The Origin of the Chi Chi

It is not surprising that the nickname for a Chihuahua is Chi or Chi-Chi. The word ,chi, means life force in China and most Chihuahuas certainly display plenty of that. Chi-chi is also French slang for fashionable or cute.

Chihuahuas are very active, saucy animals that fall into the American Kennel association category of a ,toy dog., (In fact a chi chi can be described as the worlds only ,natural toy dog., It also bears the distinction of being the world’s tiniest breed.

What does China have to do with this tiny Mexican dog who most of us are familiar with from seeing them cavorting in a Freda Kahlo painting or advertising Mexican food for Taco Bell on T.V.?

It seems that the organ of the dog’s breed is the subject of some debate. The most popular point of view is that the breed originated over 2000 years in the state of Chihuahua in Mexico which is why you see so many of these dogs wearing cute little sombreros in family photographs.

However some experts believe that the Chihuahua’s canine lineage goes back a long way before the birth of Christ. The Chinese just as expert at miniaturizing plants such as the bonsai as they were dogs and horses. It is theorized that this culture may have may have developed the Chihuahua by miniaturizing a dog called the Techichi/ These tiny dogs were also bred for the dinner table, ritual sacrifice and as companions for royalty.

The Techichi was a short-legged stocky dog compared to today’s graceful, thin limbed Chihuahua. It is believed that the Techichi may have been imported to Mexico from Europe by Spanish explorers.

The reason this is not such an implausible theory is that carvings found in the Monastery of Huejotzingo, on the highway from Mexico City to Puebla, show pictures of a dog that strongly resembles both the modern day Chihuahua and the Techichi.

However the reason that many breeders ALSO subscribe to the theory those Chihuahuas are of Mexican origin is because the tiny bodies of Techichi dogs have also been found in the graves of the ancient Toltec and Aztec tribes. This means that despite what was just theorized above, a Chihuahua like dog may have indeed been bred by ancient civilization that long predate the birth of Christ or at least been around in Mexico from the 9th Century A.D. In these cultures the dogs were also employed as ritual sacrifices and companions for royalty.

However the loving house pet that knows today, as the chi is believed to have been perfected as a breed around the early 1850s in Mexico. The breed is well established and the Chihuahua Breed Standard was first recognized by the American Kennel Association in 1904.

These lively and lovable little dogs with their slim, limber bodies and eyes as round as saucers came in three varieties: smooth coat, longboat, or hairless. The hairless version is now known’s the Xoloitzcuintle, or Mexican Hairless. However the two most popular types that you will find as pets in Europe and North America are the smoothcoat and longcoat.

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Breeds and Different Living Spaces

Different breeds do better in different living situations and that is why you need to vigilante when it comes to knowing a bit about dog breed behavior before you bring a new one home. For instance you do not want to cage up a Whippet in a 500 square foot apartment. You also don’t want to make your dashed with its long sensitive spine walk up a 50 stair grand staircase each day. It is a bad idea to bring a yappy Jack Russell into a condo full of senior citizens. A Chihuahua could get crushed underfoot in you need to match the breed to the living space

If you live in an apartment. then you need a smaller quiet dog that does not smell, can be left alone without barking and that needs a moderate amount of exercise. Breeds that fit the bill are Affenpinschers, American Water Spaniels, Bedlington Terrier, Bichon Frise, Brussels Griffon, Cairn Terrier, Cardigan Corgi, Cesky Terrier, Chinese Shar Pei, Coton de Tulear, Daschund, Dandie Dinmont Terrier English Bull Dog, Miniature Poodle, Papillon, Pug, Shi Tzu

If you live in a condo then you can accommodate any of the dog breeds listed for living in an apartment and add a few of the slightly larger quieter breeds such as the Dogue De Bordeaux, Italian Greyhound, Norwegian Lundhehund and Standard Poodle to your list of potential pets. Make sure however that there is dog park nearby for these pets to get some exercise in. You should avoid the really noisy dogs as condo associations can be very strict about pets that are disturbing the other condo owners. Make sure you dog is well trained before you move into any kind of community where others can frequently encounter your pet.

If you live in a suburban area you can accommodate any of the dogs listed in the answers to #1 or #2 as well as the American Cocker Spaniel, the Bearded Collie, Bouvier Des Flanders, Briard, Cavalier King Spaniel, Collie, Dachshund, Irish Setter, Irish Terrier. These dog are larger or have more of a need to roam, jump or dig around in a back yard. Once again dog obedience training is a good idea because suburban areas tend to be full of children who might tease your pet or chase it. The last thing you need is a litigation because of a dog bite.

If you live on a farm you can have any dog that is listed in this article as a pet and more. However the more fragile toy breeds such as the Chihuahua, Brussels Griffon, Japanese Chin, Papillion and Yorkshire Terrier may be too fragile to withstand a lot of action. Lapdogs can also become prey to other animals on large farms and in rural areas with coyotes and other predators. Other pets or children that are too enthusiastic can also trample them. The slightly larger dog is happier on a farm. Delicate little chi chis are happiest in someone’s arms.

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