I saw this picture of you from your foster Mom Kim and knew in my heart those big floppy (soon not to be) ears and oh so smart eyes were to be mine.  Rescued with your Mom and siblings from a horrid life of no food and no care you landed on your feet and in good hands and never held a grudge against the humans that treated you so badly those first weeks of your life.

You brought a whole new meaning to the word "style"!   You were elegant and stubborn to a fault.

You were the most serious dog I've ever had yet you tolerated your my silly moments.

You even had a brief time where fetch was your game and Gma was your best tossing buddy!

Vermin were never safe around you, you were the best mouser I ever had.   Death to mice and who needs kats!

Walks in the heat of the summer were your favorite even though not mine.

Sometimes YOU even got the good treats because your nose was the longest.

A wise and knowing face always your favorite spot was laying outside in the sun.

These are just a few of the things I will remember of you during your almost 14 years on this planet with us.  You were the Fun Police, the Stoic Old Mexican.  You took every job seriously and were a most wonderful example of your breed, showing how smart you were by achieving not one, but TWO obedience titles.  I was so proud of your CD - no small task sitting nekkid butt on cold floors -  and that you were first ever Xoloitzcuintle to earn an RAE.    You LOVED to work and couldn't wait to go out front and practice your exercises.

I had no idea when I posted on Monday morning what I would return home to that afternoon.   My Mom was happy that Paqui had been up moving around, ate his breakfast and took his meds.   He met me with the other dogs at the back door and headed back to his bed in the living room.  When I bent down to touch his back, he screamed and snapped at me and shook in pain.  I knew that he was done.   We were given one additional week with him with the help of drugs, he spent time on the back porch and outside with me over the weekend and was generally in good spirits.   Sunday night Dot laid down in his bed with him, something I'd never seen.   My Mom said Monday Elliott had also tried to lay with him...again, they knew even though we did not.  He waited until I got home knowing my Mom would not be able to help him.   I picked him up to take him to the vet (with more pain and snapping/biting) where my lovely friend Adele, vet Dr. Henry and I were able to sedate him in the car so he would not have more pain.   Then we helped him leave that broken painful body to move on to his next pain free life.   I am raw as I write this and sad and of course debating constantly with myself about things I could have done different these past 13+ years while treating that aching piece of my heart that went with him.   This too will resolve itself I know all to well.   The picture above was from a few years ago and is my all time favorite one of him!   The one below is from Sunday night, the last one I have of him.  We know not who will keep the silly spoos, cwazy cresteds and the red-headed devil dog in line now.