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Chihuahua
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Wednesday, 02 April 2008 09:01 |
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They are everywhere – Chihuahua puppies…
Practically everytime you turn on the tv, or open up a magazine, you see a Chihuahua puppy in a Hollywood starlets bag. Whether it be Paris Hilton’s sidekick Tinkerbell, or Reese Witherspoons lovable pooch Bruiser in “Legally Blonde,” Chihuahuas have hit the big time and everyone wants one: http://yourpetcentral.com/chihuahua-puppes.htm
Now before you buy a Chihuahua, there are absolutely some things you need to know about this breed, their health and socialization.
These 7 factors are the most important.
1. They need to be well socialized. If you don’t have time to socialize your Chihuahua puppy then you shouldn’t get one. Chihuahuas need to be socialized properly since they have a tendency to bond only with their owners and already have a predisposition to being snippy with strangers.
2. Seems chihuahuas are carried everywhere and that’s part of their appeal, but make sure you put them down and get them to walk on their own. When you don’t let them walk on their own they can become very uncomfortable out of the arms of their owner and react with aggression in order to deal with they’re uncomfortability.
3. These dogs are not great with children unless they were raised with them. Chihuahuas are high strung and have a low tolerance. They don’t cope well with the antics and rambunctiousness of little children. They can be snippy and will bite a child if provoked. This breed is better suited to busy people without children and for elder people who are looking for a companion and little maintenance (these dogs require little exercise, are great apartment dwellers and can be trained to use the litter box.)
4. Chihuahuas are very loyal and have a tendency to bond with their owner…only. They are very dependent and like to be around you and do what you are doing. If you have little time to spend with your puppy and want a dog who is a little more independent, than this dog is not for you.
5. Chihuahuas have the longest life span of any breed of dog. If you are not ready to make an 11-18 year commitment to them, and your interest in them is just a novelty (they look so cute in those celebrity magazines being toted around in a bag,) then don’t get a Chihuahua.
6. If you move around a lot, this may not be the breed for you. Chihuahuas don’t adapt well to new environments and will often act out with barking and unsuitable behavior. They prefer to have a stable environments so if you are constantly traveling around (business etc…) then consider a less high strung breed.
7. They can be dog aggressive, so if you have another dog at home you may want to reconsider getting a Chihuahua and opt for a more dog friendly breed.
That being said, the Chihuahua is a great dog and right for the right type of person. Before buying a Chihuahua puppy think about the various points mentioned above and decide whether you see parts of your life in the above checklist.
Chihuahuas are intelligent, alert, and loyal companions. They love to give and receive affection but again this is dependent on your understanding of the nuances of this breed and how well they are trained and socialized from puppyhood. Good luck!
About The Author
Marie Torres has a Chihuahua puppy named “Cherry. After a bumpy start, they are both happy, healthy and the best of friends. For more information on Cherry’s successful training regime visit: http://www.yourpetcentral.com/chihuahua-puppes.htm.
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Thursday, 01 November 2007 09:01 |
Outrageous Tales About Chihuahuas: Some Are True!
By Bill Knell
When you look at a Chihuahua that weighs less than two pounds full grown, it is hard to imagine that it’s actually a dog! That is why so many people once believed the rumor that Chihuahuas were some kind of weird mix of rodent and dog. The rumor began after people who traveled along the Mexican Border with Texas and Arizona over one hundred and fifty years ago noticed the breed.
Early Wild West novels and storybooks explained the small size of the Chihuahua by claiming that the animals were created through a secret process used by medicine men or pagan priests in Mexico or South America. The process was said to have involved the mixing of small dogs and rodents. However, dime novels were not the only places where tale tales about Chihuahuas were spread.
Early descriptions of the dogs by Missionaries and Conquistadors traveling throughout South America indicated they were used in worship ceremonies or even eaten by faithful followers of the Aztec religion. Such descriptions were often exaggerated to make the Aztec People seem completely pagan to Christians and, thereby, justify their conquest and conversion. While we are certain that Chihuahuas were used in Aztec worship ceremonies, there is no evidence to date that any were eaten. Many have been found buried with people, so it’s possible they were killed to join their owners in death.
Because they are much smaller and seem to be so different from other dog breeds, a number of old wives tales exist about these tiny animals. Some are true, others are just myths spread by the uninformed:
BAD BREATH - Chihuahuas have a breath odor that is no better or worse then that of any other dog breed. This rumor started because so many early Chihuahua owners fed their dogs unwanted fish parts. Captains, mates and others who worked aboard ships in the California of the middle to late 1800’s found Chihuahua dogs to be terrific companions. Not only would these dogs sound the alarm if anyone came near their personal property, but they were small enough to be welcome aboard vessels of any size. Ship captains were particularly found of them because Chihuahuas had a knack for chasing rats out of small spaces that other dogs couldn’t reach. When pups came along and they were sold to landlubbers, new owners were told that the dogs just loved fish parts!
CHIHUAHUAS HAVE GIVEN BIRTH TO KITTENS - Chihuahuas tend to get along unusually well with Cats. In fact, Chihuahuas have been known to nurse orphaned or abandoned kittens. However, I can say with great certainty that no Chihuahua has ever been known to give birth to a litter of kittens.
CHIHUAHUAS COME FROM OUTTER SPACE - Some Natives of North and South America have traditions that indicate their ancestors may have come from the stars. Some researchers believe that’s an incorrect interpretation of the native people’s belief that their ancestors come from a higher spiritual existence. Either way, early scholars who took an interest in the origin of Chihuahuas indicated that they had not been able to discover how, when or where the breed originated. As interest in ghosts, Atlantis and space beings first became popular in the late 1800’s, many people adopted the idea that Chihuahuas must have been brought to Earth by visitors from beyond. Needless to say, this is probably not true and likely came from the same people who believe that Corn is an Alien invention unfit for human consumption.
CHIHUAHUAS CAN HEAL SEVERE INJURIES OR REDUCE PAIN - Early settlers who came to the Southwest United States noticed that Mexicans and some Natives would tie Chihuahuas to parts of their bodies that seemed to need healing or where pain was a problem. This practice lead to the theory that the dogs were magical and could cure an assortment of physical problems. In reality, Chihuahuas have been known to lie near or on parts of their owner’s bodies where pain was being felt, an infection had set in or other health problems may have existed. The warmth of their tiny bodies probably helped ease pain a bit. The licking of infections or open wounds may have helped clean out microorganisms or infected tissues. Interestingly enough, it has become known that some dogs seem to possess the ability to diagnose cancer or other health problems in various parts of the human body.
CHIHUAHUAS CAN CURE OR REDUCE THE SERVERITY OF ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES - Most people with Asthma or severe Allergy problems have a problem with pets. Not so, it seems, with the Chihuahua. Although there is no known medical evidence to support the idea that Chihuahuas can cure any disease, many Chihuahua Owners who suffer with Asthma or severe Allergies claim the dogs help. As recently as thirty years ago, people living in the Southwest would get a Chihuahua for a child or family member with Asthma or Allergy problems. The dogs would sometimes lie near that person’s mouth and become ill. At the same time, the person would seem to feel better. The idea was that the problem was transferred from the suffering human to the dog. While that’s obviously untrue, it is a fact that Asthma and Allergy sufferers seem to do better with short or long haired Chihuahuas the with any other dog breed.
CHIHUAHUAS COME FROM CHINA OR EGYPT - There is some evidence that Chihuahuas may have already existed in Africa and Asia before they were discovered in America, but none so conclusive to say that they originated in any of those places. We are just now discovering that seafarers may have visited our shores long before Columbus or even the Vikings. This may account for the presence of Chihuahuas in other parts of the world. No one really knows the exact origin of the Chihuahua.
IF REALLY UPSET, A CHIHUAHUA’S EYES WILL FALL OUT OF IT’S HEAD - The ‘bug eye’ look of some Chihuahuas undoubtedly lead to this myth. Modern science has shown this to be false.
SEWER RATS HAVE BEEN SOLD AS CHIHUAHUAS - This is yet another branch of the false rodent identity once attributed to Chihuahua dogs. Years ago, a story appeared in one of the supermarket tabloids proclaiming that a couple who visited Mexico was sold the hybrid of a rat-dog mix that looked like a Chihuahua. This lead to the often repeated and equally nonsensical story of a couple who vacationed in Mexico and brought home a sewer rat they bought as a Chihuahua.
AN ANCIENT CHIHUAHUA WAS DISCOVERED PERFECTLY PRESERVED IN A SOUTH AMERICAN PYRAMID - Another crazy story courtesy of our friends at the supermarket tabloids. This one appeared in an early 1970’s tabloid article and claimed that the dog’s flesh was still edible, blood samples could be extracted from the dog’s body and the animal’s eyes were a color never before seen in animals(???). Well, they made it up, not me!
The craziest thing about all the tale tales that surround the Chihuahua Breed is that some may actually be true. The Chihuahua is the world’s smallest dog breed and longest-lived. Animal Behaviorists tell us that Chihuahuas are the only dogs that tend to prefer the company of humans to that of other dogs. They will nurse kittens and have helped people who suffer from various maladies. With a background like that, I suppose almost anything is possible. However, one thing is for sure. They make the world’s best pets!
About the Author
A native New Yorker now living in Arizona, Bill Knell is a forty-something guy with a wealth of knowledge and experience. He"s written hundreds of articles offer advice on a wide variety of subjects. http://www.billknell.com |
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Friday, 27 April 2007 01:01 |
Celebrities Discover The Amazing Chihuahua!
By Bill Knell
Some say it started with the Taco Bell dog. A five hundred million dollar ad campaign featured a talking Chihuahua which continually repeated the slogan, “Yo quiero Taco Bell,” which is Spanish for “I want Taco Bell.” Then came the Legally Blond films and the unstoppable Bruiser. The topping on the cake was when Paris Hilton appeared on the cover of Seventeen magazine and later tried living The Simple Life on Fox TV with Tinkerbell, her pet Chihuahua. Celebrities have discovered what many pet owners already knew: Chihuahuas are the best dogs to own and care for. In the process, they’ve set off a Chihuahua Craze that is reaching towering proportions.
When most people think of Celebrities and their toy dogs, Yorkshire Terriers, Toy Poodles, Pekinese, Lhasas and Shih Tzus usually come to mind. That’s because famous folks like Audrey Hepburn, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Mia Farrow were regularly photographed with their beloved pets. In Audrey‘s case, it was a Yorkie. In her early days of fame, Mia Farrow was rarely seen out in public without her Lhasa. Zsa Zsa and Eva Gabor loved to walk through the hot spots of Beverly Hills and be photographed with a multitude of Toy Poodles, Pekinese and Shih Tzus. But times have changed!
The always innovative Madonna may have set the standard for change not long ago when she sported her beloved Chihuahua, Chiquita, for a press photo op. Noah Wyle, one of the hot stars of ER, was recently photographed with his Chihuahua while on holiday. Jennifer Lopez has also joined the exclusive club of famous Chihuahua owners. Younger celebrities like Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Paris Hilton, Christina Ricci, Reese Witherspoon and members of Simple Plan have found themselves attracted to these fabulous canines and brought a huge amount of attention to them.
Chihuahuas make great pets because they are very low maintenance, the world’s smallest dogs and longest lived breed. Celebs love the fact that Chihuahuas prefer the company of humans more then they enjoy being with other animals and can easily accompany their owners everywhere. Chihuahuas love to be held or carried around in their very own shoulder bag and that makes them especially attractive to busy celebrities and people who are always on the move.
Unlike most toy dog breeds, the Chihuahua is not a created one. The first widespread mention of Chihuahuas occurred during the mid to late 1800"s in weekly or monthly tabloids that specialized in tales of the American West. Highly fictionalized accounts of the small dogs spread by these publications claimed they were actually a mix of rodent and canine or had been magically created by Medicine Men. In reality, Chihuahuas were first noticed along the Arizona-Mexico border by settlers, ranchers and those passing through. This lead to the animals becoming originally-known as Arizona Dogs. Once it began obvious that these cute little dogs were actually coming out of the Chihuahua region of Mexico where they had been discovered in the early 1800"s, the regional name stuck.
For the first time ever this past year, Chihuahuas have made the top ten list of most registered or licensed dogs in many areas of the USA. There can be no doubt that part of their popularity comes from the media exposure the breed has received and the fact that big-name celebrities are favoring the breed. But it also has to do with the fact that Chihuahuas are small, very easy to care for and live a long time.
Most Chihuahuas eat dry dog food and feed once every couple of hours or as their hunger moves them. A small, full bowl of dry food and dish of water easily gets them through an entire day. Chihuahuas are known for being healthy, hearty dogs that do well in virtually any situation. They can easily deal with temperatures of forty to ninety degrees Fahrenheit. When it gets a bit too chilly, doggie clothes solve the problem. When it gets too hot, Chihuahuas are always happy to enjoy their owner’s air conditioning. Most have few health issues and live from fifteen to nineteen years of age, with an average lifespan of sixteen years.
Those wanting to breed Chihuahuas are often surprised to find that they can give birth up to twice a year, normally have from one to five puppies and take just sixty-five days to give birth. Few have problem births and the survival rate of pups is very high compared to other toy breeds. Chihuahua puppies are ready to be adopted by eight weeks.
Because celebrities are constantly exposed to new situations and always on the go, they can appreciate the fact that most Chihuahuas tend to attach themselves emotionally to one person or family and rarely bolt if given the opportunity. All Chihuahua owners appreciate the intelligence of the breed. They are very easy to train and adjust well to change. In areas where it’s legal, Chihuahuas walk obediently near their owners without a leash.
Chihuahuas come from the same parent breed of dogs that Chinese Cresteds, Mexican Hairless Dogs and Xolos do. These are known to be the most ancient of all dog breeds still existing today. Drawings of what appear to be Chihuahuas are found throughout the world, some being thousands of years old. This makes us wonder when and where the Breed actually originated? Most Chihuahuas are either shorthair or longhair, come in an amazing variety of colors and purebreds tend to weigh from under a pound to no more then six pounds fully grown.
As Chihuahuas are featured in more and more films, television shows and become the beloved pets of an ever growing list of the rich and famous, we should all remember that they are more then just the hot breed of the moment. Chihuahuas are great pets that are very loyal to their owners. If you are planning to adopt a Chihuahua, do so because the breed is attractive to your needs, desires and lifestyle, not because Paris owns one. You can read more about Chihuahuas at http://tiny.azpuppies.com
About the Author
A native New Yorker now living in Arizona, Bill Knell is a forty-something guy with a wealth of knowledge and experience. He"s written hundreds of articles offer advice on a wide variety of subjects. |
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