Chihuahua dogs are recognized as the smallest in the world. The most ancient ancestors of the breed representatives came from Mexico. Today there is an increased interest in small, friendly dogs.
Chihuahua head, neck and muzzle
The shape of the head of this small dog resembles an apple, and this is one of the distinctive features of the Chihuahua breed. The descent from the forehead to the muzzle is well defined, the forehead is rounded at the base of the muzzle. The Chihuahua's nose is rather short and noticeably upturned, with the color of the nose lobe being different. The muzzle is short, widening at the base and tapering towards the end. When judged in profile, the muzzle is straight. Chihuahua's cheeks are practically not pronounced, a normal bite is scissor or straight.
These dogs have large, round eyes that are slightly bulging. The look is inquisitive and friendly. The eyes are predominantly dark, but occasionally light eyes are also found. The auricle is large, sharply tapering from base to end. It is located in a vertical plane, but in a relaxed state, the ears are slightly "hung". The head is carried on a slightly arched neck, moderately long. The neck skin should be free of wrinkles and folds, it should fit snugly against the muscles and be elastic.
Chihuahua torso. Color
The body of the Chihuahua breed consists of a weakly expressed withers, a short and strong back and a muscular loin. The ribcage is wide and deep, with rounded ribs. The croup is not sloping, the belly should not sag, it should be tucked up. The tail is rather long, tapering slightly towards the end. It is raised and curved in a semicircle shape to give balance to the entire body.
The forelimbs are straight and long, the musculature of the shoulders is poorly developed. The paws are small, the toes are not spread out. The nails on the toes are long and curved; the paw pads are elastic. The elbows should be close to the body. The musculature of the hind limbs is well developed, they are parallel to each other. The hocks are short and the Achilles tendon is well defined.
There are two coat options for the Chihuahua breed: long-haired and smooth-haired. In smooth-haired dogs, the hair is short and snug. There is less hair growth on the abdomen and throat. The hair is the longest on the neck and tail, and the shortest on the head and ears. In long-haired Chihuahuas, hair can be either straight or wavy. The undercoat is moderately dense. On the ears, back of the limbs and chest, wool forms a kind of decoration in the form of feathers.
There are no special standards for color for Chihuahuas, as they can be completely different. There is only one requirement: that the color matches the color of the nose and eyes. The weight of these small dogs is normally no more than 2 kg, up to a maximum of 3 kg. The height at the withers is also very different, but generally up to 38 cm.
