Happy Adoption Day Nova Bear!

I can't believe it has been two years since Nova came into our lives.  Two years since she was handed to me at a vets office as they warned me not to take her.  Two years since her bony little body shivered in the back of my car crate and I put on gloves to get her out.  Two years since we realized she was not adoptable, she was not a foster dog- she had landed in her forever home.  Two years ago we wondered if she would ever stand up straight, if she would ever eat in front of us, if she would ever pick up a toy.  Looking back on that time I'm not sure exactly what we were thinking was going to happen.  Personally I did not have a lot of faith in what kind of dog she was going to turn into.  I just knew that there was something about her that I knew deserved a chance, I knew Copley loved her immediately and more unconditionally than any dog he had ever met before and I knew she was family.  Not even metaphorical family- she was found within a mile of where Kerri was dumped and other than her height they look identical so who knows?

I was worried about her, and worried she would never adjust to living inside with humans.  I talked to our trainers and they helped, our vet came the house and had so much faith in her- maybe the most of anyone.  Still, the first week we had her this was what we saw-

Then she started standing up and walking around so we expanded her world to this pen-

Where she made a best friend

 

Then relaxed just a little bit and celebrated her first Christmas inside with a family.  She had a stocking and her Grandparents sent her gifts.  More importantly to her she was warm, and safe and full

 

Then tail tucked, backed into a corner she started eating in front of us

Four months later she played with me for the first time- with that green bone.

Slowly but surely she made progress.   Every day we worked on clicker tricks and she got more and more confident.  Then one day she let me pet her.  Just a little scratch under the chin.  Then a little later she sat next to me on the couch.  Then I pet her some more and before I knew it she was coming over to be pet every day.  Finally one day about a month later she realized she was not just a feral dog, she was a chihuahua!  And my lap has looked like this ever since-

With her nickname being changed from "Cheney" to "Snuggle Muffin" she celebrated her second Christmas with us.

 She even had a Secret Santa-

 

Then she started taking fun trips to the park

She took her first vacation- where we broke down and everyone got a little bit hot

Next she graduated obedience class

And finally she is all snuggled up ready for her third Christmas as a member of our little family

Some things are still a struggle for Nova but every day she gets better, even now two years later.  These days more often than not she is frolicking with her sister, cuddling on my lap or dropping all the toys in the house behind the couch.  She knows many tricks and loves learning so much I have to hide the clicker when we are not using it.  There is barely a trace of the scared little dog I brought home that first day.  I am so grateful to be Nova's person, she has taught me so much as we worked together to turn this scared dog-

 Into this silly, happy, smart and beautiful one!  (Who is perhaps a little pushy when she wants to play with her sister)

So happy adoption day Nova!  Also thank you to everyone with A Home For Spot (who still know her as Tire Store Chihuahua) who helped trap her and get her to me, particularly Diana, who trusted me with the more difficult dogs like Nova.  I am also forever grateful to my husband who slept on the ground in her pen for a month when she was too scared to go upstairs but unhappy when she was alone and loves her just as much as all our other dog even though she still wont let him pet her.

P.S.- For more adorable Nova pictures follow us on Facebook or Instagram @doginthedesert  In addition to being cute in real life Nova is very photogenic and gets a lot of posts dedicated to her adorable face on there!

One Year With Nova- December and January

Happy Adopion Day Nova Bear!!!

I can't believe it has been a whole year since we got Nova.  I've decided to re-cap her story month by month to celebrate and look back on the past year.  Mostly I want to say she is an amazing dog who has taught me so much about training, how dogs brains work and areas where I wasn't quite doing things right.  BUT if the person who bred her mother then let her puppies end up on the street is out there I want them to know they have done a horrible thing, and no matter how great Nova is today, she never should have existed in the first place.  The reason I ended up with a quivering disaster of a dog in my house is because I was cleaning up other people's careless messes and I wish I never had to do that.  I do however, still love her and here is our story, part 1 of 6.

 

When we first got her home she wouldn't even stand up.  She just crept along the ground and huddled frozen in any corner she could.  She was totally shut down and we had no idea what dog was under there.  So we put her in a crate, put a thundershirt on her and ignored her completely.  We would leave food for her when we left the house and it got eaten, but never when we were home.  Copley cuddled with her and Kerri whined a lot, but the people pretended she wasn't there.  The first little bit was pretty rough for her.  Being plucked off the street and put in a house had to have been like an alien abduction for her.  I do believe all she ever knew was the outdoors and I have serious doubts that she was ever owned by anyone.  It was rough too because she had to keep going back to the vet for dressing changes on her rear feet where half torn off dew claws were removed all the way.  I began to think she would huddle in the back of that crate for months.  Then about a week later I saw this.

I honestly could not believe it.  That really was the first moment I saw her stand up straight.  I'm glad my first thought was to take a picture so Ben could see how short she was.  I really had thought she was taller.

Now we had a dog who stood up.  Great.  Lets see what the next step is.  That is how we tackled everything, particularly in the beginning.  I couldn't think about next month, or next year, or how I was going to live with her, I just had to do one thing at a time.  What is the next step after crawling around on the ground in fear?  Standing up straight with her tail tucked between her legs.  Great.  Mission accomplished. 

Now that we had a dog who stood up I expanded her world a little outside of the crate.  She was in the living room right next to the Christmas tree and to be honest sometimes I thought she would live in that pen for the rest of her life.  I still could only touch her by cornering her (something that made me more than a little anxious) but she was warming up to the world.  I sat in that pen and spent hours getting her used to a collar, or at least associating good things with it.  She got a grasp of the clicker in there too.  That clicker was the only thing she connected with early on.  It was consistent, she controlled it and it was not human.  To this day it is our primary tool with her, and her list of clicker tricks is growing by the day.

You may notice a pillow in that pen.  It was there because my amazing husband was sleeping in there at the time so she could get used to people and wouldn't be alone at night.  We didn't yet realize that Nova hated him any more than she hated any other person and he thought it would be a good way to bond with her.  It was then that I realized my husband was in fact the most incredible person on earth and I could not possibly be luckier to have found him.  How many people would sleep on the ground of a dog pen for three weeks so that a chihuahua who you could not touch wouldn't be lonely?

Over the next several weeks I managed to get a collar on her.  Unfortunately she managed to get it right off again.  Or even worse stuck on something or in her mouth.  I saved her from strangulation on two occasions before we realized that collars were not something Nova would be wearing.  Or at least not dog collars.  I wanted her to wear a collar because she was a flight risk, but obviously it was not safe for her.  I got the great idea to get a quick release cat collar.  So I put it on her, she pulled it off, I put it on her, she pulled it off, I put it on her, she pulled it off and in we went for the next few months.  Did I mention that literally every time I cornered her to put it on I cringed, afraid that this would be the time she bit me?  In all the time we had her so far she never snapped at me, that is truly a testament to her temperament.  In case you were thinking of plucking your own traumatized chihuahua off the street I want you to know cornering a scared dog is a bad idea, you should never do it.  I cringe to think of some of the situations I put us in together early on, and I don't know I would do it again, and certainly not ever with a dog any bigger.

December brought us a dog who stood up in our presence, but never left a pen in the living room.  It brought us a dog who would eat while we watched, but would not sleep, or even close her eyes with us in the room.  She was scared all of the time.  Scared when the other dogs ran too fast, scared when anything new was in the house, scared of anything she saw us do.

This was during the two days we tried umbilical training.  Ben almost lost a toe and Nova nearly broke her neck.  It was a great idea for most people but you sometimes need to recognize when you are not "most people."

Near the beginning of January I tried working with her to take food from my hand.  It was not going swimmingly but she was getting closer and closer.  Then a friend came over and Nova decided he was the person that she trusted.  She ate right out of his hand and I informed him he had to move into my spare room.  Unfortunately he had his own place and wasn't looking for a job as a full time dog rehabilitator, but was over a lot and every time he came he gave Nova a handful of food.  Every time she took it.  By the end of the month she was taking food from me, and Ben if she thought she was actually stealing it from him.  If Ben looked like he WANTED her to have the food she hid.  But if he was giving treats to another dog, or eating a bowl of cereal she would try to steal that.  Baby steps.

Maybe...

 If I just...

 ABORT, ABORT MISSION

January was a pretty rough month.  It was when we discovered Nova was not a dog.  She was in fact a Ninja.  First I would come home and find her out of the pen.  At first we thought she was burrowing under it.  So we piled things around to weigh it down.  She still got out.  Then I thought she was going on top of the crate to get there so I relocated her to the spare room with the pen in the doorway.  That was when I saw her climb it.  She climbed that pen like it was not even an obstacle.  In fact she started climbing anything she wanted to get over or out of.  She was getting braver and her smarts were starting to show.  This made me happy, but it also has led to endless frustration.

The only other exciting development of January was when I was upstairs on the computer (we have a loft that at that time was blocked off from the dogs but I could see down) and I think she forgot I was home.  I looked down as her and Kerri played with a toy they got for Christmas.  It was a Martha Stewart Elf that had no stuffing but made a crinkly noise.  They full out played, we are talking play bows and throwing the toy up in the air and the whole bit.  Then Nova saw me and ran back into her crate and started to shake.  That was the day that I knew this was going to be ok.  If she can play with Kerri we have her!  She is not so broken that she is non-functional, we just need to manufacture more circumstances where she can function.

So there is December and January for you.  I will update on the next 10 months this week.

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.

Foster Dog George

As I have said before we foster through a great local dog rescue called A Home 4 Spot (a non-profit 501(c) 3 corporation).  If you are in the Las Vegas area and looking for a new dog you should check them out!  If you are looking for a chihuahua or a pit bull I of course always recommend starting at the two kill shelters in the city The Animal Foundation and Henderson Animal Care and Control.  They have a big selection of those two breeds (and many more) plus the more dogs adopted from those two places the less dogs need to be pulled by rescues like AH4S.

This past year we had a great foster dog named George.  He was with us for a long time and I really got attached to the little guy!  Luckily for me his adopter has stayed in touch and tells me he is doing great!  As long as I think the dog is safe I never pester adopters, or require updates, but it really is a great thing when I get them.  Now that George is in a wonderful adoptive home I thought it would be fun to share some pictures of him I had sitting around but never made the blog.  Have fun basking in the cute that is that amazing under-bite!

Fearful *will bite*

^This is at the top of every page of Nova's medical records^

We were talking with some friends the other night about wither or not they would have adopted Nova.  Most of them said yes- because she is so obviously Kerri's family.  The thing is its not really relevant- because most people would not have gotten the opportunity to adopt her.  She would have failed every temperament test out there and I don't know what the rescue I work with would have done with her if I hadn't picked her up that day.  In fact the vets office I got her from practically begged me not to take her- and I can't really blame them.  She was totally feral, scared beyond belief and probably a little bit unstable.  Now I'm not a saint here.  I can't say why I took her on, once she was here I knew I couldn't let her go, but why?  I suppose it is because me and Ben love dogs.  Alot.  But it is not just that because we have said no before.  I had a foster show up early in my fostering days with real aggression issues with men.  I sent him off to live with a single woman who was better able to deal with him.  George lived here for nearly six months and I let him go.  Coco was a 15 year old chihuahua who had had a really rough life and I let her go to a good home too.  I am not one to "foster fail."  I also know my limits and I have no guilt telling a foster coordinator "no more dogs."  Rumor on the street is I have a reputation for being a particularly patient foster home for dogs who need that extra little help.  The reason for that is I know my limit.  I only take on what I can handle and what is good for my pack of dogs.  You can't take on too much because then you are not good for anyone.

It took several years of fostering, training, dealing with my dogs and reading a lot for me to be in a place to handle Nova.  She is here because I can handle her, because Copley immediately fell in love with her and she is most certainly related to Kerri.  She is also here because an extremely nice person trapped her, a rescue I work with posted her picture on my facebook wall and a vets office held her and gave her a chance despite her less than stellar behavior.

What does the future hold for Nova?  Well she has been here for 3 months and still is not handle-able at all. She still eats her food at a speed faster than lightening. If either me or Ben come in looking different in any way she barks at us. New things are usually frightening, but sometimes not, still randomly. She really is a totally feral dog, and that is quite the thing to deal with, but you know what?  She gets better every day.  She may never be a therapy dog like Kerri, in fact she may never be out in public without a muzzle, but you know what?  Thats ok.  I will keep her safe, and help her relax and make her as stable and happy as I possibly can.  I don't know what 10 years from now will look like for Nova- but hopefully we can get that caution message removed from the top of her medical records.  That is if she is around for 10 more years... because how old is she?  No idea.

Nova

We volunteer for a local dog rescue.  As you might remember that is how Ben fell in love with Chihuahuas and we got Kerrigan.  Well down on their luck chis are sort of our soft spot over here.  I saw a picture of this girl and I immediately offered to foster her (can you guess why?).  Funny thing is the picture said she was a he, but that is neither here nor there.  It turns out that this girl and her two dead puppies were found in the back of a tire store where they had been living for at least a few weeks.  She was caught and brought to a vets office but they were filling up for holiday boarding and she needed somewhere to go.  The rescue warned me that she might be a runner and to watch my front door so I knew she might be a bit scared, but when I showed up I saw the most frightened chihuahua I have ever seen in my life.  This little girl is just a shaking pile of defeated dog.  From the way she acts at home it is apparent she has never lived in a house before and everything scares her.  

The far dog is Nova
 

I knew immediately she was not a foster dog, she was a forever dog.  She needs a home with stable dogs her size, no children now or ever, a person who is home a lot, and owners with lots of dog experience.  She needs a secure yard and no access to the front door, and while money is not everything she could certainly use someone who can afford a behaviorist and later group classes.  She needs a home where everyone in it is 100% on board and all of the family members love dogs, and people who realize it may be years or never before she is confident enough to be in a busy place.  How many homes are like that?  Mine is so she is staying.  Nova has been let down for the last time.  The people who she learns to love next will be the ones she grows old with.

I realize you can not rescue every dog.  I have let many fosters I love dearly, some even with special needs, go to their forever homes so I can do it.  I can recognize that dogs need our help not our pity and that being a foster failure means I can help less dogs in the future but Nova is special.  She is ours.

Treat Swap!

This last week I did a treat swap hosted by Nola and Cole!

My swap partner was the super cool Kourtney of The Queens Kourt and her two pups Lucy and Rossi!  They sent us a really cool package from a local dog bakery.

 The treats were a big hit! 

 I love the Holloween themed ones-they are cut into fun shapes for the holiday.

 As you can see George the foster dog (still looking for a home- visit ahome4spot.com for more information) LOVES the treats.

And for the toy.  Oh boy is this one a hit.  It has a different kind of squeaker that claims to work even if punctured.  That may be true but the best part of this toy is that it is really easy to squeak.  No matter where Kerrigan's tiny little mouth grabs the thing it makes noise.  She hasn't stopped going nuts for it in days.

Want to see what I sent over to Kourt?  Check out http://thequeenskourt.blogspot.com

Also if you like this blog you may also want to stop by my doggie friend Nola's blog at http://dachshundnola.blogspot.com/, she is a lot of fun and eats a home-made diet just like we do!

Happy Adoption Day Kerrigan!!

This picture = Kerrigan Exactly

Happy Adoption Day!!!!  One year ago yesterday we brought Kerri home from the shelter.  I can't believe it has been a whole year with this little gal!  Lets recap the highlights of this year-

• Became a Canine Good Citizen
• Passed her therapy dog test
• Graduated to intermediate agility class
• Went on lots of hikes
• Visited 3 national parks (Joshua Tree, Zion, Cedar Brakes)
• Played in Snow
• Went fishing
• Went spelunking
• Hung out with lots of friends, of all sizes

What a year right?!?!  To celebrate I threw a party!  We had pizza and cupcakes and plenty of human friends over.  Here are some pictures- mostly of food because lets face it- food is easier to photograph than excited dogs.

 My new obsession is fondant so I rolled some out and cut out bones and hearts to decorate the cupcakes with.

 The cupcakes all decorated!

 Close up of the cupcakes!  I almost got dog cupcakes but the bakery is so far away and I figured these vanilla cupcakes are probably equally as bad for the dogs so I gave them each a little bit of vanilla cake without frosting.

 These were Kerris gift.  You can see how much she loves that little dinosaur in the first picture.  It is the green blur in her mouth.

 Mmmmmm, pizza.

 The whole spread.

 The dogs wait patiently to get a chance at their pizza.  (I don't feed my dogs pizza every day but it was a special occasion and since I made it from scratch I knew there was nothing tooo bad in it, just a little fattening.)

 This was about 2 seconds after they were released.  Notice Kerri is GONE, Copley has decided chewing is for loosers and George bumbles on oblivious to his surroundings as usual.

PS- Yes, foster dog George still lives here!  If you live in the Las Vegas area and want to adopt this adorable goofball visit ahome4spot.com for more information.  He deserves a great forever home.