Well, the last time I did a post like this it was with my original wolfpack. You can read about them here still, as I'm not yet ready to change that part of my blog.  And I ended up losing all of them in a 3 year period. Stella in 2020, Pixie in 2022, and Rocky and Grace in 2023.  But during that time I was also adding to my wolfpack to build up a new one.  And with 3 out of 4 of them (I just love having 4 for some reason) here now, I figured I should introduce them.

Read more »

My Favorite Life Hacks as a Dog Mom

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

 

As a dog mom of 4 Chihuahuas,  I would say I have a decent amount of experience on the products and hacks that make dog mom life easier. So I figured I’d share them today because sometimes reading about hacks and tips NOW can help you when you’re brainstorming for an idea in the future.

Read more »

Goodbye to My Pixie

It is with great sadness I let you all know that we lost our Pixie yesterday. She was just a month shy of her 17th birthday. 

Read more »

 

As you may know, in July we lost our beloved Stella unexpectedly.  It's been a tough time since then but I am super stoked to introduce you to the newest member of my Wolfpack, Daisy!

 

Miss Daisy Mae was born on August 1st. I just brought her home Friday so she is still adjusting and so am I.  But she is so tiny and adorable and a long hair chihuahua that is solid black with a little white on her chest.  I'll share updates on her here of course but to see the latest photos and adorable videos, be sure to follow me on Instagram!

 

FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA

A Day in the Life of My Dogs

 

I always jokingly say how my dogs live THE absolute best life ever, but they really do. I mean no wonder they never try to run away from home. If I could come back as anything, it’d be a dog…owned by me. Seriously, I know I don’t have kids so maybe that’s why my dogs live like humans, but either way I figured it’d be fun to look at a day in the life of my dogs.

Read more »

Meet My Chihuahuas

It’s time to have another easy read on this Friday morning. This time, I’m introducing you to my 4 Chihuahuas. Some of you may know them well or you may be new here. All you need to know is that they’re my life. Actually, you need to know a bit more so that’s why I’m going to introduce you to each of them one by one.

Read more »

Celebrating Pixie & Grace for their Birthdays

WOW!   Almost all of my dogs are in double digits now because Stella will be turning 10 in November. Pixie and Grace share their birthdays a week apart (August 24th for Grace and August 31st for Pixie) so we celebrate them together since they are the 2 originals.  Pixie turns 14 and Grace turned 12.  ACK!!!!!

Read more »

Life Lately | New Car, Strong Hair, Healthy Dogs, Plastic Bag Alternatives

Yea, so I got a new car!   It was time for my gorgeous Cuppy to go.  I have always been so loyal to Honda so it was no surprise I ended up with a 2019 Honda Civic Sport Sedan. My 2006 Civic had 122k miles on her and she was 13 years old.  I got her when she had just 4,848 miles on her.  She was a great car and did not disappoint.  But she's been getting creakier, clunkier, rustier, and she's SO OUTDATED when it comes to technology.

It was time.   ((Cue dramatic sniffling))

Read more »

My Sweet Stella Turns 9!

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

I can't believe it myself but the youngest member of my wolf pack turned 9 over the weekend!  Sweet Stella is still under the double digits though, so I'm remaining calm. 

We celebrated Stella's birthday with tons of snuggles, some delicious wet food (which is a special treat for her), and a present!

Read more »

Stella's A Therapy Dog Now Too!

Yes, that's right - Stella is now a therapy dog for KPETS just like her sister Pixie!!  I figured it will help with doing visits when Pixie isn't feeling up to it but also in the case where a visit is a better fit for Stella.  Pixie can be kind of antsy some times so it's harder for her to sit still during a visit and some visits could be with children reading books to dogs and there's no way Pixie would stay still for that!

Stella went to her group evaluation where they observed her basic behavior and interaction with me and she passed with flying colors! She's so laid back, calm, and sweet that it's no surprise she's totally cut out for therapy dog work.  

We then had to visit evaluations where we go on a monitored visit and they approve (or don't approve) how Stella was with actual people.  Of course she did great. She's like a little ragdoll and is just happy to sit there and keep people company. 

Of course we celebrated her success. She got a delicious meal of CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Petite Chicken and Peas from Chewy!  It's important that I feed Stella foods now that will fuel her for her work as a therapy dog. 

This food has chicken, turkey, chicken liver, and peas and comes in a yummy broth that Stella slurped right up.  And I love that it comes in a singles-serving cup so I know she's getting the appropriate serving. 



I love this food for a dog with teeth like Stella's because they are tiny and sometimes hard food can be tough for her to chew.  Even if I just mix this delicious broth in with her hard kibble, it soaks in and makes it much easier for her to chew.   I also love that there are real wholesome ingredients so I know she's getting adequate nutrition.


I always keep her active too so she doesn't gain too much weight.  She needs to stay in tip top shape if she wants to be a successful working girl!


Check back next month where I let you know how her first month as a therapy dog is going!

Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram

Rocky's 14th Birthday!

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

My sweet little man Rocky turned 14 on Monday!  I am so proud of him and what a good little boy he is but also it was a great way to celebrate his health despite having a heart condition for several years now.

Rocky may be 14 but he acts like a puppy.  He has so much energy and loves playing and enjoying the sunshine.

Here are some shots from his special day!

 

So to celebrate I made him little muffins! All the dogs got to enjoy them and they are packed with all natural ingredients that are safe for dogs.  I found the idea in a Hungry Girl magazine!

One of Rocky's gifts (aside from kisses and an entire day with me) were Blue Buffalo Sizzlers from Chewy.  We are big fans of Chewy AND Blue Buffalo and rocky loves bacon-style treats. They're made with real pork and have no artificial flavorings.  They give Rock man the taste of home-cooked bacon and have no by-product meal or corn, wheat, or soy.  They even have oatmeal and skim milk. Rocky loves these and they are easy for him to chew.



So make sure you wish Rocky a Happy Birthday! <3

Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram

Another Stella Update

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

A few months ago we realized Stella was limping and it turned out she injured her ACL.  Since then we took steps to help her heal conservatively to avoid the expense and risk from surgery.

It's been since January and she is doing so so much better!  She still holds her one leg up when she tries to run super fast across hard floor but that's because she doesn't want to slip with it again.  Once she's on carpet or outside on the grass she uses all 4.  


It's still going to take some time to get her used to using all 4 on ALL SURFACES but we're working on it. 

We still have carpet runners in different areas of the house to help Stella stay cruising along! Another important thing I began doing was pushing Stella's back end back and forth which caused her to use both legs to hold her up and balance the weight.  Sometimes dogs are so used to not using something or they are afraid it will hurt if they use it so they continue to hold their paw up.  That's exactly the case with Stella it seems because after we did those exercises for 2 days I saw her using the "bad" leg again.  She just needed to be convinced. 

I also have been giving Stella Nutramax Cosequin (DS) Plus from Chewy! These chews just get plopped into her mouth once a day and she enjoys the taste.  It's so so important to use a product like Cosequin.  Cosequin plays a vital role in maintaining optimal joint function.  It helps the cartilage production and it protects the cartilage that's already there so it doesn't breakdown.  Cosequin is also the only glucosamine sulfate supplement show to be safe and effective.  The glucosamine and chondroitin help with mobility too and these even contain omega-3's to promote a healthy coat and skin.  Stella needs to be on this for life so she always has healthy joints and can jump, rise, and climb her doggy steps.  It's never too soon to start giving this as a supplement so that you never have to deal with joint issues with your dogs.


I'll post another update soon.  But for now I'm going to keep working on Stella using all 4 legs ALL the time.

Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram

Pixie's First Month As A Therapy Dog

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.





It's officially been one month since Pixie and I began volunteering for KPETS, a local pet therapy organization and we've had quite the experience!  

 It started off with a visit to a local school in an emotional support classroom setting and Pixie had a blast with the kids! It was a one time only thing but I hope we get to do more classroom visits in the future. 

Then we officially started our regular weekly visits to a local facility where Dementia patients live. 

 There are 4 residents that we are assigned to visit with and we love them.   After the first 2 visits I noticed that not only were our regular residents beginning to recognize and remember Pixie but other residents in the facility remember her.   I can't even walk down the hall anymore without a line of folks waiting to see her! 

Pixie loves laying with the residents and playing around.  It's a very rewarding experience.



We are also starting a monthly visit to a rehab facility and a nursing home. 

Of course whenever Pixie is done with her work she gets rewarded with a treat.  Right now I'm using Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats in Salmon Flavor from Chewy which I break up into smaller pieces for her.  She's usually exhausted after our visits so the protein in these treats gives her a high-protein boost.  I'm also very picky with treats because with Pixie's tiny size she can get gassy very easily.  I have no issues with that with Blue Wilderness Biscuits.  They have no by-product meals and no gluten, grains, corn, wheat, or soy.  If you're looking for a nice all natural treat for your meat loving dog, these are a great choice, especially for training. 


 

Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram

Pixie's Becoming A Therapy Dog!

This site has affiliate links and sponsored content. Read my Disclosure Policy.

I am so excited to share some exciting news with you - Pixie is becoming a therapy dog with KPETS - a local organization! !! Now before you ask what that is exactly, let me explain. 


First off, a therapy dog is NOT a service dog. A service dog can go anywhere with the owner because they provide a crucial service to the human they serve.  An example of a service dog is a seeing eye dog.  A service dog should never be interrupted or petted when out and about because he is working.  A therapy dog on the other hand only goes where they are invited, usually through a therapy dog program.  A therapy dog can always be petted when they are out and about because that is their job - to provide therapy!  Therapy dogs go to schools, libraries, events, nursing homes, and hospitals.  They interact with people and bring positive energy wherever they go.

For those of you who have met Pixie in person you know that she loves humans.  No matter what size, shape, age, gender, or color you are, Pixie will fall in love with you. So lately I've been thinking what can I do for Pixie that will bring happiness to her life (aside from being super spoiled of course) and then I saw a Facebook post by a friend talking about enrolling her dog as a therapy dog. 


It made me remember a time when my Grandma was living at an independent living community and I brought Pixie in the one day to visit her.  She made me show Pixie to some of the other residents and they got a kick out of how tiny she was.  She was so happy to meet them and I remember how happy the residents looked and how excited Pixie was.  So either way it's a win-win.  I began to pursue signing Pixie up. 

Posing quickly while on the way out, after passing the group evaluation!

I had to attend an orientation to learn more about the program and what is expected.  Then I had to take Pixie to a group evaluation where they deem you "Ready" or "Not Ready" for the program based on how much control you have over your pet and your interactions with your pet and how they handle people.  So the evaluation was in a nursing home and let me just say that Pixie made many friends. 

Pixie did so good, with a little help from Earthborn Holistic EarthBites Chicken Treats from Chewy of course! I actually didn't need to use them most of the time because she was so well behaved.  When training or preparing your dog for something like this remember that it's important to choose a healthy treat.  Earthborn Holistic EarthBites are rich in antioxidants and contain veggies, fruit, and Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids, which benefit Pixie's skin, hair, and immune functions.  There's no grains or gluten and these treats are a fantastic training aid.  They are the perfect size!

I was so nervous going into it and I have no idea why. I think it was fear of the unknown.  I had no idea how the process would work so I didn't have any idea to run through in my head.  Pixie will attend 2 visits in front of evaluators and when given the OK, her paperwork will be sent in and we will get her badge and supplies and we can start signing up for visits.  I am so excited for her!


If you have a dog that just LOVES people like Pixie does, consider signing them up to be a therapy dog.  Just look online for pet therapy programs in your area.


There are so many opportunities for therapy dogs to help people.  Some dogs are used to keep children calm in traumatic scenarios like testifying in court and some are great at rehab facilities to make recovering addicts feel better.  Some dogs are perfect for making weekly visits to nursing homes and some dogs are great company for hospital patients that are in pain or enduring treatments. 

Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin' | Pinterest | Instagram