SUNSHINE UPDATE

I know it's been a while since my last blog post, I ran out of room on my memory card (the camera's, not mine) and writing blogs without pictures isn't nearly as inspiring.  Sunshine is still with me and I'm more than okay with that.  She's such an easy little dog to have around.  I'm glad she's still here because after what was probably a pretty crummy sheltered life she's learning about so many new things and she's building confidence all the time.  I've been noticing for a few weeks now that her color seems to be changing and I think its because of all the new growth of fur.  When she came to me, her coat was really thin and her ears were almost bald.  She now has fluffy fur on her ears, which you can see if you look at the first week photo vs the photo from last night.  It wasn't until I put both pictures together that I noticed the fur hanging out of her collar, so her fur is getting thicker everywhere....such a good, happy sign of a healthier dog.   Makes me smile!

Photo from Sunshine's first week in Richmond

Photo from last night.  

Another awesome thing is that her ears are smooth on the ends now.  I was told that the damage on the ends of both ears was frostbite, and those dead pieces have come off leaving healthy ears.  She still has the split in one ear but that's the last reminder of her cold days.

I suppose I'm sensitive to the fact that she had a cold life so I broke down and went clothes shopping!  Yes, for a dog....me, shopping for a dog.  For those that know me, it will bring a smile as I'm not a frou frou purse carrying, dog dressing kinda gal.   But with Sunshine there's no denying she needs some layers to keep warm now that Fall is upon us.  So I bought her a $1.97 t-shirt which is the one in the picture.  This is her indoor sports lounging wear.  I also bought her a red cable knit turtle neck - very appropriate for a Turtle Gardens dog.  Here she is at daycare with her personal body guard:

Now I don't want people to get the wrong impression about Sunshine.  She is happy to be cuddled, and enjoys the warmth of her sweater, but I don't carry her around everywhere in a purse or in my jacket.  I remind myself several times a day that she needs to be treated the same as all of my other fosters no matter what weight they were.  So she is four on the floor, learning to sit and wait for her dinner.  She sits and waits on her bed in the truck until she's invited out.  And, the two times she tried snipping at another dog that approached when she was on my knee, she was put back on the ground.  Afterwards she turned her head away instead of snapping - lesson learned.  So she can learn like any other dog, any other size and she also needs the same expectations, which can be hard to enforce on a 6 lb cute-as-a-button little thing like Sunshine.

Sunshine is still shy when meeting people.  Some she goes right up to and asks to be petted and others she'd just as soon stand back.  She is improving though and I want her to always be building confidence so she doesn't have to live a life in fear of new people and new places.   She is off leash quite often and she sticks very close to my side as we walk and when we pass strangers she likes to move away about 5'.  By having her off leash I get to see what her comfort zone is and it has been lessening.  A few weeks ago she would move off the path at least 10' away.

She came to the curling club with me last week and she fell asleep on my lap and hardly anyone noticed she was there.  She's very well behaved, not barky and not snappy.   I'm not sure if those traits are that typical of Chihuahuas, but people quite often comment on how nice Sunshine is and how she doesn't behave like other Chi's that they know.  Either way, she's a gem in a small setting.

If you see me skip a blog for longer than 10 days, you know I've whisked Sunshine off to Mexico so she can bask in the sun and visit where her ancestors came from.  Come on!  It's not as frou frou as buying her clothes to keep her warm, and she'd make it on the plane as carry-on. 

WHY FIGHT IT?

As I was looking through Facebook tonight I noticed a post by one of the daycare staff on her own Facebook page and had to share it.  I think if Sunshine stays in daycare much longer a couple of the staff are going to be pushing for someone to adopt her just so she can continue to come and brighten their days.

SUNSHINE THE LITTLE GARDEN GNOME

I did some gardening yesterday and Sunshine came out to 'help' me.  She quickly found a nice warm spot to snooze in the dirt between plants.  She was so sound asleep I was able to go inside, get the camera and snap a pic before she moved.

 

Gardening is tiring work



"I wasn't sleeping....just closed my eyes for a sec"

I'm on vacation right now and Sunshine came with me last week to my favorite cabin by the lake.  I went with my cousin and his wife and their dog Walker.




Walker getting ready to go fising in the lake.

 On my first trip down to the lake I put Sunshine on a 20' leash and she absolutely floored me by following me straight into the water and right into a swim, without any hesitation at all.  What a brave little thing she can be.   Of course the next day when I actually brought my camera with me the water was a little colder and she would only wade in without swimming. 

Sunshine was a great companion on the trip.  She slepts in the truck for most of the 4 hour ride and at the cabin she hung around on her bed, enjoyed some good walks (on and off leash) and is a good cuddler watching a video at night.  She is starting to get more comfortable with me and although she can still be shy in some circumstances, especially with meeting new people, I'm seeing less and less of that.    

We got back from the lake just in time to go to the Pedigree Adoption Drive in North Vancouver on Saturday.  Sunshine was nervous with so many people around so I only allowed people to crouch and hold a hand out to her.  She will sniff most extended hands and give a couple of licks in greeting.  With some people she must sense an easy energy about them and she will go right up for a pet without worrying.  Her confidence is building day by day and I think we might even be able to turn her into more of a social butterfly.

Sunshine looks a little worried because I stepped away leaving her with someone new



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