Maybe Chihuahuas were bred as hand warmers.
The forebears of Chihuahuas were first developed by the Toltecs, a wandering Central American tribe.
When the Aztecs conquered the Toltecs, they also won the Toltec dog, which they crossbred with other small dogs to get even smaller dogs (in fact, the Chihuahua is the world’s smallest dog).
Why the Aztecs wanted such a small dog is still a matter of speculation.
Evidence and anecdote suggest that the royal Aztecs used the small dogs as pets and even as hand warmers in drafty palaces.
Aztec priests sacrificed them to the gods and cremated them with dead people to act as protection against evil spirits and as faithful guides to the Other World.
The common people? They cherished Chihuahuas as household pets, and food.
