The other day I was chatting with a lady in the doctor’s office waiting room. When she asked me what I did, I told her about my web design business and my chihuahua blog.
Then she asked me such a such a silly question that for a minute, I couldn’t even respond. I’ll tell you which her question is hers later in this post.
Thinking about the conversation later, I wondered what other stupid or silly questions people have asked about chihuahuas and decided to do a little research.
Check out our main post that showcases all our chihuahua fact articles!
Below are a list of 9 silly questions asked about chihuahuas. Check and see if you have heard any of these.
Are Chihuahuas Rats?
This is such an insult to our fur babies but the truth is, rats have been sold to people and the buyer thought they were buying a chihuahua puppy.
Can you believe that? I mean just look at the photo above of the chihuahua and the rat. Do they look like they could be the same animal? NO!
In the 1800’s many people believed rats were cross bred with dogs to make chihuahuas. Geez!
Which Beverly Hills Chihuahua Character Are You?
I think this question came from one of those Facebook quizes you see. I seem to remember seeing it before.
I can’t imagine why anyone else would ask this question, can you?
By the way which Beverly Hills Chihuahua are you anyway?
Did a Chihuahua Eat His Owner?
This is the question the lady I talked to asked me. She said she would never own a chihuahua because she heard about one that ate their dead owner.
This has been asked by others too. In researching this, it did happen in 2017.
A chi named Rumpelstiltskin ate his owner who had been dead for several weeks. I don’t blame the little guy. He was just trying to survive.
You can read the whole story here.
Who Is The Chihuahua in Paw Patrol?
I actually know this one since I have a 3-year-old grandson who loves Paw Patrol.
In case you are wondering what the heck is Paw Patrol, it’s a children’s cartoon on the Nickelodeon channel that’s geared towards toddlers and pre-schoolers.
Tracker is the name of the chihuahua on Paw Patrol and he is one of the crew of dogs on the show.
Can A Chihuahua Cure Asthma?
This question comes from an old wive’s tale in Victorian times that chihuahuas could cure asthma and other lung problems.
Not true of course. If it were I’d be cured of it because my chis love to sleep on top of me and I have asthma.
Will A Chihuahua Freeze To Death?
Well duh! Of course, they will if you leave them outside in the cold. And they will freeze faster than other dog breeds because they are so sensitive to the cold.
Have Chihuahuas Been Used in Wartime?
I can’t imagine why anyone would wonder about this but it’s been asked by searchers on Google.
I couldn’t find any instances of chihuahuas being used in war.
Are Chihuahuas Real Dogs?
Hey just because they are tiny, that doesn’t mean they aren’t real dogs! Right? This is insulting to our little guys.
Why Are Chihuahuas So Dumb?
This one pisses me off. Chihuahuas are not dumb! Although any breed has a few, let’s just say less intelligent dogs.
I think people may be mistaking stubbornness for stupidity. Chihuahuas can certainly be stubborn. They definitely have a mind of their own.
Carla one of my newsletter subscribers told me that a guy asked her if her Chi was a squirrel. She said she ran with it and said yes, it was a highly trained squirrel. Too funny!
So what do you think about these questions? Has anyone ever asked you a silly or stupid question about chihuahuas? I’d love to hear it so let us know in the comments!
Cathy Bendzunas
Pet Blogger
So, which one was that lady’s question?
The one where the chi ate his owner.
The little guy had probably heard of the Donner Pass and how the human survived, so live or die decision was made. But why had nobody know for so long.
Probably a loner with no close family or friends nearby. It’s sad.
I’ve never had anyone ask me a stupid question like these, but I do have a long hair chihuahua that everyone thinks is a pom. They have never heard of a long hair chi. ?♀️
I’ve had people ask me that too about Lucy since she’s a long hair chi too.
@Cathy, I get this question all the time! Even from a vet once! He didn’t believe me!!
Wow, even the vet? Your chi must be really fluffy!
No Chihuahuas are not rats, but my (now passed and desperately missed) Nugga-Bunny looked like a guinea pig as a baby. (Attached is the picture proof of this. Nugga as a baby and as an adult)
Nugga-Bunny was an adorable puppy and a beautiful adult! I’m so sorry you lost her.
Since it appears my “collage” of two pictures did not show up I will post Nugga looking like a guinea pig. (This was before we got her, when she was very little).
What an adorable puppy Maureen!
I live with my adult children due to health issues and there is a visitor to our home who insists on calling my Honey a rat. She doesn’t like it either and barks and growls at him every time he moves.
Good for Honey letting that guy know how she feels about being called a rat! She’s a beautiful little girl!
No one has ever asked me a dumb question about my chis. But I have a funny story that relates to one of your questions. Some years ago, my daughter and I took her 4-wheel drive out on the beach. We both had our chihuahuas with us. When we tried to leave the beach, the sands had shifted and we were stuck. Fortunately, a friend of my daughter was able to deflate our tires and tow us off the beach. We drove directly to a gas station so we could fix the tires, and while we were sitting in the parking lot a police car pulled up next to us. I had my chi Keltie on my shoulder. The officer looked at me and said “Don’t move!” Well, that scared the fool out of me! I couldn’t imagine what I had done or what was wrong. Then he said “You have a giant rat on your shoulder!” Even though my little man was insulted, I was pretty relieved the officer wasn’t after me!
I didn’t know that Paw Patrol had a chi now! My two youngest grandchildren love Paw Patrol! That’s cool that there’s a chi in the group. Tracker is adorable.
Loved this article! Thanks and keep up the good work.
Too funny Nana! At least the cop didn’t try to shot the ‘rat’ off your shoulder.
I have a blue merle male chihuahua and a little boy asked me if he was a little spotted deer.
HaHa! That’s hilarious Jean!
Hi Cathy,
I have a question about #8 & #9. I’m wondering if the person/s that asked if Chis are dumb are related to the person/s who asked if Chis are real dogs!!!
Val McCready
LOL, probably Val. Actually though, many of these questions were the top questions people asked on Google. So it was multiple people who asked these questions.
@Cathy, Chi’s happen to be one of the smartest dogs. Brain to head size chihuahuas have the largest brain of any other dog.
I agree, they are really smart. I know my Lucy sure is.
They are definitely not stupid! My little guy is very intelligent. Yes, very stubborn but intelligent! 🙂
Mine are very intelligent but stubborn too. Sometimes I think they are smarter than me.
I haven’t got one of those crazy insulting questions, but I got an insulting comment when asked what kind of dog I have. The comment, ” Oh, those are nasty dogs!” As he gave me a nasty look. So who was really nasty here I thought, as I smiled and walked away. At that moment I wish I had the power to shrink him and let him live a day in a Chihuahua shoes. Perhaps then he could learn the difference between intimidation /fear, and nasty!
Wow, people can be so rude!
My sister has asthma and her doctor recommended to my mom that we get a chi that it would help her. We never had to bring her to the hospital for an emergency visit due to asthma after we got our chi. She still has asthma but no more attacks so bad as before.
My sister has asthma and her doctor recommended to my mom that we get a chi that it would help her. We never had to bring her to the hospital for an emergency visit due to asthma after we got our chi. She still has asthma but no more attacks so bad as before.
I wish having chis would help my asthma! But I’m glad it helped your sister.
I loved this article. Did not know about the Chi who ate his owner. But if I died and no one else was around for weeks, I would want my chi to eat me ( as long as it would not make her sick). I have a neighbor boy who calls my chi “a burrito with chicken legs”. She is a bit chubby, but so darn cute!
Wish I could send a photo but I need to figure out how to do that. Keep up the great work.
Momajo.
I agree about my dogs eating me if there were no other choice.
A burrito with chicken legs. That’s a new one.
I adopted a little 2 year old Chi 5 months ago and we love each other! He was returned to the shelter several times for being too aggressive, we are working on that but is so lovable and really smart!
On thing that does upset me when I have him out people will ask to pet him and I always explain his previous life as I know it, then they insist on moving toward him and he did bite one guy the other day(no broken skin)! Now who isn’t very smart?
LOL, yeah some people are a little thick in the head.
Hi Cathy. My husband and I went to Niagara Falls with Lewis and Little Chris (you had them at the Chi of the week recently). As we walked, this man was looking at little Chris which is only 4 pounds and asked his lady companion: “Is that a Squirrel? I was so mad!!! A squirrel? Have you ever seen a small Chi???
I’m sure he thought he was being incredibly funny. I think I’d tell him he needed glasses.
I have an 8lb Chi and a dumb man asked
“ What good is he “. I said just try to come near me. My little Poncho
will give his life to protect me.
What good are you.
I do love my little man. He’s the BEST THING THAT EVER HAPENED TO ME. Lady was taking him to SPCA to have him put down cause he was too aggressive and no body wanted him. I’ve had him for about 4 yrs now and he’s my world. He follows me every where I go. He’s my heart ♥️
What did you say back to him Nancy?
I have two short haired chis who I love dearly! I am so tired of people calling them rats & ankle biters and asking “what good are they.” Ignorant people…
Yep, they are very ignorant!
Chihuahuas are so far from dumb!
My 1st and only chihuahua (Serena) is so damn smart. I have always had large dogs, but when my daughter bought me a 9oz dog from Mexico I treated and trained her just like any other dog. First I taught her numerous tricks then I taught her obedience (she has her title and has won obedience shows).
Then I got into agility. She is in Master classes and has numerous titles. She also has her AKC Trick Title, her CGC title-canine good citizen, her CGCA title-canine good citizen advanced title, her trick title and her obedience title.
Sooooooo, don’t ever think that Chihuahua’s are dumb, only owners are dumb (or to lazy to take the time to train them!)
Serena is 3 1/2 lb bundle of love, joy and intelligence!
I don’t either. I think some people confuse stubbornness (which chis can be) for stupidity.
On your last question, my chi is very smart and equally stubborn.
LOL, my Lucy is both of those equally too.
Chihuahuas are not stupid, yes they can have a mind of their own. Trainable? Indeed they are. As a kid, I used Sugar Smacks and they worked great. As an adult, the Chihuahuas love chicken or hot dogs.
Believe it or not my brother had asthma. My Dad got our Tina, a solid black with a white brisket, to cure him of it. It worked!!! It may be the placebo effect, no matter. It worked on him.
So we have had Chihuahuas around the house for over sixty years. I’m no expert but I will say that I still love the breed.
The only replacement for a Chihuahua is another Chihuahua. Besides, they are clean, they give more love than any of us can ever give back. And I miss every one of them.
And no, they are definitely not rats.
Great comments Jan!
Whenever I tell someone that I have a chihuahua who knows how to do an entire agility course, they think I’m lying and say that’s impossible because chihuahuas are so dumb.
That makes me so mad Danielle. Yes, because of poor breeding there are some dumb chis out there but most are incredibly smart.
It wasn’t so much a question about my chi’s but more towards me concerning them..”Why don’t you get you a real dog?” That was so upsetting to me I couldn’t see straight!
I’ve heard that one too Teresa.
Why do my chi stare at me all the time when others are in the room he only stares at me why
Because you are his human and he’s trying to “read” you. Dogs are very good at reading body language and interpreting the moods of their owners so they often stare at them.
I am 6’2″ and 325 lbs. (yes, I’m fat) and I didn’t want a little yappy Chi. My wife wanted one for her birthday, so we got one. She pasted away 6 years ago, and her 2 chis became my best friends. I lost 80 percent of my hearing and they are my ears. They let me know when someone comes to the door etc. Can’t think of any other kind of K-9 companion to have. Best friend I have ever had. And I didn’t want a little yappy dog. What was I thinkin”.
LOL David. I have heard that from a lot of people (mostly men) before they get a chi. These little guys have a way of changing our minds and our lives though. I glad you have your little buddies to help you out.
I had known one Chi from a teeny pup and she did indeed have a nasty disposition.She was the reason I never wanted a Chi. but then I decided to give fostering a try and a Chi just happened to be my first. She was from a Kentucky rescue and came with no kind of info about her. Well she turned out to be my foster fail.We are going on three years together.She has made friends with two other fosters who were eventually adopted and she and my two male (fixed) cats get along. She is the best dog I have ever had, smart as a whip and stubborn as a Missouri mule and I wouldn’t trade her for anything.I HAVE seen people tease their Chi until they growl and snap because they think it’s CUTE. IDIOTS!!
Yeah I have seen that too and then they wonder why their dog is mean. I’m glad your little chi changed your mind about chihuahuas. My first chi (a dog I rescued from neighbors who moved away and abandoned her) changed my mind about them too. I never liked them before her.
To me Chihuahuas are smarter than some people. I have a chi named Ginger and she is the center of my world ( and yes she is spoiled) Ginger is smart, my protector. I wish I had a 100 chis like Ginger.
I agree Shelley, chis are definitely smarter than some people. Ginger sounds like a great pup.
even in New Zealand we are often deeply offended by that remark that our adorable chis are little rats. We give a truthful answer to this remark without offending the cynic. In saying that, the chi. breed has become very popular here, even our macho men own them but say it is their wife or child’s pet. Love the photos of your happy pets. Not surprised to hear you are a website designer, your… I love chis… website is the best website I have come across, many thanks.
Thanks Sandra!
I love that the men in NZ love chis!
Some one said to me ‘What did you cross your dog with to get that?
It was the ‘that’ which annoyed me most. My gorgeous long haired red boy, Frodo, weighs a very health 3.5 pounds; would take on a Great Dane and is a the life and soul of our house. A DOG in every way. Lee Kent
I think I would have answered with something crazy like his mom was a chihuahua, his dad was a Tazmanian devil.
A large boofy bikie once called my chi a rat, I was not impressed, so I said back to him, what are you, a keg on wheels? That shut him up.
LOL, love that!
Cathy, I pray that you will prevail over your medical problems. I have followed your blog since adopting a chihuahua terrier mix Sissy on 7/5/2018. Mary Peabody
Thank you Mary! Prayers are appreciated.
None of these, but I’ve been asked if mine are mean, or had people tell me chihuahuas are mean. Not any of mine!
None of mine have ever been mean either.
I find these questions are often times so ridiculous and obviously people who do not know or understand the chihuahua breed. I think the saddest thing a former and very materialistic co-worker said to me one time was ‘ I would never own a chihuahua…..yuck….with their ugly bug eyes’. What? 😳 for heavens sakes!!! Little did she know during this conversation that I was considering the breed. You should have seen her face when I showed her a picture of my 1st chihuahua puppy Riley….but I have heard many comment the same thing. Sad for them that they will never experience the sweet and loyal and very smart Chihuahua breed. I say to them ‘your loss’! The breed can be very stubborn but so are many other small breeds. But with love and patience…any breed wants to please.