Coco...

Coco is walking much better on a harness and lead now... She also enjoys doing a bit of running when on a walk (I wear out faster than she does!)... She's still a bit shy of men though... And is wary of men we happen upon during our walks...



Coco would probably be EXCELLENT at flyball for she loves to catch balls for me and usually brings them back... I only have to say her name once and she comes right away... She's like a billy goat - unbelievably agile and quite a jumper as well...

No matter where I am, she's right there... She has become very attached to me, almost as if she's got all this love stored up inside, ya know?... During our naps, she snuggles in near my head and really loves when I stroke her head and underneath her chin... Then she'll relax and sprawl out as if to say she wants her belly stroked too...

She's such a loving and sweet dog - it's a shame somewhere along the way someone hurt her... It'll take some time for her to trust men again but we continue to work on it... I have yet to raise my voice to her - she's that receptive to your moods and what you want from her... Coco is always watching your expressions and body language, looking for clues... She just can't do enough to please you and asks nothing more than to be loved... She will make someone a great companion and friend!

Gizmo can hold his own with Nacho!

Gizmo and Nacho played outside on the patio again this afternoon when it warmed up... I put two Nylabones in their playpen - one flavored with bacon and the other with chicken (readily available at any petshop)... With both cutting teeth, they're forever trying to chew on something, so I try to provide them with something to help the endeavor.

Gizmo decided he wanted the bone that Nacho had, but Nacho didn't want to give it up. A few select growls were to no avail.

Gizmo sat and looked at the situation, and then he came up behind Nacho and nipped him on the butt. This caused Nacho to drop his Nylabone when he looked around.

Gizmo has this springy thingie going on and he can fly straight up like a grasshopper (from a standing position), so he did his 'gizmo spring' and landed in front of Nacho, grabbed the Nylabone and took off for the other end of the playpen!

Nacho's looking around behind him, searching for his bone, looking behind himself again and he had this totally confused look on his face... "I KNOW I just had my bone RIGHT here... WHERE DID IT GO?"... I laughed until the tears ran down my face~!!!...

Gizmo's totally content with his piglet butt facing Nacho, gnawing away on that Nylabone like nothing at all happened!

Annie... just as sweet as honey!

Annie decided last night that I didn't wash my face well enough... So she proceeded to do it for me! Eventually we both got tired of the face washing, and cuddled in to sleep. Annie couldn't be sweeter if she tried!

She's already learned her name and gets along great with everyone else. Annie engages in routine games of 'catch me if you can' in the backyard with the rest of the crew every afternoon. When she walks, she wags her tail and she is always a happy, happy doggie!



We absolutely love those adorable expressions she has with the one ear up and the other down!

Elvis & Priscilla are in the house...

Elvis and Priscilla are a pair of Chihuahua mix orphans who were probably born on 5/11/09 and were handed over to one of our local shelters (without mom). Currently they are being bottle fed and are doing well.

Elvis has a white chest but otherwise is all black. Priscilla is predominantly black but has white toes on her rear feet. Puppies are not up for adoption until they are 8 weeks old and spayed or neutered under CA law. Because of their small size, they will not be shipped and must be adopted locally.

You can keep up with their progress here on their blog. We are accepting applications on these two (they do not have to be adopted together) - download the adoption application at the website - http://www.tinylovingcanines.org/adoptionapp.htm and fax to (805) 578-2604 to be considered when the puppies are ready for adoption.

Annie's arrival...

This little girl's story just about broke my heart... She had seven 5-week old puppies and was left at the shelter by the backyard breeder... Without her puppies as four had already been sold... For whatever reason the breeders decided to bail her back out (maybe the other three puppies weren't do so well being taken off their mom so early?... Dunno).. Annie had been in the shelter for a week by then, loaded with milk sacks that hung to the floor and became available...

The backyard breeders didn't want to pay for a breeder's permit, nor did they want to pay for the board and care... As for me? I didn't want to see Annie sentenced yet again to the rest of her life being nothing more than a brood mare, being breed for profit, so I was determined to get her out of the shelter!

Annie spent yet another week in the shelter as they waited for the backyard breeders to show proof they were indeed the owners... But apparently they did not (or could not), so Annie came home with me after getting spayed on May 26th... Even in pain from the spay, she was wagging her tail at us the very first night! And she has the cutest expressions on her face with the one ear that flops over and the other that stands upright!



Annie's a dream... A pure dream!

Gizmo's first trip out to the backyard

Today the day was so beautiful and warm, I decided it would be a good time to set up an Xpen and let the puppies play underneath the shade of the umbrella on the patio... Both Nacho and Gizmo had a blast out there, but as hard as I tried taking photos, it was a toughie~!!!

Gizmo is certainly the little grasshopper as he jumps straight up and does this over and over again as he plays! These are not the best photos, but the best I could get with his heightened level of activity!





And I was able to get a closer photo of that front right foot... He uses it just like he uses the left foot and it does not slow this little goober down one bit! He holds his own with Nacho, that's for sure!

Sunshine - it turned out to be a good name!

Sunshine is definitely starting to 'blossom' now... Last night she crawled into bed with us and is an 'undercover Chihuahua' apparently... Thankfully she does not snore!

This morning she enjoyed sitting out on the Chi futon by the pool, sunbathing...



Although she's a few ounces underweight, her coat is like silk... And as the sunlight hits it, you can see blonde hairs intermingled in her coat - almost like sunbeams as the light hits it... I think I picked a pretty appropriate name for this little one!

And she's faithful about using the doggie door to go potty as well... She's eating well for me, so I expect she'll readily pick up the few ounces she needs soon enough...

Sunshine has been giving me kisses left and right today too!... When I sit down, she begs to be picked up and curls up for a snooze... Wherever I go, she is now following me around the house... She's not barky either, so she will make someone a great addition to their family!

Snuggle bunnies...

Nacho and Gizmo have become the best of buds and major snuggle bunnies... I snapped this photo of them this morning as they were sleeping, nose to nose, in a doggie bed...



Nacho's probably a longhaired Chihuahua, but he's only three weeks older than Gizmo... Without all that rabbit-like hair, there is not that much difference in size... Nacho has already started potty training and 'runs with the big dawgs' out back... Gizmo is watching what Nacho does, so he's already learning what is expected of him by watching his older 'brother,' Nacho... LOL...

Today was Gizmo's first trip out into the big world of the backyard, but I kept him in an Xpen for his safety... Nacho showed him what you do in the backyard in an Xpen, but Gizmo spent a LOT of time just looking around, listening to the sounds and taking it all in... He got fascinated by watching a bright yellow rose bush and I kept checking to see if there was a lizard there that had caught his attention... I think he was just intrigued by all those yellow roses!

Squeeks' Dog Age results

Have you tried out the website Dog Age?

According to them, Squeeks's DogAge is 28.3! That's 3.7 years younger than the average DogAge for Squeeks's breed.

Squeeks is now an 'it'...

Squeeks (or Squeakers as we've been calling him) was neutered today and it all went well... He was up and about, ready to go when I arrived to pick him up... The vet believes Squeakers is about 5 years old, his teeth look great and they just couldn't get over how outgoing and friendly he is, especially after hearing Squeakers' back story! Someone at the vet's office told me Squeakers changed his mind about the rep this breed has... Previously he didn't like Chihuahuas at all, believing they were just 'yappy rat dogs' as he said... And I'm a proud foster mom, so I took the compliment graciously!

To celebrate, I took Squeakers to PetSmart today for a new collar, harness and lead... He walks like a pro on lead, by the way!... Head up, proud and majestic, Squeakers is not a puller on lead and thoroughly enjoyed the stop on the way home to go shopping... He patiently allowed me to try on several collars until I found one that set off his coat... I ONLY wish other fosters liked going shopping this much! ... At one point, he's wagging his tail at me while I've tried on about the 10th collar to make sure it not only looked great, but fit as well! What a sweetie he is!

Cuddle bunny Mouser

Mouser plays non-stop with Max and Chloe throughout the day, but when it is time to go to sleep?... He'll wait until the spot underneath my chin and on my chest is available... It is not uncommon to find him curled up underneath my chin with his head laying across my neck when we settle in for the night to sleep...

TV time?... He's in my lap - sometimes underneath the blankee, sometimes above... Wherever you are throughout the day, he follows you simply because he wants to know what is going on!...

Mouser wants to be the center of attention whenever affection is handed out... And if he's not?... He'll bark at you (yes, we're working on that!)... However, Mouser is VERY smart and rapidly learns new commands with ease... It took only 3 tries for him to understand what the word 'sit' meant... The 'long stay' is still tough for him, but he's still a puppy and just too anxious to stay for too long... LOL...

And he walks on lead like a champ!... He loves going for walks in fact and is fascinated with the world around him... Mouser travels exceptionally well also and 'wanna take a ride?' sends him scurrying to the halter and leads in a split second... Those eyes are always taking in anything and everything going on... Whether it is on a walk or looking out the windows in the truck...

He has no bad habits, other than still be a puppy and all the energy that brings to the table... Anyone that sees him asks if he is a MinPin because of his coloring, so for sure between the ears and the coloring, Mouser will always be the center of attention - and that suits him JUST fine! (smile)... He's a VERY sweet and attentive dog and will make someone an awesome pet!!!

Squeeks is a dream...

I am awestruck with how sweet Squeeks is... He integrated himself around here so easily, you'd think he'd been here for months or years... Normally before I take on a foster, I like to get some first hand experience with them to make sure they will not upset the serenity of the pack around here... With Squeeks, we took him in, sight unseen and no clue as to his temperament...

He is comfortable enough (now) to stretch out on the doggie's lounger in front of the TV stand... He does like blankees though and will curl up inside them with just his head sticking out...

I noticed he took one of those nice, LONG naps yesterday afternoon, stretched WAY out and heard a few of those deep, deep sighs... Like, "It's OK... nobody is going to hurt me now... I can sleep in peace here for as long as I want to..."... Once I see a foster sleep out in the open like that (instead of in a kennel or crate), I get the sense they know their place in the pack and the pack has accepted them...

Whenever my husband left to go in the garage yesterday, Squeeks would hang by the door waiting for his return!... We were in and out of the house, doing chores and getting ready for next week's yard sale to benefit TLC...

But once Paul finally sat down for the evening??? Squeeks was RIGHT there aside of him on the couch~~~!!!... "OK, Dad... it's about time you sat down to relax... Come sit down here aside of me and I'll lay my head on your lap... Do you need a little TLC?... Well, that's right up my alley... Come, let's cuddle a bit... Hmmmm... Can I sit on your lap? Would ya mind?... Ah, that's nice... All is right in my world again... "... LOL...

MAJOR step forward for Chloe...

We've had a busy weekend so far, cleaning out the garage and getting ready for next week's yard sale to benefit TLC... We are taking advantage of this three day weekend to get everything done... We've been going in and out of the house carrying things, moving stuff around, etc... It has been a BUSY past three days...

Last night I sat down to watch a movie (and collapse~!!!)... Without warning or encouragement, Chloe jumped up onto the couch with us! My husband and I just sat there watching, not attempting to touch her and she sat down, then started playing with Nacho... And continued to do so... When the movie ended, I cautioned my husband to get up slowly from the couch and again, she didn't do that 'fear flight to anywhere'... This is some MAJOR progress for Chloe...

Normally, Chloe has been coming into the family room when I sit down to watch TV... There's a kennel on the floor to my left that has a plushy blankee in it just for her... She's content to be with us, but in that secure 'den-like' kennel by our feet... Chloe doesn't want to be left out of the action, but just hasn't trusted any of us to be within touching distance...

Rehabilitation is such a time-consuming passion... You SO much want to hold and cuddle, show them it is OK to trust again, but if you move too fast (or in the wrong way), you just keep making steps backwards and not enough forwards... If you're doing it right, they seem to make these major 'leaps of faith' without warning - but on their time line and not yours... So it is VERY hard to not respond in kind to their leap, but just enjoy and 'engulf yourself' in their leap...

Chloe's been taking goodies from my hand for quite some time now... She's got that Merkat stance that gets her 'head and tails' above the others when cookies are being handed out... In time, I'm sure I can teach her the 'walk, walk, walk' command because she's so good standing up on her hind legs...

She's completely potty-trained now, going out the doggie door when she needs to go potty... She comes inside now on command, even if I'm standing there by the door and no longer afraid... She also knows her name, "let's take a nap" (my command to let them know we're going to bed), and the other usual commands ('no', 'ssssstTT', quiet, etc.) although I seldom have to ever use the 'quiet' command with Chloe... She's just not a barker at all...

So far, the only bad habit I've seen in Chloe is her propensity to dig up new flowers I've planted!... LOL... She has now 'gifted' me three times with this one plant on the end of the flower bed she particularly likes... Otherwise, she spends her day running and playing with Max, Mouser and now Nacho...

I can pet her and cuddle her if I'm laying down, but yesterday I was sitting upright and was able to pet her on the couch... So with yesterday evening's new behavior?... She is 'right there'... It won't be long now that she'll lose that perpetual fear of being touched without freezing in place like a statue...

I'm SO proud of her!

"Little Grasshopper"... Gizmo

Gizmo does this 'little grasshopper' thingie... Or maybe it is more like how a newborn fawn reacts once they figure out how to use their legs... It's like a spring straight up and jump... Landing, then doing it again several times... It is quite comical to watch, almost like he lands on hot coals and has to quick jump again...

We had a visitor to the house yesterday and like me, the visitor was shocked once he was able to cuddle and feel Gizmo's coat... It is incredibly soft like a baby's butt... You're not expecting it to be that soft when you look at Gizmo... And then you just want to stroke and pet him, especially that little piglet's butt!

Gizmo readily hands out kisses but he's not much of a cuddler right now... He's just TOO busy exploring and moving around like most puppies do... Gracious, is he tiny!... If I cup my two hands together and hold him, nothing is hanging over the sides!

Throughout the day, I would put Gizmo and Nacho together for mini play times... They'd play, play, play and when Gizmo got tried, he'd cry and want back in with Sunshine... Despite what I heard at the shelter, I'm not so sure Sunshine is his mother... She's certainly not overly loving towards him like most moms are... But he's bonded to her even if she is not his mom... Especially when he's ready to take a nap or sleep... We're going to extend the times Gizmo spends with Nacho until eventually Gizmo and Nacho are together all the time so we can intergrate Sunshine and start working more with her...

Gizmo is just so precious, he makes you melt... It's not just his petite size, but the way he looks at you... And that little butt? It's to die for!

Squeeks is in the house....

This little fella has traveled over 250 miles in two days with the networking of at least six different rescuers as we've unraveled his story... His name is "Squeeks" and was named by an animal control worker up north... Cute, but maybe not appropriate to his nature, we're leaving his name alone for now... :)

This little guy has been through enough...

Found in a rural agricultural part of Northern California, Squeeks ended up in a 'facility'... I'm told we should not call it an actual shelter... The one paid employee came on Wednesdays and Fridays to euthanize dogs when there was not enough room - otherwise, a few volunteers came into water and feed the dogs, then leave...

The 'Canine Great Escape' occurred and a few dogs got out - Squeeks and a few others - those that remained close enough to the facility as a food source hung out together in a neighboring orchard... Apparently Squeeks 'buddied up' with a few Pitbulls and somehow they all survived... Dogs are amazing creatures - every day of my life I am dumbfounded by their survival instincts...

Although Squeeks is about 5 pounds soaking wet, it was apparent that at least he and his two Pitty buds were inseparable... This bond actually did them all in, for when one Pitty was caught, that bond allowed all of them to be caught in time... A Pitbull rescue was called about the two Pits, but they then put out the call for help in saving Squeeks... Eventually TLC got contacted and we said we'd take him in as a rescue...

At first glance when he arrived, I thought he was an old dog from his coloring, but looking closer it doesn't appear that he is old at all, but in fact a young dog... I don't even think it is premature grey, but part of his coloring... Some parts of his coat are a deep copper color when the sunlight hits it (especially his chest), but at a passing glance, you'd say he's a black Chihuahua...

He was filthy when he arrived here yesterday, so once introductions with everyone were done through the safety of an Xpen, into the sink he went for a MUCH needed bath!... PHEUEE!!... Squeeks' coat, once washed, has that deep rich black gloss ot it (similar to Bella's, an already placed TLC dog, Nacho's mom)... Squeeks is definitely underweight, but surprisingly has a very silky coat, so he must have been deeply loved by someone before in his lifetime and has just gone through some recent very hard times... He acted like he hadn't eaten in quite some time yesterday, but we have to build his weight back up slowly right now...

Surprisingly, he is extraordinarily friendly to both humans and dogs alike... He's not submissive (as in prostrating himself when approached by another dog), but he doesn't have that usual lack of self-esteem either... He's an observer and spent most of the hour trip home yesterday on my lap, looking out the window... Squeeks is interested in what is going on around him, sometimes he joins in and at other times, he just wants to watch... Very relaxed attitude and personality for all that he has been through in his lifetime already... He has EXCELLENT canine manners, and handled my alpha without challenging her --- clear down to the baby, who he allowed to 'fake-charge' yesterday with the tolerance of a saint...

No wonder he had no problems hanging out with Pitties on the loose!

Squeeks has taken a particular liking to my husband already and sat most of last night on the couch with his head on my husband's thigh asleep...

I was told he's already done a few of those deep, deep sighs that come from their extremities and soul... Many rescue dogs do this eventually - almost as if they finally realize the craziness of their lives have ceased for now... There will be good food, peaceful surroundings and no one to hurt them again, so their heightened sense of alarm and alertness can take a break and relax back down to just being a normal dog... They do some really deep and sound sleeps once they get to this point, and it is (for us) a tell-tale sign that clues us into their eventual personality... A dog that cannot realize when the crisis is over, seldom moves onto furever homes without difficulty...

Today we get up-to-date on shots including rabies, plus we'll have him scanned for a microchip just to make sure, and if there is not one, then have one done as well as get licensed... Monday, a follow-up visit with my vet to check things out and see if she can put an exact age on him... By the looks of his teeth to my non-professional eye, I'm calling him 'young' for now, but will update his information if I hear otherwise... On Tuesday, Squeeks will be taken in to be neutered, but the males bounce back almost the same day from the procedure...

Sweet personality... I was afraid after hearing he'd been around fighting pitties, he'd been the bait dog, but I'm told by the rescuers before me that Squeeks was the alpha in the feral pack... Then expecting to have problems here with my pack and alpha because of his past history, it was a pleasure to see him integrate so well with everyone on the spot!

This morning I found him asleep on the couch, curled up and peaceful... When he heard me, he lifted his head and wagged his tail, sighed and then went back to sleep... A little while later, he got up and immediately went out to use the doggie door, then returned to see 'what was happening'... LOL... I suspect he is looking for my husband who is a late riser on the weekends... Stopped by the kibble bowl and then took a drink, checked out where everyone is sleeping and then hopped back up on the couch for the rest of the household to wake up... I was pleasantly surprised Squeeks appraised the situation and realized there was no reason to get up so early on a Sunday!

If only our butts were this cute!

Last night I put the newbies' Xpen aside of the puppy Xpen where Nacho stays (when I can't have ALL FOUR eyes of my eyes fastened on him... smile...) and they introduced themselves to each other...

This morning, Gizmo moved over into Nacho's "digs" for a visit, and at breakfast, I quick snapped this photo of that cute little Gizmo butt... it's like a little piglet's butt!!!... Oh my goodness... How cute, huh?



So for the rest of the morning after breakfast, Nacho and Gizmo have been playing and rough-housing with each other, using the table leg as a 'limbo bar'...



There is only three weeks differences in age, but Nacho is EXTREMELY fluffy with fur similar to a rabbit's, so it's hard to see they are almost the same size and weight...



Gizmo's fur reminds me of a deer's whereas Nacho's is like a rabbit's... But they are both pure puppies, enjoying their playtime this morning:

Max, the sleeeeeeppppyyy boy!

(smile)... I've never seen such a slow-waking Chihuahua before in my life!... Usually they spring up and are ready to go in a second's notice, but not Maxie Boy!... In the mornings, he dallies as we climb out of bed - much more content to stay underneath the covers...

When he finally does decide to get up and go potty, he's got to STRETTTTCHHHH and STRETCH, yawn, stretch some more and THEN maybe he is finally ready to get up! He has an adorable sleepy look so I kept trying to capture it on the camera without much luck... Yesterday morning I was successful and it is indeed as precious as can be!... That little pink nose of his and those freckles make you just want to pinch his cheeks like your grandmother did to you as a child, huh?



After he is up, about and awake, the tips of his ears spring up like upside down ice cream cones, but it's a sure sign he just woke up - whether it is from an afternoon snooze on the couch, sunbathing in the mornings in the backyard on the patio or first thing in the morning!

Mom and son have arrived... Sunshine & Gizmo

I don't know very much about these two little ones yet - they just arrived yesterday... I am sure as time goes along, I'll be adding a lot more information to their blogs, but for now, this is their back story...

Apparently they were part of a backyard breeder's 'stock' and the mom ended up in the shelter system... With no proof of ownership besides bringing in the son, they were unable to establish themselves as owners and both mom and son ended up in the shelter system...

I've named the mom "Sunshine" because she needs some rays of sunlight to permeate her life now... Being a breeder like this is a horrible existence for a little dog, especially the Chihuahuas because they are such a 'one-person' kind of breed... Without that consistent human contact and socialization, they develop into that 'nasty, snarfy, yappy little rat dog' they have the reputation of becoming...

Sunshine was spayed yesterday and today she's not feeling very good, so I'm not even attempting to pick her up to gauge her temperament... She's tiny (5 lbs, 4 oz), and has already been micro-chipped, up to date on her shots, including rabies and will be licensed for Ventura County today... She's very protective of her son (Gizmo) right now, so we will give her the time she needs to settle in, stop feeling the pain from the spay and learn there is no one here that is going to hurt her... She's already starting eating for me (can't resist my home cooking of chicken and rice with veggies~!!!), so that's a good thing!

Her son, Gizmo, is another story... He's already friendly and outgoing, but looking for clues from mom as to what is trustworthy and what is not... Gizmo was neutered yesterday and as he's 8 weeks old, he's a little wobbly this morning on his back legs from the anesthesia yesterday... He too is eating and thoroughly enjoyed his dinner last night and breakfast this morning! Gizmo weighs 2 lbs, 9 oz and has gotten his first series of puppy shots, plus has been micro-chipped already...

Gizmo has an 'out-ty' belly button... The shelter tech thought it might be an umbilical hernia and when he was neutered, I asked that vet to look it and/or repair it if need be... That vet said it didn't need to be repaired... Gizmo also had one undescended testicle, but that issue was remedied during the neuter... Gizmo's front right foot is not properly formed, but he is walking on it fine... I think (?) he is missing one toe but I haven't handled him yet and can only report what I can actually see... I will have my vet look it closer next week to see if it is something that can be fixed as well as double-checking his belly button at the same visit... The foot is splayed outward, but not like a puppy mill puppy's usually is...

And finally, Gizmo has no tail... I'm not sure what happened there, but he has just a stub like a Boxer would after being docked... He wiggles it, but in turn, his entire butt wiggles at the same time... We named him Gizmo because of those ears of his... I'm sure he'll eventually grow into them, but for now, he reminds us of either Gizmo or Yoda, so Gizmo it was!

Gizmo will 'bunk up' shortly with Nacho in order to give Sunshine some much needed rest to recuperate from the traumas she's been through, plus being spayed... I'll post more information and pictures as I get them!

Nacho - I'm a celebrity and I went to the groomer's!

Mom took me Maggie's yesterday... The twins needed to be groomed... Mom has been rubbing my paws since I was just a baby, in preparation to having regular nail clipping done... Us Chi-wow-wows grow toe nails that are unbelievable... Unlike most dogs, our weight doesn't wear them down while we walk, so Mom tells me, "Nacho, you'd BETTER get used to this NOW so you're not a PITA later..."

WHO ME?... A PITA??? ;)

Maggie thought I was a-DOR-a-BLE!... I gave her a ton of kisses and made her a very happy camper!... It works EVERY time!

I've been going potty with the 'big dawgs' in the backyard and Mom is SO proud of me... There's just one spot in the whole backyard I like, but I run up, do my 'spread eagle' position and just let it rip!... She immediately gets that high pitchy voice and squeals with all of these "GOOD JOB! GOOD JOB, NACHO!"... It is just SO easy to make these humans happy, ya know?

Mom says I'm now a celebrity 'cause she's been gooing and ahhing over a photo she took of me a few weeks ago... She made it into a line of products available for purchase at the TLC CafePress store that you can find HERE


She tells me my photo and 100% of the profits from the sales of these items will help to save more dogs and puppies from the shelters in the Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County shelters... I think I'm pretty darn cute, don't you?... Maybe I should start practicing my 'pawprint signature' for the autograph hounds???

Out and about with Daisy!

On Sat. Daisy was put to the test AGAIN and passed with flying colors! Daisy was out with us ALL DAY on Saturday. We started out taking her with her buddie here at home (Cosmo) to Red Robin at the outdoor mall in Simi.

Being that they allow dogs on the patio at Red Robin, Daisy had her first taste of a turkey burger and LOVED IT! She sat on the floor under the table waiting for her bits and in between bites made sure to sniff around for any other scraps she could find. Very curious and smiling from ear to ear, she and Cosmo enjoyed their turkey burgers and washed their lunch down with some nice cold water. (SPOILED!).

After our lunch we walked the mall for about an hour(great for taking your dogs, most stores are dog friendly and it makes for a very nice afternoon). We stopped at the Apple Store as Daisy seemed to want to wander in there, and she got sooo much attention from the working staff! All the pets and rubs she and Cosmo could imagine! They struck gold! Her and Cosmo took in all the pets, oohs, and ahhs for about 15 minutes and then we were on our way!

After the mall in Simi we went to Home Depot (another store that is happy to have you there with your dog). We put a blanket in the back of the shopping cart and in she and Cosmo went. I thought she would be nervous about the movement of the cart, but AGAIN to my surprise, she got up on her hind legs and was wagging her little tail as we picked out flowers for the yard. Her and Cosmo's noses helped us tremendously!

By the end of our visit at Home Depot, both of these babies were exhausted and ready for air conditioning and bed! Our outing lasted about 4 hours or so and Daisy's progress was very apparent all day. Curious and happy, her rehabilitation has changed her life. In about a month or so, Daisy will be ready to transition into a furever home where she will make a special family VERY HAPPY!

Now Daisy is off of the medication she was on for her leg pain and her leg doesn't seem to be bothering her, still skips when she walks/runs, but she is jumping in and out of the car and on and off of the couch like never before! After talking to the vet about the possibility of surgery on her knee, it was per the vet's suggestion that she not go through that. There is no guarantee that after surgery she will no longer skip and being that she doesn't seem to be in any pain, it was her suggestion that we hold off on that option.

Now that her nerve pain has subsided (which was unrelated to the luxating patella in her knee) her daily walks are increasing and her skipping is lessening. It may be that she has had this nerve pain for so long that she has learned that in order to minimize the pain, she skipped. Time will tell if the skipping subsides or decreases as she realizes that the pain is gone.

The city dawgs! LOL... Max, Mouser & Chloe

The three fosters are like the "Three Chi-usketeers" - Max, Mouser and Chloe... Wherever one is, the other two are and all three will be in trouble together!... ...

They must all be 'city dawgs' for sure!... For Mother's Day, I asked for four NICE tomato plants - must be a throwback to my farm childhood for I love fresh tomatoes during the summer... I know Mouser had never seen a lawn mower before for sure, and Max doesn't like to get too close to that watering wand although everyone lays on the chaise lounge and watches me do it all the time... So everyone watches me while I putter around the backyard (my sanctuary)...

I have a certain spot where I plant the tomatoes each year and it requires horse manure... I do only organic gardening around here because of the dogs, so it stinks to high heaven but it is GREAT for tomatoes... I already had the tomato bed prepared earlier this month, but once the four tomato plants arrived in their bucket, I knew I had to get them in the ground this weekend or they'd die on me from the heat...

The dogs are all used to me watering early every morning and again in the evenings, so no one took much notice when I headed around the house on Sunday morning with the black watering hose... But when I came back to the shed and got the shovel, the Three Chi-usketeers immediately got intrigued about what I was doing..

I'm SURE that was a strong smell as I was digging out holes and turning over that earth that had a base of horse manure... All of them were up in the tomato bed, sniffing like crazy... I'd turn over dirt and they were 'helping' me to dig as well!... LOL...

But once the holes were dug and I had filled them all up with water prior to planting the plants?... The strong must have been really strong because none could refrain from leaning just a bit too close to the edge... The plot of garden has a lot of sand in it as well, so Mouser leaned a bit too close but was leaning aside of Max and BOTH of them ended up in the hole!... The splash and sputtering startled Chloe and she ended up sliding into another one of the four holes!...

Within seconds all three of them were scrambling out, shaking themselves off and as startled as could be!... I thought I'd die laughing at them! What goobers these guys are!

Update on Coco...

I just can't say enough good things about this little sweet girl... She ALWAYS comes when called and loves curling up wherever you sit down... Otherwise? She's content to be close somewhere... Not much for playing with toys but a sweet, SWEET little pup!

I loved that photo of her so much I created a line of products at our CafePress store saying "...anyone can buy a dog but only special people ADOPT"... Those eyes melt me every time she looks at me! 100% of the profits from the CafePress store go towards saving another dog from the shelters...

I got in touch with Coco's previous owner over the weekend... What a sad, sad story... Coco was a breeder's "stock" originally and ended up in a South LA shelter somehow... Sent to a contracted vet by the shelter, she was opened up to do a spay when it was discovered Coco was pregnant, so they just stitched her back up...

The next day the shelter sent her back again to be spayed (the puppies had died in the meantime)... The original owner was called and said he wanted Coco back until he discovered she'd been spayed, then said he didn't want her any more...

Coco's second owner said her stomach was a REAL mess when she adopted her out of the shelter - between all the incisions at a time she was pregnant... This must be why Coco absolutely LOVES belly rubs and she now has a nice, neat and trim tummy!

Her previous owner had Coco for a year and said she got along with the cats, her children and grandchildren but always was a bit nervous around men... Coco keeps an eye on my husband, but he's active in dog rescue too, so Coco will come around to him too... It just takes a bit of time to relearn it is OK to trust again...

Coco's previous owner (#2) volunteered why she ended back up in the shelter... A hospice was built across the street and although there was plenty of foot traffic previously, once the hospice was built with all that increased pedestrian traffic, Coco would bark at people passing by the window when left home alone by herself... The homeowner's association threatened to evit Coco's owner if she didn't get rid of Coco, so back to the shelter she went for the second time...

I don't work outside the home, but I noticed Coco would bark at strange noises initially... Two things I don't allow here is aggression and barking, so I stopped that right quick!... A few "NO BARK" in her direction and by day two, Coco was broken of that bad habit...

Coco is just a real love puppy... I can't adequately explain just how much she wants to be loved, cuddled and held... Not insistently so that becomes annoying, but she follows me throughout the house and today I started getting kisses from her!

She likes my cooking too and as we sat outside in the back yard today, I noticed her coat is getting smoother and silkier already... As I was brushing her with the soft brush, she kept rolling over and stretching out herself so I could do her belly, then her side, then her back... LOL... She's starting to put on a few ounces already and has her favorite 'snooze' spots as well (took Bella's spot on the headboard already!)...

Nacho was trying to chew on her ears this morning and Coco had such an endearing look on her face... "Yeah, I know... he's annoying but he's still a puppy!"... She stood up and Nacho walked right underneath her, then used her body as a 'beach umbrella' to get out of the sun!

What a sweet, sweet dog this is... Seldom am I this lucky with new fosters... I thought I was really lucky with Bella, but Coco is cut from the same bolt of sweetness~!!!

Coco Chanel... easy transition from shelter to home...

Quiet, peaceful night last night... Coco realized we (or at least I do! smile...) watch an hour or two of TV at night with the rest of the family... Everyone gets into 'their spot' either on the couch, on the doggie lounges in front of the TV or onto someone's lap (with or without a blankee, depending upon the 'undercoverness' of the Chi)... She found one of the open, unclaimed spots to my left on a cushy pillow and fell asleep... A few minutes later I heard one of those deep, DEEP sighs and breathes as she stretched out a bit and relaxed into a deep sleep... Wonder how many of those she's had in the past three weeks at the shelter?... Probably not many of those, I'd wager...

Coco Chanel knows the doggie door already, so she's diligent about going outside to go potty... Yet another challenge down... And when I said, "Let's go to bed" she watched everyone else jump up and head down the hallway... I waited a bit for her and she cautiously followed... She grabbed Bella's old spot up on the headboard pillows and settled in - she doesn't snore either! :)...

This morning at 3AM, she was cold so I found a pink T-shirt for her to wear once she came in from going potty... She initially shakes when confronted with a new experience, so I don't think she's worn T-shirts or sweaters before... However, she quickly learned what I want when I said, "Give me your paw" so I could insert it through one of the armholes...



Because she's so underweight right now, I suspect she has a difficult time getting comfortable unless she's laying on a cushy doggie bed or pillow... I home cook for my guys, so she should pick up weight at a good pace and although her coat is not as silky as everyone else has, a home cooked diet with the supplements should help in that regard too with time... She's definately got some of the wire-haired wispy long hairs throughout her coat, but she has an underlying skin of black as well... Interesting coloring when you look closely at it...



What a sweet, sweet little girl this is... How she ended up in the shelter is beyond me... sigh... She's now moved over to the other side of the 'Chihuahua Penthouse' where the morning sun comes in through diffused filters... It is one of the favorite morning spots for everyone to catch their morning naps in (after basking a bit outside on the lounge chairs, catching that first early morning sun)... That's Frito to the right of her, falling asleep while still sitting upright! He is 5 1/2 pounds if that gives you a benchmark to judge the size of Coco Chanel...



What a sweet baby face Coco Chanel has as she is now comfortable and warm this morning!

Introducing Coco Chanel...

(and yes, that truly is her name per the ID tag she was wearing!)... Normally I only rescue Chihuahuas of a certain size for I have a 15-year old Chi who weighs 4 pounds and has dementia - anything too large or of other breeds just harasses Mr. Sweetie too much... But I kept going back to Coco's kennel in the shelter... Those eyes just got to me along with the eyebrows and the whiskers around the snout and chin...



She's two years old, housebroken, up to date on all her shots, spayed, microchipped and licensed for the County of Ventura... And SWEET, SWEET, SWEET...

Coco is a bit underweight at 5 pounds and should really gain a pound or two... And she ate like she'd not been feed for months at lunchtime today... She's been exceptionally sweet and friendly to all of my dogs and fosters, including Nacho with his puppy teeth!... Today she's in 'decompression mode' that a lot of dogs freshly pulled from the shelter go through... They do this deep, DEEP relaxed sleep that we've seen countless times... Like it is OK to curl into a plushy doggie bed and just sleep without all the strange noise, sounds and banging they experience at the shelters...



When we all crawled into bed for our afternoon nap, she nuzzled up to me - almost as if to say 'thank you for saving me'... She'd been in the shelter since the last week of April and because she didn't come forward to the kennel when people approached, I think she was just passed by... On my second visit back to her kennel, she wagged her tail at me and I was just hooked... So I've been watching her and hoping someone would adopt her, but alas, her time started running out so today TLC pulled her...

While she does not have the smooth hair of the Chi, she's not a wirehaired either, but clearly has much more Terrier in her than Chihuahua... That tail never stops wagging, but if it did, you'd see the very tip of it is jet black...



Whoever her owner was, they must have loved her to give her such a sweet name and it fits... Once you start petting her, she rolls over to get a belly rub and her belly is like pure silk...



She'll make someone a great pet for sure!

Mouser becomes a celebrity!

We SO loved this shot of Mouser...



... we added it to the TLC Cafepress store with the caption of "I only have 'ears' for you"... 100% of the profits from the Cafepress store located HERE go to rescue unwanted small dog breeds from the Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County shelters. Your purchase today will save a life tomorrow!

Pet therapy for Mouser

Mouser is so unique looking, full of self esteem and loving, that we decided yesterday to take him with us to pet therapy... And my instincts were right - he did an awesome job at it! I found a few T-shirts that were masculine enough, a new collar, leash and matching harness (preppy argyle)... And off we went!...

BTW, Mouser is extremely dashing in baby blue - it is definitely his color and also loves wearing his new baby blue sweater on chilly mornings!... I need to take a photo of it and post to this blog... Quite a charmer he is, and those ears are to die for!

Max goes to pet therapy for the first time!

Yesterday we took two newbies to pet therapy for the first time... I snapped this photo of Max in his 'go to therapy' attire, lead and harness, but his eyes happened to be closed at the time... It was still SO cute I couldn't resist posting it!

I had a heck of a time locating T-shirts for boys in the small size needed that weren't too 'phu-phu' but I finally manged to locate a few...

Max did EXCELLENT at pet therapy yesterday and will continue to go with us until he is adopted into his furever home... One of the nurses was shocked that he is up for adoption and asked about the adoption process with us... She thought his little pink nose and ears were adorable... She was also amazed that despite his young age, he's completely housebroken and trustworthy now to do pet therapy... The wheelchairs, smells and sounds did not put him off at all... He knew there was goodies to be had and he didn't let the cookie bag out of his sight!

Max is learning the 'high five' and then 'walk, walk, walk' on his hind legs which he GLADLY showed off for the residents in exchange for treats!...

Although he still pulls on the first leg or two around the park, he's so tiny it's an annoying habit but not one we can't untrain him out of... We couple him up with Riley (the puppy mill puppy) who is the BEST WALKER EVER despite all of his issues... Max still tries to pull the 'old man along' (Riley is but 3 years old... LOL) and Riley refuses to move faster than an even pace... Thankfully, Max is a submissive Chi and still SO much puppy that he learns fast and willingly!

He'll make an excellent pet therapy dog for someone who'd like to do this, or a great family pet because of his willingness to please and be loved... He still cracks me up in the positions he sleeps in... When Max is asleep, MAX IS ASLEEP and a slow riser to wake up... In the meantime, he can be turned over onto his back and he'll stay asleep in that position for as long as the pillows prop him up! What a goober!

Daisy - Follow up on her leg

Yesterday was Daisy's follow up appointment with the specialist in at VMSG in Ventura for the nerve pain she was having in her rear left leg. To our pleasant surprise that nerve pain is gone! No wonder she has been jumping on and off the couch so freely in the past couple of weeks! In testing her pain level, Daisy had absolutely no response to the pressure on her nerve unlike the first time when she jumped out of her skin. As it turns out, her nerve pain was secondary to a condition in her knee called a luxating patella. This is a "minor" problem that is fixable through surgery. A luxating patelly is farely common in dogs where the knee pops in and out upon movement (more aggravating than painful). According to the vet, she is not in pain, but probably discomfort when she walks or runs. So all in all, great news for Daisy!

Daisy - Her first meet and greet

This past saturday, Daisy had her first meet and greet and she did very well! Her potential new parents were wonderful, gentle people and she definately sensed it! As you know, Daisy is very playful and happy at the dog park, which is where we all met. It gave her a chance to run around and feel free... Unsure of strangers, Daisy was hesitant, but did let others pet her and hold her a bit. With that awfully cute face and short little legs, it is hard to imagine where she came from and that she is still very hesitant at home.

After spending some time, I decided that Daisy wasn't quite ready emotionally for the transition into her furever home. She has come a LONG way from when she arrived, but I would like to be sure that her transition is a successful one and not traumatizing on her mentally. She has just begun to act "normal" here around the house and I want to solidify that normalcy before placing her so that she does not go back into her shell and unwind her progress. I would say that Daisy should be ready emotionally in about 45 days or so... Sometimes when working with these fearful cases, it is hard to tell when they are ready to take on the transition until you get a feel for how they are with strangers. Although much improved, Daisy gave me all the signs that she is close but not quite there - hopefully her potential adopters can wait! They would be a perfect match for this sensitive little flower :)

Chloe's moving right along....

Chloe has 'buddied up' with Mouser and Max, but she's also taken a liking to the puppies' toys... She's still 'all puppy' in this regard despite being 6 months old or so... Possibly she didn't get to experience what most puppies do in normal environments... Dunno... But she certainly enjoys gnawing on Nyla bones and hard dog toys... (and my flippers on occasion!)...

More than once I've stepped out of bed to find only ONE flipper there, despite leaving TWO when I crawled into bed~!!! ;) She doesn't chew on my flippers --- just takes them and leaves, stashing them in obscure places throughout the house and backyard!... I limp through the house and backyard looking for her latest 'steal' and always find it in a new place!

We've started working on Chloe with the lead and harness... She's not loving the idea but she'll learn the fine art of the walk as all new puppers must... She's now had her stitches taken out from the spay, is fully recovered from that and runs like the wind as she plays with the others, is up to date on shots and will be licensed by this weekend...

Chloe now comes to me on command when I call and wiggles her butt to no end... My fingers even get kisses when she comes, but I am still unable to just reach down and pick her up... She's not overcome that fear yet, but she will...

Chloe sleeps with us at night and if I'm laying down, she'll allow me to go from nose to tail with pets and massages... But the moment I sit up, the fear kicks in again... The only thing I can think of is that she must have been chased a lot by her previous owners... She wants to be HERE, with us, at all times (and has climbed a baby gate to get into the bedroom one night when she dallied behind as I went to bed)... So she's 'there' but not quite yet, if you know what I mean...

Fear takes time to overcome and the dynamics of the pack help fosters with immeasurable results... Even our vet was so impressed with her markings and softness of coat (that's all my home cookin'!!!)... So while Chloe is physically ready to be adopted, she's not yet ready mentally unless someone has the experience in handling fearful dogs... Chloe is not a fear-biter, she's just got fear issues that will take time, compassion and understanding to overcome... She 'freezes' like a statue once she knows she can no longer take flight... Again, this just takes time to overcome, but she is one gorgeous Chihuahua without a doubt!

Mouser - now we know where he gets his name from!

Mouser has made himself right at home here and hangs out with Chloe, Max and occasionally with Frito (depending upon how he's feeling that day)... But when you see Mouser and Chloe together in one photo, you can really tell why Mouser got the name he did!



Chloe has those traditional 'sweetheart' ears of a Chihuahua (the upside down hearts slightly offside of the center of her head), but Mouser's oversized ears stand STRAIGHT UP and almost 99% of the time!

Mouser is frequently taken for a MinPin or Miniature Dobie, but he doesn't have the structure nor size of either breed, so we're staying with our classification of his being a Chi... He certainly has the demeanor of a Chi, not having a clue just how tiny he is and well as the delicate footing most Chihuahuas have... For those Chi lovers who get particular about their breeds, some refer to these markings as "Bandits" because of the mask... You'll see "Black Bandits" and "Brown Bandits" advertised in the ads for breeders selling this breed... But Mouser would be classified as a 'deerhead' as opposed to the highly breed 'applehead' Chihuahuas...

Regardless, Mouser is a real love button and his favorite place to nap is on my chest when I'm laid back in the recliner! :) Thankfully, he weighs nothing so I can breathe! He's still right at 4 pounds and was cleared of the Demodex by the vet, so Mouser will go to be neutered on Thursday (May 14th). After neutered and then licensed, Mouser will be ready for his furever home!

Nacho moves on

Nacho has moved onto another leg of his journey in life as the unofficial mascot of TLC with his own blog HERE.

Bella has a new home - in time for Mother's Day!

I cannot imagine a more suiting occasion for Bella - to receive a new furever home just in time for Mother's Day!... (and as someone's birthday present to boot - what a double header as they say!)...

Bella was/is a GREAT mom and despite all the hardship and trauma she went through, having her litter of puppies and almost dying as she tried to nurse all five, she certainly has my vote for "Canine Mommie of the Year"... I could NOT have wished for a better home for her...

She has a beautiful back yard of her very own to play in and two lovely young girls to grow up with... I am positive they will keep her as busy as she will keep them~~!!!... Bella deserved this family and this is one of those bittersweet moments in rescue for me...

I'd taken Bella to the dog park in the morning as another foster mom was doing a 'meet & greet' with her foster... I 'child-tested' Bella with some of the children there yet again... And midway through, turned Bella off lead and worked her through some of the 'heel', 'watch me' turns, 'come,' etc... Each and EVERY time she responded on command and I couldn't have been more proud of her if I'd have birthed her myself!.. For a pupper that didn't know what a collar, halter or leash was when she arrived here, she did outstanding!

Bella also disliked moving vehicles when she arrived here (who could blame her, having birthed most of that litter in a moving shelter truck?) and she fell asleep in the back seat coming home from the dog park... We had a fairly long drive to her new furever home, and although I gave her the favorite bone she's been working on this week, Bella slept all the way there too!

I had prepared her new furever parents for Bella's hesitation with new people...

Ya know?... You can tell people that "this is a GREAT dog" but when the dog doesn't warm up instantly, I'm sure everyone thinks you're not telling them the truth... But Bella IS a great dog and I will ALWAYS cherish the months she allowed us to share her life as we watched her puppies grow and Bella reverted back to being a puppy again... She was too early of a mother and had too big of a litter, but it has been a sweet, sweet reward watching her run around the backyard with my crew, attempting to catch lizards or geekos (whatever those critters are called!)...

Bella's new mom has that quiet heart that is as big as Montana, and despite that I suspect Bella will form a quick bond with her new dad - he is the one she was most interested in (just as Bella so has loved my husband)... Bella has always been an 'in your lap' kind of dog and after the transition period passes, she'll be loving life with this great family too... I couldn't ask for a better furever home for this precious treasure...

I have to admit (you all know me by now... real to the very last period or exclamation point here)... I started to choke up a bit as I finished up the last of the paperwork... I didn't anticipate that I started to feel as I thought back about the weekend we almost lost her and I wasn't sure I could save her AND all five puppies if we took over hand feeding them...

I thought about those anxious hours as she was in ICU and I worried so many times afterwards in the weeks to follow as we lowered her nursing times with them, the every 4-hour meds, dramatically changed her diet to counteract the calcium depletion and increased the puppies' intake of formula at the same time... Then dropping the calcium intake levels so she wouldn't get too fat, but get healthy again... I really pride myself on turning shelter dogs around, but I don't think I'd ever questioned my abilities like this before... One dog, yes... But a mom and five VERY tiny and young puppies at the same time?... All six needing me so very much - and all at once?... I wasn't so sure I could do this at times...

And as I thought about all of this, all of the feelings just washed over me like a flood from a levee break... I'm usually very good about containing my feelings (at least I hope I do), but although I was extremely happy for Bella, it saddened me that she was moving on...

I'll miss that lump that lays on the top of my pillow and occasionally rolls over and lays her paw on my shoulder in the middle of the night... I will ALWAYS have the memory of the day she took on all five Chihuahuas and beat them each time in a game of 'catch me if you can' in the backyard... I will always be impressed how she could run like that and jump with puppy abandon, no longer having the responsibilities of being a mom too early in life... And I will add to my memories the ones Bella will now have as she has two children of her very own to run, jump and grow up with...

She deserved it for Bella is one very special dog...

And she has a new name too - "LUCY" - for one of the girls in the family has the same name (Isabella - Bella for short)... Guess Lucy will still come when called for awhile when she hears that name... What a great gift this has been for me personally on Mother's Day too... These are the times I am grateful for doing what I do in rescue...

I'll keep you posted if the new family keeps on blogging about Lucy and her great new adventures in life!

Hugs... and Happy Mother's Day to all you moms and dads out there!

Announcing our newest - "MOUSER"

There's just one word to describe Mouse - 'ADORABLE'~!!! Mouser is about 6 months old and 4 pounds. He is one of the most loving, affectionate and friendly little puppers you could care to meet! He's also one of those "HUEUS" dogs - the kind we rescuers find and immediately say to ourselves - "How'd U End Up in the Shelter" kind of dogs... Maybe a victim of the economy, we're not sure.

He is up to date on his shots, micro-chipped and is being neutered prior to adoption. Mouser's ears are at least 2" tall and his name fits him SO well! He gets along well with other dogs, he is VERY interested in what is going on around him as most young puppers are and is only half an undercover dog when he naps... What a find!

Max - I'm just a little goober!

I forget that Max is still a puppy sometimes... He plays hard with the other young dogs around here and then he just crashes like a puppy... Those deep, deep sleeping periods like most young puppies do... And in ALL positions too! Sometimes I find him upside down in the pillows on the couch with all four paws up in the air!.. Boy! That's trust if I ever saw it in a dog or puppy!... And he is ALWAYS the last to come out from underneath the warm covers in our bed each morning too! What a little goober he is!

I think because Max is already house-trained, I forget he is still a puppy... By the way, this is a standard size small dog bed that he's curled up in this morning... You can barely see him inside of it - he is that small and just a peanut!

Chloe comes a-visiting!

I'm amazed at the progress Chloe is making... truly I am! A week ago she arrived here, tail cemented between her legs and head down... Now she sees me and I should have named her "WigglyButt" instead of Chloe~!!!...

This morning she decided to come a-visiting and jumped up onto my desk from the Chihuahua penthouse... It might have been the smell of my Starbucks Frappuccino that intrigued her, but once here, she stopped long enough for me to snap a photo of her... She's already starting to fill out (must be my home cooking~!! smile)...

Next week she gets her stitches removed and by that time, the memories of being a stray and going through the shelter will have faded even more... Dogs are such situational beings... If you provide a serene and safe environment for them, they come back so much quicker than we humans do~!!!

Daisy sports a mohawk!

As she was sitting on the couch tonight, we played with her hair and some different styles, it has grown since her last grooming... She particulary liked the the mohawk look, so here it is for all to see! Being that her pack members are male toy poodles and a male beagle, she is the only girl in the house and gets that special girly treatment!

Chloe - One tired pup!

Chloe has been 'running and a gunning' as they say... She's learned her place in the pack and is showing to be a submissive temperament... As such, she's been spending her day playing with the younger ones around here (especially Frito and Max), but it just wears her out!... LOL... Only five days away from being spayed, she's still recuperating from the procedure, but you'd never know it!... She's already starting to gain a few ounces and her coat is starting to shine, leaving behind that dull look... What a pretty Chi she is!... But one TIRED pup after a long day!

A WATCH dog at that!

So now that she is comfortable and settled in, Daisy is learning that this is HER house too! Like most dogs (although not her up until now), she now barks when strangers arrive. Nothing out of the ordinary for a dog, as most alert you when a "stranger" comes to the door, but now she is on alert and in step with the rest of the pack. This began early this week, so we have worked throughout the week on stopping her when told to stop. Barking can be a great asset and deterant and is one of the perks of having a dog in the house, but the dog must know when to stop the alert as well. As most of us know, barking can be one of the hardest habits to break, but she is listening and learning when it is time to stop quite quickly. She is better than my own dogs when it comes to listening, but unfortunately they aren't learning as much from her and she is from them!!!

Daisy also got a home made bath this week in the kitchen sink. She is only 12 pounds, so bathing her in the kitchen sink is one of the perks of being small! The last time Daisy was bathed here at home was the first day she arrived, so obviously that was a unmemorable experience for her as she was already scared enough that first day - but what a difference time makes! She wasn't thrilled about the idea for the first couple of minutes, but never-the-less she put up with the ordeal. After the first minute or two, she stood in the warm water, stared into my eyes and I think she surprised even herself and enjoyed it! She didn't try to jump out and had a nice shampoo rub and massage. After her bath I wrapped her up in a towel like a baby, her nose and eyes were the only part of her exposed! She sat in my arms for about 15 minutes and tried sooo hard not to fall asleep. Because of her hair type, she was dry very quickly so she just shook herself off when I unwrapped her and that was that. Ending the event with some of her favorite treats - off to bed for the night she went!

Afternoon delights.... (Bella)

Today was such a beautiful day, I took 2 Xpens and joined them, then brought the puppies out onto the patio to enjoy the fresh air, sun and shade... I handed out cookies to all (a first for the puppies) and Bella thoroughly enjoyed hers!

She quickly found a shady space underneath the tree and got busy on that cookie (dehydrated chicken strips we get from Costco)... We could have done one of those potato chip commercials, because she 'couldn't eat just one' and came back for seconds... and thirds... LOL...

Another first - COOKIES!

One of the coolest things about puppies is watching them do things for the first time... I'm not really a 'puppy fan' in nature, preferring to do rehabilitation and training of older dogs, but today I actually enjoyed watching the puppies experience a new thing in their lives - COOKIES!

Around here I practice the 'nothing in life is free' mantra, so cookies are handed out for following through on a command usually... The puppies have been chewing on toys and chew sticks for a few days, so I could tell they were breaking in some teeth... And thought I'd give it a try to see how it goes...

A beautiful day, I put two large Xpens together on the patio and having most of the space in the shade, I brought out a bag of cookies and settled in to watch (and make sure this experiment went OK)... My guys prefer those dehydrated chicken strips you can get in the big bags from Costco and I have to admit - they do smell divine!

Handing one to each of the three puppies, Sofia left hers at one end of the Xpen and then wanted one from either Ebony or Nacho - Sofia didn't care - she just wanted on of theirs!



Patience is not one of Sofia's strong suits... She wanted one and RIGHT NOW...



Barking and mock charging had no effect on either Nacho nor Ebony, for they continued to sit in a corner and chew on their cookie, totally ignoring Sofia's repeated requests to share! Even her pitiful cries failed to move them, nor did they give theirs up either!



Nacho and Ebony must have chewed on their cookies for a good ten minutes, paying absolutely no attention at all to Sofia's plight... And then Nacho made the mistake of getting up for a drink of water, leaving his cookie behind... It was just the opportunity Sofia was looking for, and she quickly stole his and moved to another corner of the Xpen...



Nacho on the other hand, found Sofia's original cookie on his way back from the drink and it turned out to be a full cookie without any pieces missing yet...



In the end, it all worked out well... Everyone was happy and Nacho got 'seconds' on the cookies too!