Small wonders 

It used to be that carrying a tiny dog in an expensive handbag was the nearly exclusive behavior of aging society matrons. Find Out More…

Lions And Tigers And Schnoodles Oh My! Who let the dogs out Into the world of designer canines, that is. Is a mutt by any other name the same Find Out More…

MaryAnn Eaton loves her new dog, even if some of her fellow handlers think it acts like an over-caffeinated Chihuahua. “I think she’s precious,” said the Hickory Grove volunteer firefighter of her 17-month-old Belgian Malinois, Lorry. “She’s loving - and she’s hyper - but I can calm her down. Find Out More…

Did You Know That Your Chihuahua Would Love To Be Stretched?

One of the best ways to relax your Chihuahua puppy is stretching her on her back. It is like giving a massage or doing a yoga posture. You can either stretch your puppy in your arms or on the floor.

To stretch her, hold the pup in your arms and cradle her like a baby by holding her on her back. With your arms tucked under her, gently pull her toward you. Let her body wrap around your chest. While you are doing this, apply some pressure with the palm of your hand at her knees to stretch her legs out even further. This helps stretch her spine. When your puppy feels she can’t get away, then she will relax that much more in your arms.

You can also stretch her on the floor by rolling her on her back. Take the palm of one hand and support her front legs forward and with the palm of your other hand, push gently on her knees so her hind legs stretch out. You can do this with a grown dog as well.

Lastly, don’t stretch your Chihuahua only during stress-related situations. She will then associate stretching as something stressful. And when dogs are more stressed, they are more resistant about lying on their backs.

Literacy was the name of the game 

Above, Addy Gonzalez approaches the children’s book table set up inside the multi-purpose room at Lorena Falasco Elementary School while teacher Jamie King and her son, Cooper, right, share a dance and song at Family Literacy Night event held Wednesday at the school.
Source: www.losbanosenterprise.com

Cambrian dogs dig park in the works for them 
About two dozen Cambrian dog owners came to watch the groundbreaking for a dog park Saturday afternoon. But more excited than the owners were the four-legged friends, who barked as shovels brought a new place for them to play one step closer to fruition.
Source: www.mercurynews.com

Did You Know That Your Chihuahua Would Absolutely Love A Massage?

Every culture that allows domestic pets teaches its members ways to relate physically with those pets. In some countries, Chihuahuas live a dog’s life, and are rarely held or petted. We’ve noticed that some German dogs that we import do not seem to like our “American” way of petting. After investigation with our German contacts, we have learned that Germans have a slightly different approach to their dogs. They pet and stroke them in a different way and in different places than do many Americans. In our culture, petting a dog is very important. Most people tend to pet dogs around the head and shoulder regions and stop there. Others literally trounce their dogs, pounding their sides and ruffling their fur.

Sometimes there is little method to the physical display. The dog is expected to “take it” whether or not it is the kind of physical affection it enjoys. Few Chihuahua owners stop to read their dog’s needs and desires. A dog owner may find that the dog does not enjoy being petted - if by petting we mean rough jostling or pounding. Instead, like many humans, they greatly
enjoy a more extended type of body contact - a kind of massage.

Massage can be a beneficial technique when used as an aid to relaxation. The first principle of dog massage is to stop thinking of your dog solely from the shoulders up. Contact can be made with almost any part of the dog’s body if it is sensitive contact. Skilled veterinarians know this from treating unapproachable patients. They often have to devise creative ways of lifting the animal up onto an examination table, or treating injuries all over a pet’s body.

To begin a dog massage, make a list of all the areas where a given Chihuahua likes body contact. If you are the dog’s owner, you know. If you are not, ask the owner. Then list the areas where
the dog is sensitive to touch. Begin your first massage with the areas on your first list, but include one area on the second. Gradually include more “forbidden” areas as you give massages.

It’s best to begin on the head, gently massaging the eyelids, muzzle, and nose. Always keep one hand in contact with the dog during the entire massage. It’s best to have the dog in the sitting position. From the head area, work down the neck to the chest and pectoral muscle. Some dogs will automatically offer a paw. Take hold of it, but gently place it down if the dog seems to be losing balance.

Choose a leg and work up and down on it very gently. If your Chihuahua decides to lie down, you will have better access to its rear legs. Try to avoid forcing the dog down. If your dog knows the command for down, you can use it in massage work, but don’t force the issue. Make your
strokes long and firm. Try to distinguish massage from regular petting. The massage should be more extended and pliable in its movement than regular petting. Avoid all slapping, pinching, and pulling motions. These will break the mood of the massage. Many dogs will communicate quite clearly what they like and dislike.

Developing Regular Chihuahua Grooming Habits

Grooming should be started immediately in order to ensure that you know your dog’s body and can spot any potential health problems, and to make the dog realize that he must tolerate grooming.

1. Each day during the first week, run a soft brush over his back and down his sides.

2. During the second week, comb out mats and get the comb down to the skin on the back and sides.

3. The third week, start working on the chest, tummy, tail and legs.

4. The fourth week, start on nails, teeth and baths.

5. Try to groom at the same time each morning or night, even if only for a few minutes. Your new dog will come to enjoy it, and the grooming will help the bonding process as well as establish dominance. It will also make the dog look and feel good!

6. Consult your Chihuahua breeder or a good groomer to find out how to groom your particular breed. Make sure he covers coat care, ear care, nail care and mouth care.

Hearth To Hearth 

Lions And Tigers And Schnoodles? Oh My! Who let the dogs out? Into the world of designer canines, that is. Is a mutt by any other name the same?
Source: www.capecodchronicle.com

The great British pet: the new trend gripping the nation 
A slimy, six-inch hermaphrodite with a taste for raw meat and an unmatched capacity to breed sounds like the stuff of science fiction. But the Giant African Land Snail is one of a growing breed of alternative animals threatening to topple the humble cat and dog as Britain’s most wanted pets.
Source: news.independent.co.uk

Ex-prosecutor lets his career go to the dogs 
As an assistant district attorney in Beaver County, Jeffrey Paladina spent most of his time prosecuting rapists, predators who surf the Internet and suspects charged with committing acts of domestic violence.
Source: www.post-gazette.com

2 Games For Chihuahua Puppy Loving Fun

1. King of the Hill: This game can be as much fun for puppies as it is for people. All you have to do is put a leash on your Chihuahua puppy (and a couple of puppy buddies), take a treat and lead him up the ramp to the platform. Let him sniff the entire platform and get used to it, then lead him down another side. Repeat from all directions, then take the leash off and toss a toy onto the platform and watch him figure out the easiest way to get it! Several puppies playing this is a lot of fun to watch.

2. Playhouse: A playhouse can be used for children and Chihuahua puppies alike. The more inventive you are, the more fun both kids and puppies will have. If you are not handy with a hammer and nails, you can purchase plastic playhouses, or go to a piano shop and get a piano box. The easiest way to familiarize the puppy with the playhouse is to let him follow kids through it, so if you do not have any, borrow some from the neighbors! (This is good socialization for your puppy and the neighbors, and it ensures that they will watch out for your Chihuahua puppy!) You can also hide various toys in the playhouse when puppy is not looking.

Backstory: Halloween goes to the dogs, and lizards 

More people are dressing up their pets to attend parties or go door to door. Seriously. More…