Holiday Potluck Party!

Well, here I am with Santa. I took this photo at my holiday potluck. We collected $140 for Animal Welfare League and the Trio Foundation. We also had a sweater exchange. People brought sweaters, carriers, toys and leashes (any dog items) they no longer needed and paid whatever they thought it was worth. All funds and leftover/unsold items would go to the foundation and shelter to use for dogs needing homes. Always helpful for those foster homes when they have tiny chihuahuas needing sweaters.

New Assisted Living Home Visit

On Saturday we visited a new place in Palos. The residents were really nice. One resident said she really liked me sitting on her lap and did not want me to leave. They asked me to come back at Christmastime to do some tricks. Maybe I will do my spin? I don't know. We'll have to see. Always nice to make new friends!

I passed my TDI and I get a Howl-O-Ween Party!

We are going to be so busy this month! This weekend I am going to the Sunrise nursing home facility and next weekend is my Howl-O-Ween Pizza party. I don't get to eat pizza anymore (due to wheat allergies), but I get cupcakes!

My mommy and daddy asked a friend who is in culinary school to make special doggy cupcakes I can eat (which don't have wheat). All my doggy friends are going to celebrate with me. I cannot wait to eat my cupcakes. All of them. Yum.

We are also looking around for a banana costume for me to wear for the party. We are inviting some doggies that need adoping to the party and collecting funds for the shelter. My friends at K9 Tailshakers are our space hosts (they are awesome!) and Speck photography is going to take pictures of my friends in their costumes. We are also having a costume contest. I can't wait to see what everyone is going to wear.

WOOF!

You CAN Make A Difference!

Dear Students...Take a look in the mirror!

You can do it - you can be a success

and make a difference in the world!

I recently visited the students in the Genesys program. Always nice to make new friends!

Plum Creek Nature Preserve Visit

Recently visited Plum Creek Nature preserve - will be posting more details soon. We did a walk through the preserve and were taught about how dogs spread their scent to mark the areas. The people there were very nice, and afterwards we did paw prints in the sand. It was a lot of fun. I can't wait to go again.

P.A.W.S. Walk for Homeless Animals

Did the PAWS walk for Homeless Animals in Tinley Park on Sunday. Walked the entire time. Someone told me it was 1.5 miles ++ I think they lied. Felt more like 10!

My tiny little paws are tired... sooo tired...

White Sox Game

We went to the White Sox game last night and it was really chilly. I was shaking almost the whole time until the bratwurst arrived. Wha? Bratwurst?! YUM! People puhleeze. I did not eat the whole thing. Just tiny pieces of the ends - delish!

I had so much fun. Food. Baseball. Food. Food. Baseball. Food.

Except, except for a big white/yellow dog behind me who kept trying to sneak his head by mine looking for food. Her name was Paisley. Anyway, Paisley proceeded to smack her tail all over the place and sniff around looking for food. Then she tried to pretend she was little like me by trying to lay on her parents laps. I would not have felt so bad had she not stuck her nose near my ears so many times. Anyway, the game was fun. I got to go around the field and walk the doggie parade. Got some nice little gifts from Hills Science Diet and Nature's Recipe. People kept stopping to take pictures (not mine - my humans forgot to bring a camera!). Doesn't matter to me, I just wanted to go back to my seat to see the Sox win! Sox WIN!

WOOF WOOF WOOF!

AY AY AY.... SOY FAMOSO! (I am famous!)

I was called upon to be videotaped for a dog's boutique in California and being the little ham that I am, how could I say No? WOOF! Check me out in the video - I'm wearing a sombrero and serape - dancing, spinning, eating, er, playing guitar, I am the mariachi band. I have been cloned! I cannot wait to check out their online boutique once it's ready! I love to shop.
http://www.anythingcanine.com/News.aspx

Let it be known that I received payment in fresh chicken throughout the 1++ hour shoot! Afterwards I had a chihuahua 5 de Mayo meetup at K9 Tailshakers! We had a great time and ate a few bites of corn tortillas. Below are some photos of my friends and me wearing my outfit!
WOOF!

I Love The New Sr. Center!

3 weeks ago I visited a new senior rehabiliation center in Country Club Hills. It was one of the funnest times I've had. A lot of the residents wanted to hold me and when I sat on his lap he scratched my ear for a really, really long time. I was trying to stay alert but kept getting kind of sleepy. I have a job to do, after all! I would add pictures but due to privacy issues and laws - something about hippos - I am not allowed to have my picture taken with the residents for distribution. That is ok - it wasn't my best look day anyway - I was not wearing a bow tie!

woof!

Disney World

Went to Disney World! We stayed at Animal Kingdom Resort and Polynesian Village. Had a great time! I went to all the parks and even got to go on a boat ride. Sad to be back home to the cold!

I Love a Parade!

I went to Evanston's 4th of July Parade. I also made some new Chihuahua and people friends! Tito, Chica, Molly, Liloque and Daisy. I also met the Piccolo theater troupe! Had to leave a little early but I will never forget the funny costumes the Piccolo Theater troupe wore. Loved all the colors!

Lazy

I know what you're thinking. "Hey Piranha - you've got this funny blog and you haven't added anything funny in a while."

You have a point, I have not because I've been lazy.

That's right - LAAAA-ZEEEE.

I have been maximizing my outdoors time and it's wearing me out. I learned a new trick - and that is to run around the backyard continuously as I am being chased. I can tell I've gained at least 1lb this winter. Lucky for me we are going to be doing a 5k very soon which will help me keep my round and furry figure. Sure, a pudgy, tubby chihuahua is not necessarily what everyone wants. In fact, someone recently said NO WAY I could be a chihuahua being this big! PHOOEY! They just have never seen a big boned chihuahua with a few extra winter pounds. In any case, I have nothing to prove. I've seen a lot of starving chihuahuas whose hind legs and belly sink into their thighs - they don't look robust or lovable, they look like if you hug them, you might break their bones! But I digress... I understand that I need to get in shape - I am walking more (a big plus), treats have been cut down (yay, carrots!) and playtime in the yard has increased by 80% - all good factors to chihuahua weight loss. I will still be huggable, lovable and adorable - every single day -WOOF!

New Friends at the Nursing Home

I know what you are thinking - ...how on earth? I went to the nursing and rehabilitation center last week again and made a lot of new friends. I did see some whom I did remember from the time before. We walked up and down the halls and into the separate rooms to meet all kinds of different people. Everyone was happy to see me. Some really enjoyed holding me and wanted me to stay with them. I also got to lay down next to two people on their beds. I love sleeping! I wish I could have stayed and slept.

Alas, a little dog's work is never done, on to meet other new friends for me.

One thing a lot of people told me was that my paws were really small. They look like normal paws to me. It seemed that almost every single person wanted to just hold my paws. It was as if I had magnets on them - all they wanted to do was hold and feel my paws. Some people touched all four, others just the top ones. I felt kind of funny because I thought maybe they wanted to trim my nails (that is NEVER going to happen!).

In one of the rooms we visited, I heard someone say, that the person was a veterinarian - that sounded slightly familiar -and then I remembered -- "NOoooooo - I am NOT going in there! I thought - this is just a ruse to get me to see the vet! "

I had little choice. We went in the room. All the vet said, "that is a nice looking dog."

What?

That is it?

HELLO?

Aren't you going to check my ears, my tummy, listen to my heart?

Nope. Nope. Nope.

He just ignored me, really. Perhaps that was his plan. He continued talking while ignoring me there, just sitting...

...waiting for him to examine me.

I waited.

Nothing.

Soon we walked out and I realized nothing was going to happen.

This time.

I am going to keep a close eye on him next time - in case this is just a trick!

WOOF!

Who's Measuring the Percentage of Weight Gain During the Holidays?

The New England Journal of Medicine that's who!

The story goes that most people gain an average 5lbs during the holiday season. However, the New England Journal of Medicine conducted a study of approximately 200 people which proves that the 5lb weigh gain is not as true as previously thought.

There are graphs and variations taking into account the age of the person, the current weight, conditions and the understanding that as one gets older there is a continued weight increase which is not that more significant during the holiday season. The conclusions will astound you!

Please see the New England Journal of Medicine's detailed graphs and charts to see where you are! Make sure to click on the full article to get a complete understanding of the study.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/342/12/861#F2

On Thanksgiving & Piggery

I tend to like the word 'Piggery'-however, it is what got me into trouble on the first place. I have a lot to be thankful for -- one of the things was the allergy medicine I just learned I have to take. It makes me sleepy but guess what? The vet said I need an extra 1/4 cup of food a day when taking the medicine - I now have a new found appreciation for my vet -- which I am thankful for as well!


I am thankful for my sister Daisy... my brother Weezy, mom & dad and of course food - in all it's glory and insistence that I eat it! The picture there is of Daisy wearing her bandana.

Getting back to the vet - she says that if it is not the air outside/ragweed/mold it just might be certain foods. We are still in the discovery stage so it may take a while. In the meantime, she said I need to lose a pound -- and for a Chihuahua like me - 1lb is like 20 on a human!

So what if I stole a bite of pizza or that slimy rigatoni? I steal carrots and broccoli too you know! Now I am paying for it by having itchy paws and eyes.

...just 20 more days of medicine left - I wonder if they will take my extra daily plate of food once I am through?

I wrote a Thanksgiving poem just for you...

Piggery, diggery, dog...

The turkey was so good!

I snacked 'til eight, my belly was sate

I can't help it - I'm a lover of food!

Piggery, diggery, dog - I need to go for a jog,

I ate all five, a silly canine - and now I sleep like a log!

Ode to My Hoodie

When oh when did my hoodie become one?

It's warm, it's fuzzy, brown and thick,
I love to wear it when I am sick,


I wear my hoodie to the park,
I wear my hoodie in the dark,
I wear my hoodie in the store, I wear my hoodie when I'm bored,

And when my hoodie I extend, it's then I hide from my mom's friends.

I love my hoodie -- yes I do, it gets me foodie, don't it you?

If ever my hoodie gets lost, I pray to God it's not unjust -

...that another doggie just like me, will enjoy it more and warm he be.

God bless my hoodie!

Do You Bite?

On a recent shopping trip, a stranger stuck her hand in my carrier and started to try and touch my ear while asking - "Do you bite?"

A co-worker approached telling her - "You don't go and stick your hand in a dog's face and THEN ask if it bites-- that's a good way to find out."

Luckily for her - I wasn't hungry that day - woof! woof! woof!

I was thinking about this - and trust. One can tell those who are 'dog people' and those that are not. Dog people will approach most dogs trustingly in hopes that their dog-loving aura will be detected by said dog and dog says "This one is a friend - not foe - proceed."

But then even I have been accosted by seemingly innocent canine companions. Thinking - they are my friend and whoops - their Elvis-like snarl takes over!

I have never bitten anyone - regardless of my mood. I think most people carry food with them - in their pockets - in their purses - sometimes right on their hands -- and why ruin my chances?

Next time someone asks, "do you bite?" I will reply - "Yes, I bite, I bite food - do you have any?"

NEXT!

Who Stole My Bone?

For some reason each time I have a rawhide bone I don't get to keep it for long. Mom puts it away after watching me play and chew for a while. Yesterday, dad found where mom was keeping it and let me have it. It wasn't long before Weasel and Daisy stole it from me. They had already eaten theirs - why take mine?

So mom gets home and says something to dad about how it is my bone. She takes it from Weasel, who now has eaten it to the last nub and gives it back to me. Daisy then comes by when mom walks away, steals it and hides it and mom finds it in the foyer bench cushions and gives it back to me.

Minutes later, mom tells me she wants me to go out - and of course, my bone is gone. Oh where, oh where has my little bone nub gone? Oh where can it be?

To be continued...

Mr. Magoo

I had a hard time waking up this morning. Mom says I looked like Mr. Magoo with eyes half shut while she was trying to put on my sweater. I think the steak I had last night did me in. Mom and dad had filet and there was a lot left over so they shared it with me, Daisy and Weasel. We didn't get much though - so it wasn't fair!

Anyway - guess what I did this morning? I think I perfected the 'roll-over on my back' trick - or what they call Bang Bang... They point their finger at me - say "bang bang" and I roll over to play dead... here's the thing - I knew I would get some sort of treat if I did it - so I did. Not so sure if I will do this on a regular hard wood floor - you'd have to bribe me.

WOOF!

Just figuring things out...

So finally we were able to fix the whole photo issue. It appears all we needed to do was minimize it to 85% proportions and that made a difference.

I thought about today - we went to a get together and I was brought to practice being with other people. About four different people held me and kept saying how good I was.

I am not sure what I was supposed to be good about - since they were holding me. There really wasn't anywhere to go. The only scary part was that two of the people who held me where continuously trying to kiss me - hard to get used to that. One might have even put lipstick on me. The woman said that I had a kissable little face. The man kept saying that I was gentle and soft - and another little boy mentioned how sweet I was. What did he expect me to do -? Bite him?

I was admiring the taco dip mom made that was on the table. She let me have a taste but that was it. I was starving! I should have taken a bigger bite. Next time - beware - WOOF!

Howl O'Ween Party 2009

We had a Howl o' ween party on Saturday afternoon - and everyone was excited! I was even more excited because it was my very first one!

Last year we did not have one and people complained because they wanted us to dress up. I was an Angel last year and my sister Daisy was a purple monkey. It's funny now because initially, I was going to be a monkey and mom could not decide between that and and angel.

Then we adopted Daisy and it worked out - it was almost like it was made just for her. She looked really good in it. The weather was nice too - it was about 70 degrees.

Mom had never dressed up for Halloween and she took an old sheet and made holes (but they were uneven) so she could see. She stood outside passing out candy and scaring the neighbors - it was really funny! Daisy and I just watched everyone from the front door.

This year though, mom planned an elaborate party. Initially she wanted me to be a banana (hence my name) but then Target was out of the banana outfits and although she searched and searched - all they had were xsmall and mediums... and I needed a small.

No matter, at the very last hour mom went to pick up Daisy's birthday cake - and there, she saw a bumblebee outfit - guess what I was for Halloween? HA HA. Daisy though, was a pumpkin. She looked really cute.

We had birthday cake, a Halloween costume contest, a red carpet and stage and pizza. The professional photographers took photos of everyone. They donated all the time and all the money collected went to TLC animal shelter. I did not win the contest - Lola did - she was a bug (centipede). But still, it was fun to be there with all my friends. And then we sang happy birthday for Daisy - and we all got some cake.

Afterwards I was pooped! Daisy and I slept on the way home - it was a good day.