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Author: Stephanie Hetu
Article source: http://petcaretips.net/. Used with author's permission.
The term applehead Chihuahua refers to the shape of a baby Chihuahua's head. The dome of the skull is broader than the jaw, giving rise to the description "applehead". It takes into account that the top of the head has a slight depression. This depression is called a molera (Spanish for fontanel) and corresponds to the "soft spot" on a baby's head. Some Chis have it--some don't.
There was disagreement for a while over whether the presence of a molera on an applehead Chihuahua was a bad thing and should be considered a demerit for lineage assessment. Recently, this has been seen as totally discountable. The presence or absence of a molera has NO bearing on a Chihuahua's pedigree.
On October 30, 1990, the American Kennel Club adopted a set of standards for the Chihuahua as a breed. It did not differ from the prior April 14, 1943, standard. Listed under "Head" is the following description: "A well rounded "apple dome" skull, with or without molera." So although the official description of the applehead Chihuahua is "apple dome", there's no disputing the AKC Official Breed Standard for "Expression": Saucy!
The AKC Breed Standard weight limit for a Chi is 6 pounds. If your young applehead Chihuahua gains too much weight, the "appleheaded-ness" will disappear earlier than through simple aging. As in humans, too much weight puts a strain on all systems, especially the heart. Be nice to your pet and don't feed it huge meals or table scraps.
Additionally, the tiny legs of an applehead Chihuahua cannot easily support gross extra weight. They will develop a condition called slipped stifles, which is an injury of the knee caused by patella fracturing. It can be fixed with an operation, but that is an expense and pain that you do not need to incur. Be sure to get your applehead Chihuahua from a breeder that has carefully checked its breeding stock for inheritable weaknesses. And for sure, don't let your Chi jump down from your arms or other high places. Their joints just cannot take the stress.
You'll keep your applehead Chihuahua healthy for as much of the 15 year lifespan as possible if you limit its food and correctly provide the exercise it--and YOU--demand! Stephanie Hetu
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