A chipoo is the smallest of the doodles. The chipoo is a combination of a Poodle and a Chihuahua, also called a Poochi or the Chihuahua Poodle Mix. The chipoo is a designer or hybrid dog and is not recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club). These hybrid dog combinations have become more popular in many countries. Although the chipoo is not the most popular it is a great doodle in a tiny package. 🎁
The chipoos are smart and loyal and bond well with their owners. They are adorable and playful and they are also kid friendly if they are handled gently, chipoos can be delicate due to their size. These sociable tiny doodles are not aggressive and don’t have a strong prey drive. They get along well with other pets but they do not like the cold. ❄️ If you are not ok with a pet in clothes this may not be the dog for you. The chipoo tends to get chilly and may need a sweater 🧥 on cooler days. The chipoo is great for any living arrangement such as an apartment or condo, they do well in the city. They don’t necessarily need a yard but they do need to be kept mostly indoors.
The parent breed of the chipoo the Chihuahua, is the national dog of Mexico 🇲🇽 and was first registered to the AKC in 1908. The Chihuahua is one of the oldest breeds in the Americas.
The other half of the chipoo genes comes from the Poodle. The Poodle is the national dog of France 🇫🇷 although it originated in Germany 🇩🇪 . The poodle is currently ranked the 6th most popular dog by the AKC. The standard sized Poodle began as a magnificent water retriever and duck 🦆 hunter over 400 years ago. It has more recently been used to hunt for truffles. Poodles of all sizes are well loved for their intelligence and trainability.
Sizing it all up
The Chihuahua is the smallest purebred dog that is recognized by the AKC. They come in 2 different types: the deer 🦌 head and the apple 🍎 head Chihuahua. The apple head Chihuahua has a large head in comparison to its body, kind of like a bobble head. The apple head Chihuahuas are born with a soft spot on their skull called a molera. This soft spot is similar to human babies 👶 (fontanelle) and makes it easier for the mother during labor. The molera will firm up within 3 to 4 months. The creation of the chipoo is usually bred with a male apple head Chihuahua and a female toy Poodle. Your chipoo may actually be born with a molera or soft spot on the skull if it inherits that trait from its Chihuahua parent.
Male chipoos can weigh 10 to 20 pounds and be 9 to 15 inches tall.
Female chipoos can weigh 3 to 20 pounds and be 5 to 13 inches tall.
Note: ⚠️ Neither male or female chipoos can be used to roughhouse, they are too small and delicate and can get hurt easily. ⚠️
Color Coding, Fur Real
The Chihuahua comes in 2 different varieties, short hair and long haired. The short haired type of Chihuahuas are usually the kind used to create the chipoo. Since it sheds less than the long haired kind. The Chihuahua’s hair is typically straight and smooth and the Poodle’s 🐩hair is wavy and sheds less. Your chipoo’s coat may be long or short, low or medium shed or somewhere in between. The chipoo can come in a few different coat colors to include black, white, blue, cream and different shades of brown. The chipoo will need to be brushed daily and a bath 🛁 about once per month. Their hair will probably need to be trimmed every 4 to 6 weeks and you can take them to a groomer 💈 or step up your dog grooming skills and do it yourself. There is no guarantee of what your chipoo will look like. The characteristics of your chipoo may be heavily weighted to one parent breed or it could be a great combination of the two.
Let’s quickly go over the “hypoallergenic” topic. The AKC asserts that “there is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog”. Unfortunately people with dog allergies are usually allergic to the dog dander 🦠 , not the dog’s fur. Granted the dog fur can be a carrier for the dog dander it is not the cause of the allergen. The old school of thought was that less dog hair = less allergen. So breeders would attempt to have as many Poodle genes in a dog breed to lessen dog hair shed. Unfortunately, this does not change the level of dander. Please be cautious regarding the labels of “hypoallergenic” if you have dog allergies. If you would like more info on this please read 22 Hypoallergenic Doodles. ◀️
Working it out
The chipoo is a very small dog that enjoys being active. Their Poodle parent tends to be high energy 🔋 and need quite a bit of exercise. So the chipoos energy and bounce comes from that parent. Making sure the chipoo gets enough exercise should not be that challenging. They love to run and play and will follow you wherever you go. The chipoo does not need a lot of room to run around and play. They do enjoy a nice walk or a good play seccion.
Note: ⚠️ Avoid over exerting 🥵 your chipoo, they can have joint issues in the legs due to overexertion. If they are panting during an activity you may want to give them a break or pick them up and carry them for a bit. ⚠️
Come, Sit, Stay
The chipoo is intelligent and energetic for how small it is. They are smart and playful and easy to train. Their Poodle parent is historically one of the easiest dogs to train. 👍 However the Chihuahua side can add some challenges. This parental influence can add stubbornness and independence. But if the trainer keeps training positive and engaging then the chipoo can thrive during training. The Chihuahua is one of the most difficult dogs to potty 🚽 train, those challenges can be passed down to their offspring. Also due to the chipoo being so bonded to their humans they can develop separation anxiety which can lead to barking and chewing. The chipoo can develop the bad habit of barking and chewing out of boredom, they will need their required amount of exercise. 🏃 As with all dogs the chipoo will need early socialization and puppy classes to ensure that they are well rounded and happy and don’t develop bad habits.
Quality of Life
The chipoo is a healthy little dog with a life span of 12 to 15 years. It is generally healthier than both of the parent breeds due to adding diversity to the gene pool. The chipoo can still be susceptible to the diseases 🩺 of both of the parent breeds. Some of these health issues include luxating patella, cardiovascular issues, obesity, dental issues and progressive retinal atrophy to name a few. The good news is that the majority of these can be tested for. 🧪
So now you want a Chipoo….
If you are thinking about getting a chipoo you must make sure that you are in love with any combination of traits that a doodle surprise could offer. 🎁 Your doodle may look exactly like a Chihuahua but act exactly like a Poodle. Would you be ok with that? What about the other way around? If you can love 💗 ALL of the traits of both parent breeds then DO IT! Doodles are the best!
I would check at Poodle rescues and also at Chihuahua specific rescues, they may have a mixed breed/hybrid there as well. Also check regular rescues. Just realize that if you want to rescue you may have to wait to find your dog or travel to pick it up. But there are great benefits to rescuing instead of buying. 👍👏
If you decide to buy a puppy please do your research on the breeder and don’t be afraid to ask the right questions. And good luck to you! I hope you find your forever puppy! 🥰
