White Chihuahua's

[MzCyndii]

Hello. I got told that pure white Chihuahua's were rare. There was a very long discussion on Facebook, and it still was not clear to me.  I am trying to find out if they are rare, and what classifies as pure white, are there any special things about them that make them pure white. So it would be greatly appreciated if I could get some advice on this topic. Thank you.

[Mairead]

First what is meant by pure white? Is it very pale cream? Because the genes for cream (C ch), and the genes for restriction of dark pigment (ee) are known in the chihuahua.  The colour of the eyes and nose will give an indication of the genes involved.

Second, there should be no additional value in a "rare" colour over a more common colour. Indeed some colours have associations with health problems, and if people are breeding only to produce rare colours they are neglecting more important aspects in choosing breeding partners, and might even be producing puppies only to turn a profit.

[Dogsfevr]

! COLOUR Any colour or mixture of colours - but never merle (dapple) Extended Breed Standard of the Chihuahua - Page 13 Colour may be almost any colour or combination of colours, solid, tri-coloured, marked or splashed. There are fawns, golden fawns, red fawns, silver fawns, blue fawns, reds and creams, sables, chocolates, blues, blacks, whites, creams, etc. The only “colour” which is not permitted is merle (dapple). Colour should NEVER influence any judging decision, as all colours, except merle, are equally correct. 

As above cream can vary from pale to dark 
Technically a White Chi would simply be a pale cream so if the people your talking to on Facebook cant explain that then their knowledge is questionable .

White -albino is a whole different thing & runfast 

[MzCyndii]

No I am not breeding to get any certain colour. I just got two white ones in this litter, one has a black nose and the other's nose is pink. They haven't got their eyes open  yet so I don't know what colour they are. But looking at them now there is no tan in them at all they are white.

[sheena]

1 hour ago, MzCyndii said:

No I am not breeding to get any certain colour. I just got two white ones in this litter, one has a black nose and the other's nose is pink. They haven't got their eyes open  yet so I don't know what colour they are. But looking at them now there is no tan in them at all they are white.

What colour are the parents?  The white pups might be deaf or blind

[Mairead]

1 hour ago, MzCyndii said:

No I am not breeding to get any certain colour. 

Glad to hear it. 

I don't have experience with Chihuahuas but I've had a look at a chihuahua owners' group, and white doesn't seem to be particularly rare. It is possible that breeding pale cream to pale cream produces what looks like white. Some people wrote that their dogs developed some tan markings as they got older. The problem with the paler noses is that they may (depending on which genes are involved) be subject to sun damage. Ask your vet. 

I did see a photo of a very pale one with blue eyes, which the owner called albino. Definitely a colour to steer clear of. Lack of pigment is also associated with deafness in dogs. 

 

[Mairead]

I found other sites that say that white is rare and some have pink noses, and some owners of white chis saying they are deaf. Sounds like a colour to steer clear of. Perhaps white has become a desirable colour with people who don't know the downsides of it.

I had a quick look at the shortcoat breeders on this site (Menu, Breeds, choose the breed then Breeders) and the majority of photos were of dogs with dark eyes and nose.

[asal]

white pops up in chihuahuas and never seen a problem with it, long as the nose and eye rims are black. no problems.  pink nose probably means it has two chocolate genes and will go darker and be light brown nose with light eyes.  if its truly pink nose and pink ears not good news for the dog, have to make it a house dog and no going outside, seen cats like that too.  invariably develop skin cancers on the ears and nose. if the eye rims are pink they too can develop cancer too.

 

the occasional person declares a white pup is rare and charges a big price but they are not rare. do look lovely the best ones.

 

just as any colour on a good one always catches attention.  

 

There are two whites for sale in the adult smooth coat section

they are nice with lovely dark nose, so certainly not "rare"

 

https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/mature/33157

 

https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/mature/Default.asp?record=32436

Edited February 11 by asal

[Mairead]

 

 

On 11/02/2025 at 10:51 PM, asal said:

white pops up in chihuahuas and never seen a problem with it, long as the nose and eye rims are black. no problems.  pink nose probably means it has two chocolate genes and will go darker and be light brown nose with light eyes. 

 

 

So what is meant in the breed standard by "ruby" eyes?

I'm picturing an albino rat.

Edited February 13 by Mairead

[asal]

15 hours ago, Mairead said:

 

 

So what is meant in the breed standard by "ruby" eyes?

I'm picturing an albino rat.

Ruby eyes are the pupil glows ruby in the light instead of black. Which it does when the dog is a dilute, eg chocolate, be it black based chocolate so visually chocolate or gold/cream based and only the nose is chocolate. 

Think blues have ruby eyes as well. But shows up best when shine a torch at them.

In dilute colours eye colour is much lighter brown even green in some dilute gene  mixes.

 

Never the albino  red in  rats and mice

 

 

Edited February 13 by asal

[Mairead]

One of my neighbours has a brindle chi. The stripes (not many) only developed as it grew older. 

Same with another neighbour's blue staffie. Solid coloured when young, now has a few pale stripes. 

[asal]

On 13/02/2025 at 12:02 PM, Mairead said:

 

 

So what is meant in the breed standard by "ruby" eyes?

I'm picturing an albino rat.

 

in this photo are a red dog and a black and tan,  with black noses and black pupils in normal light, but glow like this in flash light.  if either had been a chocolate or a blue, instead of the sheen u can see in the eyes being this colour it would be glowing ruby instead.   cannot find one of a chocolate or blue yet.

 

 

 

found one

Note she has a chocolate nose, in normal light her eyes would appear to have black pupils

 

Edited Saturday at 09:50 PM by asal

[Mairead]

When was that part of the standard or the extension  written? 

Are there breeders/producers who therefore think albino is OK? 

[ellz]

4 hours ago, Mairead said:

When was that part of the standard or the extension  written? 

Are there breeders/producers who therefore think albino is OK? 

It's not albino.  It's dark eyes in a light dog which appear red in dim light.  It's not red eyes on a white dog.

"Large, round, but not protruding; set well apart; centre of eye is on a plane with lowest point of ear and base of stop; dark or ruby. Light eyes in light colours permissible." 

 

I have 3 Chihuahuas, a white and two reds.  The reds have dark eyes, black pigment and green eyes in dim light.  The white has lighter pigment (snow nose) and ruby eyes.  But to look at, they look dark.

 

[asal]

11 hours ago, Mairead said:

When was that part of the standard or the extension  written? 

Are there breeders/producers who therefore think albino is OK? 

 

There is one breed that every one of them is ruby eyed, the breed is WEIMARINER.

 

They have two dilute genes,  chocolate and blue expressing on a black base.

 

I doubt they have ever been called albino.

 

Edited Monday at 09:51 AM by asal

[Dogsfevr]

14 hours ago, Mairead said:

When was that part of the standard or the extension  written? 

Are there breeders/producers who therefore think albino is OK? 

Albino is not accepting in any breed or form .
Some idiots do breed for albinos & bigger idiots buy them whinge when the health issues or cancer care is required in summer .
No different to humans