Dog of the Aztec's

Stories of the origin of the Chihuahua are varied but, like so many legends, we must read between the lines for the faint glimmers of truth.

The Chihuahua reputedly originates in the Valle de Allende in the State of Chihuahua in Mexico, from where they acquired their name. These little dogs were the sacred dogs of the Mayan Indians and the Toltecs, and trace back to between the 7th and 9th century AD. It is written that the Aztecs followed the Toltecs and that they continued to develop the breed.

When an Aztec Indian Chief died, all his belongings including his little dog were burnt, and the legend goes that when the Indian crossed the nine deadly rivers of the fearful underworld the little holy dog with the symbolic cord tied around his neck would be waiting on the farthest bank for his master. As soon as the little dog recognized him, he would swim across the turbulent waters and guide his master's soul to safety.

Among the wealth of material passed down from the early Indians especially from Colima, are statues known as the pottery dogs of Colima that are unmistakably Chihuahuas. It is said they could depict the hairless edible breed, the large ancestor of the modern dwarf Chihuahuas.

The Spanish conquered Mexico in the 16th century and it is reasonable to assume that specimens of the smooth coat Chihuahuas were returned to Europe. Some believe these were crossed with the long coated Spaniels, the little Italian Spaniels or "comforters" as they were often called which in turn produced the little Papillion of later years. Many of the little dogs resembling Chihuahuas have been depicted in oil paintings, particularly in Italy and it is well known that a similar variety of smooth coat Chihuahuas existed on the island of Malta.

More modern stories related that Chihuahuas were really Chinese Dogs imported into Mexico by Chinese merchants. One supporting theory is that the Asians dwarfed animals and trees and they may similarly have reduced the size of the Chihuahua. The flat furry tail, an important characteristic of the Chihuahua is also common to other Asian breeds of toy dogs.

It is interesting that by 1935 in the United States the breed was definitely showing the results of mixed breeding, particularly with terrier breeds. Mrs. Ida Garrett, one of the greatest pioneers of the breed in the United States, travelled many miles looking for litters of the Chihuahuas. She mentions that for years she interbred the Smooth coat variety with Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, Papillion's and Poodles and crossed the offspring back to the Chihuahua.

After about three generations it seems that a Chihuahua similar to the Long coat Chihuahua as we know it today evolved and was eventually registered in the United States. It was not until 1952 that Long Coats were separated from the Smooth Coats in the United States and the Long Coat Chihuahua Club of America was founded. The Chihuahua Club of America was founded in 1923. Long Coats were unknown in Mexico before 1959 but original smooth coat registrations go back to 1934.

Chihuahuas were known to have been kept as pets in the United Kingdom as early as 1850 but they were not registered in the UK until 1907. Up until 1940 in the UK there were only 59 Chihuahuas registered. During the Second World War a number of Chihuahua's perished, so that by 1949 there were only eight Chihuahuas registered in the UK.

The first Challenge Certificates for the breed were not issued until 1954 in Glasgow, Scotland and in 1965 Chihuahuas were classified as two varieties and judged separately as they are to this day. Cross mating of the two varieties was allowed in the UK until about 1978 when it was discontinued. In Australia the two varieties were separated in 1966 when separate challenge certificates were offered, and while some states continued to cross mate the two varieties this practice was banned in NSW until 1982. After strong representation to the R.A.S.K.C., a trial of five years ended in 1987 with cross mating in NSW to continue indefinitely.

The breeding stock, which has established and improved the breed in Australia has been, and still is to this day, predominately English, which in turn was based on Mexican and US imports. Sadly, few Chihuahuas have been imported from Mexico and the US.

BIBLIOGRAPHY - THE COMPLETE CHIHUAHUA ENCYCLOPAEDIA BY HILARY HARMER; THE CHIHUAHUA BY THELMA GRAY; THIS IS THE CHIHUAHUA BY MAXWELL RIDDLE

We trust you have found the story of the origin of our Chihuahuas, as we know them today, as interesting as the little dogs themselves...