Taco Bell Dog Dies

Taco Bell dog toy

Gidget, the little Chihuahua that Taco Bell used for a popular ad campaign in the late 1990’s, has died.  According to an article at USmagazine.com, Gidget suffered a stroke while watching television with her trainer.  Gidget was 15, which is an advanced age for such a tiny dog.

The “Yo quiero Taco Bell” ads that began in late 1997 gained fame for the fiesty female Chihuahua. She portrayed a male dog in the commercials.  The campaign ended in the year 2000. Because of the popularity of the campaign, Taco Bell released a line of stuffed toys sold at their restaurants.  The phrase ‘Yo quiero’ became part of popular culture.

Beside the Taco Bell commercials, Gidget appeared in a cross-over promotion for the movie Godzilla in 1998.  She also made an appearance in the movie Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde, and has appeared along side the GEICO gecko in a commercial for GEICO.

Gidget was actually the second Chihuahua used by Taco Bell.  She replaced a dog named Dinky shortly after the campaign began.  Dinky was then used as a stand-in for Gidget.

Gidget had a long and happy life, and lived like a queen, according to her owner, Karen McElhatton.

Photo credit: samuraighost from Flickr

July 23rd, 2009 by Beth VanHoose | Posted in Dog Stories, Vet Emergencies | (0)