Chihuahua history: from ancient Mexico to modern icon

Part 1

What archaeology tells us about the breed's ancient roots

Your chihuahua's story starts with an extinct dog called the Techichi, bred by the Toltec civilization. The Toltec civilization bred the Techichi starting in the 9th century, and it is considered an ancestor of the modern chihuahua. Techichis were larger than today's chihuahuas, and they could not bark. Their coats came in brown, brown and white, black and white, or black.

When the Aztecs came to power, they kept the Techichi's spiritual importance alive. Both the Toltecs and the Aztecs believed the dogs held supernatural powers and could guide a human soul into the afterlife. Aztec nobles are thought to have kept packs of hundreds of these dogs. Some dogs were sacrificed at a person's death so they could act as that guide.

Archaeologists have found pre-Columbian artifacts shaped like the Techichi. Archaeologists have found pre-Columbian wheeled toys and effigy pots shaped like the dogs. Clay sculptures made by indigenous artists show a dog that closely resembles the Techichi. Genetic studies have also found that today's chihuahua carries a small amount of ancestry from pre-Columbian American dogs, a real link between your dog and those ancient remains.

Part 2

How the chihuahua got its name

Your chihuahua's name comes from the Mexican state of Chihuahua. The breed is named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua, where descendants of the Techichi were later found. By the mid-1800s, people outside Mexico began taking interest in these small dogs living in the state of Chihuahua. Some accounts describe dogs found in old ruins near Casas Grandes in Chihuahua around 1850.

In 1578, the Spanish explorer Francisco Hernandez reported seeing these dogs in Mexico. In a 1520 letter, Hernán Cortés wrote that the Aztecs raised and sold small dogs as food.

Part 3

The breed's journey into the United States

Mexican merchants bred and sold the small dogs to American tourists, which is how the breed first reached the United States. In 1888, the author and judge James Watson bought a dog named Manzanita. Owen Wister, who wrote The Virginian, also imported a chihuahua named Caranza, which produced well-known bloodlines.

The American Kennel Club recognized the chihuahua as a breed in 1904. The first chihuahua registered with the AKC was a dog named Midget, owned by H. Raynor of Texas. Three other chihuahuas were registered alongside Midget, and thirty were registered in the United States by 1913. Most of the early imports were long-coated dogs, even though the smooth coat later became the more popular variety among pet owners.

Part 4

How the modern chihuahua standard took shape

The Chihuahua Club of America was founded in 1923 to bring breeders together and develop the breed. The club held its first annual specialty show in 1928, with 42 dogs entered.

1. In 1888, James Watson bought a dog named Manzanita.
2. In 1904, the AKC recognized the breed and registered Midget as the first chihuahua.
3. In 1923, breeders founded the Chihuahua Club of America.
4. In 1952, smooth and long coats were separated into two official varieties.

It took until 1952 for the two coat types to be separated into official varieties, with the smooth coat considered the preferred variety for pets. The long-haired chihuahua is a true, distinct variety, not a mix with breeds such as the Pomeranian or Papillon, as some people once assumed.

Breed standards for your chihuahua describe weight and overall proportions rather than a fixed height, so height varies more than in many breeds. Show standards generally call for a dog under six pounds, though pet chihuahuas often weigh more without any change to their pedigree. The AKC describes the breed as a graceful, alert, and swift-moving little dog with a saucy expression.

Part 5

Chihuahuas in 20th-century pop culture

Bandleader Xavier Cugat was known for holding his chihuahua in one hand while conducting with the other during the 1940s and 1950s. More recently, chihuahuas have been linked with celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Madonna.

Chihuahuas have appeared in films including Legally Blonde and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. In 1997, a chihuahua named Gidget became well known as Taco Bell's mascot.

AKC registration numbers grew from a handful of dogs in the early 1900s to about 25,000 by 1972. By 2012, more than 40,000 chihuahuas were registered with the AKC, not counting dogs registered elsewhere or left unregistered.

Part 6

Separating myth from fact in chihuahua origin stories

Not every origin story about your chihuahua holds up equally well. Some writers have suggested the breed's ancestors came from China, from a hairless dog like the Chinese crested, or from Malta, pointing to a small dog painted in a 1482 Sistine Chapel scene as evidence. These theories remain debated among experts rather than settled.

Genetic testing points a different way. A 2013 study by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology found that the chihuahua shares a DNA type unique to pre-Columbian Mexican dog samples, tying the breed to the Techichi. A later study using ancient dog genomes estimated that pre-colonial ancestry makes up about four percent of the modern chihuahua's genetic makeup.

Even so, older claims about your chihuahua's past keep circulating. Early writers made unusual claims about the breed, including that it was not fully canine or was related to chipmunks. Some experts have suggested the breed may have come from Malta or China, though most consider Mexico the likely origin.