Yesterday while at the movies with the human side of my family, I caught the trailer for the forthcoming Disney movie, Beverly Hills Chihuahua and it was awesome. We could use a good dog movie!

Wanting more, I took myself over to the official Beverly Hills Chihuahua website to check out the trailer and see if there was any more info on the film. To my disappointment, there was only the trailer, a synopsis and a few cute downloads…however, Disney has put a really awesome disclaimer on the bottom of the page!

“Owning a dog is a major responsibility. Dogs require daily care and constant attention. Before anyone decides to bring a dog into their family, they should research the particular breed to make sure it is suitable for their particular situation, and should learn about and be willing to undertake the serious responsibilities of dog care. There are many great websites you can visit for further information including the ASPCA [and Cup of Dog]” 

OK, so I added the last bit in…but still, I was so happy to see this paragraph, in light of the serious nature of dog ownership and especially, Disney’s acknowledgment that the media heavily influences pet ownership.

After Disney’s 101 Dalmations a few years back, a large number of Dalmations were subsequently surrendered to shelters and many were unable to find new homes. Dalmations are not good dogs for first time dog owners and unfortunately for the dogs, their families found this out too late. Of course, its not just Disney. Paris Hilton’s toting around of her little Tinkerbell a few years back instigated the skyrocket of the Chihuahua’s popularity, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s popularity surged with Elizabeth Taylor’s role in Sex and the City and there are countless other examples. It’s hard to resist a puppy’s adorable faces after seeing these highly trained dogs onscreen, but that doesn’t mean the dog on your TV screen is the right pet for your family!

I hope Disney continues to promote the importance of dog care in conjunction with the movie, utlizing the film as an opportunity to do more then entertain, but to educate.  Click here for an article on how to choose the right dog for you!

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Today, Cup of Dog’s continued coverage of Chihuahuas in the news presents…The Scuba Diving Chihuahua, five year old Mondex! OK, Mondex doesn’t actually dive, but he sure looked the part at a Manila, Phillipines pooch fashion show. Mondex emerged as the winner, seizing his prize from another Chi, Tucker, who was dressed as a cowboy.

Those crazy Chihuahuas! First, there was a Paragliding Chihuahua, then a praying Chi, next was the therapy Chihuahua, the racing Chihuahuas followed and finally, the Beverly Hills Chihuahua!

What will the Chihuahua do next?

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More Chihuahua news!! Fall 2008 will be bringing us the first Chihuahuas to hit the big screen in starring roles since Bruiser in Legally Blonde and its sequel.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (no, I am not kidding) is slated for a September 26, 2008 release and its not just any dog movie. This movie also packs some serious star power punch, boasting a cast of celebrities including Drew Barrymore, who will be doing the voice of the main character, Chloe, Salma Hayak, Jamie Lee Curtis, Piper Perabo, Andy Garcia, George Lopez and Cheech Marin (who also played a Chihuahua in one of my childhood favorites, Oliver and Company).

Directed by Raja Gosnell (Scooby Doo, Big Momma’s House), the Chihuahuas sing, dance and sniff their way through this Disney live-action comedy, continuing to raise the profile of the celebrity breed. Cutting edge computer graphics will give the pooches their facial expressions.

The plot follows Chloe, a ritzy Beverly Hills Chihuahua who, while on vacation in Mexico who gets inadvertantly seperated from her family. A German Shepherd (Andy Garcia) and a lovestruck puppy (George Lopez) befriend the pampered pooch and lend her a paw on her journey home.

I hope this is a good Disney movie rather then a ploy to capitalize on the Paris Hilton inspired frenzy over this breed. Since I am a bone-ified (ha) dog lover, I am always psyched for a new dog movie, it is important to recognize that these mainstream portrayals of a breed often end up skyrocketing the breed’s popularity, creating a market for unethical breeders and and pet owners who do not know what they are getting into.

Following up on Cup of Dog’s complete coverage of Chihuahuas in the News (see the Paragliding Chihuahua that crashed into a tree, the praying Chi, the one seeking to be the world’s smallest therapy dog and the racing Chihuahuas!), these crazy critters are an active bunch and judging from the tremendous range of activities Cup of Dog has come across the Chihuahua participating in, there seems to be no signs of stopping this tiny breed.

Click here to preview the trailer!

A note on Chihuahuas:

Sweet as they look, the Chihuahua is a small, but hearty breed with a curious nature. Without proper training and socialization, this breed can become high-strung and aggressive. They have no concept of their tiny size and may confront a much larger dog fearlessly, too often resulting in injury. They are tiny and therefore not well suited to small children who might treat them like a toy rather then a living being. I know of too many of these pups who have died as a result of their tiny size being unable to shield them from neglectful care.

They are overall, a great breed of dog that is well suited to a variety of living situations and can be excellent companions, but if all of their cuteness and the movie and pictures give you the Chihuahua bug, please do your research and make sure you can dedicate the time to make this a lifelong relationship.

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It seems that there is just no stopping the Chihuahua these days. Proving that they are not simply sidekicks for socialites and movie stars, Cup of Dog has spotted Chihuahuas in all kinds of news articles. We have our paragliding pal, our Buddhist prayer pup and now, Tiny Dancer, five inches of certified canine therapy.

Tiny Dancer resides in Lake County, Florida and in his quest to become a therapy dog, was turned down by a number of certification programs because of his size. Not a breed that is easily dissuaded by convention, Tiny Dancer continued in his pursuit, spending weeks training and learning how to spread cheer and behave in hospital and other public settings.

Since having received his Therapy Dog Certification in January, Tiny Dancer has attended schools and camps for children and adults with chronic and life threatening conditions.

I can’t wait to see what the versatile Chihuahua is spotted doing next!!

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A two year old long haired, male Chihuahua named Conan has followed his master, a Buddhist priest’s lead and together, they pray.

Conan resides at a Buddhist Temple on Japan’s Southern Island, Okinawa. Conan sits next to his master, Joei Yoshikuni, facing a Buddhist deity and clasps his paws together in prayer position. When the priest chants and raises his clasped hands, Conan follows, raising his paws and joining them at the tip of his nose.

Originally the temple pet, and now the temple’s main attraction, Yoshikuni guesses that Conan’s unique behavior has raised tourist travels to the temple by 30 percent.

First a paragliding Chihuahua, now a praying one…What’s up with these Chihuahuas?

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I just read a story about a chihuahua, whose paragliding owner strapped his pup to his chest, surviving their crash into a tree. Stuck over 100 feet in the air, the dog’s owner called the police from his cell phone to request help.

After being stuck up there for about five hours, the duo were rescued and, luckily, no one was worse for the wear.

Being that I am not the type to understand what would compel someone to paraglide in general,  I am less inclined to understand the logic in bringing one’s dog with them on this journey.

Let’s leave our innocent pets out of our innate human desire to destroy ourselves.

Common sense, please!!

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