Pitbull Chihuahua Mix – Full Dog Breed Information

Background Of The Pitbull Chihuahua Mix

The Pitbull and Chihuahua Mix is also known as the “CHIPIT” is a designer dog and their origin traces back to the 1800s where breeders started crossing terriers in the UnitedKingdom (Ireland, England, and Scotland).

Designer dogs were made initially to crossbreed two purebred dogs because of their individual desirable characteristics to produce a hybrid. A crossbreed is actually healthier and they live longer than pure breeds.

Though people who love pure breeds argue that constant crossbreeding of pure breeds will disrupt the gene pool of these dogs so there is always a lot of negativity surrounding these types of dogs.

To know more about the breed, let’s take a look at its parents:

The American Pitbull Terrier

This breed originated from England and Ireland in the 1800s when breeders started to crossbreed bull-baiting dogs and terriers to produce a smaller and less aggressive dog.

Immigrants then took the breed to the United States where they were further bred for hunting, herding, and also as companionship. The American kennel club does not recognize the pit bull terrier as a breed and some countries have banned this breed because they are mostly bred for violence and mostly used by criminals.

This breed can help in hunting, guarding and can also be used for companionship. They are confident, strong, and can also be gentle if they are bred correctly. They are very alert and if trained properly would only get aggressive when it senses a threat. It is also a dog that loves attention and wants to be at the center of everything.

The Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is considered as a “toy breed” because of its small size. Unlike other breeds, the origin of the Chihuahua isn’t really clear but the present-day Chihuahua dates back to the 1850s in a Mexican city named Chihuahua. They were further moved to the United States by their citizens who visited Mexico and fell in love with the dog because of its size

This breed is ranked 11th out of 155 breeds in popularity. They are also the National doggy ambassador of Mexico. They are bold, confident, and alert dogs. They are usually fond of one person and they just stay neutral with everyone else. If they are not socialized early enough they can grow up very timid.

Appearance, size and colors

The pitbull chihuahua mix appearance can vary because of the clear difference in their parent breeds. They usually grow up to 20 inches in height and can weigh as much as 20 pounds but some might come shorter and even weigh more than that.

Looking at the characteristics of both parent breeds, you can have an idea of what their puppy might look like. Pitbull chihuahua mix mostly has a small and muscular body with a short neck like their pitbull parent and many others inherit the small feet and long hairs of the Chihuahua.

Some pitbull chihuahua mix heads can appear larger or smaller than their body. A few people might find it cute while others might not be interested in such an appearance. As a puppy, it isn’t easy to know how they would turn out until they are fully mature.

Their coat type can also vary, if their parent Chihuahua has a short coat the chihuahua pitbull mix would most likely inherit the coat type and if the parent Chihuahua has a long coat, then the pitbull chihuahua mix might also inherit that coat type. It is more common to find a shorthaired Chipit as a long-haired parent is harder to come by.

The pitbull chihuahua mix can also come in tan, golden, brown, black, white and a color you would not find is merle.

Temperament and Personality

Although their parent’s combination does not seem like a good matchup, their personalities actually complement each other. These dogs are very active so they enjoy an active lifestyle especially one shared with their parent family.

In a household with active kids and people who enjoy staying outdoors, the chihuahua pitbull mix is a good breed to have. These breeds can become very destructive when they are bored so they need to constantly be entertained and also go through exercises from time to time.

The pitbull chihuahua mix because of its size and a trait common with smaller dogs, they tend to be aggressive barkers when they see a stranger in the house. The breed can adapt to apartment life but its best to have them where they have enough room to play and roam around burning energy.

They are very loyal dogs and can get aggressive when they sense a threat or see strangers and as such, they should be properly trained. Chihuahua pitbull mix Puppies should spend time socializing from a young age to correct the habit.

Pitbull mixes are very corporative but this mix might not be afraid of independence as both parents possess plenty of confidence and willpower but they respond well to positive and rewarding training.

There are also studies that suggest that American pit bull terriers are more likely to bite than other breeds, those statistics can be misleading.

Exercise and Training needs

No matter the breed of the dog, training, exercise, and socialization are very essential to the wellbeing of a household dog. With the self-confidence of a Chihuahua and the strength of a pitbull coupled with the intelligence of both you would see that proper training for this breed is really important.

They are very active dogs so they need to spend time walking, running, and also playing around, these exercises must be done every day and they need to have regular intense exercises. Regardless of the physical training, the mental stimulation aspect shouldn’t be ignored.

They should also be taken on long walks to the park to also socialize with people and also other dogs. This breed does not run out of energy as they grow older as their parent the Pitbull has enough excess energy to burn. As they exercise you would need to be looking out for hip and joint stiffness.

The pitbull chihuahua mix is not recommended for first-time dog owners because they can be stubborn (a trait from their Chihuahua parent) and coupled with the energy and strength of the Pitbull can make training very challenging and hard.

This breed is intelligent and needs firm handling when it comes to training as they also require consistency in the training too. They respond better to positive training and also rewards in the form of praises and treats.

Grooming

Most pitbull chihuahua mix mixes usually have short hair and do not require much grooming or any professional help. You should brush your dog at least twice every week to remove loose and dead hair in order to keep their beauty. Although they have short hair, they tend to shed a lot and they wouldn’t be a good option for people with allergies.

Mixes with longer coats have to be clipped every 2 months, their teeth should be brushed between two to four times a week and their ears should be cleaned at least once a week with a cotton ball and proper cleanser.

Health Problems

As puppies, they are more likely to inherit the issues of their parents and because it’s a mixed breed it would have to face the health issues surrounding both parents so before getting one you would have to check with the breeder about any genetic conditions.

It is also advisable to personally take the puppy for tests and also see the conditions they are coming from because their environment plays a role in the welfare of the dog. Common health risks faced by this mix includes:

• Heart problems
• Allergies
• Open fontanel
• Skin infections
• Collapsed trachea
• Hypoglycemia (Hypoglycemia happens when the blood sugar level falls too low)
• Hip Dysplasia
• Patellar luxation

The life expectancy of a Chipit is 13 years on average although some live longer than that.

Another thing to look out for is dental issues because the Chihuahua has very weak teeth.

Nutrition

This chihuahua pitbull mix does not require any fancy diet and they also enjoy canned foods. Being very active dogs they would most likely need food for the normal-sized breed and not foods engineered for any of their parent breeds.

Kibble (dry biscuits) is also a good option for your dog because they help scrape away accumulations of bacteria in the dog’s teeth and helps control the risk of dental issues. Make sure your dog is also provided unlimited fresh water to keep them hydrated.

Why Should You Own A Pitbull Chihuahua Mix?

They are good as family pets and get along with everyone as long as they are given lots of attention. They make a fabulous pet if you have an active lifestyle. They are very friendly, affectionate, and loyal.

They are also the perfect size for an apartment. They have a low maintenance cost and they do not require that much grooming and they do not shed continually throughout the year.

They are athletic (a trait gotten from both parents), cooperative, and very intelligent so they are easy to train once you can keep up with the consistency of the training. They are also very alert so they can also serve as a guard dog and protect your home from outside threats.

Getting A Chihuahua Pitbull Mix

This breed is very rare so the cost to obtain them might be on the high side. Removing the cost of the dog, you would also need to spend on things like a collar and a leash, crate, carrier, chipping, blood testing, shots, and deworming.

These costs can be as high as $400-$500 and medical costs for the dog can be as high as $500 to $600 which would include basics like checkups, vaccinations, and many more. Other costs like training, treats, toys and professional grooming can be between the range of $300 and $500.

You wouldn’t find too many breeders with this pitbull chihuahua mix because they are commonly found in shelters, there isn’t a large market for this breed compared to other designer dogs, and in most cases, they are as a result of two stray dogs mating.

If you are adopting from a rescue, you have to pay between $100 to $500 to get your hands on one of these mixes and it also depends on the organization. If you find them with a designer dog breeder you should be looking to pay around $800 to $1000 and you should not forget to check the papers of the parents if they are pure breeds.

Alternatively, to get one, there are websites where these dogs are placed because they need a home so you can just go there and sign up to adopt them.

Also, some rescue centers allow people to take the breed home on a one-month trial and if you like the dog and want to keep it you would then adopt them formally but if you don’t like them you can return them without any penalty.