Rane Passed With Flying Colors!

First off, HAPPY EASTER!!! We have had out of town family here for the holiday, keeping us all, human and dog alike, very busy. A lot of activity for our anxious little Rane, and a lot of new people. She barked at our guests the first two days but that quickly subsided on the third. Then today, with so many coming and going and the front door being left open multiple times, I just HAD to snap a photo of Rane's major accomplishment.

She is in the Dewey Door Darting Club. Chicatoo, Rane, Ace and Dewey can all squeeze their bodies through the bars on our baby gates to run out and greet guests that come to our door. But with the front door left open as guests were being walked out to their cars, I stood from the street and watched as Rane stopped at the door-frame and just watched. The other three will run right out to the driveway to greet visitors. They do stop and and come on command once outside, but never have they been able to resist walking out the door. Not Rane! I yelled STAY and that's just what she did! Can't tell you how proud I am :)

The Bluurrrs

That's my nickname for Chicatoo and Rane. They play constantly, wrestling, chasing, nibbling and then, cuddling. Rane has become the perfect playmate for Chicatoo and the perfect companion for her during her heat.

Of course, if the boys were allowed access to her, he too would be in the mix. they are our three youngest Chi's in the house and I love seeing how they can get their "Puppy" on!

Rock Lobster

Anyone with Chihuahuas knows the nightmare of finding the perfect dog toy that will last longer than a week. Mine LOVE the rope bone toys but really prefer the plush stuffed toys. Problem is, they don't seem to last very long, getting gutted (or at least busting a gut and then finding fluff all over the room) and then eventually tossed. I have tried mending the injured toys but the same always results.

I have recently diminished my plush counts to the bear minimum. The one and only toy I have found to withstand the tiny teeth of twelve Chihuahuas is a plush/rope combo that I found at Target. If I could buy 100 I would because it gives them the best of both pleasure worlds and the oldest in our house is almost 2 years! That's an eternity in dog toy land! Be sure to check out the Boots and Barkley Plush Lobster.

Dogs, Kids & Kitchens

At lunch time when the kids are in the kitchen making their meals, all dogs within sniff's reach are at their feet, waiting for even the tiniest morsel. They can usually be found at one's feet until the meal is done. That is when they scrounge for other items to chew on. That could be anything from twist ties that have fallen off of bread wrappers or plastic pieces ripped or cut off of packaging. It's always something!

And She Wowed Us Again

Rane has totally made herself at home in our home on wheels too! She has already had two walks around the park today and has really come to enjoy the "picture window" view from the back of the couch. she has also found a few new cuddle buddies - Chicatoo, Colada, Ace and Dewey. Napping is something we all do a lot of during camping weekends and she has totally got that mastered now!

That Was Easy

Fitting in when it comes to feeding time can sometimes be a bit of an issue. Baby is a food hog and will easily scare any dog that is new to the pack (and some that have been here as long as she has!) And it has taken many of our Chihuahuas a bit of time to grasp the "individual bowl" concept, especially since we went that way from free feeding. We mixed individual bowls with scheduled feedings. The schedule part went was easy breezy but keeping to one's bowl took about a month.

Rane has been here just less than a week and and has totally nailed the schedule AND sticking to her bowl without wandering. She actually walked to the back door to be let out after she finished her bowl!

Quite the First 24 Hours!

All I can say is I think I have learned a majorly huge lesson in dogology! I know temperament is genetic and a huge part of how I choose dogs to pair for breedings. It is also why I ask potential new puppy families a plethora of questions about their home environment, family lifestyle and activities.

With each of our Buddy/Ginny litters, we always seem to have at least one puppy who is on the shy side, requiring a bit more socialization than the others. These same puppies can become the most loyal and amazing dogs after a bit of one-on-one.  What I have learned this go around is that the temperaments of the other dogs in the house can also make a huge difference.

Rane walked into our house last night with her tail between her legs yes, but never once did she hide. She actually jumped into my husband's lap and stayed there for quite a while. For the next hour, she followed his every step, until my daughter entered the room with her friends. They were about to embark on a sleep over-party in our living room. Rane was ALL about that and cuddled up with them on the couch, remaining there all night.

Today, we had my son's football game. To help Rane with her socialization, we harnessed her up and took her along. Surprisingly, she was intrigued and interested in all the new sights, sounds and smells. The only thing she didn't like was the lead. But not enough to display one of those "nips" we heard about. So far so GREAT with Rane! We all cannot wait to watch her continue to blossom!

Road Trip!

When I got the news on a fellow friend and breeder downsizing I knew I could help her with at least two of the dogs she wanted to place. Karen fell head over heels for Colada the moment she saw her. Since her mom, Angel was on the list, I called Karen immediately! This was her chance to have her own Colada. They are carbon-copies!

Then there was Rane. Almost from day one, her temperament didn't bode well and her shyness resulted in an over anxious Chi. She was the one puppy from her litter that would have needed the most socialization to increase her confidence. She was also my daughter's favorite. Word that she would be coming back here to receive some rehabilitation made her beyond excited and we were all anxious to work with her. We were told she runs and hides from everyone and on occasion has nipped. My daughter accepted this as a challenge and so did I!

We drove out to pick the girls up tonight and got trapped on I4 for close to an hour due to a pretty bad accident. Add the hour and 30 minute drive to the pick-up spot and that made quite the trip for these two to endure on a pillow in the backseat of a strange car. They did AWESOME!!!!