Lucy and morning sickness

Lucy has not been herself this pregnancy--which has me worried. Knowing how fragile life can be-I am not feeling so good about this. I spend many hours out of the day just trying to figure out what I can feed her... She is not eating wet food and wanting to eat only certain treats--which she cannot live off until she gives birth! Dog food is kinda out of the question for her now--so, what do I do? It's nerve wracking!

I had to give her Nausea Relief syrup this morning, as she was vomitting bile. Let's see if it works. She has eaten 3 Milk Bone small dog treats so far, not much more. We'll see how the day progresses...

Lucy and her big belly

So, Lucy is growing, growing, growing--and I am wondering, "Okay, how many are in there?!" It's a bit frightening to see her uncomfortable at this point in time when her actual due date is the 20th of Oct. I kinda of feel she isn't going to make it to the 20th. She happens to be a big chi- not huge, just a good size for breeding, you could say. So, that comforts me a bit. I remember Nini's first litter--she was huge-ginormous, monstrous--and out came 5. Nini is a bit smaller in frame than Lucy.

Canela and Romeo are doing well. Although, I would like to see him nibble on the dry food a bit more--he is being spoiled by momma's milk for now--and although, I know, it is best for him, I want to see him be more independent of her, that aspect. Canela is being great at night for him, though--when at this point she really doesn't even need to nurse him anymore--all of his teeth are in. But, she chugs away in her duty to him.

My mom recently moved into our home with us. And, she is a great help-great mother that I would do anything for, as she has done all her life for my brother and me. But, along with her came two more chis and a 16 yr old Corgie mix, which is half blind and almost completely deaf. Little fingers are barely making it out of her mouth, some days. It can get a bit overwhelming most days. Don't even mention the doorbell ringing!!! Crazy!!! But, we are who we are and we love our family--meaning humans and animals alike--couldn't have it any other way...

Babies have gone

Well, the day arrived. Boom Boom Jr, as I like to call him, and Kirby (as K's son has named him) have gone to their true home. They will be 7 weeks this coming Sat and should do just fine. They are eating wet food well and beginning to eat the dry too. Canela's little boy, which I think will be called Romeo, is missing his brothers dearly. It pains me to see him this way. He stands in the baby pool and looks around. Then, he begins to whimper. So, we pick him up and he gets to walk around or be on the bed, where we took our afternoon nap, with us.

Hopefully, real soon they will be back to play or we will go there to play... Can't wait...

Sleepy Hot days (daze)

So, it has been very hot in Central Florida this year. With little rain, it seems even hotter. The dogs all got a buzz cut, thanks to my new clippers (which weren't cheap, but very worth the $). Chico, of course, looks nothing like himself because he is chocolate tipped-meaning only the ends of his body hairs are colored chocolate the bottom half is silver/white. So, when he is buzzed he looks like a Freaky Freak... =)

The baby boys are doing really well. Playing hard and sleeping hard. Not to mention peeing and pooing bigger each day! But, they are beginning to really dig the wet food, not the dry yet (teeth have not fully come in). Eventhough, they still think Momma's milk is #1... Can't get enough of it. Canela is being fed throughout the day, so she can maintain her sugar level and energy up, in order to better produce milk and not feel so exhausted. She is as fat as ever-if you can believe that... She continues to be a GREAT mommy. I am not looking forward to the day, which will be soon, when the two boys which belong to floridachi.com (BB & Chico's litter), have to go... But, hey they deserve to be there and I know Karen is dying to have them there...

Lucy is tired and getting bigger. She is already showing. To those out there that are thinking, "How could you have let her get prego again," well, there is some literature out there that suggests that two consecutive pregnancies are better for the uterus in preparation for future pregnancies, in the case of dog. We shall see. Up to now, all is well. She is a bit sicker to her stomach, (repugniated) not vomitting. We are looking forward to her pups and seeing what she has this time--will they all be BLUES again??? Oct 20th is her due date.

Horses gone to the dogs

Man have we been working hard here! Clearing land of all things--I have to say--if you can hire a professional to do it--it's worth the $!!! My husband, Carlos, and I have been stump grinding-no less than 26 stumps, tilling, cutting trees and limbs, and clearing out vines. I am exhausted! All this so that the horses can get into their new pasture. Well their pasture, now, is the run that used to belong to the dogs...

Poor chis, they have to settle for a much smaller piece of yard to do their thing nowadays. The grass that once covered their run has been eaten and trampled by the hooves of our mares that each weigh around 1000 lbs... But, it seems the end is getting close and the pasture will be done soon- I hope...

So, the chis will have their yard back and the horses will have a bigger pasture to romp around and eat grass in...

Fun times begin...

So, now they are walking and eating real puppy food... Which means, their poops and pees are getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Which means more cleaning and washing of bedding!

But, hey, it's fun to watch them get around and bite down on each other--trying to wrestle an ear or foot... Now when they here me say, "Where are the babies?" they turn to find my face and run toward me; too precious...

Chico Jr, Karen's boy, is sooo flipping cute--such a little model of Daddy. He looks to have light eyes... If he ends up with light eyes--he will be such a latin lover--watch out chi chis!!!

Life goes on...

I haven't had the heart to get back on and blog since all that has happened... But, life seems to be getting back to normal. The pain has subsided--but, just this past Saturday as I was cleaning the back porch of all the little presents my little ones have left since the horses moved into their yard--it all hit me again. I started to relive all that happened with BB and get down on myself for not figuring out what was happening sooner...

That has been the hardest for me--wishing I had more foresight. But, I guess I need to take solace in the fact that lessons in life are just that--learning opportunities to avoid future repeats... I am very much a perfectionist and this concept can be hard for me, at times...

Yet, when I see what a good job Canela has done with the Boys, it awes and amazes me---that things happened as they did and that Canela was able to provide for BB's boys in their time of need. And that Karen was able to get rest in her angst--the sleepless nights of bottle feeding would have added more stress to her strained mind...

So, life continues it's cycle of adding and taking from this world... Thank goodness, and I firmly believe this, that like energy, there is no beginning and no end--we will all meet again...

Grieving...

As hard as these past few days have been for me---I cannot imagine how hard they have been for K. She lost BB while away, did not get the chance to be by her side during her recovery, then to make matters worse, did not have the chance to be at her side during her passing. She has not expressed much to me--she is a quiet and self-reliant woman, but the remorse for all of this must be overwhelming... My sympathy and empathy for her is endless right now...

My husband, Carlos, and I talked about how she is in such a bad place right now not only because of BB not being there but, also because her puppies are here at our home-being nursed by Canela--so, it's another thing she is missing out on... The puppies are thriving with Canela's milk and attention--and I know it is the best thing for them--but, I can't help but feel they should be with her-to help her through these tough days ahead of her...

I would also like to include a picture (sent to me by K) of BB in her casket being buried with a hamburger (she always had one to enjoy after whelping) her favorite toy (one that she arrived with as a puppy) and her tri-colored son(which passed the same night as she did) being embraced by her. It's very touching...

Hard Life Lessons...

Just a warning--this is going to be a long blog...

This past week has been one of the hardest that I have had in a long while... A great chihuahua named BB from which belonged to a friend/chihuahua breeder of mine passed away. BB was toward the end of her pregnancy and huge... Chico, my male was the stud that was used to impregnate her. She was carrying 5 beautiful puppies, although neither her owner or myself knew it at the time... Well, my friend was surprised by her hubby with a cruise vacation (she had not had a vacation in more than 5 yrs., let alone been on a cruise). So, BB having been through two previous whelpings with no complications, had to be left in the care of someone she trusted... I learned of her cruise on Mon and accepted taking care of BB. K and her family would leave on the cruise Thur afternoon and not return until Mon morning. I coincidentally had my niece and two nephews over from NM for the week along with my four children and my in laws. Hey, but it's always crazy here--no biggy...

BB came over on Tues, and she was as big as a house; looked like a really heavy sack of potatoes... Wow, was all that could be said. She was not very mobile-hard to get up and go from a laying position. I think of how K would leave my house and not know that it would be the last time she would see BB alive...

BB looked as if she was in a lot of discomfort--but mainly due to the extra weight she was carrying around. For the most part she was in a comfy doggy bed or on the sofa (carried up by us) just resting or sleeping. Nothing was unusual or out of the ordinary. She was eating well and drinking a lot of water and going to the bathroom as usual... Her first night here, she slept in her little pool in the puppy room with Nini, Chico, Canela and Daisy (I checked in on her at 4:30 am--she was fine). In the morning, she waddled out to the pool area and did her thing. Back to the usual laying and sleeping for the rest of the day. Not too much of an appetite, but she did eat some wet food. On Wed. night, I decided I wanted her next to me for the remainder of her days with me, in case something should happen in the night... She was uncomfortable, a few moans here and there when changing positions... "Nothing extraordinary," I thought.

Thursday morning she ate her wet food, pottied, and slept as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary realm of whelping seemed to be going on. She was still for most of the day. The kids took turns at petting her as she slept on the couch. She went out, carried by me, for her potty breaks. Her behind was so heavy, she could not even pick it up to pee--it was flush with the grass. That late afternoon, she had what I thought was a bit of reflux--some watery vomit. I also prepared myself for possibly delivering puppies within the next couple of days. Labor can many times be preceded by a bit of vomiting and loss of appetite. Well, when it came to food time, she did not want to eat. No biggy--maybe the beginning of her whelping the pups??? I wanted her to hold on for day 58--a milestone in the pulmonary development of the puppies. "Please, BB, hold on until Saturday!" I was secretly praying... That night she had a few more watery vomits. More nausea, I thought, than anything. "It will come soon--she is going to blow!" I frighteningly thought.

Well, Friday morning came--she did not want to even smell food. Went to the bathroom- only pee. OK, let's wait--maybe it will be this afternoon? The birth of the pups, that is. Well, in the late afternoon, after having laid most of the day she vomited and I noticed a tinge of blood in it. It was past 6:30 pm and my vet was no longer open. I gave her some more Mylanta and it seemed to help. What ensued was horrific and traumatic for all involved... At, around 4 am (Sat) BB awoke and let out a huge vomit that reeked of pure blood. She immediately became very still, which was probably a seizure, and I thought I had lost her. I was screaming to my husband to help in some way--I felt helpless as I called my close friend/breeder Charlotte. "I think BB has died!!!!" I screamed on the phone. "Can you come with me the Vet ER? The babies need to be saved!!! Hurry over!!!" were my words. Those words are still an echo in my mind... I managed to shove some Karo syrup with a syringe into her locked jaw and it seemed to bring her back to life. "Please, BB, hold on, hold on..."I kept repeating out loud as we drove as fast as we could first to one ER that was closed and then to the Emergency Clinic of Casselberry, only one close by and open. One, I knew from the time I had to rush Baby Girl in for her C-Sec--only that one ended on a much happier note. They knew we were coming and we rushed into a room and explained what had happened.

Charlotte and I waited, uncomfortably at 4:30 am, in a freezing room with tiny benches to hear something about her condition. Thank goodness for good friends... I was a wreck and she was my rock that night. Finally, the doctor on call that night came in to tell us of the situation. BB was in labor--but no sack had peeked through, yet. She was having irregular contractions. Blood work needed to be done. I had to consent to it, being I was taking responsibility since her owner was unreachable at the time. "DO IT! Whatever needs to be done!" was my response. Pray, pray, pray out loud was all Charlotte and I could do---really just open thoughts of her being well was what we were trying vocalize. The Dr. finally came in again to tell us that BB's blood work was the PITS! Her pH level was too low, which made her blood & body acidic--OMG, how much more! Well, her sugar and calcium levels were all off too! She would need a C-Sec, could she be spayed? Well, no, I am not her owner--can't make that kind of decision... But, before her C-Sec, she would need to be stabilized with the fluids. So, at 8 am there was no Dr. to operate on her--could this get any worse??? Well, I had to take her to my vet, Dr. Hill, in Casselberry also who luckily opens on Sat--Thank God for Dr. Hill, or else BB and her puppies would have been buried together.

I went home and closed my eyes for an hour--mind you I had not really slept well all night for the past two nights, hearing BB's uncomfortableness--I turned on my night light to check on her being nervous about her condition; did that the previous two nights. At 7 am I was back at the ER picking BB up, by myself. Well, they handed her over to me and she had a sack that was very much protruding--NOOOOOO! "Just carry her gently and try not to touch the sacks." Easier said than done... I was not going to put her on a seat, so she was in my lap as I was trying to drive to my vet who would not be in for another hour. "Carlos, get my whelping kit over to me! I am in Dr. Hill's parking lot. BB is going to start having puppies on me here!" I screamed over the phone to a very groggy husband of mine. He could not get there fast enough in my mind. BB was pushing but, with very little strength. "SOMEBODY HELP!" I nervously chanted in my head. There was no one around and no Carlos, yet. Finally, I saw the receptionist drive in. "Julia!" I screamed. "Come help!" In we went. Carlos also arrived.

Luckily, all her paperwork had been faxed over by the ER so, they had her blood work in hand. She was rushed to the back. Dr. Hill came out to tell me--he would continue to stabilize her with fluids and see if she could deliver on her own. She still needed the fluids for a bit before he could even consider putting her under anesthesia. By this point, I was thinking this was all a bad dream that I would wake out of... It was 8:30 am Sat morning. BB could not be touched until around 11:30 am--Dr. Hill phoned to say that he waited as long as he did because he thought he would instantly loose her on the table, just by her lethargic look. But, by 11:30 am or so, she seemed to have perked up from the fluids. She had 5 puppies via C-Sec, four of which were completely fine. One puppy was still being worked on to get him to breathe regularly. He was a tri-color (black, white and tan) male, beautiful with a bit of a cone head;first one in the birth canal it seemed. Well, he came home along with BB and the rest of her pups to my house. I picked BB up at around 2pm. All seemed fine. BB was out of it, due to the anesthesia... We all took turns at working on the tri-colored male, my kids, my niece and nephews. Charlotte came to help. We made BB as warm as possible along with her pups. They all started to suckle. And then, BB convulsed. "Charlotte, stick some Karo in her mouth!" Off to the ER vet we went again. The Karo brought her back to life and it seemed she would be OK... So,we thought.... Into the ER she went; all there were familiar with BB by now. Explained what happened. And they calmly took her to the back.

The Doctor, a different one from the am one this time, came to speak with us. BB would have to remain in the ER until Monday morning. There was no milk in her nipples. The puppies would have to be bottle or tube fed, depending on whether they accepted the bottle or not. Well, they are in good hands we thought... I was EXHAUSTED, mentally more than anything else, by this time... But, I thought, "OK, I'll pick her up on Mon and she will be as good as new. And hopefully, she will start producing milk. The pups will then be able to nurse from her."

Later that Saturday night, at about 8:45pm we got the call--the one that no pet owner wants to ever hear... "BB, has gone into cardiac arrest and has been resuscitated. She is in a coma right now." "And, the tri-colored puppy did not make it." "I'll be right over," I said feeling my stomach sink... "Carlos, she's gone," I cried in pure agony. The tears did not stop for the next day and a half from that point.

BB was laying on a sterile cold steel table, although covered in a towel, connected to an IV and oxygen mask. Her breathing was labored and hard. The gaze in her eyes was vacant. It was one of the saddest animal moments in my entire life. I gushed tears and squeals like a two year old. Hell, I didn't care. The doctor's words seemed so far in the distance--I could barely hear what she was saying. BB could not continue like this. She was comatose and suffering--struggling just to breathe. The humane thing was to euthanize. "What, I shouldn't be the one here to decide this--to see this, to be the last person to hold her!" were the thoughts that deafened my mind... "Can I sit next to her?" "Will it be quick?" "Yes," the Dr. reassured me. "It's an overdose of the anesthesia."

So, I held BB for her last breath of life and cried over her little body. I told her that her owner loved her and would have wanted to be with her. I told her to go in peace to that great place on the other side where she could play, run and sleep all she wanted, when she wanted. It was a very sad scene. I felt guilty for being the one with her at her time of death--I so wanted her to have had K there with her. It was all very conflicting for me. The puppies would remain at the ER until Mon 7 am. It was somewhat of a relief that they would be in their care because I was beaten to a pulp by then...

But, there were 4 pups that were alive and well and needed to have our attention and care. So, on Mon morning Charlotte, Carlos and myself headed over to the ER to pick up the remaining puppies. Two girls and two boys. Beauties... Life had pulled through the gallows of death and was squeaking at us in that box it came home in...

K called later that morning, while the pups were home and being bottle fed and stimulated to urinate/defecate (all that BB would have had to do). K could not even understand me until the end of the conversation--"Wait I am not getting you here. You mean you have 4 live puppies at home with you?" she said quietly. "Yes," I cried "And, they are beautiful."

Well, today is Saturday night, exactly a week after all this transpired. And sadly, there are only the two boys left. But, the happy end here is that Canela had her puppy on the 20th and has taken the boys in as her own. So, they have that good and warm breast milk to thrive on... And thriving they are...

And although, I feel priveledged for BB to have chosen me to be the one there with her in her final hour and feel that I can only be stronger and wiser from this experience--I can sincerely say that I would have much rather learned it by reading it from an article in a magazine authored by someone else...

BB you will be missed...

The Circle of Life

This past week has been one of much sadness and yet, joy too. It's funny how one can always preceed the other... Like the Ying and Yang...

I do not even have words for what has happened or what is yet to happen... I wish I could go into more detail, but I would like to be respectful to those who have lost and gained this week, including myself and family.

Canela has given birth to one male puppy--very cute... Shaggy our cat of 15 yrs. was euthanized today to end her suffering. As one came into this world, the other left... I have learned some tough lessons this past week... Canela's whelping was one of them last night... She made the mistake of ripping the sack her baby was in from the get go--making it very hard for him to slide through her birth canal. He was also breach, which made things much more difficult. There is a permanent kink in his tail--the battle scar of his passing into this world. But, he is here and doing well. And, boy, is he a squealer and sooo cute at the same time. I am sure tonight I will not get much sleep again--I like to make sure this first week of life they have the best start possible--so, if I have to help him find a teet, I will, at whatever time of the night it may be... I sometimes think I would have better been suited living in a reserve in Africa or South America... It's a zoo here anyway-horses, chihuahuas, cats, fish, and all the ferrel wildlife we aid along at any point in time. Funny world...

Still waiting

Nothing yet! That is a good thing--day 63 is the 21st of Aug--and it's good for them to hold on until the end--for the puppie's sake... But, it's funny she barely looks like she is carrying-yet, you can feel the little buggers kicking and moving...

She is having lots of morning sickness. The games I have to play to get her to eat are tiring and futile, sometimes, but I have to try it all--I do not want to have little weaklings being born... They need to rump and healthy in my opinion.

So, as we approach the due date--suspense grows and grows--what will they be like???!!!

Waiting for babies and babysitting

We will have a new companion chi, here at ChihuahuaCrazy, for the next week or so. BB is from FloridaChi.com and is expecting at the same time that our Canela is... Karen her owner claims she is as big as a house!!! Chico was her stud--yay Chico!!! But, our Canela looks like she is carrying maybe one or two tiny hamsters... It is Canela's first litter--so, that may have something to do with it???
So, here we are excitedly awaiting the little ones. Can't wait to see what we have!!!!

Let me just reflect here for a moment---dogs and animals, in general, are so much easier to deal with than our human children... This summer has me wasted---with all 4 daughters at home and depending on ME--I am TIRED...

The dogs don't talk back, or leave their dirty plates out, or whine for this and that... I guess it's just these pre-teen years that are hard--can't imagine what the teen years will be like...

But, hey, those damn fleas are tiring--no matter what you use whether it's Advantix or Frontline--you can't get rid of them for good... What is up with that! For us, it is using a flea comb everyday and making sure they are killed one by one--yeah, I guess that can get tiring too... But, hey, I know I am blessed and would not have it any other way.... :-) Thanks for listening to ME whine a bit...

Sorry--I am sooo bad at this...

Yes, we have been back for a while now.... And all the doggies are good. I took care of my friend Charlotte's chis, Chica, Snickie and her new boy Pepe Le Pew... We didn't want him to go--he's a teenie little funny boy who was being carried by my girls and myself, of course, all around the house...

Chica--gave me two heart stopping scares in her venture to find her puppies that had left just before coming here to get pet sitted... First, she ran straight out into the street and right under a car that was driving by--I thought I was going to have to pick up her pieces off of the street!!!! Don't know how--but, she came out from underneath the car without a single grease mark on her... Then, as we went out in the back for a little leg stretch and run --I find her running with my neighbors horses in the yard next to us... Mind you, the horses are both close to 800 lbs. each and she is instigating a came of Duck, Duck Goose!!!! I am getting too old to climb and jump over fences in a rush to save animals--luckily, she finally listened and came back through the same hole she had gotten under the fence through...

Nice to feel the peace again of just my dogs, I must say... :-)

Back From the Keys...

So, we are back from Key Largo (Tavernier)... Blah... But, yes we did have to get back to reality... Lucy and Daisy were the lucky ones to go this time around--well, I can't take them all you know! First, there is no fence around the property=going out into the street, if they choose, Second, it's a single wide trailer with two bedrooms and one bath... So, pack of chihuahuas--not gonna work there... Lucy, snuck over to the neighbor and investigated their boat ramp and went sliding right into the water a second later--it was too funny. Her paw skid marks were a good 5 feet in length until she hit the water where she didn't reach anymore. Hence, she comes out soaking wet from head to toe--happy as can be, nevertheless. Daisy was content just sitting in the sun - working on her tan. Neither was too explorative, as far as going out to explore the street or other neighbors--nice relaxing time was what we had--good sun, warm water, good food, good beer...

As nice as it is to be in paradise with the sunsets, water, fish, manatees, etc... I would not switch what I have for that--ever... I love my chis, my horses (which I missed tremendously) our home, our yard, our life.............................................. :-)

Hot, hot, hot summer...

Phew, the heat has gotten to us all! Nini has finally come out of her heat cycle--TG! My mom had to take her this last week, after being with Charlotte for a good almost 3 weeks--it was never ending... But she needed the break soooo badly---believe me I know (this coming from mom who had 3 consecutive pregnancies!).

Our horses Lacy and Taja are sweating out in the dog area for now--until their pasture is graded and finished. The dogs like to bark at them from the pool area, while Lacy looks at the pool and thinks, "That water looks awfully cool..." It's funny having all these amazing animals--really puts the world into a different perspective for me... I think if more of us took a cue from the way these animals act and live--the world would be a much better place...

So, we are headed to the Keys, finally, a week or so late. Lucy, Daisy and Chiqui (my mom's 15 yr old Corgie mix) are headed down with us. Lots of swimming for us to get out of this heat.

Stay cool and hydrated!

Fun in the Sun...

Had to come back to reality again after spending a few glorious days in the Keys... We headed down with Lucy & Chico (the lucky ones!) our four daughters, two of their friends, my mom and Carlos (my husband), of course. The drive on Friday night was torturous!!! We ended up leaving at around 9 pm, after all was said and done--it was crazy... So, Carlos took the first leg at driving and then we switched--poor me. I don't know how I stayed awake through the rain and tiredness... But we got there at 3 am or so and the kids having slept through the trip, of course, were up at 9 am and ready to go, go, go!!!! Blahhhh... But, the sunshine and warmness of the water was enough to wash the tiredness away. It was a trip well needed. Chico, of course, had to visit with the neighbors ASAP and get hugs and kisses from everyone he could steal one from... Lucy was attached to me at the hip, not sure of her new surroundings... They both got royal treatment by sleeping in bed with us the whole weekend--not too much sleep with me. Chico had to give me his esthetician licking treatment at the beginning of every sleep session--it became irritating after the first night--all up and down my calves and feet--good exfoliation I guess?

We swam, fished, ate and drank like Margaritaville was going out of style! The manatees came asking for fresh water from the hose. We gave them and took advantage to get in and swim with them--that is always an awesome experience... The girls went tubing many times--but not enough for them, you know... We all have some kind of sunburn and exhaustion this week--but the good kind... If only I could relocate my chis, Lacy (my horse) and family down there--that would be the ultimate life--maybe in my next life...

Can't find my daughter's camera--all the pics are on it! Will post them later...

Very sad day--Tweety passed away...

Eventhough Chica is not officially my dog--she was born here at ChihuahuaCrazy.com and will always remain one of mine, in my heart. I am devasted to say her smallest puppy, weighing in at 2 oz, just died last night---making it to just a week... He was the tiniest puppy I had ever witnessed being born. His lungs were most probably underdeveloped. He fought a good fight. Charlotte tried her best to do all that was possible for him to continue living. It was not meant to be. I will say, she was lucky to have had such a perfect little man, even if for just a few days.... I'm sure he'll be up there, tail wagging, when her time comes. I find a lot of peace in the thought of not only having my human loved ones up there waiting, but my four legged loved ones as well...

Good bye little man...

I'm a Grandma, really Nini & Chico are the Grandparents...

So, Chica, one of my past babies from Nini & Chico had her babies on the 14th! Charlotte, her mom, calls me at 7 am, "ANA, GET OVER HERE NOW!!!!" Let's just say I did... So, when I get to her house, blue boy had been born---at only 2 measly ounces! He looked like Tweety Bird! Big headed and small bodied--the smallest limbs I had ever witnessed... Chica had torn his umbilical cord off way too short--no stub left there... He struggled a bit for a while to breathe correctly. So, we massaged and massaged and extracted fluid from his nose and airway... Finally, after a LONG while, he normalized...

Chica began her contractions again--a girl this time! Black and white, but mostly black. Cute pink toes (which will eventually turn white) and a white blaze on her chest. She was more difficult to get out for Chica. I had to try and help her stretch out a bit more down there and once the head was out--well, the rest followed in an instant... Wow--all we could see was the size difference--she weighed in at a whopping 4.2 oz! More than half as big as Tweety boy...

A few days earlier, Charlotte took Chica in to get her x-rayed and the Doc said he saw only two in there. So, I palpitate Chica, to my expertise--which I consider to be pretty good at this point in my life--and I tell Charlotte I think she is all done. Let's clean up and put her in a warm spot under your bedroom window. We do exactly that. I leave home. Charlotte goes to her computer to spread the good news. She goes back to the room after only a little while at the keyboard and says, "Chica why did you have to lick them and make them all wet! I can't tell which is which now!" Well, now, there were 3! Another girl--but completely black this time--weighing in at another 4.2 oz exactly also! She called me to tell me--and I was dumbfounded... Chica didn't even look like she was carrying one, much less three! I swear I have never seen a female carry so inconspicuously!!!! It's that good breeding stock that she comes from -- you know!

And that is the birthing odyssey of one of my chi kids... I am so proud of her and her pups. Little Tweety man is still very small and has developed a hernia on his belly button. He is a little fighter--not growing as much as the girls--but fighting to stay in this world. I go to see him and the girls everyday. I will not be able to bear to seem him quit---I don't think it will happen--but he on shaky ground right now... So, please direct a positive healing thought his way--he needs all the positive energy he can get right now!

Gotta say--I like having my healthy pudgy babies--this experience has really solidified that for me! It's too scary and painstaking to have the teeny ones... Tweety man, we are all rooting for YOU!!!!

Check out the montage of Chica and her new pups below:

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=8bbf446758bc77b1d0786f&skin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Zeus and Apollo

The day that Lulu leaves, Bingo re-enters our lives. It was such a life saver that day for me! Leaving Lulu at the airport made my heart break into little pieces--it literally hurt... Then as I am walking out--I am seeing all these people coming into the baggae area with masks on--it was kind of surreal--very weird. I cried most of the day, didn't know it was going to hit me like that--but at 4 months of age, which is when she finally flew home, she had become part of our chi world here at the Gonzalez household... Hard to explain...

But, then Bingo reappeared, and it helped to mend my heart a little that day... He too became a part of us this past week and a half. I spoiled him with all the hugs and kisses I could no longer give Lulu... Needless to say, it was hard to see him go--but the relief is in knowing that he will not only be with his half brother Zeus, but that he will be immensely loved and cared for at his new home... That is the ultimate goal in my chi endeavor... I thank those above that I have prayed to for their help in finding him a GREAT home... Oh, and he will be re-named Apollo, hail to the greek chi gods!

We will be headed off to the Keys soon. Lots of sun, fun and swimming for our chis down there. Although, I cannot take all of them--I wish I could. But in a single wide mobile home--well, it just ain't gonna work... I want to thank my loyal followers for their support and kind words. I wish everyone, all my former babies and their families, the best summer ever!

Lulu is in the air on her way to NM...

So, today, or this morning, was the day for Lulu to go home... We left here at 7 am. She was nervous about the whole thing right from the start---getting her in the car was a challenge--because no one else (dog that is) was accompanying her! So, on our trip over to the airport she vomited on me--carsickness... =(

Then, as they were checking her in she had diarrhea--at that point I was ready to turn around and go back home with her... She was shaking and I was crying and the airport attendant was uncomfortable watching this grown woman cry over a little dog... But, I didn't care--what do they know??? I tried to explain that she had been with us for so long that it hurts badly to part with her--don't know if he understood??? who cares... I prayed on the way home to my grandmothers, who are on the other side (passed away), to keep her safe in the air & on the trip in general... We will miss her soooo much-can't wait to see her updates in the future from her new home. Like I always say, "They may leave our home, but they will never leave our heart."

Lulu is going home- boo hoo

We have the flight booked for little Lulu and tomorrow she will get her rabies vaccination. Charlotte came over, as she usually does, waking me up at the crack of dawn... and says " WOW she is so little, she has hardly grown!!!" Well, she is going on 17 weeks and I promised Charlotte to get her weighed when she goes for her vaccination.

Nini and my Mom's dogs got a shave. Nini has been loosing fur due to her hormones after her recent pregnancy. I unfortunately nicked her a couple of times and felt awful about it. She is fine now. But she does look fabulous with short hair and a long tail.

I am looking forward to Chica (Chico's Minnie Me) giving birth mid May... We'll see how many she has--she is little, so maybe 2 or 3??? We'll see what she has--the stud was a blue--so it will be interesting. I will be there for the birth--I know Charlotte will be calling me in the wee hours of the morning, if it should happen then, screaming for me to come help!

Our break this summer will be well deserved--we are going to Key Largo (Tavernier), spending some time on the ocean--working on our tan! Taking it easy in Margaritaville for a few weeks. Then, we'll come back home and have a lot of pool time, etc... It will be a LAZY summer--and I am so looking forward to it... :-)

Chee Whiz...

Things don't always go as planned. Hershey is now in his new home with his great family. His ears came up--which his new owner wasn't too sure about (meaning whether they would come up or not). I knew they would--it's a good sign--shows he is comfortable and secure where he is at... But, Whiskey & Twinkie, which will be going to the same home, to be brothers for life, had to stay another week or maybe two. Someone passed and they are experiencing a lot of sadness and grieving... Quite understandable...

So, Whiskey and Twinkie are still learning their lessons from the older chis here at home--which is great for them and their socialization, in general. I will miss Whiskey's green eyed stare when he leaves. Twinkie is just a little ball of fur--he was born the largest (by a lot) yet is now the smallest of the three! Too funny and sooo unpredictable as life usually is. Lesson learned for all of those that are followers of the weight charts---foo foo, got you...

Hard to get the hang of this...

Can't seem to do this on a weekly basis--much less on a daily basis! The last of our latest litters will be gone this coming Sat... Hard to believe how fast time flew! We have been making sure to get our overdose on puppy kisses and cuddling, for now...

Hershey, will now be Bailey and Whiskey & Twinkie--don't know yet. Whiskey & Twinkie are going home together because when they came to see Whiskey, originally, they also fell in love with Twinkie... Which makes me not only proud of my lot, but very happy for them--they will be brothers till the end... Like Nini & Baby Girl--the bond is inexplicable and so obvious.

Unfortunately, for those out there that have asked about our future litter date--it will not be until close to a year from now. Daisy and Lucy may have back to back litters. But, Daisy, unfortunately turned out to not be what I originally thought she was--Full AKC. After registering her, a couple of weeks later I received a letter from AKC stating that her grand parentage was in question...??? Well, the breeder has not responded to their inquiry and the matter was not officially resolved--so, she is now considered Conditional AKC--go figure--I mean, what the hell does that mean??? I'll tell you--it's pure garbage--and shame on the one organization that I pride my dogs on to not reprimand those directly involved in the muck up of Daisy's pedigree!!! Why did this take so long to be discovered???

So, to make a long story short--Daisy's puppies will be either non-papered or CKC, if new owners should want paperwork/pedigree... She is such a gem, as far as temperament, looks, conformation, size & weight. It would be a shame not to let her produce--she will awesome pups that will later be phenomenal dogs... But, again--we'll get there, when we get there...

So, sorry for being so bad at this--the not writing--if you follow this...

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...