How do you know a Chihuahua is Purebred?

Q: How can you tell a Chihuahua is purebred?
What features do you look for when trying to buy a purebred Chihuahua? Also, I can't decide whether I want a male or female dog. What are the pros and cons associated with males and females?

Photo Credit: crispee/Flickr CC

Answers and Views:

Answer by Mutt Mommy
If he is AKC registered then he is a purebred. If he is not registered, he is considered a mutt no matter what.

Answer by Dallas
For any breed of dog unless the puppies are papered under like a CKC registry (in Canada that's what its called) and if you're not buying from a reputable breeder there isn't an abundance of things to look for as far as characteristics go to figure out of the dog is purebred or not, other than spending an outrageous amount of money on DNA testing. My suggestion, deal with a reputable a breeder or make sure the pups are registered with a reputable agency.

Female dogs can be higher maintenance if not fixed as their heats run about 2wice a year – If you plan o have her spayed, which is always highly recommended unless you wanted to begin a breeding program, than females are great dogs and dependant on the breed can also have breed typical personality tendencies, and I don't know much about the Chiuaua so bare with me, as I am being rather general to canines as a whole. As for males, not fixed, they can pee everywhere, mark territory etc but tend to be of the calmer of the sexes, less stressed, easier to maintain I've found – as for fixed, the same thing – I find males tend to be a little more laid back. I truly believe that females tend to go through a CANINE PMS stage….hahaha But both are fantastic

Have fun and happy puppy shopping~ : 0)

Answer by Bec
There is nothing wrong with a mutt Chihuahua, I have one and she is the prettiest, smartest, loyal and loving dog I have ever met. She shits all over most purebreds. I've seen both of her parents and they are lovely too. Calling a dog a mutt because it is not registered is prejudice!

Answer by shannon in reply to Bec
Exactly. I have a chihuahua w out papers and she is amazing. No idea if she is purebred or not and I don't care, she was a rescue dog that's all that matters to me :P I also think mutt is a terrible word. Mixed sounds much better.

Answer by Jessica
Well, truly I love the teacup short hair breed A LOT better than the other breeds because they are short little companions and don’t shed as much as the other breeds they also sit on your lap and love on ya more which is a loving characteristic about them. And the gender part is all on you there is not much difference between the two genders. I myself as a girl prefer boyz for some reason. But there is no problem with girls.
Jessica Lennox, SD

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