The Dog Centre - for professional dog trainers in the UK

Chihuahua

General Appearance

Small, dainty, compact

  Below Average Above Key
Likelihood to wander     High  
Protectiveness     High  
Destructiveness     High  
Quietness Low      
Good with children Low      
Affinity to other dogs Low      
Size Low      
Lifespan   Medium   Below: < 10 years
Average: > 10 years
Above: > 15 years
Location   Medium   Below: Town only
Average: Town and Country
Above: Country only

Characteristics

Alert little dog; swift-moving with brisk, forceful action and saucy expression

Temperament

Gay, spirited and intelligent, neither snappy nor withdrawn.

Head and Skull

Well rounded ‘apple dome’ skull, cheeks and jaws lean, muzzle moderately short, slightly pointed. Definite stop

Eyes

Large, round, but not protruding; set well apart; centre of eye is on a plane with lowest point of ear and base of stop; dark or ruby. Light eyes in light colours permissible.

Ears

Large, flaring, set on at an angle of approximately 45 degrees; giving breadth between ears. Tipped or broken down highly undesirable.

Mouth

Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck

Slightly arched, medium length

Forequarters

Shoulders well laid; lean, sloping into slightly broadening support above straight forelegs, set well under chest giving freedom of movement without looseness.

Body

Level back. Body, from point of shoulder to rear point of croup, slightly longer than height at withers. Well sprung ribs, deep brisket.

Hindquarters

Muscular; hocks well let down, with good turn of stifle, well apart, turning neither in nor out

Feet

Small and dainty, turning neither in nor out; toes well divided but not spread, pads cushioned, fine, strong, flexible pasterns. Neither hare- nor cat-like, nails moderately short.

Tail

Medium length, set high, carried up and over back (sickle tail). When moving never tucked under or curled below the topline. Furry, flattish in appearance, broadening slightly in centre and tapering to point.

Gait

Brisk, forceful action, neither high-stepping nor hackney; good reach without slackness in forequarters, good drive in hindquarters. Viewed from front and behind legs should move neither too close nor too wide, with no turning in or out of feet or pasterns. Topline should remain firm and level when moving.

Coat

Long Coat: soft texture (never coarse or harsh to touch) either flat or slightly wavy. Never tight and curly. Feathering on ears, feet and legs, pants on hindquarters, large ruff on neck desirable. Tail long and full as a plume. Smooth Coat: smooth, of soft texture, close and glossy, with undercoat and ruff permissible.

Colour

Any colour or mixture of colours.

Size

Weight: up to 2.7 kgs (6 lbs), with 1-1.8 kgs (2-4 lbs) preferred. If two dogs are equally good in type the more diminutive preferred.

Excercise Requirements

Light

Grooming Needs

Light to Moderate

Notes

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum




The Dog Centre - dog training for professionals
website design and development by The Ideas Barn, Warwickshire, UK Website designed, developed and managed by The Ideas Barn