Romans Mom
02-01-2004, 06:21 PM
What Makes A Chihuahua Special by author Kim Campbell Thorton
The true story of the Chihuahua's origin is lost to history and will probably never be known, but it's a breed rich in legend and lore, and there are many theories about where it came from and what its role was. Some experts believe that it's descended from a type of dog known as the Techichi. This dog, whose appearance we know from ancient carvings and pottery, had erect ears and a long coat covering a heavy-boned body. The Techichi dates to at least the tenth century, the time of the Toltec civilization of Mexico. The Toltecs were known as master builders, and the pyramids they built at Cholula contained carvings of dogs believed to be Techichis. Eventually, the Toltecs were conquered by the Aztecs, who continued to raise these dogs.
It has also been suggested that the Chihuahua was developed in China, where people took great delight in creating dwarfed items of all kinds, from plant to animals. Little dogs such as these would have been of great interest to traders both for their entertainment value and for their ease of transport. Traders from Spain traveled the world in search of treasures and wonders, and it's not inconceivable that they might have brought diminutive dogs from China to mexico. The little Chinese dogs might then have been crossed with small dogs native to Mexico to create the dog that became the Chihuahua.
It was perhaps this reputed link to China that brought about the notion that the Chihuahua is the same as a Mexican Hairless, or Xoloioitzcuintli, as it is now known. The fact is, even though the Xoloitzcuintli may have arrived from Asia in much the same way as the Chihuahua's ancestors, it is distinct from the Chihuahua.
The breed as it is known today was discovered in the mid-nineteenth century in Chihuhuahua, far to the north of Mexico City. Perhaps Montezuma, the last of the Aztec emperors, took some of the dogs with him on a royal visit to Chihuahua. It may be that some of the dogs were left behind when he returned, thus ecsaping the Spanish sack of the empire, which no dooubt engulfed many of the Aztec dogs.
The dogs lived in obscurity until the late nineteenth century, when they were discovered by American visitors to Mexico who brought them home as souvenirs of their stay. Chihuahuas arrived on the dog-show scene in 1890, and in 1904 one named Midget became the first Chihuahua registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC).
The Chihuahuas found in Mexico in the nineteenth century were of the shorthaired variety. The origin of the longhaired Chihuahua is something of a mystery as well. Some breeders claim that the longhair is the original form, while others suggest that it's a more modern creation, made by crossing Shorthaired Chihuahuas with longhaired breeds, such as Pomeraninas or Papillons.
Todays' Chihuahua ranks among the top 10 breeds registered by the AKC. Not surprising, given the Chihuahua's grace, alertness, and intelligence--all packed into just a few tiny pounds. :wink:
The true story of the Chihuahua's origin is lost to history and will probably never be known, but it's a breed rich in legend and lore, and there are many theories about where it came from and what its role was. Some experts believe that it's descended from a type of dog known as the Techichi. This dog, whose appearance we know from ancient carvings and pottery, had erect ears and a long coat covering a heavy-boned body. The Techichi dates to at least the tenth century, the time of the Toltec civilization of Mexico. The Toltecs were known as master builders, and the pyramids they built at Cholula contained carvings of dogs believed to be Techichis. Eventually, the Toltecs were conquered by the Aztecs, who continued to raise these dogs.
It has also been suggested that the Chihuahua was developed in China, where people took great delight in creating dwarfed items of all kinds, from plant to animals. Little dogs such as these would have been of great interest to traders both for their entertainment value and for their ease of transport. Traders from Spain traveled the world in search of treasures and wonders, and it's not inconceivable that they might have brought diminutive dogs from China to mexico. The little Chinese dogs might then have been crossed with small dogs native to Mexico to create the dog that became the Chihuahua.
It was perhaps this reputed link to China that brought about the notion that the Chihuahua is the same as a Mexican Hairless, or Xoloioitzcuintli, as it is now known. The fact is, even though the Xoloitzcuintli may have arrived from Asia in much the same way as the Chihuahua's ancestors, it is distinct from the Chihuahua.
The breed as it is known today was discovered in the mid-nineteenth century in Chihuhuahua, far to the north of Mexico City. Perhaps Montezuma, the last of the Aztec emperors, took some of the dogs with him on a royal visit to Chihuahua. It may be that some of the dogs were left behind when he returned, thus ecsaping the Spanish sack of the empire, which no dooubt engulfed many of the Aztec dogs.
The dogs lived in obscurity until the late nineteenth century, when they were discovered by American visitors to Mexico who brought them home as souvenirs of their stay. Chihuahuas arrived on the dog-show scene in 1890, and in 1904 one named Midget became the first Chihuahua registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC).
The Chihuahuas found in Mexico in the nineteenth century were of the shorthaired variety. The origin of the longhaired Chihuahua is something of a mystery as well. Some breeders claim that the longhair is the original form, while others suggest that it's a more modern creation, made by crossing Shorthaired Chihuahuas with longhaired breeds, such as Pomeraninas or Papillons.
Todays' Chihuahua ranks among the top 10 breeds registered by the AKC. Not surprising, given the Chihuahua's grace, alertness, and intelligence--all packed into just a few tiny pounds. :wink: