Chihuahua Corgi Mix: Chigi Breed Information, Puppy Costs & More

The Chihuahua and the Corgi are both very popular small breed dogs, making a great choice of pet for would-be dog owners with small homes and also for apartment dwellers. Both these breeds have so many endearing qualities that it can be a real challenge to choose between the two. So, how about considering a Chihuahua Corgi mix as a family pet?

A Chihuahua Corgi mix is also known as a “Chigi.” Chigis are really sociable and loving dogs that take well to everyone, including kids and even total strangers. The Chihuahua Corgi mix also loves other pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits, and even birds!

So, would a Chigi make the perfect pet for your family? In this article, we take a closer look at mixed breeds, including the two that make up this delightful crossbreed, the Chihuahua, and the Corgi.

The Basics

A mixed breed dog is simply one that’s created by mating two purebred dogs. Crossbreed puppies take some of their personality and look from both parents. However, the outcome of mixed breeding can be somewhat of a guessing game when it comes to choosing a puppy!

Another important point to note is that puppies from mixed breed matings can inherit some of the health conditions that are common to both their parents. That’s why it’s crucial that you know lots about both parent breeds to give you a clearer idea of what you’ll get if you decide to welcome a Chigi into your household.

Chihuahua

The diminutive Chihuahua is a member of the toy group. Despite his size, the Chihuahua is a feisty little dog with a personality that belies his tiny stature! Looks can be deceptive, and although the Chihuahua is undoubtedly super-cute, he can turn from a “purse dog” into an “armpit piranha” at a moment’s notice when he feels his owner is under threat from a stranger!

The Chihuahua is the ideal size dog for you if you live in an apartment, especially if you live alone or you’re one of a couple. The Chihuahua is not the best choice of a pup for a family with small kids. Firstly, these little dogs can be snappy if they feel threatened, and also they are fragile and can easily be injured by a clumsy child.

An important point to note about the Chihuahua is that he is a card-carrying barker! That could be a deal-breaker for you if you live in an apartment or have very close neighbors. Chihuahuas are super-bright and are very trainable.

However, you’ll need to be firm and use positive reinforcement techniques to get the best results. Early socialization is essential, as the Chihuahua can be aggressive toward other dogs and can resort to biting and snapping when threatened and when defending his home and human owners.

Chihuahuas can be smooth or long-haired. Smooth-haired Chihuahuas have a short coat with an area of thick, longer fur around the neck, rather like a ruff. Long-haired Chihuahuas have a long, soft coat that is sometimes slightly curly but more often flat. They also have a ruff of longer hair around the neck.

Corgi

The Corgi is a member of the herding group. Corgis come from Wales, U.K., where they were once used as herding dogs. These pups are active and outgoing, and they just love being around people. The Corgi’s herding background means that they are by nature watchful and make great guard dogs. However, that can be an issue if you can’t find the “bark-off switch!”

The Corgi has a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years. Unfortunately, the breed is susceptible to several health conditions that may be passed on to the progeny, so remember that a Chigi puppy could inherit some of these health conditions from his Corgi parent.

Corgis are outgoing and active. Despite their size, the Corgi needs a fair amount of exercise to keep him happy mentally and in shape physically.

The Corgi is also highly intelligent and very trainable, loving to please his human handler. If you have aspirations to take part in canine sports, the Corgi will gladly participate in agility, flyball, obedience, and tracking.

Because of their sweet nature, they are common designer dogs, often being mixed with the Shiba Inu, or the Poodle Corgi mix.  Mixing with the Pug to create the “Porgi” has also become popular.

The Corgi stands between ten and 12 inches at the shoulder, weighing in at between 25 and 30 pounds. The Corgi has a medium-length double coat that he sheds twice a year heavily. You can help to control shedding by brushing your Corgi once or twice a week, more often in the spring and fall when he sheds most heavily.

Corgis come in a few colors, including sable, fawn, red, black, and tan. Merle colors also occur, but dogs with this coloring should be avoided, as there are some health issues associated with the merle gene.  They also have docked tails, which expose their butts.  They are also extremely popular purebreds when mixed as a designer dog with other breeds.

Chigi

Now that you’re more informed about the Chigi’s parent breeds let’s find out more about the Chihuahua Corgi mix.

Chihuahua Corgi Mix Personality

The Chigi is extremely social and loving when he’s with his human family, including kids, strangers, and adults. You’ll need to supervise small kids closely when they’re playing with a Chigi puppy, as these tiny dogs are extremely fragile and easily injured if playtime gets too boisterous.

The friendly Chihuahua Corgi mix gets along fine with other pets too, including the family cat, small furries, and birds. However, if your Chigi has taken more from his Chihuahua parent, he could prove to be a one-person dog.

Training Your Chigi

The Corgi side of the Chigi is highly trainable and thoroughly enjoys learning new tasks and tricks. Unfortunately, the Chihuahua blood of the Chigi can make him somewhat stubborn.

However, if you use a sympathetic, consistent, praise-oriented training regime, your Chihuahua Corgi mix will soon learn what’s required of him.

Exercise & Living Conditions

The Chigi makes a great apartment dog and can live in a home of any size. The Chihuahua Corgi mix is not suited to life outside in a kennel.

These pups are far too fond of the company of their human family to be separated for long periods, and that can lead to separation anxiety issues, including barking and destructive behaviors.

That makes exercising your dog an easy task. If the weather is too inclement for a long walk to the park, the Chihuahua Corgi mix will happily play inside all day.

If possible, the Chigi will benefit from a 15 to 20-minute walk every day and plenty of playtimes too. The friendly, sociable Chihuahua Corgi mix will also enjoy a trip to the dog park where he can play with other pups and meet their owners too.

Chihuahua Corgi Mix Health

Mixed breed dogs are generally healthier than their purebred cousins.

However, you should be aware that Chigis can inherit epilepsy and intervertebral disc disease from their parents, as these conditions are common to both the Chihuahua and the Corgi.

The average life expectancy for a Chihuahua Corgi mix is from 12 to 20 years.

Nutrition

When you collect your Chihuahua Corgi mix puppy, make a point of asking the breeder for details of what brand of food and ration size your pup is fed. It’s a good idea to keep using the same food for at least the first six months of the puppy’s life.

When feeding your adult Chigi, choose a dry food that’s formulated specially for small dogs. The kibble should be small enough that your dog can comfortably eat it without struggling. Also, the kibble will help to clean bacteria from your dog’s teeth as he crunches the biscuits, helping to prevent the onset of canine periodontal disease.

Appearance & Grooming

The Chihuahua Corgi mix is between six and 12 inches in height at the shoulder and will weigh between three and 31 pounds, proportionate to the dog’s height. The Chigi’s ears are upright and stiff like both the parent breeds. The dog’s body shape has the long back of the Corgi, which can lead to health issues as previously highlighted.

The Chihuahua Corgi mix can have a cream to orangey colored coat. A Chihuahua Corgi cross usually sheds continually with a heavier shedding period in the fall and again in the spring.

So, this pup is pretty high-maintenance when it comes to grooming requirements.

As Pets

Now, let’s see if the Chihuahua Corgi mix would make a good family pet.

• Chigis are lively, friendly, social little dogs who are suited to a family home setting.
• Chihuahua Corgi mixes are high-maintenance when it comes to grooming requirements.
• This means you’ll need to enjoy brushing your pet and vacuuming your home too!
• Because the Chigi sheds so much, this breed is not a good companion for someone with allergies.
• The Chigi is a lively little pup who needs exercising daily, either with two short walks or playtime.
• Your Chigi puppy might bond more strongly with one member of his human family than the others.
• The Chihuahua and Corgi have some health issues that can be inherited by their puppies.
• Be sure to check with the breeder that both parents have been health-screened.
• The Chihuahua Corgi mix is a small dog that’s the perfect size for an apartment.
• However, this breed does bark, and that will most likely cause neighbor tension.

Finding A Chigi Puppy

Mixed breeds are often cheaper than pure pedigree dogs. The price you’ll pay for a Chihuahua Corgi mix puppy will vary though, depending on the breeder’s location and the quality and show records of both the puppy’s parents.

Typically, the most expensive Chigis have more Corgi than Chihuahua blood. The price of a Chigi puppy ranges from $300 to $1,000. Usually, a puppy that’s being offered at a lower price than that will come from a puppy farm or backyard breeder.

Ask around veterinary clinics in your area for recommendations to local breeders. Social media can also be a useful resource.

When you find a reputable breeder, ask to see health-screening certification for both the pup’s parents.

Avoid Backyard Breeders

You’ll often find backyard breeders and puppy mills advertising their puppies online. Luckily, there are a few very obvious red flags that you should look out for when you begin your search for a Chihuahua Corgi puppy:

• Puppies are always available, rather than just seasonally
• There are always lots of litters to choose from
• You’re promised any puppy you want
• You can pay online by credit card without viewing the puppy first
• The breeder promises to deliver the puppy to you, rather than inviting you to see the puppy and his parents at the breeder’s premises.

If you spot any of the above red flags when you’re surfing the web for Chigi breeders, walk away.

Rescues

If you don’t fancy the hard work that goes into raising a well-rounded puppy, you might prefer to offer a forever home to an adult dog from a shelter or rescue center. You’ll find lots of animal shelters in your local area and across the U.S. that may have the ideal canine companion for you, and there are plenty out there that rescue or rehome Chigis.

Bear in mind that dogs from shelters often come with an uncertain history. Be sure to find out all you can about the Chigi you’re planning on adopting before you take him home. It’s always worthwhile asking the shelter if you can take the dog home with you on a trial basis to see if you’re both a good fit for each other.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a small dog that gets along well with your whole family and your other pets too, the Chihuahua Corgi mix could be the dog for you.

The Chigi is a lively, intelligent little dog that will give you and your family hours of fun, as well as unstinting loyalty and plenty of love too.

On the downside, the Chihuahua Corgi mix is vulnerable to a couple of potentially serious health conditions that are common to both parent breeds. Also, the breed does shed quite heavily, making the Chihuahua Corgi mix an unsuitable choice for those with pet hair allergies and for very house-proud people.