I thought he was modeled after a Boston Terrier. Stitch is very much like a Boston, more than Toothless perhaps, but they both have the qualities. The artist' SO has (had?) a Boston. I read that the Boston's snorts were used as sound effects.

When I moved here in '99, it was still very much in yeehaw mode. It's really not the same place anymore. At all. Your boyfriend might be surprised if he hasn't been here in a while. Yes, I wish it could be more liberal like Austin, but over all I'm happy here.

You might want to seriously research Austin. Austin has grown a lot in these past years, mainly due to more computer jobs relocating.