Long Hair Chihuahua- 16 Important Things To Know! (Complete Breed Guide)

Long Hair Chihuahua- Complete Breed Guide!

There are two different types of chihuahuas- the long hair chihuahua and the short hair chihuahua. As the name suggests, the only difference between both types of chihuahua is their fur length. Their temperament, coat size, height, weight, and diet are more or less the same.

The long hair chihuahua is an ancient dog breed having a big personality and heart. They are known to be fiercely loyal towards their owners. They are the smallest dogs in the world.

You will get to know everything about long hair chihuahua through this complete guide. Let’s know these cute small dogs more.

1. Long Hair Chihuahua History

Chihuahuas are the smallest dog breed recognized by American Kennel Club as pure breeds. There are two different types of chihuahuas, one is deer head and one is apple head chihuahua. Know that both belong to the same breed and are not separate dogs. Both these might have short hair or long hair, giving rise to long hair chihuahua or short hair ones.

Although both are considered to belong to the same family, they are not interbred officially.

Two recognized differences within this breed involve their appearance. The long-haired chihuahuas and the short-haired chihuahua.

Chihuahuas are considered to be the national dog of Mexico. Their name is also Mexican because they were originally spotted in the 1800s in Mexico for the first time. Ancient sketches of these dogs are also seen to have been spotted in Central America. They are quite similar to ancient Techichi dogs and ancient Chinese crested dogs.

It is believed that the early ancestors of chihuahua might be Techichi dogs due to the similarities they share. There are many different names given to long hair chihuahua like apple dome head chihuahua, chi-chi, teacup chihuahua, Hua-Hua, etc.

It is not generally recommended for families having young children because it is delicate, it could easily hurt itself when playing rough. The puppy is very cute indeed.

2. Long Hair Chihuahua Profile

3. Highlights of long hair chihuahua

Here are few things to know before proceeding towards their care guide and other characteristic features.

1. Bring this dog home from a chihuahua breeder who provides more information on the parents and providers’ health clearances for heart conditions and patella.
2. Thie chihuahuas are long-lived breeds. They can live as long as 18 years when taken care of properly.
3. They are highly prone to shivering when they feel cold, scared, or excited. Provide them with a coat or sweater whenever you head outdoors in cold climatic conditions.
4. Long hair chihuahua may act unfriendly towards strangers and other dogs if you do not socialize them at a young age.
5. Know they won’t step back from fighting with large and aggressive dogs and this may cause them problems.
6. Do not let your long hair chihuahua unattended in the park or yard as they might get attacked by coyotes, large dogs, hawks, or other prey.
7. It is not the best dog to bring him if you have small children. They are highly fragile and get hurt from a toddler while playing with them. Most breeders who are reputed do not sell these dogs to people having small children mostly under the age of 8 years.
8. Their ears might be more prone to the buildup of ear wax than other dogs.
9. Long hair chihuahua is a happy companion and they do not just need 20 or 30 minutes of workout daily and can go even longer than you expect. Keep an eye on your long hair chihuahua especially when they are puppies.
10. They have larger-than-life personalities and can even start to run your life if you do not get a hold of them at times. They can be slightly bored and become destructive. Also, if their diet is fused over, they may become finicky eaters. Make sure you are establishing ground rules and your long hair chihuahua stick to them.

4. Size Of Long Hair Chihuahua

Typically, the size of these dogs is just 6 to 9 inches long. Their weight is anywhere between 3 to 6 pounds. There are even smaller chihuahuas than this size but they might not be healthy. They cal also sometimes become larger than their usual size and reach 12 pounds. For families with children, later chihuahua can be a better choice.

5. Loyalty and companionship

Any long hair chihuahua owner will soon understand that their small little partner will do anything to satisfy and entertain them. They wish to be around their partners all the time. They make great friends but due to their small size and delicate body, you cannot take them to rigid and harsh activities even you like them. They just relish being near their owner. You just have to handle them correctly as they may get injured easily.

6. Appearance

These are small little dogs that you already know. Let’s take a look at some features you must know.

Colors

For long hair chihuahua, the most well-known colors you will see is different hues of the liver, chocolate, or fawn color. However, there may be distinct shades too. Although the most obvious include white, grey, silver, and black. More diverse colors are observed in apple head chihuahuas particularly with merle being the most different.

Coat

Long Hair Chihuahua have long coats as their name suggests. If you have to go for a chihuahua with a short-haired coat, you can just brush their coat once a week and they are good to go. Whereas, the long-haired chihuahua requires 3 days a week brushing.

Both the variations need to be bathed 3 to 4 times a week. One point to note here is that the short hair chihuahuas cast much hair as compared to the long hair chihuahua.

7. Personality

As you already know long hair chihuahua are large dogs trapped in a small body. If we were to name and describe a long hair chihuahua in three words, it would simply be Alert, Cheerful, and Confident. These dogs often fail to acknowledge how small they are. They have a tumultuous attitude and are remarkably prone to having small dog syndrome. You must handle your dog as a dog not as a kid as they might give more attitude to you as well.

This problem can be cured easily with proper training sessions. long hair chihuahua dogs love working and playing, whether it is playing with their owners or building small little games by themselves to continue being entertained. You must often catch them in your blanket or else all they do is run throughout the house and wrestle with the gadgets and toys.

Due to their small size, you must not keep long hair chihuahua with bigger dogs as it may generate issues. They are not apprehended to combine and get along with additional pets or canines very well. They do admire similar kinds that are other types of chihuahuas in the residence. If you already have a giant dog, you must take decent care and clearly more consideration to these dogs. Although, with a lot of training and hard work, you can make them learn to breathe with other dogs. They will easily allow other pets like cats or small pets once they are given proper training.

Long Hair Chihuahua is more likely to form a strong bond with one person only in the house, so do not demand them to show devotion and affection towards all the other members as chihuahuas are not recognized to do so. You might be speculating about how they decide that one person, right? Well, the individual who gives them offerings or attention and takes care of them the greatest is likely to be their personal favorite and only person they will treasure.

Due to their barking quality, they make wonderful watchdogs. They do not howl much as other dogs, they will just start barking after observing others. This is fabulous if you are seeing for a watchdog but these qualities can create problems when you dwell in an apartment with a lot of acquaintances and neighbors.

They are a slight bit bossy but notably playful. This small animal will just take your time and make your day. They enjoy burrowing, so it’s most helpful to give them a collection of blankets to snooze on rather than a separate plot. This will make them really comfortable and closer to you.

8. Exercise

Although long hair chihuahua dogs are recognized to be having powerful energy, you would not have difficulty taking them for training as they need very few exercises and are really easy to control. If you cannot take them to far-off places, just a clever quick tour or a brisk walk with some sportiveness inside the apartment is more than enough to keep your tiny dog satisfied for the day.

Long Hair chihuahua dogs are known to obtain their plays by themselves very often. This makes it quite simpler for the dog keepers as they do not have to allocate extra time if they have an occupied schedule. Although, you can join too in their short plays if you have time. Make sure you buy some stuff and toy too. Just get them any chews, rope toys, and a few squeaky toys, and they will be great for the whole day without disturbing you too much.

The most significant thing that numerous buyers do not discern while buying long hair chihuahua is that this canine cannot handle freezing or cold very well. If you are staying in a colder area, you can buy some coats for them when you take them for a street walk or somewhere outside. Try to dodge walking your dog when the temp falls 35 degrees Fahrenheit and below. They will just need one walk a day that too for only 30 minutes or so.

9. Diet

Diet plays a significant role in any canine’s life. If you are purposing to get a long hair chihuahua, be certain you take a look at their diet daily. They should absorb the right volume of food and the diet should be suitable and specially designed for them. The best food to serve for this breed is a nutrient-dense formula including very small serving sizes.

Try to give them high-protein nutrition so that they sustain proper nourishment for their wholesome and healthy state.

You can break your dog’s meal into two servings every day. Make sure the food you have prepared is essential and high in protein content and small enough so that your pup can crush it properly. They are also likely to become overweight, so make sure you provide them small portions and do not overfill their bellies.

Long hair chihuahua needs 1 cup of kibble per day with 400 calories. More further than this can lead to overweight as they do not stretch and workout much.

10. Price

If you have now made your understanding about bringing a long hair chihuahua, you need to acknowledge their pricing too. They are usually cheap.

The lower price limit for a long hair chihuahua can be estimated to be 400 dollars to 700 dollars whereas the greater limit is from 800 dollars to 1200 dollars. Due to their long hair, the long-haired variety of chihuahuas can cost you nearly 300 dollars more. The price of a grownup chihuahuas is 200 dollars to 5 dollars.

If you are doing excellent work of adopting a long hair chihuahua from any dog shelter, you simply have to pay 150 dollars to 300 dollars.

11. Reputation

Long hair chihuahuas just like other chihuahua have a former reputation of being chic, snappy, and bad-tempered dogs. People always assume that they will snap and bark a lot as they may get unhappy and moody at times, but all these elements should be forgotten. Their snapping and howling totally depend upon how they are managed by the buyers. These dogs are sensible and very confident. They might bark at all the visitors and other canines.

12. Training

Long hair chihuahua dogs are bright and highly dynamic with lots of energy. They are constantly ready to complete any activity as they are highly motivated. Due to so and so characteristics, they might not be the most easygoing dogs to practice and train hence they are not inferred for a first-time dog owner.

Despite its short size, long hair chihuahua has a bossy attitude and is strong-minded to continue being productive and play all around the house. They often enjoy experimenting and testing the trainers by being their personal bosses. They may behave unreasonably and stubbornly so you will need a lot of tolerance and treats to instruct and train them.

Long hair chihuahua can even drive you at times to the limit, make certain you do not scream at them and achieve charge over yourselves. Sometimes it might get tough for the dog owners but you ought to maintain your cool.

They need strict yet tender means of instruction and training to learn obedience and discipline to know that the boss is their owner. You need not want to drive them too distant by screaming or yelling if they do not work well, this is negative reinforcement in their training, and it has a detrimental impact on your pooch. They might get frightened and behave destructively.

Develop basic commands words for your dog

Look for specific keywords like come, sit, stop, walk, wait, etc for the dog to make them understand what you require them to do. Make sure you adhere to the keywords you are using and continue being consistent each time you speak these words.

Crate training

Crate training is extremely significant for puppies. Purchase a good box or crate of size in which your pooch fits accurately and get your pup used to go inside the case. Crate ultimately converts into a tiny little home for the puppies and they begin sleeping there. You might have to secure their crates in the immediate days so that they can discover it is not meant for resting and is beneficial for bladder control.

Potty Training

Potty training is one of the most significant aspects of training a puppy. It might be a hit and miss for some days or few times except you can use several tricks like using fragrances and mats to entice your dog to go to the same room or spot every time.

Leash training

Road awareness and voice controls are important for a puppy’s safety. They are fragile and need extra security for themselves. Make sure you give them chain or leash training correctly so they do not get injured while on a walk.

13. Intelligence and power

As you already know this dog is small, lightweight, and delicate. It lacks power so it often makes it up for strength by broadcasting high confidence and attitude. It is vigorous and highly intelligent. These dogs usually do things that make them comfortable, happy, and receive prizes from their owners. They want to entertain their owners but if they lose to do so, they will discover their own means of entertainment and thoughtful stimulation. But it could head to disastrous fun, make sure you keep an eye on them when they are unhappy or angry.

14. Socialization

Long Hair Chihuahua requires early socialization with obedience training so that they are nice to others, well-behaved, and secure.

This breed is highly susceptible to injuries therefore they are more exposed to getting hurt. They need to have authority over them in common places mostly to dodge any emergency, They can be warm and friendly but not among everyone out there so they may bark at little children or canines nearby, you want to give them adequate attention to keep them protected and sound.

Training is highly essential for long hair chihuahua so that they can determine how to behave in public areas like parks, near traffic, around strangers, and other pets.

15. Health Problems In Long Hair Chihuahua

Dental Problems and Eye Diseases

These types of conditions are highly frequent in a long hair chihuahua due to their very tiny mouth and striking eyes. Routine checkups are needed to diagnose disorders for better treatment.

Dental diseases

You already are accustomed to the small mouth of chihuahuas. They have short teeth but due to their small mouth, they grow to become overcrowded which starts the formation of plaque and diseases leading to illness and gingivitis. They require regular brushing to avoid the build-up of plaque and evade tooth decay.

Luxating Patella

Luxating patella is a genetic condition that generates disruption and location of the kneecap. It may further begin to more severe diseases like arthritis and injury in the bones.

16. Grooming

When you are handling your long hair chihuahua, it is highly important to take care of them around the Molera region as it is a soft spot. This is quite similar to a fontanelle in a small child. Because of the long coat, you must brush and comb their hair regularly to avoid mating. Also, it takes 2 years for long hair chihuahua to grow their coat fully.

Try to use a metal slicker comb or brush through the long hair. Know that these dogs do not require a lot of bathing as it will dry out their skin. Unless they are dirty, try not to take them for a bath. When bathing, make sure no water enters their ears.

This little breed is perfect for a small family with no children. You just have to give them enough attention and that would not be a problem, just look at them!

Their unique and sassy personality will win you over once they are home. Just a little bit of training and socialization can make them your ideal pooch. Given their level of intelligence, they do require mental stimulation in form of playing.

You have probably by now decided if you want this cute long hair chihuahua or not!