In This Chapter Shopping for a Chihuahua breeder Checking out pet shops and classified ads Selecting a mature dog Exploring the meaning of pedigree Whew! You’ve made the really big decisions (if you haven’t, head back to Chapters 1–3). You’re sure you want a dog, and you think a Chihuahua is the breed for you….

In This Chapter Examining Chihuahua traits and trademarks Exploring a Chihuahua’s relationship with other people and dogs Comparing dogs with different coat lengths Focusing on male and female personalities Dealing with problem personalities What makes the world’s smallest dog one of our nation’s most popular pets? The Chihuahua’s perky personality, of course. Yes, this unique…

In This Chapter Picturing the perfect Chihuahua Examining heads, tails, and other body parts Keeping perspective — nobody’s perfect! Plenty of little dogs have compact bodies and expressive eyes (like the Toy breeds; see Chapter Perusing the Particulars of Chihuahua Charm), so what makes a Chihuahua unmistakably a Chihuahua? Details. A whole bunch of details combine…

In This Chapter Examining your motives for acquiring a Chihuahua Caring for a Chihuahua Focusing on the Toy breed Making a match with a Chihuahua Can money ever buy you love? Sure. Just use it to buy a Chihuahua. Your Chihuahua won’t waffle about making a permanent commitment to you. In fact, expect your Chi…