SAD TIMES!!

 Amitiel's Dog House no longer is.   Royal Tee and Amitiel have divided house and all the fur babies have nice loving homes!

Let me (Sugar) tell you about yesterday.

Big brother (Max) and I heard something on the other side of that tall brown wall-thing (fence) outside. Well, this drives us crazy hearing, even smelling, but not seeing or knowing what was there. The only solution is to attack that big brown wall or dig under. Now Dad (RoyalT) had stopped us from digging under before by adding to the wall base and putting heavy blocks (concrete) against the base, too. But this time, more than ever, we are both determined and working together. We manage to get 1 block out of the way and start digging under. We did not realize that digging under them would make the blocks drop. As we dig, I push under the blocks and fence until I have wedged just better than half-way. Now the blocks move, uh-oh, they move down on me turning me to my side.

Now I cannot move, I can barely breathe. Little brother (Scooter) goes inside to bark for Mom (Amitiel). But he doesn't bring her back with him. Now Max goes inside but he says he only barked once then comes back outside to me. Scooter goes back in to get Mom's attention. He says Mom came to see him standing in our room, left for a few minutes, then running back & out the big door to the backyard. (She is slow on the ramp.)

Now I hear Mom running, she has left her paws/feet unprotected. She kneels beside me on the ground and is moving blocks. But some do move and I still cannot move, at least I can breathe easier - some. Mom is worried. How much time has passed? Am I injured? I am breathing but not moving otherwise. Time for Mom to dig with her front paws/hands. I feel a soft thud on the ground as Mom (trying to shift) accidentally dropped to the ground in a sitting position. Guess she decided to try things from this spot. Soon she is digging more, trying to move more blocks, ordering Max and Scooter out of her way, and putting one foot on my butt in an attempt to ease me through the hole.

Scooter says "At this one point, Mom got up and took Max by his collar and showed him where she wanted him, then went back digging. Max did not stay there but crept-up beside Mom and lay there with his head on his front paws. That was my signal to start helping Mom dig. Guess Mom didn't want that either as she picked me up, shouted "No", and gently tossed me (17 lb Scooter) to a soft grassy spot.” Mom's in a panic!!

There is a block pressing on my back, why isn't Mom moving it? It hurts. Mom is slowing, I know she is weak, but please get that block off me. Also seems there is block almost standing on end that fell weird and has me even more wedged at the same time I am laying on part of it too. No way I can be pulled back through the hole into the yard seems I am still too tightly wedged. Finally Mom gets the block off my back. I kick-dig a couple of times but am still too tight in the hole. More digging by Mom and pushing me through the hole.

Mom stands-up (Max says this was a funny sight as she fell twice before she was standing). She runs for the gate. Slips through while making Max and Scooter stay back (NOT easy). Goes into the neighbor's over-grown yard. Fights her way through the tangles of weed (some taller than her and so thick she can't see the ground) to the spot on the fence line where she thinks I am. She is wrong and goes too far down. Now she looks down the fence to see where I am but sees me standing beside her and Scooter goes running out of the hole for a "freedom run". We make our way out of the weeds and Mom takes my collar. I walk faster than her and she tells me to stop after every other step.

Mom falls pulling me down beside her. She lets go my collar, but I wait till she is standing and reaches for my collar again before I run in the same direction that Scooter did. Mom calls me and unlike Scooter, I come to her when she calls. Now she opens the gate, stops Max from coming out and guides me in. Max and I run around each other. Mom has even come inside and goes to move all those blocks back into hole.

Scooter is still loose. Mom seems very worried, watches me run for a minute then goes in the house and out front to call Scooter. We hear her call for several minutes. Then she comes inside the house. Boy is she surprised to see all furbabies, even Scooter, in our room. She said it was time for a "cookie" - OUR FAVORITE THING!

But then she closed our door in the big door (making sure it was closed & locked) and we could not go outside again until Dad came home and fixed the hole where not even Scooter could get through. She then gives me a quick 'once over' says I am ok and leaves us to our afternoon nap.

Today Mom is moving very slow and acting sore. She even has a large white bandage on her arm and a small one on her big-toe and some funny looking blue areas all over. But, I am fine not even sore.

Oh Man!

Dad (RoyalT) stopped all the fun the other night, or should I say very early morning!

I was outside minding (and doing) my own business; when guess what comes wandering across the the backyard. An oppossum.

One bark from my big voice sends the creature into "playing 'possum'" and brings out Scooter, or as Dad calls him - Sargent Master Scooter McGee. Scooter always runs head (face) right into everything. Thank goodness for the extra hair around his face as oppossums bite.

Now here is this shih tzu and his non-stop barking to bring out big brother, Max. The oppossum wakes again and attempts to continue the journey across the yard. Not going to be left alone to do this, with Scooter, Max & myself (Sugar) barking and attacking it.

Dad comes out, oh boy does he seem excited. He tries calling us off; but Scooter grabs the tail of the "fainted" oppossum and starts dragging it off. Now Mom is calling us, esp Scooter. It seems real important that we go inside now. We finally do as Amitiel & RoyalT want, but we are not to happy about it. (We are ok, as Mom ck'd us each throughly!)

Seems Dad has thrown a bucket over the animal and has taken a shovel to pick-up the oppossum and bucket too. The whole lot gets carried out of the yard to a nearby park and only the shovel and bucket come back.

Seems the oppussum was female and giving birth while this was going on, 4 babies seen. This state says that you must leave oppossums alone, but Dad and Mom don't want us to get hurt by their teeth. Yes they are silly!

Just another exciting night in central Florida. As happens sometimes, Dad and Mom stop the fun between us and the "wild-life" in the area.

Well everyone - have a good nap!
Luv 'ya!
Sugar

She was sitting by the little window where she had been many times before. As each person passed, she tried to get their attention on her, she so wanted to go home with someone. Today a couple walked by, the woman looking yet again at her, they had been here before, many times. This little girl had been there for nearly 4 months. The husband saw his wife looking, with her birthday coming up soon, he could not get her a better present. So they asked to see this little one in a private area.

This was the first Bichon Frise that the woman had ever seen. A few others had been into the pet store, quickly to be adopted, but not this little girl. All white with one cream colored streak running down her right ear, at 6 months old, the store was afraid she may never find a home. But this was her day, she was going home.

She may have been bought as a birthday gift for the woman, but she soon made it clear it was the man that she belonged to. Her intelligence was unmatched. She learned to sit that very afternoon and basically house-trained herself. It took a couple of days for them to decide on her name. That came about when teaching her to fetch.

The house had 2 doors off the living room that led into different bedrooms. Straight through those rooms was a common bathroom. In learning fetch, the toy was thrown to that bathroom from the living room through one or the other of the rooms. The third throw, she realized that it was 1 bath with 2 ways in. She brought back the toy through the other room. From then on, she would go after the toy through the opposite room from the way it was thrown. Then bring the toy back, drop it, then sit like a lady waiting for the next throw. Her name became Lady Wrongway, Lady for short.



She knew many words and phrases. She showed no fear for anything. Even the landlord's larger German Shepard, Cookie. Cookie had been known to kill smaller animals, even dogs. Lady went nose to nose with her with an attitude that was "either we are playing or you are leaving". Cookie got back in her car, and whimpered. Lady had a very deep bark. Many people, when not able to see her, thought it was a much larger dog or Shepard that was barking. Delivery people would ask if the "big dog" was put away, even while petting Lady not realizing she was the source of the bark they had heard.

She was not an overly affectionate baby. Bichon Frise translates from french to 'curly lap dog'. She hated being in your lap. She would sit beside you, that was great! Kiss (or lick) you, hardly and never in the face. In her entire life, she only gave 5 people a kiss on the face, and 3 of them were men. Oh how she liked men! And could flirt! Many women could take a lesson from her.

At the age of fourteen, she became sick. The side of her face swelled. Thinking it might be an abscessed tooth, the woman took her to the vet for an emergency visit. They pulled 2 teeth, but there was another problem. Those teeth nearly fell out. The vet sent a tissue sample for biopsy. Lady had cancer, and it had advanced too far. In a matter of weeks the cancer had spread to her brain. She began to bleed from the mouth and nose.

The "final" decision was made in July 2005. Lady Wrongway left in a peaceful and loving manner, to cross the Rainbow Bridge. Here she resides, waiting once again for her "Daddy" to come for her.

Sugar (5 months) & Max (17 months)

Sugar Graduates!

Welcome Back everyone to our dog house!

Your guide for today will be me, Max. As you can see from the last posting our family is growing,....... quite literally.

So much is happening. Mom & Dad are preparing for a trip to Alaska. Mom has arranged for a dog/house sitter. (Oh boy, someone unusual for us to play with.) The game room is being painted and new exterior front doors were installed. Storm panels are being installed to help protect us from hurricanes (very scary things) - Master Shields by www.mastermachines.com . All this to make the dog house safe and beautiful for us!!

Sugar graduates from obedience class this week. Mom wants Sugar to have another set or 2 of classes, not to sure if Sugar wants to do that. Last week, only Sugar showed for class (bad weather), so she had what amounts to a private lesson and critique. Everyone in the class is doing so well that they are ahead of schedule by a few weeks.

Vet Updates!

We recently went to see our vet(s). We are healthy, happy and in our proper weight ranges; Amy is 14 yrs old and 7 pounds (that is surprising, never thought she weighted that much); Scooter is 5 yrs old and 15 pounds, down 1 pound from last year (Sugar & I keep him running a lot more now. He is nice and trim); Sugar is over 30 pounds and 18 weeks old this weekend; I am exactly 110.4 pounds.

Dr. Bell says that like a teenage boy, I may now "fill-out", mostly in the chest area, but have probably reached my height. That is ok, anything Mom can reach . . . . .so can I. I may even get more muscle tone. That would be something, I am already stronger than Mom and can make dad work up a sweat.

I have now stopped chewing on everything, but guess who has begun to start her chewing stage, Sugar, she doesn't seem to like frozen carrots, but loves all my toys and the rare stick.

Sugar & I went to the groomers on Saturday. My, they did a great job. We even got bandanas, I really like mine . I am still wearing it 3 days later. Scooter & Amy get to go on Thursday. It is hard for all us to go at the same time in the truck (I've heard a rumor were looking for a van).

Leave us a comment or question, we loving reading and answering questions in future post!!

Sugar has arrived!!!!!!!!!!!

At 5 weeks old and 11 pounds, having received my 1st set of shots, I got a new home. Like any new baby, I sleep a lot at this age. My adopted brothers were quick to like me, however, Amy was hesitant. Max and I soon learned to play gently together. Wow, what a size difference between us. And to think I may well be close to his size in a year's time.

7 weeks old, and I have now gone to see my new vet. Dr. Bell (the wife of the team) says I am in good health and gave me my next set of shots and a shot record. I have grown a bit, nearly 2 pounds in 9 days. Mommy takes me to work with her every day, as I am too little to leave at home with Max just yet. This is fun. The office Mommy works in has an "office cat", who normally hates dogs. It seems she knows I am a baby and even comes to greet me each morning when we get there. She also likes my food and I like hers, even if Mom stops us from eating each other's.

10 weeks old now, I am 21.5 lbs and growing fast. I am taller than Scooter, as well as out-weighting him. Potty training is coming along. Dad & Mom were wondering if I would ever learn my name, but I got it!! I am also learning to walk on the leash, to sit, come, and "no"! Mom says puppy training classes starts on May 11th. I stay awake more and more now. I love playing with my siblings, especially Max. I had another set of shots this week. Dr. Bell (the husband) gave me a very good exam and he too said I was in great health. I got micro-chipped too. Dr. Bell said in 3 weeks I can finish with my puppy shots. Yeah! I now get to stay home with everybody during the day!! I love my new siblings. And we all play too! I am as gentle with Amy as Max was with me when I was her size. She maybe the oldest, but she is also the smallest!! If only I could jump on & off the bed like my brothers do, I am big enough, I just don't understand the height thing yet. Mom is proud of my behavior, I am calm yet inquistive. Dad thinks I will be the dominate 1 when fully grown, because I like to play harder with Max now and always try to win every game. (And sometimes do!) But at nap time, I make Max lay with me. And I usually sleep at his head.

Here I am at 14 weeks old, see how I have grown!!!!!!!!! 5/8/06 Vet says I am 29 1/2 lbs today.