Everything you need to know about a Chi-Poo: Chihuahua cross Poodle

By Dawn Parrish Content Writer

Updated on the 03/05/2022

Like most other small breed dogs, the Chihuahua cross Poodle is very friendly and loves nothing more than to curl up on your lap. This breed is also quite portable due to its small stature so no problem taking him along with you in the car.

This tiny pooch with an average height of around 13 inches, has not only irresistible, cute looks but also a very strong personality. Just like its parents, the Chihuahua and the Poodle, the resulting pup is certainly loving and intelligent with absolute loyalty towards its owner. Let's find out more information about the parents breeds.

The Chi-poo: A crossbreed between a Chihuahua and a Poodle

The Chihuahua

The Chihuahua breed was initiated during the 10^th and 12^th centuries, in Mexico. This breed is known to be a great companion. They absolutely love getting attention from their owners and are very loyal. Although it is a small breed, it still needs to be kept occupied and active, as they are proned to obesity. The Chihuahua is a barker and tend to dominate their owner, as a result, they will need a lot of training to avoid them being too temperamental.

The Poodle

The Poodle arrived in Germany during the 13^th century. Consequently, the Toy Poodle variety is believed to have originated around the 18^th century in the United Kingdom. The Poodle is known to be a very intelligent dog and easy to train. Poodles love to have attention, and if they feel like they don't have enough, they can develop bad habits such as barking. It is important that the Poodle has an early socialisation and a firm training as they can sometimes be a little bit aggressive.

Physical characteristics of the Chihuahua cross Poodle

First of all, when cross-breeding takes place, it’s never really known what the offspring will look like. However, in some reported findings, it appears that more often than not, the pups will be the stature and size of the Chihuahua with the Poodle’s colour and coat.

Even so, this is no guarantee and the Chihuahua cross Poodle puppies are not certain to be identical in looks. Just like its Chihuahua parent, its head is either flat or round and he will almost certainly, have tiny feet.

His tail is either short or long. With brown or black, almond-shaped eyes depending on the parents’ genes.

The ears of the Chihuahua cross Poodle can be either upright, dropped or even with just the tips of the ears dropped. Likewise, the coats can be either soft haired or long or even a mixture of both. Colours can vary between tan, black, white or cream or again, a combination.

Height: Average height anywhere between 6 to 13 inches -depends on the parent, either a Toy or Miniature Poodle
Weight: Average weight between 3 to 12 lbs – likewise, dependant on the parent breed
Lifespan: Usually between 12 and 15 years

Personality of a Chi-poo

The toy Poodle cross Chihuahua is a playful and fun-loving character that not only thrive on attention but also makes a fantastic pet. While it is fiercely loyal many also tend to have an independent streak. Likewise, when meeting anyone for the first time, this breed can be slightly suspicious and even bark. The Chi-poo is, however, a very loving dog and usually crave one-to-one attention and cuddles.

Although the Chipoo, is an intelligent little chap, if he’s not stimulated mentally and physically, he can easily be bored. He will love plenty of daily walks, enthusiastic playtimes and family fun-days.

He is a fantastic choice if you don’t have much house space or a large garden for him to run around in. You will probably have to keep him mentally stimulated with several different toys and activities.

If you don’t, his mischievous nature will show through, which can include lots of chewing and howling.

Overall, a cute little dog that will make anyone a fantastic, loyal pet.

Common health issues of the Chihuahua cross Poodle

As a general rule, the toy Poodle cross Chihuhua is a healthy breed. Many Chi-Poos go on to old age without any major health issues. As a result of crossbreeding, there are several common conditions that can originate from their parents.

Heart disease
Vision problems
Dental issues
Overactive tear glands
Hypoglycaemia
Brittle bones

How to feed a Chi-poo

These small, crossbreed dogs tend not to have enormous appetites. For this reason, it’s better to feed your dog a high-quality food variety that is specifically tailored for small dog breeds. Above all, if your pup has a tendency towards low blood sugar, feed smaller meals spaced throughout the day. Certainly, this will help to avoid drops and spikes in blood sugar levels.

Grooming the Chihuahua cross Poodle

As a general rule, the Chi-Poo doesn’t shed, which is brilliant news for any owners who suffer from allergic reactions. Brushing your Chi-Poo twice a week will remove any loose hair and dander and as a result, keep the dog’s coat tangle-free and smooth.

How to train a Chi-poo

As with other toy and small dogs, lots of praise and positive reinforcement help enormously when training. Likewise, with other small dogs, house training the Chihuahua cross poodle can be quite challenging. Possessiveness is also a trait of the Chi-Poo so your pup probably won’t want to share his toys.

Even more obvious in this crossbreed, is the stubbornness that can appear at a young age. Sometimes they tend to bark a lot for no obvious reason, but with early training, this should be manageable.

Origins and history of the Chihuahua cross Poodle

Although it’s not officially documented, the Chi-Poo most likely originated during the 1970’s in the United States. This was around 10 years after the Cockapoo, the first crossbreed Poodle and Cocker Spaniel arrived on the designer dog scene.

As a general rule, a Poodle will have a lot less issues while pregnant and giving birth. Almost all Chihuahua pregnancies, end in a C-section. Although the resulting Chi-Poo offspring of this cross breeding is not officially recognised by the American Kennel Club, they are by the American Canine Hybrid Club. Some alternative, recognised names used by different canine groups are the Poo-Chi, Chipoo, Choodle and the Wapoo.

You enjoyed reading about the Chi-poo? Check these mixed-breeds: