CHILUPA

This is me at my design studio in Pioneer Square, taking a quick break from designing my first line of Chilupa clothes. Who would have thought that I’d develop such a taste for designer clothes.

There is no better feeling then to take the wheel into my paws and GO!

It’s starting to get cold outside, but all the coats they sell in the store are so cheesy that I simply refuse to wear them. I mean come on, pink fur with diamonds? I am definitely more classy than that!

To accommodate my heightened Chilupa taste standards, I took my owner to a fabric store where I picked out some materials that I don’t mind wearing. Of course the inside is lined with fleece for warmth and comfort! I think my owner did a pretty decent job designing my first coat. Next: camoflage - yeah baby!

I mean - hello - I am a Chilupa, not a horse!

They tell me that I am Chilupa but I still don’t know what that is. Last weekend we went for a long hike and about half way up the mountain a little boy crossed me on his way down and asked: “Is this a Chinchilla”? My ears perked up and I got excited about the idea of finally learning what I am, but then I got home and researched Chinchillas just to find out that we’re not the same. While we both have big flying ears and fur covering our bodies, Chinchillas are much more fluffy than me and they have really short front legs and much more of a balloon shaped body than I do. So, what am I?

My owner has had lots of conversation with dog bone chewing experts over the last few weeks and to be quite honest, it’s been confusing both to me and to her. Everyone seems to agree that bones are important for me to keep my teeth clean and hey, I just like them!

But there seems to be a lot of controversy about what’s the right bone and which ones to avoid. Some are made in China which poses a thread with all the questionable ingredients, others are made from rawhide which can get stuck in the intestines or increase the risk of choking when they get too small. And then there are the famous teeth cleaning greenies which have killed dogs by getting lodged in a dog’s esophagus or intestine and then they don’t break down. For more info on that read this CNN Article.

A nice alternative to rawhide bones are tendons. Merrick, a family owned US pet food company that is known for their high quality pet foods makes a version of them called Bully Stix. I love those “Stix” but they are quite expensive and that’s why I only get them for special occasions.

If you want to research more, here are some additional resources to get you started: FAQ About Bones & Selecting the Right Bone