International Chihuahua Appreciation Day got its start from the love of a dog. Famous Chihuahua founder Nadia Alterio wanted to celebrate her dog Teaka in a big way. On May 14, 2010, Nadia typed out a post that would change the entire world. You can read it here.
The post was not only a birthday post to her dog, it was the call for a new holiday. Nadia declared May 14th International Chihuahua Appreciation Day and began celebrating it each year on her blog. Naturally, chihuahua lovers all over the world jumped at the chance to show off their pets, giving this new holiday traction.
It has been 16 years since Nadia declared the very first International Chihuahua Appreciation Day. Since then, May 14th is filled with people showing off their chihuahuas on social media, taking their dogs on special trips, and even buying them cakes.
About the Breed
Chihuahuas are the smallest dog breed, but there’s a lot more to them than their size. They are feisty. They believe themselves to be big dogs—and love it when you treat them as if they were a full-sized dog. This includes training and letting them walk on the ground, as well as showing them the respect a full-sized dog would normally receive.
Chihuahuas often get along with children but are often not recommended for children because—well—children aren’t always safe for chihuahuas. Chihuahuas are so small they can be badly hurt by rough handling.
Despite their small size, chihuahuas often pull off stunts worthy of bigger dogs. You can read about 10 amazing chihuahua heroes that saved their family’s lives here on this blog. We’ve also interviewed the owner of a chihuahua who is a working service dog, and shared the story of a dog who defended their owners from robbers. (Trigger warning: The robbers responded with a pitchfork.)
Chihuahuas are brave, wonderful dogs, but they’re not for everybody. They often believe themselves to be one person dogs, and truly only give their heart to that person. They can sometimes be defensive due to their own size, especially if they’ve learned only an outsized response will make people back off.
Ideas for Celebrating International Chihuahua Appreciation Day
How to celebrate this holiday really depends on whether you have a chihuahua, know a chihuahua, or just love them. If you don’t currently have or know a chihuahua, celebrating might mean watching videos about chihuahuas, looking at cute pictures, or maybe learning about their history.
If you have a friend with a chihuahua, why not bring the chihuahua in question a bag of treats?(ad) You can share this article with the owner, or just wish them a happy Chihuahua Appreciation Day.
On the other hand, if you have a chihuahua, you can have even more fun! Let your pup know how much you appreciate them by doing something fun with them. Every dog is different, but here’s a few things my dogs like:
- Go for a walk
- Go to the park
- Go for a pup cup (see how “Go” is a popular theme?)
- Do a snuffle mat or other food puzzle
- Do some training
- Feed them favorite snacks
- Cuddle with a movie! Beverly Hills Chihuahua anyone?
You’ll know which one your pup will enjoy best. Feel free to do just one or all of them! As long as your dog knows you appreciate them at the end of the day, you’ve done your job.
Your turn! Tell us how you like to celebrate International Chihuahua Appreciation Day in the comments below.
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