The Chihuahua dog is perhaps best known for being the world's smallest dog breed, narrowly inching out the Yorkshire Terrier for the distinction (though it should be noted that a Yorkie (Yorkshire Terrier) actually holds the title for the world's smallest dog ever. Surprisingly as well known and popular as the Chihuahua is the world over, the origins of this tiny dog breed remain somewhat shrouded in mystery. What is known without any shred of doubt is that the dog is named for the Mexican state where it was first encountered by American travelers in the late 19th century. Other than that the Chihuahua's true origins are a mish-mash of conflict.
There are a number of different theories covering the origins of the Chihuahua and they include the following:
Theory One of Chihuahua Dog Origins: The first theory about the origins of the Chihuahua speculates that this dog breed is a descendent of one of the ancient American Indian dogs. Giving weight to this theory is the prevalence of tiny dogs in Toltec history as well as that of the better known Aztecs. According to people who favor this theory, the Chihuahua descended from a small mute dog of the Toltec people called the Techichi, a dog that is said to have existed as far back as the 9th century.
Much like the people who conquered them (the Aztecs) the Toltecs often sacrificed the Techichi dog during religious ceremonies. The Aztecs used to in fact cremate their tiny dogs with the deceased owners. They believed that those tiny dogs acted as spirit guides for the soul of the dead through the journey across the afterlife. Legend has it that the blue-coated variants of the tiny dogs were revered as sacred and potent religious symbols while the red coated dogs often ended up being entrusted with the lofty burden of supporting the sins of the dead and having the dubious honor of being thrown upon a funeral pyre as part of that burden!
Theory Two of Chihuahua Dog Origins: The 2nd theory speculates that the Chihuahua dog originated from Europe, having been transported to the Americas around 1520s, following the victorious conquest of the Spanish armies of Hernando Cortes over the peoples of the region. According to this theory it is believed that the wives of colonial officers charged with governing the new provinces most probably took their beloved pets from their homelands in Europe to help ease their settlement in their new homes located in the unknown lands of the New World.
Eventually some of those new dogs imported by the well-to-do settlers from Europe would have migrated off the great estates of the colonialists and associated with the local people of the surrounding regions. Adding some ounce of support to this theory is a Botticelli painting done at least ten years prior to the conquest that clearly illustrates a Chihuahua-like dog. There are those who also postulate that the Chihuahua truly originated from Malta and is a direct descendant of a tiny dog breed that existed there centuries ago, known as the Maltese Pocket dog.
Theory Three of Chihuahua Dog Origins: The third and final theory hypothesizes that the Chihuahua descended from dogs that hailed from China and was transported on Chinese trader ships. Support for this particular theory is to be found in the assumption that China has traditionally favored small, flat-faced dogs; a description that the Chihuahua dog certainly adheres to.
Rise of The Chihuahua
Whatever the true origins of the Chihuahua dog, the one fact that is under no dispute is that by the late 19th century the dog breed was irrevocably associated with Mexico, specifically the state in which it was discovered by American travelers. Circa 1880 several Chihuahua dogs were transported back to the United States as exotic pets. The Chihuahua was officially registered as a purebred breed in 1903 and by 1923 the Chihuahua Club of America had been established.
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