The Labrador Retriever and Chihuahua mix is one of the most adorable, loving mixes you’ll come across. Created by combining the ever-popular Labrador Retriever with the small, feisty Chihuahua brings a sense of zest and flare to a loyal and affectionate breed like the Labrador. The Chihuahua Lab mix is one of the most sought after mixed-breed dogs, as the beautiful Labrador Retriever blends well with the temperament and excitable personality of the Chihuahua.
Image credit: crantasma
To learn more about the Chihuahua Labrador retriever mix, read on as we explore the history of the breed, it’s temperament and personality, grooming and exercise requirements and more!
Labrador Retriever and Chihuahua Mix – At a glance
| Weight: | 8–50 pounds |
| Height: | 5–10 inches |
| Lifespan: | 10–15 years |
| Coat colours: | Tan, brown, black, or a combination thereof. |
| Temperament: | Loving, loyal, active, spry, obedient, gentle, even-tempered. |
| Suitable for: | Active single individuals, active families with or without children. |
What does a Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix look like?
Like many designer dogs, the Chihuahua Lab mix will inherit different parts of it’s physical appearance from each parent breed. Because of the size difference between a Labrador Retriever and Chihuahua, the female Chihuahua must be impregnated through artificial insemination. Because the birth unnatural (as with many Chihuahua mixes with larger breeds, where the female is the Chihuahua that’s giving birth – the genetic makeup and how this affects physical appearance is even more difficult to predict.
However, it is likely that your Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix will inherit the small size of the Chihuahua, along with the smaller body and short coat type. It will also likely inherit the single coat of the Chihuahua – but could inherit the double coat of the Labrador Retriever. Being a short dog (no more than 12 inches tall), the Labrador Retriever and Chihuahua mix may be slightly bulkier than your average Chihuahua, weighing anywhere from 8 to 50 pounds.
It will also likely inherit the floppy, triangular, forward-facing ears of and longer jawline and general facial features of it’s lab parents. However, it may also inherit the smaller, wedge-shaped head of the Chihuahua.
You can expect your Chihuahua and Lab mix to be a solid color, as both parent breeds have either golden, tan, brown coat, or an all-black coat. It may also have a bi-colored coat, though this is rare – in this instance, it will have light-colored base coat. One other possibility is that your Labrador Retriever and Chihuahua mix comes in a deep chocolate color.
The history of the Labrador Retriever and Chihuahua mix
Unfortunately, we don’t have much recorded history of the Chihuahua Lab mix, although it stands to reason that the Chihuahua Lab was developed sometime in the 1990s or early 2000s, as many designer dog breeds were developed during this time period in the United States.
Due to the size difference between the Chihuahua and Labrador Retriever, the female Chihuahua would have been impregnated via artificial insemination.
While artificial insemination was first attempted in dogs in the 18th century, it was not widely used to interbreed dogs until the late 20th century, coinciding with the boom of crossbreeding. Successful artificial insemination greatly aided in producing Chihuahua mixes like the Lab and Chihuahua mix.
The history of the Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever was first developed in England in the early 19th century by British hunters, who imported dogs from the then British territory of Newfoundland (yes, the same Newfoundland for which that famous dog breed is so named). They were then bred in England with other British hunting dogs to create a retriever that was originally solid black in color.
The Labrador is medium-sized dog, weighting anywhere from 55 to 75 pounds and standing between 18 and 24 inches tall. Best known for their hunting and fetching reputation, Labradors were used extensively throughout the United Kingdom since the mid-19th century by hunters of waterfowl and small game. Labradors were agile and quick, able to subdue and bring back fallen birds with ease.
Labradors are also known for their gentle personality traits, which make them popular family pets. Still, they have also been used extensively as therapy dogs (with proper training) and police dogs, thanks to their obedient nature.
Labrador Retrievers were first introduced to the United States in the early 20th century and was first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917.
How popular are Labrador Retriever?
Since their introduction to Americans in the early 20th century by European settlers, the Labrador has long been a wildly popular family pet. In 2021, they were the most popular dog in the United States, according to the American Kennel Club’s popularity rankings.
Who are Labrador Retriever a good dog for?
Given that they’re a medium-sized dog, Labradors make wonderful pets for those looking for a large-but-too-large breed. Their gentle disposition and moderate energy levels make them a favorite for those who can handle an active breed.
Labrador Retrievers are an intelligent dog breed that responds well to proper training and is quite obedient, making it an easy choice for those looking for a low-effort breed to start off with. However, given their size and extensive exercise requirements, Labrador Retrievers aren’t well suited for the elderly, or for apartment living. They fare far better with a house and yard.
How did Labrador Retriever come about?
The Labrador Retriever was first bred in 1830 in England, from imported dogs from Newfoundland (including the St. John’s Water Dog) and various British hunting dogs. The result was a medium-sized dog that possessed great speed and agility, as well as the ability to sniff and retrieve fallen ducks. They were most used by hunters and have since spawned some of the most popular hunting companions (like the Duck Tolling Retriever) and family pets like the Golden Retriever.
When did first cross-breed the Labrador Retriever?
The Labrador Retriever has long been a favorite of many Americans since their introduction to the country, but were not crossed with many other breeds till the 1990s and early 2000s.
Several popular Lab mixes include:
- Corgi Labrador Retriever Mix (Corgidor)
- Pitbull Labrador Retriever Mix (Pitador)
- Jack Russell Labrador Retriever Mix (Jackador)
- Black Mouth Cur Labrador Retriever Mix (Black Mouth Lab)
- Labrador Poodle Mix (Labradoodle)
The history of the Chihuahua
The Chihuahua’s history is largely unknown, but it was first noted in the Mexican state of the same name in the mid-19th century. However, it’s lineage is thought to stretch back to a 9th century Aztec tribe called the Toltec. They kept a small, mute dog known as a Techihi that bore striking physical resemblance to the Chihuahua.
In recent history, the Chihuahua was brought to the United States during the early part of the 20th century, after being sold on the Mexican-American border to American tourists. The small, yappy, feisty breed became quite popular among Americans looking for a smaller dog.
Because of the Chihuahuas’ propensity to bark, they’re accidentally used as guard dogs along with being family pets.
How popular are Chihuahuas?
Chihuahuas were first recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1904 and have slowly gained popularity since then, ranking among the top 40 most-popular breeds for many years. In 2021, they were the 37th most-popular dog breed in the United States, according to the AKC.
Who are Chihuahuas a good dog for?
Chihuahuas are popular family pets for many Americans but are equally loved by those living in apartments or those with a small house and yard. They are a high-energy breed that loves to partake in family activities. Despite their size, their activity levels might be too much for an elderly person to keep up with.
Chihuahuas are a good fit for first-time dog owners, although those with other pets may notice that the Chihuahua competes for attention and could even be standoffish and aggressive, as they have a fearless personality. This may need extensive training – including positive reinforcement.
Your Chihuahua may also suffer from separation anxiety, which can lead to destructive behaviors. This can also be rectified with positive reinforcement training, but it may just take some time for them to get used to being alone. However, if you are going to leave your Chihuahua alone for any lengthy period, we recommend you encourage mental exercises and mental stimulation by getting them a small KONG toy.
How did Chihuahuas come about?
Chihuahuas’ precise history is largely unknown. They are descendant from the Techichi – a small, mute dog kept by the Aztecs in the 9th century in Mexico. They were first brought to the United States in the mid to late 19th century, and were first recognized by the AKC in 1904. Since then, they have been popular across the US.
When did first cross-breed the Chihuahua?
Given the size of the Chihuahua, they are often crossed with dogs of similar size. However, in the instance where this isn’t the case, artificial insemination is used. Female Chihuahuas can experience difficulties in pregnancy, resulting in loss of pups, or even their own lives. For this reason, Chihuahuas are a more rare crossbreed.
However, several popular Chihuahua mixes include:
- French Bulldog Chihuahua Mix (French Bullhuahua)
- Chihuahua Cairn Terrier Mix (Cairn Chi)
- Beagle Chihuahua Mix (Cheagle)
- Maltese Chihuahua Mix (Maltchi)
- Chihuahua Husky Mix (Chisky)
How important is a dog’s temperament to your family?
One of the most important parts of finding a new dog is to ensure that it is a close temperamental match to your family unit. Many dogs find themselves in rescue centers, or animal shelters due to them being a temperamental mismatch for first-time dog owners.
Ensuring that your dog is just as active as your family is, or ensuring that they are happy to be left alone and can amuse themselves without exhibiting destructive behavior is all part of your research that you do before you purchase or adopt a breed.
Finding a temperamental match for you and your family will lead to a more harmonious relationship between you and your new pet and save you time and money on training your new pet more extensively than should be necessary.
What is the temperament of the Labrador Retriever and Chihuahua mix?
The Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix will likely be a healthy blend of both parent breeds. The feistiness of the Chihuahua, coupled with the gentle, loving nature of the Labrador Retriever. Your Chihuahua and Lab mix will be loyal to you and protective, while maintaining an affection for it’s family unit.
Despite the overall friendliness of the Chihuahua Lab mix, you may notice that your Chihuahua Lab has a suspicion of strangers. They can also be quite stubborn, so be sure to be persistent when training your Chihuahua Lab mix.
Is the Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix friendly?
In general, you can expect your Chihuahua Lab mix to be a very friendly pup, even overly affectionate at times! Your Chihuahua Lab mix may exhibit suspicion and even aggression toward strangers – while this is a natural reaction given their protective nature, you’ll want to ensure that it doesn’t become overly aggressive.
Come up with a command that your Chihuahua Lab can understand to tell it that these are friendly people who mean it (and you) no harm.
Is the Labrador Retriever and Chihuahua mix easy to train?
Your Chihuahua Lab mix may initially be quite stubborn, as they can be fairly independent breeds. But with persistence, positive reinforcement techniques and even reward-based training, your Chihuahua Lab mix will eventually come around.
How much can a Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix weigh?
The average weight of a Chihuahua Lab mix is between 8 and 50 pounds.
How tall can a Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix get?
The average height of a Chihuahua Lab mix is between 5 and 10 inches tall.
Similar-sized breeds
Despite the wild variation in weight, there are a few similar-sized breeds to the Chihuahua Labrador retriever mix.
These include:
- Maltese
- Pekingese
- Pomeranian
- Jack Russell Terrier
- Yorkshire Terrier
Does the Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix shed?
It’s most likely that your Chihuahua Lab mix will inherit the single coat of the Chihuahua. Therefore, you can expect your Chihuahua Lab mix to be a light shedder, year-round. This means they’ll have minimal grooming requirements. You can even do most of the grooming yourself – all you need is a grooming kit like this one – no prior grooming experience is required.
However, it would be beneficial to take your Chihuahua Lab mix to a professional groomer once per quarter.
How much exercise does a Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix require?
As with both parent breeds, the Chihuahua Lab mix will require a moderate amount of exercise. Ideally, you want to walk your Lab and Chihuahua mix for about 45 minutes daily. Along with other daily exercise, such as fetch or other games that encourage mental stimulation, your Lab and Chihuahua mix will be a well-exercised pup that’s engaging it’s brain as an intelligent breed.
How long can a Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix live?
The average lifespan of the Lab and Chihuahua mix is between 10 and 15 years.
What health conditions could the Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix have?
- Hip Dysplasia (Hip joint inflammation)
- Entropion (Eye Disease)
- Patellar Luxation (Kneecap Dislocation)
- Cardiomyopathy (Heart Disease)
- Cataracts (Eye Condition)
- Elbow Dysplasia (Elbow joint inflammation)
- Legg-Calve Perthes Disease (Hip joint condition causing lameness)
How can you find a Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix puppy for sale?
Before searching for a Chihuahua and Lab mix for sale, consider first adopting these wonderful family pets. Adoption is a great way to save a dog from being killed or at least suffering the anguish of being left in an animal shelter without a permanent home.
To remedy this problem, consider adopting a Chihuahua and Lab mix by either visiting your local animal shelter or vet clinic, or searching online at AdoptAPet.com.
How much does a Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix puppy cost?
The average cost of a Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix is between $500 and $700. This is roughly double the cost of the average adoption!
If you’re intent on purchasing a Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix puppy, then make sure that you find a reputable breeder. To learn more about reputable breeders, we’ve written this article to help you avoid the products of puppy mills and find a perfect family companion from a reputable source.
Is the Chihuahua Labrador Retriever mix the right breed for you?
If you’ve been looking for a loyal and loving dog, that’s feisty and energetic and could probably double as a guard dog, then the Labrador Chihuahua mix may be exactly what you’ve been searching for!
However, if you’re sure that the Labrador Chihuahua isn’t your cup of tea, we’ve created dozens of other breed guides to help would-be pet owners make the best choice for their families and themselves.
Sources:
- https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/musculoskeletal/c_dg_hip_dysplasia
- https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/patellar-luxations
- https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/riney-canine-health-center/health-info/canine-cataracts
- https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952619
- https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/most-popular-dog-breeds-of-2021/