Chi Mommas are the bomb...

I need to be a chihuahua momma in my next life! Life is in the moment--no worries about the past or future. When weaning there is no feeling of "Oh, how could I do this to them?" They simply decide the time and place and their puppies know mom is serious... That growl and nip means, "No more milk." Puppies learn quickly and the whining passes quickly, much to the ignorant glare of mom who is only a couple feet away from the nest...

There are no regrets, no extra worrying, no second guessing--if only it was that easy in the human world--and I hate to say this about my own gender--but primarily in the world that we woman make so wonderful and hateful at the same time... Not to say that if we had more help and understanding from our male partners that this world would most definitely be a happier place!!!! But, yes the lesser of the mammals, female mammals have got it together...

Poop-a-mania!

So, to all those out there that have little ones (puppies)--take extra care to keep your floors free of junk that they can chew & swallow! Lulu & Bingo are finding the tiniest of plastic toys and then pooping out minute hands and feet that belong to some cadaver doll... It hasn't been pretty. The funny thing is they stalk the toys then drag them off to the cave--the hole they've made in the underlining of the sofas--to eat them! Not good on their stomachs or mine after picking up too many poop piles...

Besides that, I am so glad they still have each other to play with--being that Misty and Smokey are gone. Bingo continues to be available--I can't imagine why--he is a cutie & so sweet :-)

Lucy seems to be kicking the bacterial thing she has--finally! Her glands have finally come down to normal size and the chills are disappearing. She loves to go to the barn and pester Lacy, our Paint Mare--Lacy lets her know it's not amusing. But mostly, she loves to chase the geese in synchronicity with Daisy--like a pack of hyenas... The rucus is too funny... It's a zoo and I am lucky to be in it...

Chi babysitting anyone?

So, I have to go to a wedding in Miami this Sat. And, Charlotte my friend and accomplice in this crazy Chi world, is taking Daisy, Lulu & Bingo to make things easier on my mom which will take care of the girls and remaining dogs... Uhhhh, it's hard to plan out escapes with 6 chihuahuas! So, for those of you out there addicted like me--make sure you have a great support system in place to care for your dogs when you vacation--it's a must.

Lucy is still not 100% =( She has two days left on the antibiotics. We'll see.

Long weekend...

Lucy is still not herself--a few chills and glands that haven't come down completely... =( But, she still has 5 days left of the new antibiotic--so, we'll see. My in-laws were here this past weekend and were introduced to the new puppies--like it or not for them! They are not animal people--but have no choice to accept it when they are here...

Nini's are more active by the day. They are going into the big kiddie pool today where they will have a folded comforter on one side, newspaper throughout the rest and their food & water, of course. Wow, time has flown-I can't believe we are at this point already! Just yesterday, it seems, I was transitioning the blues to the big pool...

Bingo is still with us--and loving and playful as ever. Ya, he isn't placed yet, but, on the other hand we are getting to enjoy all of his puppy love--that is a bonus...

Daisy and I are off to the barn to feed Lacy. Daisy loves to go with me and see the sights--geese, chicken, horses, german sherpherd (Duke) caretaker of the property... It's funny to watch her follow her nose then immediately look for me, to make sure she is OK and not alone in that big zoo! She is learning to stay near and follow my steps, which is a great thing in the training process--trust & obedience. She is listening more and more each day--without having to repeat the command... So, off to feed the horses--can't wait until they are here, where all I have to do is walk out in the yard and hear Lacy Loo calling for me...

Lucy who???

Well, even I am not perfect... After taking Lucy to the vet yesterday,again, to have her rechecked--still had a fever and chills--I got complicated with the girls and their horse riding lessons and before I knew it the vet had closed and Lucy had to stay overnight! =(
I'm sure she was not happy with me--and neither was I--happy with me that is... I then went ot Charlotte's house to help her decide if Frosty, who belongs to Karen from www.floridachi.com
was the right match, as a stud, for Chica--who is Chico and Nini's girl from a over a year ago. And he was. I chugged the strongest alcoholic beverage she had and proceeded to numb the feeling of having left Lucy behind...
First thing this morning, you know where I was--picking her up of course! I was telling Jane Ellen, the vet's wife, how bad I felt about not having picked her up--and then we started to exchange stories of times when we've left our kids behind--forgetting them! Funny, it hurts more to leave one of your dogs behind than your human child! Or is that just me??? Anyway, Lucy came home on a different antibiotic and it seems to be doing the job... Let's hope this is the end of whatever she has...

Lucy at the vet again.... =(

I have no desire to write much this morning--Lucy is at the vet again for a recheck... =( This still do not know what kind of infection she has--the blood work was inconclusive! My stomach acids are churning like you would not believe!!!! I have to maintain positive thoughts, focused on her, in my mind... Lucy will recover starting today and we will know what she has! My dogs are no different from my real children--it's all the same to me... If you are a parent and animal lover, then you know this to be true... Lucy, you will come home on the road to recovery today...

Lazy, lazy....

Yes--I know--I've been lazy! Ok, so I have never been good at keeping a diary or journal... But, I will try harder at this... I am so insulted at not having found a home for Bingo--he is a true love and beautiful, eventhough he is on the bigger side--but, so what! It's the adult dog that you get out of the puppy that counts!!!! And he is worth way more than his asking price($500)!!! I have seen what is out there and there are many questionable chis where you have to drop your jaw and scream--what is that!!!! But, anyway, all that is good will come in good time... He will get a great home or he will end up here---which is very tempting at this point!

Nini's pups are getting much more active---soooo cute. You know people think that because I do this from home it is easier and cheaper to have these puppies---WRONG! Go to a pet store and you will be getting a cheap puppy that will show it as soon as you get home with it... It will 99% of the time be a puppy that was whelped in a cage out in the open element and had only it's tired and wasted mom care for it. Flies, mosquitoes, fleas and ticks surrounded it's mother and therefore the puppy--feces, pee & mucus covered the puppies and mom. Pedigree--well you know if you do get one--it's probably falsified. That is what you call producing puppies on the cheap--and it angers me to know that people undervalue what I do here at home...

My dogs whelp with me at their side--no matter what time of day or night. I immediately clean the puppies and suction them to help them take their first good breath of life. They are placed in basket with a heating pad and plenty of towels to keep them warm while mom is whelping the next one. They suckle from her right from the start because they are placed on her nipple by me. Everyone is cleaned up afterward. Clean blankets and towels are always placed under them once it is all said and done. Mom is only given the best quality food and my own preparations/recipes. Mom is fed 4 times a day and then in the wee hours of the night. They sleep, only, in my room until 6 weeks of age. Hey, let me tell you--I have had four children (human) of my own--and I still have not recovered from the sleep deprivation of that! Well, I continue to log in plenty of hours of sleep deprivation with my pups too! I'm not complaining--just letting the public know that this is a labor of love and it is not an easy one...

Ok, enough with that. Sorry, to bore or overwhelm anyone... I LOVE (ADORE) my dogs and puppies. I challenge anyone to disprove that.

Lucy had a fever this weekend and got seen yesterday. She had bloodwork done and was sent home with antibiotics. I'll know today what it is when the cbc comes back. =( It worries the hell out of me when they are not well---I can't see our lives without her--she has stolen my heart and mind...
Well until next time, see ya later chi lovers....

Goodbyes...

Well tomorrow is departure day for Smokey and Misty.... =( As much as I love doing this--I still hate when they GO ! It always feels like a little part of me is leaving too. But the upside is hearing from clients who have bought my pups and knowing that they are totally in love with their dogs and the dogs they already had are too...

Smokey and Misty will be "Tucker" & "Zena" and we are looking forward to their future updates and pix. Lucy and the rest of our gang will surely miss them too... Again, they may leave our home but they never leave our hearts...

And one more makes....

So, today I have my friend Charlotte's dog Snickie, sister to my dog Daisy, with me. Charlotte has come down with this bad bug that we have already had--and Chica, her other female is in heat and wants to eat Snickie's head... =( But, Daisy is loving it--it's funny how they still know each other eventhough they don't live together--who says dogs aren't smart!!!!

Lucy is looking very lopsided, since she has weaned the pups--hope she bounces back to her old body soon... Dasiy & Lucy come to the farm with me to feed the horses and have become quite comfortable with the huge creatures--the horses are amused by what I am assuming they think is vermin...? Puppies had their first shot and fecals on Mon--a couple cried, overall they did real well. They have such personalities. Smokey doesn't seem to appreciate Adriana, our 2 yr old, carrying him around everywhere. He sees her coming from a mile away and just runs! All the others are fine with her. It's great exposure for them and their future families and encounters... The other puppies, Nini's brood, are developing their stride--moving around a lot more. They only see fuzzy figures still. All in all, everything is well in chi world....

March is beginning in a stormy way--black clouds, wind and rain--then cold! So, we are all huddled inside for today. Lots of cuddling and watching movies with puppies in our laps... Not a bad start for March, in my eyes...