Chihuahua Puppies

We usually recommend staying away from Chihuahua Breeders that look like they might be running a puppy mill. Pet shops are another place to avoid if you can. We’ve taken the time to put together a comprehensive list of websites where you can find Chihuahua puppies for sale or Chihuahua Breeders.

The main thing most people know about the Chihuahua is that it is the world’s smallest dog. A fully grown Chihuahua stands about 5 inches at the shoulders, although height is not specifically addressed by the standard, and weighs 6 pounds or less. Any Chihuahua that weighs more than 6 pounds at maturity is disqualified from the show ring, although it can make a perfectly acceptable pet and is often a good choice for families with children. But just because a Chihuahua is bigger than the norm doesn’t mean it can be handled carelessly. It’s still a little dog that can be injured by rough play, so keep that in mind when considering whether a Chihuahua, even an oversize one, is right for your lifestyle.

Many people think that smaller is better when it comes to Chihuahuas, but don’t turn up your nose at one in the 4- to 6-pound range. That’s really the healthiest weight for this breed. “My own feeling is that a weight between 4 and 6 pounds as an adult is good,” Bunten says. “The very tiny adults, less than 3 pounds, are not normal in development and usually don’t live for the full life expectancy of a Chihuahua [which can be well into the teens].”

Pay attention to how the breeder describes the way the puppy should develop. “If a breeder states outright that it will be a certain size, that’s a red flag,” Bunten says. “Genetics are so diverse in the breed that you cannot predict absolutely how big the pup will be. I’d also listen to be sure they don’t use terms that are not in the standard. For example, a breeder who says a puppy will be ‘teacup’ or ‘toy’ size is talking through his hat. There is not any official and universally recognized definition of those terms for Chihuahuas.”

And size isn’t everything when it comes to the Chihuahua. The breed’s general appearance is that of a graceful, alert, swift-moving, little dog with a saucy expression and terrier-like temperament qualities. That last quality, a terrier-like temperament, is one of the most important things to know about the breed.

“I think most people know that Chihuahuas are supposed to be a small breed, but I doubt that as many folks appreciate that Chihuahuas are also supposed to be fearless, tenacious and terrier-like,” Giroux says. “The fearful, quivering, cowering, nippy Chihuahua that many people have come to expect is incorrect according to the standard.”

As it is so often described, the Chihuahua is really a big dog in a little dog’s body. The typical Chihuahua has no idea that it’s any smaller than other dogs — or people, for that matter. Giroux describes it as a little bundle of energy that may be standoffish toward strangers, but never shy or fearful. A true Chihuahua will stand and challenge anyone it considers an intruder, but it won’t bite without provocation or hide in a corner without reason.

After covering the breed’s general appearance and temperament, the Chihuahua breed standard goes on to spell out the details of the body, from head to tail. The body in general is described as off-square, meaning that when measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, it’s slightly longer than the height at the shoulders. Somewhat shorter bodies are preferred in males. Why is that?

“The rationale is that the longer females have more room for puppies,” Giroux says, “but I think the portion of the standard that says, ‘somewhat shorter bodies in males preferred,’ is an unfortunate statement because length of body is not gender-specific. If you are breeding for ‘somewhat shorter backs,’ they are going to occur in females as well as males.” The term “somewhat” is unclear, as well, because it doesn’t indicate how much shorter the body should be.

The head is one of the features that makes the Chihuahua the dog it is. It has a well-rounded apple-dome skull, which is just what it sounds like. The skull is rounded in all directions, like an apple. And like an apple, it can have a soft spot. Known as a molera, a Chihuahua may have a soft spot on the skull where the bones of the skull haven’t closed completely. It’s a normal breed characteristic, although not all Chihuahuas have a molera. The absence or presence of a molera does not make a Chihuahua any more or less healthy, and the standard does not give preference one way or the other.

“The molera does not cause or suggest any health problems, although some veterinarians who aren’t familiar with the breed have mistakenly told new owners that their dog has hydrocephalus [water on the brain],” Giroux says. “In some Chihuahuas, the molera will close, either partially or completely, with time. In others, it does not.”

The only concern if your Chihuahua has a molera is that the dog may be more susceptible to brain injury or death if it falls on its head or is accidentally hit on the head with an object. In the best of all possible worlds, your Chihuahua will never be in a situation where that could occur. For that reason, a Chihuahua puppy with a large molera or several small moleras is not a good candidate for a highly active household, Bunten says.

Set well apart in the head are eyes that are full but not protruding. A Chihuahua’s eye color can be luminous dark or luminous ruby. Luminous dark eyes are just that: shiny and dark in appearance. Luminous ruby eyes, often seen in blond or white Chihuahuas, are light-colored eyes that glow red in low light. This occurs because the blood vessels in the back of the eyes are visible under the right conditions, Bunten says, but it’s not significant in any way.
Another striking feature of the Chihuahua’s head is its large, erect ears. When the dog is alert, they’re held upright, but flare to the sides at a 45-degree angle when the dog is relaxed. The ears should be naturally erect. Chihuahuas with cropped or broken-down ears — those that are tipped, creased or folded over — are disqualified from the show ring.

The Chihuahua’s head is completed with a moderately short, slightly pointed muzzle. The cheeks and jaws are lean, and the teeth may have a level bite (the front teeth of the upper and lower jaws meet edge to edge) or scissors bite (the outer sides of the lower front teeth touch the inner sides of the upper front teeth).
An overshot bite (the upper front teeth protrude beyond the lower front teeth) or undershot bite (the lower front teeth overlap or project beyond the upper front teeth when the mouth is closed), or any other distortion of the bite or jaw, is considered a serious fault.

The nose is black, although light-colored, blue or chocolate-colored Chihuahuas may have what is called a self-colored nose, meaning it’s the same shade as the dog. Blond Chihuahuas may have a pink nose.
Moving on from the head, the Chihuahua’s neck is slightly arched, gracefully sloping into lean shoulders. It has a level back, or topline, and rounded ribs, although it shouldn’t appear barrel-shaped or so chesty as to resemble a Bulldog. Muscular hindquarters are firm and sturdy. Straight forelegs support the body. Chihuahuas have small, dainty feet with toes that are well split up but not spread, meaning that you can see the divisions between the toes, but the toes aren’t splayed.

The tail is moderately long, carried in a sickle shape over the back. No self-respecting Chihuahua ever tucks its tail between its legs. A Chihuahua born with a bobtail or whose tail has been cropped cannot be shown in the dog-show ring.

It comes as a surprise to many people that Chihuahuas can be longhaired, as well as shorthaired. When they’ve seen a longcoated Chihuahua, Bunten says, they’ve assumed it was something else, such as a Pomeranian or a Papillon, or a mix. Smooth coats tend to be more popular, Giroux says, but breeders and fanciers often have no preference, breeding and showing smooths and longs equally. “I like the smooths myself, because you can’t hide anything under the coat,” Giroux says. “What you see is what you get.”

Smooth Chihuahuas can have a velvety, shiny coat that lies close to the body or a heavier coat with a ruff — thicker, longer hair — that encircles the neck. A furry tail is preferred.

The longcoated Chihuahua has been described as the smooth dressed in Sunday best. Giroux agrees that a beautiful, longcoated Chihuahua is a sight to see, although longcoats can be a problem to show because they blow coat (lose much of their fur) seasonally.

A longcoated Chihuahua has a long, soft, double coat that’s either flat or slightly curly. A longcoat has a ruff around the neck, fringed ears, well-feathered legs and a plumy tail that curls over the back like a fan. The rest of the longcoated Chihuahua’s body is almost as smooth as that of the shortcoated variety. The coat should never be so thin that the dog looks bare. A longcoated Chihuahua in this condition is disqualified from the show ring.

If all you’ve ever seen is the widely popular fawn-colored, smooth Chihuahua, you might be surprised to learn that this breed can come in any color or combination of colors. A Chihuahua can be solid (all one color), marked (white areas on a colored background) or splashed (irregularly patched color on white or white on color). Among the colors used to describe Chihuahuas are peach, lemon, silver-sand, mole, sable, chocolate, blue, red, tan and fawn.

One early breeder, Clara Dobbs, said she had seen every color in the breed except green and purple. Chihuahuas can come with spots or a two-tone look, such as white and gold, or chocolate and white. Some breeders choose to breed for a certain color or pattern, but don’t be suckered into paying more for a “rare” color.

Last but certainly not least, the standard covers a Chihuahua’s gait, or the way it moves. The standard says a Chihuahua should move swiftly with a firm, sturdy action, with good reach in front equal to the drive from the rear.

From the rear, the Chihuahua’s hocks remain parallel to each other, and the foot fall of the rear legs follows directly behind that of the forelegs. The legs, both front and rear, tend to converge slightly toward a central line of gravity under the dog as speed increases. The side view shows good, strong drive in the rear and plenty of reach in the front with the head carried high. The Chihuahua’s top line should remain firm and level as the dog moves.

“Few people ask about structure and movement unless they are planning to show and breed their Chihuahua, but they should,” Giroux says. “Good structure means good movement and a healthy animal. A healthy Chihuahua should be able to run, play and move without pain; they don’t spend all of their time in your arms or your lap. The standard describes proper Chihuahua movement, and there is no exception made for them because they are small.”

Besides being wonderful companions, Chihuahuas can be athletic little dogs that excel in many sports and activities, such as obedience, agility and service work. Given lots of love and good care, the Chihuahua will reward you with years of entertainment and affection.