By Denise Etheridge
Resistance is futile. Like the Borg in Star Trek lore – the beings that absorb all species they encounter into a hive-like existence – my son's chihuahua has taken hold of my mind, heart and soul. I had no choice but to give in and fall in love with homely, 17-and-a-half-year-old Caesar after gazing into his milky, cataract filmed eyes.
Caesar is the oldest of the four dogs in our mixed generation household. He was twice rescued, first by my daughter-in-law Katlyn's late grandmother, and then again by Katlyn and my son Michael. True to the chihuahua breed, Caesar is small but fierce, and rules over our three other large dogs and even bosses around my persnickety cat.
I had mistakenly thought that chihuahuas were descended from the desert fox, especially with the way Caesar insists on burrowing into a throw on the couch or loveseat. However, chihuahuas are actually believed to have descended from a small dog known as the Techichi, a favorite of the Toltec people of ancient Mexico, according to the American Kennel Club. Which means, chihuahuas have ancient dog DNA. And therefore are related to wolves.
My husband Frank, who has a love/hate relationship with Ceasar, often tells our demanding little overlord, “No self-respecting wolf would claim you as a relative!”
Caesar looks like Methuselah on steroids. How he keeps on going with one gimpy hip, one grizzled ear, missing teeth and a skin condition is beyond me. But he does...and he's always wagging his tail. Even when he barks his high pitched bark to be picked up and placed on the furniture.
He used to be grossly overweight, and with his dense, barrel-like chest can't jump up to the sofa without assistance. We tried doggie stairs but he turned up his little nose at them. When Katlyn and Michael first acquired Caesar after Nana's passing from Covid-19, they put him on a strict diet. Michael said Caesar had trouble walking and that his belly scraped the ground. Caesar still has a habit of scavenging from the other dogs' bowls if they leave any morsels behind at meal time, but has maintained a healthy weight for five years now.
My daughter Rachel suspects that Caesar has had more of a mysterious past than our other pets, who are all rescues. She theorizes that our chihuahua was once a romantic lead on a Telemundo soap opera in his youth.
That makes sense. Caesar can direct his heart melting smolder at the most hard-hearted of people, and elicit an, “Awww, what a cute little dog!” response every time.
Denise Etheridge is the managing editor for the White County News.