Do not think that nothing has happened or that I have lost my interest in this blog... no, my computer died a couple of weeks ago. Thanks to Uncle Dan, it is now back online!
What have we done? Oh I wish I could remember (sips a drink)... dog park a few times, walking trails, Petsmart, friends, etc! Some really great days (meaning no nipping or barking a lot), and some lesser days. Momma has been busy (wards again), now all over. Uncle Dan and Aunt Jo's birthday, whole weekend adeventure, riding a lot more, etc!
Bottom line is that we are still very cool, love each other (her wet kisses can attest), and the joy is omnipresent. We lost many pictures after the computer crashed but we will post more as there are never enough moments to keepsake!
Hugs and kisses to all!
Blanca
Myrka
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Weekend Stuff...
Saturday with the family, going shopping, having fun, etc...
Aunt Tammy put the funny hat on me!
I thought we were making a quick stop at Petsmart (to get new toys, of course!)
BUT
We came home with someone new!
Meet my cousin Tera (byte)
She was rescued from the Santa Cruz Humane Society.
They think she is a Doxie/chihuaha mix...
She is one year old.
She is a cutie like me!
Here she is with her Dad.
Someone's going to be a motorcycle rider!
Unfortunately I may be too big to ride.
Unless Mommy gets a side car for me!
Uncle Dan and I.
I don't like this picture.
It makes me look weird...
This is Alan with Tera.
I growl at him every time!
And this is Tera's brother, Osyris.
His sister Isis was too shy to play with us.
My hair is really short, but Aunt JoJo still managed to put these on me!
They are actually Tera's.
Here's Osyris again
He thinks I don't see him...
Hehehe
And here's Tera and I hanging out in the kitchen.
She is a very quiet dog, and we are getting along pretty well.
Although sometimes my puppy energy overwhelms her a little!
Mommy's calling. I think she wants me to potty before we go to sleep. Bye!
-Blanca
Almost 20 pounds!
Time Flies!
So it's been 4-5 weeks since this adventure began. Blanca is now 19.5 lbs! She continues to get healthier and healthier and cuter and cuter (at least in Mommy's eyes). Her hip pain is well controlled with medications, and we have been walking 30-60 minutes almost daily. She is starting to get her front legs up on the couch or on chairs to look for treats or seat cushions... :-) That's quite a change from her early days, before she was rescued.
This is what she looked like at Pima Animal Control Center (PACC). They named her Lori.
The following were taken by her foster mom, Garnet. She named her Nessa. You can see her brother Nick, who was also rescued by Tucson Cold Wet Noses.
This is a photo of her little brother Nick, and it gives me an idea of what Blanca looked like as a baby. I can see why they had her listed as a Chihuahua mix at PACC.
Skinny, but cute as heck!
Back to today, happy times!
Watching the "Puppy Bowl"
Waiting for Mommy to get ready for work.
Are these enough toys for me?
or enough treats?
Thanks for reading!
Monday, February 14, 2011
K vs B
So this past week could best be summarized as "battle of the hair". I'm assuming you know my friend Keith.
Mommy continued her work in the hospital, including weekends. Meanwhile, Uncle Keith was getting hit by an open car door during a bicycle ride, resulting in a broken leg. Three days later, he had surgery and stayed with Blanca and I at home. Oh boy, was my work cut out! His crutches freaked her out, and over the next 4 days they could just NOT get along! Blanca would go bezerk every morning and every time she heard him walking in the house. He's been gone for a day now, and she still barks at the hallway that leads to the guest room!
Unfortunately, we missed our training day with Seize the Leash. I was working that day then had to take Keith back home. Sure look forward to next week's session! In the meantime, Blanca and I visited Uncle Dan and Aunt Jojo a couple of times. She met Kurt, and after a growling session she tolerated him, Not sure why, but she certainly doesn't warm up to guys very quickly. We need to work on that, in case Mommy finds a good guy. :-)
Last week Blance saw Dr. Neuman again. She is the Vet at Twin Peaks Veterinary center. For those of you who don't know, she has been struggling with a bad hip, to the point where I had to carry her back home during a walk. Breaks my heart. So, xray and a couple of hundred bucks later, we're not sure exactly how it got hurt, but she is taking pain meds now. We hypothesize that during her stray days her long nails made her walk in an awkward position leading to the hip problem. We were told to walk and exercise so she can build her muscles again and hopefully that will be enough. Otherwise, Ortho Vet here we come!
We have gone for a few walks and she seems to be doing better. More comfortably, even running at times. She was jumping and barking at my neighbor's kids the other day, whom she could first hear and then saw stick their heads over the fence. Even though she was in one of her bark-a-thon moods, it was great to see her jump and run from side to side with puppy energy!
Today, Valentine's day (a Hallmark holiday, nothing more), we went to Jo and Dan's place again. She did pretty well, except when she drizzled the bathroom carpet and the bed they had set for her. We kept her contained in the kitchen area but she managed to crawl/jump over the obstacles and made her way next to me. I take those misbehavings as the greatest signs.
Good night, everyone. Mommy's tired.
Mommy continued her work in the hospital, including weekends. Meanwhile, Uncle Keith was getting hit by an open car door during a bicycle ride, resulting in a broken leg. Three days later, he had surgery and stayed with Blanca and I at home. Oh boy, was my work cut out! His crutches freaked her out, and over the next 4 days they could just NOT get along! Blanca would go bezerk every morning and every time she heard him walking in the house. He's been gone for a day now, and she still barks at the hallway that leads to the guest room!
Unfortunately, we missed our training day with Seize the Leash. I was working that day then had to take Keith back home. Sure look forward to next week's session! In the meantime, Blanca and I visited Uncle Dan and Aunt Jojo a couple of times. She met Kurt, and after a growling session she tolerated him, Not sure why, but she certainly doesn't warm up to guys very quickly. We need to work on that, in case Mommy finds a good guy. :-)
Last week Blance saw Dr. Neuman again. She is the Vet at Twin Peaks Veterinary center. For those of you who don't know, she has been struggling with a bad hip, to the point where I had to carry her back home during a walk. Breaks my heart. So, xray and a couple of hundred bucks later, we're not sure exactly how it got hurt, but she is taking pain meds now. We hypothesize that during her stray days her long nails made her walk in an awkward position leading to the hip problem. We were told to walk and exercise so she can build her muscles again and hopefully that will be enough. Otherwise, Ortho Vet here we come!
We have gone for a few walks and she seems to be doing better. More comfortably, even running at times. She was jumping and barking at my neighbor's kids the other day, whom she could first hear and then saw stick their heads over the fence. Even though she was in one of her bark-a-thon moods, it was great to see her jump and run from side to side with puppy energy!
Today, Valentine's day (a Hallmark holiday, nothing more), we went to Jo and Dan's place again. She did pretty well, except when she drizzled the bathroom carpet and the bed they had set for her. We kept her contained in the kitchen area but she managed to crawl/jump over the obstacles and made her way next to me. I take those misbehavings as the greatest signs.
Good night, everyone. Mommy's tired.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Some pics from last week
We spent last Sunday with aunt JoJo while uncle Dan was away working. Aunt Tammy and cousin Savannah joined us for a little while... always a fun time!
First day out!
Today Aunt JoJo, Uncle Dan and Mommy went out with Blanca!
We started our day by stopping at the Vet for a quick weigh in, and she is now 18.6 lbs (up a little over a pound since last week!) Then we went to the Habitstore on Grant and I-10. Aunt Tammy met us there. I was a little afraid of how she would react with strangers but she did extremely well! She followed directions, was able to cruise around children and adults, and when she did bark, she stopped with little effort. I was so proud!
Then we went to Uncle Keith's house to check on his cat Lupita, and Blanca hung out in his backyard. She dug a couple of holes (better his yard than mine ;-)) and had lunch there. After that, the humans went to Chipotle to conquer their hunger, and she lied down (mostly) quietly by my side. I had to carry this huge bag full of toys, treats, food, water, towels, etc... never thought I'd see myself like that!
Last but not least, Petco! Aunt JoJo and Uncle Dan are considering adopting a cousin for Blanca. Unfortunately for them (but good for the puppy anyway!), the puppy they were interested in got adopted shortly before we got there. But we still got to see other beautiful pups and Blanca had a chance to "talk" to them, only this time she was on the other side of the crate! Free as a bird! Mommy got her a soft brush, more treats and more poop bags, since you can never have too many of those!
When we got home she went straight to her bed and stayed there for almost an hour! Then she went outside for some private time and went back to bed.
What a day. A dog's life, right?
We started our day by stopping at the Vet for a quick weigh in, and she is now 18.6 lbs (up a little over a pound since last week!) Then we went to the Habitstore on Grant and I-10. Aunt Tammy met us there. I was a little afraid of how she would react with strangers but she did extremely well! She followed directions, was able to cruise around children and adults, and when she did bark, she stopped with little effort. I was so proud!
Then we went to Uncle Keith's house to check on his cat Lupita, and Blanca hung out in his backyard. She dug a couple of holes (better his yard than mine ;-)) and had lunch there. After that, the humans went to Chipotle to conquer their hunger, and she lied down (mostly) quietly by my side. I had to carry this huge bag full of toys, treats, food, water, towels, etc... never thought I'd see myself like that!
Last but not least, Petco! Aunt JoJo and Uncle Dan are considering adopting a cousin for Blanca. Unfortunately for them (but good for the puppy anyway!), the puppy they were interested in got adopted shortly before we got there. But we still got to see other beautiful pups and Blanca had a chance to "talk" to them, only this time she was on the other side of the crate! Free as a bird! Mommy got her a soft brush, more treats and more poop bags, since you can never have too many of those!
When we got home she went straight to her bed and stayed there for almost an hour! Then she went outside for some private time and went back to bed.
What a day. A dog's life, right?
Friday, February 4, 2011
Another week
Hello again!
This week went by quickly! That's a good thing. I am attending at UPH until the 14th, which means that I don't have weekends off until after this is over. Of course "no weekends off" really means having to wake up earlier than usual, but then I'm home again to play with Miss Blanca! We keep going for walks, cuddling and playing a lot.
The highlight of the week was today's visitors, Jamie and Deena, two behaviorists from http://seizetheleash.com. They met Blanca and taught her so many things in less than an hour! She was such a good girl, and a quick learner too! Now we will keep training so that she continues to be the best doggie that she can be. We will also join them for group training sessions starting next month. I can't wait!
Don't forget to visit http://www.tucsoncoldwetnoses.com/
This week went by quickly! That's a good thing. I am attending at UPH until the 14th, which means that I don't have weekends off until after this is over. Of course "no weekends off" really means having to wake up earlier than usual, but then I'm home again to play with Miss Blanca! We keep going for walks, cuddling and playing a lot.
The highlight of the week was today's visitors, Jamie and Deena, two behaviorists from http://seizetheleash.com. They met Blanca and taught her so many things in less than an hour! She was such a good girl, and a quick learner too! Now we will keep training so that she continues to be the best doggie that she can be. We will also join them for group training sessions starting next month. I can't wait!
Check out my cool outfit!
Don't forget to visit http://www.tucsoncoldwetnoses.com/
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Hope I can remember most of what has happened this past week! We continue our daily process of getting to know one another, feel comfortable with one another, and love each other.
I've learned the spot where she likes to be rubbed/massaged and her hind leg will come up and kick softly. She can be kept busy and distracted with the reflection of a shiny object... hilarious! She knows when to go outside, so when I open the sliding door she's right there... but once, she forgot about the screen door, and bump/bounced back for a second.
We have gone for a couple of walks and the first time she was very distracted, stopping for awhile, and upon hearing other dogs barking would freeze up. Second time around, much better, walked nicely by my side, did not stare/smell/ etc at everything and when several dogs started barking (one really close in a corner house), she did stop and hesitate for a moment, but quickly continued on her walk with my reassurance. I think that's what she expects from me. She has met a few of my friends by now, and I must say that her rowdy reactions are decreasing significantly, quieting down after a minute or less, and she even lied down between the chairs as we conversed, which she had not done before!
We have had a couple of accidents in the house, unfortunately. I blame myself for most of them, but this morning's "pipi" on the living room rug is all on her! :-) I guess that I'm gonna have to decor without rugs for a little while....
She went for her first Vet visit yesterday! Had blood drawn (all negative/normal), had her DHPP booster, and passed her general checkup with flying colors! She has gained 2 lbs since she's been home with me! She was very well behaved, and got many treats while she was there! We went to Twin Peaks Vet Clinic. They are wonderful! Very loving and attentive staff, definitely made us feel welcome and was very calming for Blanca, despite going there to be "stabbed" and "looked at". LOL.
I'm really proud of Blanca, and how she has come along! She must have gone through so much in her first months of life, but now we are working on her being a happy, healthy and well behaved dog! It'll take lots of patience and love, but I'm ready. We will be taking Training classes soon as well.
I also thank my puppy for making it fun and exciting to come home every day. It's such a great feeling knowing that there is someone waiting for you who will welcome you with "open paws"! Like on the day that I was feeling so bad at work because of a patient's illness, to the point where I broke down for a minute (or two)... well, all that sadness went away when I got home and looked at her and hugged her. My mom always said that animals great make companions who expect very little in return.... she was right again, and now I get it.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
First thoughts
Forgive me because I am not much of a writer.
This Blog is a way for me to learn and remember one of the most special times in my life.
So if you read this, you probably know me. I have a career, a life, am full of life and fun and don't have major regrets. But this is a whole new ballpark! I adopted a puppy on Saturday January 22, 2011. I live in Tucson, been here 10 years. We had a great tragedy just a couple of weeks ago. America paid attention, even if only for its short attention span. Our congresswoman, Gabby Giffords, was shot in the head and several others died or were wounded, including of course a 9-year-old girl. Horrible. Shameful.
Move forward to 4 days ago. I knew I wanted a dog, a companion, someone to take care of me and vice-versa. A good friend asked me today, why now? Was it impulsive? Did I give up on having children or am I testing the waters? All very valid questions. Honestly, I don't know the answer. But I think that instead of saying I gave up on having children I have decided to start a family and share special moments with someone. Whatever happens next, we'll see.
It was serendipitous. A normal Saturday motorcycle ride turned into a casual visit to a Petsmart in Tucson (Broadway and Pantano?). Tucson cold wet noses (http://tucsoncoldwetnoses.com) rescue group was there. I didn't even know where I was but once I saw her I knew she was the right one. Yeah she was skinny, yeah she was shy, then barking up a storm... but when you know you know. This little girl was in a crate with her brother and she was very protective. She was gorgeous! But if you looked past her hesitation, excitement, anxiety, you could see a great pup. I am glad it happened.
If you ask me, what is she? I have no freaking clue! But I know she is gorgeous! And during the past 4 days, she has become an irresistible force of cuteness and unconditional love that cannot be ignored. We are barely getting to know one another, but I think it'll work out fine. Yes, I know I have a lot of work to do, but I am *finally* able to take the challenge.
I remember how the first evening her heart was beating so fast and her breathing was way too fast and shallow.... enough to make fingertips tingle! But now she is calm while asleep, which, to my untrained brain means that she feels secure.
My "sister" JoJo gave me a book "Puppies for Dummies". Yeah yeah I know... what? But you know, great read! I don't pretend to know a thing about pups, but over the past 24 hrs it has helped a lot! I am also grateful and *blessed* to have such fantastic friends, family and support system right now.
Even if no one reads this blog I will cherish it. It will be a testament of the new challenges and experiences that I face each day, and hopefully will help me become a better momma.
This Blog is a way for me to learn and remember one of the most special times in my life.
So if you read this, you probably know me. I have a career, a life, am full of life and fun and don't have major regrets. But this is a whole new ballpark! I adopted a puppy on Saturday January 22, 2011. I live in Tucson, been here 10 years. We had a great tragedy just a couple of weeks ago. America paid attention, even if only for its short attention span. Our congresswoman, Gabby Giffords, was shot in the head and several others died or were wounded, including of course a 9-year-old girl. Horrible. Shameful.
Move forward to 4 days ago. I knew I wanted a dog, a companion, someone to take care of me and vice-versa. A good friend asked me today, why now? Was it impulsive? Did I give up on having children or am I testing the waters? All very valid questions. Honestly, I don't know the answer. But I think that instead of saying I gave up on having children I have decided to start a family and share special moments with someone. Whatever happens next, we'll see.
It was serendipitous. A normal Saturday motorcycle ride turned into a casual visit to a Petsmart in Tucson (Broadway and Pantano?). Tucson cold wet noses (http://tucsoncoldwetnoses.com) rescue group was there. I didn't even know where I was but once I saw her I knew she was the right one. Yeah she was skinny, yeah she was shy, then barking up a storm... but when you know you know. This little girl was in a crate with her brother and she was very protective. She was gorgeous! But if you looked past her hesitation, excitement, anxiety, you could see a great pup. I am glad it happened.
If you ask me, what is she? I have no freaking clue! But I know she is gorgeous! And during the past 4 days, she has become an irresistible force of cuteness and unconditional love that cannot be ignored. We are barely getting to know one another, but I think it'll work out fine. Yes, I know I have a lot of work to do, but I am *finally* able to take the challenge.
I remember how the first evening her heart was beating so fast and her breathing was way too fast and shallow.... enough to make fingertips tingle! But now she is calm while asleep, which, to my untrained brain means that she feels secure.
My "sister" JoJo gave me a book "Puppies for Dummies". Yeah yeah I know... what? But you know, great read! I don't pretend to know a thing about pups, but over the past 24 hrs it has helped a lot! I am also grateful and *blessed* to have such fantastic friends, family and support system right now.
Even if no one reads this blog I will cherish it. It will be a testament of the new challenges and experiences that I face each day, and hopefully will help me become a better momma.
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