Chihuahua Types: From Head to Tail

Chihuahua Head Types

Chihuahuas fall into two head shapes: apple head and deer head. You may also see “deer-faced Chihuahuas” in reference to the latter. Once you learn about these classifications,  you won’t pass another one of the toy breed without noticing their beautiful differences.

Apple Head

Functioning as the breed standard, apple-head Chihuahuas have a rounder skull, with eyes relatively large-looking compared to their overall face. Their snouts are shorter, though not as short as a Pug’s or Bulldog’s.

The brain cavity of their head is generally “apple” shaped—large and rounded. Thus, the name.

Deer Head

Deer head Chihuahuas, though off-standard, are equally loved.

They get their name from their more balanced snout-to-skull ratio. Their eyes are smaller than their counterpart’s and often look more like terriers (think of Jack Russell terriers, for example) with longer muzzles.

Though apple is AKC’s ordained preference, it’s interesting to note that certain health concerns occur at a reduced risk in deer-head Chihuahuas. Apples experience molera—a soft spot on the tops of their heads—more often than deer. Similarly, shorter snout lengths correlate with dental crowding, breathing issues, and increased eye injury.

Chihuahua Coat Types

Both apple-head and deer-head Chihuahuas have these two distinct pelt types.

There are two: short coats, called smooth-coated Chihuahuas, and long coats, called long-haired Chihuahuas. There are varieties of each coat type that boast undercoats (which is a soft layer of fur beneath the coat you see on top). Both types of pelt are AKC-approved and can come in a large array of colors.

Are Chihuahuas hypoallergenic?

No. Chihuahuas are not hypoallergenic.

This misconception may come from the nomenclature around their pelt types. “Hair” (instead of fur) with reduced shed rates, often dense enough to hold shed skin, tends to be the standard for “hypoallergenic” dogs.

Despite the “long-haired” portion of their name, Chihuahuas shed the same amount as any other non-hypoallergenic dog. 

Chihuahua Coat Colors

On the topic of coat colors… Chihuahuas have it all, from simple solid colors to brindle or merle. Let’s keep the AKC Standard pelt colors away from their non-standard counterparts.

AKC Standard Chihuahua Coat Colors

According to the AKC, Chihuahuas can possess black, blue, and chocolate in combination with tan. Black, chocolate, cream, and red are also approved. Fawn, alone and with white, are also okay.

Blue alone is not approved, though—it must come with tan. That said… the 2008 document discussing their approved features does list any color as approved, including solid, marked, or splashed.

Here are the approved pelt colors in list format:

• Black & Tan
• Blue & Tan
• Chocolate & Tan
• Black
• Chocolate
• Cream
• Red
• Cream
• Fawn
• Fawn & White

Off-Standard Chihuahua Coat Colors

Get ready for a hefty list! In addition to black, red, fawn, cream, and tans, there remains silver, gold, brindles, gold, white, and on. These additional colors stem from both recessive genes and cross-breeding. If your Chihuahua is the child of a Chihuahua and a Boston Terrier, for example, you’ll notice atypical coats and body conformation. 

Through breeding, recessive genes and mutations naturally crop up. A “blue” pelt, for example, is a recessive gene of a black-and-tan pair (appearing more as a gray), though they both must possess the aforementioned gene. When looking for Chihuahuas, consider the compromised health often accompanying more difficult-to-acquire colors… blue Chihuahuas, for example, tend to have more health concerns.

Here are the pelt colors in list format:

• Black & Silver
• Black & Red
• Blue
• Blue Fawn
• Chocolate Blue
• Gold
• Silver 
• White
• Black Sabled Fawn
• Chocolate Sabled Fawn
• Black Sabled Silver
• Fawn Brindled Black
• Blue Brindled Fawn
• Chocolate Brindled Fawn
• Black & White
• Blue & White
• Chocolate & White
• Cream & White
• Gold & White
• Red & White
• Silver & White

Chihuahua Coat Markings

While still many, a chihuahua’s markings are far less in number when compared to their fur colors. Again, these can be split into two categories—AKC’s Breed Standard and off-standard characteristics.

AKC Standard Chihuahua Markings

If you’re like me, you’ll be shocked to see brindle markings in the approved list. Typically, the markings listed here are black and white—literally, dealing with spots and black masks. Merle also makes an appearance (that scratchy, patchy, dappled sort of look), though these markings are acquired through recessive genes as well. You’ll have to really look to adopt one of these guys.

Here are the approved markings:

• Black Brindling
• Black Mask
• Merle Markings
• White Markings
• White Spotted

Off-standard Chihuahua Markings

Markings and masks make another appearance! While the above list is limited to white and black, there are occurances of more colors in litters. They’re not able to compete in AKC-adhering events, they’re nonetheless beautiful.

Here’s a list of non-standard markings:

• Cream Markings
• Fawn Markings
• Red Markings
• White Markings
• Black Mask
• Blue Mask

Want to know more about Chihuahuas? Check out this article about Chihuahua aggression (and why it’s out fault).