I've been searching for a treat to give the Popper that he can gnaw on for a little while. Even the Kong is cleaned out within minutes and I jam that peanut butter in there. We got Poppy some Waggin' Trail FiddleStix. They're crunchy rawhyde wrapped with dried chicken. He would wag his tail and creep away to eat them. Still, within minutes it was gone. As Poppy's system always works, about 5 hours later it made his stool rock hard. As my lovingly sensative boyfriend put it, "You could build a house with that turd stick!" So Wednesday night we bought him a set of 4 beefhide treats by Heartz called Hearty Stuffers. It took him almost 10 minutes to inhale the big treat and a few hours later he vomited five times on two separate occasions!
I was horrified! I thought I killed my dog like that evil witch from the cookie house. Today, I looked online and found out that the Waggin' Trail company has recalls on their treats. You can put almost anything in dog treats, hooves, eyeballs...etc and this dog treat brand was recalled??! Still, I blame Poppy's illness on the massive Hearty Stuffer he inhaled. Still, I've come to a conclusion: NO MORE STORE BOUGHT DOG SNACKS!!!
My dad says the only thing my doberman could eat without getting sick was dog food and underwear. He survived a stolen pound of baccon, a raw t-bone, bra clips, a sewing needle...Thank God my hobby is knitting needles! Poppy was fine after his stomach emptied and he ate his regular dog food a bt happier at 9:45 today and here it is noon with no problems.
Right now, I'm looking for a homemade treat recipe to try. I'm finding that a lot of the recipes include the stuff I'm trying to avoid, like garlic and salt. I have to find treat recipes for very small dogs, like Poppa Bear.
http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/ <--This site has a list of plants and says whether or not they're poisonous to different kinds of animals.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Bathing Poppy
I researched soaps to buy for a Chihuahua, small dogs, dogs with dry skin...etc before going to the store to buy Poppy's shampoo. I read that Dawn is great for bug removal, but it's not so awesome on the skin. Everyone has said "Oatmeal!" for his skin. Someone else said, "Avoid sulfates. They're bad for people and dogs." I read that tea tree oil is toxic for dogs and that it may be wise to invest in some doggy body wipes for between baths.
At the store, I sat on the floor reading shampoo bottles. A guy walked past and I excused myself, but he said he does the same thing before he purchases anything for his big dogs. He bought his wash from PetSmart in a bulk size, but suggested I not skip conditioner because it makes their fur look shinier and feel softer, hehe. I bought Poppy Oster brand Oatmeal Naturals Shed Control. It smells like vanilla in the bottle. Oster Naturals also had a 4 in 1 Peach Mango scented shampoo that I liked, but shed control seemed like the better conditioner. We paid about $6 for the 18oz bottle. When I took it home and checked the reviews, I saw that pofessional groomers use it because it's not extremely expensive and it's safe for almost any type of dog. I felt confident using it on my dog.
After a long super busy family day, we filled the bathtub up with about 2-3" of water. Ray hiked up his pants and climbed in to hold Poppy while we rinsed him down. I didn't wash his head at all because I was worried about his ears. We scrubbed and scrubbed and did more scrubbing. This shampoo smelled good to use and it didn't lather excessively. I used about 4 dime to nickel sized drops. We rinsed and rinsed. Then Ray handed him to me so I could towel him. We tried to let him lay in my lap about 2 feet from a space heater, but he just took off running like a crazy dog all over the house. He probably felt 10 pounds lighter! I brushed him a little bit with a sharp-toothed pet comb just to losen up the hairs, but the comb wasn't all that great to use over his defined ribs. The shampoo didn't leave much of a scent, but it's faintly there now that he's all dry. Gosh, his hair is soft like puppy hair. I LOVE this shampoo!
I was very pleased that Poppy didn't freak out or get mad. He was a great sport about warm water. He really needs a comb/brush, whichever one would use to separate the hairs of a curvy dog. I'll have to ask around and look it up. Poppy's next bath will be on the last week of September :-)
At the store, I sat on the floor reading shampoo bottles. A guy walked past and I excused myself, but he said he does the same thing before he purchases anything for his big dogs. He bought his wash from PetSmart in a bulk size, but suggested I not skip conditioner because it makes their fur look shinier and feel softer, hehe. I bought Poppy Oster brand Oatmeal Naturals Shed Control. It smells like vanilla in the bottle. Oster Naturals also had a 4 in 1 Peach Mango scented shampoo that I liked, but shed control seemed like the better conditioner. We paid about $6 for the 18oz bottle. When I took it home and checked the reviews, I saw that pofessional groomers use it because it's not extremely expensive and it's safe for almost any type of dog. I felt confident using it on my dog.
After a long super busy family day, we filled the bathtub up with about 2-3" of water. Ray hiked up his pants and climbed in to hold Poppy while we rinsed him down. I didn't wash his head at all because I was worried about his ears. We scrubbed and scrubbed and did more scrubbing. This shampoo smelled good to use and it didn't lather excessively. I used about 4 dime to nickel sized drops. We rinsed and rinsed. Then Ray handed him to me so I could towel him. We tried to let him lay in my lap about 2 feet from a space heater, but he just took off running like a crazy dog all over the house. He probably felt 10 pounds lighter! I brushed him a little bit with a sharp-toothed pet comb just to losen up the hairs, but the comb wasn't all that great to use over his defined ribs. The shampoo didn't leave much of a scent, but it's faintly there now that he's all dry. Gosh, his hair is soft like puppy hair. I LOVE this shampoo!
I was very pleased that Poppy didn't freak out or get mad. He was a great sport about warm water. He really needs a comb/brush, whichever one would use to separate the hairs of a curvy dog. I'll have to ask around and look it up. Poppy's next bath will be on the last week of September :-)
Going To Grandma's
I was very intimidated about bringing the Popper to maw's house because my parents have new furniture, super light brown carpets, and a little white poodle from a few doors down that will sit on their porch chairs waiting to get a snack or attention. He's so cute! He'll peep through the window that runs down the side of the door. I packed Poppy's bowls, a serving of food for his 5pm dinner, and 2 sets of napkins and bags to clean up the obvious.
First thing Poppy did was take a crap on maw's grass, naturally. I cleaned it up right away. I asked my mom if I could take him off the leash inside and she said 'of course!' After that, we took Poppy to the park. When we came back, my mom was making Sunday dinner. She asked if Poppy could have some beef and I said yes. When I was stirring the goulosh sauce, I seen about 3 pieces of dime-sized beef cubes and I knew. "Mom! He can't eat all that. He's a little dog." I told her to go ahead and give him the last 3 of 5 or 6 pieces.
My mom LOVES Poppy! She said I'd charge her a good $300 for him and I told her she'd be getting a deal since that'd only cover the cost of the vet, deposit, and adopton fee NOT including the kennel, toys, food, and care items. I suggested she babysit my dog with my kid and she wasn't going for that. lol My mom has found a grandkid who will never outgrow the clothes she makes him or complain when her cookie recipe needs tweaking. We're looking at trying out a barley-based carrot cookie recipe for dogs that Poppy can eat. I cannot believe the dye in Milk Bones...well I can, but no more red bones for Poppy.
We measured Poppy for clothes - 14" chest, 5" neck, 7-8" from neck to tail, and about 6" from neck to "the line of fire." It's my job to find free patterns for a small dog coat. My mom and I spent the last hour of our visit looking at McCalls, Butterick, and Simplicity patterns for small dog coats. She has his sweaters in the works and a free pattern of a dog coat that needs major shrinking and tweaking.
Poppy took a stool break on the neighbor's lawn. As I went to clean it, my dad said, "Don't even bother. Their dogs crap right on our driveway and in our yard all the time..." So my dad turned Poppy's expell into a satisfying revenge crap. Male bonding at it's best, I'm sure. My dad thinks any animal crap (like moose poop) should be allowed to fertilize the ground until it appears too abundant and then it must be shoveled. Poppy's poo is probably pretty darn neutritious considering how fast he eats his lamb-based rice-meal dog food and that his snacks are peanutbutter and carrots.
My parents love Poppy as much as we do. They're not worried about his poop in the grass near the road or his shedding on their nice carpet. Mom even let Poppy get into her lap on her new furniture!So yesterday was very busy. Sundays are always family day. We took Poppy to the park for a long walk. Then we hung out at my parents house for a nice dinner. We finished up by giving Poppy a bath at home. Busy busy day!
First thing Poppy did was take a crap on maw's grass, naturally. I cleaned it up right away. I asked my mom if I could take him off the leash inside and she said 'of course!' After that, we took Poppy to the park. When we came back, my mom was making Sunday dinner. She asked if Poppy could have some beef and I said yes. When I was stirring the goulosh sauce, I seen about 3 pieces of dime-sized beef cubes and I knew. "Mom! He can't eat all that. He's a little dog." I told her to go ahead and give him the last 3 of 5 or 6 pieces.
My mom LOVES Poppy! She said I'd charge her a good $300 for him and I told her she'd be getting a deal since that'd only cover the cost of the vet, deposit, and adopton fee NOT including the kennel, toys, food, and care items. I suggested she babysit my dog with my kid and she wasn't going for that. lol My mom has found a grandkid who will never outgrow the clothes she makes him or complain when her cookie recipe needs tweaking. We're looking at trying out a barley-based carrot cookie recipe for dogs that Poppy can eat. I cannot believe the dye in Milk Bones...well I can, but no more red bones for Poppy.
We measured Poppy for clothes - 14" chest, 5" neck, 7-8" from neck to tail, and about 6" from neck to "the line of fire." It's my job to find free patterns for a small dog coat. My mom and I spent the last hour of our visit looking at McCalls, Butterick, and Simplicity patterns for small dog coats. She has his sweaters in the works and a free pattern of a dog coat that needs major shrinking and tweaking.
Poppy took a stool break on the neighbor's lawn. As I went to clean it, my dad said, "Don't even bother. Their dogs crap right on our driveway and in our yard all the time..." So my dad turned Poppy's expell into a satisfying revenge crap. Male bonding at it's best, I'm sure. My dad thinks any animal crap (like moose poop) should be allowed to fertilize the ground until it appears too abundant and then it must be shoveled. Poppy's poo is probably pretty darn neutritious considering how fast he eats his lamb-based rice-meal dog food and that his snacks are peanutbutter and carrots.
My parents love Poppy as much as we do. They're not worried about his poop in the grass near the road or his shedding on their nice carpet. Mom even let Poppy get into her lap on her new furniture!So yesterday was very busy. Sundays are always family day. We took Poppy to the park for a long walk. Then we hung out at my parents house for a nice dinner. We finished up by giving Poppy a bath at home. Busy busy day!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Poppys First Vet Visit
Wednesday was Poppy's first vet visit. I expected it to wind up costing about $60 for a check-up and then however much for the sutures to be removed. We checked in and waited for the nurse to come out and carry Poppy to a back room to have his sutures taken out. I think I have more anxiety leaving my dog than he does. In the office, I realized just how cold those tables really are, super cold!
Poppy's sutures were removed quickly and they even clipped his front nails for me. The vet said the sutures were a little tight and I told her they had swelled just a little bit a few days ago, but it didn't seem bad enough to bring him in a few days early. She weighed him at 7 pounds 6 ounces and aid this is his ideal weight and it'd be ok for him to gain a little more body fat. With Chihuahuas, you should be able to feel the ribs over the coat and see the waist. The vet said his lungs and hart sounded clear and healthy. We asked her about the dandruff and shedding, which was ok. Even Chihuahuas shed hair and the dandruff will fix itself with Dawn soap baths and good food. She said his "Reverse Sneeze" is normal. I was used to my pickapug having reverse sneezes and know what to do, so I'm not as scared anymore now that I'm certain this is what he's doing. The vet also told me about a monthly heartworm medicine that has a flea med in it, so it's one pill.
After the vet visit, we paid $35. I was expecting it to be about double. The heartworm meds with the flea meds in it cost $2 a pill, which he'll take once a month. We can buy up to a year at a time and then he'll need more shots before we can buy more. Poppy did very well at the vet and I feel much more at ease with his health.
Reverse Sneeze Soothing:
I did this with my pickapug. You gently hold the head to keep it still and rub hard from under the mouth all the way down the throat whill calmly saying whatever you want. You'll probably hear/feel the dog take a big gulp. Sometimes the dog will start reverse sneezing again, in which you just repeat the process. I don't know if it actually helps the dog in any way, but the soothing talk and the fact that you feel like you're helping doesn't hurt any.
Poppy's sutures were removed quickly and they even clipped his front nails for me. The vet said the sutures were a little tight and I told her they had swelled just a little bit a few days ago, but it didn't seem bad enough to bring him in a few days early. She weighed him at 7 pounds 6 ounces and aid this is his ideal weight and it'd be ok for him to gain a little more body fat. With Chihuahuas, you should be able to feel the ribs over the coat and see the waist. The vet said his lungs and hart sounded clear and healthy. We asked her about the dandruff and shedding, which was ok. Even Chihuahuas shed hair and the dandruff will fix itself with Dawn soap baths and good food. She said his "Reverse Sneeze" is normal. I was used to my pickapug having reverse sneezes and know what to do, so I'm not as scared anymore now that I'm certain this is what he's doing. The vet also told me about a monthly heartworm medicine that has a flea med in it, so it's one pill.
After the vet visit, we paid $35. I was expecting it to be about double. The heartworm meds with the flea meds in it cost $2 a pill, which he'll take once a month. We can buy up to a year at a time and then he'll need more shots before we can buy more. Poppy did very well at the vet and I feel much more at ease with his health.
Reverse Sneeze Soothing:
I did this with my pickapug. You gently hold the head to keep it still and rub hard from under the mouth all the way down the throat whill calmly saying whatever you want. You'll probably hear/feel the dog take a big gulp. Sometimes the dog will start reverse sneezing again, in which you just repeat the process. I don't know if it actually helps the dog in any way, but the soothing talk and the fact that you feel like you're helping doesn't hurt any.
Monday, August 20, 2012
To Harness A Poppy AND Where To Buy Stuff
Chihuahuas have very delecate tracheias. Knowing this, I knew right away that Poppy would have to have a body harness instead of a collar. Little did I know, this would be a real scavenger hunt for me.
My first attempt at a body harness was a trip to Walmart for a small $5 option. Unfortunately, the harness was too small for Poppy. I exchanged it for a medium size, which was too heavy for Poppy to tote on his body. As I've mentioned before, the size jump from small to medium is a ridiculous leap in size. Ah, the search continued.
While searching for a proper harness, Poppy was using a loop-over choker-type leash. This was convenient for quick potty trips because it simply slipped over his head and didn't require a lot of time in the groggy mornings, when Poppy really has to go. He'll lick us to death when he has to go and barks if licking doesn't wake us. A barking fit means LET'S GO NOW!! in Poppy-talk. I bought Poppy a very stylish leash when I intended to switch out small for medium. It says, "Bad to the bone" and will be useful at a place like the vet's office because I don't want him getting very far.
My neighbor (downstairs, not the butt people) helped me fit Poppy with a PetSmart recommended body harness. I must add that this is also the neighbor who washed my foster kittens in Dawn for me, picked the kittens fleas with me, and informed me of the peroxide puker trick. He's awesome! His wife insisted I try her dog's zip line leash. My son wanted a zip line leash because he'd walked their dog, Mr. O and both of them really liked the usage. I was a little afraid Poppy would run further than I could safely tote back from danger. Everything is danger to a 6 pound dog; they just don't know it! Still, I tried the zip line and it was really great. No more under-the-body wrapping or dragging on the ground...though I still hold it up like it's not going to retract. My neighbor showed me how she could tug Mr.O away from danger rather quickly. She even picks him up by locking the retracted leash when roaming cats or 'scary' strangers are around and Mr.O does not complain or care. We bought Poppy's retractable leash at walmart for $9. They were priced at about $16-$20 at PetSmart.
Poppy still needs an ID tag. After all, how many people have a microchip scanner in their pocket?! He needs a very small lightweight tag with his name, my cell number, and our apartment address on it. This could hook to a collar, but will hook to his harness instead because I don't want to mess up his neck hairs. Mr.O's owners told me about a kiosk in the enterance of Walmart. Apparently, the cheaper quality is ideally lightweight and only $5 to engrave whatever will fit on the tag. Must Have!
FINANCIAL OBSERVATION
I compared store prices and customer care for my petco and petsmart before setting foot in either store and found that PetSmart's customer care is well worth the few dollar(s) more. There are certain things I'd only buy from PetSmart, like food and maybe certain treats. I'm also interested in the check-up center they have located within the store. It's not affiliated, but I'd like to learn more since we'll go there anyway for food.
I know everyone hates Walmart, but I live across the street from it. I checked out their prices and selections and here's what I found out between PetSmart (PS) and Walmart (Wally):
Retractable leashes - PS $16-$21 Wally $9-$11
Body Harnesses - PS $11+, Wally $5+ both depending on brands and styles
Tug Rope of the exact brand PS $3, Wally $0.97
Stylish Cat Food Bowl PS $16+, Wally $6+ depending on brand
Kongs PS $6 best selection, Wally $3 least selection
Kong Filler PS $10+, Wally offbrand $5+
Doggy Sweaters PS $about $15+ best selection bst fit, Wally Sale $2 least selection poorer fit
I would definitely recommend going to Walmart for things like toys, cages, beds, feeding bowls, leashes, harnesses, collars, and possibly carefuly-selected treats and clothes that you don't mind altering a bit. I would suggest going to PetSmart for anything you need any help purchasing and pretty much anything ingested by your pet. If you're confident with your purchase choices and don't care for Walmart's selection, I'd suggest a trip to Petco, which will save you a few dollars per trip. A lot of folks say that PetSmart and Petco are equally great and that you should go to whichever is closer to you. They say that large ticket items, such as giant dog food and big ticket items are well worth comparing ALL of these stores rices. I'll agree with that.
My first attempt at a body harness was a trip to Walmart for a small $5 option. Unfortunately, the harness was too small for Poppy. I exchanged it for a medium size, which was too heavy for Poppy to tote on his body. As I've mentioned before, the size jump from small to medium is a ridiculous leap in size. Ah, the search continued.
While searching for a proper harness, Poppy was using a loop-over choker-type leash. This was convenient for quick potty trips because it simply slipped over his head and didn't require a lot of time in the groggy mornings, when Poppy really has to go. He'll lick us to death when he has to go and barks if licking doesn't wake us. A barking fit means LET'S GO NOW!! in Poppy-talk. I bought Poppy a very stylish leash when I intended to switch out small for medium. It says, "Bad to the bone" and will be useful at a place like the vet's office because I don't want him getting very far.
My neighbor (downstairs, not the butt people) helped me fit Poppy with a PetSmart recommended body harness. I must add that this is also the neighbor who washed my foster kittens in Dawn for me, picked the kittens fleas with me, and informed me of the peroxide puker trick. He's awesome! His wife insisted I try her dog's zip line leash. My son wanted a zip line leash because he'd walked their dog, Mr. O and both of them really liked the usage. I was a little afraid Poppy would run further than I could safely tote back from danger. Everything is danger to a 6 pound dog; they just don't know it! Still, I tried the zip line and it was really great. No more under-the-body wrapping or dragging on the ground...though I still hold it up like it's not going to retract. My neighbor showed me how she could tug Mr.O away from danger rather quickly. She even picks him up by locking the retracted leash when roaming cats or 'scary' strangers are around and Mr.O does not complain or care. We bought Poppy's retractable leash at walmart for $9. They were priced at about $16-$20 at PetSmart.
Poppy still needs an ID tag. After all, how many people have a microchip scanner in their pocket?! He needs a very small lightweight tag with his name, my cell number, and our apartment address on it. This could hook to a collar, but will hook to his harness instead because I don't want to mess up his neck hairs. Mr.O's owners told me about a kiosk in the enterance of Walmart. Apparently, the cheaper quality is ideally lightweight and only $5 to engrave whatever will fit on the tag. Must Have!
FINANCIAL OBSERVATION
I compared store prices and customer care for my petco and petsmart before setting foot in either store and found that PetSmart's customer care is well worth the few dollar(s) more. There are certain things I'd only buy from PetSmart, like food and maybe certain treats. I'm also interested in the check-up center they have located within the store. It's not affiliated, but I'd like to learn more since we'll go there anyway for food.
I know everyone hates Walmart, but I live across the street from it. I checked out their prices and selections and here's what I found out between PetSmart (PS) and Walmart (Wally):
Retractable leashes - PS $16-$21 Wally $9-$11
Body Harnesses - PS $11+, Wally $5+ both depending on brands and styles
Tug Rope of the exact brand PS $3, Wally $0.97
Stylish Cat Food Bowl PS $16+, Wally $6+ depending on brand
Kongs PS $6 best selection, Wally $3 least selection
Kong Filler PS $10+, Wally offbrand $5+
Doggy Sweaters PS $about $15+ best selection bst fit, Wally Sale $2 least selection poorer fit
I would definitely recommend going to Walmart for things like toys, cages, beds, feeding bowls, leashes, harnesses, collars, and possibly carefuly-selected treats and clothes that you don't mind altering a bit. I would suggest going to PetSmart for anything you need any help purchasing and pretty much anything ingested by your pet. If you're confident with your purchase choices and don't care for Walmart's selection, I'd suggest a trip to Petco, which will save you a few dollars per trip. A lot of folks say that PetSmart and Petco are equally great and that you should go to whichever is closer to you. They say that large ticket items, such as giant dog food and big ticket items are well worth comparing ALL of these stores rices. I'll agree with that.
Dressing The Popper
Poppy is a Chihuahua, so he does not grow the over-coat that most dogs get in the winter. He certainly does shed quite a bit right now due to his previously poor diet, but that requires time to fix itself. I'm more concerned with the weather affecting Poppy's well-being. I know I wouldn't want to go outside without my coat in 40* weather! Lately the weather has been hitting 65* in the morning and poppy does not seem to care. However, I'm afraid our future winter mornings may be frozen-over hell for my little guy. I read online somewhere that Chis tend to get fussy/refuse to go out around 40*-45*, but all dogs are different. Poppy does not like the rain one bit, so cold should be interesting.
I purchased Poppy two sweaters from Walmart while we were waiting for his neutering to be done. I only paid $2 a piece. How could I pass that up?! Later, I bought Poppy a Halloween costume for $11 from PetSmart simply because it was fleece and he does love fleece. I did not intend to try these costumes on Poppy until his sutures were removed. However, his attitude and energy levels seem better than normal now and I couldn't resist trying them on him any longer.
First outfit was his lion costume. It has two velcro strips - one goes over the breast and the other under the tummy. It also has a hood with a mane and holes for his ears. These holes are pointless, as my deer faced apple-headed boy shoves them off quickly to look around everywhere. The costume looks so very cute when he's in the lead for a walk because the head sticks up behind his head anyway. My boyfriend and son say that if they were Poppy they'd bite me or poop on my side of the bed, but Poppy doesn't care. All he knows is that he's really warm.
The second outfit was one of the sweaters I bought. Poppy didn't care about putting it on, but pulling it off was a WTF moment for us. I don't want to say he bit at me, but rather that he opened his mouth and tried to push my hand away from his arms. I do not blame him here! Poppy and I both HATE clothes that require his limbs be tugged. Also, the sweater didn't give as much as I'd hoped. My mother (the sewing queen) has taken both sweaters home to be refitted with fleece-lined velcro strips. I assured her they were so cheap it's ok if they get ruined and they are useless otherwise, so just go for it.
Sizing for Poppy is difficult! He's not an extra small, but slightly bigger than a small. Unfortunately, going from a small to a medium in dogs is like going from a size 6 to a size 14 jeans...or size 10 depending on the brand. It's extremely difficult to find the proper fit! I like to call what I've found so far "Bait clothes" beause they're super cheap rare finds that rake you in to wanting the more-stylish more-efficient, more-expensive clothes. These better quality clothes can cost anywhere from $10-$30 from what I've seen between Walmart and PetSmart. They're SO cute too! Resist, resist!
Poppy and my final recommendations for clothing are:
- Velcro strips or buttons are prefered. Anything that requires pulling a limb is not so great for us.
- Material that matches the chosen pet bedding is the best. For us, this is fleece. I imagine cotton 'sheep wool' or flannel may be good for other dogs. No lace, netting, or other itchies please! They're cute, but should not come in ANY contact with the body (check lining especially.
- After fitting, cut off all tags (including size and brand). You can save them, but I don't think they're important enough to leave on and itch Poppy for the sake of resale value. In the Poppy file they go!
- It is well worth it to buddy up with a sewing friend to make custom doggy clothes for you if at all possible.
Two yards of fleece, two strips of velcro, and threading are much cheaper than $10, but I would give between $10 and $20 depending on the quality and structure of the outfit. Even a non-sewer knows smaller stitches are more time-consuming than human-sized running stitches. Thankfully, my mom has sewn Barbie clothes before. Enough said about her superb skills! I intend to purchase some fleece for a saddle-like cover for Poppy to wear in the morning. We visit my parents on a weekly basis, so this may take a while for mom to complete. My mom loves to sew for the grandchildren, so she'll enjoy the perk of seeing her newest grandbaby never outgrow her creations. Bonus point - She embroiders! This will absolutely cost me more money and her more time because of threading and material testing, but I'd love the aesthetic accents from time to time. I'm so lucky to have a mother who sews as an enjoyable hobby.
I knit, so Poppy may see some button-over Hometown USA clothes in the future. I'm a bit intimidated by the sizing of a dog sweater, but I've sewn seweaters for myself and my (ungrateful) kid. If I stare at Poppy long enough this winter he'll have a sweater before the season's end...and I'll wish I had started sooner.
Maybe, if mama and I have really good success we can sell some of this type of gear at the flea market and donate extras to ur local town shelter in Eden, Nc for the holidays (Their rep is poor due to being under-staffed and over-populated). Despite my nightmare at Guilford Animal Shelter, I'm still a firm believer in spreading love to unfortunate animals, especially if this love brings joy to a new canine parent. If Maw makes clothes for dogs, I'll knit fish and mouse shaped cat toys filled with nip and safe polly for kitties. Im so far ahead of myself though. Let's see how Poppy's outfits turn out first.
I purchased Poppy two sweaters from Walmart while we were waiting for his neutering to be done. I only paid $2 a piece. How could I pass that up?! Later, I bought Poppy a Halloween costume for $11 from PetSmart simply because it was fleece and he does love fleece. I did not intend to try these costumes on Poppy until his sutures were removed. However, his attitude and energy levels seem better than normal now and I couldn't resist trying them on him any longer.
First outfit was his lion costume. It has two velcro strips - one goes over the breast and the other under the tummy. It also has a hood with a mane and holes for his ears. These holes are pointless, as my deer faced apple-headed boy shoves them off quickly to look around everywhere. The costume looks so very cute when he's in the lead for a walk because the head sticks up behind his head anyway. My boyfriend and son say that if they were Poppy they'd bite me or poop on my side of the bed, but Poppy doesn't care. All he knows is that he's really warm.
The second outfit was one of the sweaters I bought. Poppy didn't care about putting it on, but pulling it off was a WTF moment for us. I don't want to say he bit at me, but rather that he opened his mouth and tried to push my hand away from his arms. I do not blame him here! Poppy and I both HATE clothes that require his limbs be tugged. Also, the sweater didn't give as much as I'd hoped. My mother (the sewing queen) has taken both sweaters home to be refitted with fleece-lined velcro strips. I assured her they were so cheap it's ok if they get ruined and they are useless otherwise, so just go for it.
Sizing for Poppy is difficult! He's not an extra small, but slightly bigger than a small. Unfortunately, going from a small to a medium in dogs is like going from a size 6 to a size 14 jeans...or size 10 depending on the brand. It's extremely difficult to find the proper fit! I like to call what I've found so far "Bait clothes" beause they're super cheap rare finds that rake you in to wanting the more-stylish more-efficient, more-expensive clothes. These better quality clothes can cost anywhere from $10-$30 from what I've seen between Walmart and PetSmart. They're SO cute too! Resist, resist!
Poppy and my final recommendations for clothing are:
- Velcro strips or buttons are prefered. Anything that requires pulling a limb is not so great for us.
- Material that matches the chosen pet bedding is the best. For us, this is fleece. I imagine cotton 'sheep wool' or flannel may be good for other dogs. No lace, netting, or other itchies please! They're cute, but should not come in ANY contact with the body (check lining especially.
- After fitting, cut off all tags (including size and brand). You can save them, but I don't think they're important enough to leave on and itch Poppy for the sake of resale value. In the Poppy file they go!
- It is well worth it to buddy up with a sewing friend to make custom doggy clothes for you if at all possible.
Two yards of fleece, two strips of velcro, and threading are much cheaper than $10, but I would give between $10 and $20 depending on the quality and structure of the outfit. Even a non-sewer knows smaller stitches are more time-consuming than human-sized running stitches. Thankfully, my mom has sewn Barbie clothes before. Enough said about her superb skills! I intend to purchase some fleece for a saddle-like cover for Poppy to wear in the morning. We visit my parents on a weekly basis, so this may take a while for mom to complete. My mom loves to sew for the grandchildren, so she'll enjoy the perk of seeing her newest grandbaby never outgrow her creations. Bonus point - She embroiders! This will absolutely cost me more money and her more time because of threading and material testing, but I'd love the aesthetic accents from time to time. I'm so lucky to have a mother who sews as an enjoyable hobby.
I knit, so Poppy may see some button-over Hometown USA clothes in the future. I'm a bit intimidated by the sizing of a dog sweater, but I've sewn seweaters for myself and my (ungrateful) kid. If I stare at Poppy long enough this winter he'll have a sweater before the season's end...and I'll wish I had started sooner.
Maybe, if mama and I have really good success we can sell some of this type of gear at the flea market and donate extras to ur local town shelter in Eden, Nc for the holidays (Their rep is poor due to being under-staffed and over-populated). Despite my nightmare at Guilford Animal Shelter, I'm still a firm believer in spreading love to unfortunate animals, especially if this love brings joy to a new canine parent. If Maw makes clothes for dogs, I'll knit fish and mouse shaped cat toys filled with nip and safe polly for kitties. Im so far ahead of myself though. Let's see how Poppy's outfits turn out first.
Poppy Eats...Everything!
Poppy is SO spoiled! He eats out of raised (shh, cat) food bowls that match our household decor. He is fed a quarter cup of lamb based rice meal natural dog food for small breeds twice a day. Meal time is 10:30am and 5pm because he will not eat before 10am. He has a bed located in the livingroom as well as the bedroom, but starts off at night in our bed and later migrates to the floor. He has 3 leashes, 2 body harnesses, a ball, a Kong, and 2 small squeeky toys. I bought him a fleece lion costume and 2 sweaters that my mother is altering to have velcro instead of paw holes. Poppy also uses my son's foam back/arm rest (like you'd put on a poor recliner. It has a cup holder) as an incline for hopping on/off the couch. He partakes in tiny pieces of soft and chewy liver-based treats to equal about a half a bone per day, but we recently introduced some carefully chosen snacks to his diet.
Cheese - We had been giving Poppy cheese wit his meds. I may give him a nickle-sized piece of cheese when I'm making myself a sandwich, but I don't really want to experiment with cheese. I think it might make his stool loose, which isn't something we need right now at all.
Peanut Butter - We put peanut butter in Poppy's Kong last night and I'm telling you he reacted like a kid on espresso shots after he ate it all. My bf used a knife to put a small amount in the kong, but mama knows how to do it. I washed my hands and rubbed another small glob up in there with my finger, smushing it on the sides. What? It's clean! Poppy went crazy last night, not sure if even he knew whether he wanted to sleep in bed or run from my side to my boyfriend's side. He has to be picked up to get in bed, so it was loads of fun...for Poppy. He's dog napping in his livingroom bed right now, waiting for his 10:30am feeding. Poppy will not be getting a small glob of peanut butter after 5pm from now on. I don't think he'll get it very often, since it's not meat protien.
I've deemed Peanut butter responsable for a "Doggy hangover" because poor Poppy is dog napping today via his sugar-induced sleepless partying last night, 'Serves you right, you party animal.' lol
Carrots - I researched the heck out of them first! Online says they're much healthier than treats and pretty much all dogs love them. They make stool orange because my lil carnivore doesn't digest them as much. I picked up some baby carrots today and he seems to enjoy them. He eats meals so fast, but has to actually chew a carrot. I'm thinking of making him some carrot puree to freeze in his Kong, but I want to see how things come out before giving him anymore carrots. I bet he'd prefer carrot chips instead of whole baby carrots, so I'll add them to our grocery list. I'll probably steam some carrots for the family to help speed up the bag I bought today. There's no way Poppy could eat that whole bag before they go bad.
Here's a list of Foods To Avoid from a website I seem to end up on a lot: http://www.chihuahuainfoonline.com/2009/05/foods-chihuahuas-should-avoid.html
Common sense says don't get your dog drunk or high, but this list also includes garlic, potatoes, and onions. It notes that dairy products can cause diarrhea. Ahh, ok.
An ezine article says:
Poppy is recovering from diarrhea from all the Doxy the shelter gave him and from the stress of adoption. He finally has been having about 2 bowel movements a day, early morning and lastly in the evening, so I felt confident to experiment with new foods. I gave him the peanut butter yesterday and his bowels were of equal consistancy this morning. I gave him two small carrots today and I've learned to bring a flashlight on our night walks to look at the poo poo, so we'll see. As a mom, I'm a firm believer in two things: 1. Time intake and output will follow closely and 2. Knowing the color and consistancy of poop/vomit are vital signs as to whether the person/animal is healthy. As gross as this may sound, every parent should know this.
Please note that our little guy is 6 pounds and looks rather thin, but we're certainly not rushing his weight. Instead, we're experimenting slowly with thuroughly researched foods. I'm not concerned with whether he earns his treats right now because he's 4 years old and has never soiled inside. I can't ask much more than that from him right now. Maybe he'll earn treats later? Poppy gets snacks about once or twice a day in very small amounts. I'd say he gets about a nickle to quarter sized amount of something twice a day at most.
JUST IN CASE: I've questioned what to do if Poppy eats something bad. The best answer I've gotten came to me from my neghbor, whose dog ate some of a Christmas poinsetta. His vet said to let the teany dog lick a half cap of peroxide. The dog will enjoy eating it and vomit the entire contents of the stomach. I researched this and found that it's certainly sure, true, and recommended in emergency cases. It sounds quite painful, but well worth it to save your pet's life. I hope I never have to do this to Poppy!
Poppy did eat a cigarette butt off the grass on a bedtime potty break once. This and Poppy's love of tasting unattended poo are major reasons a flashlight goes with us on dark potty breaks now. I thought the pinch of cheese stick I gave him did him in, but I found the butt within the dry clump in the trash the next morning. Shame on people who chuck their butts off of their porch! I go out there and clean our stairs and grass of butts and sometimes kid foods often because it's so over-littered it looks gross. I've found pizza crust, watermellon, super salty goldfish crackers, and sometimes candy wrappers in our alcove. I've routinely cleaned the alcove and property area long before Poppy's arrival because of OCD and embarrassment, so Poppy's diet is just another incentive to make me appear less crazy when I clean.
I don't mean to trash talk or gossip, but I suspect these litter bugs are the ones who abandoned the kittens I found before adopting Poppy. They let their very adorable, well-behaved puppy go untreated for fleas and bowel worms without a leash! He follows super close behind his polite friendly 20-something year old owner. I think these neighbors are sloppy and not entirely as responsable as I'd think they should be, BUT they all hold jobs and occasionally have casual conversations when we cross paths. You can't damn them for trying! They will get an ash tray, flea collar, and something nice like an orniment or a nice candle set for Christmas from us. That reminds me, when the rain drys up, my son will have to walk Poppy while I go on a butt clearing rampage.
Cheese - We had been giving Poppy cheese wit his meds. I may give him a nickle-sized piece of cheese when I'm making myself a sandwich, but I don't really want to experiment with cheese. I think it might make his stool loose, which isn't something we need right now at all.
Peanut Butter - We put peanut butter in Poppy's Kong last night and I'm telling you he reacted like a kid on espresso shots after he ate it all. My bf used a knife to put a small amount in the kong, but mama knows how to do it. I washed my hands and rubbed another small glob up in there with my finger, smushing it on the sides. What? It's clean! Poppy went crazy last night, not sure if even he knew whether he wanted to sleep in bed or run from my side to my boyfriend's side. He has to be picked up to get in bed, so it was loads of fun...for Poppy. He's dog napping in his livingroom bed right now, waiting for his 10:30am feeding. Poppy will not be getting a small glob of peanut butter after 5pm from now on. I don't think he'll get it very often, since it's not meat protien.
I've deemed Peanut butter responsable for a "Doggy hangover" because poor Poppy is dog napping today via his sugar-induced sleepless partying last night, 'Serves you right, you party animal.' lol
Carrots - I researched the heck out of them first! Online says they're much healthier than treats and pretty much all dogs love them. They make stool orange because my lil carnivore doesn't digest them as much. I picked up some baby carrots today and he seems to enjoy them. He eats meals so fast, but has to actually chew a carrot. I'm thinking of making him some carrot puree to freeze in his Kong, but I want to see how things come out before giving him anymore carrots. I bet he'd prefer carrot chips instead of whole baby carrots, so I'll add them to our grocery list. I'll probably steam some carrots for the family to help speed up the bag I bought today. There's no way Poppy could eat that whole bag before they go bad.
Here's a list of Foods To Avoid from a website I seem to end up on a lot: http://www.chihuahuainfoonline.com/2009/05/foods-chihuahuas-should-avoid.html
Common sense says don't get your dog drunk or high, but this list also includes garlic, potatoes, and onions. It notes that dairy products can cause diarrhea. Ahh, ok.
An ezine article says:
Many fruits and vegetables are dangerous for dogs to consume. They can cause liver damage, breathing problems, heart problems, and more. Grapes, onions, tomatoes, avocados, and apples should all be avoided.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1758428
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1758428
I concluded that apples would come out like sauce, but I've heard other people feed their Chi apples sometimes.
Our boy would eat anything handed to him from the counter, including any medicine you poorly squished in a square of cheese. He's not picky; he's ravinous. If you stick your hand in his bowl during the 2 minutes it takes him to eat, he will scoot to the other side of the bowl and continue to chow quickly. I love watching Poppy carry his kibble towards me for approval as he eats. I also love that he carries every treat to his bed to gnaw on, even though I shake his bed out to be sure nothing is able to rot or crumble. There's never any crumbs of course.
Poppy is recovering from diarrhea from all the Doxy the shelter gave him and from the stress of adoption. He finally has been having about 2 bowel movements a day, early morning and lastly in the evening, so I felt confident to experiment with new foods. I gave him the peanut butter yesterday and his bowels were of equal consistancy this morning. I gave him two small carrots today and I've learned to bring a flashlight on our night walks to look at the poo poo, so we'll see. As a mom, I'm a firm believer in two things: 1. Time intake and output will follow closely and 2. Knowing the color and consistancy of poop/vomit are vital signs as to whether the person/animal is healthy. As gross as this may sound, every parent should know this.
Please note that our little guy is 6 pounds and looks rather thin, but we're certainly not rushing his weight. Instead, we're experimenting slowly with thuroughly researched foods. I'm not concerned with whether he earns his treats right now because he's 4 years old and has never soiled inside. I can't ask much more than that from him right now. Maybe he'll earn treats later? Poppy gets snacks about once or twice a day in very small amounts. I'd say he gets about a nickle to quarter sized amount of something twice a day at most.
JUST IN CASE: I've questioned what to do if Poppy eats something bad. The best answer I've gotten came to me from my neghbor, whose dog ate some of a Christmas poinsetta. His vet said to let the teany dog lick a half cap of peroxide. The dog will enjoy eating it and vomit the entire contents of the stomach. I researched this and found that it's certainly sure, true, and recommended in emergency cases. It sounds quite painful, but well worth it to save your pet's life. I hope I never have to do this to Poppy!
Poppy did eat a cigarette butt off the grass on a bedtime potty break once. This and Poppy's love of tasting unattended poo are major reasons a flashlight goes with us on dark potty breaks now. I thought the pinch of cheese stick I gave him did him in, but I found the butt within the dry clump in the trash the next morning. Shame on people who chuck their butts off of their porch! I go out there and clean our stairs and grass of butts and sometimes kid foods often because it's so over-littered it looks gross. I've found pizza crust, watermellon, super salty goldfish crackers, and sometimes candy wrappers in our alcove. I've routinely cleaned the alcove and property area long before Poppy's arrival because of OCD and embarrassment, so Poppy's diet is just another incentive to make me appear less crazy when I clean.
I don't mean to trash talk or gossip, but I suspect these litter bugs are the ones who abandoned the kittens I found before adopting Poppy. They let their very adorable, well-behaved puppy go untreated for fleas and bowel worms without a leash! He follows super close behind his polite friendly 20-something year old owner. I think these neighbors are sloppy and not entirely as responsable as I'd think they should be, BUT they all hold jobs and occasionally have casual conversations when we cross paths. You can't damn them for trying! They will get an ash tray, flea collar, and something nice like an orniment or a nice candle set for Christmas from us. That reminds me, when the rain drys up, my son will have to walk Poppy while I go on a butt clearing rampage.
Choosing And Adopting Poppy
On August 9th, we headed to my mother's house at 7am because my boyfriend would have the car that day. My son packed a bookbag of snacks and a game in case we had to wait over paperwork. We arrived at the shelter at 11:45 and were only a little disappointed to see that Plant had been adopted before we could make it to his cage. We knew what we wanted: A small male dog that wasn't too small tht he'd be steppted on, who didn't bark too much, and absolutely loved kids. We looked at females, slightly larger dogs, and then....Poppy.
In the cage with 2 poodles, there was a little brown dog. He looked dangerously thin and had dandruff on his back, none of which bothered me. His tag said 4 years old, which made me think twice, but we decided to socialize with him anyway. First we took him out to potty. Then we socialized with other dogs, but finally decided that "Papi" (as his tag read) was probably the best we'd seen. We took him back out to a clean sitting area and set him on each other's laps to see how he'd react to his owner being touched and touching other people. This dog's biggest ttack was licking inside of our mouths! This is how we deemed "Papi" to be OUR dog.
I toted Poppy up to the font tdesk and filled out paperwork. The cashier called my apartment complex and talked to some lady who smiled and said we were denied adoption. The disturbing part is that she smiled even when my son started fighting back tears. When I asked why, she said my landlord said "No pets." I told her this was impossible because several of my neighbors have paid a pet deposit to have a pet. She tried to say they needed proof of the pet deposit, but I cut her off with "Why would I pay a deposit for a resident I haven't adopted yet?!" My mom stepped in to say that she had a large house with a large yard that our pet ould stay in until I had proof of the pet deposit, but they insisted that my mom could adopt any dog except this one.
There is no cell phone reception at Guilford Animal Shelter, so I drove down to Wendover Ave to find a signal and call my leasing office. Then I called maintainance's cell phone and our maintainance guy literally walked around looking for our manager for me. She told me, "I told them to release that dog to you!! Of course there is a pet deposit and we'll talk about that for you, but you most certainly can adopt that dog." She then called back the shelter to vouch for me. At one point, I over-heard the shelter reeptionist asking how long I'd lived there and what my pay history was. Seriously?? Almost 2 years and I've NEVER been late on rent. Good thing they didn't ask about my measly water bill that I always forget to pay or the constantly dieing Calathea Freddie on my porch. At the end of the crazy episode, the shelter staff were forced to approve my adoption. "You still can't take him home today. He needs to be neutered." the awful dream-crushing desk rep said. They scheduled his neutering for exactly 7 days later. Those days droned by slowly. I spent my time sharpening my son's school checklist, accepting my free gift of 30 (um, 23) days of pet insurance, and worrying about what kind of crap the shelter might try to pull to further prevent the adoption process for me.
On August 15th, we picked up Poppy with no trouble at all. I stood there holding him, asking every quick question I could think of. They assured me I could call back if I had any questions, which they forgot to mention would be answered with "Call your vet." I was handed a bottle of .25mg Doxy for Poppy's chest cold and told to give him a half tab a day. All of the pills were cut in halves and needed to be cut into a quarter pill twice a day. A large does at once could kill him, but nobody in the shelter told me that. After a good 3 days of Poppy having 5-7 watery bowel movements a day, I quit giving him the medication. I'd rather see him cough than go through dehydration! Poppy had actually been taking the Doxy since early July, so it had been almost 4 weeks. I know the average lengthy medication for dogs can take 4-6 weeks, but an upper respiratory infection should take 10 days of meds. The shelter represented the meds as though they had been administered for only 10 days, but his adoption paperwork had consistent longer dates. Poppy's energy increased within less than 24 hours.
Quick note: Poppy has been having these weird episodes at night where he sort of chokes or grunts like he's going to vomit and sometimes he does vomit. My picka-pug did something quite similar because of her short snout and maybe in part of her previous herneia. I am absolutely horrified every time my Poppy chokes and grunts like this in the middle of the night, but he'll go to the vet in two more days. Maybe he's just eating too fast?
I read other reviews for Guilford County Animal Shelter in Greensboro, Nc and noticed many people's animals were adopted after spay/neuter with upper respiratory infections. Is that common for shelter animals? One review in perticular was of a woman who purchased two cats. One died shortly after coming home and the other had a 103* fever and had to be kept over-night with an IV for a nice total of $550. This lady said a shelter rep offered for her to exchange her surviving cat for two new cats and that's the best they could do. I bet this shelter rep was also smiling. My neighbor across from me said that she adopted a diabetic dog from this shelter and they refused her any compensation, so she had to give the dog away and found a free dog from a person.
There was a lot of anxiety in adoptig Poppy. Of course I do have a story about my son after his birth that is quite similar. The human hospital judged me as homeless (thanks bio dad) until my OB showed up and said, "I've never seen that man in my life!" In life, anything and anyone worth having is worth working for. Instead of damning the shelter, I'm immensely proud that my apartment's entire staff went above and beyond to assure that we could adopt Poppy. This dog is surrounded by love like you wouldn't believe!
In the cage with 2 poodles, there was a little brown dog. He looked dangerously thin and had dandruff on his back, none of which bothered me. His tag said 4 years old, which made me think twice, but we decided to socialize with him anyway. First we took him out to potty. Then we socialized with other dogs, but finally decided that "Papi" (as his tag read) was probably the best we'd seen. We took him back out to a clean sitting area and set him on each other's laps to see how he'd react to his owner being touched and touching other people. This dog's biggest ttack was licking inside of our mouths! This is how we deemed "Papi" to be OUR dog.
I toted Poppy up to the font tdesk and filled out paperwork. The cashier called my apartment complex and talked to some lady who smiled and said we were denied adoption. The disturbing part is that she smiled even when my son started fighting back tears. When I asked why, she said my landlord said "No pets." I told her this was impossible because several of my neighbors have paid a pet deposit to have a pet. She tried to say they needed proof of the pet deposit, but I cut her off with "Why would I pay a deposit for a resident I haven't adopted yet?!" My mom stepped in to say that she had a large house with a large yard that our pet ould stay in until I had proof of the pet deposit, but they insisted that my mom could adopt any dog except this one.
There is no cell phone reception at Guilford Animal Shelter, so I drove down to Wendover Ave to find a signal and call my leasing office. Then I called maintainance's cell phone and our maintainance guy literally walked around looking for our manager for me. She told me, "I told them to release that dog to you!! Of course there is a pet deposit and we'll talk about that for you, but you most certainly can adopt that dog." She then called back the shelter to vouch for me. At one point, I over-heard the shelter reeptionist asking how long I'd lived there and what my pay history was. Seriously?? Almost 2 years and I've NEVER been late on rent. Good thing they didn't ask about my measly water bill that I always forget to pay or the constantly dieing Calathea Freddie on my porch. At the end of the crazy episode, the shelter staff were forced to approve my adoption. "You still can't take him home today. He needs to be neutered." the awful dream-crushing desk rep said. They scheduled his neutering for exactly 7 days later. Those days droned by slowly. I spent my time sharpening my son's school checklist, accepting my free gift of 30 (um, 23) days of pet insurance, and worrying about what kind of crap the shelter might try to pull to further prevent the adoption process for me.
On August 15th, we picked up Poppy with no trouble at all. I stood there holding him, asking every quick question I could think of. They assured me I could call back if I had any questions, which they forgot to mention would be answered with "Call your vet." I was handed a bottle of .25mg Doxy for Poppy's chest cold and told to give him a half tab a day. All of the pills were cut in halves and needed to be cut into a quarter pill twice a day. A large does at once could kill him, but nobody in the shelter told me that. After a good 3 days of Poppy having 5-7 watery bowel movements a day, I quit giving him the medication. I'd rather see him cough than go through dehydration! Poppy had actually been taking the Doxy since early July, so it had been almost 4 weeks. I know the average lengthy medication for dogs can take 4-6 weeks, but an upper respiratory infection should take 10 days of meds. The shelter represented the meds as though they had been administered for only 10 days, but his adoption paperwork had consistent longer dates. Poppy's energy increased within less than 24 hours.
Quick note: Poppy has been having these weird episodes at night where he sort of chokes or grunts like he's going to vomit and sometimes he does vomit. My picka-pug did something quite similar because of her short snout and maybe in part of her previous herneia. I am absolutely horrified every time my Poppy chokes and grunts like this in the middle of the night, but he'll go to the vet in two more days. Maybe he's just eating too fast?
I read other reviews for Guilford County Animal Shelter in Greensboro, Nc and noticed many people's animals were adopted after spay/neuter with upper respiratory infections. Is that common for shelter animals? One review in perticular was of a woman who purchased two cats. One died shortly after coming home and the other had a 103* fever and had to be kept over-night with an IV for a nice total of $550. This lady said a shelter rep offered for her to exchange her surviving cat for two new cats and that's the best they could do. I bet this shelter rep was also smiling. My neighbor across from me said that she adopted a diabetic dog from this shelter and they refused her any compensation, so she had to give the dog away and found a free dog from a person.
There was a lot of anxiety in adoptig Poppy. Of course I do have a story about my son after his birth that is quite similar. The human hospital judged me as homeless (thanks bio dad) until my OB showed up and said, "I've never seen that man in my life!" In life, anything and anyone worth having is worth working for. Instead of damning the shelter, I'm immensely proud that my apartment's entire staff went above and beyond to assure that we could adopt Poppy. This dog is surrounded by love like you wouldn't believe!
Deciding To Adopt
My family had been hoping to get a dog since my red doberman, Gizmo 2 passed away in 2003 from fluid in his lungs. My pekingese pug mix had to be rehomed when my parents moved up north shortly after Gizmo 2's passing. Northern Maine seemed to be no place for an outdoor-type dog, what with the bears and moose lounging about the yard...not to mention the average snowfall of several feet at a time.
We moved to North Carolina in 2010, where my son, boyfriend, and I got an apartment. After a year of residency and saving, you'd think the time would be perfect to get a dog. HOWEVER, God saw fit to bring us two precious kittens who had been abandoned on our steps. I knew we had to take them in when my boyfriend cooed that one of them looked "just like Tiggy" his brother's cat that my boyfriend still spoils when visiting. I'd say they were about 6 months old because they didn't have all of their teeth yet. They were clean, good tempered, and loaded to the max with fleas. I'm not a big fan of felines in general. The litter was constantly swept and sifted and they ran through the house all night long like it was some kind of party out there. They were cuddley, but I still found them a home rather quickly.
****To Find A Home****
I'm sure there are much more thurough methods of finding homes for animals, but here is what I did:
- Went to RescueMe.org and listed the kittens for Free Simple Adoption
- Posted an ad on CL for both kittens
Within days, my kittens had a home. It took 6 days because we had to drive them to a trailer in the middle of nowhere (which was about 45 minutes away).
I would strongly suggest that one who decides to foster a stray invest in spaying/neutering and then placing the animal(s) for purchase to compensate a small amount of the vet bills. I didn't know what I know now. Anyone who wants the pets should be more than willing to compensate the spay/neuter, but reasonably not the other maintainance. Fostering a stray is a charitable act that is supposed to cost.
********
On August 8th, we went to Guilford Animal Shelter in Greensboro, Nc to look for a dog. We found a Boston Terrier that the family loved. I was about 99% sure because he wasn't a lap dog, but he was cute and friendly and the guys loved him. We were told to show up as soon as they opened to adopt "Plant." Yes, his name was Plant.
The next day, we waited 15 minutes for the shelter to open and by the time we got to his cage a woman was standing inches infront of us stating "I adopted him yesterday." She was a liar because the shelter told us right before closing that he'd be adopted by whoever got there first the next day. I smiled and said, "He looks perfect for you! You're both very athletic and I'm sure you're going to have lots of fun." She told me he'd be her walking buddy in the mornings. I told her we were told whoever got there first, but I'm glad it was her because they were really a good match. It's all true. I am glad because that gave me the chance to find that 1% more that I really wanted.
We moved to North Carolina in 2010, where my son, boyfriend, and I got an apartment. After a year of residency and saving, you'd think the time would be perfect to get a dog. HOWEVER, God saw fit to bring us two precious kittens who had been abandoned on our steps. I knew we had to take them in when my boyfriend cooed that one of them looked "just like Tiggy" his brother's cat that my boyfriend still spoils when visiting. I'd say they were about 6 months old because they didn't have all of their teeth yet. They were clean, good tempered, and loaded to the max with fleas. I'm not a big fan of felines in general. The litter was constantly swept and sifted and they ran through the house all night long like it was some kind of party out there. They were cuddley, but I still found them a home rather quickly.
****To Find A Home****
I'm sure there are much more thurough methods of finding homes for animals, but here is what I did:
- Went to RescueMe.org and listed the kittens for Free Simple Adoption
- Posted an ad on CL for both kittens
Within days, my kittens had a home. It took 6 days because we had to drive them to a trailer in the middle of nowhere (which was about 45 minutes away).
I would strongly suggest that one who decides to foster a stray invest in spaying/neutering and then placing the animal(s) for purchase to compensate a small amount of the vet bills. I didn't know what I know now. Anyone who wants the pets should be more than willing to compensate the spay/neuter, but reasonably not the other maintainance. Fostering a stray is a charitable act that is supposed to cost.
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On August 8th, we went to Guilford Animal Shelter in Greensboro, Nc to look for a dog. We found a Boston Terrier that the family loved. I was about 99% sure because he wasn't a lap dog, but he was cute and friendly and the guys loved him. We were told to show up as soon as they opened to adopt "Plant." Yes, his name was Plant.
The next day, we waited 15 minutes for the shelter to open and by the time we got to his cage a woman was standing inches infront of us stating "I adopted him yesterday." She was a liar because the shelter told us right before closing that he'd be adopted by whoever got there first the next day. I smiled and said, "He looks perfect for you! You're both very athletic and I'm sure you're going to have lots of fun." She told me he'd be her walking buddy in the mornings. I told her we were told whoever got there first, but I'm glad it was her because they were really a good match. It's all true. I am glad because that gave me the chance to find that 1% more that I really wanted.
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