CARDWELL'S CKC & AKC CHIHUAHUA'S

Did you ever wonder where the smallest dogs in the world

came from? The history of the Chihuahua dates back to

ancient Mexico. They were believed to be sacred and they

have never forgotten this.

Much of the Chihuahua's history is speculation and theory, although

everyone agrees on some matters. The Chihuahua is named for the

Mexican State that borders Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. It is believed

 that the breed descended from the Techichi, a small canine that dates

 back to Mayan times (around the 5th century AD).

The Toltecs (the people that conquered the

 Mayans) are believed to be the first to

domesticate the Techichi and brought the canine

 into the home as pets and also used them for

religious purposes. After the Aztecs became the

ruling class of Mexico, they also used the dog as

a companion and in religious ceremonies. This has been learned due to

 the writings in Mayan, Toltec, and Aztec writings in tombs, temples, and

 pyramids. Also, remains of the small dogs were found in graves in both

 Mexico and the United States so this could back up the religious theory.

The dogs were found in the state of Chihuahua in 1850 in old ruins near

Casas Grandes, and are thought to be the ruins of the palace built by

Emperor Montezuma I. The relics and remains of the Techichi indicate

that the breed was longhaired and mute, very different from the modern

Chihuahua. The Aztec wealthy and clergy thought the Techichi to be

 sacred while the lower class had little use for the dogs and sometimes

used them as food.

When the explorers arrived in the New World it is believed the Techichi

 breed with a dog that was brought over and the result is the Chihuahua

 that we have today. The tiny modern day Chihuahua has gone through

many changes and become very popular since their discovery. The

 American Kennel Club first registered the Chihuahua as a breed in 1904.

 Color variations are limited only by the imagination. The smooth coated

variety is still the most publicly recognized, but the long-coat variety has

 increased in numbers and popularity. Chihuahuas are a long lived breed,

 often achieving 16 or more years of age.