The WA Chihuahua Club Inc. Web Site

small_white_chi BREED STANDARDS

CHIHUAHUA (SMOOTHCOAT)

General appearance Small, dainty, compact.

Characteristics Alert, little dog, swift moving with brisk forceful action and saucy expression.

Temperament Gay, spirited and intelligent, neither snappy nor withdrawn.

Head and Skull Well rounded “apple dome” skull, cheeks and jaws lean, muzzle moderately short, slightly pointed. Definite stop.

Eyes Large, round, but not protruding; set well apart; centre of eye is on a plane with lowest point of ear and base of stop; dark or ruby. Light eyes in light colours permissible.

Ears Large, flaring, set on an angle of approximately 45 degrees; giving breadth between ears. Tipped or broken down highly undesirable.

Mouth Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck Slightly arched, medium length.

Forequarters Shoulders well laid; lean, sloping into slightly broadening support above straight forelegs, set well under chest giving freedom of movement without looseness.

Body Level back. Body, from point of shoulder to rear point of croup, slightly longer than height at withers. Well sprung ribs, deep brisket.

Hindquarters Muscular: hocks well let down, with good turn of stifle, well apart, turning neither in nor out.

Feet Small and dainty; turning neither in nor out; toes well divided but not spread, pads cushioned, fine strong, flexible pasterns. Neither hare nor cat-like, nails moderately short.

Tail Medium length, set high, carried up and over back (sickle tail). When moving, never tucked under or curled below the topline. Furry, flattish in appearance, broadening slightly in centre and tapering to point.

Gait/Movement Brisk, forceful action, neither high stepping nor hackney; good reach without slackness in forequarters, good drive in hindquarters. Viewed from front and behind legs should move neither too close nor too wide, with no turning in or out of feet or pasterns. Topline should remain firm and level when moving.

Coat Smooth, of soft texture, close and glossy, with undercoat and ruff permissible.

Colour Any colour or mixture of colours except merle.

Size Weight up to 2.7 kg (6 lbs), 1-1.8 kg (2-4 lbs) preferred. If two dogs are equally good in type, the more diminutive preferred.

Faults Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

CHIHUAHUA (LONGCOAT)

The standard of the Chihuahua (longcoat) is the same as the standard of the Chihuahua (smoothcoat) with the exception of the following :

Coat Long, soft texture (never coarse or harsh to touch) either flat or slightly wavy. Never tight and curly. Feathering on ears, feet and legs, pants on hindquarters, large ruff on neck desirable. Tail long and full as a plume.

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