World's Smallest Dog Breed Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mexico

Although there is some speculation that the breed may have originated elsewhere, the breed and its name are associated with Mexico.

Whatever the case, it was discovered by American tourists in the Mexican state of Chihuahua in the 19th century. These tourists brought some of the dogs back to the states with them, where the breed developed.

Answer: False

It is imperative that the Chihuahua receives extensive socialization right from puppy hood. Because of their small size, it's easy for them to become timid, shy, or fearfully aggressive. They will quickly develop countless bad habits if they are not shown the world right from the start.

This shouldn't be a chore, though. Chihuahuas are fun to take around because of their convenient portable size.

Answer: Quite low, will do fine with little exercise

Because of his small size, the Chihuahua doesn't need a lot of exercise. However, some people get the mistaken impression that you can carry small dogs everywhere without consequences. Chihuahuas are actually quite outgoing for their size, and should be walked daily to keep them fit. However, the exercise shouldn't be overdone either.

Answer: Short-haired and long-haired

Many backyard breeders will give their Chihuahuas a cute name to mislead people into thinking they're different than the norm. There is no such thing as a teacup, pocket, miniature, or standard size of the breed. Chihuahuas come in two coat types -- short-haired and long-haired -- but these two are no different in size or temperament.

Some people purposely breed their Chihuahuas to be extremely small, weighing at a mature age under 4 pounds. Most experts DO NOT recommend owning a dog under 4 pounds because of the great health risks involved. Their bones are extremely fragile, their mouths are not large enough to develop healthy teeth, their internal organs are often weak and can fail suddenly. They also tend to have difficulty regulating their blood sugar.

Answer: Alert, lively, proud, strong-willed, loyal, bold

The Chihuahua must be alert and quick on foot to avoid being stepped on. Very lively. Chihuahuas are incredibly proud, and are likely to be dog aggressive. Courageous and bold, they'll quickly challenge a much larger dog (or even you!) for dominance.

This spunky little dog must be constantly supervised to make sure he isn't getting himself into trouble. Strong-willed, they tend to be hard to train, particularly with housebreaking. Much patience is needed, as they don't take well to a harsh manner of training. Chihuahuas are intensely loyal, giving and demanding affection from their owner.

They're likely to bond closely to one person and be reserved or suspicious with everyone else. Chihuahuas truly have a big personality!

Answer: False

Chihuahuas are generally not recommended for children because of their fragility. Even considerate children can have clumsy accidents that could mean the dog's life. Also, Chihuahuas are likely to feel overwhelmed by the loud noises and quick movements children can't help making.

The majority of Chihuahuas resort to biting, but even more gentle and stable tempered individuals will probably become stressed out or fearful. This breed is much better suited to an adult-only home.

Answer: Yes

Chihuahuas are very suspicious animals by nature, even with socialization. They will impulsively bark at anything that sparks their suspicion before properly analyzing it.

Because of both their fragility and their fearlessness, Chihuahuas require constant supervision. They should never be completely uncontained because they can kill or severely injure themselves just by leaping off the top of the couch! A large dog can also easily break a Chihuahua's neck with a simple shake.

Answer: False

Most Chihuahuas can do fine with other pets when raised with them. Strangely (but believably), they prefer to associate with members of their own breed, and can actually tell the difference.

However, Chihuahuas are generally quite dog aggressive. Even if they get along with pets of the same household, they may be very aggressive with dogs outside the family.

Answer: No

Chihuahuas don't need much exercise, and are not active enough for this family. Also, this breed is not recommended for children because of their fragility (see question 6 for more info).

Answer: yes

This couple sounds ideal to be a Chihuahua owner. From their description, this breed meets all their wants.

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