B&HKENNELS

IF YOUR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS,THEN IT MUST MEAN YOU ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING ADDING A CHI. TO YOUR FAMILY! I HOPE THIS INFORMATION WILL HELP YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION, FOR THERE ARE ALREADY TO MANY PURE BRED DOGS THAT ARE HOMELESS AND IN SHELTERS! SO PLEASE DONT STOP HERE, DO PLENTY OF RESEARCH ON THE BREED TO MAKE SURE HE/SHE WILL FIT PERFECT IN YOUR FAMILY! WE ARE NOW OFFERING NICE 200 PAGE BOOK'S ON THE BREED TO ALL OUR PUPPY BUYER'S, IN THEIR PUPPY PACK'S. IN HOPE'S TO HELP THEM LEARN  MORE ON THE BREED.

THE REALITY CHECK:

CHIHUAHUAS MAKE WONDERFUL PETS IN PART BECAUSE THEY ARE ALMOST CHILDLIKE IN THIER DEPENDENCE UPON THIER HUMAN FAMILIES, AND BECAUSE THEY BOND SO DEEPLY WITH THEM. SO PLEASE DONT GET A CHIHUAHUA ON A TRIAL BASIS. IF YOU TIRE OF YOUR DOG, AND DECIDE HE/SHE JUST ISNT RIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY, AND YOU THINK YOUR CHIHUAHUA  WONT BE BOTHERED WHEN YOU CAST HIM/HER ASIDE...THINK AGAIN! THATS WHY IT IS VERY CRUCIAL,TO BOTH YOU AND YOUR CHIHUAHUA, THAT YOU DO ALL THE RESEARCH YOU CAN BEFORE BRINGING HIM/HER HOME!

ITS EASY TO IMAGINE YOURSELF WITH A LOVING COMPANION WARMING YOUR LAP AND SHADOWING YOUR STEPS, PROVIDING LOVE ON LONELY DAYS AND SECURITY ON LONELY NIGHTS.  ALL OF THESE SCENES ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF LIVING WITH A CHIHUAHUA,  HOWEVER,THERE ARE ALSO SCENES OF SOILED FLOORS, MIDNIGHT WALKS IN THE RAIN, AND TRIPS TO THE VET. THERE IS THE DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES OF FEEDING, EXCERSIZING, AND JUST LOVING YOUR CHIHUAHUA, NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU ARE, OR WHAT EVER ELSE YOU HAVE TO DO. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE A MUST! GETTING A CHIHUAHUA WILL INVOLVE SOME SACRIFICES FROM EVERYONE IN YOUR HOME, WHETHER IT BE LOSING A FAVORITE SHOE, A NIGHTS UNINTERRUPTED SLEEP, OR THE FREEDOM TO TAKE A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD.

THERE ARE ALSO COSTS INVOLVED AS WELL! FOOD, EQUIPMENT, BOARDING, AND VET. BILLS CAN ALL BE VERY HIGH. YOU SHOULD DEFINITLY CHECK VETERINARY PRICES FOR OFFICE VISITS, A SERIES OF PUPPY VACCINATIONS, DEWORMING, YEARLY CHECK-UPS, SPAYING OR NEUTERING, EMERGENCY VISITS, AND MONTHLY FLEA PREVETION PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS MONTHLY HEARTWORM PREVENTION. THE SMALL SIZE OF A CHIHUAHUA, DOES BRING SMALLER BILLS, BUT MANY OTHER SERVICES COST AS MUCH AS THEY WOULD FOR A LARGER BREED.

SPEND A MOMENT CONTEMPLATING JUST WHY YOU WANT A CHIHUAHUA. OBVIOUSLY IF YOUR LIST OF REASONS INCLUDE, PROTECTION, HUNTING ABILITY, OR JOGGING COMPANIONSHIP, THEN PERHAPS YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER THE CHIHUAHUA AS YOUR 1ST CHOICE! PLEASE DONT CHOOSE A CHIHUAHUA BECAUSE YOUR NEIGHBOR HAS ONE, OR JUST BECAUSE ITS SMALL! CHIHUAHUAS ARENT THE ONLY BREED OF SMALL DOGS, AND EVERY BREED HAS ITS GOOD AND BAD POINTS, AND DIFFERENT BREEDS ARE MORE SUITED FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE. SO AGAIN, I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH, HOW IMPORTANT RESEARCH IS, BEFORE JUST GOING AND BRINGING A CHIHUAHUA HOME, OR ANY OTHER BREED FOR THAT MATTER!

TEMPERMENT:

CHIHUAHUAS ARE TOUGH, HARDY, LITTLE DOGS, AND ARE VERY INTELLIGENT, ATTENTIVE, AND EAGER TO PLEASE! THIS COMBINATION MAKES FOR A VERY OBEDIENT COMPANION. THEY FLOURISH AS WATCH DOGS AS WELL AS LAP DOGS....PROTECTORS AND PROTECTEES! THEY ARE FIERCELY LOYAL TO THIER FAMILY, OR MORE OFTEN, ONE FAMILY MEMBER. SAUCY, SPUNKY, LIVELY, BOLD, AND QUICK WITTED...THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT CHIHUAHUAS MAKE ACTIVE COMPANIONS. AT THE SAME TIME...THEY ARE CUDDLY, LOVING, AND DEMONSTATIVE, SOMETIMES EVEN TO THE POINT OF BEING CLINGY. SO PLEASE DONT GET A CHIHUAHUA IF YOU DONT WANT A CONSTANT ADDITION TO YOUR LAP! CAUSE THATS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL HAVE, IF YOU GET A CHIHUAHUA.

THE CHIHUAHUAS SMALL SIZE IS DEFINITLY AN ASSET, ENABLING IT TO ACCOMPANY ITS FAMILY IN MANY PLACES, WHERE A LARGER DOG WOULD NOT BE PRATICAL. A SMALL DOG EATS LESS, MESSES LESS, SHEDS LESS,AND REQUIRES LESS EXCERSIZE, AND TAKES UP LESS ROOM. AND OFCORSE A CHIHUAHUA FITS PERFECT ON ANY SIZE LAP!

BUT THE CHIHUAHUA IS NO MERE LAP DOG! IT IS DEFINITLY A BIG DOG IN A LITTLE PACKAGE! IT WILL BOND CLOSELY TO HIS FAMILY AND APPOINT HIMSELF AS GUARDIAN OVER THEM! I FEEL SORRY FOR ANY INTRUDERS ANKLES, WHO DARES TO TRESPASS WITHOUT THE RESIDENT CHIHUAHUAS APPROVAL! CHIHUAHUAS HAVE  BEEN DESCRIBED AS "CLANNISH"...MEANING THEY BOND CLOSELY TO OTHER CHIHUAHUA HOUSEMATES, AND JOIN TOGETHER TO PROTECT THIER TERRITORY FROM ANY NON CHIHUAHUA CANINE INTRUDERS! THE CHIHUAHUA IS VERY SPUNKY AND OFTEN ASTOUNDS HIS OWNER WITH HIS FEARLESS ATTITUDE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY.

THIS ATTITUDE IS IN NO DOUBT WITHOUT ITS DRAW BACKS! NO MATTER WHAT SOME CHI'S THINK THEY ARE SMALL DOGS, AND ARE VULNERABLE TO SERIOUS INJURIES FROM ACCIDENTS AND ASSAULTS!  LUCKILY, MOST CHIHUAHUAS'S FEISTINESS DOES SEEM TO BE TEMPERED BY GOOD SENSE. THE WATCHDOG ATTITUDE CAN BE ANNOYING TO OWNERS WHO CAN NOT TOLERATE NOISE, BECAUSE THE CHIHUAHUA IS DEFINITLY A GIFTED BARKER!

THE CHIHUAHUA IS DEFINITLY NOT A BREED TO BE KEPT OUTDOORS ALL THE TIME. NOT ONLY IS IT PHYSICALLY UNSUITED FOR THE HEAT OR COLD, BUT THIS IS A BREED THAT DEMANDS TO BE CLOSE TO HIS HUMAN FAMILY AT ALL TIMES! IF THEY ARE LEFT OUTSIDE FOR LONG PERIODS MANY WILL DIG OR BARK.

POORLY BRED CHIHUAHUAS HAS GIVEN THE BREED A REPUTATION FOR BEING SNAPPY AND HIGH-STRUNG! WELL-BRED CHI'S ARE NEITHER OF THESE! OFCOURSE THEY ARE NOT A GOOD CHOICE FOR A YOUNG CHILDS PET, BUT THIS IS MAINLY BECAUSE THEY ARE TO FRAGILE TO BE SAFE WITH YOUNG HYPER CHILDREN, AND MAY BECOME INTOLERANT IF HURT. SOME CHI'S CAN BE SHY, BUT MOST CHIHUAHUAS THAT ARE PROPERLY SOCIALIZED AS A PUPPY, GROW UP TO BE WELL ADJUSTED. CHIHUAHUAS ARE ACTIVE, BUT NOT HYPERACTIVE.

HEALTH AND LONGEVITY:

 

LIKE MOST SMALL DOGS, CHIHUAHUAS ARE LONG LIVED. THE AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IS 12 YEARS. MANY LIVE INTO THIER TEENS, AND SOME HAVE EVEN LIVED TO BE 20. SO PLAN ON HAVING YOUR CHIHUAHUA FOR A VERY LONG TIME!

CHIHUAHUAS TEND TO BE EXTREMELY HEALTHY, BUT ITS VERY EASY TO LET SOME GET OVER WEIGHT, ESPECIALLY FEMALES. LIKE MOST SMALL DOGS,THEY ARE PRONE TO DISLOCATION OF THE KNEECAP,PATELLAR LUXATION,WHICH CAN CAUSE LAMENESS. SERIOUS CASES CAN BE CORRECTED SURGICALLY. COLLAPSED TRACHEAE IS SOMETIMES SEEN IN OVER WEIGHT DOGS. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH A SOMEWHAT HIGHER FREQUENCY,THEN MOST OTHER BREEDS.

SKELETAL PROBLEMS:

1.PATELLAR LUXATION-DISLOCATION OF THE KNEECAP

2. SCAPULAR LUXATION-DISLOCATION OF THE SHOULDER

NERVOUS SYSTEM PROBLEMS:

1. SEIZURES

VISUAL PROBLEMS:

1.SECONDARY GLAUCOMA-INCREASED PRESSURE WITHEN THE EYEBALL

2.CORNEA EDEMA-SWELLING OF THE CORNEA

3.KERATITIS SICCA-DRY EYE

MISC. HEALTH PROBLEMS:

1.HYPOGLYCEMIA-LOW BLOOD SUGAR(THIS IS VERY COMMON IN CHIHUAHUAS,THATS WHY IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOUR CHI,TIME OUT FOR REST,YOU DO NOT,EVER WANT TO OVER EXCERT YOUR CHIHUAHUA!

 

PLEASE DONT BE ALRMED, BY WHAT MAY SEEM TO BE A LONG LIST OF PROBLEMS. ALL BREEDS OF DOGS HAVE THIER OWN MEDICAL PROBLEMS. RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS TEST ALL BREEDING STOCK, AND SPAY/NEUTER  THOSE THAT ARE AFFECTED! HOWEVER MOST OF THESE CONDITIONS LISTED ARE NOT HEREDITARY! JUST COMMON PROBLEMS,THAT CAN ARISE WHEN OWNING A CHIHUAHUA. I WOULD RATHER FOR YOU TO BE PREPARED,THEN NOT PREPARED AT ALL.

AN OPEN FONTANEL(MOLERA) IS COMMON IN CHI'S, AND IS NOT CONSIDERED ABNORMAL FOR THE  BREED. DOGS WITH SMALLER, MORE DOMED HEADS (APPLE-HEADS) ARE MORE LIKELY TO KEEP THIS OPEN FONTANEL THROUGHOUT LIFE. THOSE WITH LARGER, LESS ROUNDED HEADS (DEER-HEADS), THE OPENING WILL MOST LIKELY CLOSE  BY THE TIME THEY REACH  ADULT HOOD. DOGS WITH OPEN FONTANALS REQUIRE SOME EXTRA CARE TO ENSURE THAT THEY DONT HIT THIER HEADS IN THE OPEN SPOT.

THIER SMALL SIZE MAKES CHIHUAHUAS PRONE TO ACCIDENTS. ALTHOUGH THIER BONES ARE STRONG FOR THIER SIZE THEY ARE STILL SMALL BONES, AND CAN EASILY BE BROKEN. SO IF YOU DECIDE TO OWN A CHIHUAHUA,YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL HE/SHE DOESNT GET STEPPED ON, FALL OFF  FURNITURE, GET LOOSE, GET ATTACKED BY ANOTHER DOG, ECT ECT.

CHIHUAHUAS ARE NOT GOOD COLD WEATHER DOGS AND MUST BE PROTECTED BY  THE ELEMENTS! EVEN LONG COAT CHI'S DO NOT HAVE THE INSULATION NECESSARY TO PREVENT THEM FROM FREEZING TO DEATH IN COLD TEMPERATURES! THEY ARE ALSO NOT GOOD HOT WEATHER DOGS AS WELL. THIER SMALL BODIES JUST DO NOT TOLERATE THE EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURES VERY WELL AT ALL!

ANOTHER THING ABOUT THIER SMALL SIZE IS, THAT VERY SMALL BODIES DONT HAVE THE ENERGY RESERVES IN STORE THAT LARGER BODIES DO, SO THIS MAKES THE CHIHUAHUAS MORE PRONE TO FOOD DEPRIVATION, AND MINOR ILLNESSES THAT WOULD NOT BOTHER LARGER BREEDS.

CHIHUAHUA'S ARE ALSO PRONE TO SHAKING.THIS IS VERY NORMAL,AND LETS THE DOG/PUPPY EXPRESS THEMSELVES. THEY MIGHT SHAKE BECAUSE THIER HAPPY, AFRAID, COLD OR ANXIOUS. THIS IS VERY NORMAL IN CHIHUAHUA'S,SO YOU CAN DEFINITLY EXPECT "SHAKING" TO BE A NATURAL PART OF YOUR CHI.'S LIFE!

ESTHETICS:

CHIHUAHUAS COME IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COLORS, AND PATTERNS, AS WELL AS 2 COAT TYPES, LONG, AND SMOOTH (SHORT).  NEITHER THE SHORT COAT, NOR THE LONG COAT SHED VERY MUCH AT ALL.

MANY PEOPLE WANT THE SMALLEST CHIHUAHUA THAT THEY CAN FIND...TEA-CUPS OR POCKET-SIZED CHIHUAHUAS(ALTHOUGH,THESE TERMS ARE NOT RECOGNIZED IN THE KENNEL CLUBS,THEY HAVE BEEN ADDED BY HUMANS. MEANING VERY TINY). ALL CHIHUAHUAS ARE TINY, AND AVERAGE SIZES FOR CHI'S RANGE FROM 4-6 POUNDS, BUT THIERS BEEN CHIHUAHUAS THAT WEIGHED UP TO 10 POUNDS, AND OFCORSE YOU HAVE YOUR SMALLER CHIHUAHUAS, UNDER 4 POUNDS,WHICH ALOT OF PEOPLE CLASSIFY AS THE T-CUPS. JUST KEEP IN MIND,THE SMALLER THE DOG....THE MORE RESPONSIBILITIES AND SPECIAL CARE COMES WITH THE PACKAGE! YOU CAN NOT BY NO MEANS,BREED THE SMALLER FEMALES,AND THE SMALLER THE DOG IS, THE MORE PRONE HE/SHE WILL BE TO HYPOGLYCEMIA.

I HOPE ALL THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN HELPFUL TO EVERYONE, BUT THERE IS ONE MAJOR THING I MUST WARN YOU ABOUT CHIHUAHUAS....THEY CAN BE VERY ADDICTING!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON CHIHUAHUAS OR THIER CARE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO E-MAIL USIF WE DONT KNOW THE ANSWER, WE WILL BE GLAD TO DIRECT YOU TO SOMEONE WHO CAN.

 

 

 

THIS PAGE WAS LAST UPDATED ON OCTOBER 12, 2008.