Looking for the perfect lap dog? Maybe a cute Chiweenie is perfect for you. Chiweenies are low maintenance, lovable and cheerful. Sounds like the ultimate tiny dog.
Chihuahua and Dachshund Mix
What are Chiweenies?
Chiweenies are a relatively new dog breed, developed in the late 1990s in order to minimize the back problems Dachshunds are usually prone to. Therefore, Chiweenies are a cross between a purebred Chihuahua and a Dachshund. Because of their size and comical parentage, they have many hilarious nicknames, including “Mexican Hotdog” and ”German Taco”.
What do they look like?
As you can probably guess, like their Dachshund ancestors, Chiweenies have a long body and short, stocky legs, but the length of the body is a bit shorter thanks to the Chihuahua genes. From Chihuahuas, they also get large eyes and ears, and a shorter snout than a Dachshund.
As it is not truly a pure breed, Chiweenies can differ very much in size and face. They are a generally varied half-breed, but it is these two characteristics that most often set them apart. The head of a Chiweenie depends on dominating genomes. For example, it can be either pointed and long, just like a Dachshund’s or slightly shorter like a Chihuahua’s. The ears are a fascinating trait of every Chiweenie! They can be large and upright, or long and held to the side of the face.
Since they have a smooth short coat, Chiweenie dogs are a perfect choice for people prone to allergies. On the other hand, those who love furry dogs will be pleased to hear that long-haired Chiweenies aren’t that uncommon because both Chihuahuas and Dachshunds can have long and silky fur. The choice of color, as usual, depends on the parents. A Chiweenie’s fur can be any color, ranging from sandy blonde to Dachshund black and brown.
Chiweenie dogs are a perfect choice for people prone to allergies. Click To Tweet
What about grooming necessities?
Because their coat is most often short and sleek, Chiweenies can be maintained with the most basic pet grooming supplies. It just takes a simple weekly brushing to collect loose hair, though since their coat is dense, transitional periods will mean a lot of shedding all around the house. Patting them down during their daily walk should be enough to get rid of most loose hair. They should take baths as rarely as once a month, as they do not have an unpleasant odor, and too many baths will make their furless dense. Since Chiweenies, like Chihuahuas, are prone to serious dental deterioration, you need to brush their teeth regularly in order to prevent such problems.
See Also: 101DogBreeds.com / Chiweenies
Possible health problems
Although Chiweenies are commonly healthy dogs, they have inherited some of their parents’ health issues, including allergies to dust and pollen, diabetes, hypoglycemia, dental problems, and degenerative disc diseases, which may affect their legs and neck. Like a Chihuahua, a Chiweenie also has an unnaturally small stomach, which can be the cause of numerous health problems. On the other hand, you cannot safely conclude that some of these health issues will affect your Chiweenie as well. You just need to be aware that such risks always exist and organize regular trips to the vet.
Behavior
If you are looking for a loving and lively lap dog, a Chiweenie is definitely a good choice for you. What you cannot expect of them, however, is a friendly stance toward other people, and children in particular. Aggression is a common trait of small dogs, and Chiweenies are no exception. They are not dangerous in the least bit and are quite intelligent, so whatever their issue is, it can be taken care of.
Related:
6 Short-Legged Dogs and Their History
Chiweenies are definitive lap dogs – they spend the larger part of the day dozing away next to their owners. They have a need to curl up with owners at night, too, which is very handy once the winter chills come. This is untrue for young Chiweenies – they enjoy an excessively loud, active, and excited puppyhood when they need a lot of attention and even more playtime with the owners.
The Chiweenie dog is an ideal pet for a single person or a small family or a family with older children. Click To TweetChiweenies are blessed with a loud, high-pitched bark, though it is easy to train them to be less yappy when they are puppies, as they are naturally bright dogs. As adults, they are a bit more self-conscious and arrogant, and tedious to train, but again, it is not impossible.
Both Chihuahuas and Dachshunds are born diggers, and you can bet that your little Chiweenie will attempt to dig up all the furniture you own. Their paws are a bit more delicate than those of either of their parent breeds, so this is not a cause for alarm.
Now that you are familiar with the general traits of this adorable breed, you can determine whether it is right for you or not. According to professionals, the Chiweenie dog is an ideal pet for a single person or a small family, as well as a family with older children. They are suited for both apartments and houses, don’t need a lot of space or long walks, and are easy to feed. All a Chiweenie needs is good training as a puppy, and a human to snuggle up with every day and night. They rarely snore. 😉
Featured Image Photo Credit: Laura Smith, Flickr: Chuck & Toby
Guest Writer: Kate Flannery is an Aussie expat living in Serbia. She is a linguistics student and lifestyle blogger, and she spends her days at the marina with her two dogs, Butters and Belize. You can find her writing on HighStyleLife.
A QUESTION FOR YOU:
Do you have a dog? Is it purebred? Crossbred? Mutt?
***Leave a comment below and remember to share. ***
- 4 Tips for Maintaining Healthy Weight for Your Cat - December 20, 2019
- 8 Amazing Benefits of CBD for Dogs and Other Pets - December 12, 2019
- Kibble or Canned Pet Food? What Should Your Pet Be Eating? - December 9, 2019
I have a chiweenie and he is fat and a face of Dachshund . I have other breeds of dogs total of 9 and 4 cats and you are so right the chiweenie is playful fast and love to sleep under you. Thank you for the article
Hi Jeanne, this is a wonderful blog for our Chiweenie fur babies. We recently lost our Chihuahua Gigi to liver issues. After a while we started looking on adoption sites. On a Site named home for good dog rescue we fell in love with a 12 week old Chiweenie female named Marcela. We adopted her and kept her name, but we call her Marci for short. She is a beautiful pup. She has coloring that looks like a Dalmatian, with black and white, with a little golden brown mixed in. She is a ball of energy. She wants to play all day. Fetch the little squeaky ball, tug of war etc. when she gets tired she loves to curl up on our laps. It’s just my wife and I. I am retired, my wife works, so Marci is with me while my wife is working. She loves us equally, and sleeps with us at night. My wife was very distraught over the loss of our Gigi, but Marci was just the remedy for both of us
I have a Merle chiweenie and wanted to know if the dog is overweight. Pixie is 20 pounds. I have taken her to several vets and they can’t seem to agree on the weight. Do you have any thoughts? She is a rescue also and was used for breeding and when she got spaded she picked up a few pounds. Love your article.
Hi. I have a Chiweenie that at top weight was 24lbs. Due to a low calorie high fiber kibble and fresh vegie treats he is down to 20 lbs. He has about 2 or 3 lbs more to go per his Vet. There are charts you can find that describe how a healthy weight dog will feel by touch, especially around it’s ribs. You can Google to locate those.
Chiweenie’s can range from tiny 6 pounders, like my pups litter mates, to larger size Dachshunds. Just depends on dominant parent genes.
I love your pup’s name Pixie! 😁
I Just adopted a Chiweenie ( Leelo } after losing my tiny 13 year old Chihuahua. She was the light of my life .
Leelo is now 11 weeks old and quite the challenge when it comes to training. She is very bad about biting during play and can become very aggressive. I have researched different training methods and have seen some improvement but she is very stubborn. I have an older male Chi and she terrorizes him. Do you think she will get better with age?I love her and she is very sweet when she is calm . HELP!!!
Consistency in reward and punishment is very important with them. Also, showing them you are the alpha not them otherwise she will keep having an attitude.
I feel you. We had the same situation we lost our baby GG due to liver issues at nine years old. We adopted a Chiweenie Marci, A few months later. She is totally adorable. She is spotted like a Dalmatian black and white and some golden brown. She loves to cuddle when she’s at rest, but why she’s not at rest boy can she be active. We have no other animals, but she runs and jumps and sometimes can be aggressive with her mouthing as she has sharp little teeth. She is nonstop I’m not resting. She loves to play fetch and Tug-of-war endlessly. She doesn’t have the short legs of a Dachshund, but long powerful legs, which allows her to leap far distances. All that being said we love her to death and wouldn’t trade her for the world
I rescued a sweet , skittish chiweenie( had never heard of the mixed breed) 1 week before Covid 19 shutdown.she loves to bark, Lick & jump on me- had to get used to all. Super affectionate with me( just her & I~ Goldie) very skeptical of everyone else. Going try training class to socialize her to others . Been a challenge but we love each other! Thanks for article – now I know what’s typical of breed
I got my Chiweenie from animal shelter He was only 9 weeks old.Owner give Him up fo adoption. I never had dog before we got 5 cats and He love them all.They play together and sleep together.
My husband don’t wanted dog but fall in love with Him and good things was I can bring Pedro to hospital and nursing home and He love ppl and they love Him back.He never barked there.Amazingly intelligent.Whem my husband was sick Pedro stay in bed with Him.When He died at home Pedro was very saddened.Digging in empty bed looking for him.
This is very good garding dog,lap dog,and I never have to train Hom from day I bring him to our house He use cats door get in and out to fenced backyard.Tanning himself on patio and came in cool off .
Just best smart small dog.
We just got our baby, Ozzy Pawsbourne. He is such a hoot to have around. He makes us laugh daily. Thanks for the blog
I am fostering a dog that looks almost exactly like the photo of the sandy-haired dog in the field which led me to this blog. Thank you for the great article. He’s gotta be a chiweenie. The whole has-to-be-with-you-when-sleeping is very evident. Sadly, he is very aggressive with dogs and certain people and will not let my regular dog walker, an older man, walk him. So he holds it all day until I come home. He was too scared at the shelter he was in and his first foster home had to give him up because he picked a fight with their small dog. So that’s why I have him. He is hilarious and so sweet but I worry about the aggression. This article has helped a lot.
Your dog sounds like a cutie, aside from the aggressiveness. I had a German Shepherd Dog that was extremely aggressive with dogs. I took her to obedience school so she could be around other dogs. It took a long time and eventually became better with them. The aggression was based on fear. Maybe that’s what your dog’s aggression is about. She may relate to the older dog walker with someone she knew. Training may be what you need to look into. All the best, Jeanne
Be patient and train the people who come around your dog. I adopted my Bear when he was 4 from a situation that was uncomfortable for him. He lived with a dominate sibling, and often had rowdy children visit and torment him. He was scared of strangers, children and men.
When I introduced him to others I asked they they ignore him and let him come to them. Also to never approach him with a hand over his head. He would shrink back, was fearful, growled and bared his teeth. A sign of being abused.
My family cooperated and now he enjoys their attention, especially cuddles from my grandchildren who respected his initial boundaries. He has learned to trust them.
We are still working on his reaction to other animals. Again, be patient while your pup learns to trust.
The love of my life is my Chiweenie, Kiki! I took her in from a girl walking in my neighborhood looking for a home for her. She had rescued her from an abusive situation from her brother. I know the common saying is to rescue them, but no joke, this adorable little girl rescued me! Her ‘name’ means New Beginning and she came just as I was starting over for me, so we started over together! So much joy and love out of this little being… <3
I was researching loose skin on Chiweenies when I saw your blog. Mine is also named “Buddy” and is the hit of the neighborhood. People speak to him before they speak to ME ! Anyway, love love love Buddy. My question to you is, “do Chiweenies normally have loose skin on their backs and necks?” He is slim but he’s wearing an XL sweater, Ha !
Ben, I would be one of those people saying hi to Buddy before even looking at you. Haha, it’s just my nature. As for the loose skin, I really can’t say for sure, but I have seen Chiweenies with and without that skin. I’m sure genetics plays a role. Thank you so much for visiting us here at Animal Bliss. I hope you’ll come again. Take care.
I’ve wondered that too. My Bear is full of loose wrinkled skin around his neckline. He has curly neck hair so the wrinkles are hidden, but very obvious to the touch.
Hi, I have a chiweenie named buddy. He is only 1 year old (7 in dog years) and he loves to curl up next to me a lot. Anyways when I was reading this it said that chiweenies shed a lot around the house. I wish I would of known this earlier, the guy at the pet store told me that he wouldn’t shed a lot ,but man that’s a huge lie. He can be a hand full at times ,but I love my fury friend.
Well, I’m glad you love your furry friend despite the shedding. They sure can find their way into our hearts, can’t they?
They sure can, thanks for replying!
Our little female Chiweenie, Muffin, is very smart and yaps far less than our female Rat Terrier, Leesh-Peesh. Muffin was born on the island of Kauai, Hawaii and we got her there when we lived there. We recently moved back to California with all three of our dogs. Muffin loves toys and is a great retriever. Full-size tennis balls are a bit of a challange for her, but she manages. She prefers the smaller, especially squeaky balls. Muffin is very healthy at 3.5 and extremely cute and earnest.
Scott, your little fur family sounds wonderful. I know you enjoy them immensely. They sure are a joy to have around. Thanks for visiting Animal Bliss today, and I hope you’ll come back again. Peace 🙂
Send a picture of you dog
I recently lost my minpin, my heart aches. I have been considering another dog. Does this breed typically do a lot of barking?
I believe chiweenies do their fair share of yapping, Joy. Sorry about your minpin. All the best to you, and thanks for your visit to Animal Bliss.
are they aggresive they killed are little kitten boyfriend is furious
Sorry to hear your kitten was killed by a dog. It happens from time to time, sadly.
Mines too smart for her own good and she snores so loud. She has my mother wrapped round her paw. She just stares at her and what so wants until my mom gives it to her.
Hi April. Your chiweenie sounds delightful. I don’t imagine it’s very difficult to get anyone to do anything for her with those brown eyes of her. Thanks for visiting my blog! I appreciate you.
I have a male dapple dachshund about 4 years old and a AKC (never registred) 8 year black and tan female. She has become very feblble and weak and we will care of her until the end, Sorry for carring on but my sister-in-law has chihuahuas that just had pups and I can have one. So I have a chance for a chiweenie and I will keep you informed along with pictures, can’t wait.
Sorry to hear about your ailing dachshund, Marvin. But I’m happy that you will be able to have a new pup from your sister-in-law. I’m sure you will enjoy it. Keep us informed! Good luck!
I just bought adopted a chiweenie, her name is kelly. she is very sweet, I have a question, she is one yr old. she seems like she is housetrained, she does not poop or pee in my house, but at other peoples house she does,any advice to prevent that
Mark, your little dog may be doing this for any number of reasons. My primary guess is that she feels stressed when entering a strange environment. Or she may be marking her territory. I just did a Google search to look for an article where you could read more about this, and this is what one that I found. “Understanding Urine Marking.” I hope this helps. Congratulations on your chiweenie adoption, and thanks for visiting my blog.
We got so lucky when we found our chiweenie! The family couldn’t handle him in his puppy stage and didn’t expect him to get bigger than a chihuahua. We trained him simple commands but it’s better true how different the temperaments can be. He’s a one person owner and very territorial! I’m the only one who can touch him while he sleeps and you can tell that he just tolerates everyone else. I have to muzzle him if i have company because sometimes he bites new people, so i can say he’s a great gaurd dog lol! I wouldn’t trade him for nothing, He looks like a large Chihuahua with fat stumpy legs and long body! ♡♡♡♡
Your chiweenie sounds like quite a character. What a guard dog. If I were you, though, I’d try to socialize him more around people. You don’t want him to bite someone and get into big trouble. All the best!
This might be wierd and don’t relate to the story but. 🙂 if my dog a wiener dog had puppies with a chiwennie what would I call the puppies?!
I don’t know. A mutt?
My daughter is going to college and wanted a puppy. She acquired a pure white Chiweenie puppy. When she came home for a holiday visit she brought Nina. The day she left home to return to college she asked if Nina could stay with the family due to her schedule. I am a veteran and suffer from severe PTSD. Nina took to me instantly. She has brought so much joy and happiness to me and my family. I can hold her and feel a little peace in my life. She is my little service dog. I truly believe she knew I was in pain.
Oh, I love this story, Ron. I’m so glad you’ve gotten to experience first-hand the therapy dogs can provide us. It’s beautiful that Nina is bringing you joy and happiness. It was meant to be. Happy healing, and thanks so much for stopping by.
In Florida last summer my daughter begged for a puppy. I’ve hadn’t had a dog in over 35 yrs. I was NO ! My husband goes into a pet shop and my daughter picks a tiny puppy with a brown face and black and white spots I said are you kidding she’s ugly. Anyway Milan is now 8 months and the cutest puppy ever. I can’t imagine not having gotten her. There was a couple at the pet shop that day who wanted her. Am I glad we got her
Aww, I’m glad you got her too. She sounds like a sweep puppy and it’s not surprising that you fell in love with her. (Good thing!) Thanks for sharing your story. It’s sweet. 😉
I am 82 and have my daughter & husband living with me. All my life I have disliked Chihuahuas and Dachshunds. Well…last year in Jan. my daughter came home and put in my lap a 5 week Chiweenie…what was she thinking? His name is Chewy. He is beautiful, very smart and has become my baby also literally living with me. I’m trying to learn as much as I can about raising my puppy currently reading “How to Speak Dog.” Thanks for the info you provided.
Congratulations on adopting Chewy! I find that happens a lot, when someone dislikes a certain type of animals, or breed, and then they meet one ….. It works like a charm almost every time. Anyway, I’m happy for you, Gay. Chewy sounds like he’s great company. Peace
I am the proud momma of a three month old chiweenie girl. She is a red dapple with blue eyes and huge floppy ears. 🙂 she is very attached and has serious separation anxiety. She loves to cuddle with me, and play with my six year old son. And also, on the rarely snoring comment…… She puts me to shame on snoring. And that’s saying something. 😉
I’ll bet your little chiweenie is so cute! Red dapple with blue eyes. Oh, and floppy ears too. Can’t beat that. Have fun with her. Take care!
We adopted our chiweenie and she won over this larger dog lover. Shes a lot smaller than most but is sweet as sugar. Im glad we are her forever home.
I’m glad you adopted a chiweenie. They’re so cute. I’m a big-dog-person too. The bigger, the better. But I can’t help falling in love these these teeny dogs whenever I meet one. So sweet. Thanks for stopping by!
I have a chiweenie. He is my baby. He imprinted with me and he will quickly let you know if you are a stranger approaching me, ” to back off this is my momma!” He loves to go anywhere me and my husband go. He travels well and he gets a lot of attention from people. I recommend this dog type to couples who can give them a lot of love .Best dog I ever had.Love your site!
Thanks for your nice comment, Terri. Your chiweenie sounds like a real sweetheart and you’re all so lucky to have each other. They’re adorable little dogs with gigantic hearts. Thanks for visiting my site and I hope you’ll come back soon. Peace
I have a Chug Chihuahua/pug mix and a hairy Chihuahua mix. Not sure with what.
Both excellent dogs. The Chiweenies seem to be taking on by storm in my area. I see them alot. They are so cute.
Little dogs seem to be all the rage these days, I guess. I see a lot of people with them when I’m out and about, like in PetSmart, for example. They’re so adorable. I saw a little mini chihuahua this morning there that tugged at my heart. 🙂 Thank you for checking out my post, Sandy. I appreciate your visit and comment. Come again!
Oh what adorable dogs…I have Chihuahua/MinPin mix…and they are the loves of my life, so active yet so willing to cuddle up on my lap for a little nap! Thanks for all the wonderful info, and have a wonderful day
Hey, Kim, I’ll bet your pups are adorable! Chihuahua and MinPin .. how could they not be adorable? Wow. Sweet. I’m going to go check out your site now. Thanks so much for visiting my blog today, and for your comment too. Take care. 🙂
I know what you mean, Francene. I prefer a big dog too. The German Shepherd is by far my favorite, and I miss my girl, Star. I lost her to bone cancer, sadly. I’ve never known a Greyhound personally, but I imagine they’re pretty docile and gentle. Thank you for stopping by my blog today, and for leaving a comment. Until next time … Peace
These little dogs are so cute, with their big ears! I confess, if I had one, I’d have trouble telling people that I had a “Chiweenie,” though. That word just cracks me up!
I know. It’s a funny word, isn’t it? I’d probably go about it the long way … it a mix between blah, blah, blah. 🙂 Thanks for your visit today, Amy. I always appreciate it. Take care.
They are very cute! And it’s good to know that they are perfect for people with allergies!
They are cute, aren’t they, Salma! They’re a prefect size for a small apartment too! Thank for your comment. 🙂
I have a standard Dachshund and a Treeing Walker Coonhound/Beagle mix. They’re both hams. The coonhound mix has short term memory loss due to past abuse, but is the most loving, friendliest dog I have ever met. He loves everyone. No exceptions.
I just looked up “Treeing Walker Coonhound.” That’s a nice-looking dog. I can imagine it being mixed with a beagle. Sweet! Sorry to hear about his past abuse, but I’m glad you have him now. Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you’ll come back some time. Take care. 🙂
I just couldn’t resist popping over from FB when I saw the cute photo. Love that little one from Theresa Stanton, Flickr. Cute as a button.
Oh, I know. Isn’t that adorable? I love his colors, and don’t forget the eyes. Looks pretty sharp and intelligent too. 🙂 Thanks for swinging by, Kim. I appreciate your visit, and your comment too. Take care.