(CNN) -- They are cute, small, clean and relatively quiet. And they have the mad, fad-hungry Japanese going crazy.
What else could be tiny enough to fit in an office cubicle or pretty enough to give to a bride on her wedding day but a Chihuahua?
A growing craze has been unearthed and it is all thanks to a big-eyed Chihuahua called Que-chan.
Dressed in a black suit and tie, Que-chan won hearts and fans when it starred in a television commercial for a credit loan firm 12 months ago.
Since then, the cute canine has been the subject of a best-selling photo collection, a children's picture book and more than 200 other products including a soon-to-be-released CD album.
Cuteness, it seems, is an obsession in Japan. After all, this is the nation that converted a small cat into a global marketing phenomenon.
As well as the much-cherished (or despised) Hello Kitty, Pokemon's Pikachu and Tama-chan are other creatures that come to mind that have registered high on the popularity scale.
But Que-chan is the first that has a real life version.
With immense demand for a Que-chan of their very own, many Japanese are hitting pet shops in desperation.
Now, a Chihuahua puppy can set you back as much as $4,000 in Tokyo's pet stores.
And for the fashion conscious, nothing else will do.
Housewife Ikuko Yamada paid the equivalent of almost $3,000 for her long-haired chihuahua named "Rich."
"I had to buy him when I saw him staring at me," she explains.
For 25-year-old Yumiko it was a hard slog. She saved up her hard-earned yen working as a receptionist after seeing the Chihuahuas on television and wanting one too.
"My new dog is the most expensive thing I've ever bought," she says.
For many, it's a fashion accessory and a best friend all rolled into one, which is why so many Japanese are willing to fork out so much money for the miniature canines.
Also wagging its tail are petstore owners. The booming Chihuahua demand is proving great business.
At a special Chihuahua boutique in Tokyo, dog owners can buy their pet trendy doggy outfits and accessories of special cookies tailored especially for the Chihuahua's "delicate" taste buds.
The Chihuahua boom is set to last, says pet storeowner Keiji Eki.
"Compared to other miniature dogs, Chihuahuas have more personality," Eki told CNN.
With whole Web sites in Japan dedicated to the tiny dog, not to mention television programs, videos, computer animation and virtually every other marketing tool, the Chihuahua certainly has star power.
-- CNN Tokyo Bureau Chief Rebecca MacKinnon contributed to this report.
