When two different breeds of purebred dogs are mated, they create a new breed of dog that is called a hybrid or a designer dog.
The new breed will have some characteristics of each of the parent breeds or it may take after one side of the family much more than the other.
What is a Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix Dog?
As you’ve likely guessed, a Chihuahua Rottweiler mix is a puppy that comes from a Chihuahua parent and a Rottweiler parent to form this new breed.
This hybrid dog is often called a Chi-Weiler. To understand more about the cross between these very different breeds, it helps to learn about each of the parent breeds.
The Chihuahua arrived in America from Mexico. Visitors to Mexico would often bring a small dog back to the USA when they return home.
Chihuahuas are very small and quiet dogs for the most part and they were domesticated in the 9th century AD by the Toltec in Mexico. The loyal dogs were also buried next to their masters to guard them after death.
The Rottweiler is a dog that herded cattle in the Roman empire for long trips. He has a lot of endurance and is built very sturdy in a medium to very large size.
Rottweilers also pulled heavy carts laden with meat for sale as well. The AKC recognizes the Rottweiler breed as a ranking number 8 among the most popular dog breeds today.
The Chi-Weiler can be expected to be in between a large and a very small dog. It is a loyal and smart dog that learns commands and tricks very easily, making him easy to train.
He will have a fair amount of energy and stamina as well and enjoy spending time with his family. The Chi-Weiler can be expected to be a great guard dog for families.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Get a Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix
The Rottweiler side of the mix needs a lot of exercise to stay out of trouble and socialization as well.
The Chihuahua side of the mix doesn’t need near as much exercise and doesn’t have as much endurance either.
So a mix of the two may need some exercise and toys to stay busy, although not too much if it gets the traits from both parents.
Otherwise, if your Chi-Weiler takes after the Rottweiler parent more, it could need a lot of exercises that you may not have time for if you have a busy family.
The lack of exercise can cause a large dog to act out. However, a middle-sized dog can live in an apartment as long as he has two long walks a day for exercise.
Reasons Why You Should Get a Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix
The Chi-Weiler makes a great family dog who is very loyal and he will guard your family and all of their possessions without aggressive behavior towards strangers.
This hybrid dog will often be a very cuddly dog who likes to sleep with a family member in their bed at night and he may decide that your favorite chair is actually his favorite too.
The Chi-Weiler is also a very playful pup who enjoys a good game of tug of war or playing with chew toys on a daily business.
If you love playing with your dogs and love cuddly bugs, this may be the perfect hybrid mixture for you and your family.
Appearance, Coats, and Colors of a Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix
The two-parent breeds of your Chi-Weiler puppy are very different in appearance. Rottweilers are medium to large in size and they have a very muscular and powerful build.
They are double-coated with short to medium and flat fur. They are generally black with rust markings. Rottweilers can reach a weight of 85 to 130 pounds at maturity and they exhibit strength, power, and skill.
Chihuahuas are considered a dog in the toy category. An adult will usually only weigh about 6 pounds and they may have a short or a long coat.
They have a cute and sweet apple-shaped head with large ears that stand erect on the head and pointy short muzzles.
Chihuahua’s coats come in several different colors, such as solid colors, fawn, merle, and brindle, and they may have spots on them as well. Chi’s can be bi- or tri-colored with brown, black, and tan markings.
Most Chi-Weilers will take after the smaller size of the Chihuahua and they will likely have the Rottweiler colored coat because the darker colors are dominant.
This is especially true if the Chihuahua parent is also black with tan markings. Their ears may be a cross between upright and erect as a Chihuahua and floppy as a Rottweiler.
Personality, Traits, and Lifespan of a Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix
Designer dogs make it a bit difficult to determine the exact personality of your new four-legged family member. Your new puppy can inherit more genes from one side of the family or the other.
Generally, the Chi-Weiler is a very sweet dog breed that loves its family and loves being with them. He will definitely alert you to a stranger at the door or in your yard and then will follow your cues as to how to approach the stranger.
Some Chi-Weilers will be quite shy and may bark at first and then hide until they know someone is okay to trust.
From the Rottweiler side, your dog may have a herding instinct and he may follow you around or nip at your heels. This is a behavior that you will need to watch out for and train him that it’s not appropriate.
The Chihuahua has one of the longest lifespans of all canines. He can live an amazing 15 to 20 years. Rottweilers have an average lifespan of living from 8 to 10 years.
Your fluffy Chi-Weiler should have a lifespan of somewhere between 8 to 10 years, so he will be your four-legged family member for quite a few years to come.
Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix Puppies For Sale
The average price of a Chi-Weiler from a breeder ranges from $1,000 to $1,500. You should realize that when a dog breed is in high demand and there are few from which to choose, as in designer breeds, the prices can be even higher.
Make certain that you choose a reputable breeder and check their references. You will also want to meet the parent dogs when you go to choose your new furball.
Take note of the personalities of the parents and their sizes as well. If the breeder has bred Chi-Weilers for some time, they should be able to tell you what to expect in your puppies, such as the average size and the temperament as well.
Grooming Your Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix
The grooming needs are very low in most Chi-Weilers. However, if one of the parent dogs is a long-haired Chihuahua, you will need to brush your playful pooch a few times a week.
This will keep the long hair from forming knots or mats which can be quite hard to remove.
If your new puppy has short to medium hair, just a quick brushing about once a week is all you will need to do to keep his coat shiny and lustrous.
All dogs need bathing occasionally, especially puppies when they make a mess in the mud or rain. You only need to give your Chi-Weiler a bath about every three months or so unless he needs it.
The Rottweiler side of the breed does tend to drool quite a bit, so if your new pup inherits this trait, you may need to wipe his mouth and clean his face pretty often with a damp washcloth.
Always check your pooch’s ears and eyes about once a week to make sure they are clear and have no abnormalities. You should also try to brush your baby’s teeth once a day if possible.
Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix Health Problems
All dog breeds are susceptible to some health problems that are specific to their breed and passed down through their ancestors through genetics.
After taking a look at both sides of the breed and their health issues, it will help to know what to possibly expect from a Chi-Weiler.
The Rottweiler is actually a type of mastiff–so, he’s a fairly large dog. Both the males and females have bulky and square frames with solid muscles.
The Rottweiler, due to its sheer size, can develop hip dysplasia in about mid-life. Both the Chihuahua and the Rottweiler can have eye conditions and cardiac conditions.
So a hybrid dog of these two mixes should be monitored by your veterinarian for screening for these issues.
These types of conditions are treatable. Just make sure your pretty pooch does see the vet at least once a year, so you will be proactive rather than reactive if these health issues should arrive.
Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix Food Requirements
The feeding requirements for any puppy or dog depend on several factors such as their age, energy level, and size.
When you first adopt your new Chi-Weiler puppy, he will need more food than you may think to support a healthy body and strengthen his bones adequately.
A portion of high-protein puppy food will supply him with all the nutrients he needs and he will also have a lovely shiny coat as well.
Depending on which side of the breed your puppy takes after, you may be able to leave a bowl of dry kibble out all the time during the day for your puppy to free feed.
When puppies are first born, they nurse about every half hour to hour on their mom.
Their tummies are tiny and they can’t hold a lot of food at once, so they need to be able to eat as often as they are hungry.
One thing to watch for though is that some Rottweilers will overeat if given free feeding, so make certain your baby doesn’t eat too much at once.
If he does, then you will need to feed him five small meals a day. Overweight dogs are more susceptible to heart conditions and early onset arthritis.
At about four months, your puppy can start eating three times a day, and then he will graduate to eating twice a day as he becomes an adult.
Your vet can coach you on any specialized foods your puppy needs to grow well. Otherwise, you should choose an approved food for his stage of life–such as puppy, adult, and senior.
The vitamins, minerals, and fat content as well as the protein are calculated differently based on the exact needs of the age of your dog.
The reverse side of dog food will tell you how much food per day your puppy or dog will need according to its weight.
This is a guideline to go by, but if your pup is really full of energy, he may need a little more food to keep his energy level steady all throughout the day. To weigh a puppy, you simply step on a scale and record your weight.
Then hold the puppy and step back on the scale. Subtract your weight from the second amount of weight with you holding your puppy to determine how much he weighs.
Always keep a bowl of fresh water accessible for your puppy or dog. You may put a rug or mat underneath it though because Rottweilers do drool and drip when they drink water and it will splash out of the bowl. This will make it easier to clean up any water.
Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix Exercise Requirements
The Chihuahua side of your designer dog doesn’t usually require a lot of exercise. However, the Rottweiler side has lots of energy and does require a lot of exercise.
This may be one of the reasons the two breeds were crossed so that you would get a dog that only needs moderate exercise each day.
Since your dog will be a medium-small pooch at maturity, you can even keep him in an apartment and walk him twice a day.
Otherwise, if you have a home with a doggy door, you can put some chew toys outside for your dog to play with when you’re not home.
Another great thing about the Chi-Weiler is that he is very smart–so he should be able to learn to use the doggy door at a young age, so you can avoid messes to clean up when your family arrives home from work and school.
If your puppy has a more pointy snout than a Chihuahua, you won’t need heavy-duty toys for a large breed of dog.
If he has a boxy short snout as the Rottweiler does, depending on his size and jaw strength, you may actually need the stronger toys so he doesn’t shred them up right away.
It can be a big disappointment to choose a dog toy specifically for your pooch that you know he’ll love and then it’s in shreds in 10 minutes.
Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix Training
Your Chi-Weiler should be very easy to train because both of the parents have bloodlines of very intelligent dogs. If you’ve ever noticed, both breeds of dogs have often been actors in movies.
Their breeds were chosen because they are smart and learn quickly when it comes to any type of training or tricks.
Using positive reinforcement with treats for a job well done is always the best manner in which to train a puppy.
You can actually start training your pup when you bring him home at the ripe old age of 8 weeks after letting him settle in for a day or two first.
The “sit” command is the first thing to teach your puppy. He needs to learn this as an impulse control command and then you can build on it.
It’s usually advisable to train your puppy to sit before he eats his meals if they are timed throughout the day.
Then you can have him sit before you play a game with him and give him a piece of kibble or a small treat for being obedient.
He’ll learn he gets something good to eat for doing what you want him to and puppies do love food as incentives.
By about six months of age, your puppy should know all of his commands and be able to produce them for you over and over without fail.
This is when you need to start teaching him polite play–meaning the “drop it” command to get him to leave something be.
He should also be learning “no bite” as those pointy pearly whites are very sharp on the hands and feet.
He will still be teething and want to chew a lot, so provide him with plenty of chew toys to hold his interest.
By the age of one, your Chi-Weiler should have mastered all of his commands for all of the polite behaviors that he will need his entire life.
If you’ve never had a puppy before that needed training, you should think of enrolling him with you in a puppy training program. These often start at about four months of age.
This will allow a professional to help you to guide your lovely four-legged family member in a healthy and learning environment that is especially special for him.
The training sessions are short at first because your puppy, just like human children, doesn’t have a very long attention span. Then the instructor will lengthen the training sessions as you continue.
Training areas usually have no extra distractions or noises when your puppy is young. As they age, though, some distractions will be put in place, so you know your dog will come back when you call him at the busy dog park and he’s off-leash.
You can usually choose between classes with several dogs of the same age or even one on one training techniques.
Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix and Families
Your newfound family member will be very good with all of your family members and one great thing is that he won’t get so large that you and your children can’t pick him up for a slobbery hug and kiss.
It’s important to socialize your puppy and train him from an early age. He will love and protect all of his family members but may actually attach more to one family member.
Chihuahua Rottweiler Mix and Other Pets
Exposing your new puppy to children and other pets as soon as you get him is the best-case scenario for having him play affectionately with other pets and kids.
Introduce the new puppy gradually to your existing dog or cat and don’t allow the puppy to jump on the existing pet at first. This can make the existing pet upset and fur can fly.
Your goal is to have all the pets and kids in your home get along well together. If your existing pet ignores the puppy for a while, that’s to be expected and it will likely change soon.
If you have an older existing dog or cat, you may wait and adopt a Chi-Weiler when it’s several months old and not so full of puppy energy for an easier transition in the household.
Now that you’ve learned all about the Chihuahua Rottweiler mix puppies and dogs, you can decide if they will be a great family member for yourself or another family member or friend.
The Chi-Weiler is all in all a cute package of joy that is cheerful, loyal, playful, and would make most any family a great addition.
The small to medium size and obtaining the energy levels of both a Rottweiler, which is a high energy, plus a Chihuahua that is low energy could make the best-mixed designer dog for you.
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