7 Things You Didn’t Know about the Long Haired Chihuahua
Chihuahuas are very small, toy sized dogs. There are two types of Chihuahuas, the short-haired and the long-haired versions. Chihuahuas originated in Mexico and were brought over to the U.S. and Canada, and eventually began to invade Europe. Once the breed got established in the U.S., the quest for a long-haired version of the Chihuahua began.
Interbreeding between the original Chihuahua was bred with other small, long-haired breeds, such as Papillon, the Pekingese, the Pomeranian, and the Yorkshire Terrier.
Once a long-haired Chihuahua was developed, the breed was now just bred amongst itself and no more crossbreeding was necessary. If you know about the long-haired Chihuahua, you know they are beautiful little dogs, but here are seven things yo didn’t know about the long-haired Chihuahua.
1. Same dimensions as the short-haired
When it comes to size, the long-haired Chihuahua is the same as the short-haired – they have the same physical traits. Although the height is a non-specified trait, most Chihuahuas measure roughly 6-9 inches at the shoulder.
The AKC does not have an official, minimum weight requirement, however, either of the two varieties should not weight over 6 lbs. In the UK, the preferred weight is between 2-4 lbs., and in Canada, a Chihuahua should be up to 6 lbs., but 4-6 is the preferred weight.
2. It takes a while to get the full coat
Unlike some breeds, the long-haired Chihuahua can take a while to get their full coat of hair. Some long-haired breeds will get their full, thick coat of fur at a very young age, however, this breed may not develop, and grow all of their fur until they are 14-24 months of age. When they do, they have two coats; a soft, down undercoat, and the long, top coat. It’s the two coats together that make them look so fluffy.
3. Long coats don’t mean cold-tolerant
Chihuahuas of either breed cannot be outdoor dogs. Chihuahuas are indoor dogs, no matter what type of hair they have. Some people may think because their Chihuahua has long fur, that it can be out in the cold – that it is protected from the elements, however, this is very untrue.
As a matter-of-fact, the long hair on a long-haired Chihuahua does very little to protect it from the cold, and these dogs can not withstand cold temperatures, nor can they tolerate the heat for extended periods of time. This breed must be kept indoors, aside being taken out for play or a walk.
4. Difference in temperament?
Some people believe that because one version has short hair, and the other has long, that one is more hyper than the other, however, this is not true. One type of coat or the other, does not mean that there will be a difference in their personalities.
What will matter are things like, the personalities of the parents, the way the dog is handled, training, and how much socialization the dog gets with people, like children and the elderly, strangers, long with other animals – cats and dogs.
The more and the better the dog of type of coat is socialized, the better the personality. A long-haired Chihuahua and short-haired both have the same possible personality types.
5. Can short-haired Chihuahuas produce long-haired?
The answer is yes. It all depends on the genes that are carried in the lineage. Some people who breed two smooth-coats together are very surprised when a long-haired puppy pops up, but it is common if the two smooth coats who are bred together each have a set of short-haired and long-haired of genes in them.
Typically the short-haired gene is dominant, but if the long-haired gene is present, it will supersede.
6. Males have more hair
Typically the male long-haired Chihuahua will have more hair than the female. Similar to a Cardinal that is the brighter red of the male and female, the male long-haired Chihuahua will sport the fluffier coat.
He will have a fuller, fluffier neck, and more hair coverage, in general, over his whole body. If you see two long-hairs together and one seems fuller than the other, chances are, the fuller coat dog is the male. It is one way to tell the difference between the sexes.
7. Heavy ears will flop
Typically, a long-haired Chihuahua’s ears should stand up naturally on their head. If the dog has a lot of fur on his head and ears, this can make it difficult for the Chihuahua’s ears to stand up naturally.
They tend to flop over on his head. However, he can hold them up at will. It should not be regarded as a defect in the breed. As the dog matures, the ears may start to stand better on their own.
You can also read:
- 7 Things you Didn’t Know about the Pomeranian Chihuahua
- 20 Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Chihuahuas
- 10 Dog Breeds Similar to the Chihuahua
