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!!!

VIDEO of Reggie and his glasses

Check out VIDEO of Kibbles and Bits!

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???

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!!!

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!

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!

Update on Charleyboy...

Well, the shelter told us Charleyboy was "6 to 8 years old"... And the vet he saw yesterday said Charleyboy was "10 to 12 years old" so we're going to strike a happy medium and list him as 10 years...

Charleyboy had a nasty cracked molar in the back which is why he was having trouble eating... He had a dental done at the vets today and it was extracted, so his teeth are now all pretty, clean and white!!!... And no more tooth pain either!

As for Charleyboy's optical issues, he has cataracts in both eyes and has had them for quite some time according to the vet - surgery is not an option - maybe years ago when they began, but not now... I questioned exactly how much Charleyboy can see because I know he can, and I was told it is like looking through a shower door... He's already picked up weight and his coat is becoming shinier, so I know the good diet is doing its magic... Shame Charleyboy did not have a more caring and diligent owner previously, but that's OK... There is a furever home out there for Charleyboy, especially as sweet and loving as he is...

Charleyboy would make a great lap dog for someone who is not interested in jogging a mile every day... He'll walk on a leash once he gets to know you, and I only have to say Charleyboy's name and he now wags his tail at me... He follows me around the house and at night, loves to sit and fall asleep on my husband's lap... He would make a great match for a senior with a more sedate lifestyle that simply wants a loving companion that is not high maintenance...

I've never heard him bark and although he's not a 'kissy face' Chihuahua, he certainly is a loving and sweet one... He does know the doggie door already and is house trained... Now that we have his mouth straightened out, we also ran blood panels and know he is not diabetic (a common cause of cataracts)... In fact, he's in very good shape for his age according to the vet...

It was not Charleyboy's day to die in the shelter and we're very glad to have saved him from that fate for some very lucky furever home!

Goooood Morning, Cody!

Cody was so cute when he woke up this morning. He had his legs up in the air and when I walked by he looked up at me (on the left), but then he just went back to sleep when he realized it was so early (on the right). His bed is so comfy I could sleep in it myself and would probably have less back pain than I do now! Cody's blankets are a chenille material and he loves to tuck his little nose in them because they are so soft. He's definitely a spoiled little goober!

Penny... Ut oh... OUCH!!!

Penny was spayed on Tuesday, so she was in a world of pain most of that evening... Yesterday she was not quite up to snuff, but was feeling better by the end of the day... I noticed that she was jumping up on the chaise lounge fairly gingerly, but she couldn't resist hanging out with some of the other guys as they laid there and watched the sun go down... She's picked up a few ounces now and her coat is looking great with a better diet than the shelter offers... She'll get her license this week and be 100% ready for adoption on Saturday...

What a kissy face she is~!!... I told her last night I was going to start charging her for every lick and kiss she handed me~!!

Cody... another first...

Cody is finally settling in and learning what it means to be a happy, well-loved dog. Here is a picture of him tired out after working for a while on his first ever rawhide chew!

It took some holding and me pretending to chew it myself to teach him what he was supposed to do with it, but eventually he took it from me and began holding it himself. It would have been easier for my own dogs to teach him rather than me (they learn from each other very fast and from us as fast as they choose to!) but I was at work teaching him today rather than at home so we made do!

I was curious to see how he would tackle the chew as each dog goes at it differently and sure enough, he learned very quickly to slice it with his teeth along the top to get the pieces off. The funny thing, is that most dogs want to tear pieces off so they can eat them, he just tore them off in little confetti pieces and left them there (he will learn fast though I am sure!)

He is so smart and looks at everything intellectually, you can just see those wheels spinning all the time!


After a little nap, he needed to go to the bathroom (or so I thought!) so I took him out to the grass as we do a few times each day while we are at work.

He didn't need to go though --- just wanted to sun-bathe and people-watch for a bit. Interestingly enough, even though he was hit by a car only weeks ago, he isn't afraid of them and doesn't get fearful when they are going by.

Here he is on the grass watching the world pass by while we sat together for about 10 minutes for him to get some sun (spoiled rotten I tell ya!)...

Lulu: Tragic beginnings, but we'll make sure she has a great life!

Lulu is not for the faint of heart to see or hear about. She was born on June 15th, 2009 and had the misfortune to be owned by someone who did not protect her... she was the victim of a vicious dog attack and we understand criminal charges were filed against the owner. Lulu arrived at the shelter at least 24 hours after the attack, her head (literally) almost ripped from her shoulders and the incisions go around her neck but for about 1".






She also has a large gash down the left side of her face as well.



But get beyond what time will heal and fade away? She is one of the happiest and most loving puppies I've seen in quite some time!





Lulu's stitches will be removed during the same time as her spay on September 15th and while she will always carry the scars, this too shall fade in the back of her memories --- a pretty collar and her inner personality will shine brighter than any scar she may carry the rest of her life!





Lulu is up-to-date on her shots and microchipped.

Kibbles & Bits... Kibbles & Bits... great photos!

Bits... jet black (Kibbles has more brown on him along with a blue collar!)



Pretty as any picture in a museum!.....





Kibbles (left) and Bits (right) on a 'sit' command....


Kibbles on a 'lay down' command.......


Playing with each other............


More playing...............

Reggie - what I get to see from my computer seat!

Chico - I finally did it! TA DAH!!

I've been trying to figure out Chico's tail and why it photographs like the bottom of it is naked (and as Chico walks around like this all the time, that's all you see of it!)...

There's a strip of white running down the underside of his tail and it is hard to catch with the camera unless you use the flash up against something dark... But I was finally lucky with this shot... If you look closely at his plume, you can see the white hair that is framed up against the brick wall behind him! TA DAH!

Half a pint, half-a-PENNY!

This little girl weighs 5 1/2 pounds, is 2 years old but TOTALLY is puppy-like STILL~!!!... Penny is a major hoot to watch, if nothing else!... Today she decided to 'help' with my laundry!



Penny is intensely curious about everything going on, but when it is cuddle time, she is THERE... She's very friendly and loving, but she is one 'undercover' Chihuahua and prefers to sleep under the blankees every time!

And here's the Charleyboy!

Charleyboy is a six and a half pound dog we found in the shelter they had been calling "Bug" because of the way his eyes 'bug out'... I have tried to get numerous photos that aren't doing this, but it is just the way he looks up at you...



He must be some kind of mix that includes a wirehaired coat... There's almost a lion's scruff around his head and across his shoulders... The coat is soft and not 'scouring pad' coarse but it goes out in all directions... I suspect with a good diet, the coat on his back, belly and tail will grow in the same way... Right now it is shortened like it has broken off by poor nutrition...



Charley is VERY quiet and while I wouldn't say shy or timid, he is a low maintenance kind of pooch... He's friendly towards everyone, but would do best in a quiet kind of home without small children...



(excuse my foot, but it was a great shot of Charleyboy looking up at me!)

Let's meet Rosey!

Rosey is a 2-year old Pomeranian / Chihuahua mix who was turned in over the counter at one of our local shelters with her four four-week old puppies (2 males, 2 females)... I don't think I have ever seen a dog more covered in dirt and absolute FILTH... I took three baths until the water finally ran clean... She was also covered in ticks and I don't know how long it takes them to fill up and drop off, but the whole process was nasty, nasty, nasty...

She is SUCH a sweetie and good mom... She's house trained and you never fail to get a tail wag when you just look at her... She's serene and quiet, kind and loving... I can only imagine what her life had been like before we found her in the shelter! Maybe shoved in someone's backyard for with that amount of dirt, she couldn't have been an inside dog.

Rosey is about 11 pounds and VERY long-haired... We had to shear most of the fur from her buttocks because of tangles mixed in with dried feces, but that will grow back with time... The gash on her face is already starting to heal with medical treatment, so I'm sure those soulful eyes will shortly not be distracted by the wound...

Scooby - sunbathing with pals...

My crew like to lay in what we call the 'Chihuahua Penthouse' in the mornings... It is actually nothing more but a set of wide shelves underneath the window sill where the sun comes in during the early mornings... And Chihuahuas love to sun bathe by nature...


STRETCH-H-H-H!



So I snapped a series of photos this morning when Scooby, Frito and BeeGee were curled up, sunbathing and enjoying life! Frito and BeeGee are our pet therapy dogs, not available for adoption (they're both terminal liver shunt dogs) but as you can see, Scooby gets along fantastic with them too!... OK, I'll let you all go back to sleep!

Scooby-doo.... Before and after

This morning I took a few pictures of Scooby laying in the Chi penthouse with Frito and BeeGee... I was struck by how much progress he physically and mentally has made in the two months since he arrived here... Even the areas of his body that take a LOT of time to lose their muscle mass and tone have now 'fleshed out'... the sides of his forehead above the eye sockets, the forearm muscles, etc...

Scooby will ALWAYS have to be in a home with friendly dogs that can show him the way --- that it is OK to trust humans again... But he now has such GREAT potential for the right home and/or family... He's never been a barker, and I never fail to get a tail wag when I say his name... He sleeps at either the side of our bed in a doggie bed or on the pillows at the headboard piece of furniture... That's a LOT of progress for a little dog that had given up on life and humans!

Reggie: Toys, fun and playing - that's the name of our game!

Reggie is probably one of the photogenic dogs I've ever been around... His eyes are amber and he is always interested in what is going on around him...




Reggie is 6 months old, potty-trained, up-to-date on his shots (including rabies), neutered and licensed for the County of Ventura. He weighs about 5 to 6 pounds and gets along with children. He was adopted by someone in the shelter system originally who used to take him to work - management changed and personal dogs could no longer come to the shelter, so the owner was forced to give him up. Technically, he'd be called a 'liver-spotted cream and tan' but I just call him 'adorable'~!!!

Reggie loves to play and spends most of his day hanging out with Chico and Kibbles... they play, play, play, get a drink, take a nap and then start all over again!

Reggie is now crate-trained and has been broken of the barking habit he arrived with (thanks to that ever faithful spritz bottle we love so dearly!)... He loves playing with toys too and consistently finds one he's stashed previously to parade about - thus starting yet another game of 'catch me if you can 'cause I have the toy that YOU want RIGHT now!'... ;)

This is exactly what he and Chico were doing when I snapped the picture of the two of them on the swing out back yesterday... Reggie had dropped the toy, Chico snagged it and onto the swing seat he jumped - both are avid jumpers with amazing abilities - so the swing seat was not an obstacle that caused that toy to be out of Reggie's reach! What a hoot and fun, energetic dog he is! (as is Chico)

Cody - Pre & Post Surgery Xrays

Here are the before and after x-rays of Cody's Femur bones. As you can see, the pre-surgery x-ray shows the femur bones outside the hip sockets and the post-surgery x-ray shows them surgically cut off to eliminate the bone on bone pain he was feeling.

It's the Chico!

Chico is not quite a four month old Papillon/ Chihuahua mix whose coat is almost a sin to stroke! He's all full of himself and still VERY much puppy even at 5 pounds! He's MUCH smaller than these photos appear, but with black dogs who have black eyes, you have to REALLY get in close to see their expressions! Sweet and loving, Chico will make some family a very lucky family indeed!

How can you help but fall in love with that face???



Chico is a victim of the economy combined with the recent wildfires, and so he ended up in the shelter system. Chico is also up-to-date on his shots and micro-chipped, but shortly will need to get his rabies shot and licensed for the County of Ventura.

He is now potty-trained with few accidents, is learning some basic dog obedience and has an intense desire to please along with a LOT of love and kisses to hand out... VERY sweet dog that would do good in almost any environment, including children.

If you are interested in adopting Chico, please download the adoption application at our website HERE and fax it to 805-578-2604. You may meet and interact with Chico at weekly adoptions - Saturday noon to 3PM - at the PETCO in Moorpark.

Recovering Slowly - Cody

Yesterday Cody saw Dr. Frier for a follow up visit so he could re-check his incisions and take a look at how he is doing. It has been a really tough couple of days for the little guy, he has been in a lot of pain and cries when we flip or move him which makes it REALLY hard to do :(

Cody is coming along and I see that he is getting better as each day passes. Dr. Frier showed me how to do some leg exercises with him 3-4 times a day at home and how to hold him in a standing position for 10-15 second intervals daily. He is still not sitting or standing on his own and barely moves his legs, but that should come in time. For now, Cody sleeps most of the day but even his sleeps are getting more peaceful...

Dear Abby...

Dear Abby,

I have this problem. I am very young, but I have lost all the hair on the top of my head due to stress. Do you think I will ever find someone to love me?

Signed,
Lonely in Ventura

This could be this pup's forlorn tale, for although she is not even 4 months old (born on 5/17/09) and just about 3 pounds, Abby has lost all the hair on top of her head... Numerous blood panels and other tests run show no physical reason for this loss of hair...

Pulled from a local shelter, I don't think I've ever seen a more filthy dirty dog before... In the first bath, the water was opaque (seriously!), second bath was better and the third was a normal bath water when we were done!... Even our vet is at a loss to explain how she's lost the hair on top of her except for stress, but it makes you wonder what she's gone through in such a short amount of time to have had this effect on her!

Her appearance didn't seem to stop Nacho from playing a 'kissin cousin' with her... But I'm not so sure that her tongue sticking out at the end was a comment about the secret they shared or not!

Scooby, Scooby, Scooby...

Scooby, Scooby, Scooby... Where is your furever home?... sigh...

Scooby is no problem at all - he doesn't bark, he doesn't whine or cry, he gets along with all of the other dogs, he just doesn't show well at adoptions...

Scooby's typical day is to sunbathe outside in the early morning hours as he watches the sun come up with the rest of the crew... Join in at mealtime... Sleep an afternoon siesta... Eat dinner... Hang around... Curl in for the night and then it starts all over again the next day...

If you call his name, he wags his tail through to his mid section... He readily comes for treats now and REALLY likes the dehydrated chicken strips... He's never had an accident in the house... But how do you find a furever home for a dog that is so painfully shy???

... "I don't want one of those yappy Chihuahuas!" (he NEVER barks!)
... "I don't want a male because they mark in the house." (he doesn't)
... "I don't want an aggressive dog." (Scooby wouldn't hurt a flea)
... "I don't want a Jack - he looks like a Jack Russell." (looks can be deceiving because Scooby has none of the Jack traits nor the Chihuahua traits)
... "Does he get along with cats?" (I don't have any, he doesn't chase the sparrows around here nor the lizards, so I don't know if he'd even be interested in a cat!)
... and so on goes the list when people are looking to adopt a dog... Because Scooby is not 'all out there' in personality, he gets overlooked every time...

The best I can say is that the last time he went through the shelter system, it sapped all his spirit to run through the fields and chase the butterflies of life, but for all the "I don't wants" we hear about dogs, you'd have thought this little pumpkin would have already found his furever home, huh? Who's not interested in a dog that will curl up underneath your computer desk and sleep quietly when you're working?