Even though I’m a dog lover, I was never a fan of Chihuahuas. I thought they were ugly, bug-eyed, fragile, mean little bastards. I had only met two during my life. One was old and cranky. The other was a yappy little misfit that hid would dart out from under the furniture to bite your ankles.
But then we adopted Snickers.
Snickers looked like a long, legged Chihuahua. Except she was lean and muscled. She reminded me of a small version of an African Wild Dog. She was extremely agile and athletic. She loved to play. She had a big, deep bark – especially for a peanut sized dog that was around 12 lbs and 12″ tall.
I figured she had some whippet or mini doberman pincer in her. So we ordered a dog DNA test to find out. The results said she was primarily Chihuahua and Jack Russell plus a small bit of Afghan and Bull Terrier.
I figure Chi for her size and slim build and Jack for her attitude and energy.
She’s only been gone for a few days now. I miss her terribly but am focusing on the memories of the good times we had together. I’m also doing my best to slather Wiggles with love and attention as we build our own new memories.
Still…I’m already thinking about adopting another dog. Not yet – it’s too soon. I want Wiggles and I to get settled into life without Snickers before adding a new dog into the mix.
Nonetheless, I was browsing through the local rescue sites to see what types of small dogs were available. I decided a while ago. I’m not getting a big dog.
The sites’ functionality are hit and miss. Some load slowly, hitting back restarts the search without filters, pages don’t always load, etc.
So it occurred to me, if I want another dog like Snickers, perhaps I should look for Chihuahua mixes. Most of the sites let you choose a breed. Most of the breeds are “best guesses” by the rescue organizations. Most of the dogs are mixed breed mutts, even if they have some recognizable breed characteristics. That’s perfect for me. Mixed genetics are better than the health issues associated with purebreds.
I found some Chihuahuas.
One in particular, even looked remarkably like Snickers. However, she as part of a bonded pair. I’m not really ready to add one dog and certainly don’t want to add two.
But when I am ready, I know what I’m going to look for – another Chi mix.
Go figure.
