Overview
The Techichi was a small dog bred in Mexico by the Toltec culture around the 9th century. It is considered an ancestor of the modern Chihuahua, though somewhat larger.
The breed has been extinct since the 19th century, but it survives in pre-Columbian art and in the story of its descendant.
History
The Toltecs bred the Techichi, and the Aztecs later reduced it into the smaller dog we now call the Chihuahua. The Spanish explorer Francisco Hernandez reported the dogs in 1578, noting that native people ate them as often as rabbits.
The Spanish ate many of them on expeditions, and by the 19th century the original breed had vanished. Outsiders only took notice of its descendants in the mid-1800s, in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.
Appearance
Techichis varied in looks. Coats ranged from brown through brown and white and black and white to solid black. They were larger than modern Chihuahuas.
Ears were sometimes cropped close to the head, while tails were left natural.
Temperament
The Techichi was said to be mute and unable to bark. Cultures that kept them saw them as spiritual guides with supernatural gifts, which suggests a close bond with people.
Care and exercise
No care guidance survives for the breed. They were kept as companions, sacrificial animals and food, with chosen stud males and brood females used to produce many litters.
