"This book provides the much-needed factual information about Chihuahuas and their ancestry in Mexico and beyond, characteristics and standard, as well as puppy selection, feeding, training, preventative health care and behaviour of the breed."

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Product Description

The affectionate and beguiling Chihuahua holds two distinctions among pure-bred dogs: he is the smallest and longest lived dog in the world. Weighing as little as one pound, the Chihuahua often enjoys good health until the age of twenty years. Many characteristics endear the Chihuahua to his millions of fans throughout the world. The breed is prized for its intelligence, its extreme devotion to its mistress or master, its saucy expression and its outgoing personality. Whether wearing a glossy smooth coat or a soft and wavy long coat, the Chihuahua is an attractive and alert companion for any dog lover who dares to open his heart to this irresistible toy dog. This book provides the much-needed factual information about Chihuahuas and their ancestry in Mexico and beyond, characteristics and standard, as well as puppy selection, feeding, training, preventative health care and behaviour of the breed. The new owner will welcome advice about puppy-proofing the home, preparing for the pup's arrival, housebreaking and preventing puppy problems. In addition to an authoritative, comprehensive text written by breeder Barbara J Andrews, this book presents over 135 photographs in full colour which prove to be as informative as they are attractive.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #261560 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 158 pages

From the Inside Flap
The affectionate and beguiling Chihuahua holds two distinctions among pure-bred dogs: of the world’s more than 350 breeds, this is the smallest and most long-lived. Weighing as little as a pound, the Chihuahua often enjoys good health for twenty years. Many characteristics endear the Chihuahua to its millions of fans throughout the world. The breed is prized for its intelligence, its extreme devotion to his mistress or master, its saucy expression and outgoing personality. Whether wearing a glossy smooth coat or a soft and wavy long coat, the Chihuahua is an attractive and alert companion for any dog lover who dares open his heart to the irresistible ‘Chichi’. This book provides the much-needed factual information about the Chihuahua and its ancestry, character and standard, as well as the proper selection, feeding, training, preventative health care and showing. The new owner will welcome advice about puppy-proofing the home, preparing for the pup’s arrival and preventing puppy problems. In addition to an extremely authoritative text, this book presents over 135 photographs in full colour, which prove to be as informative as they are attractive. Helpful hints and important information are highlighted to provide easy access to everything the reader needs to know about life with a Chihuahua. Whether it’s basic training problems, allergies or fleas, this book is the way to prevention, providing the reader with the necessary guidance an owner needs from puppyhood through the senior years. Recommended by top breeders and trainers, this book is the responsible first choice of every new owner of a Chihuahua. Topics discussed include: History of the Chihuahua; Characteristics of the Chihuahua; The Chihuahua Breed Standard; Your Chihuahua puppy; Everyday care of your Chihuahua; Housebreaking and training your Chihuahua; Health care of your Chihuahua; Your senior Chihuahua; Showing your Chihuahua.

Excerpted from Chihuahua (Pet Love) by B. Andrews. Copyright © 2000. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
It is as difficult to imagine an evolutionary relationship between the Chihuahua and the St Bernard as it is to accept that the Grizzly bear of North America is also of the same family. Even stranger, the Chihuahua can be as diminutive as the smallest member of its family tree. The fennec averages only 1 to 1.5 kgs. Unable to agree on species classification because of features that do not conform to the fox, scientists finally assigned it a separate genus, Fennecus zerda. The fennec has extraordinarily large ears and big round 'baby' eyes. Naturalists theorise that the incredibly oversized ears serve as shade during the rare times the nocturnal fennec is exposed to sunlight. More importantly, heavy dew produced by cold offshore currents would collect on the back of the ears, which may explain how the tiny creature can survive indefinitely far from any known source of water. While there may not be an evolutionary connection between the two tiny desert-dwellers!
, there are surprising similarities between the Chihuahua and the fennec fox. With his huge eyes and ears, the tiny Chihuahua is every bit as appealing as is the fennec fox, which sadly is now on Appendix Two of the Cites list. As the origin of the Chihuahua remains a much-debated mystery, it may be fun to hold in your mind these fascinating similarities.

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Customer Reviews

chihuahuas from beginning to end, not just another dog book
This is a delightful book written for chihuahua lovers. Many chihuahua books Ive bought over the years started off with the history of chihuahuas then continued on in a generalised tone which can be taken for any breed but not this book its chihuahuas begining to end. Informative, friendly readable, and loads of great new pictures not just the same pictures you see all the time in most books. A uk writer at last, with uk kennel standards etc, well worth adding to your library.