They are one of my favorite breeds. OK so many people know that by now. But in this post I decided to post facts about this lovable breed called chihuahuas that many people probably do not know. Most people think of chihuahuas as being useless and ugly creatures. Well, they are not. When you get to know them as well as I have, you realize what wonderful animals they truly are. And a well-bred chihuahua can be very beautiful too.
1. Chihuahuas are more than 3000 years old.
As a breed, chihuahuas are a very ancient breed. The techichi (now extinct) was the breed used in creating chihuahuas, which dates back to the Mayan empire. The techichi died out with the Mayans, but the chihuahua lives on today.
2. Chihuahuas have royal blood.
The techichi was kept mostly by Mayan emperors instead of blankets to keep them warm on cold nights, and regular folk were not allowed to own them. The 70s band, Three Dog Night, was named for the breed in fact, when royal folks would use 3 dogs on very cold nights. When the emperor died, their dogs were often sacrificed and buried with them.
3. Chihuahuas are a type of spaniel.
Though the techichi was a pariah type dog (or greyhound type), the chihuahua as we know it today was created when the orientals invaded Mexico, and their royalty brought toy spaniels, like pekingese, with them in their invasion.
4. Chihuahuas used to be bigger.
This is why people who say chihuahuas are "rats" annoy me so much! Chihuahuas used to weigh 50+ pounds in their earlier days. The techichi was the size of a modern pit bull, and chihuahuas were once just as big. It wasn't until the invasion from China came and bred these dogs down that chihuahuas got smaller.
5. Long coated chihuahuas are not "Made in Mexico".
The long-coated chihuahua is actually a creation made in the USA, by the crossing of other small spaniels, like the papillon, into the lines of chihuahuas. Long coated chihuahuas are just over 100 years old, compared to the smooth chihuahua.
6. Chihuahuas are one of the few "prejudice" dog breeds.
Chihuahuas are the only dogs that I really know of that are partial only to other chihuahuas. I have actually seen this firsthand! Back in Astoria, I had a neighbor that had a chihuahua, and I walked Minnie (my papillon) and Vegas (my chihuahua) to the mailbox and the neighbor's dog wanted to follow Vegas, but completely ignored Minnie.
7. The first chihuahua was registered with the American Kennel Club in 1904.
The first chihuahua registered in 1904 by the AKC was named Taco. It was one of the first non-sporting dogs to be registered by AKC and shown in a conformation event.
8. The Taco Bell Dog was actually a female.
Though she is portrayed as a male dog in the old Taco Bell commercials, and even given a man's voice, Ginger was actually a female.
9. Chihuahuas can live to be over 20 years old.
There is a specific line of chihuahuas from a breeder in California, that are well-known to live as long as 20-22 years. Though I could not tell you exactly which line it is.
1. Chihuahuas are more than 3000 years old.
As a breed, chihuahuas are a very ancient breed. The techichi (now extinct) was the breed used in creating chihuahuas, which dates back to the Mayan empire. The techichi died out with the Mayans, but the chihuahua lives on today.
2. Chihuahuas have royal blood.
The techichi was kept mostly by Mayan emperors instead of blankets to keep them warm on cold nights, and regular folk were not allowed to own them. The 70s band, Three Dog Night, was named for the breed in fact, when royal folks would use 3 dogs on very cold nights. When the emperor died, their dogs were often sacrificed and buried with them.
3. Chihuahuas are a type of spaniel.
Though the techichi was a pariah type dog (or greyhound type), the chihuahua as we know it today was created when the orientals invaded Mexico, and their royalty brought toy spaniels, like pekingese, with them in their invasion.
4. Chihuahuas used to be bigger.
This is why people who say chihuahuas are "rats" annoy me so much! Chihuahuas used to weigh 50+ pounds in their earlier days. The techichi was the size of a modern pit bull, and chihuahuas were once just as big. It wasn't until the invasion from China came and bred these dogs down that chihuahuas got smaller.
5. Long coated chihuahuas are not "Made in Mexico".
The long-coated chihuahua is actually a creation made in the USA, by the crossing of other small spaniels, like the papillon, into the lines of chihuahuas. Long coated chihuahuas are just over 100 years old, compared to the smooth chihuahua.
6. Chihuahuas are one of the few "prejudice" dog breeds.
Chihuahuas are the only dogs that I really know of that are partial only to other chihuahuas. I have actually seen this firsthand! Back in Astoria, I had a neighbor that had a chihuahua, and I walked Minnie (my papillon) and Vegas (my chihuahua) to the mailbox and the neighbor's dog wanted to follow Vegas, but completely ignored Minnie.
7. The first chihuahua was registered with the American Kennel Club in 1904.
The first chihuahua registered in 1904 by the AKC was named Taco. It was one of the first non-sporting dogs to be registered by AKC and shown in a conformation event.
8. The Taco Bell Dog was actually a female.
Though she is portrayed as a male dog in the old Taco Bell commercials, and even given a man's voice, Ginger was actually a female.
9. Chihuahuas can live to be over 20 years old.
There is a specific line of chihuahuas from a breeder in California, that are well-known to live as long as 20-22 years. Though I could not tell you exactly which line it is.
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