Puppy Girls!

Rainy days

2011-10-19T09:32:00.002-04:00

Well, it's been raining practically non-stop since Saturday. What this means to me, is that I haven't been able to go outside a play. There are squirrels and birds out there- and they miss me! I'm so bored cooped up in this house that even my ball and toy squirrel have lost their allure. To ease my depression, I've been looking at pictures of the fun we used to have outside.

A goody two-shoes...or not!

2011-10-17T11:55:00.000-04:00

It all started off as an innocent night. Mom came home and set the bags she was carrying in MY chair. Well, I got in the chair and found stuff I wasn't supposed to have. So, naturally, I opened the bag and removed one of the tiny pumpkins. I knew I wasn't supposed to eat it, so I took it to my Daddy. He took it from me and put it on the end table. Mommy picked up the whole bag of candy pumpkins and put it where I couldn't reach it.

Well, here's where the story goes bad: Mom and Dad decided to take the pirates to run in the field across the street. AND, they had the nerve to leave me home. I was fuming mad. So I did what any terror would do and I ate the pumpkin that Daddy left on the end table.

Now you know those tiny little mellowcreme pumpkins that they sell out Halloween. Well let me be the first to tell you, they are NOT pup friendly. I only ate one pumpkin and I swear I vomited my weight in the next 20 minutes or so. Needless to say, from now on, I will keep my snout where it belongs (unless something smells really good).

9/11 tribute

2011-09-11T08:06:00.000-04:00

Thankfully, we weren't around to experience the heartbreak that was 9/11/01 however, we know that it was a hard time for everyone in the USA.

So, on this 10th anniversary, we'd like to thank everyone who attempted to search and recover survivors, including search and rescue canines.

Here's a news article with pictures of these wonderful (and likely expired) doggies in action:
http://www.dogsinthenews.com/issues/0109/articles/010915a.htm

Let's talk about the weather!

2011-09-10T07:54:00.000-04:00

IT'S GETTING COOLER!

I mean, it's like, in the eighties! This is especially important for me, now that it has been decided that I should grow my hair out to get an official Westie cut. All this hair is HOT. Plus, I'm a total mess.

On the plus side, since I'll have hair this year, I won't have to wear sweaters to go outside. I did overhear them talking about seeing snow though. I don't know what that is but the flowers say that it's no good. I'm a little scared!

Bucket List

2011-09-09T07:47:00.001-04:00

So, I got together with my sisters and we decided that we should create a bucket list for us pups. We worked long and hard so it took us a few days (we like to nap, A LOT) but here it is:

1. See 49 states 5/49 down (not HI)
2. Go swimming in a pool
3. Have a whole steak for dinner
4. Go to Canada
5. Visit all FL state parks
6. Get a house with a doggie door
7. have a skin-sibling
8. make it through a vet visit without crying (Roxy)
9. learn some agility stuff (Riley)
10. Takeover the world (Lily)
11. Be pampered for ~~a day~~ life (Daisy)

Big Moves

2011-08-09T07:49:00.001-04:00

So, last month, we all moved to Tallahassee when our Daddy got a new job. So far, we're really liking it! We've got our own fenced in yard to play in and our own bedroom! The only bad thing is that all of our playmates stayed down south.

Right now, it's really hot here. Like, even hotter than we are used too. Oh, and there's lots of bugs. Momma says that it will cool down and the bugs will go away in October or so. We're really hoping that she's right. Of course, Momma is always right ;)

Pupdate!

2011-06-06T12:33:00.007-04:00

Just a little update on all the girls!

Lily is getting ready to celebrate her 3rd birthday next month. Her favorite foods are red meats, peanut butter, and macaroni and cheese! Her favorite possession is her Strawberry Shortcake bed.

Roxy is getting ready to turn one. We can't believe that she made it. Her favorite foods are anything she can get into her mouth. She loves to play fetch and her favorite toy is the Snoopy ball that her breeder sent home with us.

Daisy will be celebrating her 3rd birthday later this summer too! Daisy's favorite past time is manipulating her Daddy and sisters. Her favorite foods are fish and chips and tripe (ew!).

Riley is learning to be more comfortable with us still. She's started playing (mouthing) with us and even squeaking on toys. This is new for her. Her favorite foods are unknown. She seems to just be grateful that she's eating regularly so she enjoys everything.

Cute picture and posting delays

2011-05-09T17:34:00.000-04:00

I just found this cute picture of Roxy. I think she's like 10 weeks old in this picture.

I know it's been awhile since we've updated the blog but I had lost the battery to my camera. My cell phone doesn't really take good pictures so we were out of commission for awhile. I found the battery though (and charged it!) so we'll be back on track shortly.

Answers to Questions asked in my comments

2011-02-27T23:59:00.000-05:00

I'm going to answer some questions that someone "anonymous" sent to me in the comments. I was asked not to publish their post, so I won't because I'm nice like that.

Aren't microchips expensive?
I guess this really depends on what you call expensive. Like I said before, I have all four of my girls done. The cost ranged anywhere from $13 to $26, including lifetime registration. In my book, that does not qualify as expensive.

Why can't my dog just wear a collar?
They should. The problem is that collars can come off which leaves your dog with NO id and no way of getting home.

I don't want the government tracking me.
What? Pet microchips are not internally powered inside the dog's body. There are no batteries. They are not readable until a scanning device is wanded over the chip. The scanning device needs to be very close to get the information off of the chip. In short, microchips are not tracking devices.

Microchips are not fool-proof.
Do you know anything that is? All a microchip does for you (or your pet) is increase the chance of your pet coming back home in the event they get lost or separated.

You have to update your information when you move. If you don't, it is useless.
Yes, they will require a tiny bit of personal responsibility if you move or change phone numbers.

I believe that microchips are the mark of the beast.
I'm not sure I can appropriately answer this concern so I won't even try to respond.

My dog is only an indoor dog/they are always with me.
Really? You never, ever take your dog out for walks around your neighborhood or at the local park. Your dog never goes to the groomer, day care, vet, or a boarding facility? Do you have kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, or house visitors? What if you are taking your dog to the vet and get into a car accident? What if you go to work and someone breaks into your house and lets your dog out while they are loading up your tv?

Missing pets can happen to anyone. You don't have to be an irresponsible pet owner to find your pet missing. People who know me, know that I watch my dogs like a hawk. When we go out, they are always in my sight. I don't turn my back for even a second. And, you know what? When Lily was a puppy, she went missing for about two hours. It happened in a matter of seconds. You see, Daisy got a sandspur in her paw. While I was pulling it out, Lily was able to climb the fence and get out. Who would have thought that a 16 week old, 5 pound puppy could climb over a four foot fence? Of course, I immediately alerted everyone else and we tried to catch her but she was terrified. The more we pursued her, the more she ran. We baited her with food, treats, her playmate, she wasn't having it. After awhile, it started raining and lightening and we were forced to abandon our recovery. I watched out the window (not very safe) like a hawk. Luckily, after about an hour, Lily was sitting on the front stoop, soaking wet, shaking, and wanting to come inside. We were lucky that day.

New Dog Park

2011-02-25T18:53:00.002-05:00

We tried a new dog park today. It's Enterprise Dog Park in Clearwater, Florida. We had an awesome time! This is considered a rustic park so it's much different than most other dog parks. The park is about 20 acres and includes a separately-fenced area for agility. The main part of the park features nice walking trails, water stations, and many benches. There is plenty of shade.

Annual Trip to the Vet

2011-02-23T20:38:00.000-05:00

So, today the girls had to go to get their heart worm tests done and a physical so they can start Comfortis. We decided to go to a local non-profit clinic to purchase the products and services as they use the funds to provide vet care to pets that have less fortunate owners.

It was a LONG wait. Like, really long. It took us over 2.5 hours. There were well over 30+ dogs and cats waiting to be seen for shots, testing, or a spay/neuter. Anyways, after a long wait, they finally call back our four monsters.

At this particular clinic, pet parents are not allowed to go back with their pups. Well, that's where it all fell apart. Roxy is still not really that independent, she NEEDS her Mommy and Daddy! Especially when it comes to medical procedures. When they did the needle-stick for the heart worm test, you could hear her screaming bloody murder. Even though I know that Roxy is a total drama queen, it still breaks my heart to hear my little girl cry.

Lily also had some trouble with the testing today. Since her October surgery, she is terrified to go to the vet office. After her test, the technician told us that she had to muzzle Lily because Lily tried to bite her finger. We were absolutely shocked. Lily has never so much as nipped at a person- even when she was a puppy, even if you pull her ears, or tail, or heaven forbid, take her food. My poor Lily girl, she must have been terrified.

On the plus side, all the girls were negative for heart worm.

Help me! I've been water-boarded!

2011-02-22T18:38:00.001-05:00

No, I'm serious.

They tricked me today. I thought we were going to have fun. As soon as my Mommy picked up our collars, I was dancing and running around, so excited. I mean, WE WERE GOING TO THE PUPPY PARK!!!!

And we did. It was fun. Mommy didn't like this new park because the gates weren't doubled up like they usually are and the gaps between the gates and the fence were so wide that Daisy, Riley, and even me could slide right through. Lily probably could of too, but we know she's too much of a goody-two-shoe to even try.

We stayed at the park for at least an hour. We ran and even enjoyed laying in the shade. Then, we treed a squirrel. After it climbed the tree, it was looking down at us, just taunting us. We had to go home but if my Daddy would have let us, I know we could have gotten that rotten squirrel!

Anyways, after we got home, they brought us in and left us in our travel bags for a really long time (I swear it was at least 3 minutes!). I knew we were in for trouble when I saw Mommy getting the towels, soap, ear cleaner, and even our toothbrushes. WHAT? I'm a terrier! I'm supposed to be a mess. It's like a law or something!

The proceeded to give us all baths right there in the kitchen sink. I fought a hard fight. I was determined to get away. Daddy was having none of it though. He forced me to get a bath. It wasn't long before the soap had washed off my hard-earned battle scars. I mean, the red Crystal Light I got on my back, some dishwasher liquid, the blue liquid I got into that dyed my feet, and even the black marks on my tail (who knows what that was from?), all gone. Just like that.

But, it wasn't over. I still had to get my teeth brushed and my ears cleaned. What in the world are they trying to do to me?

Pet ID

2011-02-20T18:48:00.002-05:00

One of pet parents' worst nightmares is having their dog "lost." There are many reasons that dogs are lost every day, even dogs that are only kept indoors or always with their owners. Statistics show that 1 in every 3 dogs will go missing at some point in their lifetime. Without permanent ID, over 90% over these dogs will never return home.

For this reason, I strongly advocate getting some form of permanent ID for your companion animal. There are a couple options including microchips and tattoos. I chose to have my four babies microchipped for a couple of reasons. First, it is not painful. Mine had it done with their spay, so they were anesthetized, however, I have seen the miocrochip put in dogs that are awake. The dogs react about the same way they react to a vaccination. Third, they are very inexpensive. Roxy's microchip was only $13 and includes lifetime registration. You can't beat that! All I have to do is update my information (online) if we move and have the vet scan it once a year to make sure it hasn't moved.

In addition to permanent ID, dogs need non-permanent ID. This usually comes in the form of a collar with a name tag. It is important that your dog always wear this information. At home, we use break-away cat collars to hold just the name tag. This allows the girls to wear the ID without the weight or jingle of multiple tags. When we go out, the girls wear a break-away dog collar with their name tag and a rabies tag. On their harness, we have yet another type of ID (yes, I'm paranoid), that contains a unique number that has been assigned to our dog and a phone number to call if you find our dog. This tag also comes with call center support that will send missing dog posters and alerts to every shelter, rescue, and vet office within a 50 mile radius of where the dog was lost.

Please realize that if your dog is lost or somehow gets away, many shelters only hold dogs for 72 hours before they euthanize. Is that a chance you are willing to take?

Getting ready for camp

2011-01-31T12:41:00.002-05:00

With Roxy and Riley's first trip to day care scheduled this week, we have been trying to make sure that we have everything ready.

First, I went over everyones shots to discover that Riley needed a Bordetella booster in order to particpate. So, we schlepped her to the travelling vet service and got the jab. She did wonderful and didn't even let out a cry.

Then, I realized that I somehow misplaced the proof of vaccination from Lily's last vet visit. So, I had to go to the vet to pick up another copy. That took a long time because apparently the receptionist had no idea what I was talking about.

The biggest issue about day care is food. You see, the companies generally require a kibble food (or maybe will allow canned dog food) but we don't/can't feed it. Lily will get an ear infection when fed any type of kibble. We've tried tons from the lowly Science Diet (and comparable) all the way up to the super premium kibbles. Every single one gave her itchy skin and ear infections. We are currently thinking that it's just because everything is so processed because she doesn't seem to have any issues with the fresh versions of the ingredients. Okay, back on topic, so we can't send our regular Honest Kitchen to camp because the day care staff doesn't do the mixing required for re-hydration. Our back-up food, they also won't provide as they do not have a freezer.

So, when we were looking for something for the girls to take for lunch, we came across a dehydrated raw option that we hadn't tried before. This required a trip to the pet health food store in Oldsmar. The clerk even gave Daisy a taste and she loved it! With the picky one liking it, we decided to purchase a small bag to send to camp.

Then came the 6 pages of enrollment paperwork that had to be completed and faxed to the center because Riley and Roxy have not attended before. Now, I've got everything all done for their trip on Thursday. The papers filled out, shot records sent and approved, and the food and treats portioned out for the day. With four dogs, I feel like I'm running a vet's office sometimes!

Through the Year: Roxy

2011-01-19T15:10:00.000-05:00

Roxy's post will be slightly different since she's still a puppy.

Roxy is a 7 month old West Highland White Terrier. She was born on June 17, 2010 in Metropolis, Illinois.

This is the first picture we saw of Miss Roxy. She was 5 weeks old.

Roxy at 6 weeks old.

Roxy at 7 weeks old.

Roxy on the road from TN to our home in FL. Roxy is 8.5 weeks old and weighs just under 3.5 pounds.

Roxy at 6 months old in Sweetwater, TN on New Year's Eve (2010). She now weighs 10 pounds.

Through the Years: Lily

2011-01-18T12:48:00.000-05:00

Lily is a two year old Shorkie. She was born on July 23, 2008 in Brooksville, FL. She came to live with us on October 12, 2008. Lily is considerably harder to get pictures of due to her coat color.

This is Lily's first car ride about an hour after we purchased her from the breeder. We had to stop to have her groomed because the breeder never bathed her and we couldn't handle the smell! She is 12 weeks old and 3 pounds.

Lily's first visit to the vet. She was terrified and didn't like getting her first set of shots.

Lily's first Halloween. She is 14 weeks now and 4 pounds.

Lily at a Nashville, TN dog park playing shortly before her second birthday. She is now her adult size of 12 pounds.

Lily and her Momma at Rock City in Ga on New Year's weekend 2011.

Through the Years: Daisy

2011-01-17T14:24:00.004-05:00

I was looking through some pictures earlier today and it struck me how much the girls have changed since they came home with us. So, I'm going to attempt to show the progression for each pup.

Daisy is a two year old long-hair Chihuahua. She was born on August 4, 2008 in London, Kentucky. She came home with us in late September 2008.

The first picture we saw of Miss Daisy. She was a mere 1.5 pounds and seven weeks old.

Daisy on her way to FL from KY. She is now 1.8 pounds and 8 weeks old.

Daisy on Christmas morning 2008 at 4.5 months old. She nows weighs a whopping 3 pounds.

Daisy in the summer of 2010. This is right before her 2nd birthday. She is now at her adult weight of 5.25 pounds.

Daisy on New Year's Day, 2011. She is 2.5 years old (and "hunting" one of her sisters!).

Lily's a celebrity!

2011-01-15T14:14:00.000-05:00

This month's Honest Kitchen newsletter features a spot on our very own Lily. Click to read about Lily's struggle with constant ear infections and itchy skin.

Honest Kitchen Newsletter

and a link to the more in depth story about Lily's struggles

Lily's Legend

As a result of Lily being featured in the newsletter and as an Honest Kitchen legend, I have been given a code to share that will allow you to save on your upcoming order from the Honest Kitchen. Please enter promotion code ALLIESFR2 to save $2 off of a 2,3, or 4 pound box of dog (or cat) food. You can also use promotion code ALLIESFR5 to save $5 off a 7 or 10 pound box of food!

Bark in the Park 2011

2011-01-12T02:05:00.001-05:00

We will be participating in Bark in the Park walk for our local Humane Society.

Please consider visiting our page and supporting us at Bark in the Park 2011

Daisy featured in day care newsletter

2011-01-06T13:48:00.005-05:00

Somehow, I missed this back in June but have no fear, here it is now.

Find a picture of Daisy with her friends, Missy and Molly, and Camp Bow Wow counselor Dondra! Daisy loves attending day care at Camp Bow Wow.

Find Daisy at Camp Bow Wow

In the spirit of camp, here's some other pictures of Daisy and Lily at camp:

Rock City- Look Out Mountain, GA

2011-01-02T23:01:00.000-05:00

Woo-Hoo! Today was a day for just the terrors. We got to go to Rock City but the Chi's stayed home! This was so much fun! We got to walk around all these trails and climb a bunch of stairs.

We also got to walk over a swinging bridge! I loved it but Lily was really scared of it. Mommy said Lily look like Crash Bandicoot when you make him crawl. My toe nails got filed too much so they started to bleed, but don't worry, I'm Westie tough!

New Years Day!

2011-01-01T14:51:00.001-05:00

First, Happy New Years everyone!

This is my first holiday season!

We're now in Sweetwater, TN. We stayed in a cabin at the Sweetwater KOA Campground. My favorite thing about this campground is that they have a K9 park right on the property so I can run off some of my puppy energy. I loved it so much. Look at me playing:

All TN pictures

New Years in TN!

2010-12-31T22:44:00.000-05:00

So, my parents decided that we should go on a weekend trip to TN to celebrate New Years. They decided very late on the 30th and we left in the morning of the 31st. Of course, we didn't get any say in this matter but were drug along for the ride.

On the way up, we found an off-leash dog park right off interstate I-75 (exit 135, Perry, GA). We stopped there for a quick romp and water break. Here we are in action:

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T08:30:00.000-05:00

Raw Meatballs

2010-12-15T21:45:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, the girls like to have some raw meat. We've been purchasing it, but if you've ever checked it out, it's really expensive. So, we set about the task of making it ourselves. It very well may be the grossest thing I've ever done, but the girls love it! And, of course, that makes it totally worth it.

This is the recipe we used:
2.5 cups sirloin steak
2.5 cups lean ground beef
1/6 cup beef liver
1/6 cup beef kidney
1/2 can of canned pumpkin
5 egg shells

This recipe is based on the Prey Model Raw feeding requirements.

The process: