History
The Chihuahua’s history is puzzling and there are many theories surrounding the origin of the breed. Chihuahuas were used in sacred rituals as they were considered holy in pre-Columbian Indian nations. They were also popular pets among the upper class. The breed draws its name from the Mexican State of Chihuahua, where the first of the breed were discovered.
Some historians believe that the Chihuahua came from the island of Malta in the Mediterranean, More evidence for this theory lies in European paintings of small dogs that resemble the Chihuahua. One of the most famous paintings is a fresco in the Sistine Chapel by Sandro Botticelli dated 1482. The painting, Scenes from the Life of Moses, shows a woman holding two tiny dogs with round heads, large eyes, big ears, and other characteristics similar to the Chihuahua. The painting was finished ten years before Columbus returned from the New World. It would have been impossible for Botticelli to have seen a Mexican dog, yet he depicted an animal strikingly similar to a Chihuahua.
Another theory suggests that the Chihuahua was brought to Mexico from China over 200 years ago. Supporters of this theory believe the Chinese were recognized for dwarfing plants and animals, and when rich Chinese merchants moved to Mexico, they brought Chihuahuas with them. The Aztecs had a little dog named the Techichi; however, analysis of the Chihuahua’s mitochondrial DNA suggests that it is of Old World origin such as from a European toy dog. The mitochondrial DNA analysis only looks at what is inherited from the mother; therefore the fathers of the Chihuahua could have been the Techichi.
Both folklore and archeological finds show that the breed originated in Mexico. The most common theory and most likely is that Chihuahuas are descended from the Techichi, a companion dog favored by the Toltec civilization in Mexico.
Historical records indicate that the Techichi hunted in packs. They can only be traced as far back as the ninth century but it is highly likely that this is the Chihuahua's native Mexican ancestor. Evidence of this is that the remains of dogs closely resembling, but slightly larger than the average Chihuahua have been found in such places as the Great Pyramid of Cholula, which dates back to the 2nd century BC and predates the 16th century. There is also evidence to suggest that the Techichi may predate the Mayans.
The Toltecs were conquered by the Aztecs, who believed that the Techichi held mystical powers. In terms of size, the present day Chihuahua is much smaller than its ancestors, a change thought to be due to the introduction of miniaturized Chinese dogs, such as the Chinese crested dog, into South America by the Spanish.
A progenitor of the breed was reputedly found in 1850 in old ruins near Casas Grandes in the Mexican state of Chihuahua from which the breed gets its name. The state borders on Texas, Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, where Chihuahuas first rose to prominence and were further developed. Since that time, the Chihuahua has remained consistently popular as a breed, particularly in America when the breed was first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1904. Genetic tests place the Chihuahua with other modern breeds originating in the 1800s.