Chipoo Dog Breed Pictures, Characteristics, and Facts

The Chipoo is a mixed breed, so they don’t have history as their own breed. Both parent breeds, however, are well known and loved.

The Poodle is one of the oldest breeds developed specifically for hunting waterfowl. Most historians agree that the Poodle originated in Germany, but developed into their own breed in France. Many believe that the breed is the result of crosses between several European water dogs, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Hungarian, and Russian water dogs. Some say that the Miniature and Toy Poodles emerged shortly after the Standard, but many believe it wasn’t until the 1400s that breeders began intentionally creating smaller versions of the Poodle — first the Miniature, then the Toy — to delight the Parisian bourgeoise. Although the Standard was used for duck hunting, the smaller varieties had use as well – while many kept them as lapdogs, they were also talented truffle hunters. It’s not known for sure when Poodles arrived in the U.S., but the American Kennel Club registered their first Poodle in 1886. The Poodle Club of America was founded in 1896, but disbanded shortly thereafter. Poodle enthusiasts reestablished the club in 1931.

It’s not fully clear how or when the Chihuahua originated, although we do know the breed is very old. There are two main theories as to the Chihuahua’s development into the breed we know and love today.  The first is that the breed descended from a Central or South American dog breed, now extinct, known as the Techichi. The second theory is that small hairless dogs from China, like the Chinese Crested, were brought to Mexico by Spanish traders and then bred with small native dogs. Regardless, the first appearance of the breed as we know them was in the 1850s in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, from which they took their name. They began to be shown in 1890, and a Chihuahua named Midget became the first Chi registered with the American Kennel Club in 1904. The longhaired variety was likely created through crosses with Papillons or Pomeranians, but longhaired Chihuahuas are now recognized as purebred. The breed’s popularity took off in the 1930s and 1940s, when it was associated with dance king and Latin music bandleader Xavier Cugat. Since the 1960s, the Chihuahua has consistently stayed in the most popular breeds registered by the AKC. Today they rank 11th among the 155 breeds and varieties the AKC recognizes.