Was the town named after the dog breed or the other way round?
The Chihuahua is the smallest breed of dog and is named for the Chihuahua region in Mexico. Chihuahuas were originally thought to be descendants of an ancient, similar, but slightly larger breed associated with royalty in Aztec civilizations known as the Techichi. However, due to the lack of archaeological remains it is now believed that Chihuahuas were brought to Mexico by Spanish settlers. The most current theory holds that Spanish merchants brought Chihuahuas to Spain by way of their trade routes with China and from there to Mexico. The well documented practice in China of dwarfing both plants and animals is the basis for the theory that Chihuahuas originated there.[citation needed] Chihuahuas were first taken into the United States by American visitors to Mexico.
