Angel dog Chrissy was a Chihuahua-terrier mix.
If you live near the Cincinnati area, a small boatload of Chihuahuas need homes.
These little ones were victims of a hoarder. To see the complete story http://bit.ly/a380ME.
We found a little mix a couple years ago. Flea bitten and starving, once she had medical care and love, Chrissy became devoted to my husband. She spent the last 15 months of her life on his lap as much as possible.
Windy is home recuperating from her hysterectomy.
The vet said the surgery was a little more complicated because of adhesions. Windy probably had at least two C-sections, so scar tissue was around her uterus, my vet said. Evidently a previous owner, who may have been the one who had her in dog shows, wanted puppies.
The vet said it is better for small dachshunds to have C-sections rather than a normal birth, which can be too demanding on their little bodies.
So, Windy is to rest for at least a week. No playing or walks for her, and I am taking her out to potty on a leash. No arguments from her so far. She likes a snuggly blanket anywhere I place her.
Please remember to spay a female dog as soon as you can. It is not better for one to go into heat at least once then spay. Spaying can increase their life span and help their overall health.
As for Windy, she only knows she felt much better before she went to the vet yesterday. She will not be accepting visitors until late next week.
We found blood on the bedspread yesterday morning under Windy’s spot. We were alarmed. I checked her mouth and rectum. Nothing.
My husband said, “Is she having a period?”
“Of course not; she’s fixed,” I said.
Thinking she had a urinary track infection, Windy and I went off to the vet.
She was in heat. I felt like an idiot.
Today Windy is in surgery, I am trying to remove bloodstains, and my husband has the decency not to gloat.
Hope, a miniature schnauzer who spent five years in an Amish puppy mill in Ohio.
If you have more than 10 breeding dogs in Missouri, you will have to meet certain standards for veterinary care, food and housing.
People will not be allowed to own more than 50 dogs for breeding.
For more about the bill: http://bit.ly/b0D2oP.
Hope has been doing a little trick for the past couple of weeks my husband didn’t tell me about until yesterday.
When he comes home, Jake and Windy run to great him, but Hope decides to do something different. Hope will come up to him, bump her nose on his shin and then run back a few feet and watch. My husband tells her she is a “good girl” and continues to greet the wiener dogs. He knows not to go after her because she will go off in the opposite direction.
Hope has not tried the “shin bump” with me. She seems to favor my husband, which makes sense to me because all she knew were men in the Amish puppy mill.
Maybe some day my big girl will learn to trust humans.
Hope, relaxing at the dachshund meeting.
Twice yesterday Hope, my girl who spent five years in an Amish puppy mill, behaved almost like a normal dog.
I had been gone a few days. When I came in the front door, Jake and Windy went crazy. Hope watched. I sat on the floor to give the wieners some direct attention with hugs and pets. Hope approached but stopped about four feet from us. I held out my hand, palm up. She did not flee. She stood there and watched.
This is a breakthrough for her to approach like this. I know she was watching the attention Jake and Windy were receiving.
Later, I noticed one of my house slippers was missing. She had taken it to her bed in the living room. The shoe was soaking wet with slobber but still in one piece. Never have I been happy to see a dog getting one of my shoes, but this time I was pleased.
Jake naps in his Halloween bandana.
With Halloween here, many people dress up their dogs. We don’t. I have had dogs wiggle out of costumes, and in an instant start chewing what I considered too cute to pass up.
The extent of my guys’ wardrobe is coats and T-shirts for the wieners for when it gets slightly chilly.
I do like to put bandanas on them. One cheap way to do this is to go to a shop that sells fabric. Find their remnants section. You can find seasonal fabrics you can make into bandanas. You don’t have to sew. Cut the fabric big enough to fit your dog.
For those who remember “Joe the Plumber,” he is in the news again.
Joe is lobbying for puppy mills in Missouri. http://bit.ly/cC4wzl .
You decide.
My in-laws never have owned a dog. When they first started visiting, my mother-in-law wanted to be helpful. She said she “didn’t speak dog” and needed to learn what my dogs wanted or needed if my husband and I were not around.
Going to the door was the easy one: Let them out to the backyard. Hanging around the kitchen was a bit harder. It could be because they smelled something delicious cooking, or the garbage needed to be taken out. If it were dinnertime, well, that was easy.
Does getting in my suitcase mean Jake wants to go on vacation?
If you plan to share your life with dogs, learning their behaviors will make your life easier. Dogs are social, pack animals. Cesar Millan’s books discuss behavior; His television show is good also. The monks of New Skete have several good books.
I remember a man complaining about his new schnauzer biting at his daughter’s fingers. I asked how does this happen. He said she would put her finger through the crate bars at the dog. First, she shouldn’t be sticking her fingers in there. Second, many dogs do not have good close-up vision. If she had been eating with her fingers, the dog probably thought there was something good there for him.
Please try to understand your dog’s behavior so both your lives will be better.
The Columbus Dispatch published my letter today. It is here: http://bit.ly/b77woM
People need to remember not to shop at stores that sell dogs. More than likely, those dogs came from puppy mills. By not going in you will not only avoid the urge to rescue a dog, but also you will not be spending money with a business that supports such a horrific practice.
Many pet supply stores will have adoption days in which rescue groups or an animal shelter brings in dogs. I think those should be a person’s top choice for shopping.
If you must have a puppy, take care with getting one from classified ads. You should see the environment in which it is raised. You need to see its relatives. If you are in a municipality in which the breeder must have a license, ask to see the license. Ask for names and contact information of some of the breeder’s customers. Ask the breeder the name of his or her vet. If you cannot get any of this information, skip that breeder.
Days of Our Dogs' Blog 