Coat guide
Smooth vs long coat Chihuahua: one breed, two coats
The long haired Chihuahua is not a different breed or a premium tier. Here is the real difference in grooming, the coat-gene truth, and which suits Singapore.
Nelson and Kim, Curious Tails · AVS licence AS24J00046· Updated 24 July 2026
What is the difference between a smooth and long coat Chihuahua?
They are the one breed, a single recessive coat gene apart, and both can appear in one litter. The smooth coat is short and wipe-and-go; the long coat is soft and feathered, needing about ten minutes of brushing a couple of times a week to prevent mats. The long coat is not a premium tier, and both are thin enough that a Chihuahua feels the cold aircon here regardless. Choose on looks and grooming appetite, not weather.
One breed, two coats, not two breeds
Start here, because it is the thing most people get wrong: the smooth Chihuahua and the long haired Chihuahua are the same breed. Not two breeds, not a cross, not a "designer" version. One Chihuahua, expressed in two coat types, the smooth coat (short) and the long coat, and you can even find both in a single litter.
A note on names, because Singapore listings use them interchangeably. A short hair Chihuahua, a short haired Chihuahua and a smooth coat Chihuahua are all the same dog: "smooth coat" is the breed-standard term, "short hair" is what most buyers type. If a seller prices a short hair and a long coat differently, that is a marketing decision, not a breed one.
The long coat comes from a recessive coat gene. That is why two short haired parents can, if both carry the gene, produce long-coated puppies, and why the long coat is not rarer or finer in any way that should command a premium. It is a coat, not a status upgrade.
We place both, at the same price. The choice between them is purely about the look you love and the ten minutes a week you are willing to spend, and this page lays out that trade honestly.
Smooth vs long, at a glance
- Same breed, one recessive coat gene apart
- Smooth: short, close, wipe-and-go
- Long: soft, feathered, ~10 min brushing a week
- Both shed; neither is hypoallergenic
- Long coat is not a premium tier, same price
- Both feel the cold in strong aircon
The smooth coat: wipe-and-go
The smooth coat is the low-maintenance classic. Short, glossy and close to the body, it needs little more than a weekly once-over with a soft brush or a rubber mitt to lift dead hair and keep the shine. There is no feathering to tangle and effectively no mats to worry about.
Do not mistake "short" for "non-shedding", though. Smooth Chihuahuas do shed, and the fine hairs weave into fabric surprisingly well; a quick brush a couple of times a week keeps it well under control. Some smooth Chihuahuas carry a slight double coat with a soft undercoat, and those shed a touch more, in gentle seasonal waves rather than the dramatic blowouts of a bigger double-coated breed.
The other thing about the smooth coat is warmth, or the lack of it. A short-coated Chihuahua has very little insulation, which in Singapore matters more than you would think, and we come back to it below.
The long coat: soft, feathered, ten minutes a week
The long coat is the showstopper: a soft, sometimes slightly wavy coat with feathering on the ears, legs, tail and chest, and often a little ruff. It is genuinely beautiful, and it asks for a modest, not heavy, grooming commitment, roughly ten minutes of brushing a couple of times a week.
The maintenance job is preventing mats, which form in the friction spots: behind the ears, in the armpits, around the trousers at the back legs. A weekly comb-through of those areas keeps them from ever starting. You do not need to trim or clip a long coat Chihuahua, the coat is meant to lie naturally, and a full haircut is neither necessary nor traditional; a light tidy of the paw-pad fur and sanitary area is plenty.
A note on the puppy coat: long-coated puppies often look almost smooth at eight weeks, with the full adult coat and feathering coming in gradually over the first year or more. If you buy a long-coated puppy, be patient, the glamour arrives on the coat's schedule, not yours.
Long-coat mat-watch spots
- Behind and under the ears
- Armpits and chest ruff
- Trousers / feathering on the back legs
- A weekly comb of these spots prevents mats entirely
Which coat for Singapore? The cold answer
The instinct in a tropical country is to assume the short coat is the sensible, cool choice and the long coat will overheat. For most breeds that would be right. For the Chihuahua, it barely matters, because the breed's real climate problem here is not heat but cold.
Both coats are thin by big-dog standards, and neither gives a two-kilogram dog much protection against a strong air-conditioner. The smooth coat especially will have your Chihuahua shivering and burrowing under a blanket in a cold room. So choose the coat you love, then manage warmth either way: a jumper on cold days, a warm bed away from the aircon draught, and a cosy corner to retreat to. The long coat gives a marginal edge in a chilly room; it is not a reason on its own to pick it.
In short: pick on looks and grooming appetite, not on Singapore's weather. Both coats are perfectly suited to an air-conditioned flat as long as you provide the warm spot every Chihuahua wants.
1 gene
smooth vs long apart
Weekly
smooth-coat brushing
~10 min
long-coat brushing / week
Same price
no coat premium
How to choose, and what we place
Reduce it to two honest questions. Do you want the sleek, wash-and-wear look or the soft, feathered one? And are you happy to spend ten minutes a couple of times a week with a comb, or would you rather a weekly wipe and done? There is no wrong answer, and coat type has no bearing on the dog's temperament, health or that famous big personality.
What we will not let coat type do is change the price or the health standard. Smooth or long, apple head or deer head, our Chihuahuas sit in one price band with the same vet health check and the same honest brief. A long coat is a lovely coat, not a luxury product, and we would never dress it up as one.
If you are torn, tell us your grooming appetite and the look you are drawn to on WhatsApp at +65 8220 6408, and we will show you what is available in each coat. Ten minutes with both in the shop usually settles it faster than any photo.
Smooth or long is a haircut, not a bloodline. Choose the coat you will love brushing, or love not brushing.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a short hair Chihuahua the same as a smooth coat Chihuahua?
Yes, identical. "Smooth coat" is the breed-standard term and "short hair Chihuahua" is what most Singapore buyers search for, but they describe the same dog. There is no separate short hair variety, and no price difference should attach to the wording.
Is a long haired Chihuahua a different breed?
No. Smooth and long coat Chihuahuas are the same breed, one recessive coat gene apart. Both can even appear in the same litter. The long coat is not a cross, a designer variant, or a premium tier.
Do long coat Chihuahuas cost more?
Not with us. A coat gene is not a luxury feature, so smooth and long coat Chihuahuas sit in the same price band. Anyone charging a premium for the long coat is selling the look, not a better dog.
How much grooming does a long coat Chihuahua need?
Modest: roughly ten minutes of brushing a couple of times a week, focused on the mat-prone spots behind the ears, armpits and back-leg feathering. No trimming or clipping is needed.
Do smooth coat Chihuahuas shed?
Yes. Short does not mean non-shedding, and the fine hairs cling to fabric. A quick brush a couple of times a week keeps it easily under control. Neither coat is hypoallergenic.
When does a long coat grow in?
Long-coated puppies often look nearly smooth at eight weeks, with the full feathered adult coat coming in gradually over the first year or more. Patience is part of the deal.
Which coat is better for Singapore?
Choose on looks and grooming, not weather. The Chihuahua's climate issue here is cold aircon, not heat, and both coats are thin. Whichever you pick, provide a warm bed and a jumper for cold rooms.
Do you place both coats?
Yes, we place both smooth and long coat Chihuahuas, at the same price and to the same health standard. Tell us your preference and we will show you what is available.
Meet your Chihuahua
Come say hello at Balestier
2 Balestier Road #01-701, Singapore 320002 · Weekdays 12pm–6pm · Weekends 10am–6pm. Or message us first: tell us about your home and routine, and we'll tell you honestly if a Chihuahua fits.
Still deciding?
Read the price guide first: every dollar explained, no surprises at the shop.
See the price guide