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Three Years In…
Tootsie came into my life three years ago this month. Pictures from those early days have been popping up as memories on Facebook. I can’t believe how much my little girl has grown–from almost four pounds to nearly fourteen pounds. Didn’t take long to see she was special. She is super affectionate–some might call it…
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My OCD Pup
We celebrated Tootsie’s third birthday earlier this month. She got a ball–an exact duplicate of a well-worn favorite. I bought it months ago, but knowing how she is with a new toy, held off until her June 9th birthday to give it to her. She’s been playing with it pretty much ever since. Giving Tootsie…
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Tootsie Time
My little dog is more than a little spoiled. Daily playtime is mandatory. She came along after I retired and is used to having me at her beck and call. As far as she’s concerned, it’s always playtime. Like it or not, I play with her a lot. She makes it as easy as she…
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Tootsie Turns Two
We’re celebrating Tootsie’s second birthday today. The exact date is unknown. I went with the 9th because the shelter said her monthly flea pill was due on the 9th–a few days after I got her home–and June since she was eight weeks old. We’ve had our challenges. Several months of one-on-one training helped. The trainer…
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Tootsie Time
The chiweenie puppy I adopted more than 18 months ago celebrates her second birthday in June. We’ve been together 24/7 pretty much since I brought her home. Getting used to all that togetherness continues to be a challenge. Training helped. She’s a big talker, which is great, until it’s not. The whining and ear-piercing bark…
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My Best Gal
I have never experienced anything quite like Tootsie. Saying she wants to play all the time, while true, misses the point. It’s not about playing so much as having my attention. Adjusting has been a challenge. She tap-dances on my last nerve–a lot. A failure to communicate is often the problem. Working with the trainer…
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No More “No”
When the dog training company mentioned in the previous post visited, I was surprised to learn they employed shock collars. I don’t know much about the devices, but the idea horrifies me–especially for a sweet little dog like Tootsie. The trainers reassured me. I finally agreed. Doubts plagued me. Feedback from friends was mixed, but…
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Troubles with Tootsie
No doubt, many of you saw it coming. My 10-month-old, eleven pound chi-weenie pup and I have some relationship issues. She’s crossed more than one red line. Something has to give. We’ve been together pretty much 24/7 since I brought her home last August. She believes my sole purpose is to play with her. Everything…
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The Dog I Wanted
Adopting Tootsie was a fluke. I wanted (but couldn’t find) another long-haired Chihuahua like Toodles. Intrigued by Tootsie’s Chihuahua/dachshund parentage and fairly certain she’d already been adopted, I submitted my application. I heard back right away and went to meet her the next day. She looked like a short-haired dachshund, but I didn’t care. The…
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Fall Garden 3.0
My third serious attempt at a fall garden is in. This time, I started all the veggies from seed. Tootsie “helped.” Back in June, I started some Foxgloves and Canterbury bells inside. These beauties are biannual, blooming in the second year and then dying. I’m testing my hypothesis that going through winter triggers bloom —…