Sunday, December 27, 2009

Kelly sure enjoyed Christmas!

One of the nicest Christmas presents I received this year was watching how much Kelly enjoyed the presents and Christmas morning... She was RIGHT there, excited about the presents and watching them being opened, interacting with the other dogs, etc... For someone with her background, she acted like any other normal dog and had such a GRAND time!

Kelly is one of the lucky ones... She did not spend her entire life as a bait dog - unlike Pokey who is still undergoing rehabilitation and is fostered in Florida...  I'm not even sure if Kelly was traumatized to the extent Pokey is... It was a work of karma that we found Kelly when we did... Or that she managed to escape from her life and be found by animal control...


Monday, December 14, 2009

Video taken of our adult dogs at adoptions

Finally, update on Yukon...

Yukon is one ounce short of 5 pounds and is now healthy... He's eating well since his dental and is right at the weight he should be... We know for sure he doesn't like cats and gets along with the other dogs for the most part... He'd like to be more of the alpha leader of the pack, but respects the fact he is not...

Yukon prefers to 'hang out' with people and realizes he is a dog, but would probably have chosen differently if given a choice... He's such a beautiful dog with unusual markings... While he'd never withstand the cold, he sure does look like a snow dog!

Update on Sunshine...


We have now had Sunshine with us for seven months and we're shocked she is still with us~!!!... 

She's friendly at adoptions now and allows people to pet her... She plays ALL DAY LONG with the pups and babies... She's always tended to play with Nacho, but seems to favor the younger dogs... Sunshine weighs 8.3 pounds and will be 2 years old soon... Maybe Santa will bring her a furever home, 'cause she's been a good girl this year!


Scooby continues to make progress...

Scooby continues to steadily make progress... Last night for the first time, he stayed on the couch when we sat down... And stayed within 6" of us, allowing us to gently reach over and pet him from time to time... No shaking, no 'bolt like on nitro' off the couch, nothing... He stayed and 'enjoyed the moment' like any other dog would do...

Scooby now weighs 9 pounds and he's not the type of dog to be overweight, so this is just where he needs to be... He'd still prefer to be 'Mr. Invisible' for the most part, but his world is not built on fear 24/7 now... Great potential to be a fabulous dog!

Update on Missy...

We've checked Missy's weight - she weighs 6 pounds, 7 ounces... And she did great at adoptions on Saturday... Not apprehensive about being in a kennel, nor the ride to adoption, Missy was fine in the Xpen milling about with the other dogs and watching the people that came by...

She has EASILY fit into the routine around here and practices her small, 'lady-like' snore while watching TV with her eyes closed... ... Not aggressive with the other dogs, she's developed into a lap dog with minimal effort... Missy enjoys laying in the sun during the morning, getting her beauty sleep with everyone else... 

She has begun to hand out kisses already and has not been with us that long at all... Sweet pup!


Update on Millie...

Millie now weighs 7 pounds and we have moved her to the front Xpen at adoptions... She no longer growls at dogs she knows or new dogs she has yet to meet... She doesn't see people as something to be afraid of, but she has learned that humans are the supreme alpha of the pack and need to be minded...


Millie is about 75% potty trained now and if you are really diligent, 100%...  While she has FINALLY figured out what piddy pads are for, she's not always on the piddy pad before she starts... Millie is still a work in progress in this respect, but if she's outside?... 100%... She knows what the outside is for and she's not stupid... It is just consistently catching her in the act, rewarding her with praise when she does it correctly and when she doesn't?  Taking her out on the spot in the hope she finally 'gets it'...

Millie routinely plays throughout the day with Nacho and Sunshine, so she has come a VERY long way in a short amount of time...

Update on Kelly....

We weighed Kelly with our new digital scale (thank you someone special for the gift!) and she weighs 12 pounds, 14 ounces... Kelly routinely works out on the treadmill and has developed into the sweetest ever dog after months of rehabilitation...

Her coat has come in 110% now as you can see when you compare her blog photo and the one below... Kelly is learning basic dog obedience commands... She's potty- and doggie door trained, along with Xpen- and crate-trained...

We have never known her to have an accident in the house and we have even broken the bad barking habit she had... She routinely sees BIG dogs at adoptions and no longer reacts to them... She would do well with children and despite her rough beginnings, she has grown into a great dog.



Update on Ginger...

Thanks to the generous gift of a digital scale, we are more accurately able to weigh the TLC dogs and puppies!  Ginger now weighs 11 pounds, 6 ounces and her coat has grown in beyond beautiful now.





She's one of our 'stabilizer' dogs at adoptions because she's so evenly balanced... Although she still has 'things to say' when she approaches anyone, take her out of the Xpen and she immediately rolls over on her back for a belly rub... 

She's one of the most evenly tempered dogs I have ever run across... Nothing phases her... 

She's friendly towards all - dogs and humans alike... We're amazed she's not yet found her furever home... A true sweetheart if there ever was one!... Maybe Santa will bring her one???  'Cause she's been a VERY good girl this year!





Video of the Christmas puppies...

Ralph, the puppy, stopped by adoptions on Saturday and took a video of the other puppies available for adoption... (Ralph's been adopted already and LOVES his parents despite not having fur coats themselves!)





In the video, two of the six puppies have already been adopted - Noel, the brindle female and Nick, the tan male with the blue and purple collar on.

The other four puppies have not yet been adopted:
Annette (tan female, 11 weeks)
Frankie (black male, 11 weeks)
Georgia (black & tan female MinPin, 9 weeks)
Rudy (tan male with blue collar - 8 weeks).

We STRONGLY urge everyone to NOT give puppies as Christmas presents... the craziness of tiny puppies, Christmas trees and presents, small children and their excitement over the season, etc. are just not good mixes.  It is seldom a 'Hallmark' kind of event and many of these live Christmas presents end up in our shelter in January or later when the spirit of the holiday season has passed and the puppy is still pooping and peeing on your rugs!

We should call this guy the 'Comeback Kid'...

I am thinking I should change Prince's name to the 'Comeback Kid'... There were times --- especially when he totally stopped eating for me, and then the green yuck that kept pouring out of his nose and eyes --- that I thought for SURE I was going to lose him... I realize that the vet diagnosed it as pneumonia, but with all the swine flu warnings going around, I seriously wondered if he had the canine flu and not just pneumonia...

Prince realizes that we are just plain ole softies around here... He's figured us out... For all the 'stuff' we demand of the dogs ("go potty OUTSIDE, not in here!", "BE nice", "Who's growling - there's no growling (barking) in rescue", etc.), he has pegged us alright...

Recently I switched around my desk and what we call the 'Chihuahua Penthouse', turning the desk into a corner desk and extending the Chihuahua Penthouse 200% in size for the optimum space in front of the window that the dogs sunbathe in the mornings now that it is colder...

I added a second set of steps so there were no longer 'gatekeepers of the steps' and a few warm blankees... The area has now become a morning haven, for where we are - the dogs are...

Prince has figured out that the two desk lamps on the top of my desk generate heat (as I myself figured out when I sat my keyboard too close to one and melted a few of the keys... OH MY~!!!)... He consistently steps onto my desk and tries to lay down underneath one of the lights - usually on top of the papers I'm working with at the time as you can see in another photo...

Finally this morning I gave in, after lifting him off my desk three times... Easier to join them if you can't beat them, ya know?... (Maybe I set up this scenario when I named him 'Prince'... Who knows?)... But I cleared off MY working space from papers and files, re-arranged a few things and grabbed a clean doggie bed to fit into that spot for him...

As soon as he saw it, Prince stepped gingerly across my keyboard, did half a turn and then immediately fell asleep in the doggie bed... As I type this, he is sleeping soundly and snoring to my left underneath the lamp... It is far enough away that it is not too hot to his body, but yet close enough to give him that extra little bit of warmth...


I noticed this morning that his collar finally fits him and if he continues to gain weight for me, I'll have to readjust it a notch larger... Won't bother me~!!!...

I sent more than one prayer skywards in the plea that I'd not lose this dog to pneumonia or whatever uggly mugglies he had brought with him...

He still has a bit of respiratory stuff going on... But the yuck is finally clear and not green any longer... Prince is used to being given meds now, especially after the force feeding days of baby food when he was so sick!... And his nose leather is no longer crusty and white, but coming back in rich charcoal like God intended it to be...

This morning as he was standing, I noticed one nail had grown a bit too long... I reached for my clippers and as he sat, he allowed me to trim it back without having to restrain him in any fashion...

Prince is just another example of my belief that is NOT the shelters who are the 'bad guys' in the problem of an enormous unwanted overpopulation of these little ones in our shelters... Instead, it is the general public who dump these little guys off in the misguided belief that someone will give them a home...

The shelter system does the best it can, given the funding it has, but these little ones just don't do well in that kind of environment... While Prince and his sister, Buttercup, were listed as aggressive and too hard to handle by the shelter staff, I feel it was more the massive change in their environment that caused both to deal with the change the best way they could...


As I have been typing, Prince has yawned and stretched out in the warm spot he's in... Yes, he is one aggressive dog, huh?...

We weighed him yesterday and he's gained 5 ounces... That might not seem like much, but for how deeply sick he got as he fought off whatever he had, we are VERY pleased with the weight gain he is making...

Although he still needs to gain more weight, he is definitely a sweetie pie and will make someone a GREAT dog once he is ready to be adopted... Just the beautiful coloring of his coat alone, but his sweet personality is even bigger than the appearance in this little one... A treasure for sure - a prince if nothing else - but definitely a "find' in our local shelters...

If TLC does not have the dog or puppy you are looking for, PLEASE take a trip to the local shelters before the holidays and find the furever furbaby of your dreams... Trust me - they are there waiting for you - and there are tons of GREAT dogs and puppies available for adoption.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Just some warm fuzzies....

Although we are passionate about rescue and saving these little guys' lives, sometimes it can really be a grueling thing to go through... There's never enough money to get all the vet care some of these shelter dogs need... We are limited by the number of dogs we can save in ratio to the number of foster homes we have... The puppymills keep churning out 'product' while at the end of the production line (shelters and rescues) we simply cannot keep up with the onslaught of too many unwanted companion animals and not enough good homes to go around... 

And then every once in awhile, something happens and you just know in your heart of hearts you are doing the right thing despite all the adversity you encounter... Last week it was Charleyboy finding his furever home just in time for the Christmas holidays... And yesterday it was Walter finding his furever home too!


I don't believe I have ever seen a more sorely neglected little one come through the shelter system before Walter... I'm sure there have been some, but he certainly was the worst I have ever seen... The 'less than perfect' dogs are the ones that normally get passed by, so I thought Walter might be with us for quite some time... But when the shelter contacted me about Walter, I just KNEW it was NOT his time to die... Despite the poor condition of his coat and shape of his mouth, Walter's demeanor was just so absolutely sweet... And his little 'giddy-up gait'?... And that little tongue that just sticks out at you... Priceless... Pure canine gold in a petite and darling package!


Walter won the hearts and a great furever home yesterday and we are just SO happy for the little guy!... THESE are the warm fuzzies that rejuvenate us, motivating us to keep doing what we do, despite everything!


WAY TO GO, WALTER!


 

Friday, December 11, 2009

Angels do live among us - Pepi

Lifeline 4 Paws have taken on Pepi's surgery financially... And it couldn't have come at a better time!... Donations to nonprofit charities have virtually dried up as the economy sagged, and his surgery promises to be expensive... At least for a small of a rescue as we are...

We went ahead today and got Pepi neutered so that he could recover from that while we get ready to do the FHO in a week or so... Normally males just bounce back the same day after being neutered, but maybe because he already has so much pain in his hip joint, the neuter has shown to be painful for him and we've been doing extra cuddling this afternoon and tonight with him... Poor guy!

If he is this sweet now, just imagine how sweet once he will be after all this pain is gone!

Puppies...

The puppymillers and backyard breeders geared up just in time for Christmas like they do every year... Puppies are arriving in the shelters faster than we can find them homes... Every weekend, people are walking out of petshops with little bundles of fur that will show up in the shelters a few months from now when the novelty has worn off and the responsibilities become too great...


We are NOT supporters of giving puppies as Christmas presents and feel it is the WORST time of the year to add a dog to your family... Between the craziness of the holiday season, the stress of trying to get everything done and the impulses that arise at this time of the season, we beg everyone to give SERIOUS consideration to adopting a puppy at this time of the year...

This is a great page to read through while you are considering the prospect of a Christmas puppy - The best present EVER... It has a 28-day countdown to get ready for adding a puppy to your life, home and lifestyle... At TLC we have quite a few young dogs that are no longer puppies, but are potty trained, healthy and homeless... We hope you will consider them also...

Having said all of this, we have six puppies from various litters and ages... All were dumped into our local shelters for various reasons... All are either spayed or neutered, or (will be) before Christmas...




From left to right is Rudy, Annette, Georgia, Frankie and Noel.  Nick is not in this photo... Georgia is a MinPin and not a Chihuahua.    Noel (the female brindle) has already been adopted and not available - Nick and Rudy (short for Rudolph) are Noel's brothers.

But we remind you ---  puppies are a LOT of work and should never be an impulse decision you regret later... And if a puppy is alone without another puppy or dog, you can expect to have many sleepless nights as it cries because it is lonely... It will takes months to potty train these little ones... The first year of any puppy's life is an expensive one if you are providing the proper nutrition... And there is a very large amount of personal time that needs to be invested if your puppy is to be properly socialized and grows into a responsible canine citizen and loved member of your family...

At TLC we do not place our puppies in homes with small children or large dog breeds - they're just too small and is a $3,000+ broken leg waiting to happen... Children should be allowed to be children - to run, holler and play - without worrying about accidentally falling on a small petite puppy...Adoption applications are taken either at adoptions or via fax... Home visits are scheduled and if passed, there is an adoption contract to be signed and an adoption donation (which will be the cheapest part of your investment in a new puppy!  Trust us!)...Chihuahuas live from 15 to 18 years, and this is a long term investment in so many ways...


Introducing Missy...

Missy is one of those forgotten munchkins in the shelter system... Caught as a stray October 27th and weighing only 4 pounds, she was listed as "very hard to handle" and later "too aggressive to handle" by the shelter staff... 

When we saw her at the shelter, Missy was a bit shy but was in with fiver other females who were more dominant than she was... So she hung back rather than confront them to get to the front of the kennel run... We watched her for a bit, and then kept coming back to her kennel run to observe her again...

There are just some Chihuahuas that don't do well in the kennel and shelter system... Maybe they were used to being on someone's lap and cuddling - the shelter environment is a hard one for them to transition over to... Or maybe they were someone's backyard breeder and did not receive enough or proper socialization... Once in the shelter system they tend to go to extremes - either go inwards or become over aggressive in this environment... 

We took a chance and judging upon our past experience, thought Missy's issue was being put in a hostile environment where she did the best she could - she just tried to survive...

Missy also has scarred ear tips and a scar on her nose - two opinions believe it is flystrike... For those not familiar with this condition, it usually comes from squalor or filthy conditions where a dog sits in its own feces and/or isn't bathed properly... This is a common thing with backyard breeders who house their breeders outside in kennel runs... 

Some dogs get annoyed with flies buzzing about or there's a confrontation between dogs that results in an open wound or tear in the ears... It only takes one small open wound for flies to lay their eggs in the flesh... And in the hot summer weather, flies are attracted to feces not cleaned up routinely and promptly... The dogs who have any open wounds are a virtual feasting ground for this kind of situation...

Now that Missy has had a bath, we discovered she's snow white with the exception of the 'Hershey's Kiss' shape laying sideways in tan on her right side, the tan markings around her head and an 'angel's kiss' on her back rear butt... We've already started medication procedures on her ears and around her eyes plus nose... It is already responding to treatment... The scars will remain behind once she has fully healed, but the tips of her ears will remain jagged permanently... Just adds to her character and unique markings in our opinion!




Now as far as her being aggressive?... She doesn't like fast grabs when in a crate, which solidifies our opinion she was a breeder kept outside... 

However, within two days upon her arrival with us, she was wagging her tail and coming forward with interest for a treat... Crated at night with Buddy, Missy has already figured out the routine and when we say, "Let's go to bed" Missy quickly responds... On the third day with us, she handed out her first 'Missy kiss'.... So much for being too hard to handle or aggressive...  We think it was environment and not persona with Missy...

Day two and with two tries, she watched the other dogs and learned the doggie door... She's not a barker and we suspect she's a natural born cuddler just waiting to happen... When she's picked up and hears her name, the tail just never stops wagging... 

Missy is 6.5 pounds and just perfect in weight for her frame... She is about 2.5 years old and has tremendous potential despite being forgotten at the shelter as she stayed below the radar and didn't cause any problems (which might have been a good karma thing so she didn't end up on the kill list)... 

Introducing Buddy!

Buddy has been on the kill list at the local shelters three times in the past month... Buddy is the kind of dog you need to see in person to appreciate his personality and demeanor, but because he has the 'brown dog syndrome' so common in the shelters (i.e. "Just another one of those non-descript brown dogs..."), he kept being passed by with potential adopters...

Buddy just reminds me of a 'good ole boy' not in the derogatory sense that this title might have, but just in the easy doing, mellow and happy-go-lucky-sense... Nothing fazes him... He is VERY content to sit on my husband's lap every night to watch TV with his eyes closed (the dog, not my husband) and now sits patiently in the afternoon for my husband's arrival...



But if you look closely at Buddy beyond the fact "he's a brown Chihuahua,"  you will see some beautiful markings along with a pair of eyes that appear almost human because of their shape and spacing...



While Buddy was probably a bit overweight when he arrived at the shelter at almost ten pounds, he now weighs 7.13 pounds and looks great~!!  He's not barky, friendly towards all, even balanced temperament-wise and would make a great family dog or companion for someone who lives alone and is looking for that tight one-on-one bond.

What a great dog and smart too!  He learned the doggie door in two tries and is house-broken and now crate-trained as well... Besides the vast difference in size and coloring, Buddy is one of the "Lassie-type" dogs that comes along every once in awhile and you just know there was some twisted quirk of fate or bad luck that caused him to up in the shelter system...

Introducing Pepi...

Sometimes a dog's sweet disposition can save their life in our shelter system - such is the case with Pepi... He arrived at one of our local shelters on September 30th... But because of his underweight size and a limp as he held up one of his hind rear legs, he could find no takers who wanted to adopt him...

So sweet, Pepi was pulled off of the kill list three times by a shelter staff member until we were contacted...

A bit of a shabby coat and being underweight is easily corrected by a good and nutritional diet combined with time and TLC... But it will take a lot more to correct what has happened to Pepi than just TLC...

He has either been kicked severely or had a collision with an automobile... His pelvis bone has been fractured in three places and allowed to heal... Being out of kilter, his back leg bone cannot sit correctly in the joint and this causes him pain and discomfort - therefore the limp...

This is his shelter photo...



You can almost see the pain in his eyes as he leans to help support his hind quarters...

Well, we decided it was not Pepi's day to die so we took him into the TLC rescue... He's been to see two different vets now and neither one agrees with the original recommendation to amputate that hind leg... Both recommend a FHO which will take a much longer rehabilitation time than an amputation but once done, the bone-to-bone pain will be gone... At 2-3 years old, Pepi is just too young to lose a leg, but both vets are very confident the quality of his life will be radically improved if he gets this surgery.

I was once again reminded of just how sweet and endearing a gentle dog can be... Yesterday Pepi sat in my lap as we drove to the second consultation, just enjoying the view as the scenery passed by...  These are the times I wonder exactly what is wrong with the human race to allow such terrible things to happen to such gentle and loving creatures... He loves riding in the car and I couldn't help but wonder why he is now in the shape that he is...

Whether he was not on a leash and allowed to accidentally run into the traffic or (God forbid), some heartless person kicked him hard enough to break that pelvis bone, I can't understand either act... When you call his name, Pepi rolls over and presents his belly for a rub... How could any sweet dog like this end up with such a traumatic injury? ::shaking my head here::

Regardless, Pepi is not ready for adoption until he has the surgery, goes through rehabilitation and get healthy again... If he is this sweet when he is in this much pain, I just can't imagine how much sweeter he will become once he can walk and not be in so much discomfort!


Thursday, December 10, 2009

Introducing... Walter!

At TLC, we foster a lot of puppies because we have the policy of pulling the hard cases consistently... Puppies always adopt fast, but the hard cases always take time to rehabilitate and/or get healthy again before they can get adopted... And with getting healthy for the hard cases, always comes heavy vet bills... 

Every once in awhile, we come upon a dog in the shelters that we just scratch our head and for the life of us, can not figure out WHY the dog arrived in the shelters to begin with... Or why anyone would allow a family member to get into such poor shape... Such is the case with Walter on both points... 

The shelter thought he was about 10 years old because he arrived thin, dehydrated and in such overall poor general condition... Once we took Walter to our vet, she believes he is half that age, but just sorely neglected for a VERY long time... 

Walter is just the sweetest little munchkin EVER~!!!... He has a wag for everyone he meets and despite it being a 'rat tail' because he's lost all the hair on it (plus on various other spots of his body), he wags his tail all of his heart!



We don't know how his coat is going to eventually turn out, but with good nutrition and medicated baths every two days plus vitamin E and other supplements, it just takes time and TLC to bring him back.

He arrived in the shelter with an open wound underneath his right eye and the shelter folks thought he just didn't like being kenneled, so he rubbed the bars... Turns out, Walter had a cracked back molar down to the root, it developed an abscess and burst through the skin!

He's been in already to get a dental and have that molar (and a few others) removed.  Walter should now be able to gain back some weight... especially that is not painful to eat now that his mouth is straightened out... 

We have yet to hear Walter bark... He's content to sit in your lap and cuddle, or curl up in a doggie bed by your feet... Walter has a stiff gait to his rear legs that is just precious to see!  And because he's missing a canine on the one side, his little tongue hangs out a bit... His Walter kisses are just as precious and sweet too!

We will get Walter healthy and once he gains a bit of weight, he'll be ready for adoption to the right home (no small children or big dog breeds for Walter is only 3.4 pounds and when he gains enough weight, still under 4 pounds).

And in the spirit of the Christmas season, a fellow Chi lover donated $10 for each of her friends to pay for Walter's dental instead of giving gifts: 
Dan S., Elly C., Michael J. D., Randeep B., Cindy C., Ellen M., Eleen V., Matthew K., Lisa A.M., Charlie W., Edward M., Scott John M., Paul M., Debbie S., Rob K., Tiffany O., Michael W., Stacy C., Lisa K., Siraj M., Birdie S., Theresa E., G Koji S., Aj M., and Scott Morgan C.
 
What a lovely way to share the joy of the holiday season, huh?  Walter's sending each one a Walter kiss which is absolutely priceless!
 

 

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Charleyboy found his furever home just in time for Christmas!

Just in time for the holidays, Charleyboy has found his new furever home!



Personal note from Linda: As a foster parent, we are always asked, "How can you stand to give them up?" and our standard reply is that if we kept them all, we'd have no foster spots to save the next dog from dying in the shelters tomorrow.  We know that when we adopt a dog today, tomorrow we will go back into the shelters and rescue another one - probably on a kill list whose time is running out.  Although you love all of the fosters as you get them healthy, tend to their medical needs, rehabilitate any bad habits and/or give them new ones, you tend to keep them to somewhat of a distance because if you do allow them to crawl into your heart, it is just too hard to let them go and be adopted.

Charleyboy was one of the few special cases where I needed to be on my constant guard to not get too attached to a foster.  Because he tends to look at you with his wide-eyed attention, I found myself talking to him more like a human than a dog.  And because he had become my shadow, he and I did have a lot of conversations as I always needed to look behind me before I stepped back fast, or if he'd followed me somewhere, make sure I called him when I left.

A few people who were interested in Charleyboy had children or too active of a lifestyle for his best interests --- and his well being was paramount because we humans certainly didn't treat him fairly the first time around!   We attempted to place him with a sweet young lady who had cats, but Charleyboy didn't care for the feline species.  And it is better than a TLC dog comes back to us to find a better furever home than for them to stay in a situation where the new owners' life is turned upside down... just bad karma all the way around.

When the application came in on Charleyboy, I was very encouraged.  We wanted a calm, laid-back home for Charleyboy... He is still very young for a Chihuahua and I could relate to his sight limitations for without my glasses, I can't read now!  I loved the conversation I initially had with Charleyboy's new potential furever parents, and felt very positive when we set up the meet & greet.  Although we had a bit of a hard time finding their home, I stood in the grass with Charleyboy while my husband found a place to park his car.  And in the darkening dusk, I looked around at the lush grass and trees and sent a small prayer Heaven-ward that the people we all were about to meet would be as nice as that spot we were standing in.

It's funny how God answers your prayers when you least expect them, ya know?  Our hearts are still SO heavy from losing our dearly beloved Mr. Sweetie on November 27th... At 16 with doggie dementia, pancreatic issues, major anxiety issues, dual hip surgeries followed by failing back hips and then front legs, it was probably one of the hardest decisions my family has had to make about a dog for years... People just aren't interested in adopting anything less than the 'perfect dog' and the three years we'd had with Mr. Sweetie were ones we will always treasure... My vet called us 'the home of the misfits and unwanteds' but frankly?  Some of these 'misfits and unwanteds' have been some of the best dogs EVER... 

Discovering Charleyboy's new adoptive parents was a spiritual and soul regeneration for me that night... No, Charleyboy is not perfect but he is a sweet and loving kindred soul that (more than most) deserved a second chance at a better hand of cards he'd been dealt in the game of life... He won the jackpot with his new family and now has his very own home just in time for Christmas!  Here he is in his new doggie bed, all wrapped up nice and warm... 

Santa already came for Charleyboy!  Thank-you to whoever was listening to my prayers up there!  I'm sure you are there, Mr. Sweetie.... Thank-you for putting in a good word for Charleyboy!

 

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Tips and Tricks...

We're adding a new feature to TLC - "TLC's Tips & Tricks" - ideas, tips we've used on the shelter dogs we have rehabilitated and other good-to-great suggestions you can use on your companion to change behaviors... There is no 'one-way' to train a dog or un-train bad behaviors, for every dog is unique with their own set of issues, back story and personality quirks.  We offer these only as a starting point for you to explore and try... We also encourage you to share your tips and tricks that have worked for you... Together we can all build a fantastic community of rehabilitated shelter dogs who have found their furever homes and live great, balanced lives!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

2 home runs and 1 strike out...

Brownie and Cleo quickly found their furever homes this past weekend - both in multi-canine homes that are larger than them... So congrats to both and their new furever parents... 

Yukon unfortunately was returned when it was discovered he does not care for cats... As his foster parent does not have cats, this is something we can never guarantee and it is always a crap shoot at best... At TLC we know there is a furever home for EVERY dog and puppy we rescue off the kill lists --- if just given enough time --- so as they say, 'no harm, no foul'... It is all about the dogs in rescue... If a dog or puppy is not working out in someone's lifestyle and home, we'd rather keep searching until we find one that will... 

So Yukon is back with his foster parents and fit in again like a hand and glove... He immediately took back his spot on the couch and looked for the cuddles and pats he has become accustomed to... 

Yesterday at adoptions, we gave Yukon a Greenie for the first time... Now that his mouth is back and order without all those teeth that were causing so much pain, he THOROUGHLY enjoyed gnawing on it... It was like an 'all day sucker' for Yukon and he wasn't interested in anyone as he slowly devoured the Greenie...  Good for you, Yukon!   Things all worked out for the best and we're sure your new furever home is right around the corner for you too!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Kelly and her duck, plus Scudders

Kelly usually gets passed by at adoptions because she's non-descrip and a Chocolate Chi that is over sized... Maybe part of it is because she was a bait dog used in the dog-fighting industry and that might intimidate some people, fearful that she'd been mean or nasty...

While Kelly has no lack of self esteem (and probably saved her life while used as a bait dog), I wanted to post these pictures I took the past few days of Kelly and Scudders... Scudderbutts is a 12-year old Chi (also a rescue) and weighs about 4 pounds dripping wet... He and Kelly have struck up a friendship over the past few weeks... I'm sure Kelly is like sleeping with a hot water bottle and Scudders is always cold because of his small size...



Kelly is three times Scudders' weight and yet?  He feels comfortable with her temperament to climb in, cuddle up and nap with her in the Chi penthouse...

Kelly has this squishy duck dog toy that she carries around with her... I'm not sure exactly what she thinks the duck is, but she tends to cuddle up with it too... Maybe it's a surrogate for a puppy she once had... Dunno...  But I usually find it close by her during their naps...





How could you not fall in love with such a sweet picture, huh? 








Kelly has come a VERY long way since we rescued her out of the shelter... Her coat has all grown in thick and shiny... And she's put on a few pounds - in fact, I work her every other day on the treadmill now because we don't want her to gain too much weight... Just like us humans, it is not for Chihuahuas to be overweight either...

What a sweet girl~!!... Kelly really needs to find her furever parent(s) who love her because of what she is today - not what she once was... It was not her fault she was used by a bad element of the human society, then dumped into a shelter once she no longer served their purposes!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Introducing Cleo...

Cleo is probably a tri-color Te-Chi (pronounced "tea-chee")... Not quite a Chihuahua except in coloring, she sports a 'wirehaired ruff' around the back of her neck and the strip down her head between her ears can be easily brushed into a mohawk (poor thing~!!) as you pet her... Then she'll give you that 'sadder than sad' look that makes you feel bad for brushing it up like that!

The shelter can provide no backstory to this little gal, but we suspect after fostering her for a bit, Cleo had some separation anxiety issues going on... And that could be the reason she was dumped in the shelter... Easily enough fixed with a Kong and crate training, Cleo rapidly settled down in the foster mom's home...

She is a snuggler and 'roots' almost like a baby piglet until she finds that spot underneath your jaw bone and neck bone... Once her head is firmly entrenched underneath your chin, she's good for an hour's nap as she curls into your chest...


Primarily chocolate with white markings, she sports tan eyebrows - only the ruff is wirehaired - the rest of her coat is smooth and silky... None of the Chi personality, she's a submissive female who is outgoing and friendly to all - dogs and humans alike... She wants nothing more than to be picked up and cuddled...

Congrats to Lobo, Sammy & Yukon...

Lobo found his new furever home with a great couple, Sammy with a family of 5 children but a job of traveling to work with the dad every day as a companion... And a volunteer fell in love with Yukon, adopting him!  So all three of our little boys found awesome homes this weekend!  Congratulations to all three!


 

Introducing Brownie!

This little girl is a prime example of what happens to these little Chihuahuas when they end up in the shelter... Difficulty in transitioning from a home environment to a kennel situation, they retreat into themselves to survive... They appear unfriendly, don't bounce to the front of the kennel to meet every person that passes by and slowly their time runs out...

I was undecided about pulling this little one out of the shelter... Nothing distinguishing about her looks in particular, she had a strong look of fear on her face... She's a little bit overweight - uncommon for shelter dogs - but in just a few seconds of interacting with her in the meeting yard, I just couldn't leave her behind to die...

Within an hour of arrival at our home as a foster, she melted into the pack and began to follow us around the house... Brownie is a MAJOR cuddler and love bug... She snuggles up with you on the couch and despite having such little legs, will follow you constantly around the house as you go about your daily routine... If she can't get up on your lap, she finds a doggie bed or blankee close by your feet to snuggle into, but just until you get up to do something - then she's 'click-click-click' behind you as fast as she can go!!!

We don't know how old Brownie is, but I'm sure the vet will give me a guess today at her check-up... Brownie is up-to-date on all of her shots including rabies, spayed, licensed for the County of Ventura, micro-chipped and has a 1-year subscription for IDTag.com - we transfer all over to the new owner during the adoption process.

What a little sweetie this one is!  While I'd love to be able to tell you her backstory, the shelter was not able to enlighten us any further than she was picked up as a stray and no one came to claim her... Her time was rapidly running out and we felt she had so much potential, we were willing to take a chance on her... She immediately blossomed once she arrived back into a home environment, so we made the right decision in getting her out of the shelter!!!



Friday, November 6, 2009

Where in the world is Yukon?

Every time Yukon picks this particular blankee to lay on, I am always reminded of that "Where in the world is Waldo?" visual:


There's our Yukon!

 


Poor little guy!  We had his dental done yesterday and they had to remove 13 teeth (OMG~!!!)... Just poor care by a previous owner... Sigh... But now he'll be able to eat better and hopefully pick up a bit of weight - at least half a pound for he's only 4 lbs and 2 oz... And really should be right at 5 pounds... 

Dogs only have 32 adult teeth and he probably had already lost a few, so he'll need to be on soft food the rest of his life... Even kibble will need to be made soft by a bit of hot water, but this is easy enough to do... Otherwise, he's gotten a clean bill of health now and everyone fell in love with him at the vet's office! 

"America's Favorite Shelter" Contest

Care2 has announced a contest for "America's Favorite Shelter"... For sure, Best Friends is going to win this (and they should for they do a TON of great stuff for no-chance dogs!), but if you'd like to vote for TLC, here is the link that will allow you to!  Thank-you for voting for us!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Kisses from Lobo...

Lobo's another one of this HITW dogs we found at the shelter... He's very friendly, easy-going, well mannered,  house-trained and young (1-2 years old)... What more could you ask for???  He can easily go from being a lap dog to catching a ball, handing out kisses all along... His photo here was right after we'd just enjoyed a game of catch, so his poor tongue is hanging out!


Lobo is about 6 pounds and could stand to gain another pound... Maybe lean times and the economy is the reason he ended up in a shelter, for his coat shows a lack of good, nutritional food for a bit of time... Won't take long to get it back in shape as he gains weight at his foster mom's home... 


Lobo is up-to-date on his shots including rabies, was just neutered and is micro-chipped.  In addition, TLC dogs are registered for one year in the IDTag.com program as part of the adoption process and licensed for the County of Ventura.










Introducing Sammy...

Sammy is another one of those HITW dogs... (how in the world??)... As in 'how in the world' did this dog end up in the shelter???... Granted, he's much bigger than the AKC standard for a longhaired Chihuahua at 10 pounds, but he couldn't be a more loving and well mannered dog if he tried!

And his coat?  It is to die for... If you are attracted to silk and tactile feelings, this is the dog for you... His coat is not thick like Ginger's, but instead feels like baby's hair and you can't help but want to pet, and pet, and pet him!... If he's on your lap, he immediately will concave into your chest and snuggle underneath your chin, handing out kisses like there is no tomorrow...  

I sincerely believe shelter dogs have an 'attitude for gratitude' unlike any other... Maybe because they have experienced just how bad life can get, when they find a great home, they appreciate it much more... Dunno, but Sammy almost immediately fell in with our routine around here like he'd been a member of our family for years... 


Sammy is definitely a submissive dog without the Chi persona this breed is commonly known for... Those that love the Longhaired version of the Chihuahua breed will tell you there is a big difference between the longhair and the shorthair version most people think of when you say 'Chihuahua'... Whatever was bred into them long ago to get that beautiful long coat somehow toned down their attitude and demeanor... 


Sammy would be great as a family dog with kids and he is house-trained, although not doggie door trained yet... Sammy is about one year old, he's neutered, up-to-date on his shots (including rabies), micro-chipped and is already registered in the IDTag.com program for one year... GREAT DOG!


 

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Yukon... mini Chi of the North!

I snapped this great photo of Yukon while he was sleeping in a doggie bed... What a cutie patootie he is!... Quiet and low maintenance, he loves having out with the other fosters, watching TV at night with my husband and curling up under the covers at night... He's TINY - purse puppy size in fact... With none of the dominant, barky, snarfy Chihuahua personality... He was quite sick in the shelter, but with a lot of TLC, rest, time and the proper veterinary treatment, he's healthy and put on some weight thankfully!  Even so, Yukon is less than 4 pounds right out of his bath (and he takes them well which is a good thing because the white in his coat is SNOW white)... Great markings, Yukon would make someone a fantastic companion!


 

Friday, October 30, 2009

I ALWAYS lose the battle....

I have an established routine that I follow throughout the week and it seems Bits absolutely loves my laundry day!... I have learned to block her out of the bedroom when I am trying to remake the bed for she thinks it is play time... As I flip out the sheet, she'll grab ahold of the one end and attempt to play 'tug' with me... If I stop and release any tension on it, she immediately loses interest in the edge of the sheet... 

Same thing goes for laundry baskets of freshly washed items... I bring them in from the garage and sit the basket on the recliner so I can fold it... If I get interrupted just for a few seconds, Bits will find her way into the center of those warm clothes and when I come back to fold, I'll find her burrowed underneath them... 

Neither Bits nor Kibbles are UC (undercover Chihuahuas), but they love warm stuff from the dryer for some reason... Bits loves to play with you and them, but Kibbles just likes to curl up...

When Bits first arrived here as my foster, I had a heck of a time trying to catch her even to pet her... She was spooky whereas Kibbles was my best friend from day one... Bits now follows me around the house throughout the day, and if I allow her to get up on the bed when I take my nap, she's become a major 'kissy-face' Chihuahua handing out tons of kisses until you beg for a reprieve!

I am positive the shelter folks were SO wrong on the ages of these two... Bits plays with Nacho constantly and he's just turning 6 months... Nacho always wears out before Bits does, as a matter of fact... She is ALWAYS up for a game of catch, and Kibbles thoroughly enjoys his walks...  He's never ready to stop when I am!  Whew!

If I had to make an educated and experienced guess, I'd put Kibbles' age at 7 and Bits at 5 (if that)... When they both had their dentals done, Kibbles only lost one tooth and Bits none... If they were truly the age the shelter staff guesstimated them to be, they'd both have had more bad teeth to be attended to... 

These two are lovely dogs and would make a great addition to someone's home and lifestyle, especially a couple who are moderately active... They prance like a matched set of ponies on lead and have none of that 'snarfy Chi' personality about them at all... Both are major sweeties and love bugs, just waiting for their furever parents to come and adopt them!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Update on Cody

Sincere and heartfelt thanks go out to everyone in our local communities who have rallied together with prayers and donations for Cody's medical expenses.  You should have received a receipt for your taxes if you've made a donation - if not, please contact us tinylovingcanines@yahoo.com and we'll get it to you right away.  With your support, we were able to cover the vet bills, along with the graciousness and compassion shown by Dr. Friar of Camino Animal Clinic!

Cody has been adopted by the volunteer who found him that horrible night, and we wish them both a long and happy life together!

Thank you again for all your support!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Ruby-ba-too-dee...

Ruby was listed by the shelter as a "Chihuahua mix" officially, but it seems that any dog that is small and has pointed ears is listed as a Chihuahua.  Ruby probably is a Manchester Terrier mix with maybe some Doxie mixed in along the way... She's a 'low-rider' at about 13-15 pounds, black and tan and 2 years old.

Dumped at the shelter by the owners who were 'getting out of the puppy business,' Ruby had a severe case of mastitis.  She's fully recovered now, has been spayed, micro-chipped, up-to-date on her shots (including rabies) and is licensed for the County of Ventura.

Ruby is a moderate to high-energy dog and needs a home where she can run and play.  Active, Ruby is not going to do well if someone is interested in a 'couch-potato' or 'cuddly-bunny' kind of dog.  Although we don't have cats to test her with, she seems to do well with children.  A bit 'standoff-ish' at first, she warms up quickly and gets along well with other dogs.

If you're interested in adopting Ruby, please download the adoption application and fax it to 805-578-2604.



 

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Rosey's pups...

We've named them Amber, Angie, Barney and Bootsy... Each is as different as night to day (and then some!)...  :)



















Two are long hairs and two are short hairs (one in each gender)...

Amber is the smaller of the two long hairs and Bootsy is the largest pup in the litter of four...

Angie has a black herringbone coat and seems to be the quietest one in the bunch right now whereas Barney is the first to investigate and explore... 


















Not to say that Amber isn't curious, but it seems that Bootsy becomes most active when there is food present - then he's interested in what's going on!  (smile)...   He's the first to arrive at the food bowl and the last to leave!

Barney is the most comical to watch overall... We have an eight-legged octopus dog toy hanging from the side of the Xpen, and he sits and looks at that - almost as if he's trying to figure out can he use it somehow as a 'ladder'... Maybe I should have called him 'Jack' instead of Barney (i.e. Jack and the Beanstalk) but he sure does look like a Barney to me!

Interestingly enough, Barney and Angie tend to sleep together while Bootsy and Amber tend to cuddle up together... Of course, with shelter dogs you never know who the father is and there could be multiple fathers to every litter, but it sure is an interesting observation!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Sweater, Scooby-style....


And not to be left out, Scooby sports a grey cable-knit sweater as well! 

Sweater time - Kelly

Kelly might be 'rushing the season' with her red sweater and green collar, but she's nice and warm for sure!


 

Sunshine - BRRR.... It's T-shirt & sweater time!

With the onslaught of fall and the cooler nights, it is T-shirt and sweater time around here... Thankfully most of those with short-haired coats don't mind wearing a T-shirt or sweater!  Isn't Sunshine dashing in her polka dots???



Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Here is VIDEO of Cody at Oktoberfest

We spent this past Sunday afternoon at Oktoberfest in Moopark which is held every year at Underwood Farms (a very dog friendly establishment by the way). We arrived about 2:30pm and were there about 3 hours with our own dogs and Cody of course! He enjoyed all the smells, people, food, and exploring of the pumpkin patch. As you will see in the video, we pushed him in a doggy stroller for part of the day in order to prevent him from overdoing his leg muscles, but he definitely let us know when he wanted to get out and walk and did a great job! After all the excitement, he slept from the minute we got home until the morning!

The video is a bit shaky as I was walking and taping at the same time, so I apologize for that! Still learning!!!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Monday, September 28, 2009

Are dogs like humans? (Kelly)



Anthropomorphism ~~~ or the tendency to impose human traits upon non-human things... Dog owners are often told not to anthropomorphize their pets... As 65+% of dog owners view themselves as a dad or mom to their dogs, this is a hard thing to do...

I believe dogs are greatly affected by things around them... And despite what the 'experts' say, I do believe dogs have a great depth of feelings - maybe not to the same length as humans do, but I do believe dogs can 'feel' feelings... I do know that after a bath, our dogs seem a bit edgy until they're dried off and their collars are put back on... To me, that is feeling something, even if it is a bit edgy...

And because dogs have a forty times greater sense of smell than we humans do, I always try and replace any collar a shelter dog has worn... I might be wrong on this position, but I feel that bad experiences can be tied to smells for dogs... So if they had a bad past, I get the sense a new collar without the smells connected to their past goes a very long way in bringing an abused or neglected dog back into balance... Enough of what I think about things and onto another photo!!! :)

I replaced Kelly's collar over the weekend and although she is a already a unique color (Chocolate Chi with amber eyes -- not a usual Chi coloring), I decided to do something truly unique and special for her... I hand-beaded her name onto the new collar...

Call me crazy but once we put this new collar on her, we had a difficult time toning down her excitement just to take these photos! A new pair of shoes or purse for a woman can cause the same kind of excitement, so why not a dog???

Friday, September 25, 2009

Here is VIDEO of Cody's 1st Hydrotherapy session!

His next session is next Tuesday, September 29, 2009 so stay tuned as he gets used to what he needs to do in the water tank and builds his strength in his legs!!!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Update on Abby....

We've gotten a second opinion with another vet whose focus is on skin issues... So many things have been ruled out already - mites, Demodex, Sarcoptic mange, fleas, bacteria, etc. so now we're going to even more rarer causes of hair loss... Abby is getting a bath twice a week now with medicated shampoo in the event it is some kind of fungal thing going on, plus twice a day there are medicated wipes we are using on her... We're running out of reasons for this hair loss that can explain it all medically, but some long-term tests were done and we'll see if any valid results come back... But in the meantime, this is preventative measures more than a known and validated form of treatment...

Abby has been spayed and that didn't set this back any, so it shouldn't be an auto-immune thing... In fact, her hair is starting to grow back in now and she's got peach fuzz across the crown of her brow...

Abby would do best with someone who wants to baby her and have her as only a solo dog... She prefers the company of either humans or older dogs that don't like to play and/or are high energy... I'm sure that bald head hurts without a coat of fur covering it, so I suspect this is why she doesn't care for other puppies or young dogs that like to play... Abby is TINY and from the looks of things, Abby will stay very TINY... An adoptive home with small children is just not a good option for her but otherwise, she should do fine!

Time out for Reggie...

Time out for Reggie means he's been TOO energetic for too long and we use the crate as a training tool... He's such a HIGH energy dog that you have to have something to lower that energy level - otherwise he'll play ALL day long and night, wearing you (and everyone else) out!... ;)

He's accepted the crate now for sleeping at night, but he'll still 'back-talk' to me if it is a time-out during the day... With time and consistency, everyone learns the rules around here... I've broken him of the 'wet willie' behavior he had when he came here (THANK GOD~!!!), but he'll still prefer to climb up onto your shoulders whenever possible... His previous owner must have been OK with this and used him as a pillow (??) when watching TV and sitting down, but I keep working on this behavior or else I spend the time with my chin on my chest and straining to see the TV!

Reggie is highly motivated with food and rewards, and with his energy level, he'd make a great agility dog... I know you seldom see Chihuahuas competing in this sport, but I do believe he has the potential to be great at it... He's fast too, so if I were a jogger, I'm sure he'd enjoy this as well...

Reggie will never be a couch potato --- at least not for years --- so he'd make a great companion for someone who is frequently on the go and active.

More progress for Scooby!

Scooby is now waiting each night to go to bed with us... He prefers to sleep in a doggie bed on the floor unless he sees an opportunity to climb into bed once my husband is asleep...

And he's also learned it is OK to play 'touch foster football' on the bed later as well... I do a play bow, he follows suit... I can't always touch him immediately, but he will come and kiss my hands once I've initiated the playing...

At night? Scooby is now coming up onto the couch and while he won't sit in my lap, he'll crawl across it to a cushy pillow that sits on the side of the couch... For a dog that had given up on humans, Scooby has made AMAZING progress!

Ginger - "Just what kind of dog is she???"

At adoptions, we frequently get asked what kind of dog Ginger is because most folks are not familiar with the Longhaired version of the Chihuahua... And she's a bit bigger in weight than a Chi, so it probably is a natural question to ask... Some take her for a Papillion.... Others for a Pom/Chi mix... And truthfully, who really knows when it is a shelter dog... Bottom line is the personality and behaviors to me and not the appearances of any dog... If they're friendly (toward humans and other dogs), learn how to go potty outside quickly and use the doggie door, I'm a happy camper... While Ginger didn't initially care for the weekly baths in the sink, she's learned it is a 'necessary evil' around here... ...

Ginger is fully ready to go now... Her bum has healed up nicely, she's now housetrained, micro-chipped, up-to-date on her shots (including rabies) and licensed for the County of Ventura... Ginger would make a great therapy dog for someone so inclined to do so... She will bark at everyone initially, but wagging her tail, she'll gladly accept pats on the head...

Ginger will start out sleeping at the side of my bed on a doggie bed, but once we're asleep, she'll sneak up the doggie steps and climb into bed with us!... While she's not an UC (undercover) Chi because of the great coat she has, Ginger definitely enjoys the finer things of life (sunbathing in the mornings, curled up on a cushy pillow or doggie bed in the afternoon and sitting on the couch at night watching TV with someone around here)... I swear - when I come back again, I want to come back as one of my own dogs or fosters!

Monday, September 21, 2009

Cody - Am I getting overtime here or what??!

Cody and I have been putting in some long hours to make up for all the time we missed here at work during the first 2 weeks of his medical treatment, so Friday he was demanding overtime pay! I think he FULLY deserves it as he is the best assistant I could ever ask for...

We talked it over and reached an agreement after a long heart-to-heart discussion - he would take a nap until I was done working and I promised him some special surprise treats as soon as we got home. He
reluctantly accepted my offer and I covered his little eyes for his nap...

After I covered his little eyes, he took a nap until I rudely woke him up when it was time to leave. Mr. Cody had a YUMMY hot dog later on. He had never had one of those before so it was REALLY special!!! We had a wonderful weekend and Cody is now preparing for his 1st hydrotherapy session this Thursday morning. I will be video taping his session and putting the video up here on his blog for all to see, so keep posted!