Elvis, Priscilla (now Gidget) and Max (now Diesel)

Lots of things have been going on and I've been remiss about getting everything blogged... Apologizing here in advance!

Max (now renamed Diesel by his new furever family) has been adopted, but his efforts to teach canine manners to Elvis and Priscilla (now named Gidget by her new mom) was especially appreciated...

Initially I hadn't intended for this to happen, but whenever the orphans would get a new Nylabone to chew on, Max would hop their Xpen to enjoy them as well (smile)... The orphans were initially surprised, then discovered they could chase him around their Xpen with abandon with retaliation, so it was also great fun to watch all three of them interact...



I have only one other dog that I've trusted to this degree when introducing to new fosters or puppies (and that's Frito)... Max was consistently sweet and loving 110% of the time, so he will ALWAYS remain in a special place in my heart!... He certainly helped introduce the orphans to what is like being around other bigger (and adult) dogs, so I'm thankful he was one of my fosters while the orphans were here. Yep, Max is one heck of a dog and we're VERY happy he's gotten himself such an awesome new furever home and family!... Congratulations, Max (now Diesel)!!!!

And Gidget has gotten herself a lovely furever home as well and will be moving on once she's spayed the last week of June in time to be a 4th of July baby!... On Sunday, I moved them into a larger Xpen more in the traffic flow around here and they've handled the transition well...

They can see the other dogs and interact with them, but from behind the safety of an Xpen... Both pups seem to enjoy the 'mock charges' at the older dogs, then scurry back to the protection of their doggie bed... Five to eight weeks is the time puppies develop their fears, so if they're not introduced to strange dogs, unfamiliar sounds and smells, etc. they develop lifelong fears that you can't always overcome...

Both are very good at going over now to the pitty pad and that pleases me... Although they have plenty of toys, they prefer to play with each other (common in this situation) and while we used to hear cries only when they were hungry, now it is more common to hear yips and yaps, growls, etc... Elvis doesn't seem to appreciate that Gidget likes to dogpile on him, so on occasion I'll run to their Xpen when hearing a squeal to find Elvis trying to wiggle out from underneath Gidget... (smile)... Guess laying on top of her brother is more comforting than on that cushy doggie bed!

Gidget has developed into an UC Chi (undercovers) and frequently when she tries to get underneath their blankee, she'll find Elvis is stopping her because he's sitting on it... She'll give him a growl and if he doesn't move (or move fast enough for her liking), she'll follow it up with a sisterly nip! Gidget is definitely smart, but Elvis is exceptionally loving (like most male and female Chis are)...

They've decided they don't care for the kibble at all, but prefer the baby food chicken... This week I'll start them on chicken and rice to see if I can completely transition them off of the puppy formula... Despite what they like, their puppy teeth are now coming in (and trust me, they're like mini razors! OUCH)... Overall, they're doing very well and I still look at them, amazed I was able to keep them alive when they arrived here so young and so tiny (less than 5 ounces!)...

Max (now Diesel) has also found his furever home!

I apologize... I've been a bit remiss in getting all these posted.

Max has been renamed "Diesel" by his new furever family and has a Chi bud to pal around with named "Blackjack"... He'll also share their lives with numerous other animals, including a ferret... He also couldn't have gotten a better home! If nothing else, he'll keep Blackjack stepping!



We'll miss Max (and especially my daughter, Desiree, for he slept with her at night)... Max was so gentle, he was able to 'pup sit' not only Nacho when he was smaller, but also the new orphans, Elvis and Priscilla... Especially in the case of the orphans, Max's efforts to teach canine manners was especially appreciated... Initially I hadn't intended for this to happen, but whenever the orphans would get a new Nylabone to chew on, Max would hop their Xpen to enjoy them as well (smile)... The orphans were initially surprised, then discovered they could chase him around their Xpen with abandon, so it was also great fun to watch all three of them interact...



I have only one other dog that I've trusted to this degree when introducing to new fosters or puppies (and that's Frito)... Max was consistently sweet and loving 110% of the time, so he will ALWAYS remain in a special place in my heart!

Yep, Max is one heck of a dog and we're VERY happy he's gotten himself such an awesome new furever home and family!... Congratulations, Max (now Diesel)!!!!

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!

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!

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!

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!

Max... what a GOOBER!

I'm not quite sure what I like the most about Max... the fact he is an absolutely GORGEOUS Chihuahua?



The goofy things that occur either with him or around him because he's still a puppy?



Or the absolute GOOBER stuff he gets involved in~!!!



Yes, that is Max's rear end in a covered cat litter box! :)

It's never been used for its manufactured purpose... Instead, it makes a fantastic toy box, and can hold a huge amount of dog toys without them falling all over the place... It also teaches dog it is OK to stick their head through a doorway (helpful in teaching the skill of doggie doors)...

But ONLY Max would empty out the entire toy box, one by one and then climb inside to get ONE specific toy he wanted (a large ring that he had difficult time getting back out of that opening, but proudly carried it outside!)...

WHAT A GOOBER HE IS!

Bella - I'm a puppy again!

Bella's spay is completely healed up now and her stitches removed... As she's gone through this process, we've noticed that she's reverting back to being a puppy again now that she no longer has the motherly hormones flowing through her veins and duties nonstop with the litter...

Chihuahuas are notorious sunbathers and last year we purchased a futon mattress and using a constructed wooden pallet for a base, created a sunbathing spot off the patio in the backyard... Almost every morning, they all love to go lay out, watch the things going on around them, listen to the sounds of the morning traffic and take in all the smells... This has become part of Bella's routine as well and she thoroughly enjoys the comfy pillows as she plays with the others...



This morning, there were a few 'critters' running up and down the trunk of the tree close by... I call them geekos, my hubby calls them lizards and my neighbor says they are alligator lizards... Whatever they are, they tend to run up the tree or the side of the house... Or across the block wall at the back of the yard... Once finding a warm spot, they do this 'push up' thingy and this fascinates the dogs as the dogs watch them...



Bella in particular believes she can catch them, but Max has already decided they are too fast for him!...



I'm not so sure she'd know what to do with one once she'd caught it, but it sure does fascinate her and she'll watch them INTENTLY for long stretches of time!

Bella is also our resident 'toy carrier'... Seldom failing to go by the toy box and pick up one before she heads out onto the patio or backyard, I must bring back 15 a day that I find out there!... Although she has now learned 'Drop it' for I don't want to chase her to collect them, she still enjoys going back into the house for another one while I'm collecting her morning's 'finds'...

Yep, once again she's the puppy she was before she accidentally got pregnant... It's nice to see her enjoying life again as only they can when not faced with the responsibilities of raising a litter...

Sunbathing by the pool in the back yard...

The Chi breed are notorious sunbathers by nature, so last year we bought a futon mattress and using a nicely constructed wooden pallet as a base, we created a 'sunbathing area' in our backyard... Most mornings I can find a Chi or two, laying out there and enjoying the sun - this morning was no exception!

Max was only mildly curious as to why I had the camera out, snapping photos, but he was SOOOOO sleepy after sunbathing this morning, I couldn't get an "I'm here... I'm awake" photo to save my soul!

The little goober! :)



And if someone is willing to give him a little bit of shade, Max isn't opposed to that either!



... (although they do have their own 8' beach umbrella that I put up around noontime)... I guess I shouldn't say it is only theirs 'cause I enjoy sitting out on the patio and enjoying life and nature with them too!

Max has settled in well now after getting all of his shots up to date and spends most of his day playing with Bella or one of the other dogs... His favorite place to sleep is in my husband's lap while they 'watch' TV together at night and my husband INSISTS Max is already a Lakers fan, but I'm not so sure about that one!

New arrival - Maximillian or "Max" for short...

We have a new arrival around here - Maximillian or "Max" for short... Max is definitely one of those 'million dollar' dogs, and was well named... As long as I have been rescuing Chihuahuas, I have seldom seen a more gorgeous or beautiful Chi and these pictures do not even come close to doing him justice!... Even my husband pronounced him "GORGEOUS" upon seeing Max close up for the first time!

The preferred color of eyes in a Chihuahua is dark and traditionally the fawn/buff color is the usual Chi color --- although this breed has had a lot of changes in it since it became a 'celebrity adornment'... While I'm a stickler for the head and overall look (including weight) in Chihuahuas, my Peanut has the dark ruby eyes that change depending upon how the light hits them... In Max's case, I've watched them go for light ruby to yellow amber and almost green today with the various kinds of light and sunlight...

And he's tiny - 4 pounds at 14 weeks... If this gives you a perspective of his size, Bella is between 9.5 and 10 pounds as she's recuperating from being a nursing mom... I took this photo when the two of them first met this afternoon - tails were both up as they met and that tells me friendly but aloof until they gauge each other better:



Max also has white 'angel wings' across his shoulder blades and a slightly darker demarcation line down his spine... Not socks but white 'footies' on each of his four paws, when Max walks or runs he picks up his front two feet very similar to a trotter in the horse world... While submissive to my crew members, he's not fearful nor aggressive and after playing for a few hours, he curled up on a pillow on the couch for a short puppy nap...

This is not a good picture of him, but he's just arrived and as he settles in, meeting everyone, I tried to take a few photos of him until he gets used to my photo bug tendencies (smile)... He needs to get a tiny bit more weight on him, but with my home cooking and a bit extra protein, he'll fill out in just a few days or so...

Max is up to date on his shots, neutered, will be getting his rabies shot and license next week and is house-trained already... He's not used to the doggie door yet, but we'll work on that in the upcoming week, as well as seeing how he does on harness and lead... I'm not sure I have a small enough harness for him, but if not, I'm sure I can get one at the local petshops...

As I'm writing this, he and a few of the others are playing in the family room, running round and using one of the doggie beds as 'safe'... Then they start all over again with another game of 'catch me if you can'... He's 'all puppy' and pretty good on his feet already, making fast turns and enjoying the playing and interaction as only puppies can...

Beautiful dog - I'll try to get some better pictures of him tomorrow!... I've started his own blog like we do with all of the TLC dogs HERE.