Mine unstuff things (toys mostly) including the puppy pads! LOL It is odd they do not unstuff their beds.
Mary Overton 816-457-0597 >________________________________ > From: michaela_and_merit [email protected] >To: [email protected] >Sent: Monday, September 3, 2012 11:11 AM >Subject: [Chihuahuas] Re: New adoptive chi parent :) > > > > > >Gigi sounds like a character :) I didn't buy Merit a bed yet because I want to >see if he chews things up and destroys them first. I have a few blankets for >him in his crate. Do chis usually chew things up?? Well, I'm sad because the >shelter's closed today for the holiday so I can't go visit him. Hopefully this >will not mean a delay in processing the adoption!! Shelter staff told me 3-5 >business days so I HOPE I get him by Friday!! I am keeping my fingers crossed. > >--- In mailto:Chihuahuas%40yahoogroups.com, Peggy & The Girls <phrpg5@...> >wrote: >> >> LOL Michaela! I am sure that he will love your t-shirt to lay upon. A lot of >> chi's like to snuggle in those baby acrylic blankets. I found a couple of >> them at the dollar store. >> >> The strange thing with Gigi, as compared to most other chis, is that she >> doesn't like blankets in her bed. She will go through great lengths to pull >> them out. Since she was a BYB dog and was loaded with newspaper print, I don >> t think that she ever had blankets and soft beds. In fact when I first got >> her and put newspaper on her wee tray, I found her sleeping on it several >> times. Now she loves her beds and has even claimed the larger beds that were >> originally bought for Princess. When the winter comes in, I will put the >> blankets out again and maybe this year she will like them. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -------Original Message------- >> >> From: michaela_and_merit >> Date: 9/2/2012 3:05:57 PM >> To: mailto:Chihuahuas%40yahoogroups.com >> Subject: [Chihuahuas] Re: New adoptive chi parent :) >> >> >> Thank you so much for your reply, Peggy! I especially appreciate your tip >> about taking him something that smells like me while he is still at the >> shelter. I am going to go visit him tomorrow and take the T shirt I was >> wearing when we first met each other yesterday (I didn't wash it). I am so >> glad to have all the support and tips!! Thank you very much for all your >> advice. >> >> --- In mailto:Chihuahuas%40yahoogroups.com, Peggy & The Girls <phrpg5@> >> wrote: >> > >> > Hi Michaela! And congratulations on your new baby! So happy that you >> decided >> > to adopt a shelter chi and save his life. >> > >> > Well, for a starter you are absolutely right about them not doing well in >> a >> > shelter. They are real people dogs and thrive on attention. Since you have >> > to wait a week, I would suggest visiting him atleast once a day if that is >> > possible, so he can get use to you before you take him home. That will >> help >> > to relieve some of his anxiety and stress. Bring him a small blanket and a >> > cuddle toy and some treats. He will remember your scent on them. >> > >> > Also, chis are prone to hypoglycemia from stress, so it would be a good >> > thing to pick up a tube of Nutra-Cal. It is sold in most pet shops. It >> will >> > replenish his electrolytes and balance his sugar level, especially after >> his >> > surgery. Let him lick it off the tube several times a day for the first >> week >> > Use it any time in the future that you know a situation will be stressful >> > for him. >> > >> > Try to find a good all natural dog food with the first two ingredients >> > chicken. A good ratio would be protein 26-28%, and fat not higher then 14% >> > since chis gain weight easily. Treats will be trial and error, since every >> > dogs taste is different. Whatever you decide make sure the package >> > says that all the ingredients are from the USA and made in the USA. If it >> > says distributed by a US company, then the odds are it was made and >> imported >> > from China. Many dogs have become very sick and many deaths have occurred >> > because of treats that have been imported and the FDA still hasn't made it >> > mandatory for them to be removed from stores shelves, because although >> they >> > know they are making the dogs sick, their test can't prove what is in them >> > that is so fatal to dogs, and by law cannot have them taken off the market >> > until they have scientific proof. >> > >> > Once you get him home and he has recovered from his neuter and it is time >> to >> > have him checked out by a private vet, my advise is to have a full blood >> > panel done. That will ensure that all his vital organs are functioning >> > properly, and prevent any issues that may show up in the future. >> > I had that done on my Gigi who I found as a free chi, and I knew that she >> > needed medical attention for teeth and spaying, but only the blood test >> > showed that she has liver issues that was causing her to have seizures. I >> > have since changed her diet several times and she has been seizure free >> and >> > her liver is stabilized for some time now. If I didn't have the blood test >> > done, I would never have known what was causing the seizures and she would >> > have kept getting worse, because I would not have known that she needed to >> > be on a very low protein and fat diet to stabilize her liver function. >> > >> > You may also want to pick up a couple of t-shirts for him. Chis like to be >> > warm, and if your house has a/c and he shakes, or wants to hide curled up >> in >> > a ball, it may not be nerves but he is chilled. >> > >> > As far as housebreaking goes, it should start from day one. Most shelter >> > dogs loose their memory on that until they are directed where to go. So my >> > advise is to pretend that he is a puppy, and start training from scratch. >> If >> > you live in a warm climate and want to housebreak him outside, then start >> > that way. If you live with cold winters and lots of rain, then you may >> want >> > to train him on wee pads, or newspaper first. When you walk a dog it will >> > naturally pee outside to mark territory any way. If you work, then I >> > strongly advise gating an area that is large enough to have a bed and >> > food/water and toys at one end, leaving enough space in the middle for him >> > to walk around in and at the other end put the pads or paper on a large >> tray >> > He should stay in that area whenever you cannot monitor him, until he is >> > fully housebroken. It is a lot better then keeping him in a crate for the >> > entire day. Crates are okay for a couple of hours, but I personally feel >> > that a dog should not be kept in them for 8-10 hrs while the owner is at >> > work all day. >> > >> > Well lots of luck and enjoy your new baby! Looking forward to seeing his >> > pics next week! >> > >> > >> > >> > PS: Princess was adopted from a shelter when she was under 2yrs old, she >> is >> > a mini American Eskimo, and Gigi is a tri-colored Long Hair chi. >> > she was adopted at about 6 yrs old, they are both about 8 yrs old now. >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > -------Original Message------- >> > >> > From: michaela_and_merit >> > Date: 9/1/2012 6:28:58 PM >> > To: mailto:Chihuahuas%40yahoogroups.com >> > Subject: [Chihuahuas] New adoptive chi parent :) >> > >> > >> > Hello, >> > >> > I joined this group because I want to be sure I provide the best care >> > possible for my new best friend. His name is Merit, and I placed a deposit >> > on him at the local APS shelter this morning. He needs the standard >> medical >> > procedures (neutering, immunizations, flea and tick prevention) and then >> he >> > will be ready to come home to me later this week! >> > >> > I am so excited about him! I always had dogs growing up, but Merit will be >> > my first dog since living on my own. I am 24 years old, a graduate student >> >> > and live in a townhouse in a quiet suburban area. I have done a ton of >> > research on chis and feel pretty prepared in terms of general knowledge, >> > such as nail clipping, tooth cleaning, vet visits, etc. but I would really >> > value some advice from chihuahua experts like you all! >> > >> > Is there anything you wish someone had told you that would have made >> > training your chihuahua much easier? Is there a particular treat or >> activity >> > that would be fun for Merit to try? Please share any tips and tricks you >> can >> > think of that might be helpful for a new chihuahua owner. >> > >> > Thank you! >> > Michaela >> > >> > P.S. Merit is chocolate with a short coat (I will share a picture once he >> is >> > home!). He's one year old and is fairly timid-- life in the shelter has >> been >> > really hard for him to deal with because it is so loud and scary with all >> > those dogs barking and howling. So I'd especially value advice on how to >> > make him feel comfortable in his new home :) >> > >> > > > > >
