We often get questions in our facebook group from pet parents wondering if their chihuahuas have an Apple Head or a Deer Head. Sometimes it’s easy to tell. Other times, not so much. Hopefully this guide will help you if you are wondering what your chihuahua is.
The funny thing is, these terms are not even mentioned in the Chihuahua Club of America breed standard guidelines. However they do state that a chihuahua should have a well rounded “apple dome” skull.
So does that mean if you have a deer head, your chihuahua isn’t legitimately a chihuahua? No, of course not. In fact, there can be deer heads and apple heads in the same litter with the same parents. It just means the ideal chihuahua has an apple head in the eyes of the CCA. So if you ever wanted to enter your chi in a dog show, you couldn’t with a deer head. Most of us don’t have chihuahuas for show though, we have them for companionship.
One thing that should make you feel better about having a deer head chihuahua is that even though they aren’t the ideal standard of the breed, they are less prone to health issues than apple heads are.
Characteristics of an Apple Head Chihuahua
- The head is very round and bulbous.
- The eyes appear to be lower down on the head and often bulge out more.
- The forehead is prominent.
- The muzzle is short.
- Apple heads tend to have a smaller body than deer heads.
By the way, the little cutie above is named Newt and he belongs to Evelyn Ann Ciaramella Hannigan.
Here’s a video with an apple head chihuahua:
Characteristics of a Deer Head Chihuahua
- A longer, more tapered snout (or nose).
- The eyes appear to be higher up on the head.
- The forehead is less pronounced and not as round as an Apple Head.
- Their head often resembles a deer’s head (hence the name).
- Deer head chis tend to be a little larger than apple heads.
Here’s a video of a deer head chihuahua:
Now I do have to mention that I have seen some chihuahuas that seem to be a combination of both types so if you have a hard time telling which one your chi is, it could be because of that.
So do you have a deer head or an apple head chihuahua? My Kilo is an apple head.
Feel free to upload a photo of your apple or deer head chi in the comments. Or if you aren’t sure what you have, add your photo and maybe we can help you figure it out.
Cathy is an avid dog lover and has had many dogs throughout her life. When she rescued her first Chihuahua, she was hooked on the breed.
My lil Zoey is a Deer Head but I still love her to pieces
Zoey has great ears! Such a pretty girl!
I have both a apple head ( Kato far back. Nuggie is a deer head with floppy ear tips ( middle ) and my foster was a large deer head ( Frodo ). All are such sweet little loves!
Cuties!
Here is my lil man Reeses i think he looks mixed what do you think?
I’d have to see a side view of him to know for sure Becki but he does look kind of mixed. He has the forehead of a deerhead (not as round and bulbous as an applehead) but from this angle, his snout looks short like an applehead.
Here is a side view 😍
I would say Applehead Becki.
Is my little girl an apple or deer head? To me she looks like a combination of both.
I don’t see a photo Laiken.
This is my Hercules. He is 4 1/2. I got him when he was 6 weeks old and weighed 6 oz. He now weighs 5.2 lbs.
The photo didn’t make it through Amy.
I am not sure whether Goliath is an apple head or a deer head,he could be both but i’m not sure.A little help on this would be great.
I’m thinking deer but I can’t tell for sure unless I could see him from the side. He’s a handsome boy.
Here is a side view of Goliath back when he was first adopted and had less hair. Question again applehead or deer head?
I think he is an apple Roseanne.
My tiny little apple head, Barrett. 4 months & 2 pounds.
Oh My Gosh! How adorable is little Barrett!
This is my Little Rascals. Not a good shot but he lives some shoes and boots
I don’t see the photo Kelly.
Kizzy is a chi weenie I was told she’s an apple head but after reading and seeing the videos I don’t know
Add her photo Kristen and let us take a look at her.
This Chloe I think she a deer head chihuahua
Were you trying to add a photo of Chloe Alicia so we could see if she is a deer head? it didn’t come through.
This is my Chi Chi. He is a rescue from North Carolina. Now very happy in CT! I love him! He is such a cuddlebug. Applehead?
He does look like a happy little guy! Yeah I think he is an apple.
I’m not sure…deer?
Looks more like an apple to me Mitzie’s mom.
Thank you for telling of the differences. Personally I love them all but I do like the deerhead
better, only for the look.
You are welcome!
This is Gomez he’s my sucky baby! I got 6 yrs ago and he’s 7 now, the people who owned him before me were terrible owners, their pit bull used him as a toy and gave him a scar on his left eye and he was so thin when I got him. Now he’s loved and content and in a great home! He’s my world!
Gomez is very lucky to have found you to be his mommy Rebecca. Look at his cute little smile. He looks so happy.
Thank you kilosmom 😶 I got him for free from those people two months before I lost my dog Cujo my very first dog my German Sheppard, he passed away Jan 31 2011 it was a hard year since I list my Dad nine mths prior to that fe Cancer 😔so Gomez was a god send, he really helped me with my grief.. Him and I are joined at the hip! Thank you for listening to my storey.
I have 2 females, Chiquita is my tan colored deer head Chi and Tinkerbell is my brown little apple head.
I of each! Lucky you.
My little Emma is a deer Head
Emma is soooo sweet! Love her!
My gorgeous deer head girl, Lady Midnight!
She is gorgeous Abigail! Such a sweet little face.
That sweet little face is her fortune!
It has appeared on cushions and mugs in Primark, as well as in .
more than a dozen movies and music videos. Yet she remains a friendly and enthusiastic little Lady.
Diva? That’s for humans! LOL
I wish I could see her photo Abigail!
Here she is “posing next to the cushion with her image on it
That is so cool! She does have a sweet little face. I can see why she’s such a great model.
This is my chi and smokey is 4 years old and I’m having a hard time trying to figure out if he is a apple head or a dear head chi
I’m thinking a deer head Martha.
Thank you so much
You’re very welcome!
This is bear, she is alittle over 6 months. Is she Apple or deer?
Bear is gorgeous Heather! She looks like a deer head to me but I could tell for sure with a side view.
Our new baby Penelope; 8 weeks and 1.4 pounds. I think deer head
Our new baby Penelope; 8 weeks and 1.4 pounds. I think a deerhead.
It’s sometimes hard to tell at this age but she does look like a deer head to me too. Pretty girl!
This is my sweet gir Nina! I am not quite sure if she is apple or deer head!
She looks like a sweetheart! She’s a deer head.
Apple or deerhead?
This is buddy. Is he an apple head?
He looks like an apple to me Pat.
My Deer head Chihuahua is known as CRUSHER !
A wonderfully playful personality . I Love this little guy.
6 pounds of pure enjoyment in our home
I love his coloring George!
Is my girl a deer head or chi mix
I don’t know Jeanette. I don’t see a photo.
Hi deer head or apple head
Thanks
I’m thinking deer but can’t really tell from that angle. Do you have a side view photo of her you can share?
Hi now is this image
Ok, yes this cute girl looks like a deer head.
Thanks so much
I have one more quick question. The girl in office at vets office said she was a chihuahua mix. Is it possible she is mixed with some type of terrier. I don’t think many people are familiar with deer head. I wasn’t until I researched. He is 5 months old and weighs 6.5 pounds. Thanks
It’s possible she’s mixed as she is a little on the large side for a 5 month old. But I couldn’t tell you what she’s mixed with as she looks like a chihuahua.
Thanks. I guess she is large even for a deer head. I’m hoping she won’t weigh over 10 pounds. She is a sweetie and very smart . Just a little curious when we go outside. Seems to hear everything. Loves people. She went to everyone at the vets office. I put her picture in this APP callled what dog and it came up chihuahua only. My sister has a mixed dog and i put her in and both came up as one or the other. 😆😆
Regardless of what she is, she’s very cute and looks like a sweetie pie!
I’m looking for info on common medical issues in deer chihuahuas. I’ve had Nyhm ( the name the pound gave him but I call him Little Man) 3 years now. He is my first and I have loved him and nurtured him just like he does me. We were homeless for about a year out in the cold and constantly on the go. About 3 weeks ago we got our own place and he has to climb a stair case to got in and out. At first he would run up it like nothing at all, but the last few days he is limping up like he is either in pain or in fear. I know when he was a couple months old he hurt his paw on a staircase but he has always been okay about not using that paw when having to take a staircase since then. I’ve thought of arthritis, being down right defiant because he does have a very opinionated personality, or fear of be inside because he may have adjusted to being homeless, yet no matter what it takes i just want to know he’s okay, he is my world!
He’s a handsome little guy Alecia.
He could have a hurt paw, and even a pebble or something in his paw pads so check for that. Or it could be Patella Luxation. You can read about it here: https://ilovemychi.com/patella-luxation-in-chihuahuas/
It’s also possible for it to be a psychological issue too. You probably should check with your vet to rule out any physical issue.
I’m so glad I found this site and others! Everyone told me that my MIMI is a chihuahua, but since she didn’t conform to the apple-head characteristics I didn’t believe them. Deer head! What a revelation and Mimi is definitely a perfect deer head chihuahua.
Yes she is definitely a Chihuahua!
Dove is definitely an apple head.
Yep I’d say you are right Faye.
We have three Chihuahuas. One deer head, one apple and this little girl, Tika. She’s defective, her ears never came up! She’s 2yrs old, 5lbs. She looks mixed?
She doesn’t look mixed to me Treasea. Sometimes their ears just don’t go up.
I’m thinking my Charlie is deer head? Thanks!
Yeah I believe handsome little Charlie is a deer head.
Awww! Thank you so much for the sweet and quick response!
You’re very welcome Kelli
No matter what he is, I Love my Digger! He will be a year old on July 29th and he is named perfectly. When do they stop jumping? Technically, I should have named him Roo.
Oh my gosh, how adorable is Digger! He looks like a deer head.
We have an article on jumping here Susan: https://ilovemychi.com/how-to-prevent-your-dog-from-jumping-on-people/
Thank you, I’ll head right over and check the page out. I do have a front view, but yeah, I figured he was deer head. Thanks again!!
This is Bentley. Deer head?
Yes he does look like a deer head to me Amber. Cute little guy.
This is Bruce. Would you say he is an apple head or a deer head? Thanks in advance!
Hi Stacy,
Although Bruce’s snout is tad bit longer than most apple heads, I still think he is an apple head. His snout isn’t as long as a traditional deer head and he definitely has the round bulbous head of an apple head.
He’s a handsome boy!
I am so confused about what type of Chi my little Bella is..I think deer head but I have some telling me apple head..
Here is another picture of Bella
I’m thinking apple head Brandy.
My princess. Deerhead but people think she’s a min pin.
I’ve noticed a lot of chis resemble mini pins Michelle.
I’m thinking Mac is a deer head but could he be a mix? Do you think he’s a mix? When I adopted him they documented him as a Chi mix but He looks like just an adorable chi to me. He is 3 years old and about 5 pounds give or take.
Sorry for it being upside down
Sorry for it being upside down. Trying to upload it again.
He is an adorable chi Macsmomma! I’m thinking deer head.
This is Ruby. She’s 8 months old and full of energy and personality. Apple head or deer head?
She so pretty! Ruby looks like a deer head to me.
this is millie and milo. mille is deer head and milo is apple
They are so cute Susan!
This is our new pup who will be trained as a service dog, he is coming up on 11 weeks old and we’ve had him nearly 3 weeks, he’s been wormed and had first puppy shot. His name is Emjay….he has one white “glove” so hubby named him MJ but I changed the spelling. I think he’s an deer head.
I don’t see a photo Krystal.
sorry, here he is.
The picture isn’t there Krystal.
This is my baby Opie! He’s such a momma’s boy lol. My little reindeer.
What an adorable little guy Cassandra!
this is my baby girl Sassy, and she lives up to her name. I have been told she is a deer and my brother says apple. all I know is she is my girl.
Sassy looks like a deer head to me.
This is not a very good picture of my Molly. Can you tell me if Molly is a Apple head or a deer head Chihuahua
Molly is a deer head.
This is lexi!!
Lexi is soooo cute and looks like an applehead.
here’s a more current pic
Yep, definitely an apple head.
just gonna start over, this is Emjay
This is my precious baby boy Dexter. Can you tell me if he is an applehead or deerhead Chi?
From this angle he looks like a deer head. I love his coloring!
This is my Baby Lynn. She’s a rescue from the Yavapai Humane Society. She’s a little over 4 years old. Can you tell me if she’s an Apple Head or Deer Head???
Here’s a side view of Baby Lynn . . .
The Humane Society said that she’s a Chihuahua mix; and that they think she’s got some Pug in her . . .
Can you please tell me what you think???
It does look like she has some pug in her. She looks like a deer head to me.
Thanks so much Cathy. I really appreciate that you could help me figure that out. I just LOVE learning anything new about her that I possibly can.
I do have a strange question that I’ve been struggling with for a couple of months . . .
Do you happen to have any information about inexpensive doggie-dentists in the Prescott, Arizona area???
No I don’t know of any Patricia but usually veterinarians do dental work on dogs so search google for veterinary colleges in your area as you will get a huge discount on any work they do and they are totally supervised by experienced vets. You can also search for affordable veterinarians and see if anything comes up. We have several discount vets in our area.
Is my lil girl a chihuahua? She’s 11lbs
Another view
She’s a beautiful little deer head.
This is our son romeo
From this angle Romeo looks like a deer head but I could tell better with a side view and right side up.
Do you think Peanut is a deerhead or an apple head? She weighs 6 lbs.
She kind of looks like a mixture Marta. She does have the longish snout of a deerhead but her head is definitely apple shaped.
Just rescued this little sweetheart this weekend. Deer or Apple? I’m on the fence. Maybe a mix?
What a cutie! I think this little one is a deer head.
My Lucy I’m gonna guess is a deer head
Yes, I think Lucy is a deer head David.
I think my Minnie Mouse is a apple.
I think you are right Becka.
My little girl Nyla just had her second birthday. She is the sweetest ever, and weighs 5.6 lbs. I believe she is a deer head. Am I correct?
No from this angle, she looks like apple head Ruth.
This is my babygirl, Moxley
Moxley is cute Sherry. Are you wondering what she is? If so, send me another photo. I’m having a ahrd time telling here. Maybe because she has something in her mouth that is throwing me off.
Is he a deer head or a apple head this is my baby scrappy
Scrappy looks like a deer head to me Amy.
This is one of our appleheads, Munchie, he crossed the rainbow bridge about 4 years ago, after living his last 12 with us. He was a rescue from a puppy mill. He loved riding on our Harley.
That’s a great photo Leza.
This is our 4 year old little applehead girl, Lola. She’s spoiled rotten. Also a rescue.
She’s a cutie Leza.
This is Macy Grey, she was our latest foster – but we adopted her. Sweet girl, a bit shy. Deer head?
I don’t see a photo Regi.
This is our new sweet girl Mocha. She is 9 weeks old and our first Chi. We are so in love!
She’s a doll baby!
Hi my little angel is 9wks old. Her name is Chole. I think she is an apple head. What do you think?
She looks like she may be a deer head but it’s really too early to tell for sure yet.
Here is a side picture. What do u think? Thanks for answering so fast too btw.
Yeah she definitely looks like a deer head. She has beautiful coloring by the way.
Thank you. Yes shea beautiful. Not that i care but the breeder told me she was an applehead.
She may end up being an apple head. Their face changes a lot the first year so most breeders won’t tell you for sure what they are, just what they think they may be.
And weirdly two apple heads can produce deer head puppies.
Right now though, her snout looks a bit too long to be an apple head. Regardless, she’s a beautiful puppy!