Adopting a Chihuahua in Leeds: rescues, costs and health

The count under the short answer is live: it shows every Chihuahua and Chihuahua cross listed with us in Leeds and within about 25 miles. If it shows none, that is the honest picture rather than a fault. We haven't found a Chihuahua rescue that works only in Yorkshire with an active site of its own, so the national breed rescue is the steadier route.

Small does not mean quiet. "Bold and saucy in temperament" is how The Royal Kennel Club puts it, describing "the smallest breed in the world" as a "huge personality in a tiny frame". Blue Cross rates it "a highly intelligent and easily trained companion", provided its family keeps up the exercise and training.

No two are alike, though. Dogs Trust points out that each Chihuahua's temperament comes from its own experiences, so one may love visitors and other dogs while the next prefers to keep its distance. The rescue has watched its dog day to day, so ask how it reacts to people at the door.

A rescue fee pays towards vet work that is already done. Aireworth Dogs in Need says all its dogs are neutered, vaccinated, wormed, flea treated and microchipped, and Good Life Dog Rescue includes a lead and collar too. Older dogs can cost less: Aireworth charges £100 for a dog over 10, and Blue Cross fees start from £235 for dogs aged 8 or over.

Buy a puppy and all of that comes on top of the £400 to £3,000 Blue Cross gives for a puppy. With a puppy you are also guessing how big it will grow and how it will turn out; with an adult rescue dog you can see both.

A rescue Chihuahua seldom arrives with its parents' health test results, so the useful question is what the rescue's own vet has looked at. These are the points UK breed guides raise:

• Breathing and heat. The breed is brachycephalic, which Dogs Trust explains as a short nose, a flat face or both, and it carries a higher risk of heat stroke. Blue Cross warns owners to be ready for possible breathing problems.
• Syringomyelia. This spinal cord condition is the other issue Blue Cross names. If the rescue's vet has noticed any sign of it, you want to know before you apply.
• Eyes, airways and teeth. Breeders are asked by The Royal Kennel Club to have eyes tested and breathing graded for BOAS (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome). On its Breed Watch list, show judges are told to look out for a faulty bite, retained puppy teeth and a muzzle that is too short.

The Royal Kennel Club breed standard gives one size: up to 2.7 kg, with 1.8 to 2.7 kg preferred. Beyond that, The Royal Kennel Club recognises two coats, smooth and long, and nothing else. "Teacup", "micro" and "miniature" are sellers' words, and The Royal Kennel Club no longer registers merle Chihuahua puppies because the merle gene carries an increased risk of impaired hearing and sight.

The Royal Kennel Club lists the Chihuahua as needing up to 30 minutes of exercise a day and says a flat can be big enough, and British Chihuahua Rescue says it doesn't turn people away for where they live. Your tenancy may still decide it. Leeds City Council asks its tenants to get written permission before getting a pet, and its policy generally refuses pets in high rise blocks and in flats, maisonettes or bedsits with a communal entrance. If you rent privately, get the landlord's permission in writing: Aireworth Dogs in Need wants evidence before its home check.

Short legs set the pace: Dogs Trust says long or strenuous walks may be too much, but a Chihuahua still needs a walk every day, time to play, daily enrichment and extra care in hot weather. Tell the rescue about stairs, children or other pets at home, because it judges each dog on its own.

No rescue sells a Chihuahua. You apply, the rescue decides which of its dogs would suit your home, and the adoption fee goes towards the vet work. Puppies are rare in rescue, so if you are set on adopting, be open to an adult whose size and habits are already known.

If you decide to buy, Dogs Trust suggests asking your vet about a pre-purchase consultation on likely health conditions and rough costs, and The Royal Kennel Club runs a "Find a puppy" service. Treat any advert for "teacup" or merle puppies as a reason to walk away, and report a suspected scam to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud).