Are There Different Chihuahua Breeds?
With so many different types of Chihuahuas, this leaves many people wondering if there are different Chihuahua breeds. The short answer is no. They are the smallest breed of dogs, but they still come in various sizes, weight, coat types, and colors within the breed. Some are more “leggy” than others, but the American Kennel Club does not set a standard on the height of the dog, only that he be longer than he is tall, and that his weight is not to exceed 6 pounds. 
A few Chihuahuas can actually go quite a bit heavier, even if they are not overweight. This does not mean that if they are larger than 6 pounds, they are not pure-bred, it just means they would be disqualified from showing in any AKC events. On the opposite end of the scale are the Chihuahuas that are advertised as teacup or miniature, or both. There can also be a variation in the head shapes, which results in either what is known as an applehead or the deer type. Throw into the mix, the coat types. You have the long haired Chihuahuas, the smooth coat, and even then there are two varieties of the smooth coats, that few people seem to know about. On top of all of this, the variances in the coat colors are astonishing! All coat patterns are allowed by the American Kennel Club, and variances are not penalized, as some other breeds are. With all of these discrepancies, it's understandable that people are left wondering if there are more breeds of Chihuahuas, than just one!
|