Four years ago today, Chile joined our family: https://pbase.com/britestar/image/167683095
I flew up to Chicago to meet up with a former "kennel nanny" (who had worked for Bella's breeder in Rome, Italy) but is now herself a Yorkie Dog Show breeder living in Vilnius, Lithuania. Vilnius is where Chile was born to a Lithuanian Chihuahua Show breeder. Long complicated story.
When I got Chile, she was Lithuanian Championship titled and qualified to be shown in the world's most famous dog show "Crufts" in London England.
Quick summary: I originally had learned about Chile's breeder from some of my London dog show acquaintances. One of my own two Chihuahua foundation show females (way back when) was an English champion from Bristol, England. The dog show world is a "small world". Until I stopped show breeding Chihuahuas a few years back, there were Chihuahua champions (of my breeding) living in different countries in Europe and producing more champion show dogs combining my American and other European bloodlines.
From my first contact with the Lithuanian Chihuahua Show Breeder until over two years later, I was offered two other, different (and larger) European and Lithuanian championship titled girls, but I turned them down. Those girls would have made more sense had I still wanted to show breed.
However, no longer wanting to breed show dogs myself, I instead preferred a smaller girl to complement tiny (3 pound) Bailey who is our Princess. So, I waited.
Chile was the result of my waiting. They say that "good things come to those who wait". In this case, it has been true. Chile has been perfect for our family and the way we now live. We are blessed to have gotten this very wonderful girl from Lithuania. The largest of our 3 girls, she is 4 pounds on the nose. Her personality is laid back and very sweet. Like Bailey and Bella, Chile is now a major part of our family. She is soooo loved.
Today, as Chile goes about doing the everyday thing of checking out her world at our home, we celebrate the anniversary of her joining our family.
PS. Chile's mother is a Lithuanian & FCI champion & and her father is a French & FCI champion. So, like Bella (who has an Italian mother and a Norwegian father), Chile is a Chihuahua of International, dog show champion heritage. Now, she is an American.
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