Interesting facts about Chihuahua

Topic: Interesting facts about the Chihuahua breed
Compact size, great personality. Chihuahua is truly an amazing breed with a rich and interesting history. Energetic, affectionate, playful and loyal to their family. It would seem that you know everything about the breed, but the cognitive and interesting facts about the Chihuahua discussed below may tame self-confidence and fill up the cup of your knowledge.

1. Mexican origin
The breed is named after the largest Mexican state Chihuahua, where it was first seen in 1850. An interesting fact is that the Chihuahua for a long time had two other now unofficial names:

Texas;
Arizona.
Both states have long claimed the honor of giving their name to the little dog. The point in this matter was put by the state of Chihuahua, which is considered the official birthplace of the breed.

Chihuahua originally from Mexico, Chihuahua Surprisingly, the state's name Chihuahua comes from an Aztec word for "between two waters." Historians believe that the state was named even before the conquest of the Indian territories of modern Mexico by the conquistadors, which began in 1519.

Every year, on May 5, Mexicans celebrate the national holiday Cinco de mayo. The holiday is dedicated to the day of the victory of the Mexican troops in the bloody battle of Puebla, which ended on May 5, 1862. The event is celebrated throughout the United States. On this day, contests for dog owners, parades are held in the states. Some veterinary clinics offer free 24- hour spay / castration of the Chihuahua .

The most popular nickname for Chihuahuas in Mexico is Chico (Spanish Chico). Translated from Spanish - baby, child. In the early 1900s, during the wedding ceremony, the groom often presented the bride as a gift a bouquet of flowers with a Chihuahua puppy inside.

2. The smallest breed in the world
The smallest in the world For many years, the Chihuahua has proudly held the title of the smallest dog breed in the world . This is evidenced by the official records in the Guinness Book of Records.

So the Chihuahua named Millie, born on December 1, 2011 in Puerto Rico, received the title of the world's smallest dog in height. Her height at the withers was only 9.65 cm.The data were entered in the Guinness Book on the basis of preliminary measurements carried out on February 21, 2013 by the editorial staff. Millie lives with Vanessa Semler, her owner.

Another Chihuahua in 2005 was awarded the title of the world's smallest dog in length. She was a girl named Brandy, who was born in Florida (USA) on New Year's Eve 2013. Its actual length, from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, was 15.2 cm. The record holder lives with the owner, Polett Keller.

3. Fearless and loyal
In modern society, the idea has arisen that the Chihuahua is a petty, annoying and cowardly mongrel, capable of watering passers-by with a barking bark behind the owner's back. False! In fact, cowardice is recognized by the Federation as a serious breed defect.

Chihuahuas are fearless and loyal dogs The breed is characterized by courage and devotion to the leader of the pack, which becomes one of the family members. No, it does not mean at all that the Chihuahua will love only one member of the family. Will love everyone, both children and adults who surround the dog from birth. But he will become attached and bestow with his devotion the only person worthy for personal consideration. In addition, Chihuahuas are extremely jealous, so they will not tolerate competitors for the title of a family pet.

The fact is that the Chihuahua is also an aggressive breed. Able to rush furiously at a stranger or a larger dog. One gets the impression that the feeling of fear is unknown to them, but the feeling of their own greatness is definitely overestimated. In order not to raise an evil monster, you need to accustom your puppy to society, animals, and the world around you from childhood. In simple terms, do an important job of socializing your puppy.

Incredibly, in 2010, a 1.5-kilogram Chihuahua named Momo entered the service in the police department of the Japanese central city of Nara. The dog performs search and rescue missions to free the victims from the rubble of buildings and mines that collapsed as a result of natural disasters.

4. Smart and quick-witted
Ironically, the smallest dog in the world has the largest brain. Research shows that Chihuahuas have the highest brain-to-body ratio of all dogs. Does this mean that our babies are smarter than other breeds? Not at all.

They are smart and quick-witted animals. The leader (first) place is still occupied by the Border Collie, the breed is recognized as the smartest in the world. Chihuahuas are not even included in the top ten. However, God rewarded the little dog with a good memory, quick-wittedness, and the ability to learn. Chihuahuas have the ability to train, but stubbornness will have to be fought in the truest sense of the word. In short, the breed is not hopeless.

Chihuahuas are very active dogs. They are ready to dig for a long time in the snow, linen, ground, run and jump. Therefore, it is recommended to walk at least 2 times for 20-40 minutes daily. However, I do not recommend going outside in sub-zero temperatures without specialized dog clothes. The animal can easily catch a cold, so the preference for the southern regions of Russia.

5. Artistic and charismatic
The breed first appeared on television screens in the late 90s. The international fast food chain Taco Bell has launched a series of commercials featuring a talking Chihuahua boy named Gidget, who later became the corporation's mascot. He starred in commercials titled Yo Quiero Taco Bell, Drop the Chalupa! and “Viva Gorditas!”. Voiced by Carlos Alazraki.

Gidget According to the official representatives of the corporation, $ 500 million was spent on the advertising campaign. After the release of commercials, the breed gained popularity and became in great demand all over the world, especially in the states.

The advertising career ended on October 23, 2004, when the contract with the advertising agency TBWA, which created the corporate identity of the Taco Bell corporation, expired. Gidget managed to appear not only in commercials, but also in both parts of the film "Legally Blonde". The dog passed away on July 21, 2009, at the age of 15. Gidget spent the last days of his life at the house of his mistress in Santa Clarita, California, USA. The cause of death was a stroke. The Taco Bell Corporation has publicly expressed its condolences to his fans.

6. Included in the TOP long-livers among dogs
Live longer than most dog breeds On average, they live from 12 to 16 years. Based on the above indicators, the Chihuahua ranks first among other dog breeds in terms of life expectancy.

Of course, smaller breeds tend to live longer than larger breeds, but another key factor contributing to the Chihuahua's longevity is the relatively few health problems that this breed is predisposed to with.

Around the world, cases of longevity are periodically recorded, when a dog lives to 20 or more years.

7. Two official varieties
The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), hence the RKF, officially recognizes two classifications of the Chihuahua breed:

smooth-haired;
long-haired.
There are officially 2 types of Chihuahuas: long-haired and smooth-haired. Moreover, Chihuahuas have the richest palette of coat colors. There are more than 100 colors and color combinations. Any color variation is allowed except for marbled, and snow-white is the rarest. The coat can be long, short, coarse or silky, with or without undercoat. Perhaps this fact was served by the ancient history of the breed.

Surprisingly, two smooth-haired individuals, as a result of crossing, can produce long-haired offspring. Long-haired individuals, on the other hand, cannot produce smooth-haired puppies. The fact is that the gene responsible for the length of the Chihuahua's coat is recessive.

An interesting fact is that until 1952, the American Kennel Club (AKC) did not divide Chihuahuas by type of coat into smooth-haired and long-haired. Dogs were entered into a single register. So in 1903, Hamilton Raynor from El Paso, Texas, registered the first long-haired individual named Midget in the AKC studbook. And in 1923 the first Chihuahua Club in America was founded, where the first breed standard was published.

It is believed that long-haired Chihuahuas were bred in the United States by crossing smooth-haired representatives with the Papillon, or Pomeranian Spitz.

No self-respecting canine organization mentions such varieties as "Deer" and "Cobby". In the first case, the deer type is meant, in the second, stocky, standard, with an apple-shaped head. Not only that, the Deer type is a mestizo, as a rule, a cross with a Yorkshire Terrier.

On the Internet, I often hear about the mystical breed of Chihuahua Mini. Officially, there are no minis, only Chihuahuas! And don't be fooled by the marketing ploy of unscrupulous puppy sellers. Explore the official Chihuahua breed standard and see for yourself.

8. Descendant of the ancient breed "Techichi"
Mitochondrial DNA analyzes carried out by the researchers confirm the relationship of the Chihuahua with the ancient breed of dogs "Techichi", which once lived in the era of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Historians suggest that the Techichi lived during the reign of the civilizations of the Aztecs, Toltecs, and the ancient Mayans. She led a gregarious lifestyle, skillfully hid in holes from predators and climbed trees well. It was also larger than modern descendants.

Wild dogs were captured by the ancient Indians and domesticated. The Indians equated techichi with sacred creatures, used them in ritual sacrifices and as food. They sincerely believed that a dog killed after the death of the owner will certainly find him and show the way to the afterlife. In addition, they believed that the techichi was able to heal its master by taking the disease upon itself. The legend is still believed by modern society.

Sandro Botticelli "The Calling of Moses" Historians find confirmation of this in various archaeological finds, sculptures, images on clay pots and tablets found in various parts of the world. Most of the finds have been found in Mexico. The earliest of these date back to 300 BC. In later art, the small dog is mentioned in paintings by Italian painters such as The Trials and The Calling of Moses (1482 AD) by Sandro Botticelli, and The Two Venetians (1490 AD) by Vittore Carpaccio.

Since mitochondrial DNA is passed only from the mother (and not from the father), this analysis does not reveal the full history of the Chihuahua's origin . Some experts believe that the Mexican techichi was crossed with a Chinese crested dog. The result of the experiment is a modern chihuahua. No factual confirmation of the theory is provided.

9. Soft spot on the crown
90% of puppies are born with a soft spot on their head Most Chihuahua puppies, like human babies, are born with an opening (open fontanelle) in the fusion of the parietal and frontal bones of the skull. In medical language, the phenomenon is called "molera".

Until recently, the presence of a molar was considered a purebred trait of a puppy, a feature of the breed, but recently the opposite trend has been observed.

Let me remind you that usually the fontanelle grows completely over 2-6 months of the puppy's life. In rare cases, it remains open throughout the dog's life.

10. Favorite of show business stars
After the Taco Bell advertisements appeared on TV screens, the breed quickly gained popularity among American show business stars. The first star owner of a Chihuahua was the 19th century Italian opera singer Adeline Patti. She received a dog as a gift from the President of Mexico Porfirio Diaz.

Anfisa Chekhova and Tiffany Other foreign stars who owned, or still own, a Chihuahua dog: Adrian Brody, Ashton Kutcher, Billie Holiday, Cesar Millan, Christina Ricci, Demi Moore, George Lopez, Hilary Duff, Jane Mansfield, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Katharine , Lupe Velez, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Rourke, Paula Abdul, Reese Witherspoon, Paris Hilton. teacup chihuahua puppies for sale