Rare in the states.
I adopted a senior longhair Chihuahua in Santa Barbara from the shelter many years ago. I named him Bartholomew. He was veritably barkless and absolutely not the "nervous" little dog at all. Now, whether those were common traits or related to his health issues I'm uncertain. But I loved that pup for the few years he had left with me.
Now I have to share his story. He was found in a field, and the poor thing covered with fleas had scratched nearly all his fur off. Both myself and the shelter people thought he was a Pomeranian at the time. They just fell all over me when I said I wanted to take him home and nurse him to health best I could. Those eyes reached deep into me.
So, arrangements made for me to pick up the dog at the contracted vet's office the next day. I showed up and asked the clerk behind the desk that I wanted to pick up the little Pomeranian dropped off yesterday. She immediately gave me a look that could have burned an shadow image of me on the wall behind me. Hmmm, what's that all about? methinks as she sashayed away saying in an icy tone:
"The DOCTOR wants to SPEAK to YOU!!"
A minute or so later the vet appeared, clipboard in hand. PPD'd best I recall: "Your dog?" "Yes, I'm taking him home today" Icy tone again from him this time: "What have you been feeding this dog?!"...
Um...
"I haven't fed him anything yet, I just adopted him from the shelter yesterday"
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!" in uinison came response from the vet and the clerk simultaneously. He quizzed me some more about my plans for him and seemed satisfied and relieved. He told me the dog was already quite old. I figured that part out anyway.
Then he told me the sad part. "This dog has been on a steady diet of tortilla chips and beer."
Stunned. He had occasional seizures. But otherwise he was a playful, happy pup once he got better, and looked very much like your Nabu there. Once he regrew his luxurious fur back, everyone was instantly in love with him for over 2 years.
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