Chihuahuas are small and loving pets. However, my little Chihuahua turns into an aggressive hunter at the sight of rodents. It made me wonder if it has something to do with their ancient dogs. This made me look for answers about Why Were Chihuahuas Bred?
After thorough research, I came up with a bunch of reasons as to why Chihuahuas were originally bred and why they are bred today. If you want to know the same, then go ahead and read this detailed post.
Why Were Chihuahuas Bred?
Chihuahuas come from a long line of Techichi dogs. They were bred for various reasons like:
- Religious ceremonies
- Rituals
- Food
- Companionship
However, today chihuahuas are bred only for companionship purposes. We will talk in detail about all these reasons in the latter part of this article.
What Is The Ancient History Of A Chihuahua?
It is believed that Chihuahuas evolved from ancient dogs of a Mexican tribe known as the Techichi dog. They were first traced to the 9th century AD.
The Techichi dogs were known to be mute dogs because they never barked. It is hard to believe that Chihuahuas come from these mute dogs since Chihuahuas actually bark a lot.
Unfortunately, this is the only information that we have on the Techichi dogs. There isn’t much information on these ancient dogs.
Were Chihuahuas Used As Sacrificial Dogs?
Chihuahuas were sacrificed in religious rites and ceremonies back in the day. They were sacrificed during the Tolec practices that were known to be very sacred.
It was believed that Techichi dogs guided the Aztec’s and Toltec’s souls to the underworld after death. For this reason, the Techichi dogs were buried with dead people so that they could guide them to their afterlife.
However, it is said that the lives of Chihuahuas were not so bad. When they were not sacrificed, they were treated with utmost care and attention. These dogs were considered sacred because of their usefulness in religious ceremonies. For this reason, many people even adopted them as pets.
Were Chihuahuas Bred For Companionship?
Even though Chihuahuas were used as sacrificial dogs, they were also bred for companionship. Dogs have always been loving pets.
Chihuahuas were adopted by Toltec people who liked having a silent pet in a crowded city. They were ideal pets who provided companionship to their owners by following them around silently.
There is evidence to support that Chihuahuas were treated very well until they were sacrificed in religious ceremonies.
Why Are Chihuahuas Bred Today?
Just like any other dog, Chihuahuas are favorite amongst pet lovers. Below are few reasons why Chihuahuas are bred today:
1. Chihuahuas are Caring and Affectionate Pets
Chihuahuas are among the top companion dogs in today’s world. They are very affectionate and sweet which makes them perfect family pets. They are cuddly pets who would enjoy nothing more than to cozy up to their owners.
Even in ancient times, Chihuahuas were considered perfect companions because they didn’t bark at all. The Toltec civilization was very crowded which is why their people preferred having mute pets.
2. Chihuahuas Help To Get Rid of Rodents
Chihuahuas are not only loving animals but also good hunters. They can easily get rid of small rodents like rats and squirrels. In fact, it is said the Chihuahuas were specially bred to get rid of rats from Mexico.
Chihuahuas have an innate skill set to track down and hunt small animals without any training. This is why they are considered to be very smart animals.
Even domesticated Chihuahuas retain these qualities. Therefore, if you have a rat problem in your house, then a Chihuahua can easily get rid of them.
3. Chihuahuas Are Great Watchdogs
Chihuahuas were not actually bred for this purpose but their watchdog abilities can’t be ignored. Even though your little pet won’t attack an intruder, it will start to bark a lot in case an unfamiliar face turns up which will help keep you alert.
Why Should You Get A Chihuahua?
There are a lot of reasons to get a Chihuahuas as a pet. Some of them are:
- They are easy to take care of as they don’t require a lot of exercise daily
- Chihuahuas are lively dogs who won’t let you stay bored
- They are more intelligent than most dogs who can hunt rodents without having to be trained
- If you’re looking for a companion, a Chihuahua is a perfect pet that will follow your around everywhere
- Chihuahuas are snuggly animals who would love to cuddle with you
Do Chihuahuas Provide Emotional Support?
Chihuahuas are not only good companions but they also provide emotional support to the people around them.
Chis are comparatively intelligent animals who find a way to provide comfort to humans in case they are feeling low. If you have older individuals in your house, a Chihuahua will make a perfect emotional support dog for them. It can make friends easily and can be taken care of without a lot of effort.
You can also train your Chihuahua to provide emotional support in case you have deep emotional issues. Take a look at how easy it is to train Chihuahuas here.
How To Take Care Of A Chihuahua?
As a loving dog owner, you must take care of the health of your Chihuahua starting from basic food needs to love and attention needs. Make sure that you meet the nutritional requirements of your pet.
Grooming
Chihuahuas need to be groomed regularly for hygiene purposes. You can bathe your Chihuahua every once a week to get rid of all the dirt and dust. Don’t let your dog go without a bath longer than 6 weeks. Select the best shampoo from our top reviewed shampoos here.
It is also important to brush your dog’s hair regularly to avoid any tangles because matted hair causes a lot of pain to dogs. Take a look at some of the best brushes for your dear chihuahua here.
If your dog already has matted hair, then you can use a dematting tool to get rid of your dog’s matts without causing much pain.
Have a look at this video to help you groom your Chihuahua better.
Environmental Factors
In case of seasonal changes, make sure that your little dog is feeling comfortable. If the temperature drops, then get a collared coatfor it and add extra blankets to its bed to keep it warm and cozy. Check out the ideal temperature for a Chihuahua here.
If the temperature goes up, make sure that you keep your dog’s paws cool. Keep your Chihuahua in a cool place with shade and offer it lots of water. Don’t make it exercise a lot so that it does not feel hot.
Exercise
Make sure that you give enough exercise to your pet so that there is not pent-up energy in your dog that comes out in ways you don’t like. A Chihuahua’s daily exercise requirement will be fulfilled simply by playing around and small walks. Don’t expect or force your pet to exercise more than it can.
Training
You should train your Chihuahua to avoid certain annoying behaviors that can magnify as it gets older. Always make sure that you show who is in charge respectfully. Use the positive reinforcement method to train your dog. It can correct almost all behaviors.
You can give these tasty treats to your dog for the positive reinforcement technique.
Can Chihuahuas Be Trained To Be Service Dogs?
Your Chihuahua may not be able to guide you through the city, but it can be trained to be a service dog.
These are some of the areas that you can train your dog in professionally.
Psychiatric Service
This is very similar to training your dog to provide emotional support. They can provide solace to their owner in case of emotional distress and certain mental disorders.
Chihuahuas can help their owners when the symptoms of certain disorders like anxiety, depression, or, PTSD become evident.
Hearing Aid
Chihuahuas can be trained to hear even the slightest sounds so that they can alert the owner in case of any emergency. They can be used to alert you when your kid is crying or when the oven bell rings or in case someone is at the door.
As soon as your Chihuahua hears a sound, it will guide you towards the noise. This quality can be helpful to people who can’t hear properly.
Diabetic Alert
Chis can be trained as diabetic alert dogs which can be great for older people. They can be trained to alert you when you take too much sugar. They can also remind you when to take the medicines for diabetes if you tend to forget to take your medication.
Chihuahuas can sense a certain smell that indicates that your blood sugar is high and alert you in such cases.
You can take a look at our extensive research about chihuahua being service dogs here.
FAQs On Why Were Chihuahuas Bred?
1. Were Chihuahuas Bred To Get Rid Of Rats?
Chihuahuas have a natural instinct to hunt. It is believed that Chihuahuas were bred to get rid of rats in Mexico. They can hunt rodents easily and chase them out of town. Domesticated dogs retain this behavior as well.
Even though Chihuahuas are a very small breed of dogs, you can rely on them to get rid of the rodents from your backyard.
2. Why Are Chihuahuas So Aggressive?
Despite the small stature of Chihuahuas, they can behave in extremely aggressive ways. If your dog is behaving aggressively, it means that your pet does not respect your leadership.
Chihuahuas behave aggressively because of anxiety, to portray dominance, or for territorial marking. You must visit your vet in case of extreme aggression in your dog because there might be an underlying problem. Is needed, you can also use the positive reinforcement method to correct the aggressive behavior of your Chihuahua.
You can try giving your dog calming supplements in case it is behaving aggressively a lot lately.
Read more on the 5 Reasons Why Chihuahuas Are So Aggressive!
3. Do Chihuahuas Bite A Lot?
Chihuahuas do bite a lot when they are puppies. This behavior is because of teething and playing innocently. There is no intended harm from your dog’s side when it bites as a puppy. As your puppy grows older, it will grow out of the biting behavior.
Conclusion
To answer the question, Why Were Chihuahuas Bred, it was originally to offer them as a sacrifice in a religious ceremony. However, in today’s time, they are bred to make great companions to dog owners. Being loving and affectionate animals, they make the perfect family pet.
Chihuahuas are easy to train, and hence, they are the preferred choice for many people.
