ChaCha, Official Mascot of SBC

Chihuahuas have gotten a bad rap as far as dog breeds go. As an owner of two of these adorable creatures, and someone who knows a lot of other people who own them as well, it blows my mind that anyone could think of them as “yappy” or mean dogs. I am going to tell you all the reasons why Chihuahuas make the perfect addition to almost any family.

Most people consider dogs to be extremely loyal animals; after all, they are “man’s best friend”. Chihuahuas however are known for their devotion to their owners. They will also adapt to your lifestyle. If you want to play, they will run around surely put a smile on your face. On the other hand, if you feel like just hanging out, they will lie next to you or in your lap and be perfectly happy as well. They also interact well with other dogs, both inside and outside their breed.

They are small. Some people just don’t like small dogs, and that’s fine, but there are a lot of advantages to dogs that don’t take up much space. One of these is that they don’t take up much space. They can live comfortably with you in practically any living situation. Also they can’t do very much damage to your home. Other than accidents on the carpet there is not much they can do to damage your things.

Please Adopt a Chihuahua!

Just look at that face. Chihuahuas are so cute; they can just brighten up your day. Their large eyes, which give new meaning to the concept of “puppy dog eyes”, give their faces so much expression and personality. There are different types of Chihuahuas as well. There is the toy or teacup, which are the tiniest of all, the short-haired, probably most commonly attributed to the “Taco Bell dog”, and the long-haired version. They also come in several different colors.

They make great guard dogs. While their bark is much, much worse than their bite, Chihuahuas are extremely protective and territorial. Their impeccable hearing allows them to hear things that you or I normally wouldn’t. They will know someone is coming up to the door long before their owners will, and the dogs will let the “intruder” know that they have been spotted as well. Once they are used to a person coming into “their” house though, they will be just as sweet as can be.

They are portable. A lot of dogs love to go for rides in the car, and Chihuahuas are no different. Because of their size, it is very easy to scoop them up and have them keep you company on short, or even long trips.

I have come to believe that people who think Chihuahuas are mean dogs, probably don’t know too much about them and certainly can’t have owned one before. If you are considering adding a dog to your family, I urge you not to overlook this beautiful, loving, and playful breed.

Santa Barbara is home to many wonderful, caring individuals and groups who strive to better the lives of animals in need. Following is a list of many of our local Rescue Groups and Humane Societies which benefit animals in the Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and Ventura County areas.

Local Santa Barbara Area Animal Rescue Groups

1. K-9 Pals at the Santa Barbara Animal Shelter.
2. The Ventura County Animal Shelter in Camarillo
   Note that they currently have 49 darling Chihuahuas available for adoption, please rescue one and your life will be so much happier!
3. Dog Adoption and Welfare Group (DAWG)
   Volunteer organization that cares for dogs and puppies. DAWG is located next door to the Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter at 5480 Overpass Rd.
   PO Box 92210, Santa Barbara, CA 93190, (805) 681-0561, bbaker123@cox.net
4. Santa Barbara Humane Society
   Provides animal assistance in SLO and SB counties. palsfoundation@hotmail.com, (805) 544-0984
5. HART (Homeless Animal Rescue Team)
   An all volunteer, non-profit group on the Central Coast dedicated to the rescue, neuter, fostering and adoption of abandoned and forgotten pets. Where cold noses meet warm hearts!
   PO Box 1394, Cambria, CA 93428 (805) 772-HART or (805) 927-RESQ, coldnoses@slohart.org
   Visit HART’S new Pet Rescue, Adoption and Supply Center located at 1500 Main St. in Cambria, California.
6. Humane Society of Ventura County
   Assisting animals in the Ventura and Ojai areas.
   402 Bryant Street, Ojai, CA, (805) 656-5031
7. Santa Ynez Humane Society
   Assisting animals in need in the Santa Ynez Valley.
   111 Commerce Dr., Buellton, CA, (805) 688-8224
8. Santa Barbara’s Craigslist
   A great resource to find pets of all kinds to adopt and help.

“I hope to make people realize how totally helpless animals are, how dependent on us and trusting as a child they are, and we must be kind and take care of their needs…[They] are an obligation put on us, a responsibility we have no right to neglect, nor to violate by cruelty.”
-James Harriot, Author, “All Creatures Great and Small”