In the polychrome world of the Chihuahua, no coat color is impossible. The most unlikely one to encounter, however, is pure white, unmarked by any other color, accompanied by dark eyes and a black nose and nails.
Anything Goes
The American Kennel Club lists 29 colors plus 11 recognized markings, including splashes, for Chihuahuas, each with an alphanumeric code. In combination, these cover just about any coat a Chihuahua can grow. The AKC requires for the show ring the Chihuahua have eyes of the same solid color, specifying blue, mismatched or particolor eyes as a serious fault.
Bright White
White Chihuahuas are more likely to have light-colored eyes, white nails and a tan or pink nose. This is known as “self-coloring,” and is acceptable in the blond color types, such as cream and fawn.
Black Is Beautiful
Solid black Chihuahuas are not often seen in the show ring because that dark coat can conceal flaws in conformation. They are popular with breeders because the three genes for a black coat are all dominant and therefore easiest to breed out.
Color Me Blue
A blue coat occurs in a Chihuahua when two recessive genes, one from each parent, get together and dilute what would otherwise be a black coat. Blues should not be bred to other blues because intensifying the recessive gene can cause health and coat problems in the puppies.
Lovely Lilac
As blue is a genetically diluted black in Chihuahuas, lilac is a diluted chocolate or dark brown. Lilacs may be easier to breed than blues because any Chihuahua with a brown nose and amber eyes carries the recessive lilac gene, no matter what color his coat is.