The Chihuahua: An Ancient Breed By Sandra A Dean At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

The two forms of Chihuahua today are very different from the original breed. Originally the Toltec's and Aztecs kept them as pets. Vast changes have occurred during the year to bring us the modern breed of Chihuahua. For some households the Chihuahua is an excellent breed while other family's should consider other breeds. This is because of the breed's extremely diverse personality. You will never find two identical temperaments in Chihuahua’s. The Chihuahua is a bold breed that is highly loyal and protective of their owners. You can expect a lot of loyalty from the Chihuahua in return for a lot of human contact.

The Chihuahua breed has a long and distinguished history as a dog. The breed originally came from the ancient Techichi breed of dog that belong to the Toltec Civilization near Mexico City. This ancient breed of dog was larger than today’s modern breed and was also mute. The breed became a sacred icon of the upper class members of society and as a religious symbol when they were used in ceremonies to help guide dead spirits after the Aztec empire conquered the Toltecs.

By the time the Chihuahua breed was discovered in the United States in the 1850s it had been crossed with a hairless breed from the Orient, which led to the modern breed we see today. The Chihuahua was discovered in the Chihuahua state of Mexico, which is located near Texas and New Mexico, this is also where the name for the breed comes from. The breed was then added to the American Kennel Club in 1904.

Graceful, alert and agile with a compact and terrier like quality is the official description of the Chihuahua breed given by the American Kennel Club. Generally the Chihuahua is a very graceful, energetic and swift dog, but each Chihuahua has it's own unique personality and some can be very grumpy, haughty or even nasty when provoke if they have an extreme terrier like quality to them.

This terrier like quality doesn’t make the Chihuahua a good breed for large households or those with small or noisy children because of their clannish tendencies and suspiciousness of other people. But the curiosity, intelligence and extreme loyalty of the breed make them an excellent pet for the elderly, individuals and disabled people. The Chihuahua will often become attached to just one or two individuals and want to be pampered. The Chihuahua is also idea for those living in apartments or on a limited income. You should always observe the temperament of your Chihuahua before determining if it is the right breed for you.

The small Chihuahua breed is a dog that isn’t aware of their small stature. You can often find a Chihuahua being much bolder than other dogs that are three times the size of themselves. The breed is also highly protective of their owners and fiercely loyal to only one or two individuals, which is why they are often wary of strangers or any new guests that are introduced to the household that the Chihuahua considers it's personal domain. This is why the Chihuahua makes an excellent watch dog, not a very good guard dog though.

A Chihuahua requires a lot of human contact in the form of touching, petting and general attention. Without this, the breed often resorts to various attention getting tricks until they gain attention. For some the Chihuahua comes across as too needy, but the breed will give you so much back in return for your love, affection and care.

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