Chion (Papillon and Chihuahua mix)
What is a Chion? Also referred to as the Pap-Chi, Pap Chi, Chi-a-Pap, Chihuahuapapillon or Papihuahua, the Chion is a crossbreed between the Papillon and Chihuahua. This cross is referred to as a kind of marriage, as both parent breeds share many similarities in regard to personality as well as being both toy breeds. Although they're pretty tiny dogs, they take on big personalities just as their parents of being abrasive, opinionated, and bold. In addition to these, the Chion is also a loyal and affectionate family companion. Despite the dog's small size, it tends to be a brave guardian, and will always courageously defend his territory or owner with a display of noise or defiance. The fine structure of Papillon Chihuahua mix dog's bones makes Pap Chi unsuitable to play with little children, as they tend to play a bit more carelessly and can seriously injure your small Chion. As a caution, this tiny pooch can easily use his teeth on the young children when upset. The tiny dog doesn't have the resilience or patience of dealing with young fingers that are inquisitive.
Although it has high energy bursts, the Chion will only require little to moderate amount of exercise as his small legs may have to work so tirelessly in order to cover great milestones. With a moderate amount of shedding, this dog will require little amount of care on its coat compared to other dogs that are heavy shedders. The Chions also tend to be uninterested in several activities, and can also be stubborn, which makes training them a difficult task. Chions are overly pampered, and if you're not careful, they will become irritable and domineering with you as the owner, and aggressive to strangers. As such, these little dogs are not well suited for everybody.
Being highly self-assured and intelligent little hybrid crossbreeds, the Chion is for sure a great companion. With active deposition and playful personality, this tiny dog has a high ability to get along well with other home pets and children, which makes him an ideal family pet. The Chion can also be a perfect watchdog, attributed by the tendency of reacting to abrupt noises and barking at strangers. The small size of the dog makes it a perfect dweller in apartments and small condos. Chion's barking behavior could become excessive but can well be curbed through early socialization and training.
Chion Life Expectancy
When the Chion is well-bred and kept in a healthy state through regular vet checkups, these little crossbreed dogs can live to about 12 or 14 years.
Size of the Chion
Just like other crossbreed dogs, the size of Chion is influenced by the predominance of either parents' genes. As such, you would expect a Chion to be small just as its parents to weigh up to 10 pounds and reach a height of 11 inches at adulthood.
Origin of the Chion
Having been bred under its various names as discussed earlier as a designer dog, the Chion has been around for approximately 20 years, and its popularity became more noticed as the prominence of the Chihuahua rose in the 1990s, which was known as a "handbag dog" by then. There's not much to say about Chions' history, but some insights can be got from their parents.
There exist several theories about the existence of the Chihuahua. One such says that the Chihuahuas were brought into Mexico from China by Spanish traders. From here, it's assumed that they were mixed with local dog breeds to produce the present Chihuahua, which eventually became a purebred from multigenerational crossings. Another theory says that they emerged from dogs of Techichis during the 9th Century, which is assumed they were used as afterlife guides and were buried together with the dead as sacrifices, while other theories say that Chihuahuas were used as food. Altogether, the most trusted theory says that the Chihuahuas were discovered during the 1800s in a small town of Mexico known as Chihuahua. They were then brought into the United States and registered in 1904 by the American Kennel Club.
The Papillon, on the other hand, is believed to have its origins in France from the 1500s. By then, they were known as the Dwarf Spaniels and thought to have descended from the Toy Spaniels of Europe. Having been popular with many wealthy Europeans and Louis XIV, in particular, this fluffy dogs initially had droopy years that ended up being erect along the way a change that has been depicted from paintings in the Renaissance period of 13th to 15th century. The droopy-eared Papillon was referred to as the Phalene, meaning moth in France, but the erect-eared Papillon was more popular. These Papillons also gained entry into the United States in the 20th Century, featured more frequently in dog shows from where they became popular. In 1915, the Papillon was registered by the American Kennel Club. Being a product of these two great breeds, the Chions are adorable pooches for any family.
Chion Pedigree
Being offspring of First-generation crossing (F1s), it means the Chions are direct descendants of the Papillons and Chihuahuas. Being a direct lineage and a crucial requirement of hybrid production from two purebred dogs well recognized by the American Kennel Club, the Chion breed has been recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC).
Having been accepted by the AKC in 1904, the Chihuahua parent is known to be sassy, charming and graceful. Also recognized as part of the AKC in 1915, it is depicted to be a happy, friendly and alert dog. The Chion, which is a product of these two wonderful breeds is an upbeat tiny companion family dog. Multigenerational crossings for the Chion could be considered for the creation of purebred Chions, but producing these predictable pups could even take decades to achieve.
Appearance of the Chion
Being a hybrid dog, the Chion breed doesn't have any standards, as every pup is expected to have different appearances depending on the parent they favored more. However, you can easily make some generalizations of size, and since both the Papillon and Chihuahua are small, you will most likely expect the pups they produce to have more of the same characteristic. With their slender built small bodies, these tiny pooches stand 9 to 11 inches with a weight ranging from 4 to 9 pounds.
Just like the Chihuahuas, the Chions have protruding, prominent eyes, and erect, triangular ears like those of the Papillons. With a pronounced top, the skull is dome-shaped, running down towards a slender, short muzzle and a fine jaw bone. Their backs and necks are narrow and lean, with abdomens that are tightly tucked and chests that are well sprung. The Chions' tails are somehow slender, and they often carry them horizontally above.
The Chions' coats are moderately long, silky with very noticeable curls. They also feature long fur on the throat, tails, ears and also behind their legs where flowing fringes are formed. Although a majority of Chions have Symmetrical facial masks, some feature solid colors. Chions' coats are available in a range of colors including chocolate, black, black and white, black and brown, fawn, cream, tricolor and golden.
Chions' Dietary Needs
Since the Chihuahuas and Papillons enjoy diets that are poultry-based, Chions will, in the same way, thrive on a similar class of food. Chion pups can have their meals divided into smaller portions and fed 3 to 4 times a day since the kinds of meals they consume are digested easily. As your Chion transitions to adulthood, you can reduce the frequency feeding to twice a day and adjust the amount accordingly following the recommendations from your vet. You will also need to change the kind of food to give your dog high-quality dry food. Since tiny dogs have the propensity of contracting dental issues, dry treats and food will do best. Going forward, this goes along with incorporating ‘teeth brushing' onto the training schedule early on, and continue doing this in the Chion's entire lifetime.
Papchi Puppies
Chion puppies could be different in characteristics even those that are from the same litter, which is attributed to the fact that they are results of purebred crossbreeds. When acquiring Chion pups, ensure to get those that have had their parents thoroughly screened through responsible breeding. This will help you a great deal in getting a puppy that is free of eye, joint, or gum problems.
Chion's Exercise Requirements
To keep Chion healthy and happy, owners of this dog need to meet the small pet's exercise requirements. Some daily exercises through short walks and indoor plays will be sufficient for this pooch. Ensure that your Chion gets some toys to play with in addition to getting mental stimulation activities. Since the dog is very fast in running, you can give him an off-leash time in a nearby dog park, where he can also get an opportunity to socialize with other dogs.
You can break the time span of 30 to 45 minutes into several times in a day, or do it in one go when taking your dog out for a walk. If they fail to work out their high energy bursts, they can easily become agitated and anxious. For others, if not exposed to sufficient exercise may become lazy and bored, which could make them develop behavioral problems. Some of the activities that Chions enjoy include jogging, walking, swimming, hiking, fetching and agility training. While the Chions can be left to run around the yard as you do your own work, they will definitely require a lot of your attention.
How to groom a Chion
Fortunately, Chions are low-maintenance dogs as their fine coats require very little grooming. Chions are known as average shedders with coats that are typically thin, curled and long featuring fringed ends. Depending on how the Chion inherits its coat, it could contain a solid color, or contain a few spots that resemble its mask's color. You can brush these pooches twice a week and at most, you can do it thrice. This will remove any loose hair while preventing knotting. Their butterfly ears that are triangular-shaped need more attention to keep them matt-free. These ears should also be cleaned frequently on the inside to protect them from contracting any infections.
Being a dog breed that likes spending most of its time in the house, you can only bath him occasionally when necessary with a mild shampoo that has been well recommended by your vet. Frequent bathing isn't good for the Chion, as it will interfere with the natural oils that maintain the softness of the dog's skin. Actually, you can keep your Chion in perfect condition without taking him to a professional groomer. You will also need to occasionally vacuum up some hair, as this dog sheds moderately at times, and their hair could appear on furniture and clothing.
Since Chions are susceptible to tooth loosening and dental overcrowding, you need to brush their teeth on a daily basis. Dental products that are specifically designed for dogs and recommended particularly by the vet for your Chion should be used. You can readily find canine toothpaste as well as toothbrushes in pet shops and veterinary clinics.
Chion temperament
Being a spunky hybrid and argumentative at times, the Chion lights up visibly when spoken to and interestingly shows great affection to the owner, making it a great companion that is extremely loving. Being a playful and energetic dog, Pap-Chi dog will excitedly bounce in your house, but can also curl up in your laps when everyone is relaxing after feeling tired. Although it's unlikely for the Chion to strike fear towards someone, this tiny dog is well known to have protective instincts, especially toward beloved owners. Papillon-Chihuahua mix dog will tend to stand courageously against intruders or even stand between the opposing parties and the owner upon hearing raised voices.
Since they are very attentive dogs, Chions will bark whenever they hear anything strange from what they're used to. However, this can easily get out of hand especially for the apartment dwellers, as this dog will make noise if bangs are made in the neighborhood. If Chions are socialized inadequately, Papchi dogs can be somewhat defensive and snappy, and they are suspicious of strangers at most times. When together with other dogs, they have a tendency of being abrasive and overly confident regardless of the counterpart's size. They also tend to be more aggressive in fights than the innocent victims. The Chions have a light build, which makes them very delicate to handle. Caution should be observed when they are playing with little rambunctious children, as Pap Chi dogs can easily get injured.
Chions are also very intelligent dogs in nature, thanks to their Papillon and Chihuahua parents. Although they will not put up with strangers at first, it will take a very short time to warm them up after warding off their shyness. Chions' eyes are prone to easy injuries, and you need to maintain a keen watch on them. Known for their sweet demeanor and caring nature, Chions do make great companions to their owners and families as well. Chihuahua Papillon mix dogs are also protective and watchful to those they love, and in return, they will expect much attention and affection from you.
Chion potty training
Are Chions difficult to housetrain? When it comes to potty training, Chions are among the easiest to house-break. Being among the very crucial training a dog should be given, a lot of care should be observed when potty training the Chion. You definitely don't want your house to be a dog toilet, but you also don't want to punish a Chion dog for accidents. As such, it's good to first incorporate crate training as you teach your dog the good manners of pottying outside. This should be combined with treats and other positive reinforcement techniques.
First, get a medium-sized dog crate that is ideal for your Chion. It shouldn't be too big, nor too small for the dog to force himself to stand-in. Put some puppy blankets in the crate for your dog to feel comfortable while resting and sleeping. Once your dog has eaten, or even after playing, always take him to the crate to relax. But avoid confining your dog in the crate for so long, as this isn't a jail for him. Your Chion should be made to know that this is its good place for resting away from any kind of disruptions.
But the dog shouldn't be made to use the crate as his toilet at any one time. But when accidents do happen, never punish or rub the Chion's nose on the pee, as this will hamper the house-breaking process if your Chion starts to fear and mistrust you. Instead, take your Chion pup outside to an area you've identified, even before any accidents occur. Immediately after relieving himself there, praise him and give a reward to stamp in him that he's done well. When this is done repeatedly while you introduce some phrases such as Good poo! your Chion will eventually learn going out by himself. But remember to be patient, as this is easier said than done.
How to train a Chion dog?
Chion is one of the hardest hybrids to train. It portrays a lot of stubbornness and is mostly uninterested to follow or obey any formal training methods. As such, endeavor to disguise the training lessons on daily routine activities. For instance, when you are about to feed your Chion, teach simple commands such as "stay" or "sit" prior to putting the bowl of food down. Before you open the door for your Chion when it's barking excitedly or unnecessarily, utter the word "cease" or "stop" for it to learn how to stop barking for no reason. These are just a few examples of how you can incorporate training your Chion on the go without having any training schedules.
To ensure your dog corresponds accordingly, you can begin obedience lessons for your Chion through a profession or even a training school. You should always be firm, patient, and consistent while keeping these sessions as positive as possible. In this way, your Chion will begin following instructions. When socialization and obedience training are conducted early on, their behaviors and attitudes, as well as other interactions, will change for the better.
The stubborn nature of Chions, a character trait possibly inherited from the Chihuahuas, will make these dogs to rebel if they suspect you have the temerity of trying to offer them any kind of education. Due to their hard-headedness, they can be challenging to train for first-time dog owners.
Since these dogs are somehow wary of strangers, Chions will need intensive socialization. Exposing these dogs to positive early experiences with other individuals will prevent them from displaying their snappy and defensive behaviors.
Pros and cons of owning a Chion
Papillon dog
Chihuahua dog
Chihuahua Mix breeds
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Min Pin Chi
Chihuahua x Dachshund
Chi Pug
Chihuahua x Pomeranian
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