AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
Chihuahua Standards
Please keep in mind this is the “ideal” chihuahau.
This is what breeders strive for, not what is guaranteed.
A Look Back
Right Breed for You?
Chihuahuas are alert dogs with terrier-like qualities. They are good with families if the children are gentle and patient. Because of their small size, they require little exercise and are good city dogs, but can be sensitive to cold temperatures. Smooth coated Chihuahuas need very little grooming due to their short hair. Long coats need occasional brushing but still require minimal grooming.
If you are considering purchasing a Chihuahua puppy
- Toy Group; AKC recognized in 1904.
- Not more than 6 pounds.
- Companion dog.
© The American Kennel Club, Inc.
Chihuahua Breed Standard Toy Group
General Appearance
A graceful, alert, swift-moving compact little dog with saucy expression, and with terrier-like qualities of temperament.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Weight – A well balanced little dog not to exceed 6 pounds. Proportion – The body is off-square; hence, slightly longer when measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, than height at the withers. Somewhat shorter bodies are preferred in males. Disqualification – Any dog over 6 pounds in weight.
HEAD
Neck, Topline, Body
(Never tucked between legs.) Disqualifications – Docked tail, bobtail.
Neck, Topline, Body
(Never tucked between legs.) Disqualifications – Docked tail, bobtail.
Forequarters
Shoulders – Lean, sloping into a slightly broadening support above straight forelegs that set well under, giving free movement at the elbows. Shoulders should be well up, giving balance and soundness, sloping into a level back (never down or low). This gives a well developed chest and strength of forequarters. Feet – A small, dainty foot with toes well split up but not spread, pads cushioned. (Neither the hare nor the cat foot.) Dewclaws may be removed. Pasterns – Strong.
Hindquarters
Hindquarters
Muscular, with hocks well apart, neither out nor in, well let down, firm and sturdy. Angulation – Should equal that of forequarters. The feet are as in front. Dewclaws may be removed.
Coat
In the Smooth Coats, the coat should be of soft texture, close and glossy. (Heavier coats with undercoats permissible.) Coat placed well over body with ruff on neck preferred, and more scanty on head and ears. Hair on tail preferred furry. In Long Coats, the coat should be of a soft texture, either flat or slightly wavy, with undercoat preferred.Ears – Fringed. Tail – Full and long (as a plume). Feathering on feet and legs, pants on hind legs and large ruff on the neck desired and preferred. (The Chihuahua should be groomed only to create a neat appearance.) Disqualification – In Long Coats, too thin coat that resembles bareness.
Color
Any color – Solid, marked or splashed.
Gait
The Chihuahua should move swiftly with a firm, sturdy action, with good reach in front equal to the drive from the rear. From the rear, the hocks remain parallel to each other, and the foot fall of the rear legs follows directly behind that of the forelegs. The legs, both front and rear, will tend to converge slightly toward a central line of gravity as speed increases. The side view shows good, strong drive in the rear and plenty of reach in the front, with head carried high. The topline should remain firm and the backline level as the dog moves.
Temperament
Alert, projecting the ‘terrier-like’ attitudes of self importance, confidence, self-reliance.
Disqualifications
Any dog over 6 pounds in weight.
Broken down or cropped ears.
Docked tail, bobtail.
In Long Coats, too thin coat that resembles bareness.
About the Breed
The Chihuahua is a tiny dog with a huge personality. A national symbol of Mexico, these alert and amusing “purse dogs” stand among the oldest breeds of the Americas, with a lineage going back to the ancient kingdoms of pre-Columbian times. The Chihuahua is a balanced, graceful dog of terrier-like demeanor, weighing no more than 6 pounds. The rounded “apple” head is a breed hallmark. The erect ears and full, luminous eyes are acutely expressive. Coats come in many colors and patterns, and can be long or short. The varieties are identical except for coat. Chihuahuas possess loyalty, charm, and big-dog attitude. Even tiny dogs require training, and without it this clever scamp will rule your household like a little Napoleon. Compact and confident, Chihuahuas are ideal city pets. They are too small for roughhousing with kids, and special care must be taken in cold weather, but Chihuahuas are adaptable’¿as long as they get lots of quality time in their preferred lap.