Spa Time!
19 Dec 05: The girls went on a "Mini" trip to Casa Del Cane. This is where Rocky, our beloved poodle-Skye terrier went for 10 years. Their appointment was at 10:30 AM. They met Stefania & her Mom, the groomers. The father & a sister also work there. The girls were angels,"amorini".
The first thing Stefania asked us was "Where is Rocky?" We told them the sad news, that Rocky had died of cancer in Febbraio. Stefania seemed surprised that now we have 2 dogs. She took Teddi first to the back room. She clipped her toenails, & cleaned inside her ears. She brought her back outside & handed her to me. Teddi smelled of baby powder. Next, Stefania took Honey & clipped her nails & cleaned her ears. She said that both of them were good.
We bought a large mattress pad, plaid check, for a dog bed. We also bought a beautiful red nylon leash, with a silicone padded handle, for Teddi. The girls seemed to enjoy their mini spa. Poor me, I must do my own nails & ears!
31 Dec 05: This is the last day of the year, 2005! Sad news is that Pipo, Nerina & Giorgio's beloved cat, died Thursday, 29 December. I have started a small memory diary for Pipo.
We will start the new year without our beloved Rocky, who died 17 Feb 05. It is sad for us. We will also start the year with our 2 buttons, Honey & Teddi, now about 9 months old, 1 Jan 06. We have estimated their age, plan to celebrate their birthdays on 1 April. Some April fools' day.
These past 2 weeks or so have been a bit strange. Teddi & I love each other as much as always. She is crazy about Mommy. She is the kind of puppy who is usually happy. If she does something wonderful, I love her. If she does something naughty, so what, I still love her. I don't get upset with her. Bill says that I don't make her mind.
The situation now is that we usually have 3 pet gates up in the hall, where the puppies stay. Miss Priss has learned to jump over them, with the greatest ease. This is so much like Rocky, when he was younger. She clears the top of the gate, with her front legs stretched high & forward, & her back legs stretched high & backwards. She tries to come into any room that she wants, usually where I am, or where there is food or treats. Her negative consequence is that I pick her up & cuddle her, then put her back into the hall. I just know that she will be emotionally scarred for life, with such dire consequences.
Honey can jump over the gates, I think. But, she usually doesn't. We try to praise her for being good. What's been happening lately with Honey is rather sad & troublesome.
She has some kind of behavior problem. She has been acting aggressive towards Teddy. She will follow her, biting at her ears & at her tail. We thought they were play fighting for awhile. This was mentioned by their previous owners, which I thought a strange comment. They said " don't worry, it's nothing bad". This should have been a warning of unusual behavior. We will not let Honey be a bully to Teddi. Honey is only a 10 lb dog. She seems so innocent otherwise. I thought maybe she is jealous because sometimes I give more attention to Teddi. I have been concentrating on giving Honey equal attention. Somehow, I don't think this is really the cause of the problem, though it could be a factor. Bill thinks the girls have been cooped up, because of the snow & cold weather of the past week or so. He thinks they need more exercise, which I agree. He is welcome to take them out in the cold.
We need to study how to handle this problem. The last thing we want is unpleasant behavior. In the meantime, we tether Honey's leash to the wall if she is being unkind to Teddi. I think Honey's behavior may also cause Teddi to want to escape from the hall, & come seek me.
I try to hold Honey, but she is very wriggly & squirmy. She calms down some if I pet her behind her ears. She doesn't want me to brush her, which I think would be good, as grooming establishes closeness. She has a worried look on her face sometimes, as though she has the problems of the world on her mind. Bill thinks this is just a trait of her breed, along with being more nervous.
25 aprile 2006
29 marzo 2006
Abbiamo i Nostri Passoporti
14 Dec 05: We have been so busy this past month. Our things arrived from NM, which is great. But, we've been putting things away, sorting through them. Some things we threw away, others we donated to charity. Some things we don't have room for. We are still in the sorting process.
Our Mini Cooper S, we finally have it legal to drive in Italy. We have the tags, insurance, etc. It was a very long process. Bill used the services of Signor L in Roveredo, to help us. Now, the girls have a beautiful car to go places with us. We've had enough of the rental cars.
House training: Bill has been a good father to the pups. He usually takes them outside to do their business, about every 2 hours. Sometimes, they still have accidents in the house. We want them to make the connection that if they are trained, they will get the run of the hallway. Bill thinks that they really don't remember things for more than a few minutes. They are baby-like dogs. We don't want the pups to come into the dining or living rooms, unsupervised. We have Turkish rugs that we want to keep clean.
One day, I put down a wee wee pad for the pups to use. While I was in the living room, I heard a strange sound coming from the hall. I opened the door & saw Teddi with white cotton hanging from her mouth. Honey joined in with her, also chewing on the cotton. There were also shreds of blue plastic over the floor. The wee wee pads were not used for their intended purpose. They are supposed to have a chemical which attracts dogs to pee on them. But not for Teddi & Honey. They were having too much fun using the pad as a chew toy.
The girls love to be with us in the living room. They sit on our laps & get petted. Teddi usually gets in my lap. Sometimes, she will lay on her back, with her head toward my tummy. Her legs will be stretched out, resting in the middle of mine. She likes for me to pet her with both hands. If I touch the remote control or something else, she doesn't like it. I must hurry to pet her again. She likes when I pet her under her neck, by her ear. She likes when I pet her stomach, a leg, or her top notch. She will look up at me with her great brown eyes.
Teddi has a puppy stomach. It is very white & soft, like someone who never gets in the sun. She let her surgery stitches heal nicely. She has the bottom stitch left. Her hair is almost white under her neck & on her tummy. She has about 3 or 4 shades of blond on her. Her hair close to her body on her back, is a reddish color.
Honey usually gets in Bill's lap. She is more squirmy than Teddi. She wiggles around & rolls into the folds of the couch. When Bill starts petting her, she usually gets more relaxed & comfortable. Her eyes start drooping, she gets a sleepy look on her face. To be a puppy, her face & expression are more worried looking. But, she is happy.
Her hair is very soft, like velvet. Her ears & neck are very soft like a velvet muffler.
15 Dec 05: All of us went at 11:30 AM to the veterinario of Aviano, to apply for the girls' passports. There was a line of people waiting, mostly Americans. It seems to us it is the Americans, not the Italians who are following the new law. The European Union law is that all dogs must be microchipped, & get passports to travel outside of the country. We have no plans to travel anytime soon. But, we want to be ready when we do.
We showed Franco the vet, our paperwork from our Dr. He came outside, the pets were not allowed inside. He passed the scanner over Teddi first, then over Honey to check their microchips. The scanner beeped. We were happy to know the chips worked. This was the first time I had seen the scanner used, except on TV. We were told to come back the next day, Friday, to pick up the passports " passaporti per animali da compagnia".
Bill went at 8:30, 16 Dec to get the passports. They are very official with the stamp "Regione Friuli & Dr Franco C". The booklets have pages to include mostly health information. It can include rabies & other vaccinations, tick treatment, heartworm prevention, & exam information. There is also a spot for their photos, which we need to include.
England, Ireland, Malta, Sweden have special requirements. They require a rabies serum test within 6 months of going on a trip. The pet cannot go to a non EU country, & then go to one of these countries for several years. The laws are complex.
14 Dec 05: We have been so busy this past month. Our things arrived from NM, which is great. But, we've been putting things away, sorting through them. Some things we threw away, others we donated to charity. Some things we don't have room for. We are still in the sorting process.
Our Mini Cooper S, we finally have it legal to drive in Italy. We have the tags, insurance, etc. It was a very long process. Bill used the services of Signor L in Roveredo, to help us. Now, the girls have a beautiful car to go places with us. We've had enough of the rental cars.
House training: Bill has been a good father to the pups. He usually takes them outside to do their business, about every 2 hours. Sometimes, they still have accidents in the house. We want them to make the connection that if they are trained, they will get the run of the hallway. Bill thinks that they really don't remember things for more than a few minutes. They are baby-like dogs. We don't want the pups to come into the dining or living rooms, unsupervised. We have Turkish rugs that we want to keep clean.
One day, I put down a wee wee pad for the pups to use. While I was in the living room, I heard a strange sound coming from the hall. I opened the door & saw Teddi with white cotton hanging from her mouth. Honey joined in with her, also chewing on the cotton. There were also shreds of blue plastic over the floor. The wee wee pads were not used for their intended purpose. They are supposed to have a chemical which attracts dogs to pee on them. But not for Teddi & Honey. They were having too much fun using the pad as a chew toy.
The girls love to be with us in the living room. They sit on our laps & get petted. Teddi usually gets in my lap. Sometimes, she will lay on her back, with her head toward my tummy. Her legs will be stretched out, resting in the middle of mine. She likes for me to pet her with both hands. If I touch the remote control or something else, she doesn't like it. I must hurry to pet her again. She likes when I pet her under her neck, by her ear. She likes when I pet her stomach, a leg, or her top notch. She will look up at me with her great brown eyes.
Teddi has a puppy stomach. It is very white & soft, like someone who never gets in the sun. She let her surgery stitches heal nicely. She has the bottom stitch left. Her hair is almost white under her neck & on her tummy. She has about 3 or 4 shades of blond on her. Her hair close to her body on her back, is a reddish color.
Honey usually gets in Bill's lap. She is more squirmy than Teddi. She wiggles around & rolls into the folds of the couch. When Bill starts petting her, she usually gets more relaxed & comfortable. Her eyes start drooping, she gets a sleepy look on her face. To be a puppy, her face & expression are more worried looking. But, she is happy.
Her hair is very soft, like velvet. Her ears & neck are very soft like a velvet muffler.
15 Dec 05: All of us went at 11:30 AM to the veterinario of Aviano, to apply for the girls' passports. There was a line of people waiting, mostly Americans. It seems to us it is the Americans, not the Italians who are following the new law. The European Union law is that all dogs must be microchipped, & get passports to travel outside of the country. We have no plans to travel anytime soon. But, we want to be ready when we do.
We showed Franco the vet, our paperwork from our Dr. He came outside, the pets were not allowed inside. He passed the scanner over Teddi first, then over Honey to check their microchips. The scanner beeped. We were happy to know the chips worked. This was the first time I had seen the scanner used, except on TV. We were told to come back the next day, Friday, to pick up the passports " passaporti per animali da compagnia".
Bill went at 8:30, 16 Dec to get the passports. They are very official with the stamp "Regione Friuli & Dr Franco C". The booklets have pages to include mostly health information. It can include rabies & other vaccinations, tick treatment, heartworm prevention, & exam information. There is also a spot for their photos, which we need to include.
England, Ireland, Malta, Sweden have special requirements. They require a rabies serum test within 6 months of going on a trip. The pet cannot go to a non EU country, & then go to one of these countries for several years. The laws are complex.
05 marzo 2006
Siamo bellissime
So, on to plan C: After the girls very important surgeries of 4 November, we decided to keep them downstairs in the hallway. We would let them be off leash, which they love! This entailed us going to the base BX & buying another Top Notch pet gate. I should invest in the stock of this company. Well, we put one gate between the hallway & the kitchen. We put the other gate at the front door.
On the first day, I tripped while hopping over the kitchen gate. The girls looked in awe at my clumsiness. Bill & I decided in the interest of my health & for the welfare of the pups, that we would take down the kitchen gate. The next day, I called Bill, desperate to get out the front door. The pups needed to go out to do their business. I didn't know how to unlatch the Top Notch gate. Bill gave me step by step instructions, "push on this, lift up this, etc." Finally, I was able to lift up the gate, push it to the side, & take the pups outside, one at a time.
As of now, we will stick with plan C. It seems to be the most pleasant way to entertain Honey & Teddi. We can't let them go unsupervised on our Turkish carpets in our living & dining rooms, because they are not house trained. There will be more on this later. Wouldn't it be wonderful if houses were designed for animal lovers? There could be luxurious rooms designed with the pet in mind, to accomodate all of its needs, as well as those of the pet parents. Instead, we must try with all of our wits to pet proof our house.
16 November 05: Plan C is not exactly working out. The girls are not house trained. Bill & I know we must work on a serious method for this. We are back to plan B. In the last week since the surgeries, Teddi has been very sick. Bill took her yesterday AM to see the Dr. We don't know what we would do without him. Teddi had been having diarrhea, & excessive urinating on the floor.
We thought maybe she had an urinary infection. But, the Dr treated her for the diarrhea. He said it is common this time of year, autumn. I don't know why. He gave poor Teddi another shot. Bill said she was brave, as usual, but cried. Dr said the shot had stinging medicine in it. He gave Bill 4 small bags of Hill's Prescription Diet. This is supposed to get Teddi's intestinal tract recalibrated.
Anyway, Teddi seemed to feel better after the Dr's visit. We all took a walk about 3PM or so. Bill remarked "what a remarkable recovery" for Teddi.
Monday night, the 14th: Bill brought out the "petting chair" & put it in the hall. I put Teddi in my lap & brushed her out, for only the 2nd time since we adopted her. In the meantime, Bill petted Honey to keep her from being left out. Teddi is a dream puppy! She loves to be brushed out! The more I brushed her, the more she wanted to be brushed. Darlin, my miniature poodle, 1973-1990, was also like this. I have a wig brush & a dog hair comb which I use. I brush as much of her beautiful hair as I can. Her hair is about 3 to 4 inches long on her back. She has a long ruff of hair under & around her neck. Her hair is dark blond, with black tips on the ends. She has white patches under her neck. She has a long curled tail. She has great big round, dark brown eyes, & a big round black nose. Bill & I tell her that Liza Minnelli wants her dark brown eyeliner back! Her eyes have dark brown rings around them. We also say that Diana Ross wants Teddi's hair, a dog wig. We really are so silly.
I plan to spend more time with Teddi, brushing her. I also want to brush Honey. Honey seems afraid of the brush & comb. I know they can be awfully scary, just the thought of being brushed & beautiful. Honey seems to be more nervous, & less apt to sit still.
More on Honey & Teddi's interaction with each other: The two of them curl up together sometimes when sleeping for the night, or just resting. Honey will curl into a ball on a towel. Teddi curls around her like a spoon. Sometimes, she rests her head on Honey's back. Teddi is not stupid. Why not cuddle with Honey & use her for a soft pillow. It makes sense to me! Sometimes, Teddi's head points in the same direction as Honey's. Other times, it points in the opposite. These ideallic scenes would make a marvelous pet calendar. Perhaps, I could sell the calendars & become rich!
Monday or Tuesday, the 15th: Bill bought some gifts for Teddi. He bought her a brown leather collar, to fit into a halter style collar. Teddi has chewed though about 2 halters, her own & Honey's. Honey is so easy going, she lets Teddi chew on her things. Bill bought a Flexi Comfort 2 gray & black leash. It is meant for a much larger dog, or a Teddi. She has chewed up about 2 leashes. This one cost about $3, cheaper than they used to be.
We are scheduled on Friday the 18th, for our household goods shipment from NM. It has only been 3 months since our goods were packed, 12 August 05. We thought that they were lost. We will see if the pups can use any of Rocky's things.
So, on to plan C: After the girls very important surgeries of 4 November, we decided to keep them downstairs in the hallway. We would let them be off leash, which they love! This entailed us going to the base BX & buying another Top Notch pet gate. I should invest in the stock of this company. Well, we put one gate between the hallway & the kitchen. We put the other gate at the front door.
On the first day, I tripped while hopping over the kitchen gate. The girls looked in awe at my clumsiness. Bill & I decided in the interest of my health & for the welfare of the pups, that we would take down the kitchen gate. The next day, I called Bill, desperate to get out the front door. The pups needed to go out to do their business. I didn't know how to unlatch the Top Notch gate. Bill gave me step by step instructions, "push on this, lift up this, etc." Finally, I was able to lift up the gate, push it to the side, & take the pups outside, one at a time.
As of now, we will stick with plan C. It seems to be the most pleasant way to entertain Honey & Teddi. We can't let them go unsupervised on our Turkish carpets in our living & dining rooms, because they are not house trained. There will be more on this later. Wouldn't it be wonderful if houses were designed for animal lovers? There could be luxurious rooms designed with the pet in mind, to accomodate all of its needs, as well as those of the pet parents. Instead, we must try with all of our wits to pet proof our house.
16 November 05: Plan C is not exactly working out. The girls are not house trained. Bill & I know we must work on a serious method for this. We are back to plan B. In the last week since the surgeries, Teddi has been very sick. Bill took her yesterday AM to see the Dr. We don't know what we would do without him. Teddi had been having diarrhea, & excessive urinating on the floor.
We thought maybe she had an urinary infection. But, the Dr treated her for the diarrhea. He said it is common this time of year, autumn. I don't know why. He gave poor Teddi another shot. Bill said she was brave, as usual, but cried. Dr said the shot had stinging medicine in it. He gave Bill 4 small bags of Hill's Prescription Diet. This is supposed to get Teddi's intestinal tract recalibrated.
Anyway, Teddi seemed to feel better after the Dr's visit. We all took a walk about 3PM or so. Bill remarked "what a remarkable recovery" for Teddi.
Monday night, the 14th: Bill brought out the "petting chair" & put it in the hall. I put Teddi in my lap & brushed her out, for only the 2nd time since we adopted her. In the meantime, Bill petted Honey to keep her from being left out. Teddi is a dream puppy! She loves to be brushed out! The more I brushed her, the more she wanted to be brushed. Darlin, my miniature poodle, 1973-1990, was also like this. I have a wig brush & a dog hair comb which I use. I brush as much of her beautiful hair as I can. Her hair is about 3 to 4 inches long on her back. She has a long ruff of hair under & around her neck. Her hair is dark blond, with black tips on the ends. She has white patches under her neck. She has a long curled tail. She has great big round, dark brown eyes, & a big round black nose. Bill & I tell her that Liza Minnelli wants her dark brown eyeliner back! Her eyes have dark brown rings around them. We also say that Diana Ross wants Teddi's hair, a dog wig. We really are so silly.
I plan to spend more time with Teddi, brushing her. I also want to brush Honey. Honey seems afraid of the brush & comb. I know they can be awfully scary, just the thought of being brushed & beautiful. Honey seems to be more nervous, & less apt to sit still.
More on Honey & Teddi's interaction with each other: The two of them curl up together sometimes when sleeping for the night, or just resting. Honey will curl into a ball on a towel. Teddi curls around her like a spoon. Sometimes, she rests her head on Honey's back. Teddi is not stupid. Why not cuddle with Honey & use her for a soft pillow. It makes sense to me! Sometimes, Teddi's head points in the same direction as Honey's. Other times, it points in the opposite. These ideallic scenes would make a marvelous pet calendar. Perhaps, I could sell the calendars & become rich!
Monday or Tuesday, the 15th: Bill bought some gifts for Teddi. He bought her a brown leather collar, to fit into a halter style collar. Teddi has chewed though about 2 halters, her own & Honey's. Honey is so easy going, she lets Teddi chew on her things. Bill bought a Flexi Comfort 2 gray & black leash. It is meant for a much larger dog, or a Teddi. She has chewed up about 2 leashes. This one cost about $3, cheaper than they used to be.
We are scheduled on Friday the 18th, for our household goods shipment from NM. It has only been 3 months since our goods were packed, 12 August 05. We thought that they were lost. We will see if the pups can use any of Rocky's things.
07 febbraio 2006
Noi sceltiamo la nostra camera di letto
7 November: On 5 Nov Saturday, we've had the girls about one month. We all love each other very much. I want to write about all the cute & also, not so endearing things that they do.
It's obvious that Teddi & Honey have a special relationship, sort of like sisters. They have a strong bond between them, which we humans don't really know about. Sometimes, they snuggle together when sleeping or resting. They will curl around one another. Usually, Honey is in a curled ball, while the larger Teddi is wrapped around her, like a spoon. Sometimes, their heads are pointed in the same direction; other times, in the opposite direction. We don't yet have beds for them. So, we give them towels to lay upon, & keep sweaters on them.
We have had a rocky adjustment period, trying to find the best place to keep them. Living in a 2 story home, we kept the girls upstairs in the hallway, with one or two pet gates up. Well, this did not work out so great. One or both of the puppies would jump over the gate, or chew the plastic mesh of the gate. Teddi chewed a giant hole through, it was amazing what her teeth could do. She has the adorable mouth like Rocky had. She has a small white row of teeth in the center, & the 2 upward pointed canines on the bottom sides of her mouth. This I think is the terrier mouth, meant for some serious work, to catch varmints or something. Usually, Teddi is intent on catching treats such as "pigs in a blanket".
At first, Honey kept jumping over the gate. I would catch her & put her back in her room. Then, Teddi kept jumping over the gate, learning that she could. They are both so young & fun loving, everything is a game. The world is set up, or should be, for their enjoyment. After Teddi jumped over the gate, she ran into my bedroom, of course. Then she jumped onto my bed. There is no better place in the world than Mommy's bed. I kind of like it because so far it is dog hair free. Anyway, I would pick up Teddi & put her back into her room. I was going to teach her & Honey where to stay, yeah! Well, Teddi thought "what a great game", & also a way to get extra attention. So, on one day Teddi jumped over the gate about 10 times. Things were not working as I had planned.
Next course of action, plan B: Why don't we put the adorable pups downstairs in the hallway. That way they would feel like part of our family. But, we couldn't let them run out of the house whenever the door is open. So we put a pet gate at the front door. To prevent unwanted wanderings up the stairs we put a pet gate at the bottom. Poor little Teddi has such short terrier legs. They are only good for getting her into trouble. We also attached a leash to both pups which we hooked to the wall. We separated the 2 leashes so they would not get tangled together. Well, we did this for about a week or so. Then, one day Bill & I heard a very loud, gnawing sound. It was like a TV wildlife show when the beaver is chomping on some wood or taking down a tree. To our amazement, Teddi had chewed a large chunk at the edge of the wooden stairs. She seemed to suffer no mouth wounds or lack of appetite from this. So, we cleaned up the wooden splinters. On another day, Teddi chewed the wooden leg of an antique chair, over 100 years old. This chair was given to Bill by his now, very elderly Momma, Mary Yount. The chair may be antique, but it is not very pretty. I guess this can be said about some other things. Anyway, plan B is not working out very well. The pups are not content. Our house is being demolished by the puppy crew.
7 November: On 5 Nov Saturday, we've had the girls about one month. We all love each other very much. I want to write about all the cute & also, not so endearing things that they do.
It's obvious that Teddi & Honey have a special relationship, sort of like sisters. They have a strong bond between them, which we humans don't really know about. Sometimes, they snuggle together when sleeping or resting. They will curl around one another. Usually, Honey is in a curled ball, while the larger Teddi is wrapped around her, like a spoon. Sometimes, their heads are pointed in the same direction; other times, in the opposite direction. We don't yet have beds for them. So, we give them towels to lay upon, & keep sweaters on them.
We have had a rocky adjustment period, trying to find the best place to keep them. Living in a 2 story home, we kept the girls upstairs in the hallway, with one or two pet gates up. Well, this did not work out so great. One or both of the puppies would jump over the gate, or chew the plastic mesh of the gate. Teddi chewed a giant hole through, it was amazing what her teeth could do. She has the adorable mouth like Rocky had. She has a small white row of teeth in the center, & the 2 upward pointed canines on the bottom sides of her mouth. This I think is the terrier mouth, meant for some serious work, to catch varmints or something. Usually, Teddi is intent on catching treats such as "pigs in a blanket".
At first, Honey kept jumping over the gate. I would catch her & put her back in her room. Then, Teddi kept jumping over the gate, learning that she could. They are both so young & fun loving, everything is a game. The world is set up, or should be, for their enjoyment. After Teddi jumped over the gate, she ran into my bedroom, of course. Then she jumped onto my bed. There is no better place in the world than Mommy's bed. I kind of like it because so far it is dog hair free. Anyway, I would pick up Teddi & put her back into her room. I was going to teach her & Honey where to stay, yeah! Well, Teddi thought "what a great game", & also a way to get extra attention. So, on one day Teddi jumped over the gate about 10 times. Things were not working as I had planned.
Next course of action, plan B: Why don't we put the adorable pups downstairs in the hallway. That way they would feel like part of our family. But, we couldn't let them run out of the house whenever the door is open. So we put a pet gate at the front door. To prevent unwanted wanderings up the stairs we put a pet gate at the bottom. Poor little Teddi has such short terrier legs. They are only good for getting her into trouble. We also attached a leash to both pups which we hooked to the wall. We separated the 2 leashes so they would not get tangled together. Well, we did this for about a week or so. Then, one day Bill & I heard a very loud, gnawing sound. It was like a TV wildlife show when the beaver is chomping on some wood or taking down a tree. To our amazement, Teddi had chewed a large chunk at the edge of the wooden stairs. She seemed to suffer no mouth wounds or lack of appetite from this. So, we cleaned up the wooden splinters. On another day, Teddi chewed the wooden leg of an antique chair, over 100 years old. This chair was given to Bill by his now, very elderly Momma, Mary Yount. The chair may be antique, but it is not very pretty. I guess this can be said about some other things. Anyway, plan B is not working out very well. The pups are not content. Our house is being demolished by the puppy crew.
21 gennaio 2006
Che bravi cani
About 2 weeks later, we took the two to see our veterinarian. He seemed surprised to see Bill & me. We had been away from Italy for 13 months. We had been in New Mexico at Cannon AFB, for Bill's last military assignment. The Dr was surprised to see us with the 2 puppies, but also without our beloved Rocky. He asked us "Where was Rocky?" We had to tell him the sad news, that Rocky had died on 17 February 2005 in NM. The Dr gave Teddi & Honey their second booster rabies shots & examined them. Their previous owners had taken the puppies to the Dr for their first shots.
That day, the doctor told us he thought the 2 girls were about 6 to 8 months old. He said they probably were sold at the Italian market, which I found strange. Honey was the short haired version of the puppies sold, & Teddi was the long haired. Either way, they were both cute & lovable. The doctor told us about their breeds. I had wanted to hear that they were some exotic, expensive breed. But, alas, they were only small dogs to love.
The Dr gave us the "libretti" for both dogs. This is their book or record of health, immunizations, etc. We made an appointment for 4 November, to have the puppies spayed & microchipped.
In the meantime, all of us hoped that neither puppy would go into heat, & be attracted to a male dog. We are firm believers in population control for dogs & cats. The kindest thing people can do is to spay & neuter. Honey had started showing an interest in Guappo, a male black & white dog in our courtyard. His mommy is Signora C. Honey would sniff in our yard, where Guappo had been. We wanted to nip this behavior in the bud.
4 November: Bill & I woke up at 6:30 AM for the girls' most important day. I am not a morning person, but I awoke 5 minutes after my alarm rang. This is not my favorite sound. I skipped breakfast, finding that it makes me linger too long at home. Bill brought me a small cup of coffee, while I showered.
The girls skipped breakfast, per Dr's instructions. They were very good about it. All of us left home at about 8:10. We arrived early at the Doctor's office. The Dr weighed Honey. She weighed 4 kilos or about 10 pounds, very nice & trim. I am jealous. The Dr then gave Honey the shot to sedate her. She cried & nipped at the Dr. The doctor said the shot hurts because it stings like alcohol. Then he & his wife, also a vet, proceeded with the surgery, the spaying. Honey was also microchipped.
In the meantime, I walked around outside with Teddi. She is like Rocky. She doesn't always walk in a straight line. She likes to jump up on ledges, & put her nose on the ground, taking big sniffs & whiffs. Bill came outside, & the 3 of us sat in our car, with the heat on. Teddi ate up the love & petting, while I held her in my lap.
Then, it was Teddi's time for her spaying & microchip. She also cried when Dr L gave her the shot in her butt. Her weight was 6.5 kilos or 14 pounds. She is a chunkster. I wonder will she grow to be as large as Rocky, about 24 lbs. We will see.
After their surgeries, the girls were put into cages to rest & wake up. In the meantime, Bill & I went to the base, to the golf course to eat breakfast. I care nothing about playing golf, but I love to eat. Bill had a cheese omelet, a biscuit, & coffee. I had a cheese omelet, 2 biscuits, & cappucino. Then, we drove to area one of the base, to go to a health fair for retired military. I got my flu shot.
At about 11:30, we drove back to the Dr's office. The girls were waking up. Teddi came out of her cage. Instead of coming to me, she went to the Dr, giving him sugar. She has a short memory about the big, bad shot. Then, Honey came out of her cage; both went to Bill. The girls each have stitches on their lower stomachs. The stitch is about one inch long, vertical down the middle line of the stomach. They looked rather beautiful after their surgery. We finished up our business there, & went home.
About 2 weeks later, we took the two to see our veterinarian. He seemed surprised to see Bill & me. We had been away from Italy for 13 months. We had been in New Mexico at Cannon AFB, for Bill's last military assignment. The Dr was surprised to see us with the 2 puppies, but also without our beloved Rocky. He asked us "Where was Rocky?" We had to tell him the sad news, that Rocky had died on 17 February 2005 in NM. The Dr gave Teddi & Honey their second booster rabies shots & examined them. Their previous owners had taken the puppies to the Dr for their first shots.
That day, the doctor told us he thought the 2 girls were about 6 to 8 months old. He said they probably were sold at the Italian market, which I found strange. Honey was the short haired version of the puppies sold, & Teddi was the long haired. Either way, they were both cute & lovable. The doctor told us about their breeds. I had wanted to hear that they were some exotic, expensive breed. But, alas, they were only small dogs to love.
The Dr gave us the "libretti" for both dogs. This is their book or record of health, immunizations, etc. We made an appointment for 4 November, to have the puppies spayed & microchipped.
In the meantime, all of us hoped that neither puppy would go into heat, & be attracted to a male dog. We are firm believers in population control for dogs & cats. The kindest thing people can do is to spay & neuter. Honey had started showing an interest in Guappo, a male black & white dog in our courtyard. His mommy is Signora C. Honey would sniff in our yard, where Guappo had been. We wanted to nip this behavior in the bud.
4 November: Bill & I woke up at 6:30 AM for the girls' most important day. I am not a morning person, but I awoke 5 minutes after my alarm rang. This is not my favorite sound. I skipped breakfast, finding that it makes me linger too long at home. Bill brought me a small cup of coffee, while I showered.
The girls skipped breakfast, per Dr's instructions. They were very good about it. All of us left home at about 8:10. We arrived early at the Doctor's office. The Dr weighed Honey. She weighed 4 kilos or about 10 pounds, very nice & trim. I am jealous. The Dr then gave Honey the shot to sedate her. She cried & nipped at the Dr. The doctor said the shot hurts because it stings like alcohol. Then he & his wife, also a vet, proceeded with the surgery, the spaying. Honey was also microchipped.
In the meantime, I walked around outside with Teddi. She is like Rocky. She doesn't always walk in a straight line. She likes to jump up on ledges, & put her nose on the ground, taking big sniffs & whiffs. Bill came outside, & the 3 of us sat in our car, with the heat on. Teddi ate up the love & petting, while I held her in my lap.
Then, it was Teddi's time for her spaying & microchip. She also cried when Dr L gave her the shot in her butt. Her weight was 6.5 kilos or 14 pounds. She is a chunkster. I wonder will she grow to be as large as Rocky, about 24 lbs. We will see.
After their surgeries, the girls were put into cages to rest & wake up. In the meantime, Bill & I went to the base, to the golf course to eat breakfast. I care nothing about playing golf, but I love to eat. Bill had a cheese omelet, a biscuit, & coffee. I had a cheese omelet, 2 biscuits, & cappucino. Then, we drove to area one of the base, to go to a health fair for retired military. I got my flu shot.
At about 11:30, we drove back to the Dr's office. The girls were waking up. Teddi came out of her cage. Instead of coming to me, she went to the Dr, giving him sugar. She has a short memory about the big, bad shot. Then, Honey came out of her cage; both went to Bill. The girls each have stitches on their lower stomachs. The stitch is about one inch long, vertical down the middle line of the stomach. They looked rather beautiful after their surgery. We finished up our business there, & went home.
08 gennaio 2006
Honey and Teddi Find a New Home
Bill & I adopted Honey & Teddi on 8 October 2005 in Italy. It was a very happy day for us, & also for the 2 puppies. Our beloved dog, Rocky, a poodle-Skye terrier mix, had died in New Mexico on 17 February 05. We were extremely devastated & lonely without him. But, we felt that it was better to wait awhile to get another dog. We knew that we would be moving back to Italy soon, from NM. We had planned to retire from the military to Italy. We thought it would be best not to take a dog on the plane, on an overseas flight. We had done this a few times before, with Darlin, my poodle, & later with Rocky.
On 7 Sept we arrived in Aviano, Italy, very happy to be back home. We were & still are, very busy getting settled into our house. Even so, I was very much wanting to find a dog to love. So, every Friday, I read our base paper, the Vigileer, looking for a dog that needed a great home. Usually, the paper is only useful for lining my garbage. The ads in the paper have become microscopic, the print too small to easily read. So, each week I read the ads, not finding anything promising. Then, on 7 Oct I saw an ad that looked interesting. An American military family wanted to give away 2 small female dogs. The husband is a cat lover, not fond of dogs. Bill & I know many people, some in my family, like this. So, I called the phone number in the ad at about 7 PM, expecting that no one would answer. Or, I expected that maybe the dogs had already been given away. I usually, expect the worst.
I called & talked to Sara. She said that one dog was a mini Pinscher mix & was very small. The other dog was a long hair mix. So, I asked to see the dogs the next morning between 11 & 12 noon. Of course, I knew then that I would be their new mommy! They sounded really cute & probably irresistable.
So, Bill & I showed up at the people's house in Roveredo. As soon as we went into the front gate, we saw the cute puppies. Teddi, the terrier mix, was dressed in a T-shirt, with pink & white stripes, with a white collar. Sally, her name at the time, was a mini Pinscher mix. She was adorable, dressed in a sweater. Her sweater was red, white, & black stripes, with a Mickey Mouse patch. The family, Sara & Michael, had just given them a bath. The couple, both active duty Air Force, have 2 young girls.
We put the 2 puppies in our rental car, with all of their dog stuff. They came with 2 heavy, small silver bowls, a giant plastic tub of puppy chow, some leashes, a Y leash, some bones, & wee wee pads. They were very excited on the way home, from Roveredo to Giais. Honey was in my lap, not very safe, I know. Teddi was in the back of the car, looking around.
Our neighbors, Nerina & Giorgio, seemed surprised that we now had 2 puppies, not just one. But, they came together. Honey & Teddi are very attached to each other. We call them sisters, even though they are not. They are really "Buon amice", best friends.
Bill & I adopted Honey & Teddi on 8 October 2005 in Italy. It was a very happy day for us, & also for the 2 puppies. Our beloved dog, Rocky, a poodle-Skye terrier mix, had died in New Mexico on 17 February 05. We were extremely devastated & lonely without him. But, we felt that it was better to wait awhile to get another dog. We knew that we would be moving back to Italy soon, from NM. We had planned to retire from the military to Italy. We thought it would be best not to take a dog on the plane, on an overseas flight. We had done this a few times before, with Darlin, my poodle, & later with Rocky.
On 7 Sept we arrived in Aviano, Italy, very happy to be back home. We were & still are, very busy getting settled into our house. Even so, I was very much wanting to find a dog to love. So, every Friday, I read our base paper, the Vigileer, looking for a dog that needed a great home. Usually, the paper is only useful for lining my garbage. The ads in the paper have become microscopic, the print too small to easily read. So, each week I read the ads, not finding anything promising. Then, on 7 Oct I saw an ad that looked interesting. An American military family wanted to give away 2 small female dogs. The husband is a cat lover, not fond of dogs. Bill & I know many people, some in my family, like this. So, I called the phone number in the ad at about 7 PM, expecting that no one would answer. Or, I expected that maybe the dogs had already been given away. I usually, expect the worst.
I called & talked to Sara. She said that one dog was a mini Pinscher mix & was very small. The other dog was a long hair mix. So, I asked to see the dogs the next morning between 11 & 12 noon. Of course, I knew then that I would be their new mommy! They sounded really cute & probably irresistable.
So, Bill & I showed up at the people's house in Roveredo. As soon as we went into the front gate, we saw the cute puppies. Teddi, the terrier mix, was dressed in a T-shirt, with pink & white stripes, with a white collar. Sally, her name at the time, was a mini Pinscher mix. She was adorable, dressed in a sweater. Her sweater was red, white, & black stripes, with a Mickey Mouse patch. The family, Sara & Michael, had just given them a bath. The couple, both active duty Air Force, have 2 young girls.
We put the 2 puppies in our rental car, with all of their dog stuff. They came with 2 heavy, small silver bowls, a giant plastic tub of puppy chow, some leashes, a Y leash, some bones, & wee wee pads. They were very excited on the way home, from Roveredo to Giais. Honey was in my lap, not very safe, I know. Teddi was in the back of the car, looking around.
Our neighbors, Nerina & Giorgio, seemed surprised that we now had 2 puppies, not just one. But, they came together. Honey & Teddi are very attached to each other. We call them sisters, even though they are not. They are really "Buon amice", best friends.
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