Rain Rain Go Away...

Kate hates the rain. I know most dogs do - but I think because Kate is only tiny anyway, when she shrinks back into the corner she looks so tiny and vulnerable. It looks like we are really mean to her when she does it - People walking past "ahhh...bless her" and "ooo..look at her scared" she knows how to play a crowd that's for sure! Bring her back in after the rain, and it's like butter wouldn't melt...

So we are both having some tea to warm us up again! (Its without milk and only a few drops from the end of my finger. :-) )

She also stole a bit of my Oreo when I wasn't looking. Sneaky Stealth Mode..! Cheeky pooch!

Do all dogs hate rain? Are there any exceptions out there?!

Long Post Alert - Our Chihuahua's History!

Kate came into our lives nearly 18 months ago now. We went to see a Chihuahua dog breeder in North Wales as my partner Gemma had always wanted one, but I wasn't convinced a Chihuahua was the breed for us. I had always had big dogs and I was put off by the Paris Hilton stereotype that all Chihuahua's live in handbags. We originally went in to view - Gemma wanted to show me what type of Chihuahua she wanted a few months later, once we had got everything ready and set up. We walked into this tiny house, and the woman had 5 other Chihuahua's in cages in the kitchen, two of whom were pregnant. She was selling Kate and she refused to breed and was too small. When we got her she had a burn on her tail, was underweight and super shy - even for a Chihuahua. We were concerned and asked about her Vet and health history, and her owner replied "We only had her 9months, I haven't had a chance to take her".. We decided on the spot we had to get her out of there. We emptied our bank accounts, rushed to pets at home and stocked up on all the necessary items. Knowing Kate now, looking back at the first few hours of her time with us tells us so much about her previous homes. Is she is away from Gemma at any point she looks for her. Her connection is like none I have ever seen. She loves me - don't get me wrong, but the relationship between Gemma and Kate is adorable and so strong. When we picked Kate up and took her home, she never looked back. In the car you can see she is a bit un-settled but never pined or missed the home she was in. She was in the breeders home for 9 months prior to us picking her up. She fell asleep in my arms on the way home, around 5 minutes after this photo was taken.

You can see how thin she was in this picture - her Head looks like its about to fall off!

She stank to high heaven, had marks on her fur from sitting in her own urine and was very jumpy. One of the reasons she is not very good with other dogs is the fact she was locked in cages with males in an attempt to force them to breed. We booked her into the vets the very next day and she was horrified. She was Chronically underweight, Her Teeth were rotten and she had hip and knee problems. She was so small (even for a Chihuahua) that breeding could have killed her, and at the very least would have paralysed her back legs and been agony throughout. We reported her to the RSPCA shortly after we got Kate out, and they rescued all the Chihuahua's she had. On the plus side to this - Kate now lives the best life ever to make up for her not great start. She is not a "princess" in that she is a dog but she is still spoilt. She is not a handbag Chihuahua, she loves a good run off her lead (We call her our "pocket rocket!") and would sniff until her nose fell off given half a chance! You can see that she is much happier and more content (spoilt!) now!! This was taken only a week after she arrived. I think you could say she was relaxed here.

We have both never been happier, that sudden impulse to get her out of there was the best thing we ever did. She helps us as much as we help her. Does anyone else have a nice rescue story or blog? I love reading happy endings! :-) Cuddles, xxx

Wordless Wednesday..

As you know, I talk about my Furry Friend Adventures of Del a lot. And now I have figured out how to do furry links! So check him out for yourself HERE!l So excited to finally post my first link! :-) See if you can spot the posts I am mentioned in. There are some fab photos of when Del and I were the SAME SIZE! If you can believe that. Have a look. Its very cute... ! Anyone else have cute puppy pictures? Cuddles. x

Wonder week!

Wow, what a week last week was!! 

As you know, I spent last week @ Adventures Of Del's house ( www.adventuresofdel.blogspot.co.uk ) We have a Love-hate relationship. I love to hate him... And he loves me. :-D 

I don't really. I'm very happy in his company but I do pick on him a bit. I steal his treats and always want what he has. Luckily Del is the softest, sweetest pooch ever so he puts up with my Diva ways! 

He knows to give me some personal space (given he weights around 32x what I do!) which means that we have a very odd relationship - but it works! 

I took Del to my favourite beach where he got some time off his lead. He loves a good run, and I hate chasing balls so there is no competition. He can have it all for himself!! 

He's not great at giving it back yet... 

The following day, I took him to by second favourite beach. It was CHUCKING IT DOWN! He didn't seem to mind, but I am not a big fan of rain! He had a good play and splash - which is new for him! 

He's normally not really a big fan of water... 

But then I hate rain and water too! I got so cold and wet mum had to put me in her jumper! (mum says she looks daft in this photo but I'm so cute it makes up for it!) 

But even when I was in her jumper it wasnt enough.. So I cuddled into her jumper and refused to come it until we where home! (Mum says she Looks even more special in this picture but its not about her!

When we did get home we were both shattered... 

 And now I'm home again! Back to stealing the covers and catching up on all the snooze I missed playing with Del!! 

Thanks for having me Del, and putting up with me when I'm a grump. :-) xxx

Anyone else had any poochy - holidays or summer trips out? 

Cuddles, 

Kate xxx

STAY-cation!

This week we are staying @adventuresofdel house. Mum has taken the week off to be with us both, so it will mean lots of treats and training for us. :-)

Dels already shattered from chasing me. 

You know what they say "treat them mean keep them keen!!" 

Stay tuned for pictures and more tales. :-)

Cuddles. Xxx 

Spay. :-)

Well, this day had finally come. We were very nervous as she is nearly 6 years old. Her previous owners never took proper care of her she was purely for breeding. (Which she couldn't do as she's too small, and wouldn't do and she's too timid and shy!) 

We set up her car cage at home. She loves the cage, often choosing to sit in it when we are out and about. We also wanted it so if we were out for a minuet she could be put inside it and not launch herself up at the sofa! 

We brought her a new blanket as a new get well prezzie which she loved having a quick snooze in! 

We also got her a special collar, it's a stiff fabric rather than the plastic. She seemed to take to it much better than the vet-issues plastic ones. Only downside was she lost some of her side-vision making her (understandably) a bit jumpy if anyone snuck up from behind! 

Initially we were really worried about her. She didn't cope with it well, she got really stressed and a stressed Kate means a poorly Kate! She had poorly poops, and some vomiting too. She had been off her food and generally under the weather. We knew it would be tough on her, her older years and the fact she is so small!Luckily, My Partner and I planned in our days off around it so she was with one of us full time for the first 6 days.(lucky considering how often she needed to poop!!)  

However, this morning she is much more like herself. I took her collar off whilst we were walking and she enjoyed a bit of sun!

But she had the cone on for some of her walk. 

But as we speak, she is fast asleep, still resting. She didn't sleep well at the start of all this - so she is more than making up for it now!! Any Excuse... :-) 

Was anyone else's poochy poorly after general anaesthetic? Any did anyone find any handy hits for dealing with it.. She's due two more major ops over the next year or so... 

Spay time..

Well. This is it. The time is now. Kate has been in our lives over a year now, and now that we know her heat cycle we have been able to book her in to be spay. She is booked in tomorrow.. We are nervous about this for several reasons - she is exceptionally tiny. It's hard to imagine tiny tiny heart and lungs coping with all that. Also - she is 6 years old and has very little vet history due to horrible previous "owners" and we have a long journey ahead in getting her to where she should be health-wise. The first step in this journey is her spay. We are both nervous, (my partner an I. Kate hasn't noticed.. ) We have set up her cage - this is her travel cage, but she loves it! Even with the door wide open she often chooses to sit there. So we have brought this into the house to encourage her not to try and jump up and split her stitches. So cross your furry paws for us! Update tomorrow. :-) Does anyone have any hints or tips that helped make this easier for your pooches?

Psychic Sniffing?

When I started this Dog blog, I thought it would be a way of sharing cute dog pictures and seeing even more adorable dog pictures! What I didn't expect was the amount of dogs who were so much more. Dogs with massive stories, huge personalities and the massive online community that comes with them! There are dogs with unusual talents, great skills and tricks - and some with even more. Which is what I am writing about today.

 When we first got Kate 18months ago, we took her straight round to my mums house as the "house" (hovel) we had bought her (rescued) her from was nearby. She was massively underweight and had a burn on her tail - but took immediately to my partner. (They remain un-separable now!) it was an instant connection and she seemed instantly at home with us. But hours after having her, she had an accident in mums house. She had been sitting on my Step-Fathers knee, when she started panting and jumped off and had a poop on the (white) carpet. We took this to be a nervousness, and an accident whilst she was settling. 

 However - when she met my biological Dad a several months later, she did the same thing. We thought it may have been a male thing (we are two girls living together) and wondered if her past treatment was at the hand of males, but then she was voluntarily sitting on their laps and licking them constantly. 

 It is only looking back with hindsight that we look at this with other meaning - both my step father and biological father were diagnosed with Cancer last year, and both unfortunately lost their battles with months of meeting Kate. I have heard of dogs sniffing out cancer before - has anyone had any first hand experience of this? 

 I know Kate is very in tune with myself and my partner - as is Del (adventuresofdel.blogspot.co.uk) I am disabled and when I have bad days they are both more gentle and more affectionate then normal - which is especially welcome with Del given he is HUGE and HEAVY! Not so bad is a 2k dog jumps up.. 75k is another matter!!!  

And just cos its cute.. Here is my Dad and Kate the weekend they met. :-) 

She looks even smaller than normal next to his giant frame! 

Adventuresofdel@blogspot.co.uk - on a good day not being as gentle as he has to be... Sitting on me.. ! 

@Adventuresofdel.blogst.com with me On a bad day sitting calmly next to me as I do some lead training with him. :-) very clever pooches they both are! 

And Kate being gentle with me. :-) not that she really needs to be but the thought is sweet..! 

Do any of you have very intune / skilled pooched? Would love to hear more stories from all of you!!!! 

Home sweet home! :-)

What a week. The humans have been away at a wedding (my human grandpa and his partner of 20years. Mum says its about time too!) This means I got to spend the week with my other human gran. She spoils me rotten, I get loads of love and snuggles extra walks and we got to do lots of sunbathing in the sun! They are going away from another holiday so I get to spend the week with my Auntie Bee! She spoils me too.. Such a hard life! :-) Anyone else's humans going away? What are your stay-cation plans whilst their away. You know what they will say... "Whilst the humans away the pups will play...! ;-)"

Adventures of Kate's Cuddles!

Last weekend I got to stay over with my best friend - Adventures Of Del - (I'm not rehearsed enough to do a fancy link, so apologies for that!) www.adventurersofdel.blogspog.co.uk

By best friend, I mean "Somene I can be really mean to and he'll love me anyway...!" I've only been with my forever family for just over a year. They don't think I had the best start to life - I am very jumpy, used to be terrified of other dogs and I run away from all teenage boys LITERALLY screaming like a girl. It's a very odd noise.. 

Luckily, I have known Del since he was a puppy (in fact the are some great pictures on Adventres of Dels blogspot of the two of us the me size!) which means I am comfortable with him. Luckily Del is very clever, and my mum taught him to give me a bit of space every now and again. He's just so big and loveable (and slightly clumsy!) so we have a deal - I have my bed in the corner by the sofa, and he's not allowed in the two foot space infront of it, and if I'm out in his space I have to be nice. It's working wonders so far. I'm still nasty to him sometimes (I do need to keep him on his paws..!) but otherwise I'm heading in the right direction.. We even managed to sleep sharing the same bed at night time! The human was under the mistaken impression that it was HER bed - how odd?! 

This is my little space - he doesn't come past the end of the sofa so I have my food and water in there. I spend most of the time stealing his food though. More satisfying despite the fact we had EXACTLY the same food.. 

Every now and then he sits and waits for me. It's like knocking for me to come out and play. I only come out when I'm good and ready, you can't rush a princess. 

He loves licking the too of my head. His mum says I smell like malted milk mayby that's why? 

On guard waiting for mums to come home! :-) 

You can't see me in this picture - but I am just above his head by the pillows. This is how Del sleeps. A well loved dog in a very happy home! 

It was very funny going for a walk together though... Mum was walking us both and we came around the corner first, with Del following. We bumped into a big group of teenagers who made a nasty comment about me on my lead. Something about Comparing me to a rat. Very nasty. Luckily, Del listens to hand commands as well as voice - so mum game him a silent command to bark - so he came running around the corner and let out a bark so loud the ground shook! I have never seen a group of boys separate so fast. Stupid - I'm scarier than Del, all he would do is lick them to death! But they didn't know that.. Our bit of entertainment for the day. *evil mutely laugh* you don't think I look like a rat do you? :-) 

Do you have any entertainment stories from people stereotyping your big dogs? Or any from anyone assuming your little dog won't defend you like a big dog..? 

Nice day!

Nice long walk along the river today, lots of other dogs to sniff and play with! Kate used to be really bad with other dogs, but after a year of hard work we have finally got to a better place. She is still by nervous around them, but doesn't have the "bolt" reaction like she used to. Lots of playing, and lots of sniffing - now celebrating with a nice nap. :-)

Twitter Account

If you enjoy the pictures follow us on twitter for more! @KatesCuddles :-)

Today has involved so much.. Napping. Lots and lots of napping. I particularly enjoy napping on mums lap. She's warn and comfy. :-)

Sometimes I push the cat off if she tried to sit on mum. I'm so small that I don't always win. Today were sharing instead. Mum can't move!