Most people have heard the term “teacup Chihuahua,” believing this is a special type of this breed. In truth, there is no such thing as a teacup Chihuahua, although many breeders will use this terminology to make a sale. The word itself conjures up thoughts of an even smaller dog, which is what many people want. Now, considering the average Chihuahua puppy weighs less than three ounces at birth and will only grow to about six pounds at maturity as it is, achieving “teacup” would impossible.

Typically, the reference to a “teacup Chihuahua” is more slang than fact. Sadly, this misconception has the potential to lead to problems. For example, if someone were to want a teacup Chihuahua, only to find it ends up weighing seven pounds once full grown, chances are that person is not going to be happy. Therefore, the dog could be on the receiving end of the disappointment, a very bad position to be in, unless the owner simply loved the dog regardless and did not care.

Remember that the size of the Chihuahua will be determined partly by genetics as well as overall health. Now, someone could ask a breeder for a teacup size, rather than a teacup breed, but the problem is that no one can tell if a six or ten-week old Chihuahua puppy will grow to be a teacup size. Since the puppies will not reach full growth until around the age of two, the person would have to wait and see.

Another more serious problem when it comes to buying a “teacup Chihuahua” is that sadly, some commercial breeders as well as puppy mills will provide false birth dates to make a buck. In this case, the puppy may be just six weeks old but the person is selling it as a ten-week old. The buyer, completely unaware, thinks they have found a very small Chihuahua, thus the teacup as advertised. Of course, as the puppy grows, the truth does come out.

So what is the answer? First, understand that teacup Chihuahuas do not exist but small ones do. The breed itself is already tiny so the best option is to work with a reputable breeder that will provide you with a healthy Chihuahua puppy, the most important factor. You know the dog will not grow to much more than six or seven pounds anyway, which compared to other breeds is exceptionally small. Therefore, the best bet is to do your homework to understand specific things to look for in a puppy and questions to ask the breeder.

From there, you can look at several litters, finding that one special puppy that melts your heart. Together, you can grow with your new pet, learning to love and respect it regardless of size. Now, if you are looking for a Chihuahua puppy to breed, there would be stricter guidelines but again, the same type of situation would exist in that there is no such thing as a teacup. In this case, a reputable breeder, good bloodline, and the right features would be the most important aspects of buying.

Author’s Bio: Renee Dietz says she has “been blessed with the ability to write.” Over the past 25 years, she has written more than 150 ebooks, well over 18,000 articles, and web content. Renee has written on various subjects that range from teaching a parrot to talk to stock commodities to weddings and everything in between. Her style is creative, informative, and always reader-friendly. Renee goes on to say that “writing is my passion, something I take to heart. For this reason, I work diligently to ensure every client is a happy client.” One of Renee’s favorites quotes comes from Douglas Adams - “To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.”

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We have all seen the cute little Chihuahua puppies being carried around by Paris Hilton and others, as well as the infamous Taco Bell Chihuahua but if you are interested in owning your own, you should be educated on both the breed and what to look for when buying. Every Chihuahua puppy is adorable small and innocent, making this a hard breed to ignore.

Most people say the Chihuahua is a little dog with a big attitude, which is true but Chihuahuas are also loving, loyal pets, although not the best pet for everyone. As you can imagine, because Chihuahuas are so small and fragile, they are not usually the right choice for a small child. The Chihuahua puppy can weigh as little as 2-1/2 ounces at birth and then between three and six pounds full grown. One accidental fall could cause serious injury.

Typically, the Chihuahua will do better in a home with women and will usually attach to one particular person, although friendly with others. Chihuahuas also get along well with other dogs, even big dogs, although they tend to think of themselves as “boss”. Therefore, once you have determined this breed is right for your home, you can begin looking at puppies.

We highly recommend you avoid buying your puppy from the local pet store. Unfortunately, these puppies are often not socialized well and sometimes, come from crowded and inhumane puppy mills. For this reason, it is best to buy this breed of dog from a reputable breeder, one who understands the special needs and can give the puppy one-on-one attention until weaned and ready for its new home.

As you look at the various puppies in the litter, look for one that is playful but not overly rambunctious. Additionally, the head should be round, thus the name “apple head”, the structure should have fine bones without too much muscle, the eyes large, clear, and bright, and the ears perky. If you are buying a registered Chihuahua, look over the papers to check the bloodline, especially if you plan to breed. If possible, ask to see the mother of the puppy, as well as the father, although this is often more difficult.

Remember, this is an important investment, both monetarily and responsibility wise. Ask the breeder lots of questions such as years breeding Chihuahuas, number of litters bred, references for other buyers, licensing information, club affiliations, and anything else of interest. If the breeder hesitates to answer any of your questions or produce the necessary paperwork, then you should be wary. A good breeder will be anxious to find the Chihuahua puppies a good, loving home.

Finally, if what you want out of a dog is a sweet, loving companion, one that is perfectly content to sit in your lap for hours on end, and a dog that is alert and actually a good watch dog, then this would be a great breed to consider. On the other hand, if what you want is a quiet, rough and tough dog, this is not a good choice. Because Chihuahuas live to 18 years or more and have a great companion spirit, they make the best pet for disabled people, elderly, singles, or someone who can spend quality time every day with their beloved pet. Without doubt, a Chihuahua puppy is a friend for life!

Author’s Bio: Renee Dietz says she has “been blessed with the ability to write.” Over the past 25 years, she has written more than 150 ebooks, well over 18,000 articles, and web content. Renee has written on various subjects that range from teaching a parrot to talk to stock commodities to weddings and everything in between. Her style is creative, informative, and always reader-friendly. Renee goes on to say that “writing is my passion, something I take to heart. For this reason, I work diligently to ensure every client is a happy client.” One of Renee’s favorites quotes comes from Douglas Adams - “To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.”

Popularity: 6% [?]

Owning a Chihuahua dog actually has some wonderful benefits, which we will discuss in this article. One of the greatest is that this breed of dog is an amazing companion. Unlike any other breed, the Chihuahua is a true lap dog, loving to cuddle for hours at a time. During the day, the Chihuahua dog only needs a comfortable lap and at night, this dog will typically sleep underneath the covers where it feels safe and warm.

Because the Chihuahua is such a great companion dog, they are an excellent choice for people living on their own. For this reason, you will often see elderly people or disabled individuals owning this breed. While men fall in love with the Chihuahua just as much as women, interestingly this small dog usually prefers the ladies. While no one is sure why, they do favor women.

The Chihuahua is also an outstanding watch dog. Although not necessarily a good guard dog simply because of size, they are extremely alert and will notify you whenever someone approaches. Most often, you would hear the barking of the Chihuahua far before the ringing of the doorbell. In addition, while the Chihuahua is not typically aggressive, they are protective. Many times, the dog will stand between the master and other people, simply saying “Stay your distance”.

Now, if you are buying a Chihuahua dog for breeding purposes, because of their popularity, they can provide a lucrative income. A good quality Chihuahua puppy will go for $500 to $700 depending on size and specific type. Therefore, if you take the breeding serious and work hard to produce quality pups, this would make a great business venture. The only risk here is falling in love with puppies and not wanting to get rid them.

The only real consideration is that this breed of dog does have some health problems, although nothing that cannot be controlled. For example, the Chihuahua often has a luxating patella or floating kneecap, which will usually pop back into place on its own although there could be times when medical care would be needed. The same is true for the trachea in that Chihuahuas will often have some degree of collapsed trachea, causing coughing and choking. The problem is usually not serious and treatable with medication. Even with the few challenges, the benefits of owning a Chihuahua dog far outweigh any negatives.

Author’s Bio: Renee Dietz says she has “been blessed with the ability to write.” Over the past 25 years, she has written more than 150 ebooks, well over 18,000 articles, and web content. Renee has written on various subjects that range from teaching a parrot to talk to stock commodities to weddings and everything in between. Her style is creative, informative, and always reader-friendly. Renee goes on to say that “writing is my passion, something I take to heart. For this reason, I work diligently to ensure every client is a happy client.” One of Renee’s favorites quotes comes from Douglas Adams - “To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.”

Popularity: 10% [?]

Although just about everyone knows what a Chihuahua is, not too many people know the fascinating history behind this adorable little dog. The origin of the Chihuahua is quite diverse with many different stories of where it came from. For instance, some believe the Chihuahua originates in Mexico where it was kept as a loving companion to many ancient civilizations, as seen in many Aztec Indian pottery and drawings.

The Chihuahua was thought to have a special ability of talking to the gods and leading a deceased person through the afterworld. In fact, historians state that many Chihuahuas were sacrificed and buried with the dead owner for that very purpose. Today, we find that so difficult to understand, considering the sweet loving nature of the Chihuahua.

There is even evidence in the form of clay sculptures that the Mayan Indians of South America had Chihuahua type dogs. Many of these sculptures date back to the 5th century! When the Toltec people, natives of Mexico, came into Mexico by AD 1100 to conquer the central and southern parts of Mexico, they brought with them a small dog but long coated and heavier boned.

This dog was known as a Techichi, commonly kept by the Toltecs as pets. Today, there remains question if the Toltecs crossbred the Techichi with dogs that lived in the mountains of Chihuahua known as Perro Chihuahueno. The dogs from the mountain had very rounded heads, long nails, and short, erect ears, just like the Chihuahua.

Another theory is that the Chihuahua is of European descent, having come to the New World with the Spanish conquistadors. This came about due to a small breed of dog living on the island of Malta. What made this breed so intriguing is that like a human, it had a natural molera, which is a soft pad on the top of the skull, consisting of three sections where the bones meet. Considering that this is extremely rare and that the Chihuahua has a natural molera, some believe the breed is a descendant from Malta.

In fact, there is a painting in the Sistine Chapel by Sondro Botticelli that was completed in 1482. This particular painting offers further proof of this claim. There, you will find the depiction a very small breed of dog that looks a lot like today’s Chihuahua. Additionally, this painting was done prior to Columbus setting sail, which provides even more proof that this breed would be of European ancestry.

Then there is yet another theory surrounding the history of the Chihuahua. For this, it is believed that the Chinese, who were very skilled at developing miniature breeds of larger dogs, bred down to the Chihuahua. With this, the belief is that that the Spanish traders came into possession of this breed, thus traveling with it to Mexico where the Chihuahua became so popular.

As with all breeds, some of the information is based on hard research, logical deduction, speculation, and tons of documentation. What we do know is that throughout history, we have solid record of many aristocrats owning Chihuahuas to include the Aztec leader, Montezuma II, who is said to have owned hundreds. Interestingly, some people think of the Chihuahua as not being a manly dog but we know that many powerful leaders and famous people did and do own the Chihuahua such as General Santa Ana and even the renowned band leader, Xavier Cugat. Of course, probably the person we associate most with the Chihuahua in current times is Paris Hilton. Regardless of where the Chihuahua comes from, we know this is an exceptional breed of dog.

Author’s Bio: Renee Dietz says she has “been blessed with the ability to write.” Over the past 25 years, she has written more than 150 ebooks, well over 18,000 articles, and web content. Renee has written on various subjects that range from teaching a parrot to talk to stock commodities to weddings and everything in between. Her style is creative, informative, and always reader-friendly. Renee goes on to say that “writing is my passion, something I take to heart. For this reason, I work diligently to ensure every client is a happy client.” One of Renee’s favorites quotes comes from Douglas Adams - “To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.”

Popularity: 6% [?]