Chihuahuas Get a Solid 'YES' From Paula Abdul
She may not be able to put up with Simon Cowell and his
sharp-tongued criticisms on American Idol, but Paula Abdul can't
get enough of her three Chihuahuas- Thumbelina, Tulip and
Tinkerbell. There's no doubt that if there were an American
Canine Idol contest for dog breeds, Chihuahuas would receive a
solid 'YES' from Paula when it comes to cuteness, intelligence
and hug-ability! When it comes to celebrities, Paula is
certainly not alone in her adoration of Chihuahuas.
Marilyn Monroe grew up in Los Angeles. As a child, she had a
black and white dog that followed her to school. She named the
dog Tippy and played with it during recess. A neighbor shot the
dog dead in 1932 claiming that Tippy had repeatedly damaged his
garden. After that incident, Marilyn seemed to have cooled to
the idea of pet ownership. She shared a spaniel while staying
with the Goddard Family in 1940, but didn't actually adopt her
own pet until after she signed with Columbia Pictures about
eight years later. While making movies at Columbia, Marilyn
adopted a Chihuahua she named 'Choo Choo' in 1948. One story
says that Marilyn saw a few grips and camera operators playing
with a Chihuahua while on a break and instantly fell in love
with the Breed. Another version claims that the studio
encouraged Marilyn to adopt a tiny puppy for the sake of
publicity. It is more likely that she choose the pup for her own
reasons.
Marilyn became a bit of a trendsetter by adopting a Chihuahua
during a time when glamour dogs like toy and full-sized Poodles
were considered more chic. Looking back, it was a terrific move
that immediately separated her from most other Starlets of the
day. The more Marilyn and her Chihuahua were seen and
photographed together in public, the more interest people began
to have in the Breed. Another sexy, bleached blond film goddess
soon followed Marilyn's example.
Jayne Mansfield owned at least two Chihuahuas and was said to
have been an animal lover. One of her dogs died in the car
accident that took her life in 1967. The following year saw the
release of The Wild, Wild World of Jayne Mansfield. Perhaps the
campiest semi-documentary of all time, this film had four
directors and was obviously a vehicle designed to make money off
her death. Filled with nude scenes and real life weirdoes, the
best actor in the movie was said to have been Jayne's Chihuahua.
Today, Paris Hilton seems to be the trendsetter when it comes to
Chihuahua popularity. While it is doubtful that Paula Abdul was
inspired to adopt her Chihuahuas by Paris, the two celebrities
both have females named Tinkerbell. Although we haven't seen
Paula's pets on American Idol, Paris has made her tiny toy dog a
canine superstar by appearing with Tinkerbell on magazine covers
and featuring her in episodes of The Simple Life series on Fox
TV.
Paris once told reporters that she was inspired to adopt a
Chihuahua after seeing Legally Blond, starring Reese Witherspoon
and the unstoppable Bruiser. Film inspired dog adoptions are
nothing new. Films like Benji, 101 Dalmatians and Beethoven had
moviegoers scrambling to find look-a-likes for themselves or
their children. This wasn't always a good thing for the dogs or
breed in question.
Most people who wanted a 'Benji' for themselves chose Yorkies,
Silkies and Terrier mixes that just love to chew on anything
they can find. Contrary to what was portrayed in the film, those
who adopted a Dalmatian probably made the unfortunate discovery
that this breed can be very temperamental and downright mean
with children. As for Saint Bernard's, few people have the space
for them. Those who do may not want the huge feeding and
veterinarian bills that come with such a large breed of dog.
Those who saw Legally Blond and decided they wanted a Chihuahua
were pleasantly surprised. Chi's are generally sweet animals
that do not have a tendency toward destructive behavior and love
to be with people. They may well be the easiest of all dog
breeds to care for. One of the big advantages to owning a
Chihuahua is that they love to go everywhere and are easy to
transport because of their size. That suits the lifestyle of
most celebrities who always seem to be on the go. It's no wonder
that so many have chosen a Chihuahua as their canine companion.
Anne Heche loves her Chihuahua and has been known to spend big
bucks on all kinds of goodies for her pet. It's been reported
that Anne likes to shop at high fashion doggie stores like the
pricey Fifi and Romeo which is based in Los Angeles (where
else?). The Osbournes, the world's most famous four-letter word
family, also have a thing for Chihuahuas. Ozzie probably
appreciates having a small dog breed that hasn't turned his home
into one large litter box as some of their bigger dogs have.
Despite all the advantages of Chihuahua ownership, these canines
have not always enjoyed the amount of popularity they do now.
Nasty rumors about the use of Chihuahuas in traditional Aztec
ceremonies many centuries ago once left a bad taste in the
mouths of small dog breed enthusiasts. Many archeologists and
historians believed that Chihuahuas were eaten as part of
religious ceremonies! Some still believe it. This incorrect
interpretation of history was based on notes taken by
conquistadors and missionary priests. They failed to understand
the symbolic nature of rituals depicted on stone carvings and
were likely the victims of native propaganda offered up to make
the Aztecs appear even fiercer then they already were. Such
stories were probably the result of the outgunned Aztecs
attempting to instill fear in an enemy that possessed superior
weaponry.
We now know that the Aztecs believed Chihuahuas could be used as
spirit guides to help the dead find their way through the
underworld. As a result, many were probably killed for the sole
purpose of assisting nobles and royalty on their journey through
death. They were not eaten! These ideas may have come from
religious ceremonies practiced over a thousand years ago by the
Toltecs. After their conquest by the Aztecs, Toltec ceremonies
and rituals were adopted by their conquerors. However, there is
sufficient evidence to prove that many of these rites had
already been changed or abandoned by the time the conquistadors
arrived.
Montezuma II, the last emperor of the Aztecs, had hundreds of
Chihuahuas. Each dog had its own keeper and these animals were
given royal protection. The Emperor's love for the Breed is said
to have been handed down to him by several of his predecessors
who may have outlawed the killing of Chihuahuas and changed
their part in religious ceremonies. By the time the
Conquistadors arrived, these dogs were more pets and living good
luck charms of the Emperor and Aztec nobility then anything
else.
Chihuahuas have always had an almost supernatural appeal to
humans. Their ability to warm the hearts of people is legendary.
When you add to this the fact that Chihuahuas are the world's
smallest dogs and longest lived, is it any wonder why
celebrities like Rosie O'Donnell, George Lopez, Noah Wylie and
others can't get enough of them? The votes are in. It's
Chihuahuas that have caused celebrities to go to the dogs! Read
more about Chihuahuas or find the perfect pup at
http://www.ArizonaPups.com