- Growth - an adult individual of a dog of the Chihuahua breed should not exceed a value of 23 cm, the minimum indicators are 15 cm.
- Weight - ranges from 1.5 kg to 2.5 kg. Only those crumbs whose mass does not exceed 1.5 kg are included in the micro-chihuahua group. This type of breed is not recognized by cynological organizations, but, nevertheless, is very popular among breeders and connoisseurs.
- The head is round, in appearance it resembles the shape of an apple. The forehead is convex, the transition from the frontal part to the muzzle is distinct. The nose is shortened and slightly upturned. The base of the muzzle is wide, and the muzzle itself is short with a pointed tip. The teeth are not very big, but strong. A bite of a cross or, as it is also called, scissor type.
- The eyes are bulging, large with a dark iris. The look is very expressive.
- Auricles in dogs of impressive size, stand upright. The shape resembles a triangle with rounding at the tips of the ears.
- The body is compact, slightly elongated. The back is strong and short with a weakly expressed withers. The neck is medium length with a slight bend. Chihuahua dogs have a stronger neck than females. The chest in adult dogs has a depth and width that has a pronounced bend. The stomach is always tight.
- The tail is of medium length, has a wide base and landing; it tapers noticeably towards the end. The bend runs along a curve or oval.
- Extremities - have clearly defined shoulders and tight-fitting shoulder blades. The muscles are developed excellently. The forelimbs have dense pads, the legs are set straight. The rear ones are placed correspondingly to each other, the angles of the joints are pronounced.
Various aspects are identified to define the standard, but particular attention is paid to the height and weight of small chihuahuas. In the article you can see a photo of an adult micro-chihuahua.
Practical recommendations for choosing a future puppy
Despite the emotions that cause micro-chihuahua, breeders caution future owners of puppies: the smaller the estimated size of an adult dog, the higher the risk of dog health problems.
As a rule, deciding to buy a mini-sized dog, a person agrees to overpay an impressive amount, because the smallest puppy from the litter is more expensive than their brothers. In addition to the size of the puppy, the price is determined by other circumstances, for example, the presence of the face "baby face" or a strong body.
As noted earlier, dogs with a blue color are considered extremely rare and beautiful Chihuahuas.
But the high risks to health threats force breeders to reject such individuals, not even considering compliance with breed standards.
When choosing a puppy from the mini category, there is no particular need to focus on compliance with breed standards, since micro chihuahuas are not allowed to exhibit and do not participate in breeding. Due to the dwarf size, females from the mini category are not able to independently carry and give birth to offspring. The danger of death of puppies and especially the dog itself is too high. Therefore, buying a dog Chihuahua girl, it is better to take care of its sterilization in advance. For the procedure, it is advisable to contact a veterinary clinic, where specialists already have experience operating such small animals. The weight and size of Chihuahua mini dogs requires a careful and careful selection of drugs and their dosages.
Unfortunately, often in puppies from the mini category you can observe too large a head size and an extended fontanel. These features signal the possibility of developing hydrocephalus. Nobody can accurately predict the manifestation of the pathology in the future in the period up to 3-5 months, even an experienced specialist, but differences in the behavior of such puppies are noticeable at an early stage. Babies sleep more than other puppies, crumbs develop more slowly than their brothers, they are often disturbed by headaches. Nevertheless, all puppies should not lose their appetite and interest in the world around them.
Nobody knows how to choose from one litter of puppies of a micro-Chihuahua. It is likely that from one bitch, both standard and micro babies will be born. Nuances that can confuse an inexperienced person:
- When a bitch has many puppies (multiple pregnancy), then all babies are born very small. Up to 3 months, such crumbs develop slowly, gain weight for a long time, and after this period there is a sharp jump in growth.
- If there are only 1 or 2 puppies in the litter, then their size is most likely large. Kids actively eat, grow quickly and gain weight evenly. However, if we are talking about micro babies, then their growth will slow down after 3 months.
In no case should you respond to calls and advertisements by experienced breeders about super mini chihuahua dogs. From the above nuances, it becomes clear that the puppy is actually acquired at random. Therefore, it is not recommended to acquire a puppy before 3 months of age. The best option, which gives guarantees of more than 50%, is a grown puppy that has already formed, then you can be sure of your choice.
Character of babies and raising a dog
Often, future owners of tiny chihuahuas ask themselves: “For what purpose can you train a dog that can fit in your pocket?” But even with such a small size, the Chihuahua does not cease to be a dog.
The article presents photos of micro-Chihuahuas of different colors and in different age categories.
The advantages of training:
- The character of the dog becomes complaisant and obedient. The risks of situations when courage and recklessness take possession of a little hero are reduced.
- Chihuahuas are prone to escaping, but a well-bred dog will never make the owner nervous.
- Pugnacious individuals are often found surrounded by representatives of this breed. The skirmishes that provoke a chihuahua often end in tears precisely for bullying. To avoid such situations, just training is necessary.
A chihuahua is the same dog as the rest, albeit a small one, so training begins with basic skills. It is advisable to start training from a puppy's age. In the context of teaching a puppy basic skills, it is necessary to rely primarily on his natural needs - food, games and sleep.
A puppy 2-3 months old requires socialization. Acquaintance of the doggie with the outside world and other representatives of the canines is necessary. Despite the fact that the dog relieves the need for a tray, walks are necessary for it to communicate with other animals. By eliminating the baby’s constant presence at home, the puppy will grow up independent.
Without training, the owners doom themselves to spoiled furniture, things, as well as the uncontrolled behavior of the dog. Someone believes that such behavior is characteristic of a young age and the pet, having necessarily stepped over the puppy threshold, will cease to cheat. You should not have high hopes for it, a Chihuahua - a principled dog, growing up an ill-bred dog, will not stop mischief.
How to contain?
It is better to get acquainted with the features of care and maintenance of the future pet before it appears in the house. For the first time, you will definitely need the following:
- A bowl, and preferably two at once. One for water, one for food. The volume of the bowls is chosen in accordance with the size of the future pet. A safe material option is metal.
- Couch or mattress. To whom it is convenient - it can even be a rug or a pillow. The main thing is that the pet should feel comfortable and comfortable in the house.
- Tray for the toilet. As a rule, breeders accustom babies to a diaper or tray. Of course, under the new conditions, the crumbs will have to be accustomed anew, so it will take a lot of patience to the owners. For successful training, you need to moisten the place on which the puppy peeed with paper, and put it on the bottom of the tray.
- Toys for the baby. A puppy, like any child, needs games and mischief. The choice of toys should be taken responsibly. The size and material of which the toy is made is important. Small, sturdy toys without small items are ideal.
- Special cleaning products for dog hygiene. A smooth-haired chihuahua is bathed every 3 months, and long-haired individuals more often, approximately every 4 weeks. After bathing, the dogs are dried with a hairdryer. To prevent water from entering the ears of the animal, they are laid with cotton balls.
- Accessories for pet hair - brush or comb, are selected taking into account the undercoat. A long-haired chihuahua is combed daily, for shorthair representatives of sufficient planned combing twice a week.
- Toothpaste and toothbrush that are designed specifically for dogs. These accessories can be purchased at the pet store. Chihuahua often produces tartar. You can reduce the risks of its formation if you brush your pet's teeth daily.
It is not necessary to teach the Chihuahua to relieve their need in the tray. These dogs, like many others, are able to endure to street walking. It is advisable to breed a Chihuahua at the same time at least 2-3 times a day.
To maintain health, a Chihuahua needs to be vaccinated regularly, treated against parasites, and also have anthelmintic.
Feeding
Dogs of this breed can be fed with both industrial and natural feeds. The diet for natural feeding should consist of the following products:
- fresh meat;
- raw eggs;
- vegetables;
- fruit;
- offal;
- a fish;
- greens.
Dry food must be selected taking into account the small teeth of the dog, in which there will be small pieces, specialized for miniature breeds.
The peculiarity of the breed is a tendency to gain weight. The task of the owners: to monitor the amount of food eaten by the pet.
Dog health
Any veterinarian or chihuahua breeder will confirm that the smaller the dog’s size, the more often it has health problems. Future owners should be mentally prepared for such a confluence of circumstances.
Photos of a micro chihuahua, in which you can see how small they really are, are presented in the article.
It is mentioned above that in adults of the micro type, a large fontanel often remains, which is a prerequisite for the development of hydrocephalus.
Special care is required for babies with a weight that does not exceed 650 g, 80% of these mini or micro chihuahuas suffer from attacks of hypoglycemia, when blood sugar levels rapidly decrease. The pet faints and the owners must properly bring the dog to life.
As a rule, experienced breeders maintain the health of such crumbs artificially:
- dogs are given glucose injections;
- from time to time give babies drink sweetened water;
- strict adherence to the feeding regime by the hour;
- the amount of food at a time is small;
- exclude dog overstrain by limiting the time of games.
If suddenly the owners are faced with a similar pathology at their pet, a consultation with a veterinarian is required.
Note: refusal of food does not always indicate the presence of a disease. It is likely that the pet is protesting against the food or feed that is offered to him. As a rule, a similar course of action takes place when the puppy reaches 4-5 months of age.
Micro Chihuahua is not a new breed of dog bred, but only representatives of the main breed, which is bred not for breeding, but for the soul. If suddenly a puppy after some time outgrew the mark of 1.5 kg, there should be no reason for frustration. From this, the dog will not become less loving and faithful.
Where to buy a puppy?
Ads for the sale of Micro Chihuahua puppies in Moscow and other regions of Russia can be found on free online boards or newspapers. Today, most nurseries maintain their sites, groups in Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki, there should be no problems with the search. The sale of the best puppies from the leading micro-chihuahua breeders in Moscow is carried out with all the necessary documents and vaccinations at the time of sale, but not earlier than 2-3 months after birth.