Hello all! My name is Chelsea and I am about to move into an apartment with a couple friends and my fiance. We have been looking at the longcoat chihuahua and are pretty positive we are going to begin searching for breeders soon. I just had a few questions for those Chi owners out there :) I have done research on the breed, but you only got so much info from a book... i would rather have input from those who actually own one!
Questions for ya...
*I know they bark- but is it to the point that while I am gone at work, the neighbors will complain?
*Shedding?
*Health Issues common??
Im sure i will think of more...
Thanks guys so much!
Chelsea

Chelsea,

I can only speak from my experiences, with my chihuahua and my parents chi.

1- Barking? Hell hath no fury like a chihuahua on halloween. 5 hours of constant barking, drives me NUTS. I love'er to death, but it's very trying on the patience after the first couple hours. She was hoarse by the end of the night from barking. HOWEVER. Many people mention that they're loyal to their owners, and one person specifically... This may be tied to the barking. I went on my honeymoon with my wife, and left my son to stay at home, with one of my friends watching over him. Shelly, my Chi did not bark AT ALL while we were gone.

2 - Shedding - Very little with the short hairs, except in early summer they seem to shed a bit more, but all in all, not bad.

3- Health - They're very hearty dogs. They don't suffer from lots of strange illnesses like pugs/dauchhounds(hotdogs). Biggest thing is to keep in mind they're tiny, and heat changes can be very fast problems.

4- Roomates - I know you didn't ask, but I figured I should mention. They generally like one person specifically. My son named the dog when we got her, and shelly STILL refused to acknowledge that HE lives there too. She barks at him every time he comes in the house.

-Dave

if you can try to ingnore the barking. dont make a big deal out of it and your chi wont bark at everthing in sight. mime doesnt. sometimes i will say no bark. hes not annoying.if he hears something thats fine but hes not a conatsnt barker!!get him use to people that way he wont bark at them.