# Chihuahua or not a chihuahua? That is the question!



## Lokikinz (Jun 24, 2015)

Ok so I am going to get straight to the point. Here it goes:

Does Loki look like a chihuahua or not? Personally I think he looks full chihuahua, although he may be a bit big for his age...

BUT 9 times out of 10 whenever we take him out in public someone asks us what kind of dog he is as if it's not obvious and apparent that he is at least mostly chihuahua. It gets us thinking, are these people dumb and blind or am I the dumb blind one in thinking that he looks exactly like a chihuahua? He is half Shih Tzu but in my opinion carries absolutely zero physical qualities of a Shih Tzu.

I figured since most members here are chihuahua experts that I could get some opinions!


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## Gingersmom (Mar 12, 2009)

You can see it in his face too. His stop isn't L shaped it slopes, his nose a bit long, paws and ears bit big...but all in all a pretty furbaby...if you're happy, that's what counts!


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## Lokikinz (Jun 24, 2015)

Thank you! We love him. I am just not a chihuahua expert and it was his chihuahua qualities that attracted me to him when I picked him out. It just baffles me when people look at him and don't automatically think Chihuahua lol


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## Cait93x (Feb 3, 2015)

Aww he's a real cutie!! He looks to me a chihuahua but more of the deer headed type  but none the less he's a cutie and if he makes you happy don't worry about other people!! I'm getting my long haired chi in 2 weeks time and I've been showing off photos of her and people ask what she is because they've never seen a long haired before lol.


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## jan896 (Dec 9, 2009)

I wasnt' sure on my Peso... was sold to me as Full Chi but he is bigger... 10lbs... so I had a DNA test run on him.... he is a full chi...... if you want to know what Loki is the have the DNA test run on him....... either way, Love him...he is a cutie!!


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## Lokikinz (Jun 24, 2015)

jan896 said:


> I wasnt' sure on my Peso... was sold to me as Full Chi but he is bigger... 10lbs... so I had a DNA test run on him.... he is a full chi...... if you want to know what Loki is the have the DNA test run on him....... either way, Love him...he is a cutie!!


Well I know for a fact that his father was a chihuahua and mother was a shih tzu... now whether they were mixed with other breeds I have no idea lol maybe I will consider a DNA test. How would I go about getting one and about how much would it cost?


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## Chiluv04 (Dec 19, 2013)

Loki is adorable! I love love love his ears. I am having a hard time see chi as the dominant trait. But I can see how there would be some chi in there. I would recommend the DNA test as Jan suggested. It's nice to at least know. Never the less, he is beautiful and well loved. And that is most important.


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## Lokikinz (Jun 24, 2015)

Chiluv04 said:


> I am having a hard time see chi as the dominant trait. But I can see how there would be some chi in there.


See that is interesting and exactly why I wanted to make this post. It must just be me! Lol


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## Chiluv04 (Dec 19, 2013)

Lokikinz said:


> See that is interesting and exactly why I wanted to make this post. It must just be me! Lol



No worries my dear. We all see things differently. I have 4 chi's, 3 of them are long coats. 1 is a smooth coat deer head boy. He is not bred to standard, the little thing has ears that flop backwards, he has blue eyes, he's 7.4 lbs, and his lip gets stuck to his tooth 😆😂all things traits and qualities that I love about him and wouldn't change if I could. Here's the AKC standard for chi's both deer and apple 

http://www.trueshotchihuahuas.com/appleheadvsdeertype.html


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## Lokikinz (Jun 24, 2015)

Chiluv04 said:


> No worries my dear. We all see things differently. I have 4 chi's, 3 of them are long costs. 1 is a smooth coat deer head boy. He is not bred to standard, the little thing has ears that flop backwards, he has blue eyes, he's 7.4 lbs, and his lip gets stuck to his tooth 😆😂all things traits and qualities that I love about him and wouldn't change if I could. Here's the AKC standard for chi's both deer and apple
> 
> appleheadvsdeertype - True Shot Chihuahuas


Thank you for sending that! He definitely matches the physical qualities of the deer head chi to a tee! Long muzzle, sloped stop, long-ish legs and he definitely is already the size of an apple head chi which means he might become as big and heavy as a shih!


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## Chiluv04 (Dec 19, 2013)

Lokikinz said:


> Thank you for sending that! He definitely matches the physical qualities of the deer head chi to a tee! Long muzzle, sloped stop, long-ish legs and he definitely is already the size of an apple head chi which means he might become as big and heavy as a shih!



I'm glad this guide could help you. How old is he again? Sorry if you have already told us and it slipped my mind. Either way, I can still see how there'd be some chi in there. I don't know a ton about other breeds lol only chi's. But I am looking for to watching him grow into a little man.


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## Dorothy's Mom (Apr 8, 2015)

I think he looks like a Chi. My Dorothy is also a deer head chi and I find that some people ask. I think most people recognize appleheads much more readily than they do deer heads.


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## Chiluv04 (Dec 19, 2013)

Cait93x said:


> Aww he's a real cutie!! He looks to me a chihuahua but more of the deer headed type  but none the less he's a cutie and if he makes you happy don't worry about other people!! I'm getting my long haired chi in 2 weeks time and I've been showing off photos of her and people ask what she is because they've never seen a long haired before lol.



Get ready! Lol, I get loads of people asking what breed my long coat girls are. Especially my black and white girls. Most people guess papillon. But we do get quite a lot that guess chihuahua as well.


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## coco_little_bear (May 30, 2012)

I can see some chi in there, but he does look mixed to me. I can't see the shih tzu part though, I would have never guessed that!! Either way he's really cute!!  To be honest people on the street constantly ask what breed mine are even if they're full chi. lol I think a lot of people have no idea about breeds... For example I've had people ask me if my black and tan chi was a rotweiler puppy. lol


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## Lokikinz (Jun 24, 2015)

coco_little_bear said:


> lol I think a lot of people have no idea about breeds... For example I've had people ask me if my black and tan chi was a rotweiler puppy. lol


Lol that is funny because of the coloring. I think most people think all chihuahuas are tan and short haired and when they see otherwise they get confused.


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## Chiluv04 (Dec 19, 2013)

So true Camille! People ask me if Bailey is a Min Pin!


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## coco_little_bear (May 30, 2012)

Lokikinz said:


> Lol that is funny because of the coloring. I think most people think all chihuahuas are tan and short haired and when they see otherwise they get confused.


Yeah definitely, most people know that my short coat tan chi is a chi. The only question I sometimes get with her is if she's mixed. 



Chiluv04 said:


> So true Camille! People ask me if Bailey is a Min Pin!


Oh yeah, I get that one too with Rocky. lol


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## Cait93x (Feb 3, 2015)

Chiluv04 said:


> Get ready! Lol, I get loads of people asking what breed my long coat girls are. Especially my black and white girls. Most people guess papillon. But we do get quite a lot that guess chihuahua as well.


I might just attach a sign to her collar or harness "THIS IS A CHIHUAHUA" Lol!
I don't think I've ever seen a papillion in person over here! But Ava and Brax are much better looking than a papillion ! They two cuties are top of my list of dogs to steal ha!


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## Corona Pup (Jan 27, 2015)

My little Corona, I believe, is a dear head chi. But she is a rescue so unless I choose to do a DNA I have no real way of knowing. She is just shy of 4 pounds, as I said deer head, and green eyes. I either get....awe look at your little chihuahua (or some variation of that statement) or a completely oblivious "what kind of dog is she?" Whatever she is, she is the dog I fell in love with at the shelter and the little girl I continue to love even more and more each and every day!!!


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## Darkly_Innocent (Jun 9, 2010)

I see mostly Chihuahua but I can also see a bit of a mix in there too. I don't see the Shih Tzu part at all though. That could be that the Chi part is so dominant though.



Corona Pup said:


> My little Corona, I believe, is a dear head chi. But she is a rescue so unless I choose to do a DNA I have no real way of knowing. She is just shy of 4 pounds, as I said deer head, and green eyes. I either get....awe look at your little chihuahua (or some variation of that statement) or a completely oblivious "what kind of dog is she?" Whatever she is, she is the dog I fell in love with at the shelter and the little girl I continue to love even more and more each and every day!!!


That's the same situation I have with Jackson he was a rescue from Craigslist from a family who says they rescued him from an abusive home. He is bow legged and has a kink in his tail from where it was obviously previously broken and healed back up with the kink because it wasn't set back right to heal correctly. I love him more and more everyday though and wouldn't change anything about him and that's what matters most!


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## mom2marley (Feb 15, 2015)

I have a full Chihuahua and a full shih Tzu. The only shih Tzu I see in him are his legs. They are shaped like a shih Tzu and they are heavier boned like a shih Tzu as opposed to a Chihuahua. 

I also have one that I have no idea what she is. Chihuahua, toy rat terrier, toy fox terrier?? Who knows. She is the one named Kendra in my signature. The one that is mostly white.

Also, shih Tzu and Chihuahuas are complete opposites when it comes to temperament/personality. Wondering which your boy favors.


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## joeandruth (Aug 11, 2012)

Lokikinz said:


> Well I know for a fact that his father was a chihuahua and mother was a shih tzu... now whether they were mixed with other breeds I have no idea lol maybe I will consider a DNA test. How would I go about getting one and about how much would it cost?


.....

There is a website called wisdompanel.com. For $75, they send you the DNA swabs plus instructions. You swab the cheek, send back the swabs in a special envelope and get the analysis by email a couple of weeks later.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

Just going on his phenotype (physical characteristics) I would not think Loki is half Chi half Shih tzu. Did you see him with his mother? That way you can be sure of at least half of his genetics.
Chi x Shih Tzu pups will have extremely short muzzles, shorter than a pure bred Chi. So just the long sloping muzzle would make me think either he is not the mix you have been told, or that one of his parents was actually mixed and he takes after that ancestor.
I would get the DNA test done, mostly just because it is really interesting


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## Lokikinz (Jun 24, 2015)

Wicked Pixie said:


> Just going on his phenotype (physical characteristics) I would not think Loki is half Chi half Shih tzu. Did you see him with his mother? That way you can be sure of at least half of his genetics.
> Chi x Shih Tzu pups will have extremely short muzzles, shorter than a pure bred Chi. So just the long sloping muzzle would make me think either he is not the mix you have been told, or that one of his parents was actually mixed and he takes after that ancestor.
> I would get the DNA test done, mostly just because it is really interesting


No I only saw a picture of his father and he is the spitting image of him except for the black on his muzzle. I did not see his Mother but what reason would the woman who gave him to me have to lie to me? It's not like I cared what his mix was, I was getting him because he was cute... I wish I still had her phone number so I could ask her to send me pics of the mother but I don't. When I have the money I will do the dna test and find out for sure... maybe his mother was a shihtzu mixed with something else.

Thanks for your input :coolwink:


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

She may not have deliberately lied, she may have been misinformed as to the exact breed of the dog she bought. It happens, Chi x Shih Tzu equals designer dog equals a higher price tag and puppies that are easier to sell.
When I worked in rescue we would always try and guess a mix for the dogs, as people are much more likely to choose a Lab mix or Terrier mix than a total mongrel.


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## Jayda (Jun 15, 2012)

I see chihuahua but probably not full chihuahua. The legs do look a bit thicker. Who cares though, adorable little companion! I hope you have many happy years together!


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## Jayda (Jun 15, 2012)

April0684 said:


> I see mostly Chihuahua but I can also see a bit of a mix in there too. I don't see the Shih Tzu part at all though. That could be that the Chi part is so dominant though.
> 
> 
> 
> That's the same situation I have with Jackson he was a rescue from Craigslist from a family who says they rescued him from an abusive home. He is bow legged and has a kink in his tail from where it was obviously previously broken and healed back up with the kink because it wasn't set back right to heal correctly. I love him more and more everyday though and wouldn't change anything about him and that's what matters most!



Thank you for loving Jackson!


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## CuddlesMom (Feb 22, 2014)

Looks Chi to me! Maybe not full, but there's definitely a lot of Chi in her! DNA tests are usually $65-70. You can buy them online .


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## mom2marley (Feb 15, 2015)

As someone who does have a pure shih Tzu, I have to say I do see shih Tzu in the legs, feet, and chest. Actually this dog is built just like my shih Tzu through the legs and chest. Everything else looks chi to me.

I believe there is shih Tzu in there. And chi. Just be glad he didn't get the shih Tzu hair!!


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