Nick is my hero! (Warning--loud)

We rescued Nick on Christmas Eve. Paul wanted a pit mix female, but as things often happen, Nick came into our life instead. He is Paul's dog, but he is also my guardian. If Paul isn't home, he won't leave my side. Bathroom trips included.

Tonight, I was watching tv and Nick suddenly started barking wildly and when I got up to see what he was barking at, I saw his head looking right outside the sliding door and had a feeling it was a snake. It was. It wasn't leaving so Paul took it out with a big stick. Nick got a cookie as a reward and Bo got one too for being the backup barker.

Bo graduated!

Bo graduated from puppy class tonight! He did a great job and enjoyed himself every week. We'll miss our Saturdays at PetSmart with Charlene. Taking some time off before we take the intermediate class.

Bo Video

It's been a sad, sad week here...

As the 2nd anniversary of losing Jade approached, I had no idea I would be losing my Chyna girl too. It's too painful to post the whole story, but last Sunday she just wasn't herself. I took her to the ER vet and had every test run (blood, urine, x-rays) and all the tests came back normal except for possible hip dysplasia.

By the next day she was still lethargic and Paul took her x-rays to her regular vet and he thought possibly a disc problem causing pain. We made an appointment with a neurologist in Los Angeles for the next day.

Tuesday Paul woke me up at 6:30am and Chyna was in obvious distress so we rushed her back to the ER vet and they stablilized her until my vet arrived at his hospital. He consulted with the neuro down the hill and we rushed her there. She went into cardiac arrest before they could sedate her for an MRI and other tests.

Wednesday morning I had to make the difficult decision to let her go. She wasn't coming out of it and I couldn't let her suffer.

RIP Chyna Jade 4/8/2007-6/24/2009
I miss you so much.

Chyna Jade 20 Months

My girl at age 20 months.

Happy First Birthday Chyna Jade

Today is Chyna's first birthday! Her staples are out but she is still pretty much confined to her ex-pen in the living room until May 1st---eight weeks after her LP surgery.

Today, I put up a baby gate and let her come in the kitchen with me for a little bit. I hate leaving her in the living room but we've come this far and can't risk injury to her knee. She did start to run around a little and I had to calm her down.

Poor baby doesn't understand why she can't tear around the house like she used to do.

Chyna hurt her leg...

Chyna's new confines...
Not a happy face!

Sunday night, February 17th, Chyna was on the couch with me and she jumped down and immediately started limping on her left hind leg. I grabbed her and rushed her to the ER vet about 20 miles away. She was diagnosed with a partially torn ligament.

I took her to my vet a few days later and after he xrayed her it showed she had luxating patella (her knee was out of place) and had to have surgery. My vet was leaving the next day for a visit with his family, so we decided to have the surgery done when he returned in case there were any complications.

She had surgery last Thursday. She started putting a little weight on her leg by Sunday. So far, no swelling or complications. She is on pain meds, antibiotics and Rimadyl. Tomorrow we go back in to have it checked and maybe take the bandages off. They are slipping down and I can see a few of the staples. No redness though, and she has been really good about not chewing on the bandage....so far.

They will always walk together...

Lakota & Wash-Tay

My friends in Montana, Sue & Bernie, lost both of their beloved furbabies last week. They crossed Rainbow Bridge and are together and pain-free, playing with my baby Jade, with Cheyenne and Nacoma watching over them.

Chyna & Paul

Brother Chuck brought his new Olympus digital camera this weekend and shot some phots around the place. Here he captured Paul taking Chyna outside for her bathroom break. The only problem is that when Uncle Chuck is around all Chyna wants to do is play with him! (Notice her staring at him!)

This morning when Chyna got up she looked all over for Chuck. She sniffed the couch where he sat and watched the playoff games yesterday. Both his teams lost. Sorry Chuck! Anyway, she misses him. He's her favorite when he's here. I come in third. Chuck first. Then Paul. Then me. Sniff!!!

Chyna Jade

Chyna Jade turned 9 months old on January 8th, and we are finally making headway on the potty training!

Pugs are notoriously hard to potty train, so I knew that going in. For the past two days when I catch her starting to do circles on the rug next to the sliding glass door and I get her attention and ask her if she needs to go potty outside, she will sit down, stare at me, then run to me and put her paws on the couch, push off, and run back to the door!


This is real progress, but at the same time, it makes me sad because that is the exact same thing my sweet Jade would do when she needed to go potty.

On another note, I have been really enjoying another "pet" blog, but it's unlike any other. Enjoy!

Jade & Sonny Playfest