How to Choose the Perfect Puppy

Should I choose a male or female puppy? What about long coat or smooth coat? What about colors?
We get asked these questions periodically and the short answer is, it depends on what you are looking for. I encourage you to choose a puppy based on the best temperament for your lifestyle rather than gender, color, coat type or size. If you make the decision based on any of the other qualities, you risk missing out on a perfect pet.

Male or female?
Some people think they would prefer a female because of the issue of males marking their territory/lifting their leg. This is normally a behavior that intact (un-neutered) sexually mature males have. If male puppies are neutered before reaching maturity, usually by 5-6 months of age, they will most likely never learn to lift a leg and they will be the same as a female in this regard. You might be surprised to learn that females can mark territory just as much as a male.

What about personality differences in male vs female? Some people feel that males have a more consistent/steady/even keel/the same every day type personality while females tend to fluctuate more often in their moods. We have noticed this over our 2 decades of raising Chihuahuas, but I still think it depends on the individual puppy.

Every puppy is unique with his/her own temperament whether male or female. Since the issue of marking territory is really a non-issue, as long as he is neutered on time, I recommend having an open mind to get matched with the perfect puppy for your unique situation.

Long or smooth coat?
Chihuahuas are considered by many to be a “wash n go” breed. They are pretty low maintenance when it comes to grooming. Both need regular nail trims and occasional baths and brushing. Both shed equally in our opinion though the longer hair on a long coat might have the appearance of shedding more hair.

Long coats might have slightly more maintenance to keep them looking their best. Their coats look nice with regular brushing and to avoid having the “elf feet” look, we recommend trimming their feet hair as needed when it reaches beyond their toes. Some people like to give their long coats a sanitary trim to reduce dingle berries from latching onto their coat after poos. We haven’t done this ourselves, as it usually isn’t an issue unless they have loose stools. We recommend keeping an open mind and selecting your puppy based on temperament.

Size & Color
We breed to the Chihuahua Standard which calls for a small, compact dog not to exceed 6 pounds. Our average size grows up to be 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 pounds (sometimes smaller and sometimes bigger) which is small enough to be toted around in a cute bag and to travel comfortably. We do not attempt to produce tiny puppies, as we prefer our puppies to be healthy and hearty.

We do not breed for certain colors. While we enjoy having a variety of colors and patterns, health, temperament and conformation are our priorities. We discourage you from choosing a puppy based on size or color. We recommend choosing a puppy based on temperament.

In my opinion, the best puppy for you is one that will fit in with your unique lifestyle, family and activity level, other pets and/or children, and overall situation. We do our best to look for one that meets those needs. Gender, color, design and coat length don’t affect how the puppy will do in your home. Temperament however will make a big difference, and we feel the best puppy for you is the one whose temperament/personality fits in with your needs. That being said, if those other qualities are very important to you, I always say that the perfect puppy is worth waiting for. You are welcome to wait, but those most flexible will most likely receive a puppy soonest.

 

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