The Papillon Chihuahua Mix (Chion): Appearance, Temperament, Care, and Health!

Papillon Chihuahua mix, also known as Chion, is a feisty yet charming hybrid of the Papillon and the Chihuahua dog breeds. Despite being relatively new, these pooches have gained a lot of popularity in a very short time. Inheriting the best of their parents, these dogs are lovely, playful, and great family companions.

Getting interested? Keep reading to find out more!

Papillon Chihuahua Mix Breed Overview

Appearance

The Papillon Chihuahua mix dogs are adorable. They have a small head, bulging and round eyes, and erect, butterfly-type feathery ears.

Classified as a toy dog breed, these canines are smaller in size as compared to that of either of their parent breed. Their bodies are lean, and their legs are short and thin, while their tail is long and has a furry.

Their coat is smooth and has a silky appearance. Its length can be classified between short and medium. Nevertheless, long-haired Papillon Chihuahua mix dogs also exist.

Since some Chions have short coats, they do not go well in cold weather. You might, hence, want to buy your furry friend a warm jacket. Vecomfy Fleece and Lining Extra Warm Dog Hoodie

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They inherit colors from both of the parent breeds and thus look like a perfect hue blend of the two. The color pattern can also have a variety: they can be either solid or have several colors mixed together. The colors can, therefore, be many; however, white, black, and brown are most common.

Personality and Temperament

The Papillon Chihuahua mixes are tiny dogs but are quite big when it comes to their personality and temperament. Despite being small in size, they are determined and courageous pooches. Furthermore, they can be a great pet for watchdogging in small areas due to their tendency to be vocal. They surely do not hesitate to alert their owners against any person they perceive to be a stranger.

Inheriting companionship from their parent breeds, these dogs are very loyal and friendly. Moreover, owing to their pleasing nature, they are always ready to do whatever they are tasked for. Overall, they are affectionate and intelligent and do not take much longer to familiarize themselves with and befriend strangers.

They enjoy playing a lot, especially with children. Nonetheless, their small size can make them fragile to various injuries when exposed to kids. It is, therefore, recommended that you never leave kids with your Chion puppies unsupervised. You may also want to properly teach your kids how to behave with your Papillion Chihuahua mix dogs.

Like other dog breeds, Papillon Chihuahua mix dogs also have some negative traits. For instance, firstly, they prefer to be the only pet in the house and might become jealous of other animals’ presence. Secondly, they suffer from the Napoleon complex, also called small dog syndrome – they have a domineering attitude, and they think that they are bigger and superior to others than they really are. Hence, they often end up messing with other, larger animals, putting themselves at the risk of the latter’s aggression.

Thirdly, they can become territorial if they have a sense of being ignored by their favorite ‘hoomans’ or if they feel that their place in the home and heart of the people they love is being invaded by any other dog. Fourthly, despite their pleasing nature, they can sometimes be stubborn. Fifthly, they are quite attention-seeking and somewhat separation anxious, and, sixthly, they tend to be vocal when they encounter someone for the first time, but this specific trait can be tamed through proper training.

History

The Papillon Chihuahua Mix breed is known to exist naturally for years. However, the intentional mix breeding started most likely in the United States during the late 20^th Century to develop a small-sized canine companion combining the best features of the Papillons and the Chihuahuas. Gradually, as the demand rose, more and more Papillon Chihuahua mix pups were bred.

Like other hybrid breeds, Chion is not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). However, some other organizations, such as the American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC), the International Designer Canine Registry (IDCR), and the Designer Dog Kennel Club (DDKC), do recognize this breed.

The parent breeds of the Papillon Chihuahua mix are, on the other hand, very old. The Papillon breed originated during the 16^th Century in France, while the Chihuahuas were first observed about 200 years ago in Mexico. Both are small dogs and are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Chihuahuas are quite popular among canine lovers, and they have been mixed with many breeds to create interesting mixes like ShiChi and Bo-Chi, etc.  

Did You Know?

Papillon’ means butterfly in French. The Papillon breed is thus named so because of their ears’ shape.

Papillon Chihuahua Mix Care

Papillon Chihuahua mix is a low-maintenance dog breed and thus does not require much spending.

Diet

Because the Papillon Chihuahua mix breed is prone to obesity and gaining weight, you should never overfeed your pooch. Likewise, you should also be frugal when offering treats to your pup during training sessions.

Coming to the food quality, dry kibble works best for these dogs as it can keep the teeth healthy. Moreover, they also need enough nutrition, which can be provided in ample amounts through supplements upon your vet’s recommendations.

Quantity-wise, considering their size, they need about a half to a full cup of dry high-quality dog food – preferably poultry-based – every day. It is better to divide this quantity into at least two meals as small amounts are easier for dogs to digest.

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Due to the vulnerability of small dogs to hypoglycemia, always monitor your dog’s sugar intake level. You should avoid sharing treats like peanut butter, pomegranate, apricots, watermelon, caramel, chocolate, etc., with your dog.

Exercise

The Papillon Chihuahua Mix are high-energy dogs and thus require ample exercise every day. To utilize your pet’s energy in the most appropriate way, consider walking him for at least a half to a full hour every day. You can break this period into two separate sessions.

For the sake of variety, you can also add different activities to his workout sessions, along with short walks. Moreover, you can make each exercise session more effective by doing the followings:

1. Start slowly. Never jump onto heavy and demanding exercises for your furry friend, as doing so can ultimately make him lose interest in all sorts of workouts.
2. Do not exercise close to mealtimes as it can lead to different health problems in dogs.
3. As these dogs cannot tolerate cold weather, always be mindful of the surroundings’ temperature when taking your Chion outside for walks.
4. Keep trying new activities such as hiking or playing fetch.
5. Make sure that your dog is properly hydrated.
6. Provide interactive games to your pup that will keep him busy and provide him mental stimulation.

Provided that their exercise requirements are met, Papillon Chihuahua mix dogs can happily live in small apartments.   

Due to the small dog syndrome, make sure you keep your Papillon Chihuahua mix leashed when you take him outside for a walk, especially in family parks. Doing so will ensure that he does not end up messing with large dogs.

Training

The Papillon Chihuahua mix dogs are easy to train because of their high intelligence and eagerness to do whatever is being asked of them. In fact, they are quick to learn a number of tricks.

The only impediment you can face is their uncommon stubbornness. However, it can be easily overcome by being consistent and patient. Furthermore, you can expedite the training process by never being rude and offering rewards.

Begin training your dog at an early age, especially when it comes to socialization and potty training. Keep showing new places and new faces to your pup on a daily basis, and train him to exhibit good behavior, even with strangers.

You can use treats like dog biscuits to keep training sessions interesting for your Chion, but if your pup appears to be putting on some weight, you should try different ways to train a dog without treats.

Grooming

Regardless of the coat size, luckily, the Papillon Chihuahua mix pooches shed moderately. They are not considered one of the hypoallergenic dog mixes; therefore, if you have any pet allergies, you should reconsider getting a PapChi. Instead, you should look into hypoallergenic dogs for kids.  

Given their moderate shedding, Papihuahua is easy to groom—brushing once or twice a week will suffice to keep their coat clean and free of loose hair strands or any debris.  

Furthermore, just to be on the safe side, always break the mat with your finger if you find any of it in the coat. It can prevent causing pain to your dog. In case you find it difficult to remove mats manually, consider buying specially designed mat removers for dogs, and de-shedding tools for long-haired dogs.

As far as bathing is concerned, you don’t have to bathe your Chion unless he gets himself dirty and smelly by rolling into poop or a muddy puddle.

It is worth noting that you should clean your dog’s ears every week to avoid any sort of infection. Also, consider grooming the ear fur to make them look dapper.

Trim his nails whenever they get too long. A clicking sound made while he walks can be a good indication that the nails need to be trimmed. However, on average, you should trim his nails twice every month.

Never forget the teeth: proper maintenance of oral health is great for dogs. As a matter of fact, you can increase your dog’s lifespan by regularly cleaning his teeth using dog toothpaste.

Health

Papillon Chihuahua mix health problems are the same as those of its parent breeds.

Health Condition	Description	Symptom	Treatment
Fontanel	Formations of the hole(s) in the skull during early growth.	Soft spots in the skull Eyes in a particular direction Slow growth Anxiety	None
Collapsing Trachea	It happens due to the collapse of tracheal rings, causing breathing problems.	Difficulty in breathing Coughing Vomiting	Medication Preventive care
Hyperglycemia	It occurs due to a very high level of glucose in the blood.	Polyuria Weight loss Obesity	Insulin Diet alteration
Patellar Luxation	Dislocation of the kneecap.	Limping Swelling Weakness	Proper management Surgery
Liver Shunts	It causes blood to bypass the liver.	Stunted growth Poor development Seizures	Special diet Medication
Neuroaxonal Dystrophy	It causes uncoordinated movements.	Ataxia Hypermetria	None

Besides knowing the problems affecting the Papillon Chihuahua Mix breed, it is essential that you adhere to the following recommendations for your pooch to always stay fit and healthy:

1. It is very important that you buy your pup from a reputable breeder who is capable of producing authentic clearance certificates on demand.
2. Since they are small dogs, the children can easily get hurt. That is why you need to be careful when the interaction between your pet and the kids takes place.
3. You should regularly visit a vet to make sure that there are no underlying health issues. Therefore, it is advisable to form a healthcare routine.
4. Since breeders usually charge USD 200 to 700 for a puppy, and you might find it costly, there is no problem in visiting rescue and shelter centers to get a Papillon Chihuahua mix for adoption.
5. Consider getting your pet vaccinated against distemper, leptospirosis, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvo to avoid such complications in the future.

Why You Should or Should Not Have a Papillon Chihuahua Mix

If you are planning to have a Papillon Chihuahua Mix, look at the following pros and cons: