| The Chihuahua is one of the few breeds native to | | | | burned dogs along with the deceased in the belief |
| the Americans. Ancestors of the Chihuahua trace | | | | that sins of the human would be then be |
| back to the early Olmec, Toletec and Aztec | | | | transferred to the dog. It is possible the people |
| civilizations of Central American and Mexico. | | | | believed they were merely sending their pet along |
| It remains a secret, however, how the Chihuahua | | | | with its master or to live with the gods. |
| originated, how it interacted with its people and | | | | With the arrival of Hernando Cortes in the 1500's |
| what became of its ancestors. Chihuahua history | | | | the Spaniards took over the Aztec treasures but |
| is put together from artifacts and occasional | | | | ignored the little dogs. It is felt they probably |
| writings. Some breed experts think the Chihuahua | | | | brought back a few dogs to Spain. Many of the |
| is actually of European or Asian origin. The | | | | little dogs just perished, others escaped to the |
| Chihuahua matured and prospered with the | | | | Mexican mountainside where they lived off the |
| Americans. The Chihuahua will forever be identified | | | | birds, reptiles, rodents and insects and whatever |
| with the land we know as Mexico. | | | | else they could find. These early Chihuahuas were |
| From the carvings of the Olmecs' successors and | | | | larger and had longer hair. They were better |
| the Toltecs we can conclude the Olmecs of | | | | suited for life in the wild. It is unknown exactly |
| Central America probably developed the earliest | | | | how these early Chihuahua dogs developed into |
| Chihuahua. The carvings are of small plump dogs | | | | the modern Chihuahua. It is felt the Techichi |
| with rounded heads and erect ears that clearly | | | | Chihuahuas were crossed with very small Asiatic |
| look like a Chihuahua. | | | | hairless dogs brought in by migrating Indian tribes. |
| The Techichi is believed to be the ancestor of | | | | Others think European influence from the |
| most Central American breeds. The Aztecs | | | | Manchester Terrier occurred. It was more than |
| further developed the Techichi along with several | | | | 300 years until the dog now known as the |
| distinct types of dogs. Their dogs served as | | | | Chihuahua emerged from these early dogs. |
| sources of food and hair. As sacrificial offerings, | | | | In 1850 small dogs with long hair and short hair, |
| the Aztecs sought to ensure prosperity by | | | | some even without hair were found near the |
| appeasing their gods with ceremonial blood | | | | Mexican border state of Chihuahua. The long and |
| offerings of captive humans. When humans were | | | | short-haired dogs were named Chihuahuas. The |
| not available, they sacrificed dogs usually the red | | | | hairless varieties were called Mexican Hairless. |
| or gray Techichis that lived in the temples of the | | | | Throughout the early 1900s the Chihuahua |
| priests. | | | | remained a rarity. The first Chihuahua was |
| Many early cultures held beliefs that there were | | | | registered by the American Kennel Club in 1904. |
| associations between dogs, illness, and death, | | | | Connie Limon, author of this article, owns Little |
| which are probably why dogs were used as | | | | Guys Dog Clothes Shop. Purchase designer clothes |
| sacrifices. They also believed a little dog placed on | | | | and accessories for your Chihuahua, Mexican |
| an aching joint could make the pain go away. The | | | | Hairless and other toy breeds at: |
| Aztecs took the belief further and sometimes | | | | This article is FREE to publish with resource box. |