Chihuahuas have a wide range of acceptable coat colors.
The range of coat colors for a Chihuahua include varieties of black, brown, cream, red and silver.
Their markings can vary from solid to splashed, allowing for an array of different colors and patterns within the breed.
There are two different varieties of Chihuahua: the short haired Chihuahua and the long haired Chihuahua.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at the different types of Chihuahuas.
We’ll break the article into the following sections:
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What is a Chihuahua?
The Chihuahua is a toy-sized dog that is thought to have originated in Mexico.
Chihuahuas usually grown to a height range of 6 to 9 in (15 and 23 cm), while they can weigh up to 5.9 lb (2.7 kg).
In the UK, the Kennel Club outlines that Chihuahuas should weigh between 4–6 lb (1.8–2.7 kg).
Chihuahuas have an average lifespan of around 14 to 16 years.
The American Kennel Club lists the Chihuahua as the 33rd most popular dog in the United States of America.
Chihuahua history
Chihuahuas were thought to be related to bigger dogs called the Techichi, who were a dog favoured by the Toltec civilization in Mexico.
European explorers in the 16th century described how the Aztecs had a lot of small dogs in their tribes, especially in the Chihuahua region.
The American Kennel Club explains how a lot of Americans encountered these little companion animals when they visited the State of Chihuahua in the 19th century.
The first Chihuahua was registered with the American Kennel Club in 1908 – the history-marking Chihuahua was called Beppie.
In pop culture in the 20th and 21st century, the Chihuahua was popularized by appearing in films such as Legally Blonde and television shows such as Sex In The City.
Chihuahuas are a popular breed in the United States thanks to their small size, making them perfect for city dwelling.
Chihuahua breed standard
The American Kennel Club has a breed standard for Chihuahuas that breeders should strive to achieve.
The organization provide a general overview of the breed on their website. It reads:
The Chihuahua is a tiny dog with a huge personality. A national symbol of Mexico, these alert and amusing “purse dogs” stand among the oldest breeds of the Americas, with a lineage going back to the ancient kingdoms of pre-Columbian times.
On their appearance and temperament, the AKC add:
A graceful, alert, swift-moving compact little dog with saucy expression, and with terrier-like qualities of temperament.
Given this article’s focus is on the color of Chihuahuas, the AKC set out in their breed standard that Chihuahuas can be any color – solid, marked or splashed.
Chihuahua colors
So as you already know by this stage, Chihuahuas can come in any color with any pattern. Hence the wide variety of shades within the Chihuahua community.
The most common Chihuahua colors are: fawn, red, cream, chocolate, brown, mixed, white, and black.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the individual colors with examples of each.
Black Chihuahua
You may think that black is a simple color for a Chihuahua. However, there are some sub categories. These include:
• Solid black Chihuahua — As the name suggest, these are Chihuahuas with a black coat all over.
• Tan and black Chihuahua — These Chi are predominantly black but will display tan patches on the face and/or on the chest.
• Black tricolor Chihuahua — How can you have three colors in a black Chihuahua? Well they’ll have black, tan and white on various parts of the body.
• White and black Chihuahua — Like tan and black, a black and white Chihuahua will be mostly black with areas of white around the face, chest and/or the legs.
• Merle and black Chihuahua — These unique Chihuahuas will be mostly white with areas of black and other colors.
Brown/Chocolate Chihuahua
Another common Chihuahua color is brown or chocolate. There are once again subdivisions. Here are some examples:
• Solid Chocolate – These are Chihuahuas that have a brown/chocolate color all over.
• Chocolate & Tan – This variety are predominantly chocolate but will display tan patches on the face and/or on the chest.
• Chocolate & White – Like the chocolate and tan, this type of Chihuahua will be mostly chocolate with white areas on the face, chest and/or legs.
• Chocolate Blue – These Chihuahuas will have a coat that is blue and brown in color with areas of tan or white markings.
• Chocolate Brindled Fawn – This particular variety have a brown coat that have different shades of brown from dark, medium to light giving a brindle appearance. They can have streaks of other colors.
• Chocolate Sabled Fawn – Chocolate sabled fawn Chihuahuas are rare – they’ve got areas of brown and red.
Blue Chihuahua
Blue Chihuahuas are a rare color that can cost a hefty sum.
In fact, they can cost as much as $10,000 should you find a genuine blue Chihuahua.
They’re not completely blue but it should certainly be the predominant color. The gene that gives the blue Chihuahua its unique color is recessive, hence why you won’t spot too many of this variety.
Cream Chihuahua
Cream Chihuahuas are more common than blue Chihuahuas. They’ll usually have a cream coat with patches of white on the chest and/or legs.
Fawn Chihuahua
Fawn Chihuahuas have a coat that is yellow and/or tan in color. The fawn color can be to varying degrees: pale tan to pale fawn to dark deer-red.
Red Chihuahua
While this variety is described as a red Chihuahua, in actuality they can vary from dark red to orange. They’ll usually have white markings on their face, chest or legs.
Silver Chihuahua
Silver Chihuahuas are another rare variety of this breed. They’ll have coat that has a metallic or silver appearance.
Brindle Chihuahua
Brindle Chihuahuas are predominantly brown – with different shades of brown in their coats. They can also have other markings in varying colors. This is not a common color like blue and silver because one or both parents most carry the recessive gene.
Merle Chihuahua
Merle Chihuahuas are pretty rare – too. They’ve got a base color that has patches of other colors such as lilac, red, blue and more.
The Chihuahua Club of America take the issue of breeding merle Chihuahuas very seriously. They write on their website:
Merle should never be bred to another merle. The purposeful production of double merle puppies is never ethical.
The organization go on to explain some of the issues related to breeding merle Chihuahuas together:
Both heterozygous merle (Mm) and homozygous double merle (MM) dogs may exhibit auditory and ophthalmic abnormalities including mild to severe deafness, increased intra ocular pressure, ametropia, microphthalmia and colobomas. The double merle genotype may also be associated with abnormalities of skeletal, cardiac and reproductive systems.
Anything else to consider?
If you’re looking to buy a Chihuahua and have a particular coat color in mind, the best place to start is the Chihuahua Club of America who have a list of ethical breeders.
We don’t endorse or recommend buying a Chihuahua or any puppy from a pet store, online or through a third-party dealer.
You should ask to see your puppy interact with its mother. It’s a good idea to also ask the breeder for proof of AKC or UKC registration and health and vet checks.
Chihuahuas aren’t hypoallergenic but they’re consider moderate shedders.
If you want to learn more about the breed, check out 20 of our favourite Chihuahuas on Instagram.
Wrapping up – Our final thoughts
Cream long haired chihuahua walks on embankment in big city (Photo: Adobe Stock)
So we’ve reached the end of our article on Chihuahua colors. These adorable little dogs can come in a wide range of shades.
As the American Kennel Club’s breed standard sets out on their website, any color with any markings is acceptable.
