The hero of our article is an amazing baby with a stable nervous system, good health, big, slightly sad, but very smart eyes. The Chihuahua dog breed initially developed independently, without human intervention, without crosses and breeding.
Historical reference
There is speculation that this breed originated during the Maya tribe. At that time she had a sacred title like cats of Egypt. The Chihuahua dog breed was revered by Aztec priests in the 8th century in Mexico. They were considered guides of souls to the underworld, therefore, when the owner was dying, his four-little little friend had a sad fate - he was buried nearby.
The history of this breed is covered in secrets and mysteries. Almost nothing has been known about her since the sixteenth century. It is believed that the dog was on the verge of extinction, but she was destined to survive. A little later, American travelers began to take her to different countries. Thus, the small charming creatures left the Mexican state of Chihuahua and "dispersed" around the world.
External data
This miniature dog is not only different in size. She has an unusual apple-shaped head, disproportionately large ears, huge eyes. The body length does not exceed 23 cm, and weight - from 500 g to 2.5 kg.
Rock formation
The description of the chihuahua would be incomplete if we did not say that the breeders were constantly working to enhance the charm of these babies. To do this, they crossed Chihuahuas with other dwarf breeds. Shorthair babies “became related” with toy terriers and pinschers, longhair babies with papillons and spitz. Thanks to such relationships in one litter, puppies can vary significantly in size, color, and coat length. It is noteworthy that a smooth-haired mother may have puppies with magnificent hairs on the neck, legs, ears, tail.
Color
Chihuahuas, whose photos are often published by various publications on dog breeding, have a coat of a wide variety of colors: red, white, black, brown, black and white, etc. But the rarest, and therefore the most expensive, is silver-gray with a bluish tint . Breeders are unable to vaccinate it, because the gene responsible for this color can cause serious damage to the animal’s health. The price of a puppy with such a unique color starts at $ 10,000.
Chihuahua content
First of all, you must take care of a warm and cozy house for your pet. He should be in a secluded place, away from drafts. Do not teach your puppy to sleep in your bed. Besides the fact that this is not recommended for educational purposes, you simply can accidentally injure him at night.
If you put a dog on a sofa, do not leave it unattended. When you leave it, lower it to the floor.
How to care for a chihuahua
Gentle and fragile representatives of this breed require a very delicate attitude. This dog is not recommended to start in families where there are small children. In the game, a child can accidentally cripple a little four-legged friend. To do this, it is enough to accidentally push it off the couch even onto a soft carpet: these dogs have very thin and fragile bones.
The weakest point in a chihuahua is a thin neck. Therefore, forever abandon the idea of ​​acquiring a collar. Such a baby is much more suitable for a leash that is attached to the body.
How to care for a chihuahua in cold weather? Dogs of this breed must be protected from drafts and cold. They freeze very quickly, begin to tremble with their whole body, and after a while they develop colds, including pneumonia. Therefore, on frosty days, it is better to refrain from walking, and at an air temperature of +1 degrees, you should already wear a warm suit on your pet.
Extreme heat can also harm these crumbs. The problem is that they love to bask in the sun, but they do not know how to control the time spent in this way. Therefore, they often overheat and even receive heat stroke.
Nutrition
Answering the question of how to care for a chihuahua, one cannot but say about some of the features of feeding these babies. An adult dog consumes only a few tablespoons of food per day, so each owner is able to provide her with quality products.
In the diet of the animal must be present meat and offal, cereals and vegetables in the following proportions: 30% + 40% + 30%. In addition, there must be a mineral-vitamin top dressing, dairy products (cottage cheese, kefir).
It is necessary to completely exclude fried, salty, spicy food. In addition, any sweets are contraindicated for your pet. Nuts can upset the metabolism in bone tissue.
Completely exclude any bones (especially tubular).
Dental care
The owners of these babies ask: "How to care for the Chihuahua, in particular their teeth?" The peculiarity of this breed is that its representatives do not always have milk teeth fall out naturally. In this regard, you have to pay a visit to the dentist. Because if you do not remove puppy teeth, your pet will bite.
Common diseases and their symptoms
Despite the apparent fragility, the Chihuahua is an ancient and strong breed. Its representatives, with proper care, rarely suffer from serious chronic diseases. How to care for a chihuahua so that your pet grows healthy and strong? What diseases are the most common in these babies?
These are hypoglycemia, hydrocephalus, demodicosis, epilepsy, rheumatism, dislocation of the patella, diseases of the teeth and gums. What changes in the condition of the dog should be paid attention not to miss the beginning of a serious ailment? These are the following symptoms:
- lack of appetite for more than a day;
- diarrhea;
- temperature rise;
- cough;
- vomiting
- thirst.
If you notice these or any other signs of the disease in your pet, you must urgently show it to the veterinarian who will prescribe the necessary treatment.
Chihuahua health
All animals that live with a person in the house must be vaccinated. This also applies to chihuahuas. Even if you do not plan to communicate with other animals, your pet should receive all the necessary vaccinations. Namely from:
- rabies;
- hepatitis viral;
- parvovirus enteritis;
- adenoviral infections;
- parainfluenza and leptospirosis;
- plague of carnivores.
The first time the baby is vaccinated on the 28th day of life. A week before vaccination, he should receive an anthelmintic suspension. It could be the Drontal Junior. As a rule, Chihuahua puppies are acquired at the age of two months, so the mark of the first vaccination should already be in the passport.
At eight weeks, you must re-visit the clinic with your chihuahua. Vaccinations of DHPPI + Lepto and its re-vaccination (revaccination) in 10-11 weeks should be done with exact adherence to the deadlines. Do not forget to carry out prophylaxis against worms before the procedure.
The vaccine against rabies is very difficult for Chihuahua puppies to take, so it is better to do it when your pet turns one year old. But remember that during this period it is necessary to protect the baby in every possible way from contacts with unvaccinated animals.
The third vaccination is done at 11 months. After it, the dog should be vaccinated annually at the same time.
Chihuahua owners need to remember that after each vaccination they must follow the regimen for 10 days. At this time, the dog should not be taken outside, protect it from hypothermia.