The apple head teacup chihuahua is the smallest dog breed in the world which is one of the reasons why many people get one – they are so cute!
However, before you go ahead and get one of these dogs, you should do as much research as you can so that you are fully prepared.
The biggest thing that you should consider in regard to these dogs is their health issues and some of these issues can be intimidating enough to put potential owners off which is why you should keep reading!
Contents
What Is An Applehead Teacup Chihuahua?
There are two types of chihuahuas, the deer head and the apple head which pertain to the different shapes of head.
The deer head chihuahua has a longer head with a sloped 45-degree angle where the forehead joins with the muzzle.
On the other hand, the apple head chihuahua has a head in the shape of an apple (hence their name) with the angle from their muzzle to the forehead being 90 degrees.
Apple head chihuahuas also tend to have bigger, more expressive eyes than the deer head type and have shorter jawlines.
Apple head chihuahuas are also born with what is called a ‘soft spot’ in their skull, this is the cranial opening that will usually close by the time the puppy reaches three to four months of age.
When a dog is described as being ‘teacup’ it means that they have been bred to be very small, they got the name from the fact that a lot of them can even fit inside a teacup but if they are within the weight limit of fewer than four pounds.
Because of how small teacup chihuahuas are and the size of their heads, they are often born via a cesarean section by a veterinarian.
They also tend to have much smaller litters than other breeds as their tiny womb can only hold so many puppies with three being the maximum.
The average price for a teacup chihuahua can range pretty significantly between $500 and $2,000.
Appearance
Teacup chihuahua will stand at an average of six inches in height and even when they are fully grown, they are considered as a tiny dog breed.
Just like the standard chihuahua, the teacup variation has a very small frame with large eyes and erect ears.
Their coat can either be long or short and can come in a huge range of colors and patterns including black, fawn, gray, chocolate, and more.
Grooming
The grooming requirements for your apple head teacup chihuahua will depend on how long their coat is and what texture it has as some chihuahuas will have silky long hair whilst others will have hair that is more coarse and wavy.
You should aim to groom your dog at least once a week but if they have long hair that is prone to getting matted then you should brush them every day or every second day.
Over time, you will be able to gauge how much your chihuahua will need to be groomed by paying attention to how quickly they get matted or the amount of debris that the hair picks up.
Chihuahuas with a short, smooth coat will be a lot easier to maintain than those with long hair so if you’re not a fan of the idea of frequent grooming sessions then you should aim for a smooth-coated chihuahua.
Temperament
Chihuahuas are one of many dog breeds that are a bit misunderstood.
This is not to say that all of them are angels around other dogs and children but if they are properly socialized, trained, and respected, they should have no problem with being a family dog that is well-behaved and friendly.
A lot of the time, tiny dogs such as the chihuahua and the teacup chihuahua are not treated as if they are dogs and are instead seen as toys or accessories.
This is where things can go wrong though because the chihuahua will turn to aggression in order to defend itself against things that it sees as a threat.
In the hands of the right owner, teacup chihuahuas still have a bit of spunk but are also very intelligent, love people, and all the attention that you can give them.
They are happiest when curled up on their owners’ lap which means that they do not do very well if they are left alone for long periods of time.
Teacup chihuahuas also love to play and despite their very small size, they still require at least 20 minutes of exercise every day in order to stay happy and healthy.
Trainability
Teacup chihuahuas are perfectly capable of being trained like any other dog, as long as you put in the time and effort but the well-rounded, confident dog that you get as a result of it will be very worth it.
One of the most important commands to teach your teacup chihuahua is ‘leave’ which is when you tell them to leave whatever it is they are going after whether it is another dog or a lump of garbage on the pavement.
It is very good to teach them this because even though they are very small, chihuahuas are very brave and will take on things that are much larger than themselves which can end up in them getting seriously hurt, so it’s best to prevent the altercation from happening in the first place.
The ‘leave’ command goes hand in hand with recall as this is when you call your dog, and they come back to you straight away.
For a successful recall, make sure that what they are coming back to is worth it.
This could be a reward of a very tasty small treat or one of their favorite toys, and they will soon realize that coming back to you is much better than whatever it was that they were after.
Health
The standard chihuahua is a relatively healthy dog with no more health issues than other breeds but when bred to be even smaller, they can become prone to more issues.
With any breed, even though they are prone to a certain condition, it does not mean that they are guaranteed to get it but being prepared is important because it will make you aware of the warning signs.
If you are getting an apple head teacup chihuahua as a puppy, the best way to make sure that they are healthy is by only buying from a responsible breeder.
You must visit the puppies at least twice with their parents present so that you can see the environment that they are brought up in and the health condition of the parents.
A reputable breeder will deworm and vaccinate the puppies before letting you take them home and will have their breeding dogs checked for genetic diseases such as heart disease and luxating patellas.
These are some of the most common health conditions that teacup chihuahuas can suffer from:
Patellar Luxation
This is something that is often seen in lots of small dog breeds. It is caused when the thigh-bone, the knee cap, and the calf are not lined up properly, resulting in the leg becoming lame and moving abnormally.
Patellar luxation is present from birth but only when the dog starts to age do the bones start to move out of position.
The rubbing of these three bones will likely cause arthritis which is a degenerative joint disease that will make your chihuahua stiff and painful.
The severity of patellar luxation is categorized in four different grades. Grade one is when the luxation is only occasionally but still causes the joint to be lame.
Grade four is the most severe level of luxation where the tibia turns much further and the patella has no way to realign on its own.
When it is severe, the hind legs will have a bowlegged appearance and there is a good chance that surgery is the only way to fix it.
Heart Murmurs
When a chihuahua suffers from a heart murmur, it causes the blood flow to be disrupted in the way that it moves through the heart chambers.
A heart murmur can be caused by another underlining health condition such as heart disease.
The loudness of the heart murmur is how it is graded on how severe it is, one is when the murmur is quiet and five is when it is very loud.
Pulmonic Stenosis
This is another health condition that affects the heart. It is caused when the blood doesn’t flow properly through the heart due to the pulmonic valve being malformed.
Because of this obstruction, the heart has to work much harder to get the blood through which leads to being enlarged and at risk for heart failure.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is another term for having low blood sugar and is often seen in toy breeds.
In its early stages, hypoglycemia is easily treated, but if it is not treated in time, it can prove fatal.
Because of this, knowing the signs of low blood sugar will greatly improve your dog’s outlook.
When a puppy has low blood sugar, it will be much slower than how a puppy should be and will also shiver and tremble.
If your puppy is showing these symptoms, you should take them to the vet as soon as you can as it is a race against time at this point.
Collapsed Trachea
It’s not too clear as to what causes a collapsed trachea, but a trachea can flatten when it takes in a rapid inhale of air which makes it hard for hair to get into the lungs.
A collapsed trachea can be inherited but sometimes external factors such as neck trauma caused by a harsh pull on the lead for example can cause the rings of the trachea to lose their stiffness.
Summary
Apple head teacup chihuahuas are one of the cutest dog breeds that you can get that you can easily slip into your bag and take wherever you go.
Having said this, don’t forget that they are real dogs with real needs and potential health conditions that will change them from being a small, cute dog to an expensive medical emergency.
