James Otto doesn’t have to prove he’s outlaw material. He’s a burly 6’5” singer- songwriter with a deep, booming voice who hangs out with Big & Rich. In fact, his upcoming album for Warner Bros. Nashville was produced by John Rich. So don’t give him a hard time when you see him walking his teacup Chihuahua named Isabella.
 
“Isabella Otto is four pounds of fury with lots of attitude,” says Otto. “Most of the time we call her Izzy. My wife, Amy, likes the nickname because it’s like the character in Grey’s Anatomy. I personally choose to associate it with Izzy Stradlin from Guns ‘n’ Roses.”

Otto says he and his wife contemplated getting a dog for a while, but he was thinking something along the lines of a bulldog or a mastiff. Now that Isabella’s in the picture, though, he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I wouldn’t trade her for the world,” he says. “I love that she’s small enough to travel everywhere with us, from the bus to a plane. She has a hilarious personality and is so smart. In fact, I think she might be fluent in English!
 
“For her breed, she is very social, and loves people, other dogs, and kids, too,” he continues. “I joke with friends that she’s a Great Dane-Chihuahua mix because she loves to play and rough-house. She has no idea she’s small. She also loves to sit on my shoulder while I play guitar, and she can do lots of tricks — but only for treats.”

The sight of a hulking tough guy like Otto with his petite Chihuahua has inspired many an onlooker to laugh out loud. But Otto says the jokes don’t bother him. “I think it’s hilarious,” he says. “We are an odd pair, and the neighbors love to see me out walking her. But I’m confident enough in my manhood that I don’t need my dog to make the statement for me!”

If there’s anything Jennifer Hanson loves more than songwriting, it might just be her dogs. Best known for writing “Leave the Pieces” for the Wreckers and “A Different World” for Bucky Covington, Hanson owns a Silky Terrier named Sidney, a Yorkie named Annabell and a Chihuahua named Buster Brown. And each, she says, has its own personality and place in the family dynamic. 

“Sidney is a little big for his britches, but extremely smart,” says Hanson. “Annabell is like my shadow. She follows me everywhere around the house and is always in someone’s lap. Buster Brown is very loving and affectionate. He is also excellent at fetching the ball.” 

The Universal South recording artist can’t resist dressing up her tiny family members from time to time. “I have sweaters for all the dogs and several dresses for Annabell,” she admits. 

When her new album hits stores in 2008, Jennifer will no doubt spend a lot of time on the road, so she expects to take the dogs along on the bus. But for now, when she’s out of town, she makes sure her pooches are pampered at a local kennel. “When I travel, the dogs stay at The Farm at Natchez Trace,” says Hanson. “They get the royal treatment there — lots of playtime, grooming, nature walks, etc. They get treats for good behavior. Pup-Peroni’s are their favorites!”