Chihuahua looking up.
The Chihuahua’s history is puzzling and there are many theories surrounding the origin of the breed. 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;[1] however, no records of the Techichi are available prior to the 9th century. It is probable that earlier ancestors were present prior to the Mayans as dogs approximating the Chihuahua are found in materials from the Pyramids of Cholula, predating 1530 and in the ruins of Chichen Itza on the Yucatán Peninsula.[1] Some historians believe that the Chihuahua came from the island of Malta in the Mediterranean.[2] 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 1480–1482. The fresco, depicting the Trials of Moses, shows a boy holding a tiny dog with round head, large eyes, big ears, and other characteristics similar to those of the Chihuahua.[3] 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.
Size: 2848px × 4287px
Location: Hamlin NY USA
Photo credit: © Peter Steiner / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: big, biscuit, breed, bulging, chihuahua, chiwawa, club, color, companion, company, dog, eyes, faithful, friend, kennel, lap-dog, mammal, midget, popular, tiny, vertical
