 Legend
and history are rich in tales of the ancestors of
the present Chihuahua. He is described as a popular
pet, as well as a religious necessity. The Techichi,
companion of the ancient Toltecs, is believed to
be the progenitor of the Chihuahua.
No records of the Techichi are, so far, available
prior to the 9th century, but it is probable his
ancestors were present prior to the Mayans. Dogs
approximating the Chihuahua are found in materials
from the Pyramids of Cholula, predating 1530 and
in the ruins of Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula.
There is little question the Chihuahua's principle
home was present-day Mexico but the breeds immigration
to Europe may be the result of the travels of Christopher
Columbus. A historical letter written by Columbus
to the King of Spain makes reference to the tiny
dog.
The Chihuahua as we know it today is a much more
diminutive dog than its predecessor. It is theorized
that the Chinese Crested, brought from Asia to
Alaska across the Bering Strait, was responsible
for the reduction in size. Modern Chihuahuas are
also found in a myriad of colors. The Chihuahua
is an older breed by American Kennel Club standards,
first registered in 1904.
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