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If you’re looking to introduce a new dog to the family then perhaps you have come across the chatterdale – a Patterdale terrier Chihuahua mix. Here is all that you need to know about the chatterdale’s appearance and nature:
Patterdale Terrier
The Patterdale Terrier is a breed that descends from the terriers of the 18th century. Despite being a terrier, a breed known for being ‘yappy’, Patterdales are significantly less ‘yappy’ than other terriers.
They have short legs and quite a strong looking snout with triangular ears that hang down. Their tails tend to be docked, meaning that they are cut in order to avoid injury when the dog is hunting. The dog’s coat tends to be black with sometimes white markings on the chest and feet. However, it is not uncommon to see Patterdale Terriers in a range of other colours such as chocolate, and bronze. The fur is either smooth or rough.
The personality traits of a Patterdale Terrier include being bold and confident. They are more of a working dog which is not uncommon among terriers, known for their ability to search for prey with their energetic nature and determination. They are extremely high energy animals that can be difficult to socialise with other dogs for this reason. They were originally bred to be energetic and to pursue prey, however because of this it makes them rather too energetic for an ordinary household. This makes the breed particularly popular amongst farming households. They are often used to guard sheep and other livestock from foxes and other animals. Making them good hunters as well. However, due to this instinct, it does add to their difficulty in socialising as anything smaller than them they often see as prey. They can be known for being aggressive and stubborn, so when owning one, it is important to show them early on who is boss and to socialise them.
Chihuahua
There are actually two theories about the chihuahuas origins, one of which is that it descended from a central or south American dog called the Techichi from the Toltec civilisation. There are actually carvings from the 9th century that depict a dog that looks like the chihuahua, called the Techichi. The Aztecs believed that the Techichi had powers to heal the sick, and to see the future amongst others. The second theory is that hairless dogs from China were brought to Mexico and bred with antove dogs. However, the Chihuahua was discovered in the 1850s’ in the Mexican State, Chihuahua. Nowadays they are one of the most sought after and popular breeds available.
There are two different types of Chihuahua, long haired and smooth haired. The smooth haired Chihuahua has a smooth and shiny coat with a thicker and longer haired section around the neck, the hair on their head is shorter and thinner and their tail is furry. The long haired Chihuahua has a soft coat that is either flat or slightly curly, their ears also have a slight fringe and the tail is more bushy. Chihuahuas also come in a variety of colours, including; black, white, brown, fawn, and many more.
Chihuahuas are known to be quite terrier like, being bold and confident like the Patterdale. They tend to be quite socially aware, making good watch dogs who are quite suspicious of strangers. They are also quite sensitive dogs who enjoy being around humans. They tend to form strong bonds with one individual, but if they are given time to be introduced properly to others, they will make friends with them too. They are quite reserved at first when meeting new people and new dogs, being quite timid if they are not exposed to people and animals when they are puppies.
Chatterdale – Patterdale Terrier Chihuahua Mix
When you mix the Patterdale Terrier and a Chihuahua, you get a dog that stands between eight to eleven inches, weighing between five and fifteen pounds. The coat of the dog may vary in texture and length, it may be silky and feathered, or coarse and wiry. The colour of Patterdale X Chihuahua varies including; black, red, tan, brown, and sometimes even brizzle amongst other possibilities. Their ears will also vary from the iconic triangular pointed ears like the Chihuahua to the Patterdale’s hanging ears. They do tend to inherit the Patterdale’s strong head and neck and round brown eyes.
Patterdales are known for health conditions and therefore crossing a Patterdale Terrier with a Chihuahua may diminish a lot of the common issues amongst Patterdales.
The personality of Patterdale Terriers and Chihuahuas is bold, confident, and alert. They are intelligent dogs, so in order to keep them fulfilled mentally and physically, it is a good idea to train your dog. Socialising them with other dogs at an early age is also a good idea because neither breed is great with other dogs. The Chatterdale will likely not be great around children either.
This breed might be good for you if you have time to train this dog and time to eliminate bad behaviours such as the sociability with other dogs. Otherwise Chatterdales make great companions and will be a wonderful addition to your home.
If you enjoyed this article you might also like to read about Patterdale X Border Terrier
I have just added Paddy to my family. He’s a Chatterdale and is 15 weeks old. He is at the moment a lovely friendly dog with people and children and in the last week he has been introduced to a spaniel, an old tyme English bulldog puppy, and another chihuahua mix. They played well together. He’s highly intelligent and all though stubborn sometimes he is learning well and he definitely loves his cuddles from every one.
I have a 1 1/2 year old English Bulldog and 2 chatterdale puppies. They are 4 months old. They are all best friends. The baby babies (all 3 are my babies) are reserved when outside but rambunctious inside. I wish I could put pics on here cause 1 looks like patterdale and the other looks like chihuahua. The mom was patterdale the dad was chihuahua.