Chihuahua colors. Genetics of Chihuahua colors Basic and rare colors

The Chihuahua breed is unique in its colors! No other breed has such a wealth of colors!

There are traditional breed colors and so-called rare colors. According to the standard, all possible colors and their combinations are allowed. (except merle color.)

The traditional and one of the most popular is the red color. It can be plain, or with the presence of white - a mask, marks on the limbs. The red color with a black mask carries the sable color gene. It also happens with white markings. The red-spotted color is also very popular. Often with a double mask - white and black.

1. 2. 3.

In the photo we see the colors: 1.- pure red, 2.- red-sable with white marks and a black mask, 3.- red-sable with white marks and a double mask. The black mask weakens as the dog ages.

Many people like not bright, but weakened colors - golden fawn (yellow), cream and their variants. Red, fawn and cream dogs have black noses and eyes.

1. 2. 3.

Photo 1.-color golden-fawn with white markings and a white mask, 2.-fawn, 3.-cream.

In Mexico, black and tan and black and tan and white dogs are very popular. They are called "colondrino".

1.2.3.

In the photo colors: 1.-black tricolor with a white mask, 2.-black with red tan, 3.-black with gray tan and white markings.

Spotted colors look very impressive. The main background is white, and spots of various colors and shades, masks and specks are also possible.

1.2.3.

Photo 1. - spotted black and tan puppy, photo 2. - spotted red sable puppy with black mask color, photo 3. - spotted fawn puppy.

Rarely found colors include pure white, pure black, chocolate, chocolate and tan, blue, blue and tan, brindle and their various variations and combinations.

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

1.-pure white color, 2.-red brindle with black mask, 3.-chocolate with white markings, 4.-pure chocolate, 5.-chocolate black with white, 6.-blue with tan and white markings. The color of the eyes and nose corresponds to the color of the dog.

1. 2.

In photos 1. and 2. the dogs are pure white, but have different coats: long-haired and smooth-haired.

1. 2. 3.

In photo 2. - two chocolate and tan dogs of different colors. In photo 1. is a long-haired Chihuahua, in photo 3. is a smooth-haired one.

1. 2. 3.

Three original colors of Chihuahua: photo 1. - long-haired fawn-sable (black cap and black collar), photo 2. - smooth-haired red and white "bobtail" (white head and white collar). Photo 3. - Chihuahua with a white body and a completely colored head.

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2.

Photo 1. Here are two long-haired Chihuahua puppies - classic black and tan color (left) and underhaired light brown color (right). Often light brown colors are called beige and apricot depending on the shades and intensity of the color. They should have a brown nose and light eyes from hazel to amber, sometimes even green and blue, as in photo 2. The left puppy has a light beige color. The right puppy is red in color.

1.2.3.

Photo 1. - a blue puppy with white markings, in photo 2. - a long-haired chocolate-tiger puppy and 3. - a smooth-haired chocolate-tiger puppy.

1.2.3.

4. 5. 6.

In photo 1. - a fawn-sable puppy with white markings. With this color there should be darker limbs, a dark “belt” on the back and a mask that matches the color. Sable color can be of any color: red, fawn, cream, brown-sable. Photo 2. - long-haired chihuahua of isabella (pink) color. Photo 3. - dark brown with tan, now they like to call this color “bitter chocolate”. Photo 4 shows a silver-cream puppy. In photo 5. is a dark lilac puppy with white markings. Photo 6 shows a black and brindle Chihuahua puppy with white markings and a white mask.

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Photos 1,2,3. - the blue-brindle color looks fabulously beautiful, especially in the long-haired version!

1.2.3.

Three more unusual colors of long-haired Chihuahuas: photo 1. - chocolate tricolor, photo 2. - blue with brindle, photo 3. - black and brown color.

1. 2. 3.

The dog handler should determine the color of the dog based on the color of the nose, eyes and pads on the paws. Photo 1.2.3., shows dogs of lilac color. The nose is usually brownish-lilac in color, the eyes can be brown, blue and or yellow, it depends on the degree of color saturation. Photo 1. - long-haired puppy of dark lilac color (almost brown). In adulthood, the color may change - darken or lighten! Photo 2. - smooth-haired puppy of pure lilac color, photo 3. - lilac-tan color of a smooth-haired Chihuahua.

In America and Mexico, the designation of color in Chihuahua pedigrees is treated very scrupulously, which, unfortunately, cannot be said about Russian pedigrees. There are simply not many colors there!

1. 2. 3.

In the photo 1. 2. 3., are smooth-haired Chihuahuas of merle color. Photo 1. - chocolate and tan merle, photos 2. and 3. - black and tan merle. Since 2009, the merle color has been prohibited in the Chihuahua breed according to the FCI standard.

To be continued.

The author of the article expresses special gratitude to Tatyana Revenko (Strong Style nursery) and Irina Apanasenko (Apirina Mexicano nursery) for permission to use photographs from their websites. Beltyukova V.A.

Ekaterina Andreeva

Reading time: 8 minutes

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When you try to find Chihuahua colors from photos, the list is truly surprising. It’s easy to get lost in all the diversity that opens up to your eyes, which is what some breeders take advantage of, not failing to indicate in the advertisement that their charges are truly unique. I suggest you look into this issue and somewhat systematize the abundance of information in your head.

I think it’s better to start right away with the colors, which are prohibited by dog ​​handlers. An ordinary Chihuahua lover who does not understand the breed, when viewing a photo, may be touched by cute dogs with a color reminiscent of marble. I agree, a small dog with such spots and stains actually looks cute.

This merle color is achieved due to the uneven coloring of the hairs. It doesn’t matter what kind of stains a smooth-haired or long-haired animal has - they can be black, brown . The main thing is that part of the pile differs in palette. For the first time, breeders had to deal with such a rare dog in the 90s in America.

IMPORTANT: I ​​do not recommend focusing on those breeds of dogs that are also marbled. This list includes the dachshund, collie, and Australian shepherd.

Chihuahuas are a completely different story. The puppy may well be deaf, blind, or have other eye problems. In especially severe cases, the animal is born without organs of vision and hearing. Sometimes it can be sterile - I think under the circumstances it's clear why that's a good thing.

Often a dog of this color dies at birth. Especially at risk are the so-called “double merles” - that is, animals in which both parents were defective. Such animals sometimes face problems related to bones and heart. In addition to those I listed above.

White and black colors

A dark and light palette of this kind is usually considered a classic, but in the case of a Chihuahua, things are a little different:

• The black dog is, oddly enough, rare. I mean, in its purest form. For, as a rule, there is a small white spot in the area of ​​the chest and paws.
• White – this color in mono version is also quite rare.
• Spotted – but this kind of animal can be found more often. This is, for example, a light dog and black spots included. They are contrasting, large, located on the head and torso. Or it is a dark representative with small white spots, as I wrote about above.

Chocolate color

This delicious shade is available in the following variations:

• Pure brown is rich and has a reddish tint. Chocolate comes with no marks at all. However, I note that there may be a barely noticeable white spot on the sternum or tips of the paws.
• Chocolate dogs with large contrasting spots may also be found. They are often concentrated on the head, sternum, paws, and tail.
• A white chocolate base is completely normal - that is, with large, clear brown spots. Or with specks.

Blue color

This coat is also called gray. As you might guess, there are also several variations:

• Clean gray option. I'll call it very intense. But small marks on the chest or paws are not considered a defect.
• White-gray dogs - they have noticeable blue markings with clear outlines, which are located on a snowy background.
• Gray-white Chihuahuas - everything is exactly the opposite here. That is, white spots are scattered on a blue background.
• Animals with markings - both large and small markings in the form of markings are allowed. They are found on white fur.

Lilac chihuahua

Cute animals of this type are as follows:

• Mono Shade - I'm talking about a pure lilac shade. Almost clean, because most often you can see a pink color. Tiny snow marks on the paws and chest will decorate the pet.
• Lilac Snow Dog - The lilac coat is decorated with distinct white spots. This is mainly the area of ​​the head, paws, chest and tail.
• White-purple - everything is the other way around. The spots are purple and can be found on the body or head.
• Option with specks - this four-legged beauty not only has purple spots on a white background, but also has speckles of a similar palette.

Sable color

Beautiful sable is characterized by a light black coating at the ends of the hairs, and it can be as follows:

• Pure means that the base color is predominantly light brown, chocolate or red, and there is a dark coating on the tips. I note that it is mainly concentrated on the head, paws, tail and the area along the spine. Small white markings on the paws and chest are allowed.
• White-sable - sable has a white background, and the spraying is located on the spots. The spots are concentrated in the area of ​​the body and head.
• Sable-white - on the contrary, such animals have white spots. They are distinct and large. At the same time, such sable dogs have spraying outside such spots.
• I would also like to draw the attention of readers to the fact that combinations such as the case with a white tint are possible. That is, combinations of sable-chocolate and sable-red options. This is also approved by dog ​​handlers.

Ginger dog

Red Chihuahuas amaze with the richness of the palette - from light tones to almost red. The combinations are also different:

• Pure representatives wear predominantly only this color. However, I wouldn’t call small white marks on the chest or paws a defect either.
• Red and white - these animals have spots that are more distinct and bright. They mainly decorate the paws and chest. Although they are also found on the paws and the very tip of the tail.
• White and red – but here the fiery shade is in the minority. It appears as spots on the body and head.
• With specks - this handsome guy is mostly snow-white. However, it is decorated with red spots and fiery spray.

Fawn color

Fawn is the name given to light yellow dogs whose fur also has a pinkish tint. It can be divided into the following types:

• Only fawn - as you might guess, I mean a pure shade without impurities. Small specks of snow color are not considered anything wrong.
• With white markings - they are found on the withers, rump, head, paws, sternum. Not necessarily at the same time. These marks are difficult to miss - they have clear boundaries and large sizes.
• With fawn markings - in this case the dog is not yellow, but white. Mostly. But yellowish spots complement the color favorably.
• Fawn blue - in this case, the pale yellow fur has a blue tint. A mask on the face is allowed - it can be either blue or fawn. Subtle or clear patches of snow are also likely.

Cream dog

This option looks, it seems to me, more gentle than the previous one. This light beige shade can smoothly transition into ivory. Wherein:

• Solid colored Chihuahuas may still have, as in previous cases, small spots in the area of ​​the paws and sternum.
• Beige Chihuahuas with white spots – these cream-colored beauties can have markings on their tail, paws, chest, and head.
• White-cream dogs have white as their main color. Only the spots are cream, which, by the way, is led by a smooth transition.

Tan Chihuahua

Tan dogs are, in other words, spotted. They are as follows:

• Black - the red one is tan. Either light red or reddish - I won’t say that this is of fundamental importance. White spots are also allowed.
• Chocolate - the fur of such pets has a slightly reddish tint and red or brown spots. A white tint is welcome, not only on the toes and chest, but also on the tail and head.
• Blue – against this background, light red tan marks look advantageous. White markings are also permitted.
• Lilac – These Chihuahuas, which have a slightly pinkish tint, are also awarded with tan. He is light reddish. Here, too, no one objects to snow marks.

Chihuahua tricolor

Let me make a reservation right away: the base of all these dogs is white. Further differences can be cited. Tricolor Chihuahuas are found like this:

• With specks - it is usually white or reddish.
• Chocolate - have a brown coat with a subtle reddish tint, and a reddish tan. I recommend paying attention to the tan - it is preferable that it is light.
• Blue - a cloak of a similar color, but tan marks need light red.
• Lilac ones have exactly the same cloak. It must have an additional pinkish undertone. As in previous cases, the tan marks are light red. There may also be specks.

Tiger dog

BrindleThe little ones have a fawn coat of any palette and, most importantly, black. Small white spots in pure brindle are encouraged. The following nuances are likely:

The Chihuahua breed really amazes with its variety of color variations. I am sure that every fan of these cute miniature dogs will certainly have their own most beautiful smooth-haired or long-haired pet. Especially after readers already know exactly what they can choose from.

No other breed has such a wealth of colors as the Chihuahua! Among them there are both more or less common and quite rare. There is only one “banned” one. According to the breed standard, Chihuahuas are allowed one-color or two-color colors, as well as tricolor. Each color must correspond to certain colors of the nose and eyes. Most colors can be either long-haired or smooth-haired.

First, let's look at the common colors of Chihuahuas.

• Ginger

The most popular and widespread color is red. It allows a gradation from red to light red fur. Completely red is rare; more often it is complemented by areas of a different color - for example, white blotches or spots may be present on the chest, head, tail and paws.

The “red sable” type means hairs with dark “tops” growing on the head and along the back to the tip of the tail. Sometimes the sable color is also complemented by milky spots. The “deer” coloring also looks very cute when the main color is complemented by a “mask”, dark limbs and a “strap” on the back. The main color of the “fawns” can be almost anything.

• Black

The all-black Chihuahua, as well as the all-red one, is quite rare. The black and tan is better known: representatives of the type are distinguished by small patches of white on the fingers or chest. In Mexico, where this breed comes from, this type is called "Colondrino".

A fairly popular color is black and tan with milky spots on the chest, as well as white knee socks and the tip of the tail. The main color can complement the tan: red, red or light. Black tricolor is common, when the tan black type is additionally “decorated” with large white spots.

Rare colors of Chihuahua

Rare Chihuahua colors include chocolate, white, brindle, lilac (lilac) and blue. They, like common colors, can have a huge number of combinations. Let's look at the most famous ones.

• Chocolate

Chocolate implies brown fur with a warm reddish tint (the pads on the paws and nose should also be brown). It can be clean or with small marks on the paws and chest. The “sable” type has a chocolate base color, the rest is like a red sable. At the same time, small milky inclusions are unacceptable: white should either be expressed in clear spots (can be on the head, chest, tail and paws), or it should not be there at all. “Sable” can also be chocolate-red: a light chocolate shade with the same dark stripe from head to tail. There is a tan color option with lightened areas. The chocolate tricolor looks interesting: a predominantly white body (in some cases there may be brown specks on it - the so-called specks) with a chocolate-colored cloak and light red tan.

• White

The white color of the Chihuahua is also found in its pure form. In this case there should be no marks or specks. This coat color is complemented by pink skin, black or brown nose and claws.

Often white serves as a “background” for other colors. There may be large red, gold and chocolate spots. Individuals with cream-colored markings look elegant. Spectacular graphics are inherent in individuals of the black and white type.

• brindle

There are a lot of variations here. In Chihuahuas, the brindle color is considered to be either fawn of any gradation or thick black. The brindle coloring allows for many types of patterns, for example, light fawn with black stripes or deep black diluted with fawn and tan. You can also find a dog whose white “base” is painted with tiger spots located on the head and/or body.

• Lilac

A beautiful and rare variety. There may be different saturation options. This Chihuahua's fur can be so light purple in color that it literally looks pink (called an Isabella). A dark purple coat type is also possible. White tips on the paws and small spots on the chest are allowed (tan type). Lilac allows options with large white spots on the main background (can be located anywhere except on the sides and back) or, conversely, purple spots with a main white background. A lilac tricolor is possible. A long-haired individual of this type looks especially impressive.

• Blue

The blue Chihuahua can be either a rather dark gray color or a very delicate, smoky color. There are variants of blue color with white splashes on the chest and tips of the paws; large, clearly defined white spots on a blue background are acceptable, and vice versa. The blue and white variety is sometimes decorated with specks. This type has a beautiful tricolor: a blue cloak on a white body with light red tan.

Prohibited gene in the breed

With all the incredible abundance of shades and their combinations in this breed, however, there is one color that is subject to categorical rejection. This is a merle Chihuahua, also known as marbled. And the ban on it is by no means a whim of dog handlers.

Such an individual can be distinguished by areas with unevenly colored dark gray or beige fur, which creates a “marbled” effect. The eyes of these dogs are often watery blue. For the first time an individual of this color appeared in the 90s in one of the nurseries in the USA. Since this gene has shown itself to be dominant, but has never been presented before, it is believed that the Chihuahua “got it” from another breed as a result of accidental crossing or a failed breeding experiment (there is a theory that with dachshunds).

The gene that is responsible for the appearance of merle-colored Chihuahuas is designated M. If both parents are carriers of this gene, the puppies are likely to be blind or have other congenital eye problems. They are often deaf, and in particularly severe cases they are born without eyes or ears at all. Often these offspring die immediately after birth or while still in the womb due to pathological abnormalities incompatible with life. However, even if the merle grows up, it may be completely sterile or there is a deficiency of sperm in males.

There are dog breeds where merle is allowed because it does not harm their health (for example, collie, Australian shepherd, dachshund, etc.), but this does not apply to chihuahuas.

The problem is that due to the dominance of the M gene, it can “sleep” in many modern individuals of other colors. Strict culling would help, but due to the fact that the marbled Chihuahua looks beautiful, a large number of unscrupulous breeders, or even simply irresponsible fanciers, continue to breed these dogs, increasingly “infecting” the breed. At the moment, merle is banned in a number of countries, and in others it is considered a disqualifying characteristic.

Like a chihuahua. Moreover, it is perhaps impossible to find two Chihuahuas with absolutely the same color - numerous shades, spots, transitions from one color to another make each color unique.

Both for a novice dog handler - the owner of one Chihuahua, and for an experienced kennel owner, the color of future puppies is a mystery. Of course, it is impossible to predict the color of a litter preparing for birth with 100% probability, but you can get as close as possible to obtaining the desired colors or determine the color of future puppies if you turn to genetics.

On the Internet you can find many articles and books about the genetics of dog colors, written by reputable scientists. First of all, these are “Genetics of Dog Colors” by Roy Robinson and the works of Maria Sotskaya, which, although adapted for a wide audience, still require the reader to have basic knowledge of biology and genetics, which not everyone has.

I devoted a long time to studying the genetics of Chihuahua colors, conducted observations in the practice of my nursery, and studied a large number of scientific works. The result was a short article that will help people far from biology, canine science and genetics understand which Chihuahua male they should mate with to get the desired offspring, or which offspring is most likely to be obtained from a given bitch. I deliberately tried to reduce the scientific component of the issue of color genetics and focus on practice and specifics.

If after reading the article you still have questions, or the case of your Chihuahua is special and was not discussed in detail in the article, contact me and I will try to answer all your questions.

A little theory

A dog's coat controls a set of genes - they are responsible for the length of the coat, its quality, color, location of spots or tan on the coat, socks on the paws, and so on. To date, at least 20 genes responsible for color have been discovered. We will study in detail the 6 main genes responsible for color, and briefly look at 6 more.

Different forms of the same gene are called alleles. For each gene, a dog can have either two identical (for example, BB or bb) or two different (Bb) alleles for a particular gene. In the first case (with two identical alleles), the dog is homozygous for this gene, in the second - heterozygous.

This picture shows the genotype of a blue dog. Its phenotype (appearance) is affected only by the first (black) letters, that is, the first alleles of each gene. They are always more dominant to the second (red). Thus, knowing only the first dominant allele of each gene (A B C d E K), we would already be able to conclude that the dog would have a blue color.

Second allele each gene may coincide with the first(we see this in genes B, C, d), or be more recessive– as in genes A, E, K. It is the second allele, which does not appear in the dog’s phenotype, but is contained in its genotype, that guarantees those “surprises” that appear in the colors of puppies after generations.

A dog's genotype - its genetic code - is determined by a set of genes. A dog's phenotype is its appearance—how these genes are expressed externally. There are many more genotypes than phenotypes; for example, the “black dog” phenotype can correspond to dozens of genotypes, depending on what recessive traits this dog carries from its ancestors.

With this, I will try to finish with the theory and explain in practice how alleles in genes affect the color of a Chihuahua.

GENEA

Gene A in a Chihuahua has 5 variant alleles (of which, as we remember, only two will be contained in the gene itself)

Ay – sable color. The hair is not uniformly colored along its entire length, but in patches - white at the base of the hair, red in the middle, black at the end. Depending on the ratio of the lengths of sections of hair of different colors, sable color can vary from almost uniform cream to bright red with black.

ag– “agouti”, zone-gray (wolf) color;

аw– blackness;

at– tan:

a– recessive black. There may be white spots, but not colored ones.

The dominance of gene A alleles is as follows:

Ay >ag>aw >at >a

That is, Ay is the most dominant allele. ag is inferior to Ay, but more dominant than the others, etc. Here and below, when listing possible gene alleles, I go from dominant to recessive.

Next we see a table showing how alleles can be combined in gene A, a total of 15 combinations are possible, 5 of them are homozygous (located diagonally) and 10 heterozygous. There are only 5 phenotypes, that is, colors. Genes marked on the plate with the same color, for example, sable, differ in the hidden characteristics that they carry to their offspring.

GENEB

Gene B is responsible for black or brown color, and has only two alleles:

B– causes the formation of black pigment;

b– chocolate color with a brown nose and claws.

B is dominant, b is recessive.

There are only 3 combinations of alleles possible, so we won’t draw a sign:

BB– the dog is homozygous for the B gene, its color is black, and it does not carry chocolate.

Bb- a black dog, which from its ancestors carries the chocolate gene and with the right selection of a partner, he will pass it on to his descendants.

bb– a chocolate dog with a chocolate nose.

Possible phenotypic combinations of genes A and B

As I already said, the phenotype is influenced by the first alleles of a gene. In order to find out what colors there are from different combinations of genes A and B, let’s build a table.

Ay B – Chihuahua with black fur on a dark red background, black strands on the ears or tail, a black nose, dark eyes, black claws, dark eyelids, black toe pads

Ay b – red chihuahua, with a brown “patina”, with a brown nose, brown eyes, brown claws, eyelids, paw pads

ag B – gray-black wolf color, black nose, eyes, claws

ag b – gray-brown color, brown nose, eyes, claws

aw B – black saddle cloth on the back of a red dog

aw b – brown saddle

at B – black and tan Chihuahua with black nose, dark eyes, black claws, dark eyelids, black toe pads

at b – chocolate and tan Chihuahua with chocolate nose, brown eyes, brown claws, brown eyelids, lips, paw pads

a B – black dog

a b – brown dog with a brown nose

Depending on which second alleles are contained in the A and B genes, dogs can pass on different hidden traits to their offspring, e.g.

Ayat Bb is a red and black dog (AyB phenotype) that carries the tan and chocolate allele.

GENEDand its combinations with GENOME B

Now we will step back from the Latin alphabet and first study the D gene. It also has only 2 alleles.

D– enhances the black pigment in the hair

d– weakens the black pigment in the hair, diluted (diluted) color

The D gene itself does not carry color; its effect can be seen in combination with the B gene:

BD – black dog (black eyelids, claws, paw pads)

bD – chocolate dog (brown eyelids, claws, paw pads)

Bd – blue dog (gray eyelids, claws, paw pads)

bd – Isabella dog (pink-beige eyelids, claws, paw pads)

There are three possible combinations of D gene alleles:

DD– undiluted color, does not weaken the black pigment

Dd– black color, but carries the blue gene

dd– dilute color, dilutes black to blue, brown to isabella.

GENEC

Gene C lightens the red color to white. Has 5 alleles:

C – normal color, the red pigment is not lightened, most dogs have this allele

cch– chinchilla, pepper and salt – alternating black-gray and blond hair

ce– “extreme dilution” white color, possibly with light eyes, with a normally colored nose and eyelids

cb– albinism with blue eyes, gray-white color, very light, with a small amount of black and yellow pigment, sometimes accompanied by deafness

c– albinism, complete absence of pigment in the coat, nose, eyelids, claws are not colored.

GEN E

Gene E determines the distribution of black pigment throughout the dog's body. There are 3 alleles:

E – normal distribution of black/brown pigment throughout the body. Such a dog must have at least a couple of black hairs.

em– mask, black/brown pigment concentrated on the muzzle

e– ban on black pigment on the body. These dogs do not have a single black hair, but their nose, paw pads, claws and eyelids are colored black.

Previously, the ebr allele, responsible for brindle color, was also isolated, but the discovery of the K gene made it possible to prove that the E gene does not affect brindle.

GENEK

The K gene is responsible for the dominant black color and has three alleles:

K– dominant black color

kbr– brindle, yellow or red spots on a dark background

k– non-black color, color determined by other genes

The Chihuahua is the smallest dog in the world, it is very sociable and does not like to be left alone. In Russia, the first white Chihuahua appeared in the late 50s of the twentieth century. There are two types - short-haired and long-haired babies. The dogs are extremely nimble and have good reactions.

Extremely open, always ready to help, react to unfamiliar sounds. They have a very stable psyche. The colors of Chihuahuas are varied and amazing. The dog will win your love instantly.

Buying a puppy should be taken very seriously. It is advisable to know about this breed both positive and negative qualities.

You can spend hours watching what you are doing, especially if you are sitting at the computer or knitting. They are distinguished by their devotion to their owner and are also very jealous of him. Capable of covering long distances and ready for long walks.

When choosing a puppy, we recommend a white Chihuahua. This is a very gentle, beautiful, charming color that attracts the eye to its appearance. In white dogs, spots of cream or red coloring may appear by 4-5 months. This breed is in great demand, especially the white Chihuahua.

This color is a symbol of purity, beauty and tenderness. The Chihuahua is a very compact dog. Well built and the muscles stand out on the body. The back must be straight. The chest is wide and quite voluminous.

• The stomach is tucked. The front legs should be straight. The hind legs are well muscled. Must match the length of the front ones. They walk with a flourish. The shape of the head resembles an apple. She has a long tail, curved in the form of an arc.

The nose is short and can be of any color. The muzzle tapers towards the nose and if it is short, it is considered good form. The eyes are round and very expressive, and the ears are erect and very open, the tips themselves are rounded. The white color of the Chihuahua is not the only one. It is terribly difficult to find these dogs in just one shade.

Basic principles of genetics

One gene is responsible for the variety of coat colors in these dogs. There are three main pigments: 1. red; 2. black; 3. brown.

The initial one is eumelanin, the color creating chocolate or black tones. The secondary one is pheomelanin, the pigment that forms the reddish or brindle color of the fur. The genetics of Chihuahua colors are very diverse.

Allele is different configurations of the same gene. They are responsible for future coloring.

Due to the unique sets of genes, the dog’s genetic code is created.

Black, brindle, chocolate, lilac tones and blue color phenotypes cannot be created by mixing 2 reddish dogs with black noses. They have a predominantly black genetic code.

Dogs with chocolate coats do not have the genetic code responsible for black coloring. It follows from this that this type of breed does not produce black, blue, red and cream colors. Two blue dogs produce bluish and lilac colored puppies.

Two chocolate ones will only get brown color.

• From two creams you will only get a cream dog. When mixed with a gray, blue, or lilac background, they can produce puppies with a gray, blue, or lilac tint.

When you cross a dark black with a chocolate, you get a blue Chihuahua. A shade of blue is possible if one of the dogs in the family had this genotype. Blue Chihuahuas are rare, as are purple ones.

• In the United States of America, the merle shade appeared in the 90s of the twentieth century. Scientists have proven that this was obtained by mixing with other breeds. This is how the shades of merle turned out, also called marble. Puppies were born with pathologies: blindness, hearing loss, without ears or missing eyes. In 2008, it became prohibited to exhibit dogs with this color.

Chihuahuas also have disadvantages:

1. have a tendency to aggression;
2. the fontanel on the head does not heal;
3. unacceptable with very long hair;
4. there are bald spots on the body;
5. low ears;
6. snack or undershot;
7. pointed ears;
8. weight should not be less than 500 grams and not exceed 3 kilograms.

Rules of care

This breed must have its own resting place. It should not be in a draft and away from the battery. A box is suitable for the house; the dog will be warm and comfortable in it.

They also love to relax, so as not to be disturbed, and will feel safe.

You need two bowls for feeding. One for water, the other for food. Bowls should be heavy and secure. The water needs to be changed 2-3 times a day. At night you need to pour fresh water.

A pet needs a lot of toys. Toys should be divided into: for carrying, for gutting and for gnawing. It is necessary to buy bones made from beef tendons.

• An important part of the life of these dogs is fresh air and sunlight. The puppy, even if it is not vaccinated, must be carried outside in your arms. If vaccinated, you can go for a walk with him in the park or take him for walks around the city.

It is better to take him for walks on a leash, as he may be frightened by loud sounds and even rustles. It is quite easy to train him to use a leash and vest. You need to teach it from childhood and you won’t have any problems. You can’t pull the leash too hard; they shouldn’t feel pinched.

Raising a baby, how to train a litter box, grooming

The puppy must be trained to use a tray, so a tray with a special filler should be located not far from the house. You need to develop a habit in your pet. They usually go to relieve themselves after sleeping and feeding. It is recommended to carry the puppy to the litter box yourself. He will get used to it.

If you want your pet to be obedient, not shy and sociable, to enjoy life and develop physically, you need to start walking it.

When going on a trip with your pet, you need to purchase a carrier in advance. It must meet the requirements; it must be spacious for the pet.

The dog must fit into the absolute size. So that your pet can freely take different poses. It is better to have a carrier with a soft and warm bottom.

• It is necessary that it is easily removed and does not get wet. It is very good to have straps in it to secure your pet so that he does not get injured when shaking in transport.

Parenting is required from the age of one and a half months. Training should begin gradually from simple to more complex.

You cannot immediately demand that your puppy follow all commands. Training should take place during the game and should not exceed 15 minutes.

Don't forget to reward your dog with a good word or a small treat for following the command.

To begin caring for the coat, you need to comb it thoroughly, regardless of long-haired or smooth-haired. When combing, dead hair follicles that have collected all the dirt are removed.

The brush acts on the pet's skin like a massager, this increases the possibility of the appearance of new fur and improves existing ones. The brush should consist of fibers of natural origin. Every day, you need to clean the wool with a damp cloth.

Hygiene procedures

Red Chihuahuas should perform water procedures at least once a month, regardless of color, and preferably 4-5 times a year, so as not to damage the natural fatty layer, which is necessary to preserve all the qualities of a white Chihuahua’s coat. When swimming, the water temperature should not exceed 42 degrees.

During bathing, ears should be covered with cotton swabs. Try not to lather your dog's head and face to prevent water from getting into the ears. If you wash your dog with shampoo, rinse it off with running water. After bathing, dry with a cotton or terry towel.

You need to check the condition of your nails weekly. They grow quite quickly and nails that are not trimmed in time can cause deformation of the fingers, and gait is impaired.

• Try to trim your nails very carefully. It is best to lay the Chihuahua on its back, take the paw and press the pad, the dog will release the nail. Look into the light and gently, gently press with forceps. You need to cut at an angle of 45 degrees. At the end of the procedure, wipe the claws with a damp cloth and the instrument used with an alcohol solution.

A plaque of wax forms in the ears, which must be removed, as microbes can then multiply. It is required to carry out the procedure for cleaning the ears 4 times a month.

Cleaning is carried out with special ointments or liquids sold in veterinary pharmacies. You should not go too deep with cotton balls, as this may not harm the auricle.

This breed's eyes tend to be watery. You need to keep an eye on the discharge. And if a change in color or consistency occurs, consult a specialist for advice.

You should wipe your eyes with a weak solution of boric acid or ordinary black tea.

• Small pets develop dental problems earlier. It is necessary to monitor the formation of tartar or plaque. If suspicious symptoms appear, consult a specialist.

It is necessary to accustom your pet to hygiene from childhood. Brush your teeth and provide hard tendon bones to eat. You need to brush your teeth using gauze and paste (small volume), brush your teeth and gums. Finally, rinse the rum with warm water and wipe with damp gauze.

Caring for this breed seems difficult, but in reality it only seems so. The procedures should be carried out systematically and you will quickly get used to it. In return for your work, you will receive affection, devotion, and care. The pet will give you its love.