It all started in Las Vegas. My sister moved to Vegas in 2002. When we went to visit her that October, she had a little rat terrier/Jack Russel puppy. Before that fateful day, I thought small dogs were useless. Yip, yip dogs. Ankle-biters. A waste of fur, and not much at that. Dave and I vowed we'd never own a dog, big or little. But then we met Belle. Cute, petite and absolutely sweet, Belle was the highlight of the trip. Upon returning to Minnesota, I started a "Let's Get a Puppy" campaign.

I happen to be the kind of person that REALLY researches stuff, so I spent hours every night for nearly a month determining which breed would be the best for our family. I soon realized that the Chihuahua had all the characteristics I was looking for in a dog: loyal, energetic, smart, affectionate, silly, small, sweet and full of personality. I spent another few weeks e-mailing breeders and looking at digital pictures, screening the candidates. Then I saw Kaya's picture.

She seemed to be grinning saucily into the camera. In a second picture, she was among her five brothers and sisters, not the smallest, or even really the cutest. But the one with bundles of personality. We traveled about two hours to meet her when she was 4 weeks old. Dave was skeptical, until he saw her. "Oh yeah, we have to get her!" he declared.

Kaya (Official name: My Sweet Kayacita Bonita) is sweet, affectionate, loving, smart and silly. She has a way of looking at you that says, "You are my world. I love you so much." Although she's smart, she's a little flighty. She's also very shy and timid around strangers. But her sweet nature makes up for anything she lacks.

About 18 months later we had to give away our cat, who had been Kaya's best friend. We decided to add another Chi to our family and drove up to see a puppy in Becker, Minn. When we pulled into the rural driveway, a pair of Chihuahuas came running to our car, their friendly tails wagging! Toddling behind them was a serious little fellow. He was mostly white with a few black spots, including patches over his eyes. But the best part was the single tan eyebrow that ran over his left eye, giving him a rogue-ish appearance.

We took that serious little guy home and found ourselves with an entirely different Chihuahua personality. Hobie (Official name: Help Me Hobie Wan) is intense. He doesn't do anything halfway. While Kaya was distracted and silly during training, Hobie is intense and dedicated. Whatever he is focused on gets his ENTIRE attention. He's a trainer's dream come true. Hobie is also a complete lover. Whenever he passes someone on the street, he flings himself at their feet and begs them to rub his belly. He lets children pull on his ears and poke his bottom. He sits calmly in the laps of seniors and people in wheelchairs. He's seems wise beyond his weeks.

So these are the two dogs who have captivated our home. I hope you enjoy their Web site. We have many great things to offer, including training tips, photos, breed information and a blog written by the two stars, Kaya and Hobie. Enjoy!

PS: Kaya and Hobie love when you e-mail them with any comments or suggestions! They ALWAYS answer their mail!