Chihuahuas were originally thought to
be descendants of an ancient, similar,
but slightly larger breed associated
with royalty in Aztec civilizations
known as the Techichi. However, due to
the lack of archaeological remains it
is now believed that Chihuahuas were
brought to Mexico by Spanish
settlers.
The most current theory holds that
Spanish merchants brought Chihuahuas to
Spain by way of their trade routes with
China and from there to Mexico. The
well documented practice in China of
dwarfing both plants and animals is the
basis for the theory that Chihuahuas
originated there.
Another theory is that they originated
in Egypt and were traded into Spain and
later Mexico.
Chihuahuas were first taken into the
United States by American visitors to
Mexico.

