Which toy dog breed is named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua?

Which toy dog breed is named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua? The answer is Chihuahua.

The Chihuahua is a Mexican toy breed named for the state of Chihuahua in northern Mexico. It is recognized as the world’s smallest dog breed and is known for its compact body, large erect ears, rounded skull, and alert expression. Both smooth-coated and long-coated varieties exist.

Its deeper history reaches beyond the modern name. Genetic studies indicate that Chihuahuas retain a small amount of ancestry from pre-Columbian Indigenous American dogs. A 2020 ancient-genome study estimated that this ancestry makes up about 4% of the Chihuahua genome, although an earlier study produced a much higher estimate.

The breed was formally established internationally in the early 20th century. The American Kennel Club registered its first Chihuahua in 1904: a dog named Midget, owned by H. Raynor of Texas. The Chihuahua is sometimes confused with the Xoloitzcuintli, another Mexican breed, but the two differ greatly in size, appearance, and historical development.