This is a story about a Chihuahua and a breakfast burrito.

This is also a story about my extreme irritation and anger towards Southwest Airlines, without whom this story would not be possible. I arrive at the airport luggage and Rocky in tow and wait to check in for my flight to California for Christmas. When it’s my turn the lady begins to check me in and when I set Rocky on the scale she says to me I will not allow this crate on your flight. “Excuse me, why not? I have flown with this exact carrier on Southwest with no problems before.” She pulls out a tape measure, see too big. “No I don’t see, the crate fit under the seat just fine before, why not now?” No explanation. She tells me again I won’t allow this crate. “What are my options?” You can leave and go buy a new dog carrier. “I can’t leave now, I would miss my flight.” You can reschedule your flight for a later time. “There is no way I am rescheduling my flight!” You could buy our $45 Southwest carrier. Why this was the third option behind cancelling and rescheduling my flight is beyond me. With no other choice I was forced to buy the bright yellow, mesh, soft-sided Southwest dog carrier. I walk over and begin to work my way up to the front of the security line. I get pulled aside by the guard after walking through the security sensor and am informed they need to do a swab test on my hands and then run it through a machine. They needed to make sure that after holding my dog I didn’t have any residual chemical properties or explosive powders left on my hands. Yes, they honestly thought I may have laced my dog with some sort of explosive device. A smiley (well maybe not at this point in my day) young, innocent girl with her Chihuahua just might blow up an airplane. Needless to say I eventually got through security and made it to my flight. Phew! Finally on my flight, I’m not at all worried about Rocky. He will just sleep through the entire flight and not make a peep. I place him under the seat in front of me, pull down my tray, and begin reading. Maybe two hours into my flight I hear a soft whimper coming from Rocky. I lift up my tray and to my surprise see Rocky had chewed a hole through his cheap-o Southwest carrier (that was not cheap at all) and now has his entire face stuck! Yes his entire face is poking out and looking desperately at the lady sitting next to me chowing down on her breakfast burrito! Unbeknownst to me there was a breakfast burrito my seat neighbor had placed in a paper bag underneath the seat right next to Rocky for the last two hours! Rocky is a Chihuahua of course he can't resist a breakfast burrito! My neighbor was nice enough to try and stretch the hole in the carrier while I pulled Rocky's face back out. Oi! Thank you Southwest for this hilarious Rocky anecdote! This would have never happened with my nice airline approved, hard-sided carrier that we normally travel with. Truly thank you, at least it makes me chuckle now.