Tea Cup
Chihuahuas &
the Fontanel
1)
Tea-cup Chihuahuas
2)
The Fontanel/Soft-spot
There really is no such
thing as a tea-cup Chihuahua. The word tea-cup has been used for years as a
selling tactic by people to make their dogs sound more rare, or better then
another person's so they can ask outrageously high prices for them. Some people
have become very good at this, making themselves sound reputable, and their
dogs very desirable. The average Chihuahua breeder regularly gets
small Chihuahuas, so in reality, they are rather common. The Chihuahua standard itself lists 2 to 6lbs as being
the recognized weight for a Chihuahua, so anything in that weight range is
fairly common. A reputable breeder should never charge high prices for these
dogs, just because they are "tea-cup sized." Also, it is almost impossible for a
breeder to even estimate the adult weight of a Chihuahua puppy. Any breeder that
advertises and promotes their dogs as tea-cups is not the right breeder to
purchase a dog from because they have the wrong motives.
There are only two recognized varieties of the Chihuahua,
which are the Long coat and Short coat Chihuahua. There is no such thing as
toy, miniature, or standard Chihuahuas either (toy, miniature and standard are
the sizes of Poodles, not Chihuahuas).
Unfortunately, small Chihuahuas (under 3lbs) are at a greater
risk of having health defects due to their size. Also, small Chihuahuas are at a
much higher risk of hypoglycemia and dental problems. They are also fragile, and
can be hurt much more easily. The small Chihuahua itself might appear healthy as
a pup, but might have problems later on, and possibly a shorter lifespan. When a
dog gets very small, there is a greater chance that the organs might not be
developed or developing properly, so please be aware of any health problems you
might encounter by owning a small Chihuahua, although many small Chihuahuas are
healthy.
The majority of Chihuahuas have a soft spot on top of their head, also called a fontanel or molera. In fact, in the early years, a fontanel was the mark of purity in the breed, and Chihuahuas that did not have a fontanel were not considered purebred. A Chihuahua with a fontanel is not necessarily unhealthy as it is a common breed trait. The presence of a molera or fontanel is nothing to be alarmed about. Generally speaking, the smaller the Chihuahua, and the more domed the head, the larger the molera. More information about the fontanel can be found on the Chihuahua Club of America website.
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