Chihuahuas

What are they?

The Chihuahua[a] (or Spanish: Chihuahueño) is a Mexican breed of toy dog. It is named for the Mexican state of Chihuahua and is the smallest dog breed in the world. It is usually kept as a companion animal.

Characteristics

Chihuahua breed standards specify an "apple-head" or "apple-dome" skull conformation. Chihuahuas occur in virtually any color combination, from solid to marked or splashed. Apple-dome Chihuahuas have large, round eyes and large, erect ears, set in a high, dramatically rounded skull. The stop is well defined, forming a near-90-degree angle where the muzzle meets the skull.
Dogs of the older "deer" type, with a flat-topped head, more widely set eyes, larger ears, and longer, more slender legs, may still be registered, but the deer head is not considered a separate type in competition and a deer-head dog's digression from the breed standard is considered a fault.

Health

Chihuahuas have a genetic predisposition to the following:

• atlantoaxial instability
• ceroid lipofuscinosis
• congenital deafness
• congenital hydrocephalus
• muscular dystrophy
• necrotizing meningoencephalitis
• neuroaxonal dystrophy