What Is A Chiweenie?

As the owner of 2 Chiweenies I can tell you they are a mix of 2 different dog breeds, the Chihuahua and Dachshund. The Chiweenie is small in stature, big in personality; packed with a Chihuahua’s loyalty and dachshund’s energy.

I’ll bet you can’t say Chiweenie without smiling. The name certainly goes along with their cute little personalities. Being half Chihuahua and half Dachshund they are a small sized hybrid dog that has been gaining in popularity. They tend to be more energetic, loving, and very loyal to their owner. They like to bark on occasion, but don’t always mind being trained (as long as there are treats). There are quite a few things to think about when learning about Chiweenies.

The Chiweenie

Small in stature, but mighty in spirit. The mighty Chiweenie! They also come with some less common names, such as: Mexican Hot Dog, German Taco, WeenieHuahua, Doxihuahua or Choxie Dog. Even though they are a mixed breed not all Chiweenies have pure bred parents. Some can be more weenie or some more chihuahua. With the variations of Dachshunds and Chihuahuas like the Dapple Dachshund, Miniature Dachshund, Pear Head Chihuahua, Long Hair Chihuahua they can be bred with many wonderful variations.

Chiweenie Pictures

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Temperament

Although they are full of energy they do love being a lap dog. They can burst with energy when they want to play and be just as content laying in your lap all day. The best is when they get zoomies from coming inside on their walk.

They can posses a dominate nature that tends to come from the Chihuahua half of the breed. With that you’ll want to keep an eye on them if they’re going to be around younger children.

History

Chiweenies really became popular in the 90’s as more of a crossbreed designer dog. They had also hoped to reduce some of the common doxies back problems being that they would have a longer body.

Size and Look

Chiweenies are a small breed with short legs, a longer torso, and little paws. They can have either a domed head like a Chihuahua or a Dachshund-like pointed snout. Depending on how the genes were passed on to them from their parents. Chiweenie fur can also differ in color or length.

Health

They’re generally a healthy mixed breed dog. However there are a few things to be mindful of.

• With larger ears they can be more susceptible to ear infections.
• Keep up with their teeth care. The longer snouts can allow food to get trapped in the back of their mouths.
• If bred with a longer body they could run into some back problems. It can be hard on their spine too if they’re jumping off furniture.
• Joint problems in the knees can be problematic as they get older.

Training

Be sure to train them as puppies. Chiweenies are smart and stubborn which can make for a slightly challenging combination when they’re older. But even the older dogs can be trained with enough patience and small treats. They’ll learn your rules just fine.

Note: Don’t give them too many treats. Chiweenies with a sedentary life style can be susceptible to weight gain.

House training them can be pretty easy to do too. They’ll catch on quickly again with patience and small treats.

Caring For Your Chiweenie

The good things is Chiweenies are mostly easy to take care of. Chihuahua’s and dachshunds have two common coat types, short hair or long hair. Both of these types are prone to shedding.

If they have the short coat they are easy to groom, and can be brushed once a week to keep them from shedding as much. Long coat Chiweenies should be brushed every other day to keep the shedding down and keep them from getting matted or tangled up.

Since they are small bath time can be as easy as putting them in the sink or shower, ideally using a natural shampoo to not irritate their skin. It is suggested to bathe them once every 10 weeks or so. If you raise them as puppies around water they’ll usually grow fond of it and won’t have much issue with bath time.

Because they have a small longer mouth build up can form more in the back of the mouth. So you’ll want to clean their teeth once a week with some good tasting doggy toothpaste, and be sure to clean their eyes and ears too. The large standing ears can capture more dirt and debris.

Chiweenie Food

Proper diet and nutrition is the best way to keep your Chiweenie healthy, but just be sure to not overfeed them because they can tend to get fat if left with a full food bowl. If you notice any weight gain, then be sure to increase their activity or switch to a weight management food type.

Your Chiweenie will eat anywhere between 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food a day, this really depends on his size and amount of exercise. A high-quality dry dog-food is best for your Chiweenie and his compact mouth.

Quick Chiweenie Facts

• Part Chihuahua and Part Dachshund
• A Small Mixed Breed Dog | 6 lbs – 15 lbs. | 6″ – 12″ in Height
• Live For About 15 Years
• Great For Small Homes or Apartments
• Loving and Loyal
• Energetic and Playful
• Good General Health
• Control Their Weight Gain
• They Can Shed Quite A Bit
• Very Smart; Can Be Stubborn
• Can Be Yappy and Bark
• Tendency For A Strong Hunting Drive

Finding a Chiweenie For Sale

The Chihuahua Dachshund mix is becoming quite popular, so a good breeder shouldn’t be too difficult to find. The best place to start of course would be online. You can checkout www.PetFinder.com as a great resource. Do your due diligence beforehand to make sure you get a good, healthy puppy.

As cross toy breed dogs become more popular the chances of them finding their way into a rescue is becoming more likely too, so always be sure to visit or contact your local shelter.

Conclusion

In all, our family loves our 2 Chihuahua Dachshund mixed doggies. Certainly the best of both breeds the Chiweenie is likely to suit a younger family, as they are small in size and great for small home living. They also hold that Dachshund energy and Chihuahua protectiveness to make great little watch dogs. If you do choose to get yourself a Chiweenie you are surely getting one of mans best friends.