we have all heard the terms apple head vs. deer head when it comes to describing characteristics of the chihuahua breed, but what exactly makes an apple head chihuahua different from a deer head chihuahua?
the term apple head is used to describe any chihuahua with a round or ‘dome-like’ head similar to the shape of an apple. the upper part of the chihuahua’s skull is wider than the lower part in the jaw area.
if you look close at the top of the skull of most chihuahuas, you will notice that it is slightly sunken in just like the top of an apple. this area is called molera, a spanish word for ‘fontanel’, or any membranous gap between the bones of the cranium in an infant or fetus and it is similar to the ‘soft spot’ that human babies have on their heads upon birth.
according to chihuahua breed standards, the term apple head is required in the description of the ‘head’ of a chihuahua that includes an apple domed skull with either the presence or absence of molera. it is also used when referencing chihuahua puppies at an age where it is noticeable.
the term deer head is used to describe any chihuahua that does not have the characteristic apple shaped head. deer head chihuahuas tend to have a longer noses and a head shape similar to that of a miniature young deer. they also tend to have less chihuahua health problems.
in this picture of teaka the famous chihuahua, you can see her deer-like features, so she is a deer head chihuahua. at birth she was given the temporary name of fawn, which means a young deer under a year old.
related: what is a blue chihuahua? what is a teacup chihuahua?
article source: chihuahuadogcare.com/applehead-chihuahuas
skull photo source: skullsunlimited.com/chihuahua-skull.html
40 responses so far ↓
1 Sarah Collins // Mar 12, 2009 at 11:04 am
My chihuahua, Timmy, seems to have a deer shaped head but also has a fontanel, does this mean he is an apple head or can deer heads have them too?
2 famous chihuahua editor // Mar 12, 2009 at 8:31 pm
deer head chihuahuas can have the fontanel and it is also possible for apple heads to not have it. look at what your chihuahua’s parents were to find out what your chihuahua is.
3 Alison H. // Mar 25, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I am looking into buying a chihuahua pup and I have my eye on one that I believe is a deer head. When it is full grown, is there typically a difference of size between appleheads and deer heads?
4 famous chihuahua editor // Mar 25, 2009 at 6:56 pm
You would have to look at factors such as the genetics of the parents, the kind of nourishment the chihuahua puppy will receive so it grows to it’s full potential and how active you intend to keep your chihuahua pup.
5 Jme // Apr 10, 2009 at 11:54 pm
I have two chihuahuas both have round heads. but one of my girls is alot bigger than the other. and she has a square like nose. the other girl is very small and petite bur her nose is small and from nose to lip theres an angle? does this have anything to do with their breed of chihuahua?
6 Debbi // Jun 14, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I have 2 deerhead chihuahuas…they both are very small and petite but their legs seem longer then other chi’s that I have seen. they both come from the same breeder and have the same father… different mothers though
7 Sarah // Jun 29, 2009 at 11:19 am
can you tell whether a small pup will be apple head of deer head right off the bat? We are getting a pup and he will be 8 weeks on July 6th, but I am not totally sure if he is apple head or deer head. His mother is deer head, but I have not seen his father yet. He looks pretty round as of now, but i also have a side profile photo of him and he looks like he could also go deer head. Any ideas?
8 Marianna // Jul 17, 2009 at 12:15 am
I have a deer head chihuahua and many people ask me if she is a mix. Her body is much longer than typical chihuahuas too. Her papers say she is pure bred chihuahua but the longer shape of her head really throws people off. She’s adorable nonetheless!
9 Sandi // Jul 19, 2009 at 12:51 am
Mariana, I get the same thing from people too about my Chi Mr.Pants. His mama was an applehead and his father was deer. The mix of the 2 different kinds made Mr. Pants larger than most chis with an applehead but long snout. Lol but he’s adorable nonetheless.
I recently got another baby chi I have no idea what she will turn out like. I didn’t get to see her parents. She’s small, her head looks larger but at 7 weeks she is the size of a medium sized rat! Very hard to tell. I came here looking to see if there was a distinct difference so I can tell now.
10 Quinn // Jul 25, 2009 at 3:28 am
I have had a chihuahua before and I am getting another one very soon! I am so excited I want a thick dark shorthaired applehead chihuahua! They are so adorable especially with the floppy tips on their ears!! GOSH i love it!
11 Quinn // Jul 25, 2009 at 3:28 am
Brown
12 plasticwool // Jul 30, 2009 at 4:00 am
we caught a good photo comparison of our applehead and deer head chihuahua:
copy this link to your browser to see it flickr.com/photos/plasticwool/3508629545/
13 chi/momma // Aug 1, 2009 at 4:25 am
I am lucky enough to have one of each an apple and a deer and I love them both, they are all adorable I have never seen an ugly chihuahua !!
14 Sandi // Aug 1, 2009 at 4:45 am
Oh no Chi Momma you are right, they are a beautiful breed indeed. I also have both deer & applehead Chi’s. I love them all the same. What I have noticed is besides their differences in appearence, the deer Chi’s seem to be a little bit more spastic and full of energy compared to the apples. Not to say apples aren’t full of energy, they are but my deers seem to be more spastic and they do tend to shake more. Probably because they are smaller. Both types are loving lap dogs and boy are they all cuties! Anyone else tend to agree? Id love to hear what other owners of both types have to say. twitter.com/o0ochillyo0o
15 Bams // Aug 5, 2009 at 7:33 am
Both are cute. However, the national breeding standards in my country specifically mention the apple head as the characteristical trait of the chihuahua. Deer heads are not bred according to their standard. It’s something to take into account if you would like to show your chi. But even if you aren’t planning on showing your chi, you might want to think twice about your deerhead seller if he isn’t breeding according to standards. Make sure to buy from a shelter of certified chihuahua breeder. Too many sellers are covering up that they’ve actually gotten their puppies from puppy mills or flown in from developing nations, which could leave you with high vet costs not to mention a broken heart.
16 Patti // Aug 6, 2009 at 11:04 pm
I also have both types (4 total) one I bought from a backyard breeder. He’s now 12 lbs, and I saw both of his parents, mom a long hair and dad a short hair. The other 3 are rescues, one from the pound. I have 3 dear heads and 1 apple head, and they all range in size from 4 lbs to 12 lbs. I love them all with a passion. They’re my babies! They have brave hearts and lots of personality and energy. My 4 lbs is a dear head and she dances to the tune of “Dancing Queen”.
17 stephanie morris // Aug 31, 2009 at 7:10 pm
i have a deer head and a apple head my deer head is a female and my male is a apple head , he looks like he taco bell dog . they both weigh 5 lbs.
18 Jillian // Sep 1, 2009 at 2:16 am
i have a deer head named moses/momo/sillyface and he is the most special loving 9 lb baby that anyone ever knew. my husband and i werent too keen on chis until he came into our lives. he was and is so special anyone he meets animal adult or child is touched and loved when they meet him i think that all chihuahuas in their own way are special deer head apple head or just plain silly in the head becuase we all know our chihuahuas can sometimes be silly! mine is also a long hair and i have met long haired short haired deer head and apple head and i foundthat each one was unique in his or her own way i love chihuahuas big small mixed or purebread who cares where you get them from especially if you rescue them its a wonderful thing to have one of these little guys or gals in your life and i think sometimes we could all use a little CHIHUAHUA in our lives !
19 Tammy // Sep 6, 2009 at 3:53 pm
I have a deer head that weighs 12 pounds. He has long hair and a long body. Both his parents were short hair chihuahuas. Is this a different breed of chihuahua? He is totally devoted to me and I once ran into a woman who knew exactly what breed he was (which isn’t the usual) because she had the same type and knew how loving and devoted they were. I’d love to get another some day but wouldn’t know where to look as I bought him through a friend that isn’t breeding anymore.
20 colleen murphy // Sep 9, 2009 at 11:59 pm
dont mean to sound stupid, but i have never heard of a deerhead chihuahua. applehead yes. i am a dog groomer for 30 years.
21 colleen murphy // Sep 10, 2009 at 12:01 am
then again i am a pug owner.
22 colleen murphy // Sep 13, 2009 at 2:05 pm
is a deerhead akc?
23 Trish // Sep 23, 2009 at 5:44 am
I’ve always wondered what the difference is between appleheads and deerheads, now I know! Thanks for the info:)
24 Amanda // Sep 26, 2009 at 12:44 pm
I have a deerhead and an applehead chihuahua that are very energetic. I love them very much and I think chihuahuas are a great breed.
25 Steph // Oct 7, 2009 at 2:55 am
My Pebbles seems to be a mix of the two. She is about 10 lbs, 11 months old and has the slender body and long legs. Her eyes are large and slightly bulgy. Her ears smaller than the “deer” chihuahua I have seen. Her coat is tan with a cream white streak that goes from her neck to the rip of the bottom of her tail. She has black on her back.
She really looks like the Techichi dog pictures. When she was a small puppy she looked like a tiny dingo. lol SOOO cute!
Her favorite thing to do is to fetch a tennis ball that looks like it would be too big for her mouth…haha She’s a really fast runner, too. If she sees a tennis ball in your hand she’s in the other side of the yard already waiting for you to throw it.
Her other favorite thing is to cuddle, mess with the cats, and follow me everywhere. It seems like she chose me as her favorite person, but, loves my husband and daughter, too. She’s great with other people and wants to make friends with every other dog she has met out on walks.
Pebbles is a great dog and I love her!
We adopted one of her brothers, Brutus, too. He was a beautiful tri-color and bigger than she was when we got them at 8 weeks old. (he could stand over her). Unfortunately, they BOTH (ugh!!!) tested positive for Parvovirus a few days after we got them. Brutus died. Man… that really hurt my heart to have to tell my 9 year old when she got home from school!! (They were born at a shelter… there mother were given up pregnant because the people who owned their mother had “too many dogs”… whatever that means).
26 chihuahuamom // Oct 10, 2009 at 12:08 am
i have deerhead type too and i like the way he looks more then the applehead .and he is very lean a thin and i notice that a lot of deer type seem to stay thin and not gain as much weight as an apple head he is 7rs and his weight 4lbs since he been 18mos never gains an oz . and if you look back at one time most chi were like a deer head so i think the akc should allow them too in the ring as long asthey are the standard weight and height
27 Tante Lise // Oct 12, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Love the comments on deer head and apple head chihuahuas. I have both sort of. I have an apple head name Belle who will be 3 years old this December. And, I have a deer head named Dottie who will be 8 months old this month. However, dottie is not a full blood Chi. She is acually a Chi-Pin. So what do you guys think. Is Dottie a deer head because she is part min-pin? She is so cute. She is white with chocolate circles around her eyes and chocolate ears. She is adorable. Belle is all black with fawn markings on her feet. She is gorgeous. Belle weighs only 5 lbs. and Dottie is pushing 7lbs. She is turning out to be the bigger of the two. In addition, Belle has a smooth coat and Dottie has a rough coat. But, I love them both. They are my sweet babies and they know it. Belle is quite and reserved and Dottie loves to play. She and our cat (Kitty-Kitty) play and play and play. They have so much fun. It is a joy to watch them. I just love chihuahuas!
28 ChiChi // Oct 24, 2009 at 7:40 pm
I have a new Chi puppy, and 2 adult Chis…Luv them all!!! The vet says my new one is a Deer Head. Got him at 7 weeks old…1 lb. But growing fast. Very, very adorable…tan in color…named him Peanut.
29 Loret // Nov 4, 2009 at 1:57 am
To Stephanie Morris;
The Taco Bell Chihuahua was a deer head chihuahua to the extreme. Definitely not typical of the chihuahua standard.
30 Annie // Nov 9, 2009 at 12:49 am
I have a deer head chi that looks exactly like a minuture pincher in color except she’s long haired and a wonderful dog. I’m new to chi’s but we couldn’t love her more. Does not have the problems of a apple head in the degree of not being able to breath or the open skull. She is bigger then your normal chi but she is very friendly to all she comes in contact with. When I say bigger I mean she is about 11 pounds but very thin. I would have another chi in a heartbeat!!! Don’t care whether she is an apple or a deer head……….
31 Megan // Nov 27, 2009 at 6:35 am
Just wanted to share of picture of my deerhead chihuahua baby
tinypic.com/r/1o8zd0/6
myspace.com/meganfromindy
She’s also a dale jr fan, lol
32 chi family // Nov 29, 2009 at 11:34 pm
I had never heard the term “deer head chihuahua” until this morning when I was at Petsmart with my longcoat Chi and a lady said, from clear across the store, “IS THAT A DEER HEAD CHIHUAHUA? IT IS! OH MY GOD, THAT’S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CHIHUAHUA I’VE EVER SEEN!”
Lol.
33 Jennifer // Jan 17, 2010 at 12:08 am
I have a 2 year old 3 lb male chihuahua. i always thought he was a applehead. But he has the longer deer like legs. So I don’t know what he is to be. He was sold to me as an applehead and he is AKC registered as a chihuahua. So now my delima is looking for another one to keep him company and wanting her to look just like him. How do you know if they are going to have the longer legs when they are 8 weeks old? I couldn’t tell from my Titus when he was a baby until he grew. You can see pics of him on myspace, in my pics myspace.com/jennifersperry
34 Maria // Jan 17, 2010 at 8:31 pm
my name maria i have a chihuahua that is named chiquita. She has a apple shaped head i wantd to know do thay have more problems than deer shaped chihuahuas.
35 famous chihuahua editor // Jan 19, 2010 at 4:43 am
apple head chihuahuas tend to develop more chihuahua health problems than deer head chihuahuas, they also don’t live as long, but there are exceptions to this of course, this is generally speaking.
36 Cindy Hargrove // Jan 21, 2010 at 6:41 pm
Both of my chis have the deer head shape. Little Man is around 5 yrs old , 9 lbs, black and tan. I do not know anything about his parents. My 2 yr old Chloe is 4 lbs, fawn with green eyes and pink snout. She was the runt of the litter. Her mother was the typical apple head and the father is the thinner bodied, deer head. They are my babies and we all miss my mutt, Angel who recently died of a siezure and stroke.
37 Jae // Jan 28, 2010 at 2:21 am
I have two chis, both apple-heads. Dobby, my oldest, is blonde, and weighs around 11 lbs. My other chi, Miel, is chocolate with white markings and weighs 7 lbs. Dobby came from a breeder. His mother was a long haired apple head and his father was a short hair apple head. Miel was a rescue foster puppy that I fell in love with, so I never saw his parents. He doesn’t resemble the typical chi, because his eyes are very light colored.
It seems to me that lots of deer-head chis don’t look very much like chis at all. Many pics I’ve seen of deer-heads look as though they have been mixed with some other breed, with their long snouts, straight ears, and long legs..there is something about their eyes that just doesn’t say ‘chihuahua’ to me. Not to say they aren’t just as sweet.
38 collette hegarty // Feb 12, 2010 at 9:06 pm
I want to get a chihuahua this summer, and am currently doing a lot of research so i no exactly what i want, but i cant decide between the apple head or dear heads. i dont fully understand the differences or the pros and cons of each one. Can anyone help me out x
39 famous chihuahua editor // Feb 15, 2010 at 8:12 pm
you may want to look more at getting a deerhead chihuahua as they are less likely to develop as many health issues and tend to out live apple head chihuahuas.
40 Tejinder // Mar 3, 2010 at 9:30 pm
I have 2 years old deerhead chihuahua, very cute everyone loves him so much. Now we bought a new applehead puppy of 8 weeks. He is so energetic,wants to play with Rico but he doesn’t want to play. On the top when Max comes to him for playing ,Rico tends to bite him. I am in very frustrating situation What should I do ? I bought little one for companionship of Rico. On the other hand day and night I am on the supervision. Please give me some ideas.
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