Page 117 - K9 News Digital - Issue 11 May2020

The Chihuahua

General Appearance: Small, dainty, compact. Gait/Movement: Brisk, forceful action, neither high-
Characteristics: Alert little dog; swift-moving with stepping nor hackney; good reach without slackness in
brisk, forceful action and saucy expression. forequarters, good drive in hindquarters. Viewed from
front and behind legs should move neither too close nor
Temperament: Gay, spirited and intelligent, neither
too wide, with no turning in or out of feet or pasterns.
snappy nor withdrawn.
Topline should remain firm and level when moving.
Head and Skull: Well rounded ‘apple dome’ skull, Coat:
cheeks and jaws lean, muzzle moderately short, slightly
pointed. Definite stop. Smooth Coat: smooth,
of soft texture, close and
Eye: Large, round, but not protruding; set well apart;
glossy, with undercoat and
centre of eye is on a plane with lowest point of ear and
ruff permissible.
base of stop; dark or ruby. Light eyes in light colours
permissible. Long Coat: soft texture
(never coarse or harsh to
Ears: Large, flaring, set on at an angle of approximately
touch) either flat or slightly
45 degrees; giving breadth between ears. Tipped or
wavy. Never tight and curly.
broken down highly undesirable.
Feathering on ears, feet and
Mouth: Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete legs, pants on hindquarters,
scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower large ruff on neck desirable.
teeth and set square to the jaws. Tail long and full as a plume.
Neck: Slightly arched, medium length. Colour: Any colour or
Forequarters: Shoulders well laid; lean, sloping into mixture of colours - but
slightly broadening support above straight forelegs, set never merle (dapple).
well under chest giving freedom of movement without
Size:
looseness.
Weight: up to 2.7 kgs (6 lbs),
Body: Level back. Body, from point of shoulder to rear
with 1.8 - 2.7 kgs (4 - 6 lbs)
point of croup, slightly longer than height at withers.
preferred.
Well sprung ribs, deep brisket.
Faults:
Hindquarters: Muscular; hocks well let down, with
Any departure from the
good turn of stifle, well apart, turning neither in nor out.
foregoing points should be
Feet: Small and dainty, turning neither in nor out; considered a fault and the
toes well divided but not spread, pads cushioned, fine, seriousness with which the fault should be regarded
strong, flexible pasterns. Neither hare- nor cat-like, nails should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect
moderately short. upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s
Tail: Medium length, set high, carried up and over ability to perform its traditional work.
back (sickle tail). When moving never tucked under or Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal
curled below the topline. Furry, flattish in appearance, testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
broadening slightly in centre and tapering to point.

The Chihuahua is Tipped or broken down highly undesirable”. It is very
very much a ‘head common for puppies ears to ‘drop’ when they are teething,
breed’ and should but there is no need to tape the ears as if the puppy has
have a head and the correct ear, they will come back up in their own time
skull that has a once teething has finished.
“well rounded Dentition and the mouth should display “jaws strong, with
‘apple dome’ a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper
skull, cheeks and teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to
jaws lean, muzzle the jaws”. This is one of the other reasons for the breed’s
moderately short, inclusion on the Breed Watch. In the UK, teeth are not
slightly pointed counted, but a 6x6 bite is highly desirable, however, a bite
with a definite other than the correct scissor bite is most undesirable.
stop”. It is worth It is widely believed that, as the breed is a ‘dwarf’ breed
noting here that the breed is currently Category 2 on the and has been bred down in size over the years, this has
Breed Watch scheme for overly short muzzles. Eyes caused the difficulties with bites, but a good Chihuahua
should be “large, round, but not protruding; set well apart; mouth is a joy to behold. Teeth need regular cleaning to
centre of eye is on a plane with lowest point of ear and keep them free of tartar and plaque and prevent decay.
base of stop; dark or ruby. Light eyes in light colours
The neck should be “slightly arched, medium length”,
permissible” with ears “large, flaring, set on at an angle of
which gives to the overall outline of the dog. Forequarters
approximately 45 degrees; giving breadth between ears.
should have “shoulders well laid; lean, sloping into slightly
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