Chihuahua Connection

Meet Rosalita, known as Rosalita-demon to her owner, Janice. Her proud owner relates that her dog's cute moments are few and far between, and that, in fact, she is a 'raging ball of evil incarnate'. Now that is a glowing endorsement.

I did some research on the history of the Chihuaha. I recommend you do the same--it's pretty interesting. It looks like the consensus is that this small breed is most likely descended from an Egyptian/Sudanese fox-like canine called the fennec, and not a hairless New World canine. Some of you may know that Chihuahua's, especially those that are hair-challenged, tend to lose their teeth early in life. This has been ascribed to the 'toy dog' effect of over breeding. But the fennec is known for having poor dentition. So, in the Chihuahua's case, the tooth loss may be a defect that predates its domestication.

Wow, I never thought that a conversation about dog teeth could be so thrilling. Come back for more, people!

UPDATE: Bats, in her wisdom and expertise, has pointed out that dogs are descended from wolves. However, I suggest you click the link above. It does give some pretty convincing arguments for the ancestry of the Chihuahua. In the end it is only a theory and one on which I am not qualified to pass judgment. An interesting sidenote is this: according to this article, wolves (and therefore dogs) can successfully breed and produce fertile offspring with coyotes, dingoes, and golden jackals.

Thanks for the photo, Janice.