Long Haired Chihuahua: Info, Pictures, Genetics, Health, & FAQs

Chihuahua with long hair runs happily on a cloudy day above the meadow

The long haired Chihuahua is arguably one of the prettiest Chihuahua variants out there, and I think every dog lover would agree.

These pups are as brilliant, as loyal, and as playful as other Chihuahuas. But aside from their coat length, how exactly are long haired Chihuahuas different from regular Chihuahuas?

What does a long coat Chihuahua look like? Are long haired Chihuahuas rare? Most importantly, do they make good pets?

If you have all these itchy questions in your mind, then this guide is perfect for you!

So stick around until the very end to learn all the hairy details about the long-haired Chihuahua. (Spoiler alert: furry Chihuahuas make wonderful pets!) 

What Is a Long Haired Chihuahua?

The long haired Chihuahua is a Chihuahua with a medium to long coat. The most noticeable features of a long coat Chihuahua are its thick manes and long fur around the ears. They can come in any coat color known to Chihuahuas, including black, white, fawn, chocolate, and cream.

Long haired Chihuahuas are also called furry Chihuahuas or long coat Chihuahuas. Informally, these pups may also be referred to as the fluffy Chi, the Chihuahua long hair mix, or the hairy Chihuahua.

In general, if someone is pertaining to a “Chihuahua with hair,” they are most likely referring to the long haired Chihuahua. 

If it’s your first time learning about the long haired Chihuahua, you would be surprised to know that these pups have been around for centuries.

These furry Chihuahuas, alongside other Chihuahua variants, were first bred in the Mexican state of Chihuahua sometime in the mid 19th century. 

These dogs are believed to be descendants of the extinct Techichi dog. Some historians say that it was the Aztecs who domesticated the Techichi dogs.

After thousands of years, their domesticated Techichis slowly evolved to what ancient Mexicans bred as the Chihuahua.

Fast forward to the present day; Chihuahuas remain one of the most lovable small dog breeds. The same can also be said for long haired Chihuahuas. After all, these pups are the exact same dog, only with fancier coats!

Long Haired Chihuahua Appearance: What Does a Long Haired Chihuahua Look Like?

Beautiful long-haired Chihuahua puppy in the park

The long haired Chihuahua is a tiny dog. In fact, its breed — the Chihuahua — is known as the smallest dog breed in the world!

Chihuahuas with long hair share their size and overall appearance with their other Chihuahua cousins. This includes their ear shape, possible nose colors, topline, proportions, and gait.

You can read more about the breed standards of the Chihuahua dog from the American Kennel Club (AKC) website.

Some unique features of the long haired Chihuahua dog include thick manes, long fur around the ears and tail, and feathering near the belly.

Aside from these few telltale features, a long haired Chihuahua is indistinguishable from regular Chihuahuas.

The coat of a Chihuahua with long hair can be either wavy or straight. Similarly, the coats on these dogs can also come in a bunch of colors. 

Some standard colors in long haired Chihuahuas are white, black, tan, fawn, chocolate, and cream. Combinations of any of these colors are also possible.

The usual color combinations seen in long haired Chihuahuas are chocolate and tan, fawn and white, black and tan, and cream and white. 

Aside from the different coat colors, they can also have either one of two head shapes — apple head and deer head.

Another important thing to know about long haired Chihuahuas is that it takes years to grow their hair. This means a long haired Chihuahua puppy might look no different from a regular Chihuahua puppy!

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Long Haired Chihuahua Size and Weight: How Big Do Long Haired Chihuahuas Get When Fully Grown?

A fully grown long haired Chihuahua stands around 6 to 9 inches and weighs less than 6 pounds.

For reference, a Chihuahua is about as heavy as four to five bottles of water. Moreover, their size is also comparable to a newborn baby! 

Needless to say, these pups are incredibly dinky. So if you’re looking for a lap dog, the Chihuahua should be the first breed you should look at.

It might be old news to you, but Chihuahuas still own the title for the world’s smallest dog breed. This title is shared across all the variants of the Chihuahua breed, including the long haired Chihuahua. 

However, some people believe that long haired Chihuahuas can grow an inch taller than regular Chihuahuas.

But regardless of whether that’s true or not, they will still weigh approximately the same as any other Chihuahua.

RELATED: How Big Do Chihuahuas Get? Puppy Growth Chart and FAQ

Long Haired Chihuahua Genetics: Where Do Chihuahuas Get Their Long Hair?

Two cute white long-haired Chihuahua dogs in the forest

If you’re like many people out there, you might also be wondering where long haired Chihuahuas get their unique hair from.

Is their hair length a product of genetic mutation? What genes are responsible for long hairs in Chihuahuas? 

According to the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), the long haired Chihuahua dog is believed to be a variety of Chihuahua developed only in the United States.

The CKC claims that the long haired Chihuahua is a far descendant of the hybrid between a short coat Chihuahua and the Papillon or the Pomeranian.

Regardless of whether this claim is valid or not, they have evolved to be full-fledged members of the Chihuahua family. These pups are already far away up the family tree from their alleged hybrid roots. 

This means that the “long hair” quality is already embedded in the coat genetics of present-day purebred Chihuahuas.

Simply put, breeders no longer need to cross a short-haired Chihuahua with a different dog breed to get a long haired pup. So how exactly are long haired Chihuahuas bred?

For starters, all Chihuahuas carry a pair of genes responsible for their coat length.

These pairs are combinations of the short-haired gene (short) and the long-haired gene (long). There are three possible combinations for these two genes — short-short, short-long, and long-long.

Usually, the short-haired gene is the dominant gene. This means if a Chihuahua carries at least one short-haired gene, its coat length will automatically be short.

On the other hand, a Chihuahua must have two long-haired genes for its coat length to be long.

Breeding a long haired Chihuahua is a numbers game. Basically, the coat length of the litter always depends on the genes carried throughout the lineage.

The highest chance of getting a long haired puppy is when two long haired Chihuahuas are bred.

If one long haired Chihuahua is bred with a short-haired Chihuahua, the chances of getting a puppy with long hair are slimmer.

Similarly, breeding two short-haired Chihuahuas together is even less likely to result in long haired puppies. 

However, it is still possible for two short-haired Chihuahuas to have long-haired puppies. Of course, this is provided that both parent dogs carry a recessive long-haired gene.

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Do Kennel Clubs Recognize Chihuahuas With Long Hair?

Yes, long haired Chihuahuas are recognized by major kennel clubs and they can join various dog sports.

Now, this is some exciting news if you want to have your furry Chihuahua registered as a pedigree! However, there is one particular criterion that you have to take note of. 

In the case of the American Kennel Club (AKC), a long haired Chihuahua is assessed similarly as a regular Chihuahua.

This means features such as its size and weight, proportions, coat color, gait, and temperament are measured in accordance with the same metrics. 

The only difference is that with long haired Chihuahuas, an additional restriction is imposed. As per the AKC, “In Long Coats, too thin coat that resembles bareness” is a disqualification.

That said, if your long haired Chihuahua does not have an abnormally thin coat, you can very easily have it registered in the AKC.

If you want to register your furry Chihuahua in a different kennel club such as the United Kennel Club (UKC), the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), or the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), you may also do so. Luckily, all of these major kennel clubs recognize the long coat Chihuahua.

However, each of these kennel clubs imposes its own unique criteria for the long haired Chihuahua. You can check out their respective breed standards for more information. 

Are Long Haired Chihuahuas Rare?

Two long hair Chihuahuas and a smooth hair Chihuahua siting on the ground

In general, long haired Chihuahuas are not considered rare dogs. However, these pups come by less frequently than their short-haired counterparts. 

That said, some types of long haired Chihuahuas can still be considered rare. An example of this is the long-haired pure white Chihuahua dog.

Pure white Chihuahuas are also known as the snow-white Chihuahua. Snow-white is a highly desirable coat color in Chihuahuas. These pups are known as the hardest to breed out of all the Chihuahua colors. 

However, the snow-white color is not exclusive to long-haired Chihuahuas. In fact, some snow-white Chihuahuas are short-haired. 

Another rare type of long-haired Chihuahua is lavender. These pups have a purplish tint to their coats, which is why they are also called the lilac Chihuahua.

To be clear, the long-haired pure white Chihuahua and the long-haired lavender Chihuahua are rare because of their coat color and not because of their coat length.

If you are eyeing a rare variant of the long haired Chihuahua, you should take a look at its coat color. More often than not, the rarity of a Chihuahua depends on its coat color rather than the length of its fur.

Long Haired Chihuahua Temperament: Are Long Haired Chihuahuas Good Family Pets?

The temperament of long haired Chihuahuas is the same as their other Chihuahua cousins. These dogs are loyal, intelligent, and highly energetic.

However, it is a common belief in the pet community that Chihuahuas are aggressive. But is this true?

Unfortunately, Chihuahuas are indeed aggressive in general. We can even go as far as to say that Chihuahuas are among the most aggressive dog breeds out there.

In fact, in an article on The Atlantic, authors Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods cited their own findings that confirm this claim. 

According to Hare and Woods, Chihuahuas emerged as the most aggressive out of the 35 dog breeds included in their experiment.

These tiny pups even outranked Pitbulls! Now, does this mean long haired Chihuahuas and Chihuahuas, in general, do not make good family pets?

Of course not! These tiny pups are lovely family pets. They simply require a little bit more patience when it comes to training.

One testament to this is their high ranking on AKC’s list of most popular dog breeds. As of 2020, Chihuahuas ranked 34th among the 195 recognized breeds. This simply means many pet owners are very fond of this breed!

Simply put, if you’re confident that you can be patient with a long haired Chihuahua dog, you’ll surely have a good time owning one.

One secret key to raising a well-behaved Chihuahua is plenty of socialization. Bring your pooch to as many playdates as possible!

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Long Haired Chihuahua Grooming Needs: How to Groom Your Long Coat Chihuahua?

One area where long haired Chihuahuas differ from regular Chihuahuas is in grooming.

Unfortunately, due to their long coats, they require a bit of special treatment. However, because they are small dogs, they are still relatively easy to groom.

For starters, the first thing you should know is that brushing your pet’s hair every day is key to easier grooming. Brushing keeps your pet’s hair tangle-free, and it also keeps shedding manageable.

When grooming your long haired Chihuahua, it is recommended to use a pet brush with rubber tips. This way, the brush is less likely to damage your pet’s skin.

You may also use a few drops of essential oil or some dog powder to keep your furry friend smelling fabulous. Do not forget to carefully groom their ears, legs, and neck since they have longer hairs in these areas.

When bathing a long haired Chi, the rule of thumb is to do so every one to six weeks. Of course, this depends on your pet’s lifestyle.

If your Chihuahua always gets dirty from your backyard, then it’s better to bathe it weekly; otherwise, four to six weeks is a suitable interval.

If you’re having trouble keeping up with grooming your hairy Chihuahua, it is always a good idea to have it groomed. You may ask the groomer to give your pet a “puppy cut” so that its hair will be easier to manage.

Watch this video if you want to know how professionals groom long coat Chihuahuas:

Dog Show Grooming: How To Groom A Long Coat Chihuahua

Long Haired Chihuahua Life Expectancy and Health Issues: Are They Healthy Dogs?

In general, Chihuahuas are healthy dogs with a long lifespan. Luckily, the same is also true for long haired Chihuahuas. In fact, these pooches live very long lives at around 15 to 20 years!

Unfortunately, like the smooth coat and any other dog, a long haired Chihuahua puppy does not have perfect health.

These fluffy dogs are also at risk of some common health issues. Some of these issues are life-altering, while some are straight-up deadly. 

Here are some common health problems of long haired Chihuahuas:

  • Heart Murmur: Heart murmur is a health condition often diagnosed in small dog breeds such as Chihuahuas. The thickening of the mitral valve is the main cause of this condition. Moreover, turbulent heart sounds are the most common sign of heart murmurs. Heart murmurs are caused by other health conditions, which means its treatment depends on the root cause.
  • Bladder Stones: A long haired Chihuahua with bladder stones has rock-like minerals inside its bladder. The cause of this condition is linked to poor diet. The worst-case scenario for a dog with bladder stones is to have a ruptured bladder.
  • Luxating Patella: Luxating patella is one of the most common health issues in Chihuahuas. This issue is the misalignment of the kneecap. The cause of luxating patella is usually genetic. Unfortunately, surgery is required to treat this health condition. 
  • Tracheal Collapse: Commonly diagnosed in small dog breeds, tracheal collapse is another life-altering issue common in Chihuahuas. The most common symptoms of tracheal collapse are difficulty breathing, vomiting, and wheezing. Treatment for this condition includes antibiotics, cough medication, sedatives, and steroids.

It is important to realize that these health issues are not unique to long haired Chihuahuas.

In fact, the long haired Chihuahua shares the same health and lifespan as regular Chihuahuas. For the most part, their long coats do not have any significant effect on their health.

Long Haired Chihuahua Price: How Much Do Long Haired Chihuahuas Cost?

White long haired Chihuahua puppy for sale or adoption

If you wish to own a long haired Chihuahua, expect to pay anywhere between $500 and $1,500. However, a long haired Chihuahua from a champion bloodline will easily set you back $3,000 to $10,000.

Indeed, these fluffy Chihuahuas come with hefty price tags. However, these pooches are not necessarily more expensive than regular Chihuahuas.

On average, a Chihuahua dog with long hair is similarly priced as traditional Chihuahuas.

Instead of its coat length, other more significant factors affect the price of a Chihuahua. These factors include coat color, head shape, lineage, age, the breeder’s reputation, and AKC recognition.

A Chihuahua pup that has gone through puppy obedience training is also likely to be more expensive.

If you wish to save a bit of money, you can try adopting a Chihuahua with long hair instead. The adoption fees for these dogs range from $150 to $500. This way lets you save money while saving a dog’s life.

RELATED: How Much Do Chihuahuas Cost? Puppy Price and Cost of Raising

Places to Find Long Haired Chihuahua Puppies for Sale and Adoption

Long haired Chihuahuas are less common than regular Chihuahuas. However, the good news is that these pooches are still relatively easy to find!

That said, there are a few things to remember when getting a long haired Chihuahua. 

Firstly, do not buy a long haired Chihuahua from a backyard breeder or even puppy mills.

These pooches may look like a good deal, but their health isn’t up to standards. Instead, you should only buy from reputable breeders

To help you avoid backyard breeders, below are some reputable breeders where you can find long haired Chihuahua puppies for sale:

  • Prestige Chihuahua – Prestige Chihuahua is a Florida-based breeder that sells AKC-registered pups. Their price for long haired Chihuahuas and other coat types ranges between $3,000 and $4,000. Check out their available puppies to look for long haired Chihuahuas!
  • Uey’s Homeraised Puppies – Established in 1992, Uey’s Chihuahuas is a breeder with a long track record. This breeder prides itself on raising Chihuahuas with top-notch health and temperament. In terms of price, a long coat Chihuahua from this breeder ranges from $4,500 to $10,000.
  • DS Darling AKC Long Hair Chihuahuas – With over 30 years of experience, this breeder is one of Oregon’s most trusted breeders. DS Darling specializes in raising and selling long haired Chis. Their dogs come with health guarantees and first rounds of vaccines.
  • Salem’s Finest Chihuahuas – Salem’s Finest Chihuahuas is another Oregon-based breeder. All dogs from this breeder are home-raised and guaranteed healthy. They breed all kinds of Chihuahuas, including long haired ones. Make sure to read their current pricing on their price list page!

RELATED: 10 Best Chihuahua Breeders (2023): Our Top 10 Picks!

If you decide on adopting a long haired Chihuahua, be sure to manage your expectations.

Adoption fees cost hundreds of dollars less than the price of a Chihuahua. However, keep in mind that dogs for adoption may have underlying health conditions.

Here are some places where you can find long haired Chihuahuas for adoption:

  • Texas Chihuahua Rescue (TXCR) – Founded in 2015, TXCR is a young rescue headed by director Jamie Parker. Adoption fees from TXCR range between $250 and $350. This rescue also offers puppy delivery, but you need to cover the cost for an extra $500 to $600.
  • Ay Chihuahua Rescue – Ay Chihuahua is a foster-based organization located in Texas. This rescue occasionally has long haired Chihuahuas under their care. You may check out their adoptable pups on their available dogs page.
  • Adopt-a-Pet – Adopt-a-Pet is a famous adoption website where you can find all kinds of pets! This service aims to connect aspiring pet owners to shelters and rescues from all over the country. Be sure to check out Adopt-a-Pet’s listings for long haired Chihuahuas from time to time!

If you want more options on places to find long haired Chihuahuas for sale or adoption, make sure to check out our list of the best Chihuahua rescues and best Chihuahua breeders.

You’ll surely find a ton of reputable breeders and rescues there! 

RELATED: 10 Best Chihuahua Rescues for Adoption (2023): Our Top 10 Picks!

Frequently Asked Questions

Miniature fluffy long haired white Chihuahua runs in ring at the exhibition

Do Long Haired Chihuahuas Shed a Lot?

Long haired Chihuahuas shed all year round. You can expect to see pieces of their fur around the house every single day. 

While these walking balls of fur shed often, they do not shed a lot. In fact, Chihuahuas are still considered low to moderate shedders. One way to keep your pet’s fur neat is by combing it daily.

Should Long Haired Chihuahuas Be Shaved?

It is not a good idea to shave a long haired Chihuahua or any dog in general. Dogs use their coats as protection from the elements. They rely on their coats for heat regulation and comfort. 

You may trim your Chihuahua’s coat but never shave it down to the skin. Shaving can leave permanent damage to your pet’s skin and fur.

The only time shaving a dog is acceptable is when it will undergo surgery; even then, only the areas of concern must be shaved.

Are Long Haired Chihuahuas Aggressive?

Chihuahuas are often rumored to be an aggressive breed. In fact, many people believe that long-haired teacup Chihuahuas have the biggest and meanest personalities. However, not all Chihuahuas exhibit the same level of aggression.

While some long haired Chihuahuas tend to be aggressive, others are well-behaved. The good news is that the behavior of most dogs can be corrected. With proper training, any Chihuahua can grow up to be well-behaved.

Do Long Haired Chihuahuas Bark a Lot?

The long haired Chihuahua breed is a very energetic dog that gets easily excited. Unfortunately, one way they show their excitement is by barking nonstop. 

Luckily, it is possible to train a long haired Chihuahua to stop barking. However, you will need a lot of patience and a bunch of treats.

Many breeders desensitize their Chihuahua puppies before selling them. This makes their dogs less reactive to common triggers and noises. 

Final Thoughts: Should You Get a Long Haired Chihuahua?

All things considered, the long haired Chihuahua breed is simply hairier. Aside from their long coats, these pooches share most of their qualities with the rest of the Chihuahua family. 

That said, long coat Chihuahuas are as loyal and as intelligent as other Chihuahuas. When appropriately trained at a young age, these fluffy pooches can prove to be fantastic family companions.

So if you are looking for a companion dog with a fabulous coat type, look no further than the long haired Chihuahua!

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