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Chihuahua Standards (AKC)
General Appearance
A graceful, alert, swift-moving little dog with saucy expression, compact,
and with terrier-like qualities of temperament.
Size, Proportion, Substance
- Weight-A well balanced little dog not to exceed 6 pounds.
- Proportion-The body is off-square; hence, slightly longer
when measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks, than height
at the withers. Somewhat shorter bodies are preferred in males.
- Disqualification-Any dog over 6 pounds in weight.
Head
A well rounded "apple dome" skull, with or without molera.
- Expression-Saucy.
- Eyes-Full, but not protruding, balanced, set well apart-luminous
dark or luminous ruby. (Light eyes in blond or white-colored dogs
permissible.)
- Ears-Large, erect type ears, held more upright when alert,
but flaring to the sides at a 45 degree angle when in repose, giving
breadth between the ears.
- Muzzle-Moderately short, slightly pointed. Cheeks and jaws
lean.
- Nose-Self-colored in blond types, or black. In moles, blues,
and chocolates, they are self-colored. In blond types, pink nose permissible.
- Bite-Level or scissors. Overshot or undershot bite, or any
distortion of the bite or jaw, should be penalized as a serious fault.
Disqualifications-Broken down or cropped ears.
Neck, Topline, Body
- Neck-Slightly arched, gracefully sloping into lean shoulders.
- Topline-Level. Body-Ribs rounded and well sprung (but not
too much "barrel-shaped").
- Tail-Moderately long, carried sickle either up or out, or
in a loop over the back, with tip just touching the back. (Never tucked
between legs.)
- Disqualifications- Cropped tail, bobtail.
Forequarters
- Shoulders-Lean, sloping into a slightly broadening support
above straight forelegs that set well under, giving a free play at
the elbows. Shoulders should be well up, giving balance and soundness,
sloping into a level back. (Never down or low.) This gives a chestiness,
and strength of forequarters, yet not of the "Bulldog" chest.
- Feet-A small, dainty foot with toes well split up but not
spread, pads cushioned. (Neither the hare nor the cat foot.)
- Pasterns-Fine.
Hindquarters
Muscular, with hocks well apart, neither out nor in, well let down,
firm and sturdy. The feet are as in front.
Coat
In the Smooth Coats, the coat should be of soft texture, close
and glossy. (Heavier coats with undercoats permissible.) Coat placed
well over body with ruff on neck preferred, and more scanty on head
and ears. Hair on tail preferred furry. In Long Coats, the coat
should be of a soft texture, either flat or slightly curly, with undercoat
preferred.
- Ears-Fringed. (Heavily fringed ears may be tipped slightly
if due to the fringes and not to weak ear leather, never down.)
- Tail-Full and long (as a plume). Feathering on feet and
legs, pants on hind legs and large ruff on the neck desired and preferred.
- Disqualification-In Long Coats, too thin coat that resembles
bareness.
Color
Any color-Solid, marked or splashed.
Gait
The Chihuahua should move swiftly with a firm, sturdy action, with
good reach in front equal to the drive from the rear. From the rear,
the hocks remain parallel to each other, and the foot fall of the rear
legs follows directly behind that of the forelegs. The legs, both front
and rear, will tend to converge slightly toward a central line of gravity
as speed increases. The side view shows good, strong drive in the rear
and plenty of reach in the front, with head carried high. The topline
should remain firm and the backline level as the dog moves.
Temperament
Alert, with terrier-like qualities.
Disqualifications
- Any dog over 6 pounds in weight.
- Broken down or cropped ears.
- Cropped tail, bobtail.
- In Long Coats, too thin coat that resembles bareness.
Approved September 11, 1990
Effective October 30, 1990
This information is courtesy of the American Kennel Club:
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