This page was last updated on: February 21, 2007

All about Deer Type Chihuahuas !

Welcome to the website of the Deer Type Chihuahua Lovers' discussion group.  If you're new here, you may be wondering exactly what distinguishes a deer type Chihuahua from other Chihuahuas.  We'd like to show you because, although we love all Chihuahuas, we think that deer types are the most beautiful of them all.

Simply put, a deer type resembles a tiny deer.  More than one dog breed manifests itself in two very different body types commonly called "cobbie" and "deer".  The cobbie body type is sturdy, strong and squat.  The term is derived from "cob" meaning round or thick set.  Deer types are narrow, lean, and taller.  Svelte, angular, graceful - "Egyptianesque" if you will.   Poetry in motion, we think. And, by the way, there is no such thing as a "deer head" Chihuahua.  They don't come with antlers!

We'll  show you some photos to illustrate what we mean.  Please bear in mind that none of the dogs we use as examples here are show dogs - just beloved pets belonging to current or past list members.  You will not see deer type Chihuahuas in any dog show, nor do we advocate their breeding.  We're here to love the ones we're lucky enough to have in our lives and to show you how stunning we think they are..

This is LaLa who is a cobbie type Chihuahua.  Sturdy torso, apple domed head and short legs - all in keeping with the Chihuahua breed standard.  >

<    This is Pooh, a wonderful example of an extreme deer type to give you a clear mental picture.  Quite different from LaLa!  Pooh has a narrow body, very long, thin legs and a more elongated head with a less pronounced stop.  We think he's a classic and gorgeous deer type.

It is not at all unusual to find a Chihuahua with characteristics of both types.  Combinations of type can and often do appear in one dog. This is Whoosh.    > She has a beautiful deer type body but an apple head, though it may not be obvious since she was shot straight on in this picture..

About the Chihuahua breed standard...

In the United States, there is only ONE official governing body for the sport that is canine conformation - the American Kennel Club.  Each breed aknowledged by the AKC has it's own breed club which decides the standard for that breed - that is, a detailed description of the ideal specimin of the breed.   In this country, that club is the Chihuahua Club of America, founded in 1923.    The standard set by the CCA has come to encompass the cobbie appearance - short legs, thick torso, and most notably, the "apple domed" head from which the muzzle protrudes at virtually a 45 degree angle.  By the way, a breed standard states not only physical attributes but dispostion and other definining characteristics as well.

In true deer type Chihuahuas, torsos are thin with an "wasp" waist, legs are long and thin and the neck slim and long - think Italian Greyhound.  The head is narrower and more oval in shape with the stop (the point at which the muzzle joins the head) being far less pronounced.  Ears and eyes are far larger in deer types and ears are ideally "bat" ears with rounded rather than pointed tips and are set higher on the head than the 45 degree angle specified in the standard.

We are not really here to delve into the origins of the Chihuahua, but a little history is necessary to further explain the deer type.  Whether the breed is indigenous to Mexico or not can never be proven.  In all likelihood, it originated in China where dogs had been bred for extreme smallness for centuries.  Regardless of this, there were originally three characteristics which were unique to Chihuahuas in Mexico (where they were discovered) at the end of the 19th century.   These were:           the presence of at least one molera, an open spot in the skull similar to a human baby's  fontanel,      a flat, furry tail as opposed to a cylindrical one,      and a "hare" foot, that is one with long curving nails and very long metatarsals.

At the turn of the last century, and well beyond, Chihuahuas in Mexico were virtually all deer types.  Just as the long coat Chihuahua did not exist prior to the 21st century but was created by crossing Chihuahuas with other breeds, neither did a Chihuahua that looks like today's standard exist either.   Late in the 19th century, Chihuahus began to be taken out of Mexico and exhibited in dog shows which led to their breeding in the rest of the world and the establishment of official Chihuahua breed clubs.  With the exception of the molera, which is not necessarily present in the majority of Chihuahuas today, each of those qualities which made a Chihuahua a Chihuahua are gone now, thanks to selective breeding.  We're not necessarily saying that's a bad thing, but we think it's sad that the very characteristics that made a breed unique have virtually disappeared in less than a century.

Since starting our list in March, 2000, we have encountered very few near perfect examples of a true deer type but they are out there and perhaps you have one and have found this site while seeking to discover why your Chihuahua is more beautiful than others. Perhaps you are searching for a deer type to love and care for and wonder where you can find one.  We wish we knew!  The only certain way to get a deer type is to buy a grown dog - or, better yet, rescue one that needs a home.   Deer type puppies frequently resemble cobbie ones in their early months.  For instance, those long DT legs tend to grow suddenly - almost always after 16 weeks of age.  It's difficult for people with  deer type experience to spot a pup that will grow to be a DT if it's under 6 months old.  If you should find deer types advertised for sale, be warned that these dogs almost always mature at above 6 pounds - not even within the size range of the Chihuahua breed.  Nothing wrong with that, of course,  but you should know this if you're expecting a DT puppy to remain small.

About our deer type discussion group...

Where can you find a deer type Chihuhua?

Below are some links to websites that you may wish to browse where you will doubltess find some beautiful deer type Chihuahuas if you'll just have a little patience.  By adopting a Chihuahua that desperately needs a protective and loving home for the rest of it's life, you can be sure to get just the shape and size Chihuahua you're looking for and you'll not only be saving a life, but you will get a companion who is, in our extensive shared experiences, especially grateful, devoted and loving as only an abandoned dog can be. To see some beautiful Chihuahuas in need of loving homes, double click on the coloured bars below:

If you would like to be a part of our 100+ member discussion group, many of whom have become fast and tightly knit friends since joining, often meeting in person across the country, please double click on the pink bar below.:

Please read carefully the entire description of the list before you apply for membership.  Many of our members are very active in canine rescue.   Because we deal, on a daily basis, with the tragic reality of the consequences of the over-breeding of Chihuahuas in the United States, ours is likely not  a list where the average breeder would feel comfortable.

This website is new and will continue to be updated with information and photos that we hope will educate and entertain you.  Please bookmark it  and come back to see us.

Just tell us a little about yourself when you apply and we look forward to getting to know you!

CRT

Petfinder