But at 3.5 pounds a pop, anybody can bathe them. Behold, Bella and Shorty:
Big Guns has two chihuahuas and, yes, it was almost a deal breaker. IMHO, chihuahuas are not dogs but stiff, needy cats. My friend Susan says they were originally used by Mexicans for food on long trips. I can see the benefit -- they only eat about a tablespoon of food a day, they readily jump into overnight bags or purses, they have teeny poops and they would stay fresh until you got peckish. I did a bit of chihuahua-sized research and Wickipedia can't confirm Susan's story. They do suggest that, along with spaghetti and mah jong, we can thank the Chinese for the breed.
I'm an animal lover and it's hard for me to understand why it's taking me so long to fall for these dogs. They don't bark incessantly or shiver timidly. They are cute, too cute. There is nothing to fear about them and that's part of the problem. (Even Shorty's occasional growl makes me laugh.) These dogs can't even get their mouths around a tennis ball. (Which basically voids the quintessential dog game of catch.) The most harm they could inflict would be to take a pea-sized hunk of flesh from my ankle.
And talk about boundary issues -- Bella and Shorty violate my personal space all the time. They follow me from room to room and as soon as I stop moving they are on me like white on rice. They also have entitlement issues and have claimed all the beds, soft blankets, pillows and comfy furniture in my house.
They are like newborns that never grow up. My cats could survive without me and occasionally bring home their own mouse takeout dinner to remind me of that fact. I find this as reassuring as when my boys starting peeing in the toilet. But Bella and Shorty would DIE without a human. They can't even jump on the bed without assistance. I realize that some people like this, which is why chihuahuas aren't extinct.
Chihuahuas are vulnerability incarnate. It's possible that on a deeper level, they trigger unresolved childhood issues in me about feeling helpless. Maybe I am the chihuahuas? Maybe I will never be healed and whole until I am able to embrace Bella and Shorty with compassion and empathy. Or maybe I'm just a pit bull kind of gal.
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Chihuahas are definitely an acquired taste. But like escargot and truffles, I have come to love them. Initially, I did not appreciate their charm, then I began to see them as space aliens rather than dogs, which then help me see the cartoony and loveable charm. You will get there.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Eileen - don't care for little dogs. I have friends with Pomeranians and they told me they can't jump off the couch - you have to help them down - else they could break their tiny bones. That just ain't right.
ReplyDeleteIt ain't right. Dogs are working animals. Noelle is right; it's best to think of chihuahuas as aliens and not dogs at all.
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