Pet's Name: Chiquita: 8-year-old female and Nacho: 7-year-old male

Shavano Park Family: The Zars

Type of Animal/Breed: Long-haired miniature Chihuahuas

Where did you get your pet? My husband always had Chihuahuas, so when we lost our last dog, he found Chiquita and Nacho in Puerto Rico while searching online. They were shipped by air freight, and we picked them up at the freight hangar at San Antonio International Airport.

How did your pet get its name: Chiquita means small in Spanish and seemed appropriate for Chihuahuas' size. She is the naughty one, as she is always getting into trouble! Nacho's name didn't have a special meaning; we were trying to think of another Spanish word, and somehow he just became Nacho! His favorite pastime is chasing squirrels.

 

Does your pet have a unique habit?  Chihuahuas make fantastic watchdogs! They bark at anything that comes close to the house—people walking down the street, hawks landing in the trees, or even the UPS man. I may not always hear the doorbell, but I can certainly hear the dogs barking throughout the house! Chiquita is particularly protective of her territory; she once took on a mother deer, but unfortunately, the deer won. Thankfully, DeZavala Vet was able to treat her, and she's as good as new. Except that sometimes her behavior does make us wonder if she may have a little brain damage from that encounter! 

Any favorite places to be at home or away from home? Chiquita and Nacho have become good little travelers. They ride in kid car seats, sleeping all the way to our final destination.

How has your pet enriched your family? The Chihuahuas have been the perfect size for our grandkids, and basically, the six grandkids and two dogs have grown up together. Now, the grandkids are mostly potty-trained....the Chihuahuas not so much! The dogs love it when the grandkids come over; they especially love cleaning up the trail of snacks the grandkids leave behind. All in all, they are good companions.