Famous chihuahuas: real dogs that shaped the breed's fame

Part 1

Chihuahuas in advertising

She was a 12-pound chihuahua discovered by animal trainer Sue Chipperton, who was actually looking for West Highland terrier puppies at the time. In the ads, special effects and a voice-over by Carlos Alazraqui gave Gidget her catchphrase, "¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!", meaning "I want Taco Bell!" The campaign launched during a period of heavy competition between fast food chains known as the burger wars, and it also produced other lines your dog might make you say out loud, like "Drop the Chalupa" and "Viva Gorditas!"

The character was not without controversy. Taco Bell ended the chihuahua ads in July 2000 after same-store sales fell 6 percent in the second quarter of that year, and it later lost a lawsuit brought by two men who said they had pitched the talking-chihuahua concept first. Gidget died in 2009 at age 15 after a stroke at her trainer's home in Santa Clarita, California.

Part 2

Chihuahuas in Hollywood and pop culture

Gidget's fame carried on past her advertising work, and your dog's on-screen chihuahua favorites likely trace back to some of the same names. She appeared in a 2002 GEICO commercial and then played "Bruiser's Mom" in the 2003 film Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. Gidget also appeared in the 2008 film Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and her trainer Sue Chipperton went on to work with animals on that film and on Jurassic World.

Part 3

Record-holding chihuahuas

Chihuahuas also make headlines for their size, and your own chihuahua's tiny frame is part of a long line of record attempts. Miracle Milly, from Puerto Rico, was named the world's smallest dog by height in 2013, measuring about 3.8 inches at the shoulder. Milly weighed about a pound, and she was later cloned 49 times by a company before she died in 2020. Pearl, a chihuahua born to one of Milly's clones, was certified by Guinness World Records in 2023 as the world's shortest dog, standing 3.59 inches tall and weighing about 1.22 pounds. On the other end of the record books, a chihuahua named Spike was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living dog at 23 years old.

• Miracle Milly measured 3.8 inches tall and was the previous record holder for smallest dog living.
• Pearl measures 3.59 inches tall and currently holds the smallest-dog title.
• Spike was recognized as the world's oldest living dog at 23 years old.
• A chihuahua mix named Gracie once weighed 41.5 pounds before losing 30 percent of her body weight on a televised weight-loss program.

Part 4

Chihuahua origins and popularity

If you have ever wondered why your dog's breed carries a Mexican state's name, that connection goes back to how chihuahuas are described in general. The breed is commonly associated with Mexico, and chihuahuas are named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua. In the 1930s and 1940s, Latin music bandleader Xavier Cugat helped start a trend of owning these small dogs, and chihuahuas have since become popular among celebrities and have appeared in movies and television shows.

Part 5

Why chihuahuas keep capturing attention

Whether your own chihuahua ever becomes famous or not, it is easy to see why the breed keeps showing up in headlines. Chihuahuas are described time and again as little dogs with big personalities, and they are known for being loyal and for loving to be wherever their family is.