Happy Halloween!

Nothing fancy this year for the dogs- we are going to not one, but TWO parties without them- so enjoy this collage of tears past.

Follow Us By E-mail

Hey Everybody!

I finally figured out how to add a "follow by e-mail" option to the blog!  It is on the left hand side at the top of the page.  If you are a regular reader please follow us so you can be sure to catch all our blog posts!

Also enjoy this video of Nova relaxing and playing with me and Kerrigan (it's pretty cute).  There was a time when I never thought she would be relaxed and playing like this, now it is an everyday occurrence.

Squeaky Wheels Get the Grease

^Squeaky Wheels^

The chihuahuas get a lot of air time around here.  It is because I tend to write about the exciting, challenging, interesting things that happen in my life.  Now I LOVE Copley, but he is far from challenging or exciting.  For the large part he listens to things I tell him.  He never has pooped or peed in the house, he knows a few tricks and they are all cute, he can go for a hike, or sleep all day.  He walks well on a leash, no longer gulps his food, eats anything put in front of him, and now that we are past the lyme disease he has no health problems.  At 5 years old (or so) he is neither young or old, he has ok but not great hips and while he does like agility, it really knocks him out and we can't seem to get in the swing of enough classes for him to keep up but not too many to wipe him out.  

So Copley sleeps on the couch and snuggles with me at night while I write about the exploits of two exceptional chihuahuas.  Not only are they exceptional, but for opposite reasons, so it really keeps things interesting.  In one day I might be working on Nova not attacking guests who come to the door then taking Kerri to visit a library where she patiently allows ten children to pet her at one time.  I think you get the picture.

Copley is relegated to a few tasks he is particularly suited for on the blog-

 Trying out products that are too big for the chihuahuas

 Bragging about being named after a nostalgic part of his owners lives

 Testing treats that are too big for the chihuahuas

Sometimes (often) I ask myself why I am not writing about my favorite dog.  That's right, I said favorite, they are dogs not children, I can pick a favorite and they will never know.  Copley was our first dog and for all the reasons I stated above he is perfect*.  Literally the closest thing to the ideal family pet one could ask for, so he is my favorite.  The thing is Copley doesn't mind.  I think he liked it when we got Kerri because he wasn't the center of attention anymore.  Then I think he liked it when we got Nova because there were two chihuahuas to entertain each other and the humans so he REALLY could avoid being the center of anyone's attention.

A common remark I get from acquaintances is that Kerri is the BEST dog.  I agree with that.  But I also know what people really mean to say is that Kerri is so much better than the false idea in their mind of what most chihuahuas are.  When you expect a dog to never leave the house, bite your ankle then shiver in the corner it is amazing when you see that dog confidently climbing a mountain.  I get it.  It is just funny to me when the better behaved, better trained, more evenly tempered dog gets no credit for anything.  Except from people who have dog sat.  Funny... they all fall in love with Copley.

 You see Copley only wants a few thing in life

1. To sleep most of the time close, but not directly touching, other members of the family
2. To occasionally cuddle
3.  To spend time outside with everyone else looking at, but never actually going near (that would be scarey) wild animals such as ducks and squirrels
4. To get a meal every day, preferably of raw red meat
5. For me and Ben to return home every time we leave the house
6. To meet new people and spend time with guests that come over

That's it. Plus he is my buddy, always has been.  From the day I brought him home I have been in love and I think he loves me back.  We are buddies and that's that.

So what's the point of this post?  Copley is perfect* and I felt he was due for some attention.  Just don't tell him, he really does not want me bothering him.

*The word "perfect" is subjective in this case.

Happy Two Year Adoption Day Kerrigan!

Yesterday we celebrated Kerri's two year adoption day (as we do not know her birthday exactly I go with the day we got her).  Here is a selection of pictures of her enjoying those last two years.

 Cuddling at a campsite in Wee Thump Joshua Tree Wilderness

 Watching squirrels at Big Bear Lake, CA with Copley

 Environmental (Nuclear) Monitoring Station in Rachael NV at the Al'e'inn

 Chewing on a Zukes Treat from her BarkBox

 Practicing her balance on a pumpkin

 Christmass 2012!!!!

 Camping at a ghost town in Parahump, NV

 Posing at Cedar Brakes National Monument, UT

 Graduating Basic Obedience Class

 Looking Elegant on the Couch

 Hiking in the Mt. Charleston wilderness area, NV

 Fishing in Big Bear, CA

First Time Seeing Snow at the largest lodge pole pine tree in the world

 Meeting Nova for the first time (that we know of)

Sisters at Christmass

Coco

Today in the Dog In The Desert household we are mourning the loss of an old friend, the chihuahua that started it all, Coco.

I have told the story before on this blog, about how I volunteered at a bully breed rescue to try to convince Ben that we need our next dog to be much bigger than Copley.  I never really loved small dogs and I thought being around the big guys would convince him to get one.  Instead Ben fell in love with a chihuahua named Coco.  She was the first chihuahua that I ever really got to know, and certainly the first one I ever gave a hoot about.  She had had a very hard life and it showed.  She came into rescue with a blind dachshund named Sausage, and I am pretty sure Coco and Sausage had spent their whole lives pumping out chiweenie puppies in less than ideal conditions.  We would visit the two at the place where the rescue boarded them, take them for walks and take them to adoption events.  It soon became clear that despite being with each other for so long the two really had no use for each other- and so Coco came home with us.  She was a grumpy little thing, but an easy foster dog all in all.  Coco was old (the estimate was about 15 years) and she was pretty set in her ways so I forgave the grumpiness.  Most importantly though Coco made me fall in love with the breed.  She showed me chis were smart, and funny, and that they make funny little chihuahua noises.  She taught us what a true lap dog was and that even after being treated like trash her whole life a chihuahua still wants nothing more than a person to snuggle up next to.  Since Coco left this house we have only gone a few months without a Chihuahua in it.  Once a chihuahua calls your house home it just feels empty without one.  I am forever grateful for that little girl showing up in my life and sending me down this path.

 Pretty soon after coming to us Coco found a forever home- and it really could not have been a better one.  She went to a home with true chihuahua lovers, and they spoiled her till her last days I am sure!  We were lucky that the adopters were people we saw from time to time, and I would get updates and pictures.  Coco sunning herself in the back yard, or cuddling on the couch.  After all those years of who knows what she finally got to be spoiled rotten like she should have been all along.  When I heard the news that Coco passed away I was sad- but also so filled with gratitude for her adopters.  Just knowing that she was able to be comfortable, and full and loved for the last two years was such a comfort to me.

A lot of people ask me how I am able to foster- fall in love with dogs then let them go- and Coco is the reason.  Coco was so hard to let go, but she went to such a great place.  And as important as that is it is just the icing on the cake really.  Because Coco was adopted we had the space to rescue lost of other dogs -

Pappoose

George

Luke

Of course our very own partners in crime Kerrigan and Nova-

& many others.

So thank you Coco for being you, and thank your forever family for giving you the life you deserved so that we could go on and help out other dogs who needed us.  I hope our home was a happy place for you and that now you understand why we had to let you go.

Rest in peace little lady- a lot of people will miss you.