9/52 Time for a little catch up

I've never been good at this blogging stuff.  I start off ok but then one thing piles up on top of the other and the blog always (for me) gets pushed back a little every day. 
I'm happy to report that Wally is doing really well.  We're getting more and more familiar with him and his little subtle ways... when he wants to go out,  a lot of times he sniffs and licks or bites my toes.  Not hard of course, but it's his way of telling me to put my shoes on and take him out.  When he licks my face, he's hungry.  Speaking of which, he's always hungry!  He's 16.2 lbs now...when we first brought him home, he was about 14lbs.  We're not letting him get past 17lbs...if anything, I think he's probably better off on the smaller side, for the sake of his back. 

I bought Wally an American Kennel Club bunny.  He LOVES it!  The only problem is they don't hold up very well to his abuse.  Grandma Carol bought a squirrel for Spot (Spot didn't want it since he's gotten his mouth on a few live squirrels in his day...the fake ones don't hold his attention.) Well,  Wally destroyed that one in about a day too.  I'm thinking they need to make their toys better if they're going to charge what they charge...also, Wally ended up eating the fur that came off the toy.  I'm afraid I'm going to have to toss it when he's sleeping, but it will break my heart to see him frantic looking for it.  Not like he doesn't have enough toys to play with!

I love this picture. There's nothing technical about it, but you can see Mimi's expression and Wally is just bowing down to her.  They're tolerating each other better...well, I should say Mimi is tolerating Wally a little bit better...  She used to run around the house by herself before we had Wally.  We'd call it her "crazy time", where she'd run with her tail all puffy, mumbling something in her cat voice and annoying meow for us to chase her.  Now she's got Wally who will happily chase her all over the house.  She even waits for him to notice her before she makes her move...she even gives him a head start and he still doesn't get her.  I'm happy they're getting along, and even though they won't be napping together any time soon, I know I can go to work comfortably and know they won't hurt each other.

 Wally continues to go on Nature walks and fishing trips with us.  He is so small though, we sometimes think twice about taking him to places like Chantry Flats and Eaton Canyon.  We've seen a few loose Pitbulls that have been let off leash simply because there's no one ever there... but then we come along and their owners suddenly grab them.  We always say, ".... if we had Wally, that dog would have charged for sure."  
The Arroyo is a good place for him... Lacey Park and the park near us... but when we "get a bad feeling" about something,  he stays home.  What can I say... we're a little sensitive to certain things... every time something bad has happened to Spot, I had " a feeling" that I ignored and that is why I don't "ignore" anymore.
Aside from all the mean dogs around here, I can see Wally being the total nature dog....floating in a canoe with Papa as he fishes or  hiking along side of him.  He's a cool little dog that way, such the little man and so eager to explore.  I always thought little dogs were a little wimpy and Wally is the little explorer and so brave.

I wish I had a secure fence but I don't.  Wally likes being outside on warm days... I don't blame him, it's so nice and warm on the porch in the morning.  I love when he's out there because it keeps him out of my hair.  I remember it was a big deal when he was able to stay out there on his own without whining.  I love those little signs of independence from him, like the first time he slept on his own. 

Mimi hates it when he's up there...  this is HER spot and she stares at him like she hates him.  I think he's cute, even when his butt slides off the chair and lands on my head. 

4/52 Pucker up Buttercup

Wally will  be visiting Dr. Oba (vet) tomorrow!  Finally!  I made the time to get him in.   I told him that she always gets down to Spots level and lets him kiss her, but he never does.   I think Spots only licked me once....my leg...and that was because I dropped sauce on it.  Wally's different, he LOVES to lick your face.  When I'm sitting in my chair, he jumps up on my lap and POUNCES on my chest with his two front paws and practically holds me down, trying to lick my face.  He's a bit pushy...and no matter how hard I try to get away he always gets in there.  It cracks me up, and I laugh until my stomach hurts when he does that....because really, who's bigger here?  In the end, I end up feeling like I'm dealing with an over-romanticized Don Juan. 

I'm curious to see what Dr. Oba says tomorrow about Wally...about how old she think he is...if she thinks his ears will ever flop forward or if they'll stay looking like tacos.  Wish him luck, I'm sure it will be quick and painless.

I love having this blog for a couple of reasons... One, I can post photos here that I normally wouldn't post on Flickr.  This one is blurry, but I love the long drool of water.  Wally has a bit of a drinking problem.  I think his nose dips in the water and he breathes it in and starts choking.   I wonder if this is a Wally problem or a Dachshund problem?    Any feedback would be appreciated. 

Where I used to live...

This is Wally's old fence of where he used to live.  It's falling over now...but it wasn't that hard for him to get out.  It was just a matter of him wanting to and he finally did.  It's proven that he can break out of almost anything.  He's gotten out of two collars since we've had him and has run off on us 2 times, making us run after him full speed trying to catch him.  It's like trying to catch a baby pig...he moves quick!  I have to keep my screen door latched now, something I never used to have to do...but he will bolt out if he sees something he wants.  Plus, he's super protective, so even though Spot is cool outside unleashed with no fence holding him back, Wally is the one who will go after the mailman.

A neighbor from four houses down was walking by earlier this week.  I never noticed him walking his dogs before, even though I've always heard them bark when I pass by. He has a Dachshund and a Chihuahua, and when Wally saw the female version of him, he bolted and wanted to make a good impression.  When my neighbor  saw Wally run toward him with his goofy ears back, he smiled and said, "Heyyyy!  I know you!"  He looked at me with relief and asked, "Is that the dog from the corner??   I'm so glad he's with you!  I was sad because I didn't know what happened to him!"  He went on to tell me that he felt really bad for him too but that he already had his hands full with his dogs.  Another couple down the street, also dog owners recognized Wally and expressed their gratitude toward us for taking him in.  "He's such a sweet boy... but it's hard when you already have two.  I'm happy you were able to take him, he's a lucky boy and has a good home now."  That really made me feel good, because even though I know in my heart I did a  good thing, I can't help but think what the neighbors say. 

3/52 Your life is so different now...

Two blankets, one side of the couch...pillows. He's got it made. Big difference from sleeping under a table huh buddy?? I read that Dachshunds are heavy sleepers. I didn't believe it because whenever he'd be sleeping, if you made the slightest movement, he'd jump up and follow you. Now.... he sleeps comfortably, and I feel...peacefully.

We also took Wally on a short, but steep hike at Chantry Flats on Monday.  Who would have thought that Dachshunds (at least mine does) liked to hike??  I will have you know that for Wally, his walks only amp him up...he's ready to play with his toys when he gets back, especially if it squeaks.

Doesn't it look like Scott is walking a rat on a leash??    He's so tiny...  I heard someone say that "people shouldn't bring little dogs like that here because they attract mountain lions."  .............. Yeah, Ok buddy.
 I think Wally would scare that mountain lion away with his loud bark, which has also come out this week.  His bark IS loud, supposedly so you can  hear them when they've captured a badger  and are deep in a hole, or in his case, when the mailman comes to deliver our mail.  I'm glad he doesn't bark often, especially when I'm taking sips from my scalding tea....that wouldn't be good.  He listens too, when you tell him to stop, he does.  What a good boy :)

Another thing we love about Wally is how good he is in the car!!  We were worried about that, because we do like to go on hikes and we love taking Spot to special places for his walks when we have the time, we didn't want taking both of them to be a hassle.  Driving in L.A. isn't the most relaxing thing in the world...going just a few miles around here will make your blood pressure go up, so a well behaved dog in the car is essential.  Wally, surprisingly enough, isn't really much of a lap dog.  Right now, as I write this, he's laying on the chair next to me, pressing the length of his body on my thigh, but other than that....he's not a "hold me mommy" type of dog.  In the car though, he's a total snuggle bug.  The car actually makes him sleepy, and we joked about putting him in the car and taking him for a ride just to get him to go to sleep the first week we got him.  Thank Dog we don't have to do that!  When one of us is driving the car on our own, Wally simply sits in the front chair, and curls up and holds on.  Thank you for not jumping back and forth from the front to the back, thanks for not trying to lick my face, and thanks for not trying to go down by my feet while I'm driving!

Oh, and I've tried giving my dogs certain fruits, like apples... Wally doesn't like apples, but we found out this week he loves bananas :)

2/52

Poor Wally is already off to a bad start with the 52 Weeks Project.  I lost my internet last night so he missed out on the second week.  :-/  Hope I don't get in trouble ...

Technically, not the best I know... He's proving to be a harder project than I thought.  He doesn't hold still for long, but I thought it was cute to show the difference in size.  Wally is 15lbs, the Goldendoodle is 122lbs.  :)

 He's been making lots of friends at the Arroyo, and humans give him lots of attention too.  Everyone loves Wally :)  

The biggest thing Wally has done this last week that has made me a proud Mama is that he's finally sleeping on his own!  It seems as though he's gaining a bit of independence and is more confident these days.  It's great to finally have my bed back... I take my sleep very seriously and even though he's not very big, I'm a light sleeper and he was a bit too antsy.  It could be that we're were hogging his space as much as he was hogging ours.  Look at him, he's got TWO of my favorite blankets now...maybe that's why he's sleeping there now, smells like us.  Now, if only Mimi would realize that her spot is now available again... she's one that takes up no room at all and seems to find the most comforting spots on my back to lay on. 

In the mornings, I walk out with caution.... don't want to find a little surprise with bare feet again.  He's not had an accident since... and that's because I'm so aware of his body language and signals now.  One thing I've learned the hard way is not getting him excited after he's been left alone for a few hours.  He's done this twice already, and it makes me wonder if it's a Dachshund thing, or a puppy thing....(he's most likely younger than we think.)  but when I get home, I talk to him in my high pitched voice and he gets SO excited, he rolls on his back and does a little pee-pee fountain!!  It shocked him as much as it shocked me... but I have to remember to not get him so excited as soon as I get home.   "Come on Wally, let's go outside and go pee-pee!"

Oh Wally!....

Last night I made the horrible mistake of ignoring Wally's attempt at getting my butt out of bed to take him outside.  I stepped on a little surprise in the dark and I could have kicked myself for not "getting his message."  

Before we go to bed, I take him outside and he tinkles.  He did that...but he also had to go #2 and I guess I just didn't give him enough time.  We got ready for bed and we scooped him up.  He jumped off the bed and kept pacing around the room.  I heard him jump on the couch, then a few minutes later off of it.. then he'd want to jump in bed (or so I thought) so I scooped him up, put him in bed, and once again he jumped off.  The second time he came over trying to jump in bed, I ignored him.  I figured he'd get tired of trying to jump in bed with us that he'd go to his bed and spend the night there.  He did...but after he did a #2 by the door.  

The whole time he was trying to tell me that he needed to go out.  Well....now I know what that all means, right? :)

No matter how tired you are, always take them out...one last time. 

1/52

Hi Dog Lovers!  Meet Wally, he's the newest addition to our family.  We weren't looking to get another dog, so I didn't buy him or adopt him from a shelter, but I felt like I needed to rescue him from a horrible situation of neglect and loneliness.  We don't know much about him, except how sweet and smart he is.  We didn't even know his name and was happy he responded well to "Wally" so it stuck :)  Potty training him was a challenge, especially since we did it during one of the worst rain storms California had seen in a long time...but he did it, and we couldn't have been happier. 

We do think he's young through...his ears are kind of goofy looking and we read that they may fall the way they're supposed to when he gets older.  He's also not neutered, which will get done soon.  (covers goofy ears so he can't hear that part) 

He's totally lovable, loyal and aims to please and everyone who meets him just adores him.  He's  definitely a keeper. 

I think this project is going to be a challenge since he's only a few inches off the ground!  Wish me luck, haha

Also, we left him alone today for the first time.  I had a Kohl's gift certificate and Scott wanted to go to Target for a backpack.  I could kill hours at both those places, but we had no idea how Wally was going to react to being left alone for that long.  Two previous times we left him for...maybe an hour?   We also left a recorder going, to see if he'd whine or cry...happily, he didn't.  We did hear a few squeaks from his toys, so we know he plays by himself.  That's good :)  *two thumbs up*

Like we said, we think Wally is young.  But we're not sure until he sees Dr. Oba. Since we've had him, he's been sleeping in bed with us.  He's like a little heater...which is good, and bad... I hate waking up in the middle of the night with a sweaty spot on my thigh because he's pressed up against me.  He also steals my covers somehow, so either the sweat or the cold wakes me up.  Scott sleeps comfortably though it all... I can't figure that one out.
"...Nah I don't care that he sleeps with you, I mean us."
Last night, it seemed as though he finally felt comfortable about sleeping independently...burrowed deep under his favorite blanket.  *big sigh*  Finally!  (sprawls out and falls asleep) only to be woken up a few hours later by him trying his hardest to jump on our bed.  He even backs up as far as he could go and runs as fast as he can...only to be slammed by my huge bed.  I want to train him now to start using either stairs or a ramp.  It kills me when he jumps off my bed.  He runs and literally FLIES off the bed.  (that's why I think he's young...really young.)  Anyway, I want to protect his back now...  These guys live 18 years?  Yikes...

Stuff people don't think about when they see cute small dogs

Wally is only 15 lbs, his legs a couple of inches.  Basically...we have a fur baby....only this one isn't going to grow and walk....he's going to stay in this baby-like dog body for as long as he lives.  Some of the things we worry about: stepping on him.  Although, we've gotten a lot better about his presence and are now in the habit of watching before we step.

You have to worry about bigger dogs when you have a small dog like this.  Spot is around 55lbs and got attacked twice by two different  Pitbulls in my neighborhood.  I get paranoid walking him around here, and a lot of car rides are involved to take him to safer, dog friendly places.

You have to worry about not dropping them.  They're not like cats, where you can let them drop from hip length...you have to bend all the way down to the ground and gently put them down.

Because small dogs live longer, you have to take extra care of their teeth.  I'm sure canine dentistry is quite costly....no?  What about their eyes?  Don't they need glasses? :)  (just kidding) 

Dachshunds have trouble with their backs so extra care has to be taken that they don't jump off the couch or bed.  I heard stairs are bad for them too, so ramps are better.  Oy...  I also have to make sure I don't get him too fat, otherwise he'll have back troubles too.  He's 15 lbs and we make sure he stays there...he's trim and muscular.

On hikes, Scott has to carry him across creeks, rivers...over huge rocks.  Spot just trots or climbs his way through.  Other than that, he LOVES to walk and doesn't lag behind or beg to be picked up.  My moms Malitpoo can't make it around the block without wanting to be carried.  What a baby...

Other than that... having a little dog is a real joy.  :)