Chihuahuas are an attractive little lot, who not only catch the fancy of the modern man but also had Christopher Columbus. Christopher It is evident from the letter he wrote to the King of Spain mentioning a little dog he had come across in an island, which is Cuba now.

Chihuahuas are an attractive little lot, who not only catch the fancy of the modern man but also had Christopher Columbus. Christopher It is evident from the letter he wrote to the King of Spain mentioning a little dog he had come across in an island, which is Cuba now. He described the little dog as mute, for it did not bark as others did. The dog Columbus talked about was not exactly today’s Chihuahua but one of its ancestors “Techichi”.

Experts have dated the Techichi as far back as the 9th century A.D. There is concrete evidence of Techichis’ presence during this period of time supported by pictures and figures of the god carved in stones.

This little dog was highly coveted by the rich in those days and was often used during the worship of the deities besides it was also believed to be useful in one’s journey into the afterlife. They were popular pets and the rare blue colored variety was considered sacred while the red ones were sacrificed to please the deities.

However, the Chihuahua found registration with the American Kennel Club in 1905. The characteristic features of a Chihuahua are as follows:

1.A Chihuahua is not more than six pounds in weight and any dog that is heavier than that is not a Chihuahua by definition.
2.A Chihuahua’s head is “apple domed” and no matter what angle you take, it looks rounded.
3.Its eyes are very large but do not protrude and are usually dark in color or luminous ruby.
4.They have large ears that stand erect in attention when dog is concentrating on something.
5.A Chihuahua’s body is a little longer in proportion to its height. Its tail is neither short, nor long. It is just moderate in length and may appear like a sickle in some and like a loop in others.

Chihuahuas are brave dogs and pay little heed to the size of the opponent in relation to theirs. Challenged to fight, fight they will, irrespective of whether the challenger is a Bull Dog, a Doberman or a German shepherd. They are very protective about their owners but generally bond with only one or two people in the entire household.

Quite a community mover, it’s rather snobbish to other breeds and prefers other Chihuahuas for company. King-dine-with-kings kind of philosophy they seem to adhere to. A good dog, but slightly proud is what a Chihuahua is.