Emma's New Life

On this week's episode of Hoarders...

2010-02-26T19:09:00.000-08:00

Winnie says "I dare you... come and get 'em, big boy".

Here's the latest Winnie photo from Jillian. I find this hilarious because this is exactly how Winnie (then Emma) started 'flirting' with Brogan. First she took his bed, then his chewie bones, then she started hoarding toys. That purple sausage-shaped toy with the maniacal grin she has firmly in her grasp? That was her favorite toy at my house, too (though this current version is in much better shape). I even think by the look in her eye she might have a little crush going on, not that Buckley would see it that way. She's a cagey one, Winnie. She's training the big guy and only when he's fully in her power will she let her true feelings show.

Fingers crossed for a blossoming romance! In the meantime, Jillian says Winnie is playing fetch with Balloon the cat... whatever works for you, girl.

Unfathomable Cuteness...

2010-02-15T19:29:00.000-08:00

That's one happy dog.

Hopefully I'm not committing 'doggie stalking' by posting photos of someone else's dog, but hopefully I get a pass as unofficial 'Auntie' to Winnie. Her person, Jillian, just sent me these photos so of course they MUST go on her blog. Jillian says Winnie is settling in very nicely and by the way she is happily cuddling on Jillian lap (above), it's obviously true. No word yet on how Emma is feeling about Balloon and Buckley (or vice versa), but I'm sure Winnie will eventually succumb to their charms!

Jillian and Winnie looking snazzy in matching pink gear and Buckley looking boyishly handsome in his everyday spots.

I used to think Winnie smelled like maple syrup behind the ears. Maybe Balloon thinks so too?

Winnie in her element: tucked into bed and so blissed out her overbite is showing.

Winnie Settles In with Her New Family

2010-02-09T20:46:00.000-08:00

Emma is settling in very nicely with her new family according to her special mama person Jillian. Apparently she even slept in the bed snuggled next to Jillian the first night. Success!

Jillian and Fowler have decided to call her Winnie, so from now on I'll TRY to remember to call her by her new name. Since we'll never know Emma's first name and her first foster mom named her "Crystal Lee", Winnie quite rightly should have a new name for this new phase of her life. Of course to me, she will always be Emma... and Mimoo, and ChihuahuaWHAAAA, and Emma Bemma Memma. Isn't is crazy all the names we come up for our animal buddies?

It has been VERY quiet around my house without my pushy chihuahuaWHAAA princess, so I was thrilled to get some great photos and even a video of Winnie's first day from Jillian. Winnie looks happy and oh-so-stylish in her new duds. Here she is!

Yum! They know just how to treat a girl around here.

"I guess he's not THAT bad..."

"...especially if I get to keep this outfit..."

"...and take regular naps on this lovely couch."

"How on earth did I end up HERE?!"

I particularly love the expression on Winnie's face in the last photo with Fowler. It's just so her. I call that the "Mysterious Face of Mars" look: it's when she's trying to figure out if what is happening is really, really good or really, really bad. I have a feeling that by now she's figured out it's REALLY, REALLY GOOD. By the way, don't you love the clothes, collar strobe light (matches brother Buckley's), pink leashes and even pink potty bag holder? All that plus living right near the beach with two of the best humans she could ask for? Lucky, lucky, dog!

Your New Life Starts Today

2010-02-07T17:31:00.000-08:00

Jillian, Fowler and Emma pose for her adoption photo.

Dear Emma,

Did you know your new life started today? You may have thought Brogan and I were your forever family. We sure do love you like you are. But really we were just a stop along the way. Your first family may have done the best they could, but they didn't do you any favors. Leaving you to starve in an abandoned garage with your six babies would have taught most creatures never to trust again. You're a tough little girl, though. You didn't much like being a mother at such a young age, yet you did your best. Your first foster home was a bit chaotic and you didn't feel very safe even though it was better than being alone in the garage. Then I took you away from your babies and made you put up with kisses and cuddles and (for the first few days) being milked. Frankly, Emma, I hope to never 'milk a chihuahua' again... no offense! You were stoic and put on your alien face of mars. Who knew what you were thinking?

Then you started to eat. And cuddle. And kiss. And sleep with me under the big fluffy duvet. And hoard Brogan's toys. And (miracle of miracles) play with Brogan though he outweighs you by 70 pounds. You put him in his place at your feet and me in my place on a pedestal. You let me hold you and love you and watch you bloom. When I first saw you I thought you were possibly the oddest little alien of a dog I'd ever seen. I knew I was lost when I looked at you and saw the most beautiful dog I'd ever seen. I love your fight and sass and I even have a grudging admiration when you take on every pitt bull you've ever met.

Today you went to your new family. They already love the idea of you and soon they will love the real you. They know you can always come back to me, but I don't think you will. I think you were waiting for them and they were waiting for you. There are wonderful dogs, and there are truly special dogs. You are both. Today you started your new life. May you and your new family be blessed by you just being you. I love you, girl.

Emma at the Beach (again!)

2010-02-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

Emma watching the dog parade from my lap.

After Emma's big day of meeting her new family on Saturday, on Sunday I dragged both dogs to the Golden Gate Kennel Club show and then on to a short stint at Fort Funston. After ten solid days of rain, I couldn't resist! Of course, Brogan couldn't do much but sit next to the first bench on the trail and watch the dogs go by, but we still had fun. Here are some great photos (if I may say so myself) of our little adventure...

Emma surveying her domain (which includes Brogan).

Once Brogan has done the pittie meet-and-greet...

...Emma thinks it must be OK to join in the sniff fest!

Happy dogs on "their" bench at Fort Funston! :-)

Meet Emma's New Family

2010-02-01T21:30:00.000-08:00

Fowler, Emma, Jillian and Buckley (kitty Balloon had to stay at home)

Miss Emma is one step closer to her forever home! On Saturday, Jillian, Fowler and their wonderful dog Buckley made the long drive from Sausalito to San Jose to meet Emma for the first time. Jillian had been looking at her pictures online for so long that she said she felt like finally meeting Emma "in the fur" was akin to meeting a celebrity.

As expected, Emma had to push Buckley around a bit at first, which he handled in stride. Let me just say, I'm in love with Buckley. It's hard to believe this marvelous dog hung around in shelters and rescues for over three years before being adopted by Jillian and Fowler. He is a dalmation and pointer mix, and like many white dogs, is deaf. Talking to Jillian was a real education on the challenges of having a deaf dog. But having seen the bouncy joy that is Buckley, I'm sure his people think he is well worth the effort. I know I would!

Buckley moving in for a kiss!

After their initial greeting, Jillian headed off to training class with Emma and me. Emma was seduced by a steady stream of turkeydogs from Jillian, and Jillian got to see Emma at her jaunty best as she showed off her heel moves. Then it was back to the house and another meet and greet with Fowler and Buckley and a little walk around the block without me.

Despite Jillian saying then and there that they wanted to adopt Emma, I imposed my standard "24 hour cute fuzzy puppy daze" contemplation period. Hey, I know the hypnotic qualities of dog breath... you need some time for your logic to return! Happily Emma's appeal survived the waiting period and I got an email yesterday evening saying that Jillian and Fowler will be inviting Emma into their two and four legged family.

Emma contemplates Buckley from her perch in my sun room

Though I will be extremely sad to say goodbye to Emma, this is why we foster and I am so happy that she has found such a lovely family. Both Jillian and Fowler are very active (Fowler has ridden across the US on his bicycle!) and Emma will get lots of fun exercise in the beautiful dog-friendly setting of Sausalito and Marin County. In addition, we all hope that as Emma bonds with Buckley and perhaps gets some specialized training she will be able to serve as a 'hearing dog' for Buckley and allow him a bit more freedom to safely run freely. In other words, this little girl has an amazing doggie life ahead of her.

PUPPY KISSES!!!!

It's Official: Brogan is a Registered California Assistance Dog!

2010-01-23T19:52:00.000-08:00

Bouncing Baby Brogan: official California State Assistance Dog #246

Here Brogan goes highjacking Emma's blog again, but I was just so happy to get his Assistance Dog tags that I had to have a good brag about it.

A couple months ago I started looking into the process of getting Brogan certified as an Assistance Dog. I didn't really know what that meant or entailed, but have since become a newbie expert on ADA laws as pertaining to Assistance Dogs in the US as well as the UK, France and Germany.

The first step was to make sure that I myself qualified, then I started working on Brogan. He's already been through about 20 training classes and passed his Canine Good Citizen exam last summer with Dawna Caldwell at Happy Tails. The next step was to get a letter of recommendation from my doctor (a 'doggie prescription' if you will). Due to federal ADA laws, nothing much more is needed within the US, but as I wanted to start to take Brogan to more unusual locales (into stores and trains, for example) I applied for California Assistance Dog license through San Jose Animal Control. Given Brogan's breed, I felt it best to be as official as possible!

Though it took a while due to the Christmas holidays, getting the license was no bother at all and everyone at Animal Control was very helpful (special thanks to Dottie). The tag itself is a nice little gold-colored disk with an engraved outline of California, Brogan's license number and "California Assistance Dog".

Next step: getting Brogan tricked out in his Assistance Dog cape and patches and getting him out and about. His leg is doing much better this week and we've actually been able to start training again so forays into San Francisco to tackle BART, buses, escalators and the like could start at the end of March.

Ultimately my goal is to have Brogan certified internationally through a member organization of Assistance Dogs International called Top Dog. Top Dog is a non-profit training center in Tucson, Arizona which intensively trains and tests dogs using their handlers (i.e. me) as primary trainers. Hopefully Brogan will experience his first plane trip this spring so that we can pass his tests together in Arizona. Then whether it's the local Barnes and Noble or the FNAC in Paris, Brogan will be able to assist me and have the right to travel safely by my side. Good boy!

Westward Ho!

2010-01-19T20:24:00.001-08:00

Jillian and Buckley pose on one coast and will soon be making their western appearance.

Emma's soon-to-be adoptive family have finally finished packing up in Maine and as of yesterday morning are driving their way across the US to the San Francisco Bay Area. Hopefully in a week or so they will be meeting Emma for the very first time and making their big decision of whether they'll be welcoming her into their forever home. I think Jillian is already in love with our little red-headed temptress, so let's hope that Emma can mind her manners around Buckley and win him over too! In the meantime, my very best wishes go out to Jillian, Fowler, Buckley and Balloon for a safe trip. We can't wait to meet you!

On the home front, Brogan's recovery has been a bit slowed by a mysterious fever followed by an infection on his foot pad. On the bright side, Brogie is now eating again after a three day hunger strike and I've acquired the useful skill of being able to judge a high temperature by sticking my finger in his ear. Emma is weathering the storm by eating Brogan's food and becoming a fat and happy cuddle bug. It seems like the more weight Brogan loses the more Emma and I gain!

In other Emma news, we started intermediate obedience two weeks ago and Emma continues to do great. She's not quite teacher's pet (being usurped by a genius mini-golden mix who just has to do everything perfectly... where's the challenge in having a dog like that?), but still does a mean 'Watch Me' and 'Wait'. And she has FINALLY stopped challenging pit bulls to a duel to the death thanks to the patient tutoring of Daisy (below). While on a visit to Daisy's house last week, peace reigned and Emma was a polite little miss... at least in front of me. There was a small suspicious wet spot on the bedroom floor post-visit, but neither Emma or I are copping to that one. ;-)

Brogan Hijacks Emma's Blog

2010-01-03T17:13:00.000-08:00

Our last trip to the beach for a while until Brogan can show off his new knee.

Emma's big brother, Brogan, already had his first TPLO (what I simplify by calling a knee replacement) surgery this past March. Three months of restricted movement, the first month being either crated or tied to furniture: this was not an experience either one of us wanted to repeat. When he started stiffening up when the weather turned cold, I figured it was arthritis or just age (he will be seven in next month). But when I saw the tell-tale limping after he spent a few hours on slippery concrete at a recent adoption fair with Miss Emma, I made an appointment with his orthopedic surgeon just to be sure.

Which is how I found myself picking up one seriously groggy dog from an overnight surgery stay on New Year's Eve. This is our second time around (my third as my pit bull also had the operation seven years ago), so I thought I had everything planned. However, I picked up Brogan five hours earlier than last time because of the holiday. Can you say "Stoned out of his gourd"? Poor baby. The combo of morphine, propofol, neurontin and a score of other heavy-duty pharmaceuticals did him in.

While the nice techs at the surgery loaded him INTO the car, I was wondering how I was going to keep him from falling like a puddle of fur when getting him out of the car. Talk about worrying about the wrong thing. Just when I had him all set and was getting ready to gently coax him out of the car and support his non-functional backside, he LEAPT over me, landed like a three-legged gazelle over my shoulder and proceeded to run down the sidewalk. This is the effect of an overabundance of good drugs on even canine judgement. Thank goodness for training, because when shouted "Brogan, WAIT!" he stopped in his tracks until I could catch up.

Realizing he was headed AWAY from home, once I turned him in the right direction he put his head down and charged like a bull towards the front door, literally dragging me behind him. Somewhere in his drug-addled mind he remembered the routine, because when I steered him into the bedroom and he saw his crate he headed straight to it. Whew!

As the drugs wore off, he became easier to manage. Because he's still on a boatload of painkillers he's still got that tinge of drunken sailor to him, but he's getting around alright and has accepted being stuck in bed or in his crate.

Drugged but comfy with new buddy Shamu,

another large mammal who understands captivity.

Miss Emma, however, is not so quick to forgive. I took her with us to drop him off for his surgery and while Brogan happily had his butt scratched by everyone in the vicinity, Emma cast the evil eye around the surgery. "Nothing good is going to come of this," was easy to read on her tiny face. Now that I have broken her best buddy and favorite toy, no amount of bribery or superfluous walks seems to be able to coax me back into her favor. She has taken up the mantle of guard dog, barking at the mail man and other possible intruders, while Brogan lays nearby placidly. She walks over to him and gives him kisses and then shoots me a look that seems to say, "Fix him, then will talk!".

Emma's oddball mothering seems to make Brogan happy, so I can't complain. And on a solo trip to the dog park today when Emma was assaulted by a trio of bullying pugs (who knew such a thing existed?) and I came to her quick rescue, I could see her beginning to thaw. Turns out I'm not ALL that bad in a pinch.

As for Brogan's sailing through the air with the greatest of ease, we'll only know if it damaged his new knee next week during the first post-op x-rays. I'm keeping fingers crossed and until then taking very good care of the big boy, with the help of my chiwah-wah-wah nursing staff!

Emma and Brogan show off their daytime positions:

he's tethered to the couch and she's on alert for him.

Squirrels, mailmen or dogwalkers... she's on top of it!

Emma vs Bug

2010-01-03T11:44:00.000-08:00

We all had a nice quiet Christmas and Emma continues to do great. She's sassy and full of herself and too smart for her own good. Despite being in the midst of the holidays and a huge cross-country move, I still hear from her future adoptive family regularly and they ask all the right questions about Emma. Of course, they have yet to meet the complex Ms. M, so fingers crossed that they end up loving her as much as I do!

Below is a very short (all Blogger will allow) video of Emma playing and making one of her rare barks in the back yard. She found an enormous (dead) carpenter bee and thinks it's one heck of a fabulous toy. Now that Brogan is down for the count recovering from knee surgery, Emma is having to adjust to life as NEARLY an only dog, and it's not quite her cup of tea. However, as you can see, she is getting creative on finding new (if not entirely alive) playmates.

Introducing Emma's OLD family: her puppies!

2009-12-16T18:17:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Emma's new adoptive family asking for them and some super sleuthing by another CARE volunteer, I'm finally able to post some adorable pictures of Emma's litter. Her babies were adopted out at the end of June at two months old (their age in the photos), so will be nearly full grown by now. She actually had six puppies: Two white blond (like the one on the far left), two with 'Rottie style' markings (pictured) and two the same reddish color as Emma.

I didn't get to spend much time with her puppies as I was trying to get on her good side and she didn't like anyone who messed with her babies. What stood out the most was that they had such different personalities (and sizes!). The smallest, a red female, was a little whackadoodle, always busy, very smart and clearly in charge... guess who I think ended up being most like Emma? My favorite was Jay, because he looked and acted like a tiny little Rottweiler. Big boned, big-headed, quiet, clumsy and a bit bewildered by his more active littermates. It really was like someone had chucked a Rottie pup into a litter of tiny terriers.

Jay: sweet, good-natured and a little confused about

how he ended up as a chihuahua/terrier.

All of the puppies shared the same love of Emma's to be held on their backs. Just like Emma can be running around playing one minute and then nodding off within five minutes of being held like a baby on her back, you could put a pup in your palm on his/her back and they'd just go limp. Jay was the funniest because he would get this totally blissed out look on his goofy face.

They were all adopted the first week they were available. Because I wasn't the foster home for the puppies, I don't know who they went to, but one of the other volunteers told me that Jay's adoptive family had retired to their vacation home in Mexico which sounds like a pretty good life for a dog (or human) to me.

This is Jan, who to me looks the most like Emma.

The smallest and smartest of the litter, she is clearly worried about what

the heck is happening to her as this photo is taken.

Of course, after being found in an abandoned garage with her six babies and doing her duty as Mama Dog, Emma is now spayed and looking forward to the rest of a long, happy life BEING the baby of the family. She has been such a delight to cuddle, train and love for the past six months, that while I wouldn't wish a cross-country move on anyone, I am grateful that I get to keep her for a few more weeks before her new family arrives. Who wouldn't want to wake up to this face?

How to sleep like a Rottie, even if you're a chiwhawhawha...

2009-12-14T22:49:00.000-08:00

Just had to share this photo of Emma and Brogan in bed. Rotties are notorious for sleeping with their legs up in the air, and Emma is usually snuggled UNDER the covers. I took this picture just as I got out of bed, so Emma was actually under the covers on her back in the crook of my arm before I so cruelly uncovered her. Usually she dives for cover, but this time she couldn't be bothered.

Jillian (Emma's soon-to-be-adoptive mama-person) sent me a picture of her in bed with both her cat and dog laying on top of her. It's a lovely and silly picture which tells me that Emma is going to be getting just as many cuddles and kisses in her new home as she does here. Even more so, if you count Balloon, Emma's soon-to-be kitty buddy. As promised, here he is looking adorable in a scarf:

Emma Has Found Her New Home!

2009-12-09T11:52:00.001-08:00

I'll do a more thorough post later, but I just wanted to share the good news that thanks to the wonders of the internet and one very persistent animal lover searching the web, Emma has found her forever home. They are currently in Maine but will be moving to the Bay Area soon, so I even get to keep Emma through Christmas which makes me one happy camper. Emma will be joining the family of Jillian and Fowler and their furkids Buckley the dog (pictured) and Balloon the kitty. More info to come (and cute photos of Balloon wearing scarves...). Yeah, Emma and yeah to Jillian for being an internet super sleuth!

Video of Emma Playing

2009-12-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

Photographic evidence that Emma DOES play! Actually she plays all the time and this is pretty mild, but I finally made a clip short enough to upload (grrr... technology!). As Emma has been perfecting her "I'm a boring shy little stoney-faced dog" routine while meeting potential adopters lately, I wanted you to see the REAL Emma. Or at least 22 seconds worth!

Why Should I Adopt a "Fostered Rescue Dog"?

2009-11-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

Former foster Clare and current foster Emma frolicking in Tahoe

Because I'd really like to see little Miss Emma in her 'forever' home for the holidays, I've been stepping up my efforts to get more people to meet her. I posted her on Craig's List late last week and got a few emails about her, which was nice. However, some people were put off by her adoption fee ($350) , which is set by CARE (the rescue organization) not by me (a volunteer). The fee includes spay, all vaccinations, microchipping and a first vet visit, which is actually a great deal.

More importantly, what it also includes that a shelter does not is the benefit of FOSTERING. Don't get me wrong, if you want to adopt from a shelter you will find many wonderful dogs who really need a home. But fostering is so much more!

SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A FOSTERED DOG? First of all, fostered dogs live in private homes, not in shelters. We usually have our own 'forever' dog(s), plus a varying quantity of foster dogs who stay with us anywhere from a week to over a year. I have one forever dog, Brogan and one foster dog, Emma, so she gets a LOT of attention.

SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF ADOPTING A FOSTERED DOG:

1) They are well socialized: Emma goes everywhere dogs are allowed to go. She has been on trains, in stores, beaches, parks, dog-friendly restaurants, dog parks and is a great car rider. When I first got her she was terrified of new situations and threw up every time she went in the car... now she's a pro!

2) A foster volunteer can really tell you about the personality of the dog in a home environment. While shelters do their best and some are better than others, usually it is a very stressful environment for any dog and you won't see the true temperament come out until the dogs settles into its new home (2-4 weeks).

3) One-on-one training: Emma gets daily practice in 'real life' obedience. That's what I call all the stuff that makes a dog fun and easy to live with. House training (though Emma came that way!), crate training, sit, down, stay, off (as in off the bed), up (as in jump into the car) and basic safety commands such as 'don't touch' and 'come'.

4) And probably the most important: LOVE AND SECURITY. For the time Emma is with me, she IS my dog and it's my job to give her all the love and self-confidence I can to help her be the best dog she can be.

The other question I keep getting (because I obviously love the little thing so much), is "Why don't you keep her?". First of all, that's not our goal as foster volunteers. As hard as it is, our 'job' is to love our fosters enough to get them to their 'real' homes. If we kept them all, we couldn't help any more dogs.

Emma is my 17th foster. I did end up keeping #16 (my beautiful pitbull Mama Jodhi who just passed last Christmas), but the others have gone on to have wonderful lives with the people they were meant to be with. I've already written about my friends in Lake Tahoe who 'time share' Brogan when I'm traveling: 9 years ago they adopted the lovely 3 legged Clare, my foster for about four months. Audrey, a pit bull-boxer mix and former foster, has just become an official medical alert service dog for her person, Johanna (yeah, Audrey!!).

In case you are new to the blog, this is NOT EMMA!! This is service dog Audrey.

And the other question I get about Emma is "If she's so great, why have you had her so long?". Good question, complicated answer! Here goes:

1) There are a billion chihuahuas out there for adoption. Along with pitbulls they are the most common breed in shelters. Emma has a LOT of competition and most people want tiny 'purse' dogs. At 12 pounds, Emma is neither a purse dog in size or temperament. She is not tiny and shaky... she has the spirit of a terrier, the heart of a lion and the playfulness of a court jester.

2) Emma is too smart for her own good. She knows she's got a sweet situation right here with Brogan and me. She figures out quite quickly when she's being 'shown off' to a potential adopter and puts on her "I'm a timid little stoney-faced boring dog' act. It's really quite amazing to watch. The Emma you meet as a potential adopter is NOT the Emma I get to enjoy every day, which is one reason I started this blog, where I can talk about the REAL Emma.

3) She needs exercise and does not like tiny children (toddlers). Many people attracted to chihuahuas think they are purse dogs whose feet never need to touch the ground. This is why I stress that Emma has a terrier personality and is really a big dog in a little body. As for the toddler thing, it's just not a good fit. I can only guess that there is some history of bad experiences that she may or may not overcome as she gets older.

4) Finally, I'M PICKY. This is an awesome dog, certainly one of the best fosters I've had, and I'm going to make darn sure she goes to an excellent home where she gets cuddles, walks and trips to the beach!

OK, that's it for my primer on why you should adopt a foster dog. I leave you with my favorite picture of my beloved pit bull, Mama Jodhi. Jodhi came to me as a foster for 'just a week' as her time had run out at the shelter and she was scheduled to be euthanized. She was in the shelter because her own very loving owner had recently passed away. When I first saw her, I thought "That is the most boring dog I've ever seen... the oatmeal of dogs!". Within one week of being out of 'prison', she was the most expressive dog I'd ever seen. Within a few months I knew she was a 'foster dog' in name only. I adopted her at 8 years and she passed at 15. She was the kindest, gentlest soul I've known and a credit to pretty pitties everywhere.

NO MATTER WHAT DOG YOU CHOOSE, PLEASE ADOPT FROM A RESCUE GROUP OR SHELTER AND DON'T BUY FROM DISREPUTABLE 'BREEDERS'.

Emma Starts Her First Training Class

2009-11-23T08:43:00.000-08:00

This Saturday Emma started her very first official puppy training class at Happy Tails to You Dog Training in San Jose (www.happytailstoyoudogtraining.com). Owner and prima dog trainer Dawna Caldwell is a long-time supporter of CARE and welcomed Emma as a CARE foster dog despite the fact that at around a year old she's not exactly a puppy anymore.

Emma already is house-trained, crate-trained, walks on leash, knows sit, down, stay, off, up, take it, don't touch and come, but so far I'm the only one she listens to! Plus she is still shy around strangers and a (oddly) a bit nervous around small breed puppies. I thought that putting her in a different setting with other dogs and people where she gets lots of positive reinforcement would be really good for her. And of course, all dog training is really more about training the humans than the dogs.

Even though I've been through over 20 six week long sessions with my various dogs, I've never had a dog like Emma who is an absolute extrovert love bug at home and can turn into a stoney-faced lump when meeting new people (aka potential adopters!). I need to learn get her to show her true coolness to more than a select few humans!

This is my third class with Happy Tails (both of my Rotties went through their Canine Good Citizen training with Dawna) and I totally recommend her classes for being both educational and just plain fun. I can't say that Emma was 100% thrilled with the first class, but I thought she did great and can already tell we will both learn a lot. Who ever gets this little girl as a 'forever dog' will be one lucky camper.

Emma Loves Cats... and not just with a nice Bernaise sauce

2009-11-23T08:24:00.000-08:00

During my month-long job hunt and adventure in conquering German as a fifth language in Europe, Brogan and Emma enjoyed nearly five weeks at the Incline Village Doggie Spa (aka my friends' lovely home in Lake Tahoe). My dog Brogan is already considered our 'time share dog' (he has in fact taken their last name, being now officially "Brogan Kennedy" which sounds much nicer than "Brogan Horch) and they have apparently began referring to Emma as "Time Share 2.0". Emma and Milo (above) continued their great love affair and took turns being chaser and chasee as well as just rolling around and having a fun time. And no, Emma didn't shrink from being in the frozen wilderness... she is still 12 pounds. Milo is just a very 'robust' kitty!

The Kennedy's other dog, the three-legged beauty Claire, was not quite so enamored of Emma, having to compete with her for the affections of both Milo and Brogan. The girls did, however, bond over the (fruitless) hunting of squirrels in the forrest, which Brogan finds rather silly when presented with the alternate plan of taking a nice nap in the warm indoors.

Good dog, bad foster mom!

2009-11-05T12:38:00.000-08:00

Poor little Emma, she's been having all sorts of fun and her blog has been dead in the water since August. Never fear, Emma is still here! The truth is, she is such a great dog to have around I haven't been all that good about finding her forever home. So, just as a reminder, here is what you need to know about Miss Emma if you might be looking for that perfect pooch to add to your family.

JUST THE FACTS…
· About a year old, chihuahua mix, weighs in at 12 pounds.
· House-trained, crate-trained, walks nicely on leash, calm during car rides, knows sit, down and stay.
· Good with cats and most other dogs (she prefers boy dogs).
· Not reactive or nervous (meaning she doesn’t bark a lot!).
AND NOW FOR THE SPECIAL STUFF…
· Has super-soft fur and cool expressive ears.
· Loves to be held on her back and cuddled like a baby.
· Wacky and playful with her special human and her best dog friends.
· Great jogging, hiking and beach buddy.
· Is a quick learner and really fun to train.
· Prefers to sleep under the covers snuggled next to her human.
· Walks backwards on her hind legs and says ‘Roo! Roo!’ when she’s REALLY happy!
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE THIS SPECIAL GIRL’S FOREVER PERSON?
· Enjoy taking energetic walks or jogs at least once per day.
· Have a safely enclosed play area (yard or patio).
· Not regularly leave Emma alone for very long periods of time (i.e. 9+ hrs/day).
· Be willing to supply (and accept) an endless puppy of puppy kisses for the next 16 or so years.

Sound good? Drop me an email at emily_horch@yahoo.com or call 408 761 1940. Let's talk!

Emma's a Traveling Girl!

2009-08-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

We've been having more adventures than I've had time to record them, so here is a kamakazi version of Emma's adventures over the past couple weeks!

Emma and Brogan are all smiles after hiking up a steeeeeep hill.

Emma has turned into a true adventure dog. First Brogan and I began jogging again several weeks ago and Emma asked oh-so-nicely to be able to come along. She is an exceptionally easy dog to walk and has such a good time that I thought, "Why not?". Her enthusiasm was infectious and both Brogan and I got such a kick watching her run from lawn to lawn that we've brought her along every morning since.

The next challenge was hiking. We headed to our favorite hiking spot, McNee Ranch in Montara, just south of Pacifica and Devil's Slide. Neither Brogan and I are currently up to snuff enough for our usual four hour extravaganza, so knowing it would be a short trip made it a perfect opportunity to introduce Emma to real hill hiking.

"Hey, slow down, you pushy little chiwahwahwaaaah!"

Brogan goes off leash, so I gave him a try as 'anchor dog' for Emma, but she was a bit too enthusiastic in her trail blazing and the experiment (above) was short lived. It took her about 30 seconds to get used to going straight up on the slippery sandy cliff trails and then she was leading the way out in front of me. Emma is one intrepid little chi!

Happy hiking dogs.

After a one and a half hour trek we ended our McNee adventure by visiting the horse stables. Emma seemed intrigued by her first horse meeting and the horse was likely wondering why I was holding up a creature the size of his head to meet him. Brogan didn't appreciate me doing the introductions and growled when he felt we were too close to the scary horse... visit over!

A small little dog in a small little sweater in a great BIG forest.

Emma's next adventure was another courtesy of Santa Cruz dog social group Woofers and Walkers. Over a dozen dogs enjoyed a lovely hike near Chaminade Hotel and Spa overlooking Santa Cruz and then lunch on their outdoor patio.

It's the dog tree!

Thanks to organizer Whitney Wilde we were the first guests allowed to dine with their dogs, so all the dogs seemed to know to be on their best behavior. The sun got a bit warm and while the little dogs took refuge under our chairs, we started attaching the bigger dogs to what became 'the dog tree' to give them a shady spot to hang out. Can you believe how good they are all being? And of course, I thought Brogan was the handsomest dog gracing the dog tree!

Emma poses in front of Alamo Square's famous Painted Ladies.

Just yesterday Brogan, Emma and I attended the Alamo Square annual flea market in support of rescue group Rocket Dog. Even though Emma is not a Rocket Dog they let us help out and have a great day (Thank You, Rocket Dog!!). Brogan and I were put in charge of (i.e. put into) the chihuahua pen along with Miss Emma and four other dogs. We spent the next five hours serving as an impromptu chi (and Rottie!) petting zoo and meeting all sorts of people. I got to speak French, Spanish, Italian and German thanks to all the tourists, so it was a great day for both dogs and languages.

When we were finally liberated from our puppy duty, we headed into the square to take advantage of the great dog park and admire the famous San Francisco "Painted Ladies" which face the square. Brogan was a bit camera shy, but Emma was a good sport about letting me snap her photo at end of a long but fun day.

Today was a trip to the beach at Davenport and Bonny Doon where Emma surprised herself by running so enthusiastically after a seagull that she hit the surf without exactly meaning to. After the initial shock, I think she kind of liked it... I guess we'll just have to see if she turns out to be a surfin' dog. To be continued...

Emma thoughtfully contemplates her next adventure.

Emma's First Visit to (Doggie) Disneyland

2009-07-31T21:27:00.000-07:00

"Mmm... just smell that rotting seaweed and dead fish ocean smell!!"

For my dog Brogan and me, Sunday afternoon at Fort Funston in San Francisco is a sacred tradition which dates back ten years to life with my first Rottweiler, the unequalled Duncan the Wonder Pup. As soon as they are vaccinated, all my dogs, foster and 'forever' alike, get to experience the pure doggie bliss that is the beach, cliffs and dunes of Fort Funston. On any given weekend, sun or (more likely) thick fog, the parking lot across from Lake Merced is crammed with people either bringing their dogs to the happiest place on earth (dog version) or coming to hang glide.

I wasn't sure how Emma would do off leash. She's made huge strides in coming when I call and is generally not a dog who likes to escape. Like Brogan, she knows how to stick close to her meal ticket! But it's always a bit scary to pop a dog off leash for the first time. Rest assured, Fort Funston, with trails far away from the main road is a safe place to try as long as your dog ISN'T a runner.

Happy dogs at the beach :-)

As soon as I unclipped her leash, Emma looked up at me, shrugged her tiny shoulders and strutted down the path right next to my feet like she owned the place! She showed no fear of the dozens of other dogs along the path and scampered around exploring without ever getting more than twenty feet away from me. This dog continues to be such a marvel... by far the easiest foster I've ever had. Even my beloved pit bull Jodhi (who started out life with me as a foster), took a bit of wrangling on her first Fort Funston visit.

Emma especially loved hiking the dunes and chasing seagulls. Who knew such a little dog would be such an intrepid hiker? She even fell into Jodhi's old trailblazing role, taking the lead ahead of me while Brogan happily pants away in the anchor position.

Girl cooties from me are bad enough, but now

Brogan has to endure chihuahua girl cooties. Berk!

Emma Takes Lake Tahoe by Storm

2009-07-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

For 4th of July weekend, Miss Emma made her first trek to Incline Village on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. Brogan's 'time share' parents live there year round and we were all volunteers at the 25th Annual I-CAN Run/Walk which took place the morning of the Fourth. I decided to shamelessly plug Emma's orphan status by making poor Brogan wear sandwich boards on his backpack. We definitely got a lot of attention and Emma got a lot of pets and handling by dozens of people. It was hard to believe this was the dog it took me two hours to approach only three weeks ago. Even the week prior on the train trip she'd acted terrified of children and here she was soaking up the adoration from all ages like a trooper. I think she may be officially used to me dragging her into oddball situations!

Brogan hangs with three pretty girls after the race.

There's really no such thing as too much adoration from humans.

Brogan was a sport about wearing "Adopt my Little Sister!" signs on his backpack (not to mention carrying around my stuff all morning).

...And finally, after we all had a nice post-race nap we hit a local hiking trail for Emma's first hiking experience. No surprise, she was a natural (though unlike Brogan she had to stay leashed as a precaution from becoming a tasty coyote snack!).

Emma Demonstrates Proper Relaxation Techniques

2009-07-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

Emma shows off how to relax but remain vigilant over your toys at the same time.

Emma and Birdie (CARE foster pretty pittie girl) demonstrate the only proper activity for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Emma is my first experience with a chihuahua (with the exception of certain unfortunate and painful nipping incidents in my younger days) and she isn't at all what I expected. Most of the day she is mellow and quiet, happily snoozing away in Brogan's bed in my home office or burrowed under the comforter in the bedroom. A couple of times a day she turns into wacky speed demon and has figure eight chase sessions with Brogan around the back yard. In the turns she is nearly laying on her side... how she doesn't fall is a mystery of chi physics!

She is also learning to play with toys, which are a new concept for her. About a week ago she discovered toys had value to Brogan, so started collecting them in her bed (formerly HIS bed) but didn't actually play with them. Yesterday the little lightbulb went off in her head and she started playing tug of war with Brogan and a tiny stuffed octopus. Yay! Despite his 80 lb bulk, Brogan grew up with a 5 lb poodle who LOVED tug of war and it is still one of his favorite games. Needless to say, he is in Rottie heaven.

Yes, there's a dog in there... a common view of Emma during the day (as a lump in the bed).

Emma Rides the Rails

2009-07-16T03:47:00.000-07:00

Emma chatting up her fellow train riding pooches on the way up the hill...

...and here's our doggie train carriage pulling out of Santa Cruz!

Emma came to me hand shy (evidence of being hit in the past) and not too trusting of new situations and people. Solution? Get her out and about meeting nice people and experiencing all sorts of adventures. Since I take my own dog, Brogan, everywhere, bringing Emma along is a breeze. Her second week with us, I signed us all up for a train ride from Santa Cruz boardwalk up into the redwoods on an old open car train. The trip was organized by Santa Cruz dog social group Woofers and Walkers and included about sixty people and over seventy dogs! Most dogs were LARGE, but as Emma thinks she is GIANT, this posed no problem. We sat next to a handsome pitbull boy who proved quite smitten with our girl, but after an initial telling off (Emma to pit) everyone settled in for the ride. By the trip back down the hill she was (safely) hanging over the side, happily gazing down at her adoring public from the height of the train carriage. Brogan, more accustomed to such adventures, had a nice nap on the way back down. Thanks to Whitney Wilde, organizer extraordinaire of Woofers and Walkers for arranging for such a great day!

And finally after a hard day riding the rails, Brogan and Emma demonstrate the proper use of doggie seat belts as we get ready to head back over the hill to San Jose. Good dogs!

Introducing Rescue Dog Emma, the Wonder Chi

2009-07-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Emma was found with her chi buddy Butter and Emma's six babies in a foreclosed house's garage. She did a great job with her pups at her first foster mom Sue's house, then it was time for her leave the mom life behind and come live with me and my kind and gentle Rottie boy, Brogan. I am fostering her through CARE (www.carepets.org) and am completely enjoying having Emma around until we can find her forever home. Could it be you? Contact me for more information at emily_horch@yahoo.com.