Long Coat Chihuahua

A long coat Chihuahua is a variety of the breed. Irrespective of the coat type, the coat should be silky and fine in texture. Almost any coat color is accepted in this breed: fawn, black and tan, chestnut, white, chocolate, red, and blue. Merle coloration is not accepted by the AKC because it’s linked to genetic disorders, such as blindness and deafness. Chihuahuas may be solid-colored or spotted. The most common coat color in this breed is fawn; silver and blue are rare. Coat coloration is a matter of personal preference. Dogs with rare coats should not be sold at a greater price.

According to the breed standard, a long coat Chihuahua should have a stout compact body, with body length considerably larger than the wither height. The head of the Chihuahua should be apple-shaped, with a pointed moderately short muzzle. The eyes of the Chihuahua are very large, luminous, and dark in color. The ears of this breed are large, pointed, and carried erect. The height of the Chihuahua is not usually specified by the breed standard, so it may vary more than in other breeds. The weight of the Chihuahua should not exceed 6 pounds (2.7 kg.) The minimal accepted weight for the Chihuahua is 2 pounds (1 kg.) Smaller dogs are preferred at the show ring, but pet quality Chihuahuas can be as large as 10 pounds (4.5 kg.)  

Long coat Chihuahua puppies can occur in the same litter with short-coated ones. That’s why it’s impossible to predict the type of the future puppies, if there were both long-coated and short-coated dogs in the bloodline. All Chihuahua puppies are fragile and should be treated very carefully. They have a soft spot on the head called “molera.” The gap between the skull bones is closed by adulthood.

A subdivision into long-coated and short-coated Chihuahua dogs is the only one accepted by the AKC and other registries. There is no subdivision into standard and “toy” varieties of the breed. Breeders who produce very small or “tea cup” puppies cannot be trusted, as they care about their profit, but not about the health of the dogs. A miniature long coat Chihuahua is prone to a number of health disorders.