the facinating history of chihuahuas
On March 4, 2025 I was a guest on a Podcast where we talked about Chihuahuas. We covered a lot, including how I started ChiChis And Me, some of the reasons that Chihuahuas are the 2nd most often euthanized dog breed — second to Pit Bulls — and even some myths. If you haven’t listened to it yet, please do. If you love Chihuahuas, you will really enjoy this Podcast! I have included a link to it below. 👇🏼
The host of the show wanted to talk a lot about the history of Chihuahuas. To be perfectly honest, I not researched or even thought about the history of Chihuahuas since I had written a post about it back in 2017!
That is a very long time for this old brain to forget a lot of previous research. As a result, I had forgotten a lot about the subject and many of the fascinating details. Therefore, we didn’t talk about some of the really fascinating details about the history of Chihuahuas! I felt I let my readers down some what.
So, I did what I do. I began researching, again the history of Chihuahuas. So, I want to share with you now what I learned. From the earliest known Chihuahua down to our modern day pet Chihuahuas. Are you ready? Wait! grab a coffee, tea, or wine, whichever you prefer and let’s explore together the fascinating history of Chihuahuas!
earliest history:
Even the place where Chihuahuas came from originally is up for debate. They are most likely originated in Mexico, some experts, however, have theorized that the Chihuahua may have been brought from the island of Malta by the Spanish conquistadors. Others speculate that the breed may have first come from China. Things get even murkier when we learn that early writing that has been found made wild claims. One being that the Chihuahua wasn’t really a dog at all, or that they were even related to chipmunks.
Even today I’ve heard that they were originally bred from rats. Maybe that’s where the expression “rat dog” came from? Some of the wild speculations are really outlandish and it really surprises me that some actually believe them and expound them as “truth” to others.
the toltecs to the aztecs connection:
In his book: “History of the Chihuahua”, William Miller writes, “We know that the Toltec people of Mexico kept a little dog known as the Techichi, which had a fat body and large, Chihuahua-like ears.”
As we know from our history books, the Toltec civilization (900–1168 CE) gave way to the Aztecs. Most traces of the Toltec culture had disappeared by 1122 CE. The Aztecs believed that when a noble passed away, a Chihuahua needed to be sacrificed and buried or cremated alongside them. They thought the dog’s spirit would guide the noble’s soul through the afterlife, helping them cross a mystical river to reach their final destination. The noble’s spirit would cling to the Chihuahua’s back to make the journey safely. Evidence suggests that the Aztec elite kept large packs of these dogs, sometimes numbering in the hundreds.
did chihuahuas come from china?
But, wait! I’ve heard some people say that Chihuahuas actually came from China. Here’s the latest information from DNA testing.:
Peter Savolainen and his team at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, analyzed mitochondrial DNA — a small, circular piece of genetic material located inside the mitochondria of a cell — from various dog populations. Their study included samples from Asian and European dogs, ancient archaeological remains from the Americas, and modern American dog breeds such as Chihuahuas, Peruvian hairless dogs, and Arctic sled dogs.
Their research traced the ancestry of American dog breeds back to East Asian and Siberian dogs, confirming a direct genetic connection between ancient American dogs and present-day breeds.
Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of Native Americans migrated across a land bridge that once connected northeast Asia to North America. If dogs traveled with them, a genetic link between dogs from both regions would be expected—and the study’s findings support this theory.
Previously, some dog enthusiasts speculated that Chihuahuas might have descended from miniature dogs in China. However, this latest research suggests that theory is unlikely.
used as foot warmers?
The ancient Mexicans recognized that Chihuahuas had unusually high body temperatures, making them a useful as a source of warmth. As a result, the ancient Aztecs and the Mayans used Chihuahuas as living hot water bottles or heating pads. If you own a Chihuahua then you can test to that! My Chico (2003-2020) used to crawl under the covers and snuggle right up against my feet. Ahhh, that was wonderful in the winter!
our modern chihuahuas:
By the 1800s, interest in the Chihuahua breed began to grow in the United States. In 1888, author and judge James Watson acquired a Chihuahua named Manzanita. Around the same time, Owen Wister, author of The Virginian, imported a Chihuahua named Caranza, which later became the foundation for the well-known Meron and Perrito bloodlines (you may be familiar if you breed Chihuahuas). Interestingly, most Chihuahuas imported during this period had long coats rather than the now-popular smooth coat. Some speculated that the long-haired variety resulted from crossbreeding with Pomeranians or Papillons, but this is inaccurate—long-haired Chihuahuas are a true and natural variety of the breed.
In 1904, approximately 20 years later, the American Kennel Club (AKC) officially recognized the Chihuahua. The first registered Chihuahua, Midget, was owned by H. Raynor of Texas. Just a few years later, the breed had its first AKC champion, Beppie, owned by Mrs. L. A. McLean of New Jersey.
To further the breed in the United States, the Chihuahua Club of America was founded in 1923. The club aimed to unite Chihuahua breeders and promote the breed’s development. Its founding members included Mrs. Henrietta Proctor Donnell, Ida H. Garrett, Alice Dobbs, Rose Clark, M. R. Muller, and Clara L. Dobbs. Among its most notable members was Helen Nowicki, a dedicated Chihuahua breeder and editor of Dog World magazine.
One of the club’s major contributions was the establishment of an annual specialty show, spearheaded by Mrs. Dobbs. The first event took place on May 19, 1928, at the Queensboro Kennel Club show, featuring 42 Chihuahuas—14 males and 28 females. A few years later, the club decided to hold its annual meeting and specialty show permanently in Chicago, making it a more central location for members. From that point on, the breed’s popularity and AKC registrations steadily increased.
THE SEPERATION OF TWO TYPES — THE SMOOTH-COAT AND THE LONG-COAT CHIHUAHUA:
The AKC today only allows Apple-Head Chihuahuas to be registered — smooth coat or long coat —. However, I found it interesting that if you look at a photo of CH Schaefer’s Skeeter, she was a long-haired Chihuahua with a longer snout than our modern-day Apple Head Chihuahuas do. The snout looks more like the Deer-Head Chihuahuas of today.
conclusion:
Delving into the history of Chihuahuas was fun for me! I hope you enjoyed it too. If you did, let me know in the comments below. 👇🏼 If you are not yet finished with your coffee, tea, or wine, then feel free to look around our website for even more fascinating information about this amazing little dog breed!