Panel 1: “I remembered reading that chihuahuas were used as hot water bottles in the past, and I wanted to make a comic about it.” There is a woman seated holding a small, angry dog with a hot water bottle for a body on her lap.
Panel 2: “Mostly because I wanted to draw a bunch of cute little Nelson hot water bottles… So, I looked it up, hoping reading more would help me come up with a narrative.” Foxwolf’s hands are on a computer keyboard in front of a monitor displaying “Poogle” search results for “chihuahuas use as hot water bottles.” Between the monitor and the keyboard, the hot water bottle dog is sleeping on its back and blowing a snot bubble out of its nose. The search results on the screen are as follows: Dreddit: “TIL Chihuahuas were often used as living hot water bottles – A reddit post from 4 years ago that says this and links to the Wikipedia page for chihuahuas, which says absolutely nothing about it.” AI Generated Ad Hell: “An in-depth look at the Chihuahua – We also read that reddit post, lol. Anyway, have you considered the all new Toyota Tundra? Hey, did you ever notice you’re fat? You ought to do something about that.” Damazon: “Chihuahua Lovers Hot Water Bottle Cover – Dog Hot Water (cut off) – Buy it. Right now. Do it right now. Buy Somethi – (cut off)”
Panel 3: “But the only results were links to awful, sourcless articles. The only marginally reliable information I could find about dogs being used as a heat treatment was in reference to another dog breed native to Mexico: the Xoloitzcuintli… The American Kennel Club says people thought these naked dogs had healing properties because they’re warm to the touch.” There is a hairless dog with a tiny mohawk radiating heat surrounded by marshmallows on sticks being held out over the dogs warmth.
Panel 4: “That dog was bred with a dog called the Techichi. Techichi were often eaten and used as money… Those are the ancestors of the modern chihuahua.” A pot of stew steams and ingredients including carrots, potatoes, onions, chilis, garlic, beans and a round, fat dog with the body of a rotisserie chicken are being dropped into the pot.
Panel 5: “Okay, both dogs were eaten. Anyway, this is the closest association I could find, and the AKC doesn’t cite any sources on the Xolo being used as hot water bottles… So this fun fact about chihuahuas is probably not true.” In a classroom, Foxwolf, disappointed, hands a paper titled “Xoloitzcuintli – A Report by American Kennel Club” to a sweating and surprised, fluffy, white dog. The paper is graded “D – Missing Bibliography!” At the desk in the background, a student who looks like the Dreddit logo from the search results in Panel 2 is hunched and sweating, holding their paper which received an “F.”
Panel 6: “And what am I supposed to do with these?” Tons of Nelson hot water bottles are falling from the top of the panel to an accumulating pile on the ground.