Tips and Tricks...

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

2 home runs and 1 strike out...

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

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

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

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

Kelly and her duck, plus Scudders

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Introducing Cleo...

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

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

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

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

Congrats to Lobo, Sammy & Yukon...

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

 

Introducing Brownie!

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

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

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

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

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

Where in the world is Yukon?

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

There's our Yukon!

 

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

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

"America's Favorite Shelter" Contest

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

Kisses from Lobo...

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


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


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

Introducing Sammy...

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

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

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


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


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

 

Yukon... mini Chi of the North!

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