Q1: What is the AKC Standard for Chihuahuas?

The Official Breed Standard as described by the Chihuahua Club of America, Parent Club of the American Kennel Club is:

Chihuahua Breed Standard

General Appearance
A graceful, alert, swift-moving little dog with saucy expression, compact, and with terrier-like qualities of temperament.

Size, Proportion, Substance
Weight - A well balanced little dog not to exceed 6 pounds. Proportion - The body is off-square; hence, slightly longer when measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, than height at the withers. Somewhat shorter bodies are preferred in males. Disqualification - Any dog over 6 pounds in weight.

Head
A well rounded "apple dome" skull, with or without molera. Expression - Saucy. Eyes - Full, but not protruding, balanced, set well apart-luminous dark or luminous ruby. (Light eyes in blond or white-colored dogs permissible.) Ears - Large, erect type ears, held more upright when alert, but flaring to the sides at a 45 degree angle when in repose, giving breadth between the ears. Muzzle - Moderately short, slightly pointed. Cheeks and jaws lean. Nose - Self-colored in blond types, or black. In moles, blues, and chocolates, they are self-colored. In blond types, pink nose permissible. Bite - Level or scissors. Overshot or undershot bite, or any distortion of the bite or jaw, should be penalized as a serious fault. Disqualifications - Broken down or cropped ears.

Neck, Topline, Body
Neck - Slightly arched, gracefully sloping into lean shoulders. Topline - Level. Body - Ribs rounded and well sprung (but not too much "barrel-shaped"). Tail - Moderately long, carried sickle either up or out, or in a loop over the back, with tip just touching the back. (Never tucked between legs.) Disqualifications - Cropped tail, bobtail.

Forequarters
Shoulders - Lean, sloping into a slightly broadening support above straight forelegs that set well under, giving a free play at the elbows. Shoulders should be well up, giving balance and soundness, sloping into a level back. (Never down or low.) This gives a chestiness, and strength of forequarters, yet not of the "Bulldog" chest. Feet - A small, dainty foot with toes well split up but not spread, pads cushioned. (Neither the hare nor the cat foot.) Pasterns - Fine.

Hindquarters
Muscular, with hocks well apart, neither out nor in, well let down, firm and sturdy. The feet are as in front.

Coat
In the Smooth Coats, the coat should be of soft texture, close and glossy. (Heavier coats with undercoats permissible.) Coat placed well over body with ruff on neck preferred, and more scanty on head and ears. Hair on tail preferred furry. In Long Coats, the coat should be of a soft texture, either flat or slightly curly, with undercoat preferred. Ears - Fringed. (Heavily fringed ears may be tipped slightly if due to the fringes and not to weak ear leather, never down.) Tail - Full and long (as a plume). Feathering on feet and legs, pants on hind legs and large ruff on the neck desired and preferred. Disqualification - In Long Coats, too thin coat that resembles bareness.

Color
Any color-Solid, marked or splashed.

Gait
The Chihuahua should move swiftly with a firm, sturdy action, with good reach in front equal to the drive from the rear. From the rear, the hocks remain parallel to each other, and the foot fall of the rear legs follows directly behind that of the forelegs. The legs, both front and rear, will tend to converge slightly toward a central line of gravity as speed increases. The side view shows good, strong drive in the rear and plenty of reach in the front, with head carried high. The topline should remain firm and the backline level as the dog moves.

Temperament
Alert, with terrier-like qualities.

Disqualifications
Any dog over 6 pounds in weight.
Broken down or cropped ears.
Cropped tail, bobtail.
In Long Coats, too thin coat that resembles bareness.

Q2: How long do Chihuahuas live?

Chihuahuas are the most long lived of any breed of dog. Life spans of 15+ years are not uncommon.

Q3: How much exercise do Chihuahuas need?

One of the reasons that the Chihuahua is a popular breed is that they don’t require much more exercise than they will get running around your house or apartment during a typical day. While they enjoy an occasional walk, they are not good jogging companions. Simply allowing them to run around the yard for a few minutes can often provide adequate exercise. Chihuahua’s are known for quick bursts of energy that will come and go throughout the day, and therefore do not require large exercise areas. Chihuahua’s can be trained to fetch small toys and this game is an excellent indoor activity. As puppies, Chi’s are boisterous and energetic; however, as they get older they can easily become couch potatoes. If it looks like your Chi is gaining too much weight, in addition to getting him out for a walk every once in awhile, you may want to consider decreasing the amount you’re feeding him.

Q4: Do Chihuahuas need special dog food?

Well, yes and no. They have the same nutritional needs as other dogs in proportion to their size. However, they have very small mouths and teeth so they can't handle large nuggets very well.

We strongly recommend that you avoid mass-produced commercial brands of dog food. Even many of the premium gourmet brands contain all kinds of dangerous and disgusting ingredients that you really don't want to feed your dog. Chihuahuas prefer a few small meals daily, rather than one big meal We leave a small bowl of dry food out for our Chihuahuas in addition to two small prepared meals each day.

Q5: Are Chihuahuas good with children?

Chihuahuas can be very good with children if they are trained to handle it well. However, small children can be very dangerous for Chihuahuas because they may not understand how fragile these animals are or have the physical dexterity to avoid hurting them by laying, falling or stepping on them. It's always best to hold the Chi while small children are about. Then you can let the children approach to pet and pamper under your direct coaching and supervision.

Q6: What is a Teacup Chihuahua?

The short answer is: There is no such thing as a Teacup Chihuahua. The long answer is...

The Chihuahua Club of America, Parent Club of the American Kennel Club makes the following statement in regard to the teacup designation:

Tea Cup Statement

The Chihuahua Is A Chihuahua

The Official AKC Breed Standard describes the Chihuahua as a small dog that comes in two varieties or coat types. The difference in coat type (the Long Coat and the Smooth Coat) is the only official description used to identify a difference within this breed. Our standard does not categorize the Chihuahua by size.

For the purpose of showing and record keeping, the American Kennel club includes the Chihuahua (along with 19 other breeds) in the Toy Group. Therefore, irrespective of their weight or physical stature ALL Chihuahuas registered with the AKC are considered to be a toy breed of dog.

As with all living things, there will be size variance between individual dogs within this breed. Look within the human family - brothers and sisters will differ in height and in weight, as well as other physical attributes. They are described as humans, male or female, and there is seldom if ever a need to break the description down further. The same holds true in regard to the Chihuahua; they are Chihuahuas - Long Coat / Smooth Coat!

Unfortunately, the additional adjectives used to describe the size differences and physical appearances are many and have been misused for so long they now seem legitimate. Teacup, Pocket Size, Tiny Toy, Miniature or Standard - are just a few of the many tags and labels that have been attached to this breed over the years. The Chihuahua Club of America is concerned that these terms may be used to entice prospective buyers into thinking that puppies described in this way are of greater monetary value. They are not and the use of these terms is incorrect and misleading.

Occasionally, within a litter, there may be a puppy that is unusually small. That puppy is a small Chihuahua and any other breakdown in description is not correct. To attach any of these additional labels to a particular puppy is to misrepresent that Chihuahua as something that is rare or exceptional and causes a great deal of confusion among those new fanciers who are looking for a Chihuahua.

The Chihuahua Club of America does not endorse nor condone the use of any of these terms and would caution the perspective puppy buyer not to be misled by them.

We recognize that many Chihuahua fanciers do want the very small puppy. While they are adorable and can be perfectly healthy, the buyer should be cautioned as to the extra care that may be required with regard to their general health and well-being.

Q7: I've heard that Chihuahuas are nervous, high-strung dogs. Is that true?

Yes, Chihuahuas tend to be high-strung dogs, meaning that they are generally nervous about changes in their environment, tend to bark easily, and are suspicious of strangers. They also tend to be emotional and will pout when they aren't happy. express their The are also very loyal to their masters, however, and therefore can be trained and socialized to minimize these tendencies.

Q8: What are the differences between the smooth coat and the long coat Chihuahuas?

The issue of whether or not there is a difference in personality seems to be a topic of debate within the Chihuahua community. Some claim that there is no difference in personality; others claim that longcoats have a tendency to be "soft-tempered" while smoothcoats tend to be more aggressive.
Smoothcoats tend to have coarser fur than longcoats -- almost like bristles in some cases. Smoothcoats shed more than longcoats. However, longcoats do shed as well. Heavily coated longcoats require brushing about once a month, but this can be a pleasant exercise for both Chi and master rather than a chore. As far as bathing is concerned, as a general rule, the longcoats will need to be bathed more frequently, and it'll be a longer process (both washing and drying).

Q9: Is it safe to take your Chihuahua on a cold weather walk?

As long as you are aware of the fact that Chihuahuas, especially short haired ones, have a difficult time maintaining body temperature in the cold. If the temps dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, then a sweater or jacket is highly recommended. If the temps are below freezing, then limit the time that your pet is in contact with the ground to a few minutes at most.

Q10: Are Chihuahuas sociable with other dogs?

Chihuahuas generally do not get along very well with other dogs. However, they usually get along well with other Chihuahuas. They can also be socialized to get along with dogs of other breeds.