Ask a Vet

Chihuahua Terrier Mix 101: What You Need to Know About This Breed

By
Photo of author
Jacquelyn Kennedy
Updated on

The Chihuahua Terrier mix is one of the most common and popular mix breeds you can get now.

Ihuahua terrier

However…

It is essential to make sure that you know everything there is to know about this breed before you can purchase one or rescue one for your family.

After all, the more you know about this terrier mix, the better you will know if they will be suitable for your household.

In this blog post, I will introduce you to the Chihuahua terrier mix and share with you certain important details.

Let’s get started, shall we?

Chihuahua Terrier Mix: The Types You Need to Know About!

Before you can know all the different information about the chihuahua terrier mix, you need to make sure that you know the different types of mixes that you can get.

Why so?

Well, because this will impact their temperament, size, health, and whether they are friendly with children or not.

These are just some of the different chihuahua mixes that you can get:

  • Chihuahua and Poodle mix
  • Chihuahua and Rat Terrier mix
  • Chihuahua and Fox Terrier mix
  • Chihuahua and Jack Russell Terrier mix
  • Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier mix
  • Chihuahua and Bull Terrier mix

The one that is the least common is the chihuahua and the bull terrier mix because of the size of the bull terrier.

That’s not to say that you can’t mix a small dog with a big one, such as with the Chihuahua and Rottweiler mix.

The most popular mix is the Yorkshire terrier and the Chihuahua.

This is because of the size and looks of this small dog breed mix.

The chihuahua and bull terrier mix is also the least friendly, so you should ensure that this breed is trained.

Puppy Must Haves

Before diving in further, ensure you have some of the basic tools you’ll need as a dog owner.

Get the Measuring Tape!: The Size of an Adult Chihuahua Terrier Mix

Let’s talk about the sizing, shall we?

The size of an adult chihuahua terrier mix will mostly depend on the type of terrier you are mixing with the chihuahua.

However…

This is mostly a small breed dog that will only be about 10 to 15 lbs.

The reason why this dog is known as a house dog and a lapdog.

If you have a chihuahua and Yorkshire terrier mix, the adult might only be 4 lbs.

The largest mix will be the chihuahua and the bull terrier mix.

A Little About the Temperament of the Chihuahua Terrier Mix

There are a couple of things that are deciding the chihuahua terrier mix.

Where they are bred and what type of mix the puppies are, is one of the deciding factors of their temperament.

Let’s take a look.

Most of the time, this breed mix is lovable and ideal for children and lap dogs.

They aren’t shy and will attack anyone that is put their family in danger.

Even if this means that the dog might get hurt in the process.

They are active little dogs, and you need to ensure that they are getting regular exercise, or they can become naughty and hard to train.

There are some chihuahua terrier mixes that are less lovable and that you should be careful of near strangers and children.

That’s a good deal, right?

Affection and Training Needs: What You Ought to Know

It is important to ensure that you know the type of affection and training the breed mix will have.

This will make sure that you are going to purchase the right type of mix.

Most chihuahua terrier mix dogs are lovable dogs because most terriers and chihuahuas are lovable and want affection all the time.

Even if this is possible to have this type of dog in a home with small children, it might not always be a good idea.

Why? Well…

This is because these dogs are small and can get hurt easily.

They tend to bond with one certain person, and they will not likely bond with another person that easily. Making them great companions.

Training is easy if you know the breed and have the right dog training experience.

Most owners prefer to hire a professional trainer to train the dog.

However, this doesn’t mean you can’t train the dog alone.

The Health Requirements of the Chihuahua Terrier Mix

It is important to consider the health of the chihuahua terrier mixes because some of them can have serious health problems.

While other breeds might not have any health problems.

One of the most serious health problems is because of their size.

They can easily get hurt and break bones if they aren’t handled carefully.

Another one of the most common health problems that they can get is eye problems such as cataracts and glaucoma.

The thing is…

It is unclear why, but some of the terriers are struggling with these eye diseases, and mixing the breed with a chihuahua isn’t going to decrease the risk of eye problems.

Luxating patella is also a common health problem that you can find with any of the chihuahua terrier mixes.

This is where the kneecap is slipping in and out of the joint. This can cause pain and even arthritis over time. This is something that should be repaired with an operation.

Chihuahuas are at high risk of heart disease.

This is one of the reasons why you should only purchase puppies from genuine and legit breeders.

They ensure that there aren’t any risks to heart disease.

There are also reports that these breed mixes have a higher risk of allergies and eczema.

The Grooming Needs: Does the Chihuahua Terrier Mix Need Regular Grooming?

Most chihuahua terrier mixes aren’t expensive to groom. A terrier and poodle mix? Now that’s a different story.

A wash is all that most of them need. The only concern with grooming is that they are shedding hair during the summertime.

And having this breed in your home will give you problems with hair all over the place.

Taking your chihuahua terrier mix to a groomer on a regular basis will decrease the chance of hair shedding.

The only mix that needs to be groomed more frequently is the chihuahua Yorkshire terrier mix.

Will This Dog be Right for My Family?

Is the chihuahua terrier mix right for your family?

Well, it depends on the dog’s temperament and the type of mix the dog is.

Is the dog used for families with children and other dogs and cats?

Some of these breed mixes are known to dislike other dogs, and they prefer being the only pet in the home.

But, if they are introduced to other dogs from an early stage, they can become good friends with other house dogs.

Small children can hurt the smaller breed.

There were even reports of broken bones because children played too hard with the dog.

You also must ensure that no one in your family is allergic to animal or dog hair.

This is because they can shed hair during the summertime.

Final Words

There are a couple of things that you need to remember about the chihuahua mix, which we have compiled for you below.

Let’s take a look.

Types

There are five different varieties when it comes to the chihuahua terrier mix.

Family Pet?

They are mostly lovable pets that have only one person as their owner but do well with larger families.

Coat Care

They aren’t expensive to groom, but because they shed hair during summertime, you need to ensure that they are getting to groomers to get rid of the shedding hair.

Health Concerns

Depending on the type of mix, the dog can have a number of health risks. Of course, health issues of many kinds come with any breed of dog.

You want to be informed about the big ones that come with chihuahuas or terriers. These can include the following:

Eye problems are the most common problem in these dogs.

Ensuring regular checkups is essential for keeping the dog healthy

Small Children

It isn’t recommended to have this dog in a home where there are small children.

This is because these dogs are fragile and can get hurt really easily

Socialization

If they are introduced to other dogs as a puppy, they will get along with other dogs.

They don’t really like cats, except growing up with them

Lifestyle

They are active dogs and need regular exercise and healthy food. Junk food can lead to obesity and heart problems.

Where to Buy?

You should purchase your dog from a reputable breeder who is testing their dogs for any health problems.

Companionship

Any of the chihuahua terrier mix dogs are great companions, and they don’t get too large.

Indoor or Outdoor?

Ideal for dogs that are growing up inside the home.

It is ideal to ensure you have all the information needed before you decide on a mix for your household.

With this information mentioned, you will have a great idea of what you can expect from your chihuahua terrier mix.

Don’t judge them by their size; they might be small, but they have big hearts.

Check out this cute Chihuahua Terrier Mix named Ezra in the video below!

Photo of author
About the author

Jacquelyn Kennedy

PetDT was founded by Jacquelyn Kennedy, a dog lover and pet admirer. She built the website to provide pet owners with information, experiences, and opinions on breeds, temperament, personalities, health, nutrition, products, and care.

2 thoughts on “Chihuahua Terrier Mix 101: What You Need to Know About This Breed”

  1. My husband bought a Chihuahua cross silky terrier before Christmas 2017 she is nearly 6 months old and has such a great personality, she is however, very hard to toilet train… She goes outside but then comes inside and pees and poops inside, I am at my wits end about how to train her… We have 4 dogs, 4 cats and 5 ferrets, she is the only one who has been a problem to train….. Any ideas please?

    • I have the exact same problem with my 7 month Chihuahua terroir also we are finding it difficult to find food she will eat.we live in Thailand so your recommended brand not available

Comments are closed.