The Chihuahua

Although the origin of the Chihuahua is shrouded in mystery, we do know that it is a very ancient breed. It was not until late last century that he came to prominence in Mexico and, in due course, became officially recognized as a pure breed. It is believed that the Long Coated variety was subsequently developed in the United States by crossing the Smooth variety with other Toy breeds, thought to have been the Papillon and Pomeranian. Even the Pekingese, Yorkshire Terrier and Toy Poodle have been mentioned as possibilities.

The Long Coat Chihuahua is basically the same dog in all respects as the Smooth Coat Chihuahua, with the obvious exception of his coat. In fact both types sometimes appear in the same litter, even though they are classified as separate breeds. His coat is long and either flat or slightly wavy with a soft texture. As with all coated breeds, the Long Coat Chihuahua requires regular grooming to keep his coat tangle free.

Like the Smooth Coat variety he is a "big dog" in a small body who completely forgets about his lack of size. Not only does he refuse to be intimidated by larger dogs, but his alert nature makes him an excellent household watchdog. He adores his owners but may be nervous with strangers, and is good with older children provided they do no use any rough-house tactics.

Ideal Size: Less than 2.7 kg.

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