Saturday, March 28, 2009

Opi and Nellie With a Few Loved Ones




Nellie Belle, Opi and their big sister Barney (yes Barney is a girl) love the attention from brother Justin and Leslie. Here they are earlier this year getting and giving lots of love. Nellie's cute little hoodie is actually one for a preemie baby. It's a tad bit too big but otherwise not too bad of a fit and she didn't complain too much earlier this year when we had an ice storm and power outage and I kept her dressed in it.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Chihuahuas on Guard Duty

My neighbor is having a large tree cut down in his backyard. An ice storm earlier this year did severe damage to it and it was a danger to his house. Opi and Nellie Belle have been on guard duty the entire time the tree people sawed and chopped! Very aggravating to me but also reassuring that despite their small stature, these guys are on the alert for potential "invasions." See this short video clip of them on duty.

Guard Dog Training resources. That's it for now. Wagging tails and hugs to ya...

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Opi and Nellie B. Go Irish

Everyone is Irish for one day out of the year so it's no wonder that Opi and Nellie Belle are putting on the green for the day....

Here are my kids all dressed in their greenery for St. Patrick's Day!

Opi could care less if his mommy dresses him up or not. He's really been blessed with a ton of patience for his human family.

Nellie B. is pouting. She does NOT like it when her mommy dresses her up! Nellie B. would rather be running around the yard like a nudist.

I got these cute little tees for them at Old Navy. I have found that they get some cute little dog clothes in and the prices aren't too unreasonable. The basic tees are usually priced lower than Wal-mart's.

Opi and Nellie Belle are sending this Irish blessing to you and those you hold dear:

May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain,
tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you,
those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day
Wagging tails and hugs...

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Little Sneaks--DH and Opi


I am pretty embarrassed to admit that my Opi is an obese Chihuahua. When we were at the vet, I found out that Opi weighs 8 1/2lbs! That is waaaaaaay too much for my little guy. He was pretty much full grown when we got him and he weighed 4lbs 9oz. When he went in to be neutered about a year after we got him, he ballooned up within a month. He weighed about 6 1/2 lbs then. So, I told dh the other day that we had to stop giving Opi doggie cookies and "tastes" of our food. Opi isn't too happy about it and dh isn't either. Today, immediately after Opi ate, I saw him sitting on dh's recliner growling at the other fur babies guarding a doggie cookie. I think Opi and dh are going to be sharing the doghouse together tonight--lol. Here's a picture of the little chunky monkey and his forbidden goodie. Wagging Tails and Hugs...
Whole Pet Diet: Eight Weeks to Great Health for Dogs And Cats

Friday, March 13, 2009

A Crazy Chihuahua

Opi says that he would never act crazy like this guy but Nellie wants to meet him and goof off together! It is amazing how different Nellie and Opi's personalities are. Nellie is a hyper little girl somewhat like the chi in this video and Opi is so mellow. One thing about Opi though, if he feels that he is threatened (or his "mommy" too) then he goes into what my dh calls the "Rottweiler" mode and growls and barks while assuming an aggressive stance. If, however, one goes over and picks Opi up when he's on the "aggressive" Opi will give kisses and snuggle! What characters these 2 little ones are--lol!

My Crazy Chihuahua via Noolmusic.com

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Opi Went to Vet Today




Opi went to the vet this afternoon to get a checkup because he wasn't feeling too well. Like small children sometimes do, Opi was playing with his ears and his eyes were kind of glassy-looking too. The vet checked him out and Opi has an ear infection. He received a shot to help relieve the inflammation and it also had an antibiotic in it. Because his ears were only mildly infected, the vet gave him a mild antibiotic in ear drops that I have to give him every other day until it is gone. Opi was a champ. He let the vet tug at his ears and look down them with an otoscope. Opi wore his angel t-shirt so everyone he met thought Opi was the cutest chi they'd ever seen--ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a little but he did look adorable lol! Once we arrived home, Opi was worn out and yawning as he settled down for a little snooze as you can see in the 1st photo. In the 2nd photo, Opi is modeling his new t-shirt he got today for being a good boy :). The 3rd photo shows Opi in one of his "nests" that are strategically placed around the house, eating his lunch that he carries over a few pieces at a time from the communal dish.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Opi Isn't Feeling Too Perky Today

Opi isn't feeling too well today. He's kind of sleepy and sluggish. I'll have to keep an eye on him and make sure that he's getting something to eat and drink. It is very easy for chihuahuas to become dehydrated or hypoglycemic. Once when Opi was younger (about 1 1/2 yrs. old), he gave us a big scare. He was outside playing and romping around the backyard. Then we noticed that he looked like a drunken pooch stumbling and falling down. I grabbed him up and dh called an after hours vet emergency number. They told us to get Opi to drink and eat something. I did that plus I gave him a small spoonful of karo syrup and then my little boy seemed to be his usual self. Needless to say, I think it was tougher on dh and me. We weren't scared--we were TERRIFIED! So, I'm keeping a close eye on my little boy today. Here is an article on hypoglycemia in chihuahuas for your information. Wagging Tails and Hugs...