By Richard Corwin

The state of Chihuahua, Mexico, boasts the finest and most prolific supply of miniature dogs that bear the name of their Mexican roots. The many small pueblos, with breeders of these popular pets, have bred their own distinctive characteristics into their animals so each can be identified with its village of origin and in some cases with the breeder. The dogs that have breeder specific characteristics are more desirable for their rarity and unusual personalities.
     
The one time destitute, rat infested, and diseased village of San Juan de Allende, was to become the supplier of such an uncommon breed. The Torres family began the business in their village and over time with selective breeding they would become the most successful supplier of the famed San Juan Chihuahua. Its’ unusual size and calmness—peculiar when compared to other Chihuahuas that have high pitched, aggravating, barks—and that quiet quality made the Torres breed popular in the United States. And the Torres Family guarded their secret breeding laboratories with high concrete walls and armed guards. No one would ever learn the secret of the San Juan Chihuahua.
     
The animals were very small, with large eyes, small cropped tails, varying hues of brown, white, and grey with little ears and pink nose that quivered so cutely when excited, but it was the big brown eyes that captivated the flocks of impatient Americans standing in line to own one. Sometimes the demand was so great that waiting lists had to be made and that only contributed to their soaring popularity.
     
Hotels were built to accommodate the crowds and restaurants built to feed them. Unemployment and disease dropped dramatically. Construction crews, waiters, maids, teachers for the new schools, taxi drivers, car washers, gardeners, souvenir shop clerks, and other associated trades etched a new plateau of affluence for the village.
     
The San Juan Chihuahua was immortalized on building murals, paintings that hung in homes and businesses and cradled in the bronze arms of the Torres family statue in the center of the new Torres Park where proud new owners could show off their newly acquired pets. All was well and San Juan de Allende enjoyed prosperity like no other time before.
     
The Torres family was hailed as the benefactors to the village, held important political offices in the now prospering village and State of Chihuahua. Schools, medical clinics and streets, hotels and restaurants, were named in their honor and they were generally admired and esteemed for their unselfish contributions to the grateful citizens of San Juan de Allende and the State of Chihuahua.
     
Success had many benefits that more than compensated for the overbearing visitors. Villagers were patient and friendly. Medical care was free, streets were cleaned and regular garbage collection and other services were improved. Water became safer to drink, a credit to the new Torres Family water purification plant.
     
And nearing extinction the most bothersome and dreaded pest that nearly destroyed the village just a few years before with disease, the rat population all but disappeared as the Torres San Juan Chihuahua skyrocketed into popularity.

Reproduced with permission from chapala.com.