Chihuahua Information
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     



Is the Chihuahua Right for Me?    (One of our Chihuahua's who lives in Kent with her best friend Rottie, the most laid back and friendliest dog ever)

Chihuahua's truly are a wonderful little breed, but they are not the right breed for everyone. Because they are very small, special consideration needs to be given on the type of home they go too.  Chihuahuas may not be safe with other breeds of dog, such as sight-hounds. As dog breeders it is our responsibility to make sure that we find the best home possible for every puppy we place, and this means asking questions. No breeder wants his puppy to lead a stressed life, be hurt or abused by small children or other pets, or end up in an animal shelter or not cared for properly. Before acquiring any breed of dog, it is important to research that breed to ensure this is the right breed for you. Certain breeds have certain health problems, some require lots of grooming or exercise, some have breed traits such as excessive barking along with many other factors that may make it a nice breed for one person, but not the right breed for another. Never buy a puppy impulsively before doing research;  remember, this is a life long commitment. The average life span of a Chihuahua is 12 to 16 or more years.


Children:   

Very young Children and Chihuahuas do not mix. This is not necessarily because the Chihuahua might be aggressive towards children, but because toddlers and small children can easily fall or drop a toy on a Chihuahua, or kick a Chi when suddenly racing across the room, or slamming a door on it. A Chihuahua can instinctively sense that a toddler or child is comparatively speaking, uncoordinated and "out of control" and can pose a danger. This is especially  true as children are more uncoordinated and clumsy than adults. Chihuahuas are not only small, but the vast majority of Chihuahuas have a soft-spot on top of their head, making them more prone to injury. Even a child that means well and loves the little dog can accidentally hurt the tiny breed by hugging a Chihuahua too hard or dropping it.  Also, children move quickly and impulsively, and can kick or step on a Chihuahua when they run across the room. An active family, however well-meaning, can be very hard on a Chi.   The mother, who already has enough to do in the family, would have the worrisome task of "watching out for the Chihuahua" around the clock on a daily basis added to her responsibilities. For families that wish to get a small dog, we would recommend getting a larger sized Chihuahua that is a little more sturdy. The bonus would be that daily life at home would be more relaxing while the children grow up.

Other Pets:

Chihuahuas can get along quite well with other breeds of dogs and other pets, especially when raised from a young age in that type of setting, but generally, Chihuahuas should not be in the same household as larger & hypo breed dogs. A larger, rambunctious dog can easily hurt a Chihuahua in play, or if it suddenly wants to protect its food or chew toy, a snap at a Chihuahua can be life-threatening. Chihuahuas are prone to eye injuries because of their large unprotected eyes, so having a cat in the house may or may not be a good idea. Laid back cats are best. A cat that is shy or overly playful may scratch the Chihuahua's eyes. However generally speaking from the past experience, they tend to get on well.

Small Size Consideration:

Chihuahuas are not the right breed for everyone due to their small size. Because they are small, they can easily get into places that might not be safe, such as places with electrical cords, or underneath a fence or gate. Fences must be properly secured (we nail boards along the bottom) so that the Chihuahua can not escape. As described above, they are not necessarily the ideal pet to introduce to a household that has children or other pets. Also, great care must be taken when these little guys are outside. Birds of prey (hawks, etc.) as well as some cats and other wildlife (such as coyotes) may look at the Chihuahua as being a nice snack. Chihuahuas should never be left unattended for long periods of time, and when they are outside, they should be properly enclosed (including with a roof if birds of prey frequent the area). I have heard of several instances where a bird of prey snatched a Chihuahua off the ground before the owner knew what happened.

Breed Traits:

Chihuahuas are very loyal, and can be very protective of their owner. Chihuahuas really are a big dog in a small body. Some people think of a Chihuahua shaking, and scared of everything, but in reality, they do not know their size and most will challenge bigger dogs. Chihuahuas love human attention, and are true lap dogs. Chihuahuas are very personable and have their own personality and temperament, just like people. Chihuahuas can be very intelligent, to the point of outsmarting  you or being downright stubborn. Most are motivated by toy, food, or affection to make training easy. Many Chis try to please. Some Chihuahuas are barkers, while others are not. This trait really varies with the bloodline and the individual. Chihuahuas are not the yappy little ankle-biters as they used to be known, and their temperament has improved by leaps and bounds with the help of responsible breeders doing their part to improve the breed. As mentioned above, before choosing any breed of dog, be sure to do thorough research on the breed, ask different breeders questions about the breed, meet friends/family that have a pet Chihuahua, etc. There are many interesting books out there to learn more about Chihuahuas, and most are helpful about explaining how to care for them.





Health Problems


The Chihuahua is very lucky in that the breed has few health problems overall; however, a few problems that are seen in the Chihuahua are described below. Patella luxation (slipping kneecap) is probably the most common health problem in the Chihuahua breed.

A good breeder does his utmost to stay knowledgeable about all health issues in the breed, as well as new health issues that are becoming of concern. A good breeder is always learning. Breeders should be aware of any problems their dogs might have, and should always have a veterinarian go over all dogs prior to them being bred.

1) Patella luxation
2) Teeth Issues
3) Hypoglycemia
4) Hydrocephalus


Patella Luxation:

Patella luxation is probably the most common defect in the Chihuahua breed. OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) lists the Chihuahua as having a 10% affected rate, however, this may very well be quite underestimated as people who have a dog with Patella luxation might not even submit the paperwork to OFA. Although patella luxation is fairly easy to diagnose, some breeders are unaware that they do have a problem (they think that if their dogs are walking around fine, they don't have any problems), or are not checking their dogs properly. A skilled veterinarian can easily determine if a Chihuahua has any looseness in the patella joint, or if the patella itself  luxates. A breeder can also become skilled, if properly taught, to determine if a dog has patella luxation or not. Patella luxation can either have genetic causes, or environmental causes (i.e. injury). If patella luxation shows up at an early age (under 7 months or so), it is probably due to genetic causes; however, injury might also cause patella luxation to show up in the first seven months. Sources of injury could include being overweight, too much jumping (i.e. jumping off furniture), or too much stress on the patella and surrounding ligaments (ie. a dog dancing on its rear legs). These causes are especially dangerous when a Chihuahua is in the developmental stages...from a young puppy to 1 or 2 years of age. Chihuahuas might also damage their kneecap by hitting it, and even an unskilled veterinarian might cause permanent looseness if he is forcibly trying to see if the patella is loose. As a Chihuahua ages, slight looseness might be seen, especially in dogs that are very overweight and have continued pressure on the ligaments/patella. Visual signs of grade 2 (and higher) patella luxation includes skipping, holding the rear leg up for a short time as the dog walks/runs or rear-leg weakness. Grade 1 patella luxation does not usually have any visual signs (which is why some breeders might be unaware they have a problem) except the patella can manually be pushed out of place quite easily by hand. Patella luxation can cause permanent lameness later on, as well as arthritis, especially in the more serious cases (grade 2 and higher). If your dog does have this painful problem, your veterinarian might be able to give you some options to help alleviate the symptoms, depending on the seriousness of the problem. This might include keeping the dog lean (ie. not letting the dog get fat), the use of joint supplements such as glucosamine/choroditin, pain killers, or surgery.
 

Teeth Issues:

 Because the Chihuahua is small, he also has a very small mouth. This small mouth can cause problems with the mouth being too small for the teeth, which causes overcrowding. Overcrowding of teeth can cause food to be trapped between the teeth, resulting in plaque and tarter buildup, as well as premature tooth-loss. Keeping the teeth clean is essential to keeping the mouth and the rest of the dog healthy. Dogs that have dirty teeth are found to be at  much more at risk of heart, liver and kidney damage from the bacteria entering the bloodstream. You can help keep the mouth clean by offering dental biscuits, dental chew toys, including edible dental chew toys (i.e. greenies, dentabones, etc.), feeding dry food instead of semi-moist or canned food, brushing your dog's teeth (but don't use human toothpaste...it has fluoride...there are doggie toothpastes available at most pet shops), using the available edible water additives for dental hygiene, as well as taking your dog to the veterinarian for a dental cleaning, etc. As the Chihuahua gets older, it is almost inevitable that he will need at least one dental cleaning by the veterinarian, quite often more. Another issue, although less serious and easily corrected, is retained puppy teeth. Toy breeds are more prone to this problem, and it is caused by the adult tooth growing beside the puppy tooth, instead of the puppy tooth falling out. I usually recommend that if there are any retained puppy teeth (the usual teeth to be retained are the long canines and the small incisors in the front), that the puppy teeth be removed at the time of spay/neuter.  This way the dog is only under anesthetic once, and for the rest of his life food can't get trapped between the puppy and adult teeth.

Hypoglycemia:

Hypoglycemia is a problem that can occur in Chihuahuas, and is caused by the dog burning off more energy then he is taking in (especially since Chihuahuas have a small stomach), as well as other causes. Also, Chihuahua puppies that are stressed and not eating enough are prone to a hypoglycemia attack. Signs of hypoglycemia ranging from the least severe to very severe are:

Lack of energy/sleepiness
Shivering
Lack of muscular coordination
Disorientation
Convulsions /seizures
Coma
Death

The severity of these signs depends on how quickly and how low the blood glucose level is dropping in the blood. To be prepared for such a situation, always have some type of sugary substance available. This might include honey, corn syrup, nutri-cal, or concentrated sugar water. It is best to always be prepared for such a situation, and always have something available, by carrying something in your pockets/purse, etc.  Even letting him nibble on a piece of donut or cookie could save an older puppy's life. Feeding the dog some food after giving the sugar should be done to keep the blood sugar levels up for a longer period of time. Always keep an eye on your dog for several hours after. In more serious cases of hypoglycemia, and the dog is seizuring or in coma, carefully rub small amounts of syrup on the inside of the cheeks, gums and tongue. Be careful to not put too much in the mouth at one time, or else the dog might choke. Then take your dog immediately to the veterinarian. If the symptoms persist, or if the dog is showing major symptoms of hypoglycemia (seizures, coma, etc.), or any lingering effects of hypoglycemia, take your dog immediately to the veterinarian. Whenever I place puppies in a new home, I recommend that the new owner puts some sugar in the water, as puppies in a new home often don't eat well the first few days, giving them an increased risk of Hypoglycemia. After several days, once the puppy is eating well, the sugar water can be stopped.

Hydrocephalus:

Hydrocephalus is characterised by a build-up of fluid around the brain, caused by a variety of reasons. Symptoms of hydrocephalus includes a very domed head, small size, very large or multiple moleras (also known as a soft-spot), listlessness, sluggish/sleepiness,  poor coordination, and seizures. Some Chihuahuas may show symptoms early on, while others may not show symptoms until they are older. Some Chihuahuas are able to live with a mild case of hydrocephalus throughout adulthood.




Breeding Chihuahuas

Breeding Chihuahuas is not a project which should be taken lightly. Breeding a healthy, quality litter of puppies of approximately 2-4 puppies takes a great deal of knowledge, time, work and money. There is also heartbreak involved with the loss of puppies. If the mother is not monitored properly, you could easily put her at risk, which could result in death. People are attracted to the idea of breeding Chihuahuas, when, in fact, this breed is one of the most difficult to breed due to the round apple dome head, and the obvious fact that Chihuahua mothers are tiny. Newborns are relatively large in comparison to the mother.  The female may have a very hard time trying to pass a newborn. The breeder must have more than one reliable vet to call on at 2a.m. for an emergency c-section and other problems that often require immediate attention. After a c-section, the mother will be groggy and may not accept her newborn pups for 2 or 3 days. In order to save the lives of the puppies the breeder may have to tube-feed them every 3 hours around the clock an massage their tummies for the puppies to be stimulated and go to the toilet. The newborn puppies must also be kept warm.

Another limitation is that Chihuahuas do not have many pups per litter. The average is 1 to 3. Unless you do the research and breed responsibly with a good veterinarian available on a 24-hour basis I would recommend staying away from breeding this breed (and any other breed because each has its unique and individual problems), and leaving it to the experts who are seriously dedicated to the welfare of these tiny lives. Breeding responsibly is not a money-making activity. There are many expenses such as:

Stud fee

Pre breeding check-up (Of stud and bitch such as Brucellosis)

Target/progesterone testing of female

Health certifications

Food, shelter and care (1 year for mother and minimum 10 weeks for pups)

Pre-natal and post-natal care of the dam/puppies

Vaccinations of pups (multiple sets)

Micro-chipping

De-fleaing

De-worming of pups

Vitamins/supplements

Advertising

Time consumig advise to new owners

X-rays

Ultra-sounds

C-Sections

Supplies, foods, exercise pens, crates, bedding, etc


And many others!  Emergency problems such as Mastitis, Eclampsia, and Metritis which are costly as well, and could result in the death of both the bitch and the puppies. Also, if the bitch does die, or is unable to care or does not want to care for the newborn puppies, then the puppies will have to be hand-raised around the clock, which is every breeder's nightmare. To see what is involved in hand-raising puppies, or if you need help raising newborn puppies.  Also, you have to be very careful when breeding a female that is under 4 pounds. Chihuahuas this small are at a much higher risk of problems developing, and many can not carry a litter to term (premature delivery) and they usually require a c-section, but Chi's of any size can also have problems depending on the size of their pelvis or the position of the puppy being delivered, i.e., crossed-over, breech birth, etc. A female that is not spayed is at risk for developing uterine infections and reproductive/mammary cancers and the un-neutered male is also at risk of developing reproductive cancers/problems.