Chiweenie: Best Compact Companion in 2024?

Breed Overview

Origin	U.S 1990s
Size	10-12 inch 10-20 lbs
Group	Designer
Lifespan	12-16 Years
Coat	Smooth, Wiry or Long Haired
Temperament	Loyal, Playful, Active and Lovable
Exercise Needs	Moderate
Training Difficulty	Easy
Health Issues	Patellar luxation, Eye Problems
Grooming	Moderate
*Price*	$200 – $500

Introduction To Chiweenie

Chiweenie is a mixed breed which was originated in 1990s, Chihuahua and Dachshund as their parental breed. They are very compact, energetic, loyal and playful in nature. They are very active dogs so they love attention from the owner and the family.

They are also known for being very vocal active dogs which means they are very active in barking but it can be minimized by proper training from an early age. They are very good at alerting as they can alert family members by barking aggressively if anything unusual happens.

History and Origin

Chiweenie first originated in 1990s as a result of unintentional breeding between Chihuahua and Dachshund. It is unknow of their origin place but it is said to have firstly seen in North America. They are growing day by day in popularity. Since 1990s, They have been growing in popularity and got the attention of many several people and high profile individuals due to which their price has been high ever since ranging from $200 to $500+ which is a lot for a compact dog.

Chiweenie are not recognized by American Kennel Group but are recognized by several clubs specially formed for designer dogs. A dog named Tuna (@tunameltsmyheart) of The Chiweenie breed is very popular in Instagram with over 2 million followers.

Physical Characteristics

Talking about their physical characteristics, Chiweenie are small dogs with long body and short legs. Their coat can be of any type like long or short, smooth or wiry with any color of black, brown, tan and brindle. They have a medium sized dropped down ears.

Their face structure is mostly cone in shape with pointed small nose. Their face is also small in ratio to their long body structure.

Temperament and Personality

Chiweenie are very playful, loyal, affectionate and active dogs. They ca also be very stubborn if not trained properly specially with their barking habits. They are very active vocal dogs which results in active barking habits which can be irritating at some point.

They are playable breed so they easily get along with children and other pets but it is seen to be better with older children. They can be very aggressive with other pets because of their small size if not socialized in young age.

Exercise Needs

Chiweenie are very active dogs so they require moderate amount of training. Walking, Playing fetch and Running etc 30 – 60 mins a day can keep them physically and mentally happy. They are very prone to getting cold so it is recommended to keep them in moderate temperature. In cold weather, heater or warm sweater can do the job.

Grooming and Care

Grooming a Chiweenie is not so difficult it is very easy as it doesn’t shed much. They require moderate grooming. Regularly brushing and bathing once every few months is recommended to ensure its proper health and cleanliness. Brushing its hair at least once a week with good quality smooth brush can avoid the tangling of its hair and its quality.

Some helpful tips:

In order to ensure its silky and shiny coat it is recommended to use slicker brush.
One must know that they should not over wash their pet’s coat as it can damage and degrade its coat quality.
Bathing once a few months with high quality shampoo is much better for their coat’s and overall health.
Clean their ears, trimming nails, brushing their teeth with high quality toothpaste are some major cleaning activities.

Health

Chiweenie are generally healthy but in exceptional cases they can suffer from eye problems and patellar luxation. Moreover, due to their small stomach which cannot digest all nutrients they get from foods which results in suffering from low blood sugar, Diabetes etc. Environmental diseases like allergies and infection are also to be taken extra care of.

Some helpful tips:

Taking your dog to the veterinarian for regular checkups at least once every 14 weeks is recommended.
Feed them nutritious and protein condense foods like meat, authentic dog foods etc.
Never neglect the hydration of your dog.
Giving them necessary vaccines to fight various bacterias and allergies is necessary.
Socializing and interacting with them by playing is an important activity for their mental health as well as physical health.
Proper sanitation and clean environment is a must for minimal risk of bacterial diseases.
If any sudden sickness you should immediately seek help from respective professionals.

If they are not trained at a very young age they can be very stubborn and active barkers and can also be aggressive to other pets.

Training and Socialization

Chiweenie are very active and intelligent breed so they are very quick learners which makes them easy to train. They can be very aggressive if not trained in young age. Their barking habits can be minimized with proper training and guide. They are very good at learning tricks also.

Some helpful tips for training:

Teach your pet to sit, stay, heel, walk on stairs, jump etc which is essential for its safety.
Teaching your pet what to eat, what not to eat and where to excrete, where not to is essential for cleanliness as well as pets’s safety.
Teaching the pet to recognize family and strangers is an important activity which can be done by playing with it.

Conclusion

Since we know how wonderful breed a Chiweenie is we can say that it is suitable for many families. If someone lives in a small apartment or space The Chiweenie is a perfect companion because of its compact size and playful, loving and loyal personality. They can also do job of a guard dog as they can alert owner if anything unusual incident happens cause of its stubborn barking.