Ch Cam's Buttontop Beau

The Chihuahua is the smallest dog in the world, standing a maximum of 9 inches high at the shoulder and weighing 6 pounds or less. The Chihuahua comes in two coat varieties. The long, soft coat may be slightly wavy and comes in any color or combination of colors. Required grooming is minimal. Because of his size, he requires protection from cold winter weather as well as extremes of heat.  He loves to sunbathe and may overdo it!

This is a lively, alert, affectionate breed, who wants to go everywhere with his owner. This has given rise to the nickname, "Velcro pet"! Chihuahuas want to be petted, talked to, and spoiled constantly. Having a strong dash of "terrier attitude", Chihuahuas make good watchdogs. They like to show who's boss and are often quite yappy. The breed standard notes that the Chihuahua has a "saucy" expression, and his bright eyes, dainty lines, and perky appearance endear him to many. He does best if socialized early and is definitely an indoor dog. Small children must be very careful when handling him as his tiny size makes him susceptible to injury during rough play. The Chihuahua has also been known to hurt himself when jumping from the back of a couch to the floor or leaping out of his owner's arms to the floor. Remember his size!

The Chihuahua is very intelligent although he does have a mind of his own and can be stubborn to the point of being obstinate. Training should be mandatory for the development of good manners, and will require patience, persistence and practice on the part of the dog and the owner. Except for his coat, the Short-Coated Chihuahua is identical to the Long-Coated Chihuahua and can be born in the same litter. Prized for their small size, these dogs fit well in environments that are generally not "dog-friendly" such as apartments.