The Chihuahua is the world’s smallest dog, with a height ranging from six to 10 inches and a weight that is less than 2.7 kilograms. The dog is regarded as harmless and docile companion dog for high society women and celebrities, who carry it around everywhere and pamper it (AKC, 2009). The Pit bull on the other hand is a ferocious attack dog that has caused many deaths to innocent people. The Pit bull often grows to about 2 feet in height and weighs about 50 kilograms. Both these dogs are reared as house pets and their owners treat them as a family member (Pit bull, 2009). This paper compares the two breeds and discusses their appearance, personality, purpose and temperament.
The Chihuahua has its origins from the regions of Pre-Columbian Mexico and the origins go back the Techichi breed, to the periods of the ancient Maya kingdom that existed around 2 BC. Over a period, the dog was crossbred with some Chinese miniature dogs to create the modern Chihuahua (AKC, 2009). The Pit bull is a cross breed between the British Bulldog and the Fox Terrier and they came about in the early 15h century. The dogs combined the tenacity and courage of both the breeds and they were used for dog fighting, bull and bear baiting and to protect the owner from enemies (Pit bull, 2009).
The Chihuahua has an apple or deer shaped head with short nose and close-set eyes. There are two official breeds and they are the long coat and the smooth coat. The hair is smooth and velvet like and the colours can range from solid black to solid white with mixtures of cream, fawn, blue, chocolate, red, dapple and black and tan spots. The Pit bull has a is medium in size with a short coat and a robust musculature. The eyes are almond shaped and the ears are small. The tail may be docked but it is thick and tends to taper. The legs are medium size and the centre of gravity is low, so that the agility of the dog, its speed and attacking abilities are increased (Pit bull, 2009).
The Chihuahua is mainly kept as a companion dog for women of high society. The dogs tend to be very devoted to their owners or handlers and can become jealous when the human interacts with other humans and this gives them a disposition to bite when exited, angry or frightened. The American Kennel Club recommends that the dogs are not to be taken as house pets in houses that have small children and toddlers. However, these problems can be overcome by proper socialization and handling of dogs and instilling the right temperament (AKC, 2009). Pit bulls on the other hand were reared for violent sports such as dog fighting and as guard dogs. The dogs are very courageous and devoted to their owners and would attack animals or humans, much larger than themselves when they perceive a threat to their owners. However, the long history of the dog shows that it is obedient and very loyal. They need lots of exercise and stimulation to remove frustration and to channel their energy in the right direction (Pit bull, 2009).
The Chihuahua has been widely accepted as a pet and it is very popular as a house pet among people who can afford the upkeep and maintenance. The Pit bull on the other hand has been widely castigated as a dangerous dog and it has been banned as a pet in many cities and countries, due to the fatal attacks it has made on hapless people. However, aggression and attacking people comes from lack of training at an early age and lack of exercise to channel the energy. It was found that owners of Pit bulls that attacked and killed people, tied up the dogs for days, without any obedience training and exercise. The dogs were isolated from strangers and kept indoors for long periods. This led to pent up aggression and when the dogs became momentarily free, they attacked people. This is a failure of the owners and not the dogs. For every one incident of violent attack, there have been tens of well-adjusted dogs that live as house pets along with children (Pit bull, 2009). Therefore, both the Chihuahua and the Pit bulls can be safely kept as house pets, provided the required amount of exercise and correct training and handling are given regularly and from the puppy stage.
References
AKC, 2009. Information about Chihuahua. Web.
Pit bull, 2009. Pit Bull Breed Info. Web.