Chihuatude

Puppy Update

Sorry for the wait, but I have been on the road, and a little occupied. Blinda however has been at home, caring for the chi-ildren, and taking care of all the issues.

Babe finally did give birth, but it was only one puppy, a little white and black female, who was unfortunately stillborn. It’s always painful and sad when this happens, and it does happen once in a while. We were looking forward to another litter of rambunctious little puppies. The combination of Babe and Junior Boy would have been quite interesting. Babe is such an active, hell, hyperactive little thing, and Junior boy so laid back and loving. Perhaps another time, we’ll get lucky and see the results of such a joining.

Right now, Tia, Callie, and Roxy are in heat. We are only allowing Tia the freedom, and keeping Callie and Roxy segregated. It is quite the chore to keep the kids segregated, trading time in the kennels, and being as equal about it as possible. Callie had such a hard time with her first litter, we are a little scared to let her get pregnant again. We will probably get her spayed in the near future. Roxy just had her litter, so we want her to have a good rest.

Tia as usual, is being the drama queen she has always been. For some reason, she is not interested in Peanut, but wants Teco instead. This is a new occurrence, and could prove very interesting. Teco has long hair in his background, and has produced some gorgeous long haired puppies. Tia always throws beautiful puppies, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

bABE IS expecting, finally

Once again, after nearly three years, Babe is once again expecting. It has been a long time indeed, but she finally did it. Perhaps I should say Junior Boy did it, although, obviously Babe had a part in it. I’m not really sure what had happened previously, but I thought perhaps she had become sterile. Peanut and Teco have had their turn at her, and neither one has accomplished what Junior Boy has.

I’m looking forward to the arrival, sometime in the next week, of the new babies. I really am interested to see what the combination has created. In the past, Babe has always had chocolate and white puppies, and a few mostly white puppies. Of course that was when Gizmo was the father. Since Gizmo’s passing, Babe has not been pregnant again, until now. I guess she just decided that Junior was the man she wanted, LOL.

Here is a picture of one of her last litters, there were 9 puppies in that one. This time around, I don’t think she’ll have that many, because she just isn't that large. The official due date is Wednesday, but you never know they can come earlier or sometimes later. I’ll be sure to update when the happy event happens.

Little Callie’s Sweet Babies

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

Back in the last week of October Callie gave birth to her first and last litter of puppies. She only had two puppies, and they were perfectly healthy. She had such a hard time with the delivery, we decided that she would have no more. If not for her, for our own sense of sanity. You can not imagine the stress involved when one of your kid’s is having such difficulty.

Peanut was the daddy, and he is a pound smaller, 3 pounds 4 ounces, than Callie, 4 pounds 8 ounces. But it didn’t seem to matter, her two puppies were very large, especially for her little frame. I don’t think they are going to be large Chihuahuas, it’s just that when they were born, they were larger than we were used to. As a matter of fact, her little girl probably wont be more than 3 pounds, I think. We do hear from her parents from time to time, and she is still pretty small, so I guess we’ll see what happens.

Things started out easy enough, and pretty much on par with what we are used to. Callie didn’t eat at all that day, which is normal. She got this forlorn look in her eyes, and started “preparing” the couch. She doesn’t look very big in this picture, but by the time she gave birth, her little belly looked as if she was carrying four or five puppies. When she started scratching the blankets up and laying ON TOP of them, we knew it was time. We had already set up a birthing kennel, so we moved her over there.

Now Callie is an independent minded, read spoiled rotten, little thing. A Momma’s baby from head to toe, capable of bending her Mothers whim with a simple glance of those precious brown eye’s. Of course I’m totally immune to this, yeah right I’m just as much of a push over as Blinda. Callie was going to have none of this birthing kennel thing. Her spot is on the couch beside Momma, and she knows it. She fought us, resisting the kennel, a first for her, and insisting on staying where she was most comfortable. Of course being Callie, we had to sit, one on either side of her for the duration, she’s such a needy child.

She really did have a difficult delivery, we were very, very, worried. In the end, I had to kind of move things around a little so the babies would pass through he birth canal. I noticed that the babies seemed to be pushing on the upper side of her vagina, and I had to pull it up a little so the first one could slip out. After that, it was no time until the other little tyke was born. As these things seem to go, the biggest was born first. A little boy weighing in at a whopping 8 ounces. The second was a little girl at 6 ounces. There was no doubt they were Peanuts babies, both of them had the exact same markings as him, and his ears and head.

We were able to move her to “her” kennel when all was said and done. She just was not going to have anything to do with that birthing kennel. Callie was an exceptional mother. She seemed to never want to leave her babies side. Blinda had to physically take her outside, being sure to shut the doggy door so she couldn’t rush back in. This went on for nearly a full month, it was pretty funny, now that I look back on it. Callie even ended up taking in two other puppies when we lost Sable, a story I will get into at a later date, very tragic and hard for me to talk about.

I almost thought we were going to end up keeping Callie’s little girl. Not because no one was interested, everyone wanted her, she was so small. She was just had the most outgoing, sweetest personality we have ever seen. Blinda became so very attached to her, when she finally did head off to her fur-ever home, Blinda cried for hours. That is one of the hardest things about breading, the letting go when it’s time. She was forever holding her, and calling her Itty Bitty or Tiny Girl. The little boy was a tad more “boisterous”, and was always play rough with Itty Bitty. She held her own though, and would keep the others in their place.

I had promised to mention a surprise puppy. During the time we were letting Callie out in the first month, we had to lock all the other dogs up in their kennels, or Callie simply would not come out at all. She was just so protective. One night, we were letting Callie have the run of the house, to stretch her little legs. All the dogs were in their respective kennels, taking a nap. All of a sudden there was a commotion of activity, and the every one of them started barking. A different bark than normal. We went to see what was going on, and low and behold, Tia had given birth to a single baby boy. Teco was sleeping with Tia at the time, and when we found them, he was as far away from Tia and that funny looking little thing as possible. I think if he could have squeezed through the kennel bars, he would have happily.

We had just that evening laughed and commented that Tia must be having sympathetic pregnancies syndrome. Her teats were swollen and she acted pregnant, but was not big at all. Little Tia had been segregated when she came into heat the last time, because we were trying to skip this cycle. Little did we know Peanut snuck a little time with her before we caught on. Yes it was with out a doubt Peanuts offspring. A little, solid white long hair boy. who became the plumpest Chi baby we have ever had. Tia had also taken in two of Sable’s Babies afterward, and later Annie's runt because her other babies were not letting it get enough milk. We called him Weebles, as in Weebles Wobble but don’t fall.

Our White Prince Of Hearts

Junior Boy has become a permanent part of the family, as I told you about earlier. This is the first time we have actually kept one of our pups, even as tempting as it’s been over the years. The only thing I can say, is that Blinda did it to herself, LOL. Once all of Junior’s brothers and sisters had been sent off to their fur-ever homes, she began showering the cute little boy with tons of loving attention. At the time I was unfortunately working out of town a lot, and not home very often. Naturally the boy bonded rather solidly with Blinda, to the point that he is pretty uncomfortable with any other human.

He is rather like his dad Peanut, and has some personality traits of his mother, Tia Marie. He has a knack for watching me through the corner of his eyes, almost as if he doesn’t trust me. It’s really pretty funny to watch, because he gets this funny expression on his face, and won’t make direct eye contact when he’s doing it, never letting Blinda out of his sight at the same time. He loves nothing more than laying on Blinda’s lap and getting loved on. Of course many times he has to situate himself as high on her chest or shoulder as possible, head resting comfortably against her neck.

He has grown into a very impressive young dog, with a muscular physic, and proper proud stance. Unfortunately he seems to be a little camera shy, and won’t let us get a picture of him while in this magnificent stance. So unlike his mother Tia, who would prefer to be in front of the camera lens if for no other reason than she is the center of attention. However, he is very much like Tia in the fact that he must have as much loving attention as possible.

Junior Boy also formed a very loving relationship with Mai Tai the Bengal Snow Leopard. I am not really sure why this happened, but for some reason Mai Tai was more comfortable with this group of puppies that he has been before. Unfortunately, since Junior has grown up, Mai Tai has returned to his old aggressively hermit-tized habits, and no longer allows the attention of the little boy. They now play only occasionally, and usually under a closed door from opposite sides.

It’s alright though because Junior has plenty of other playmates he enjoys chasing around and wrestling with. He has a particular affection toward Roxanne and Babe, and can be seen chasing them around the yard on any clear, nice day. He also likes Annie, but she is not very appreciative of the attention, preferring to exert her queen of the house status and keep him in his place, worshiping at her feet. Junior also plays with his father, Peanut, but not nearly as much as with Teco and Meeka. They all love to chase him through the house and around the coffee table because he is so fast.

So that is our little white Prince of Hearts, a very loving and affectionate Chihuahua. A true joy to have around, and a wonderful addition to our family.

Next week, I’ll start some updates on the last three litters, including a surprise puppy that made an interesting appearance at our household.

A new look for Chihuatude

The are new looks all around these days, and I thought it was time for some new digs to accommodate Chihuatude readers. Hopefully this new template will load faster than the previous one, and be a little bit easier to navigate.

I spent a lot of time last year reviewing templates, and searching for new styles. I looked specifically for features I like in a template. and this one has a majority of my favorites. The tabbed interface for one thing, which saves space, and lends a cleaner look. I also like having three sidebar columns. One large on top and two smaller ones on the bottom. I wanted a template that allowed for 125 X 125 adds, as this one does. Whether or not I’ll offer add space, or just use it to flash my other blogs I’m not sure. One slot is going to be reserved for the Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission, a very deserving non profit.

I have a lot of things to update everyone on, and that will be coming along very soon. Over the last three months, we had three litters, and one surprise puppy. Unfortunately we lost one of our sweet girls, and it was terribly devastating for us. If I can bring myself to write about it, I’ll fill you all in on what happened. Of the three litters, we had 9 puppies, and of course the one surprise to make a grand total of ten. They have all found their fur-ever homes, and are happy and healthy. I’ll post a few pictures in a later article, and a give you the full rundown over the next few weeks.

Junior Boy is still with us, and has decided that Blinda is his to keep. I know it’s supposed to work the other way around, but what can I say. Blinda has spoiled him rotten, and ruined him for any perspective new home, LOL. He’s a very sweet little boy, but is really only happy when sitting on Blinda’s lap, or a little more precisely lounging in her arms across her chest. He’s also going to be a first time daddy in about 8 weeks.

Things Are Just A Popping

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

We started the fall season of with Callie coming into heat. You know she is so small we have to keep Teco away from her. Peanut has been making every effort, and has achieved his goal once, that we know of, LOL. Callie is a particular little one, and wants Teco, but that’s just not going to happen. He’s twice her size, and we just don’t want to take any chances.

Surprisingly fast, Annie Mae came into heat. Teco stepped up to the task at hand, and took care of business. Then all of a sudden Sable Moon came into heat, with Annie still in her heat, this presented some problems of confrontation. We have to be careful to keep them separated. They are both so domineering, and Sable is trying hard to take over as Alfa female. Anyway, Teco is a happy camper with the two in heat at the same time. Sable and Teco have completed the “union” a few times, and we’re really excited. Teco has long hair in his background, and with each litter he fathers, there's at least one long hair. With Sables burnt red color, I just can’t wait to see what colors and coats we get. I think they are going to be gorgeous puppies.

Then Babe came into heat. She won’t have anything to do with Teco, but is very receptive to Peanut. It’s funny how these girls choose who they are going to be with. The only worry is the last few heats Babe had, she just didn’t get pregnant. Her and Peanut have coupled numerous times, so we have high hopes.

So there is the potential for us to have a house full of puppies in a couple of months. It won’t be long before we know which ones are pregnant. I’ll keep everyone posted with the latest news. Also, I’m going to be changing the appearance here. I’ve found a few new templates, and am working on them to get things set up. I hope to have a faster loading page. I’m going to be thinning out the widgets, losing the ones that really drag down the load time. There will also be a little bit larger slide show in the side bar, as soon as I figure out the code. So keep checking back to see what kind of things will come with this makeover.

Down to Just One

I know, It’s been far to long since I updated. I have been pretty busy with work and the other blogs. We are down to just one puppy left. Funny that the one left was my pick for first to go. Just goes to show you can never figure what people will like.

Jr. is the man, he’s the lone wolf if you will, and not too happy about it either. He misses his brother. Him and Red had gotten pretty close over the past few weeks, and it seemed like you just couldn’t separate them. They have had a lot of fun playing with each other for so long now. and making good friends with Mai Tai the cat.

Today though, Red went to his furever home, and I’m sure will be happily spoiled there with his new mother. She has already called to let us know he’s settling in just fine and they had a nice nap together on the couch.

I’m uploading some videos of the boys on their wild runs through the house, and playing with the cat. Little Red loved to pester Babe in her kennel, and was pretty cute with his little bark.

Only Two Left

We near the end of yet another journey with the puppies. We are currently down to two, Jr. and Red, who seem to feel a little lonely. I have often wondered what the Pup’s think as one by one their brothers and sisters leave to join their new families. I know Tia and the other moms are never happy about it. This time, both Tia and Peanut are treasuring the last few moments with their babies.

They have been pretty feisty, but a little reserved also. It’s almost as if they know something is up. Blinda talks and plays them all the time. It’s fun to watch their reactions as Blinda

starts to call out to them. They know how to keep us entertained. The little growls, and tiny barks are just too much some times. I have a hard time keeping from laughing.

Fuzz Butt was the

first to leave for his fur-ever home. He went home with the nicest lady, who just wanted someone for companionship. I’m sure Fuzzy will be spoiled rotten in no time, of course Blinda gave him a head start on that.

Then little Wrinkles, He is such a sweet and loving little boy. His face, with the wrinkles around his eyes, just so cute. He found a good home with an elderly gentleman who I’m sure will love the boy well.

Then Sunday, Monty left to join his older, half brother, Papi. We already know how spoiled Papi is, so I’m sure Monty will be very well loved. We also got to see one of Babe and Gizmo’s Pups. Bebo, who belongs to the daughter of Papi and Monty’s

parents.

So now it’s just the two, Little Red and Jr. Both have unique personalities, and are always full of energy. They are some very loving puppies. I think

Little Red will have Tia’s personality, he even barks like her. Jr. definitely will follow in Peanuts footsteps. I hope he stays a solid white, so far he has not darkened at all.

7 Weeks and full of it!

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

The Chi-ildren, now an old age of 7 weeks, are all full of energy. They are pretty durn active to be blunt. It is so much fun to sit and listen to their ruckus. Those little barks and growls are just too much sometimes, and you can’t help yourself from smiling or laughing.

Tia refuses to leave them alone, and we’re having to force her to stay out of the kennel. They have been eating solid food now for close to two weeks, and really don’t need her milk at all. That’s not to say they don’t want to play with her, and vice versa. The problem is that if we let her in too often, it foils the progress we have made at weaning them.

Ohh, and by the way, little Spot, who is now Montie, has a home already prepared to go to. Some of you may remember Papi from Sables litter. His little sister was Sunny. Well his parents have put down a deposit on Montie, and have chosen him to be Papi’s new friend.

The best part about this is that we got to see Papi again. He rode up with his parents to come pick out his new brother, who will live with him. Papi is such a cute boy, he has gotten even more handsome than before.

And just for some fun, here’s a couple videos of Tia and Peanut in with the babies.

4 Weeks Old, and The Adventures Begin

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

There are a number of things that make it fun to have the puppies around at 4 weeks old. One of them is the fact that they are just starting to get vocal. We get to hear the cutest little growls and barks all the time. They are learning to walk, talk and play, all at the same time.

Between feeding and sleeping now, they are pretty active. They play and roughhouse all the time. Jr. the white one, and Spot, the one with the patch on his eye are the most active. They are constantly pestering the others and their mother. Tia is a good sport, and put up with it to a point. She is spending more and more time out of the kennel now though. They have started drinking water on their own, and don’t seem to need Mom as much. They grow so fast!

A couple of them, have turned into real little lovers. One in particular is so trusting and full of love, he will fall asleep in the palm of your hand. He has the longest hair of all of them, and is so soft. He’s also the quietest of them all.

He just loves to be held, and will hug your thumb in the process. I know we’re not supposed to play favorites, but with a puppy like this, it’s hard not to.

I’ll add a couple of videos below. One of the kids playing, and one of them nursing on miss Tia. I hope you enjoy.

The babies are testing their balance

With their eyes opening, and a whole new world to explore, Tia’s babies are venturing forth. The test is on, a test of balance and coordination. This is one of the most fun times to be an observer in this process of growth and learning. They wobble along, then fall over, only to get back up and try again. Everything is new to them, exploration the root of their existence.

Of course there is the regular occurrence of a maternal interruption. Tia is persistent, and makes sure the little ones get their fill of milk to help build their bones and muscles. She is such a good mother, loving, caring, and protective. Their is the occasional instance when one of the other Chi’s gets a little curious. Perhaps a little too curious for their own good. Tia is quick to put them in their place.

Mostly though, it’s a matter of keeping track of her precious gifts. Being all boys, I’m sure they are prone to getting into trouble. Of course they are too cute to garner much punishment, for I have yet to hear Tia get onto them. She just cleans , feeds, and love them, probably more than they would like.

Of course, Tia is adept at keeping them occupied while accomplishing her own tasks. She is also good at providing opportunities for them to strengthen their muscles and improve their coordination.

The House is Filled With The Pitter Patter of Tiny Paws Once Again.

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

Tia Marie did all the work, and Mr. Peanut get’s to claim the glory. Isn’t that how it’s always been. The proud parents are so happy, Tia a little over protective, and Peanut, curious as a cat.

Tia stayed true to form, and delivered 5 beautiful baby boys today. Her labor started early, around 9:00 AM. The first little one to grace our presence was at 12:48 PM. A tiny little boy, light tan or light red and cream weighing in at 3.1 onz. The next was 3.3 onz. and white with a tiny bit of color on its back. Then came a beautiful red, weighing a whopping 4.1 onz. Then another white one at 3.8 onz., and last but not least a mostly red one at 3.6 onz. The last one being delivered around 5:30 PM.

Tia struggled just a little, and we had to help her clean a few of the babies, but over all everything worked out just fine. Tired and ready for rest she laid down with her little ones, but would not take her eyes off them.

After everything settled down, we had to change the bedding. Tia was not real happy with us moving her and her babies around, but accepted things as long as one of us sat with her comforting and petting her.

They all have such cute little red heads and paws.

I’ll post more pictures later, so everyone can se them grow.

Tia Marie is expecting this weekend

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

I know I have been awfully quiet lately, I am sorry for that. Well I do have some good news. Tia and Peanut are expecting once again. Tia, ready to pop any minute, has been sulking around the house. She is THE drama queen, so there is a fair amount of her playing up on her condition. She makes a big show of having to waddle around, and wanting comforting constantly. Of course we don’t mind at all.

She is quite large, and has been pretty grumpy with the other dogs. Last time she had a litter, she had four of the most beautiful puppies. Two were long hair, and two were shorthair.

We are looking forward to another wonderful litter. Her due date is May 19’th, but I think we may be greeted with an early arrival, we’ll see. I can tell you that we are far from patient with the waiting. There is something so sweet about the sounds of newborn puppies in the house.

Rest assured I will post an update just as soon as she has the new babies. Until then, we will be catering to her every need, after all she is our little Diva, and she knows it.

Mr. Peanut has Done it Again!

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

Not too long ago, My boss who has a Chihuahua, wanted to breed here with Peanut. Keelie is one of Annie’s and Gizmo’s babies from a few years ago. She is a really sweet little girl, and I used to get to see her every day at work.

We set everything up, and made the introductions. Keelie then spent a few days with us, getting to know Peanut a little better, LOL. It didn’t take long, and Peanut was quite well acquainted with Keelie.

Next thing we knew, My boss met a new lady friend of his own, and they moved in together. Well I don’t get to see Keelie everyday anymore, so I was happy to hear that she had her babies. I went over to have a look and get some pictures.

Keelie is doing great, and is a natural mother, just like Annie.

Of course there is no doubt Peanut is the daddy,LOL.

I’ll see if I can get some more pictures later. They have their eyes open now, and will be really walking pretty soon.

Wordless Chihuatude

Just have nothing new to say, I’m sorry. Hope you like this picture. It’s one of my favorites.

Pet Owner Responsibility is Not Always Taken Seriously Enough by All.

We had a pretty good scare this week. In our neighborhood, there are a number of pet owners that chose to allow their dogs to run free. With some dogs, this is not really an issue other that the fuss caused when they come near our fence. Then you have a certain owner, who not only allows their dogs to run free, but makes no effort to properly train and socialize them. The worst part is the breed they chose to keep, Pit Bull’s.

We are not one of those that think Pit Bull’s should be outlawed or anything like that. On the contrary, we have seen some beautifully mannered Pit Bull’s. They are a very sweet loving breed if properly raised. The issue comes when a person fails to socialize and train their animal especially if its a breed know for instinctual aggressiveness.

What happened was Our immediate neighbor has a family of feral cats that has made their home under his house. He has been trying to coax them out, and has been feeding them in hopes of domesticating them. Well The Pit bull in question jumped the neighbors fence, and started chasing one of the cats. Fully intent on capturing and killing it. The deed was well accomplished before we could intervene, and right on their back porch.

The fear for us comes as we realize our fence is lower than the neighbors, and several of our dogs are even smaller that the poor cat. I can assure you, that I will do anything necessary to protect our Chi’s. What infuriates me is that we shouldn’t have to worry about things like this. If people would just understand the responsibilities involved with owning an instinctively aggressive dog.

We did call the Sheriff's Office, and the dog owners were cited. This does nothing to help the poor cat, but perhaps it will lead to the dogs owner being more responsible in the future. I fervently hope so, but have serious doubts.

Dogs of War, Rescued and Loved

Dogs have an important impact on a persons mental health and personal well being. Anyone who doubts that can simply look at a few instances from the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan to find Proof. War Dogs, lost and lonely, many living on the street trying desperately to survive. Amazing how they gravitate towards humans feeling homesick and alone. Lending support comfort and love in some of the most stressful times of a soldier life.

Our soldiers deployed to the front lines often find comfort and companionship in the form of a dogs left to roam the street fending for themselves. One such incident, involved Ratchet The Iraq Dog, and Army Specialist Beberg. While deployed to Iraq, Spec. Beberg adopted a puppy found in a pile of burning trash. The two became fast friends, and were devoted to each other. Ratchet became a needed comfort for the difficult times of her deployment.

When the time neared for Spec Beberg to rotate home, she started making arrangements for the shipment of Ratchet to her home in the States. The trouble came when her commanding officer refused to allow the dog to accompany an Army convoy because it was against regulations. With no other means for Ratchet to get to the airport for shipment home, Spec Beberg was at a loss.

Operation Bagdad Pups, a branch of the SPCA International stepped in and with the help of over 77,000 signatures on a petition got the Army to loosen the regulations against Army personnel adopting pets. The happy ending being that Ratchet Beberg was able to be shipped to Spec Bebergs home, and greet her when she arrived. Talk about a nice homecoming.

For further proof that dogs are helpful and healing to the spirit and soul, read this blog post from Kaboom. The Happiest Dog in Iraq. After reading it I would bet you would agree with me, there are benefits beyond value to the soldier who manages to find the lost lonely K-9 souls.

Silly Chihuatude Videos.

I thought I might share a couple of cute videos with you. This first one was really funny. I wish I could have gotten the camera into action sooner. We were watching Americas Funniest Videos, they had a series on Chihuahua’s that night. Meeka was not too happy with the dogs on TV, LOL.

This next one just goes to show that some of the dogs are not too pleased with the oral hygiene routine. Peanut most of all, He sure makes a big fuss, but it’s all show and bluster. We use these teeth wipes, they are like handy wipes, and are supposed to be flavored.

Ceasar Millan Tackles serious Chihuatude

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

Many people do not like Chihuahua’s because they have seen far to many yippy snippy tiny dogs. The Chihuahua is known for it’s protective and loving nature. Unfortunately the protective aggressiveness is what many people remember. Many Chihuahua’s won’t back down, and it can be a problem.

This week Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, is going to tackle the toughest little dogs ever. Sunday February 1 st, 2009 at 8:00AM. on the National Geographic Channel.

He’ll be tackling the attitude and problems of the tiniest dogs around, including El Diablo. He is a tiny little Chihuahua living at a Pit Bull rescue, and he rules the roost. El Diablo has intimidated all the Pit Bulls there, but his Chihuatude has become a problem. Ceasar will go to a Pit Bull Rescue for and Chihuahua problem?

If you have a chance, watch this episode, Chihuahua’s From Hell, on The National Geographic Channel. It’s well worth the time to see how Ceasar deals with these unusual but common behavior problems.

Ceasar Millian is an extremely intuitive rehabilitator of dogs. His techniques are amazing and do work. Learn how to rule your house hold with a calm assertive presence.

Cold Weather Can Be Dangerous For Your Dog

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

We have been having some pretty cold weather lately. And the Chi-ildren are not to happy about it. Chihuahuas don’t do well in cold weather, their little bodies just do not have the necessary insulation, especially if their a short hair. So it’s very important for us to take the time to protect them from the cold.

There are all kinds of clothing available for Chihuahuas, and other dogs. You can get shirts, dresses, coats, booties, and just about anything else you could imagine. The sources are plentiful on the internet, but you really need to know what size to get. Most pet clothing is sized by the weight of animal it will fit. For instance, a shirt that fits Peanut who is 3 pounds, would never fit Babe who is 11 pounds. We have found the best clothing has no straps, snaps or other items to secure. Mainly because they dogs are less likely to try and chew them up.

You should also pay attention to the attitude of your dog. Many of them do not like clothing, and it takes time to get them used to it. Don’t force them, just keep trying them on slowly, and be patient, eventually they’ll get used to it. Persistence is the key. Sooner or later they will realize it’s for their own good. We have two Chi’s that are very susceptible to the cold weather, Callie and Peanut. Both have shorter hair than any of the others, and being as small as they are its often harder to find clothes to fit them.

Another thing they like on a cold day, heck any day, is to have a blanket to curl up under. Chihuahuas seem to love to crawl under the blankets, and bundle themselves up. Even on a warm day You will find Callie under the blanket on the couch. We keep a blanket on each couch for this reason. It gives them some warmth, and evidently a feeling of security. Believe it or not Teco, who’s feet you see above is sound asleep right then. He loves to sleep on his back and under the blanket. Babe is another one that has to be under a blanket as much as possible.

There is one last thing we do for the Chihuahuas that helps us on cold days. Peanut, Callie, Teco, and Meeka are all litter box trained. They don’t have to go outside when it’s cold. It was pretty easy training them but the others we’re still working on. Teco and Callie were litter box trained when we got them. Peanut learned from Callie, and Meeka learned from Peanut. It is handy being able to put them in their rooms, (kennels) where they each have a litter box when it’s cold. Then you just wait until they use the litter box, and let them back out. We even started litter box training Annie’s last litter before they left for their new homes.

So as the weather continues with it’s cold snaps, think of your dogs, and be sure they are safe from the cold.

Would You Like to Meet a Vet Dog?

I would like to introduce everyone to a site I have visited for quite some time now. Ginny-Puppy’s Dog Journal is a blog written in the voice of a dog. Not that unusual these days, heck I’m doing one myself, and may end up doing more. What’s special about Ginny is that her owner is a veterinarian, and Ginny answers pet health questions submitted by the readers. Does your pet have a little issue that’s been bothering you, but your not sure if it’s serious enough for a visit to the veterinarian. No problem, stop by and ask Ginny. She’ll do her research and ask her Mom, then write a complete post responding to the question. She has some really great information on her site, and has been really helpful to us.

After Annie’s last litter, she started losing some hair. It started concerning us because Annie has such a beautiful full and thick coat. I took a little trip over, virtually, to visit with Ginny, asked her what she thought may be the problem. All I had to do was go back a day later, and I had my answer. Now understand, that with out seeing and diagnosing through tests, she can only give potential problems. She’ll be the first one to tell you that it’s no substitute for a real visit to the vet. But it’s nice to have an idea of what you may be looking at. Annie’s issue turned out to be a Thyroid dysfunction, and has been corrected with medication. She is due for her check up pretty soon, and we’ll find out if she needs to continue her medication.

There is one other really neat thing about Ginny. She is the official mascot for the Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission. This is a non profit organization set up to help pet owners deal with the financial issues involved with emergency veterinary treatment. If you have ever had to take your pet to an emergency Vet you know the cost can be exorbitant. Payment is most often required prior to any treatment being performed. When Sophie had her Mastitis, the EV bill was close to $800.00 dollars. And let me tell you it was not easy to make that payment. We did of course, but it meant going without a few necessary things for us. You can visit the site, and find out what kind of options are available for the financial concerns. There’s plenty of information, and it’s a good thing to know about this stuff prior to ever needing it. So go by the site, and see what it’s all about. Remember it is a non profit that is hoping to be able to provide a service to pet owners. To provide that service, they rely upon the generosity of others. So if you can manage it, give a donation, pay it forward if you will.

Chihuatude has been honored with a nomination.

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

One of the few awards shows I enjoy watching on TV is the Peoples Choice Awards. I like it because it’s the viewers, all of us who sit couch bound every night, who vote on the winners. Well the blogosphere has it’s own peoples choice awards. They are called the Bloggers Choice Awards. There are a number of different categories, one of which is Best Animal Blogger.

Contessa ChiChi has honored us with a nomination for Best Animal Blogger. I was taken completely by surprise, and was shocked by the honor. It’s still just sinking in. Our Chi-kids are bragging to every dog that walks down the street.

Here are some of them, I know they don’t look all that excited, but trust me they are. They keep sneaking in little kisses and hugs to show us how happy they are that their being honored.

You can vote for us here, or by clicking on the badge in the sidebar. You could also vote for Contessa ChiChi.

Big Boy Found A Home!

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

Big Boy, AKA Shadow went home with his new parents last night. He will have two other Chi siblings, and be very loved and cared for. I suppose he will have to be a shadow for a new person now. It’s when we get to keep them a little longer than expected that we get attached. It makes it difficult to let them go at times.

It’s going to be a little while before we have another litter, but that’s OK too. Babe should be the next one coming into heat, and that will be in just a couple of months. We’ll skip Sable on her next heat, just like we already did with Annie, and Tia. It lets them recuperate from the strain of birth and mothering. I have never thought it a good idea to breed them continuously. I just can’t see that as a healthy responsible way to go.

It’s been a little more than two years since Babe had a litter. She always threw a lot of chocolate and white puppies. That may have been Gizmos’ influence, I am not real sure, but she does have chocolate in her family background. Her sister was completely chocolate. We’re going to try to get her with Teco, he has blue and longhair in his family background. I hope she will let him, but in the past she only wanted Peanut. Yep they do pick their mate.

Thinking of Trying Something New

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

First off, Big Boy, is very happy, and not lonely at all. As a matter of fact I may have to start calling him Shadow. He will not let Blinda out of his sight for even a second. He even tries to follow her to the bathroom. We have had a few calls, but everyone is looking for a little girl. He is getting spoiled completely rotten, and even gets to sleep in bed with us.

On to the something new. I read a lot of “Dog Blogs”, or “Animal Blogs”. These are blogs written from the perspective of the dog or pet. Many of them are really fun to read, and the comments are even better. You can get a real feeling for the personality of the animal by reading these blogs. What I’m considering trying, is to start yet one more blog. I was thinking of trying my hand at writing through the eyes of Peanut, after all he is the smallest, and must have the most interesting view of things.

Peanut has always been my little guy. He meets me at the gate when I get home, and can’t wait until I sit down on the couch so he lick my nose and ears. I will never understand why he has such a fascination with noses, but he does. He even sits with me when I’m at the computer. He has his own little bed in the desk drawer.

Tell me what you think, is it a good idea or not. I think it would be a pretty solid challenge to my ever increasing imagination. Just in case you wonder why he was named Peanut, let me show you his baby picture.

Doesn’t he look just like a peanut.

Starting 2009 Off With a Few More Pic’s

Image by Schweerchichi via Flickr

Big Boy is still with us, and enjoying his freedom more. He is getting spoiled rotten, and someone is letting him sleep in bed with us. He has the run of the house, and very seldom goes to the kennel any longer. He surely is a ball of energy, but more so a love monster. He loves to sit on Blinda’s lap and pester her. He has an affinity for chewing on her hair, and trying to crawl up on her shoulder underneath her hair. It is rather funny to watch.

He is a climber, and has not quite figured out the jumping up onto the couch yet. He prefers to climb rather than jump. He has been running around with Peanut and Meeka quite a bit. They all love to chase each other and chew on each other.

There is no doubt he has his fathers ears.

Chihuatude

Puppy Update

bABE IS expecting, finally

Little Callie’s Sweet Babies

Our White Prince Of Hearts

A new look for Chihuatude

Things Are Just A Popping

Down to Just One

Only Two Left

7 Weeks and full of it!

4 Weeks Old, and The Adventures Begin

The babies are testing their balance

The House is Filled With The Pitter Patter of Tiny Paws Once Again.

Tia Marie is expecting this weekend

Mr. Peanut has Done it Again!

Wordless Chihuatude

Pet Owner Responsibility is Not Always Taken Seriously Enough by All.

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Would You Like to Meet a Vet Dog?

Chihuatude has been honored with a nomination.

Big Boy Found A Home!

Thinking of Trying Something New

Starting 2009 Off With a Few More Pic’s