Chihuahua Puppies

IcyHound

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#23
Also, in America, there is no alter class. You can not alter your show dogs while they are showing. You may also decide not to spay your female. Not everyone does.
 

LovPetz

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#24
So, did I scare you off????
No, you didn't scare me office. I have just been out of town. I will be out of town till the 19th of August so I won't be on as frequently. I am visiting my fiance's parents in Georgia.
 
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#26
There are also UKC shows. Folks don't regard UKC titles as seriously as AKC titles, but if you want to get your feet wet, I think the UKC has a more easy-going environment that is fairly newb-friendly. That said, I don't know how many Chihuahuas get shown in UKC, because I'm there for the Terrier ring and non-conformation sports. But it'd be worth a look. There will be a UKC show/weight pull in Denton next month.

http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/WebPages/Home
 

CharlieDog

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#28
I have a question about Chihuahuas. Is merle an acceptable color for a Chihuahua? Is it something a reputable and good breeder would agree with?
 
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#29
OK, for the breed right now that is a loaded question. According to the AKC standard and the new standard that goes into effect Oct. 1st of this year, yes, merle is an acceptable pattern in Chihuahuas. How did it come into the breed, no one knows. The one thing we do know is that merle is a dominant gene meaning you have it to produce it. It did not come into the breed as a spontaneous mutation, can't happen. Most ethical breeders/exhibitors do not mess with merle. There are a *handful* of breeders/exhibitors who are breeding it.
 

CharlieDog

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#30
OK, for the breed right now that is a loaded question. According to the AKC standard and the new standard that goes into effect Oct. 1st of this year, yes, merle is an acceptable pattern in Chihuahuas. How did it come into the breed, no one knows. The one thing we do know is that merle is a dominant gene meaning you have it to produce it. It did not come into the breed as a spontaneous mutation, can't happen. Most ethical breeders/exhibitors do not mess with merle. There are a *handful* of breeders/exhibitors who are breeding it.
I figured it was a pretty loaded question. It came up in chat a week or so ago, with some arguing for and some against.

I was totally floored to find out that they came in merle, and I happen to believe that it was introduced via cross breeding. I've researched a lot on merle genes (happen to have a merle dog, that's why) and everything I've read says you have to have a merle to get a merle. You can have 'cryptic' or 'phantom' merle's in Aussies, but thats usually RARE and only because the tail was the only area to have merle on it, and then the tail is docked, thus eliminating the merle expression on the animal, but the animal still carries the merle gene.

I saw several chihuahua websites, both for and against. Most of the former seemed to be flash heavy and not so great websites. The latter all seemed to believe that it was the result of some unethical breeding and a loophole was exploited (that and color is accepted in chi's)
 

Zoom

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#31
Where do you suppose the merling came from? I agree, given the breeds that generally produce merle, it's a very odd thing to have suddenly crop up in Chi's. They're pretty, but we all know that pretty doesn't automatically mean "breedable".
 
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#32
I happen to like merle VERY much. Would I breed merle Chihuahuas, not likely. Too much is unknown about them and their history. Would I ever own one, yes, I like the pattern and if I ever find a really nice marked one I may take the leap. I will take tons of slack from it and will probably even lose some friends over it. I don't think it's a crime to own one. Breed them, another story. The day I get one is probably a LONG ways away, if ever.
 
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#33
There are people that suspect it was introduced through a Sheltie, Mini Aussie or dachies. I have seen merle Ratt Terriers so that is a possibility also. Who knows??
 

CharlieDog

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#34
There are people that suspect it was introduced through a Sheltie, Mini Aussie or dachies. I have seen merle Ratt Terriers so that is a possibility also. Who knows??
I thought merling in dachshunds was really dappling, and not merling?

I think that merle anything is really neat looking, but no, it doesn't make it breedable. It IS very pretty to look at, and it does cause people to stop and ask questions.
 

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