There’s a special doggy holiday coming up: May 14th is Chihuahua Appreciation Day! This tiny dog has made a pretty big impression on people. A local Plano, TX vet discusses these lovable little pooches below.
Breed Info
Chihuahuas are known for being small pups with big personalities. Their most outstanding trait, of course, is their size … or lack thereof. Some of these guys only get to be a few inches tall, and only weigh a few pounds!
Longevity
Most people agree that the Chihuahua hails from Chihuahua, Mexico. One study found a match between modern Chihuahua DNA and DNA found in Mexican dogs from over 1000 years ago. That suggests that Fido has been around since long before Europeans came to North America.
Care Tips
Chihuahuas do have some unique care tips. For example, we generally recommend using harnesses on them, rather than leashes, because it’s so easy to accidentally jerk on their necks and cut off their airflow. You’ll also need to be careful not to let Fido become obese.
Chihuahua Traits
These tiny, cuddly pups are well-suited for apartment dwellers. They’re also fairly tolerant of heat. Chihuahuas are extremely loving, and form very strong bonds with their humans. They are also very popular companion dogs, and often enjoy being carried around in designer totes. You may have heard that these guys have a reputation for aggression. However, this is typically due to poor care, rather than natural traits.
Training
One thing we often see in Chihuahuas is a lack of training. This happens because people figure that pint-sized pups aren’t dangerous. This, however, really isn’t the case. Fido’s little teeth are still sharp enough to break skin! Chihuahuas also tend to see themselves as bigger than they are, and therefore have no qualms about attacking much larger dogs. Make sure that your pint-sized pup knows basic obedience commands, like Sit, Stay, Heel, and Come.
Famous Chihuahuas
There actually have been quite a few celebrity Chihuahuas. The most well-known of them may very well be Gidget, the Taco Bell spokesdog. Ren and Stimpy fans will also be happy to find Ren on the list. Then there’s the star of Beverly Hills Chihuahua. As for us, we’re definitely big fans of these little dogs!
Please contact us, your local Plano, TX vet clinic, for all of your pet’s veterinary care needs. We are here to help!
