The Chihuahua is the tiniest dog known to man today and also the oldest. History points to the fact that the Aztecs bred this dog exclusively for royalty, though the ancient breed was slightly larger than the present one. This dog is a cute diminutive dog categorized as a Toy breed and weighs six pounds or less. It has an exquisite looking face with a sharp muzzle and slightly bulging intelligent eyes crowned by two extra large and pointed ears. Its coat is either short or longhaired.
Grooming your Chihuahua mostly involves brushing and bathing which needs to be done at regular intervals every two to three months. You will also need to pay attention to its eyes, which tend to water creating tear signs on the face, and its nails that need regular clipping
Besides washing its coat, grooming your Chihuahua would involve de-matting its fur, clipping nails, checking ears and paws, wiping and inspecting eyes for infection and checking for injuries. You would do best to allot a day every week for grooming your Chihuahua and on each of those days you could concentrate on one particular aspect of grooming besides combing the fur.
You would also need to have a special grooming box - something like a first aid box - with the following implements: rubber slicker, a quiet blow drier, a soft bristle brush, nail clippers, cotton balls, saline solution, grooming glove, medium toothed comb, dog shampoo and soap, betadine ointment and scrub and a pair of scissors.
Take your Chihuahua and wrap it tightly in the large towel just like you would wrap a baby leaving only the feet free at both ends. Ask the person who agreed to assist you to hold the dog tightly in his or her arms. The dogs usually love this because they love cuddling. Check carefully how far the quick is and then cut the nail straight across.
Grooming your Chihuahua requires regular baths and brushing. You will know you are doing a great job when you find the fur of your pet feeling fluffy and smooth to touch. The longhaired coat needs special attention because it tends to get matted easily.
Before you proceed with the bath you need to gather a few things that you will need during the bath - balls of cotton, medium sized comb, a large towel and a quiet, gentle hair drier. Before you wet the dog, comb the fur and remove all the matted hair. Then, take the cotton balls and put them into the ears of the dog.
This will stop water entering and prevent ear infections. Use only dog soap and dog shampoo for bathing your pet. Lastly, dry the dog with the towel and gently blow-dry the fur. Follow these tips to grooming your Chihuahua and you will have a wonderful, happy and clean pet in the house.