Modern Chihauhua - some believe the Tachichi is in the modern Chi's ancestry This month I want to feature the Techichi - an ancestor to the Chihauhua of today. I've found in my research that Mexican breeds have a very long, very rich, and sometimes very disturbing history. The Techichi does not disappoint!
My excerpt from Morris' book "Dogs: the Ultimate History of 1000+ Breeds" describes the Techichi as...
Also known as the Small Indian Dog, this breed was primarily used as a source of food by Indian tribes in the Pre-Columbian Americas. Its Indian name is somteimtes given as Techichi. It has also been called the Carrier Dog, although acting as a beast of burden does not appear to have been one of its regular duties.
Okay - they were eating these little guys? That's a tad bit disturbing. Turns out, many other breeds were also lunch for some civilizations across the globe though. In my Morris book, there is a whole chapter for "edible dogs." Moving on...
A slender, small-headed, sharp-nosed, fox-like little dog, the Techichi extended its range into both North and South America, although Mexico seems to have been its stronghold. It was common among the native tribes of the east coast of North America, right across the southernmost parts, down into Central America and even into north-western South America.
The first European to encounter the Techichi was the Spanish explorer Francisco Hernandez, who reported its existence in 1578. He commented that the native Americans ate them as commonly as his own people ate rabbits. In other words, they were not specially reserved for sacrificial ritual or celebratory feasting, but were everyday-food items.
Sort of like a box of cereal for us today I guess?
It has been estimated that at least 100,000 Techichis must have been consumed by visiting Spaniards exploring the New World during expeditions. Not suprisingly, later travellers found few of these dogs, and by the 19th century they appear to have vanished altogether.
The rest of the story for the Techichi is sad actually. Apparently bred for only two reasons: for food and the puppies served as entertainment for children, the breed has gone extinct.
Artistic renderings of the Tachichi dogs of Mexico
They did not go extinct...I have one, and they roam all over Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. wild..and I have one. The Techichi was used to breed the Chihuahua. AKC crazies took the runts from the Techichi and bred runt to runt in order to make the "tea cup" variety Chihuahua, which is an unhealthy dog, as is what happens when crazy humans mess with breeding animals. Also, California kills millions of them every year, as they fill up their animal shelters. Please adopt one if you can give it a good home.
ReplyDeletePlease let us see what they look like thank you
DeletePlease let us see what they look like thank you
DeleteI did adopt one! He's wonderful. I live in Manhattan, NYC, sadly the shelters here are full,of large dogs, mostly Pitbulls, but there's a demand for small dogs given that so many people here live in small apts. My 8.5lbs. rust colored, short haired, Techichi descendant came from a kill shelter in Ventura County, LA to a shelter here in Manhattan where they knew he'd soon find a home. I was the lucky adopter!
DeletePretty sure I have a techichi. Wish I could post a photo of her. She has big stand up ears, long sharp nose and long wiry hair on her back
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DeleteTechichis are not extinct! Matter of fact, their genetic footprint is so large that every litter of casually-bred chihuahuas contains a couple examples. If not for selective breeding (doggie incest), these dogs would be the standard for the chihuahua. The AKC has created an artificial breed that could never exist without rigorous breeding (and euthanasia of techichi-type pups). Go to your local pound. This is one of the easiest breeds to find for cheap, and they are awesome!
DeleteOnce you have one, you understand. They are unlike any other dog.
I have one too. A techichi Xoloquintli mix. I wish i knew how to attach a photo here
DeletePoor babies.
ReplyDeleteIt would sure be nice to get a picture of an original Techichi dog rather than an old artistic rendition of what the dog looks like. That way you can compare the physical difference between a Techichi and a Chihuahua. If the Techichi's run wild in Mexico, I'm surprised that breed would have been reported as extinct. It's nice to know they are not.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could post a photo here. I could show you exactly what a techichi looks like. They look a little like foxes but if you saw one you'd say "badly-bred chihuahua." What a joke. They're amazing dogs.
DeleteI am from Texas and the Mexicans, and S.Americans brought them North. I know, I adopted my Benjamin from a shelter in West Texas. Ive had him for 5 years, 2 years ago he got ill, I was curious about his breed, he is mixed Boston Terrier and Techichi, not Chihuahua. I wondered why he made such strange noises, has very little hair, and doesn't bark LIKE CHIHUAHUAS do. Great companion and loves everyone, he's trained to track squirrels and give chase up trees. Amazing...
ReplyDeleteWow, that is alot of misinformation in one article.
ReplyDelete#1 Techichi dogs are neither extinct nor mute.
#2 most tribes did not and do not eat dog.
#3 there are many breeds of Native dogs.
#4 Techichi dogs were not carrier dogs although they were sometimes carried.
They are not extincted. I have one I got him from a place where a lot of Mexican family's come over on work visas and and come over as illegal immigrants. He was found wandering the streets of shafter and I adopted him from a small shelter.
ReplyDeleteOh and my techichi Logan is not mute but is quite sometimes
ReplyDeleteWe did DNA on what we thought was our mostly Chihuahua chiweenie but she came back 100% Techichi. A beautiful dog with an "A" personality.
ReplyDeletewhat company did you use for the DNA test?
DeleteThe best likenesses of techichis ase the many terra cotta figurines that exist of these dogs. It’s clear that many of these are portraits if individual animals. If you google images of techichis you will see many modern examples b
ReplyDeleteTechichis are not extinct! I also have one, and he’s a wonderful companion. Very calm, very quiet, he is not mute. Today’s chihuahua breeders are plagued by genetic throwbacks to the techichi phenotype, and these marvelous little dogs often wind up at the pound. They average 10-12 lbs and live a long time.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing - there are many clay pots and sculptures of techichis. A close look at these will show that many are individual portraits of specific dogs. They may have eaten them in times of famines, but these dogs were revered and loved. Get one, and you’ll see why.
Wow.. These dogs were never eaten!
ReplyDeleteThey were not merely food or entertainment for children.
ReplyDeleteThese were medicine dogs, sacred to healers and used as bedwarmers for the ill.
I have a Techichi. He was smuggled into the U.S. by wealthy citizens that used them for breeding. I got Christmas 11 years ago and he is as my service dog. He now has a heart condition and don't know what I'll do when he's gone.
ReplyDeleteI have a chiweenie with some of the specifics mentioned above as common with the Techichi breed. Is it possible I have a Techichi?
ReplyDelete