if you love your chihuahua (as i know you do) you are ing the right place!
welcome!
Hi! I’m Linda, Owner, founder, and editor of ChiChis And Me.com. Welcome! I am known in the pet industry as an expert in the Chihuahua breed. I have owned and raised Chihuahuas for over 25 years and am currently mom to 4 beautiful Chihuahuas. My love of Chihuahuas began over 25 years ago and in the last 17 years, I have done extensive study and research of the Chihuahua breed. I have written and published thousands of articles about Chihuahuas—their health, nutrition, training, and behavior —, written and published 4 books, attended pet industry conferences, met others in the pet industry from all around the US, and have been featured on other pet blogs. I have also done extensive research and study on Canine Nutrition earning the title of Canine Nutrition Specialist.
more about me and my mission
It all began many years ago with the greatest gift I have ever been given. I named that gift Chico. Three years later we added Pebbles to our happy family. Now I am a proud mom to 4 beautiful Chihuahuas; Winston, Cora, Lilly, and Remedy. (See photos below)
I didn’t know much about Chihuahuas back then, but I soon learned that they have a very negative reputation. You’ve heard it, I’m sure. “Mean little yippy dogs”, “ankle biters”, “devil dogs”, and more.
i began looking for answers!
I began looking for information about the care and keeping of Chihuahuas and soon found that there really wasn’t much out there — that was before the internet and google — so I began doing research on my own about the Chihuahua breed. Chihuahuas, as you may know, are nothing like other dog breeds.
In my quest for answers, I poured over every book, encyclopedia, and anything that was available to me about the Chihuahua breed. I studied their health, nutrition, training, and behavior. Chihuahuas became my passion! There was no school you could go to and get a certificate or diploma as a Chihuahua breed expert.
When the internet became available I studied scientific journals, and veterinary medical journals joined veterinary medical school libraries, and so on.
I began this website in 2016 with a vague idea of helping others with their Chihuahuas. Mostly it was about me and life with my Chihuahuas. But then …
what is blog paws?
Then in 2017, I attended a conference in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, USA for pet bloggers, freelance pet writers, and influencers. It was three days of fun and information on pets and blogging. I met thousands of other pet bloggers worldwide and talked to dozens of pet companies. It was then that I realized that I could do much more than just write about my life with my Chihuahuas. Maybe, I thought, with all my years of experience and years of study, I could help educate others about the unique and wonderful Chihuahua breed, and maybe, just maybe, I could help to dispel the idea that Chihuahuas are just mean yippy little dogs. Maybe I could gradually, little by little, get them off the list of “2nd most often euthanized dog breeds”!
But most of all I wanted to help other Chihuahua owners, moms, mums, dads, and guardians to understand their Chihuahua, the breed better so they can live a long and happy life together with an even greater bond of love.
BLOG PAWS 2017
At Blog Paws, I learned so much and met some pet companies that I still work with today as well as some amazing pet people from around the world!
CHECKING IN
A good time was had by all, including our pets who were also invited to attend!
There were pets of all kinds. Of course, dogs and cats of all breeds and guinea pigs, even pet rats!
my mission!
I knew that Chihuahuas were loving, loyal and protective little dogs and that those wonderful qualities could easily become behavior issues. But what I didn’t realize was that I could actually help others with their Chihuahuas. It soon became my passion in life to help educate and advocate for the Chihuahua breed.
I soon became known in the pet business as an expert in the Chihuahua breed. I’ve even been called a “Chihuahua Whisper” 😂 So, I hope you will join me in spreading the word that Chihuahuas are NOT inherantly aggressive, mean little dogs!
OUR PACK OF FAB FOUR TODAY
JOIN US IN OUR MISSION
MY STORY
MEANWHILE …
While I was researching & studying the Chihuahua breed, I took Pebbles to the vet for her routine annual wellness check-up. This was when she was approximately 6 years old (2007 or 2008).
While listening to her heart he noticed a murmur. Not uncommon with Chihuahuas, but he noticed something else wasn’t quite right.
After 2 X-rays, an ultrasound, and a second opinion, my precious Pebbles was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. (CDM).
CDM is a serious heart disease that is irreversible and leads to heart failure and ultimate death. She was only about 6 years old at the time and my vet didn’t hold out much hope. Her heart was so big that it completely encompassed her entire chest cavity.
I went into mama bear mode and began studying everything I could about canine nutrition. I knew that proper nutrition could help support her heart. Not cure it, but through nutrition I could boost her immune system and add nutrients that would target and help support her heart, thereby slowing the progress of the disease.
MAMA BEAR MODE!!
I began intensely studying canine nutrition. I studied veterinary medical journals, I visited veterinary medical school libraries, and read every science journal that had anything to do with canine nutrition.
I learned how important nutrition is to my Chihuahua’s overall health and how to use certain nutrients, micronutrients, minerals, and enzymes, to target certain organs in the body to help support and nourish them. The healing power of nutrition!
I went to work part-time in a very busy veterinary hospital and while there I learned even more about canine diseases and the importance of proper nutrition, to prevent, treat, and maintain optimal health for your Chihuahua!
Once I was satisfied that I knew exactly how to help her through nutrition I began formulating my own recipe that was specifically for Pebbles and her heart issue.
Then in 2018, I read that the FDA was recalling some dog food brands that had been found to “potentially” cause CDM. One of those was the “PREMIUM” dog food that I had been feeding to all my Chihuahuas before I began my canine nutrition journey!
This only strengthened my opinion that the manufactured dog food on our grocery and pet store shelves is shortening our dogs’ lives.
I am so so glad that I learned what I did in time or Pebbles would not have lived the much longer and happier life than she would have otherwise!
2019 X-rays of Pebbles heart. The one on the right shows a mass on the top of her heart that was not there at the last check-up she had 6 months earlier.
THE UNBELIEVABLE RESULTS!
I am HAPPY to report that my precious Pebbles lived to be 15 years old! Much, much longer than my veterinarian had predicted in 2006 or 2007!
She passed away peacefully on August 31, 2021, at age 15!
He marveled at her amazing strength every time I took her in for her routine visits. He absolutely agrees with me that it was her diet and her mama bear mom that helped her to live a longer and happier life!
Although we still miss her every single day, I am so grateful that we were granted more time with her and that she lived a normal and happy life right up until the end!
OUR BELOVED PEBBLES AND SOME OF OUR AMAZING ADVENTURES TOGETHER!
IN THE YEARS SINCE 2015 TO NOW I HAVE HELPED MANY DOGS WITH THE HEALING POWER OF NUTRITION AND HERBS
- Heart Issues
- Cancer
- Itchy Skin
- Joint Issues
- Liver Shunt
Weight issues:
The one question I get asked the most is; “My Chihuahua is overweight, and I’ve tried everything, how can I help him/her to lose weight?”
So, I began a one-on-one Zoom weight-loss program for Chihuahuas and other small-breed dogs. If you want help and want to know more about our program, just click the button below:
SIGN UP FOR OUR NUTRITION AND WEIGHT LOSS AND MANAGEMENT TIPS
