Potato Chips

“Chihuahuas are like potato chips. You can´t have just one.” (Anonymous)

They rule the home life of my family. The Chihuahuas are the smallest breed of dog, and are named after the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. The Chihuahua's history is that they are descendants of the Techichi, a companion dog favored by the Toltec civilization in Mexico. The earlier ancestors probably were present before the Mayas as dogs approximating the Chihuahua are found in materials from the Great Pyramid of Cholula, antedating 1530, and in the ruins of Chichen Itza on the Yucatán Peninsula.

Chihuahuas as we know them today remained a rarity until the early 20th century; the American Kennel Club (AKC) did not register a Chihuahua until 1904.There are two varieties of Chihuahua recognized by the AKC the Smooth Coat (shorthaired) and the Long Coat (longhaired). Both the Smooth and the Long Coats have their special attractions and are equally easy to keep clean and well groomed.

Dogs of either coat type may be identified as either "apple head" or "deer head" Chihuahuas. Apple heads have rounded heads, close-set eyes, and relatively short ears and legs. Deer heads have flat-topped heads, more widely set eyes, larger ears, and longer, more slender legs.

Chihuahuas occur in virtually any color combination from solid to marked or splashed allowing for colors from solid black to solid white, or spotted. Colors and patterns can combine and affect each other resulting in a high degree of variation. Common colors are fawn, red, cream, chocolate, brown, mixed, white, and black.  As the owner of three Chihuahuas (Chico, Rosco, and Lola), there are certain things I know about my canine babies:

1.   A Chihuahua doesn’t know they are a toy breed. The saying, “a big dog in a little package” is completely accurate with this dog.

2.   Chihuahuas love to bathe in sunlight in their  house or their yard.

3.   A Chihuahua’s big eyes have a way of communicating their love to their master. Their large twitching ears communicate they understand what their owner is saying.

4.   Every Chihuahua owner has accepted that their lap is the sole property of their dog.

5.   Your dog is a great conversationalist with their paws and yapping voice. You'll hear their “bark talking” if it’s time to eat, pee, or boredom sets in. Your Chihuahua may also demonstrate their fondness for their owner with a nasty French Doggy Kiss when it's least expected. 

6.   Your dog is like your shadow. They go wherever their owner goes, and their size makes taking them with you simple.

7.   Your Chihuahua loves lounging on the couch. Your Chihuahua may be buried somewhere like under the covers of your bed, squeezed in the couch, or  curled up in a corner in their dog bed.

8.   Your dog has a variety of stylish, warm attire that is used in the winter. Chihuahuas are sensitive to the cold so stylish protection is a must.

9.   Rain is never your friend. Not only does your Chihuahua look like a sad  giant drowned rat when their wet, but also they hate
dampness. They will do anything to avoid going out in the rain.

10.       The Chihuahua Club of America’s breed standard uses just one word to describe the breed’s expression: “saucy.” Any owner knows that this is definitely accurate.

 “So far, our barking has saved Mom and Dad from murder by 40 mailmen, 16 UPS drivers, 3 Girl Scouts, 28 cats and 1 sketchy looking plastic bag on the road... ...and yet they remain ungrateful.” (IloveMyChi.com)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “10 Things Only a Chihuahua Owner Would Know” by AKC Staff

·        “Chihuahua (Dog)” from Wikipedia

This post is inspired by my three Chihuahuas.