ORIGIN
OF THE CHIHUAHUA
- DOG OF THE AZTECS
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 cotton cord tied
around his neck would be waiting on the farthest bank for his master.
As soon as the little dog recognised 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 long coated spaniels, little Italian
spaniels or “comforters” as they were often called which in turn produced
the little Papillon 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
Chihuahua 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.
This is Gidget the Midget Mexican
Style
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 US,
travelled many miles looking for litters of the Chis.
She mentions that for years she interbred the Smoothcoat variety with
Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, Papillons and Poodles and crossed the offspring
back to the Chihuahua.
After
about three generations it seems that a Chihuahua similar to the Longcoat as we
know it today evolved and was eventually registered in the US.
It
was not until 1952 that long coats were separated from smoothcoats in the US and
the Long Coat Chihuahua Club of America was founded.
The Chihuahua Club of America was founded in 1923.
Chihuahuas
were known to have been kept as pets in the UK as early as 1850 but they were
not registered in the UK until 1907. Up
until 1940 in the UK there were only 59 registered.
During the Second World War a number of dogs 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.
It
was not until December 1955 that the first four Chihuahuas were introduced into
Australia by Mrs B.M. McMahon of Victoria.
“Dengers Donna Barbara” was the first Chihuahua to arrive and had the
distinction of being the first breeding Chihuahua in Australia and the first
Australian Champion of the breed. She
was also a Crufts Class winner. It
was with this bitch and the other three Chihuahuas that the famous
“Chicdale” line was established in Australia.
Without fear of contradiction, it can be said that 60% of Chihuahuas in
Australia today will have a Chicdale dog somewhere in their background.
In
Australia, the two varieties were separated in 1966 when separate Challenge
Certificates were offered and while some states continued to crossmate the two
varieties, this practice was banned in NSW until 1982.
After strong representation to the RASKC, a trial of five years ended in
1987 with crossmating 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, predominantly English which in turn was based on
Mexican and US imports. Sadly, few Chihuahuas have been imported from Mexico and
the USA.
We
trust you have found the story of the origin of our Chihuahua as we know today
as interesting as the little dogs themselves.
Viv
Cotton and John Bowbrick
Joviva Chihuahuas
