The Chihuahua is a saucy little hot tamale, and not just because of his association with a certain fast-food Mexican restaurant. He’s renowned for being the world’s smallest dog, but he may have the world’s biggest personality stashed inside that tiny body. That larger-than-life persona makes him appealing to men and women alike. Fun-loving and busy, Chihuahuas like nothing better than being close to their people.

They follow them everywhere in the house and ride along in tote bags when their people run errands or go shopping. It’s not unusual for Chihuahuas to form a close bond with a single person, and they can become very demanding if they’re overindulged. Besides being affectionate housemates, Chihuahuas are intelligent and fast learners.

They can compete in agility and obedience trials with as much enthusiasm and success as larger dogs. That said, they’re willful little dogs. You’ll be most successful if you can persuade them that competing—or simply doing as you ask—is fun. Use positive reinforcement in the form of praise and food rewards when training your Chihuahua. He won’t respond to harsh treatment. It’s important to take into account the Chihuahua’s small size when considering him. Chihuahuas are curious and bold explorers.

They’ve escaped from yards through small gaps in the fence and can squeeze into places that other puppies and dogs couldn’t fit. Even though they tend to rule the roost, they can be accidentally injured by rambunctious larger dogs. Chihuahuas are not recommended for homes with children under the age of eight simply because of the chance of injury by a young child.

Regardless of your family situation, it’s important to remember to socialize your Chihuahua to children, adults, and other animals. Chihuahuas are mistrustful of strangers, which makes them good watchdogs, but they need to learn to meet people in a friendly manner. It’s also important to remember that Chihuahuas tend to forget they are small and will stand up to a larger aggressive dog; as a result, the Chihuahua needs vigilant supervision in new situations, while they’re on walks and when they’re in the yard. The Chihuahua’s personality and unique size make him a wonderful go-everywhere companion. People who live with Chihuahuas become devoted to them, and many say that once you share your life with one, there will be no other dog breed for you.

As with so many breeds, the Chihuahua’s origins are unclear, but there are two theories of how he came to be. First, he descended from a Central or South American dog known as the Techichi. When we look at the evidence of the Chihuahua coming from Central and South America, we find ourselves looking back to the Toltec civilization.

Toltec carvings dating to the 9th century C.E. depict a dog resembling the Chihuahua, with the same large ears and round head. These dogs were called Techichi, and their purpose in Toltec civilization is obscure. When the Aztecs conquered the Toltecs, they absorbed the Techichi into their society.

Many of the dogs lived in temples and were used in Aztec rituals. The Aztecs believed that the Techichi had mystic powers, including the ability to see the future, heal the sick, and safely guide the souls of the dead to the underworld. It was customary to kill a red Techichi and cremate him with the remains of the deceased.

The Aztecs also used the Techichi as a source of food and pelts. The Spanish conquered the Aztecs in the late 1500s, and the Techichi faded into obscurity. The second theory is that small hairless dogs from China were brought to Mexico by Spanish traders and then bred with small native dogs.

Regardless of which theory is accurate, the shorthaired Chihuahua we know today was discovered in the 1850s in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, from which he took his name. American visitors to Mexico brought the little dogs home with them.

They began to be shown in 1890, and a Chihuahua named Midget became the first of his breed to be registered with the American Kennel Club in 1904. The longhaired variety was probably created through crosses with Papillons or Pomeranians. The breed’s popularity increased in the 1930s and 1940s when they were associated with dance king and Latin music bandleader Xavier Cugat. Since the 1960s, the Chihuahua has been one of the most popular breeds registered by the AKC. Today, they rank 11th among the 155 breeds and varieties the AKC recognizes.

The typical Chihuahua weighs 3 to 6 pounds. There are Chihuahuas that are smaller, but they tend not to be very healthy. Chihuahuas can also be oversize, with some reaching 12 or more pounds. These can be good choices for families with children.

The bold and confident Chihuahua is often described as being terrier-like. His alert nature and suspicion of strangers make him an excellent watchdog. He’s sensitive and thrives on affection and companionship. Chihuahuas often bond to a single person, although they’re usually willing to make friends with new people if properly introduced.

Expect them to be a little reserved at first, though. Chihuahuas can be timid if they’re not properly socialized as puppies. Like every dog, Chihuahuas need early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they’re young. Socialization helps ensure that your Chihuahua puppy grows into a well-rounded dog.

Despite their small size, the Chihuahua needs exercise and training, like all dogs. The amount of energy an adult Chihuahua has can be surprising. He’ll endlessly chase squirrels in the backyard and is willing to play as long as you are.

Chihuahuas enjoy walks, supervised romps around the yard, and retrieving toys. They’ll go until they drop, so ensuring they don’t tire themselves out is important, especially on hot days. As much as they enjoy playing outdoors, Chihuahuas should never live outside.

They aren’t safe from raptors such as hawks, coyotes, or other larger dogs that could enter your yard. They are bred as companions, and the best place for a companion is with you. Training a Chihuahua can be an enjoyable task.

They are successful in several different dog sports, such as agility and obedience, but puppy kindergarten and basic obedience class are important even for a Chihuahua who is strictly a companion.

Your Chihuahua will meet many different dogs and people in class, contributing to his socialization. He’ll also learn the manners all dogs should know. Chihuahuas are as easy to housetrain as any other breed as long as you take them out frequently and on a consistent schedule. Puppies must go out as soon as they wake up in the morning, after every meal, after naps, during playtime, and just before bedtime.

Using a crate to confine them when you’re unable to supervise them will teach them that they can control their bladder and prevent them from having accidents in the house. If they’re not crated, plan to take them out every one to two hours, and don’t crate them for more than two to four hours at a time except overnight.

Beyond housetraining, crate training is a way to ensure that your Chihuahua doesn’t get into things he shouldn’t. Like every dog, Chihuahuas can be destructive as puppies. They might not do as much damage as a Lab puppy, but those little teeth can definitely leave their mark. Crate training at a young age will also help your Chihuahua accept confinement if he ever needs to be boarded or hospitalized.

Never stick your Chihuahua in a crate all day long, however. It’s not a jail, and he shouldn’t spend more than a few hours at a time in it except when he’s sleeping at night. Chihuahuas are people dogs, and they aren’t meant to spend their lives locked up in a crate or kennel. Train your Chihuahua using positive reinforcement techniques such as food rewards, praise, and play, and you will soon find that he can learn anything you can teach.

Chihuahuas come in two different coat types: smooth and long. The smooth-coated Chihuahua has a smooth, shiny coat that fits close to the body with a ruff of thick, longer hair on the neck. The hair on the head and ears is thinner, and the tail is furry. The long-coated Chihuahua has a soft coat that’s flat or slightly curly.

On the body, the fur is almost as smooth as that of a smooth-coated Chihuahua, but the ears have a fringe of hair, and the plumed tail spreads out like a fan over the back. He also has a ruff on the neck and longer hair called feathering on his feet. The hind legs are also covered with long hair that resembles pants — and that’s what it’s called.

On the stomach is longer hair, known as a frill. In addition to coming in two coat types, Chihuahuas are found in a range of colors and markings. They can be solid colors such as black, white, fawn, chocolate, gray, and silver, as well as tricolor (chocolate, black, or blue with tan and white, for instance), brindle, spotted, merle, and a variety of other markings. Shades can be very pale to very dark for all the colors.

The Chihuahua is a wash-and-go dog. Grooming him takes only a few minutes each week. Brush him weekly with a rubber grooming mitt or a brush with short, natural bristles for a shorthaired Chihuahua and a pin brush for a longhaired Chihuahua. A fine-toothed flea comb helps remove loose or dead hair. Chihuahuas shed small amounts year-round and may shed somewhat more heavily — a relative term for a dog this small — in the spring and fall. The longhaired Chihuahua’s undercoat may come out in little clumps. Regular brushing will help keep shedding under control.

With regular brushing, a Chihuahua shouldn’t need a bath more than every month or two. Use a shampoo formulated for dogs so you don’t dry out the coat and skin. Ears are an important area to check when grooming your Chihuahua. If you smell an odor or see wax, clean the inner ear with a cotton ball, using a cleanser recommended by your veterinarian. Avoid going into the depth of the ear past where you can see.

If the ears are dry along the edge, rub a little baby or coconut oil onto them. Some Chihuahuas develop tear stains beneath their eyes. You can carefully wipe the eyes to remove discharge, and products are available to remove the stains. A Chihuahua’s nails grow quickly. Keep them trimmed short. They’re too long if you hear them clicking on the floor. The earlier you introduce your Chihuahua to nail trimming, the less stressful the experience is. At the same time, check the pads for any foreign objects or injuries.

Like many small breeds, Chihuahuas are prone to poor dental health. Brushing their teeth can help their mouths stay healthy. Brush the teeth at least two or three times a week — daily is better — to remove tartar and bacteria.

Start when your puppy is young so he’ll be used to it. As you groom, check for sores, rashes, or signs of infection such as redness, tenderness, or inflammation on the skin, in the ears, nose, mouth, and eyes, and on the feet. Ears should smell good, without too much wax or gunk inside, and eyes should be clear, with no redness or discharge. Your careful weekly exam will help you spot potential health problems early.

Many Chihuahuas love children, but combining a tiny dog and a young child can be a recipe for disaster. A Chihuahua may leap from a child’s hands and injure himself if he’s not being held correctly, and he won’t hesitate to defend himself if he’s being mistreated.