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I have finished a new quilt for Pepito and Carino to enjoy.  I may use it at first to cover their sleeping quarters to protect them from the cool air provided by the air conditioner and ceiling fan during the summer.  Later, when they are fully housebroken, it may become theirs to cuddle on or underneath as they wish.  Yes, they are both boys and the quilt has a pink theme. One of my go-to sites for ordering fabric http://www.fabric.com didn’t have Chihuahua-themed fabric in any other color. Anyway, the whole stereotypical idea of “pink is for girls” and “blue is for boys” is a little antiquated, anyway–or so I think.  If it isn’t, it should be.

If any of my readers are interested in breed specific or dog-themed throw sized quilts in general, please contact me through my Facebook page Quixotic Quilter Shop or my Etsy website http://www.quixoticquiltershop.com.

After doing much research I chose the Etna Blue Sky Portable Pet Playpen from one of my favorite sources for pet food and supplies, http://www.chewy.com , for their sleeping quarters and safe kenneling.  It is attractive and has easy access from the top and sides as well as a plastic attached bottom for easy cleanup.  It fits easily in the space by my bedside and sets up and collapses in a flash.  Having raised big dogs for a long time, I had to adjust my thinking about what constitutes an appropriate puppy kennel.

Added touches will be a burrowing type bed to place inside the kennel. It is called the Original Cuddle Pouch Pet Bed manufactured by PLS Birdsong.

 

My favorite special touch to the boys’ sleeping comfort will be the Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy. It is a stuffed animal with a hidden pouch which stores a heat pouch and a battery-operated “heart” which produces the sound of the mother’s beating heart. It promotes a sense of calm and security. I used one with my Chocolate Lab when he was a puppy, and he loved it. It tends to decrease or even eliminate the crying that often accompanies the transition period from the mother’s side to a new home with new fur friends and humans. However, in the case of Carino and Pepito I am hoping that their being together will be a major source of comfort for them, especially in their beginning days with us.

I will keep you posted on how these fur baby comforts work out.  In just a week Carino and Pepito will be in their forever home!

 

 

I received a fantastic Mother’s Day present!  Ronda Aycock of Choyas Chihuahuas sent me two photos of Carino (top) and Pepito (bottom) taken today.

They are now six weeks ago–and two weeks away from coming home to live with us! Carino is clearly demonstrating alpha male characteristics while Pepito remains “reserved and delicate,” according to Ronda.  Since their names roughly translate Sweetie and Petie respectively,  I perhaps should have named them the opposite.  Nonetheless, they will both no doubt be very sweet.  While personality traits of the parents Peanut and Jango would indicate that these two brothers will be laid-back, training remains important.

I have discovered several really informative books which are Chihuahua-specific in training methods and other vital information.  The main book, which is a compendium of information is PetChiDog’s Giant Book of Chihuahua Care–364 pages on many different topics of concern to Chihuahua owners.  PetChiDog’s website is well worth exploring. http://www.petchidog.com.

 

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• I stopped by Town and Country Veterinary Clinic  today where I met and interviewed JAZ and LEEANN, the two veterinary technicians who delivered Peanut’s two babies, and as LeeAnn explained, her last and only babies.  What lovely and charming young women who are obviously skilled and dedicated to helping fur citizens.  LeeAnn explained that Carino and Pepito, as I was to name them, ” did not want to breathe…and it was touch and go for a while.”  She and Jaz worked on them for about 40 minutes, massaging their little 6-ounce bodies, even using some medication to
• stimulate breathing.  At last the miracle occurred; they began breathing and making little noises!  They owe their lives to Jaz and LeeAnn, their first heroes.
• https://tcah.vet

On the evening of March 27, 2018, little Peanut went into labor, but she was clearly struggling to deliver her first litter of two robust male babies.   Ronda Aycock rushed Peanut to Kerrville’s Town and Country Veterinary Clinic.  She said to me, “I had no expectations.”  However, after an emergency C-section and the tireless efforts of two veterinary technicians Jazleen and LeeAnn, the two little Chihuahua boys not only survived but distinguished themselves as fighters.

The above photo (courtesy of CHOYA CHIHUAHUAS) is that of Jango, the sire of Carino and Pepito.  He is both dignified and charming.  Ronda Aycock, his owner, has advised me that he is quite the favorite of all the ladies and thus the father of numerous fur families.  He represents the best of his breed. His eyes speak of a deep intelligence. I have read that the personalities of the parents play a significant role in the personalities and thus the behaviors of the offspring, so I am hopeful that Carino and Pepito will exhibit the traits of Peanut and Jango.

My relationship with Pepito and Carino did not really begin with them.  It began when I was six years old with a tiny black little Chihuahua named Mitzi, whom my father bought from a breeder in our little town for a bale of hay.  She transitioned over the Rainbow Bridge when I was a Junior in high school amid much sorrow.  Other Chihuahuas were to enjoy my mother’s loving care, even after I left home, went to college, married, and entered the world of big dogs–Labradors and Irish Setters.  I love both breeds, but after my last Irish Setter Killian passed away, I decided to return to life with small dogs, namely Chihuahuas.  Quite by accident (maybe), I met a woman at my favorite nail salon who sat with a tiny white Chihuahua on her lap.  She told me about a local breeder, and I contacted her–Ronda Aycock of Choya Chihuahuas.  She anticipated a litter quite soon, and it just felt as if all the stars were aligning!   Pictured is Peanut, the mother days before her babies were born………The photo is courtesy of Ronda, whose Facebook page CHOYA CHIHUAHUAS is filled with photos of her wonderful fur babies.