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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 —…
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Two Months with Tootsie
Hard to believe Tootsie has been in my life for two months. Doesn’t seem that long. Time flies when you’re having fun. And Tootsie is fun — more fun than any pet I’ve ever had. It’s her personality. She wants to play all the time, with or without me. Her solitary play often revolves around…
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My Teeny Weenie
Things at home have changed since Tootsie rolled into my life three weeks ago. I still get up at 5 and go to bed early, but everything in between depends mostly on the puppy. I don’t mind. She’s adorable and — other than my run, chores, and the occasional errand — I’m home. A daily…
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Tootsie Rolls into my Heart
I’ve known I’d get another puppy after Toodles for years. My heart was set on another female long-haired Chihuahua puppy. I was going to name her Toodles II and call her Tutu (Too2). After looking online for a few days, I revised my criteria. Maybe I didn’t have to have a Chihuahua. After all, purebreds…