Chihuahua vs Toy Poodle
Side by side
Chihuahua
Toy Poodle
Height
Males 12.7–20.3 cm; females 12.7–20.3 cm (breed club figure)1
Males 24–28 cm; females 24–28 cm3
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes5
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Grooming
No sourced figure
Brushing a few times a week
Exercise
A modest amount
Health
Gum disease (more likely)9
Class
Lap dog
Lap dog
Which suits you
Size
The Chihuahua comes in a wide range of sizes, 1–3 kg (2.2–6.6 lb) as an adult, against 1.8–2.7 kg (4–6 lb) for the Toy Poodle.
Lifespan
In UK vet records the Toy Poodle lives longer: a median of 14 years, against 11.8 for the Chihuahua.
Shedding
Their coats shed differently: the Chihuahua sheds through the year, the Toy Poodle holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out.
Temperament
They differ most on independence (Chihuahua: decides for itself; Toy Poodle: keen to work with you) and on intelligence (Chihuahua: learns readily, likes games; Toy Poodle: needs daily brain work).
Alike
Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Chihuahua
Companion & toy · Toy
The Chihuahua is alert and bold, and quick to bark at unfamiliar sounds or people.
Toy Poodle
Companion & toy · Toy
In temperament the Toy Poodle is alert, lively and quick to learn, moving with a light, springy gait and a proud carriage.
Breed traits
Day to day
Chihuahua
Toy Poodle
Activity
Happy with modest walks
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Differs
Learns readily, likes games
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Differs
Needs steady training
Suits a first-time owner
With people
Chihuahua
Toy Poodle
Affection
A lap or leaning dog
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Sticks close to its people
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Differs
Decides for itself
Keen to work with you
Around the home
Chihuahua
Toy Poodle
Sensitivity
Needs a calm, predictable home
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Differs
Very vocal
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Usually fine with small pets
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Toy Poodle grows to the heavier adult, about 2.3 kg against the Chihuahua's 2 kg.
Chihuahua
Toy Poodle
More comparisons
Compare the Chihuahua with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Chihuahua breed page. ↑
- 2American Kennel Club. Toy Poodle breed page. ↑
- 3
- 4
- 5Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 6
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- 9
- 10Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 11Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 12American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 13
Parts of this page were written by AI ·