Spoiled Rotten

We got Dolce's blood work back yesterday. It looks like everything is within normal limits...which is great news! Unfortunately we cannot move forward with surgery or even a dental because Dolce's heart disease has gotten worse. We were told that as long as he continues to cough it will be too dangerous to put him under anesthesia. We've since doubled him up on his enacard. It seems like his coughing has improved since we changed the dosage, but we need him to be on this dosage for a while before we can think about putting him under. So frustrating! Every time we think we're getting somewhere with him we have another set back. I'm beginning to think that his jaw will never fully heal and we will spend the rest of his life trying to manage his heart disease...actually that statement is probably 100% accurate. Sad but true.

Changing the subject to something more uplifting...Dolce is getting more and more affectionate. Lately he's becoming a mommas boy and I can't hide the fact that I love it. Last night he was so happy when I came home from hiking he immediately laid down on my chest and nuzzled up. Of course I was happy that Dolce was so attached to Brett but I couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

This morning Brett let Brownie and I sleep in while he took Rico, Chico and Dolce outside and started getting their breakfast ready. Something that is funny/weird about Dolce is that in the morning it takes a while to get him to start eating. I usually have to start out with hand feeding him, then I stop and act like I'm not paying attention. Once he knows I'm not looking he will start eating. Brett isn't so patient with him, unlike me he will not get down, sit on the floor and feed Dolce. So this morning I was just getting out of bed and came into the kitchen to see Dolce refusing to eat and staring at me. So I sat down and started hand feeding him. Brett just looked at me sitting Indian-style on the kitchen floor handing Dolce a piece of food and said, "he is spoiled rotten." I smiled up at him and said, "I know."

Good News, Bad News & No News

Just as planned, Brett and I took Dolce over to West LA to see Dr. Adams today. Almost immediately Dr. Adams brought up a concern that I have been worried might be happening. When he listened to Dolce's heart he noticed that his heart murmur is louder than it was previously. I have been worried about this for a while; I've noticed that Dolce's cough has been coming back and getting steadily worse. To help ease his heart disease we are upping Dolce's heart meds. Since Dr. Adams knows I am a professional worrier, he let me know that sometimes it takes several attempts to find the right dosage for the heart meds we are giving Dolce.

At this time because of Dolce's heart murmur getting worse, surgery cannot take place. Luckily, Dr. Adams said that the wire that is holding together the still-not-healed right side of Dolce's jaw is made of stainless steal and should be fine staying in there for a long period of time and should not come out on it's own. So we are giving Dolce's jaw more time to heal and hopefully we can get his heart condition to calm down a bit.

In other news, I mentioned to Dr. Adams that Dolce consumes large amounts of water very often, much more often than our other dogs. Because of the constant need for water and the fact that Dolce's blood work from January showed elevated numbers in his kidneys we had new blood work done today. On Tuesday we will get the results back and see what exactly is going on with Dolce. Once the blood work is back we will hopefully be scheduling a dental for Dolce. I'm not sure if I'm more excited or more worried about the dental being done...but I do know that I trust Dr. Adams and feel like Dolce is safe in his hands.

Here's a little funny conversation Brett and I had with Dr. Adams today:

Sierra: I constantly feel worried that Dolce is going to drop dead.

Dr. Adams: Well that's the trouble with heart disease, it often does happen that way.

Sierra: So I was right to call Brett at the gym today and tell him to come home immediately because Dolce was looking at me weird?!?

Brett: She worries about everything.

Dr. Adams: Well no, but you should be prepared that it is a possibility eventually.

Sierra: I knew he was on the verge of death!

Dr. Adams: You would know if he was dying...

Sierra: (to Brett) See! I told you!

In all seriousness, I do constantly worry about Dolce and fear that I will lose him. I worry about having to live a without him in it and when it will happen..because I'm not ready yet...I'm not sure I'll ever be ready. If I had it my way he would not do anything that could potentially hurt him. Of course then he would not be living the happy life he should be living...so I never stop him from playing and running..but I do draw the line at running up the steps to the front door. I want to do everything I possibly can to keep him healthy and to feel safe and most importantly loved. (Just as I am typing this part Dolce gets up and lays down right next to me...gosh I just love him so much.) I try to remind myself that although I don't know how much time Dolce will be with me, at least I had him in my life...easier said than done. I guess at the end of every day the saying, "who rescued who?" proves to be true for me.

A Former Breeder Dog's Paradise

I haven't posted an update on Dolce for a month now, only because there really hasn't been much going on. Tomorrow we take him to see Dr. Adams to get a quote and decide what the exact plan will be for Dolce and his jaw.

Beyond his jaw, Dolce has been doing pretty well. He's lost a little bit of weight, but we're working on getting it back on him. He loves going for walks, playing outside and of course growling at EVERYTHING. His recall is improving slightly and we've created a plan that works for us (Dolce and I). I promise to not pick up Dolce and take him inside, if he promises to come when I call his name. It's actually funny, sometimes when Brett is outside with him I have to go outside and tell Dolce to come in...I swear its because we agreed upon this deal. Beyond our deal, we took him to the beach a couple weekends ago and he had a blast. He actually had too good of a time and we had to place him on a leash to stop him from chasing down and trying to mount every dog walking by. He's getting better with his need to mount all the time, he now understands that he's not supposed to do it. When we tell him to stop he usually will stop and find a spot to sit (of course he growls until he sits down to let us know we've annoyed him). But at the dog beach, with hundreds of unleashed dogs, it was a free for all...a former breeder dog's paradise.

I'll give an update tomorrow regarding the plan we have for Dolce and getting his jaw healed up.

Dolce's magic haircut!

Last week I knew that we were in for warm weather over the 4th of July weekend, so I scheduled Dolce to get summer haircut. Poor little guy gets so overheated when we let his fur grow out..constantly panting and stretching out on the cooler floors.

I asked for some suggestions for a groomer because let's be honest, Dolce deserves the best and I'm a crazy woman that won't let jut anyone touch him...or any of my other dogs for that matter. I heard about Euphoria in Noho (saying Noho makes me feel very cool and swanky, like I'm in on a secret or something...it means North Hollywood for those not in the cool circle), so I did my due diligence and made sure they had a near perfect score on yelp.

I happened to be hiking the afternoon that Dolce went to be groomed, so I had a slight freak out when I realized that:

1) Brett was going to take him and he's a bit verbally challenged. Will he warn them that Dolce is like a delicate flower? They CAN'T be rough with him. He has a healing jaw for God's sake! (I tend to be a little over dramatic).

2) What kind of haircut was Brett going to tell them to give him? Was Dolce going to come out with another uneven lion cut? Or worst of all was he going to look like a Chinese Crested?? (no offense to the Chinese Crested lovers) Turns out Brett didn't really know what to tell them so they had to bust out some dogs and do a little doggie grooming fashion show for Brett to choose from.

Lucky for Brett, we picked up Dolce and he still looked cute. They shaved all of him except his tail, which now makes him look like a tiny-itty-bitty horse when you look at him from the back (I'll have to upload a photo), and kept his ear fur long. But BEST OF ALL, they trimmed the fur on the top and bottom of his feet!!! Let me explain why this is AWESOME!

Dolce had LONG fur on his feet (especially on the bottom) and the last groomer that we went to didn't even touch his feet! So he was given a lion cut and still had his little furry boots on! The poor guy slips and slides all over our hard wood floors. The worst and funniest thing he would do is walk backwards to get somewhere. It's true! Dolce would walk down the hall slowly and backwards to get to the kitchen. Since he's so independent and hates being picked up to get from point A to point B, I figured that as long as he's able to get himself where he wants, then he can continue in reverse. So with his feet now trimmed no more reverse only! He's running around the house, turning in circles and having a great time! Woohoo Dolce!

Best of all since he had his haircut it's like we have an all new dog! He's less grumpy (did you read a recent blog entry where I wrote that he growls at EVERYTHING?!?) and seems like he's so much happier! In fact we took Dolce and Brownie on a walk on Monday evening and he had the best time! His little itty-bitty horse tail was constantly wagging and he was SO HAPPY to be on a leash walking. Keep in mind this was the FIRST time we've ever taken him for a walk!

I don't know what it is about this haircut but it seems like it was magic. Dolce is happier, we're happier...win...win! I'll try my best to take a video tomorrow and upload it so you can see how excited he gets and happy he is!

Sad News...

When Brett and I were asked if we wanted to adopt Dolce our first thought was absolutely...but with careful consideration we realized that what we want and what Dolce needs are two different things. We love him so much, and he's become such an amazing part of our little doggie family, but if we cannot provide him with the medical care that he needs, then we're not providing him the life he deserves. At some point we had to realize that our love for Dolce is not going to pay for his surgeries and follow up exams. We so desperately want Dolce to stay ours forever, but we have to put him first. With that said we have given Mindi the green light to look for a potential adopter other than us.

I'm still trying to raise the money to cover his surgeries and follow up care...I have to at least do my best to try and keep him in our lives.

At this point I've started The Rescue Attic, a Facebook Page dedicated to online auctions. Any items that you may have can be donated to The Rescue Attic and the proceeds from the auctioned off items will go directly to sweet Dolce. If you have any items you can donate (new dog collars, leashes, purses, shoes, clothing, gift certificates, gift baskets, ANYTHING) please contact me ASAP. http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Rescue-Attic/155577501182169

If you are not interested in donating any items, but would like to send a donation, please let me know and I will give you the correct information with where that can be sent.

Also, I'm working to create a calendar for Dolce and could possibly be auctioned off or purchased to also raise funds for him.

Confidence

It's been a while since I last posted on here. Dolce is actually doing really well, or so I assume. Last time he had an infection in his mouth we would have never known since he wasn't acting like he was in pain or being less active.

Something that we have noticed recently in regards to Dolce's progress is that he's finally getting stronger and gaining a lot of confidence. Dolce now whines nonstop (at first I was proud that he had learned to do this, but now it's pretty annoying actually) because all he wants to do is go outside and sniff around. When we first brought him home we could take him outside and he barely moved around, but he's now really moving once he gets outside...so it looking like it's finally time to get him a harness and take him for walks. Just last night Brett looked at Dolce and said, "are you really 10?" Dolce's been so active lately it's hard to believe he's a "senior citizen."

Another change with Dolce is his growling. He never really growled before, but lately he's growling nonstop. I would label it a dominance thing and a power struggle, but Dolce will even growl at us while wagging his tail and begging for a belly rub. He growls when we pick him up and place him on the couch, he growls when I'm giving him a belly rub, he growls when I rearrange him when he's sleeping on my chest....growls constantly.

Lastly, because of the shape of Dolce's mouth, Brett and I have to squirt medicated mouth wash into his mouth each night before bed to help keep the bacteria down in his mouth. Lately (most likely bc of this boost in his confidence) he's really fighting us with the mouth wash and getting overly upset. I told Brett that our neighbors probably thing we're abusing poor Dolce. Last night I had to hold him tight against my chest while Brett attempted to squirt the mouth wash into this mouth. I think it's safe to say that it was a traumatizing experience for all of us involved (Brett, Dolce and myself). Dolce tried to bite us several times (not really bite us but he was trying to get us to stop) since he does not like anyone touching his mouth...which is understandable. Anyway we got the mouth wash in, and poor Dolce-boo tucked his head into my arm and hid. :-( Brett and I felt like total dog abusers. So glad Dolce forgives quickly...his tail was wagging about 5 minutes later.

Dolce's Setbacks

Last week I called Dr. Adams to see what the plan would be since the pin on the right side of Dolce's jaw had broken through the skin on his chin. Brett and I brought Dolce in last Thursday thinking Dr. Adams was just going to look at him and decide whether to trim the pin or to remove it (since that will eventually have to happen). Dr Adams decided to keep Dolce over night, take x-rays in the morning and decide the best plan of action. The next day we heard from Dr. Adams and he gave us the bad news on the left side of Dolce's jaw...the "less" injured side that had only required to be wired back together back in January.

At this point I am raising money for Dolce's 2nd surgery, which will require that a pin be placed on the other side of his jaw.

If you are able to make a donation towards Dolce's 2nd surgery please either donate to his chipin (http://sierralawe.chipin.com/dolce-needs-another-surgery) OR you have a few other ways to donate:

If you are uncomfortable with donating money through the chipin there are other options for donating.

1) Donate directly to La Dolce Vita Animal Rescue Foundation. You can make a check out to the rescue and mail it to: 26655 Agoura Rd., Calabasas, CA, 91302 Please make sure that you specify that your donation is for Dolce who is being fostered by Sierra Lawe

2) You can also make a donation directly to the vet's office. California Animal Hospital, 2736 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Suites C & D, Los Angeles, CA, 90025 or call it in to them (310)478-5915. Please also specify that you are making a donation towards Dolce's vet bill he is listed under Adopt a Chow (since they recommended this vets office for Dolce and La Dolce Vita did not have an open account here...it's a long story)

3) You can make a donation directly to La Dolce Vita's paypal account, ladolcevitarescue@gmail.com. Make sure to specify that this donation is for Dolce who is being fostered by Sierra Lawe. Also make sure to select the payment as a "gift" so that Paypal does not take a potion of your donation.

The Spirit of a Puppy and the Body of an Old Man

Since Brett and I have had Dolce we've frequently commented on the fact that his back legs have very little muscle on them. In fact his back end has such little muscle he doesn't even hold his tail all the way up...when Dolce is happy his tail goes out more than up. The cutest thing he does is what I call the cow tail wag. Since he cannot hold his tail up, when he's standing and wags his tail at you, its just like a cow that wags their tail side to side.

Dolce has had trouble with walking since he came home with us. Those poor back legs are stiff with little bend to them, they're so weak they shake sometimes...probably most of the time. This morning his back legs were more shaky and weaker than normal. So shaky he eventually gave up and sat down. This broke my heart to see. Dolce has the spirit of a young dog, but his body is giving out and I hate seeing this...it doesn't seem fair. It isn't fair! I just want to find relief for him and make everything new again. Once again I'm on the verge of tears because I wish we could have gotten to him sooner. I'm so glad that Dolce has a good life now...but I wish he could have been with us earlier in his life, maybe then he wouldn't be in the shape that he's in. It's so frustrating to see his little body fail him, because he is not an old dog in spirit...not even close! He loves going outside, going for rides in the car, barking at the neighbors gardener, the dog park. He's not an old dog that wants to be left alone, he wants to be with us at all times. He had no idea that sleeping in the "big bed" is fun and always opted to sleep in his own bed on the floor. When I had my wreck I was home in bed for 4 days, partially because every inch of my body hurt and partially because I was pretty depressed by what happened. For those 4 days all 4 of the dogs slept in bed with me, and Dolce FINALLY understood how awesome the big bed is. After that he refused to sleep in his bed, he would sit on the floor next to the bed and look up and wait. Now every night he sleeps right next to me, all cuddled up.

I want to make sure he has the best life possible and I want to keep his body working for him for as long as I can. What can I do to help him with those legs of his?

Dolce is doing just fine these days. He's staying up on his heart meds and they seem to do the trick. The only cause for concern is the pin in his jaw, which has now broken through the skin and is exposed on his chin. Dr. Adams mentioned that we may end up having Dolce's pin removed sooner if it broke through the skin...I'll give it another few days before I call Dr. Adams and see what he thinks.

Photo Updates

Looking a little worse for wear this morning...notice that left eye? Still a good lookin' conehead dontcha think??

Hiding under the table...let this be a reminder...no sudden movements when Dolce is eating!

This is the face he gives when he wants something...in this case it was a drink of water and a belly rub.

If you can't tell, this left eye is looking much better tonight.

Dolce's Not So Great Week

Dolce has been through the wringer lately! I was telling Brett that he's had so many complications and injuries, people are going to think we're abusive...which we're not...obviously. So here's the low down on all that Dolce has been through as of late:

1. Injury to his right wrist. I came home from work on Tuesday evening to find Dolce limping and unable to place weight on his front right foot. We took him to the vet and he was given metacam to help the swelling go down. Dolce has since recovered from this.

2. Monthly x-ray. Once a month we take Dolce has to have x-rays done of his jaw. He has to be sedated for his x-rays so after midnight we cannot give him any food. Dolce and I equally hate this appointment since it terrifies him and he leaves the office at the end of the day completely out of it. I hate it because I don't like leaving him there all day and seeing him sedated and unable to walk is really hard to watch. This past weekend, they must have sedated Dolce much later in the day than normal because when we came to pick him up at 7pm he was barely able to lift his head. We decided to wait a little bit longer and run over to Ellen O'Brien's house to get some meds (did I mention we've also had a Giardia outbreak in the house...just lovely!) for the other dogs while we were waiting. When we got back to the office to pick up Dolce he was so extremely out of it his little body was limp in my arms and his head was swaying back and forth. I wrapped him up in my sweater to keep him warm and we headed home...this was around 8pm. At home I wrapped him in a blanket and laid down in bed with him and watched a movie to calm him down and help him relax. (He was attempting to walk, but wasn't able to.) It took until after midnight for Dolce to start coming out of his sedation.

3. Ulceration to his left eye. On Sunday morning at about 6:30 I found Dolce's left side of his face extremely swollen and he was in pain. I honestly started freaking out because I had no idea what to think. Could it be a spider bite? Bad reaction to the sedation? Did he fall down last night? It was so early there really wasn't much I could do, so I placed him on my chest and he slept right there for another hour. Later in the afternoon we took Dolce in to the vet and they immediately knew what was going on. Apparently when animals are but under sedation the vet will place ointment or drops of some sort to keep their eyes from drying out...otherwise they can be scratched. At some point Dolce's eyes must have dried out while he was under sedation and was injured, this was made worse when he kept pawing at his eye. (I only saw him paw at his eye a couple times, which I stopped him but who knows what he did all night while Brett and I were asleep.)

4. The pin in his jaw. When we dropped Dolce off for his x-rays on Saturday I asked the vet tech to ask Dr. Adams about the little black bump/cyst on Dolce's bottom lip. I had been very tempted to poke around and maybe even pop it...but I stopped myself...good thing! Turns out the bump that looks like a cyst is actually Dolce's pin. Dr. Adams says it has not migrated but may eventually break through the skin and expose itself...which could be a reason to remove the pin sooner than later. (Yes, the pin will eventually come out...and that was always part of the plan.) Good news is that the side of the jaw with the pin holding it together has finally started to heal. The bone is starting to come back together and fill in where there was nothing...very good! But there is still movement in that side of the jaw...so it is by no means 100% healed yet.

To tally it all up Dolce is now on the following meds:

1. Enacard - for his heart disease

2. Flagyl - for Giardia

3. Erythromycin - for his eye

4. Tramadol - pain reliever for his eye

As for the photo of Dolce...that is what he was doing as I typed this blog...just staying comfy in his bed...he's been a real trooper through all of this. I guess Dr. Adams was serious when he said that Dolce's a tough little guy.

p.s. Forgot to mention...until Dolce's eye is healed, he has to wear an e-collar while he's home alone...I hate doing it to him. I really wish I had a job that allowed me to take my pups with me.

Dog Food Under My Nails

I've never had a problem with feeding Rico and Chico...they're ALWAYS willing to eat anything and everything that I give them. Dolce on the other hand takes persistence, patience and endurance on my part to finish a meal.

Every morning when my alarm goes off at 6:30 Dolce immediately stands up and has one thing on his mind...potty...outside...potty...outside...poop...outside! This is also the time that I have to drag Brownie out of bed because Dolce refuses to go potty first thing in the morning and late at night before he goes to bed, UNLESS there is another dog out with him...afraid of the dark?? I think he just takes pleasure in seeing where another dog has just peed so he can go and pee over it...even with dogs I have a hard time understanding males. :-/

After the morning potty adventure Dolce is almost always in a great mood, pawing at me wagging his tail and prancing around...which you would think was because it's breakfast time...nope. I cut up his food to Dolce sized bites (if it's too big, he will spit it out and look at me like I should have known better), then sprinkle it with shredded cheese and place it on the floor for him. Usually at this point he decides that what I have done is scary and he hides under the kitchen table or below and kind of inside one of the kitchen stools. After calling him, sitting on the floor and trying to wave a piece of shredded cheese he will crawl out from his kitchen table cave and take the cheese I've offered him. At this point he either returns to his cave and we repeat the process again, or on a good day he will eat all of the cheese on his food then return to his cave. If you haven't figured it out yet...breakfast is NEVER easy. I have no idea why, but acting like I am eating his food or like Brownie is going to eat it usually gets him to straighten up and start eating his food, but ONLY if I had feed him each bite. Every morning I have dried up dog food under my nails...but my little diva's belly is full...and that's all that really matters.

Improvements

As usual Dolce amazes me. Dr. Adams said that the medication he prescribed Dolce would improve his cough quickly...we had no idea it would work so quickly though. His cough really diminished within 12 hours. He's still coughing a few times a day, but not nearly as badly as he was. Dolce's back legs are FINALLY starting to bulk up and he's able to do thinks like jump on the couch...even when we don't want him to. We now have 4 dogs that all can sit on the couch whenever they feel like it....great! haha.

I could tell Dolce was in a good mood this morning since he barked and growled at our neighbors gardener. The funniest thing about Dolce when he barks is that he's like a little cartoon character dog. He barks and I swear his entire body lifts off of the ground. He barks 3 times and his body comes off of the ground 3 times...its really funny to see him do that.

Sorry for the short post, but it's the end of the day and I need to get ready to leave work and head home to all of the pups. Don't forget to stop and purchase your Mega Millions lottery ticket tonight! I'm praying that I win tonight and can start my rescue foundation/sanctuary and my dog hospice home and devote my life entirely to rescue.

Heart Disease

Took Dolce to see Dr. Adams on Saturday. All morning I was whispering to him that today was going to be a scary day for him, but that he didn't need to worry because he was coming home at the end of the day with us. Brownie had what we thought might be a BB in her leg, so we took her to get checked out along with Dolce.

We met Mindi at the vet and she was finally able to see how he's doing, which made me so happy become I'm so proud of the progress that he's made to date. When we got in with Dr. Adams I mentioned that Dolce has developed a cough over the past week and I was concerned about it. Dr Adams mentioned that he was going to ask about that because when he listened to Dolce's chest, his heart murmur has gotten louder. We were told that a heart murmur has a rating of 1-6, 1 being the best and 6 being the worst. Dolce is a 4. We knew going to the appointment that Dolce's jaw would be x-rayed to see how he's healing, so they took advantage the timing and also took some chest x-rays. We had to leave Dolce at the vet's office for about 5-6 hours, which I'm NEVER happy about doing...but I know he's in safe hands.

Since we had several hours to kill and Brownie with us we went to Santa Monica and walked near the pier...Brownie's first experience walking on sand. Then we went to 17th Street Cafe in Santa Monica and had some lunch. Brownie sat on my lap the entire time and was amazing. She is such a polite little one, doesn't beg or anything. We kept going back to the vet's office to check on Dolce and they kept sending us away. Eventually by about 6-7pm we were able to pick up our little Dolce, but not after getting some not so great news.

The chest x-rays show that Dolce's heart has enlarged, which means he's experiencing heart disease. How advanced, I'm not sure. It breaks my heart to think he has to go through this. Dr. Adams said that heart disease is manageable and that Dolce could live for several more years, but even so I hate that Dolce has one more thing to deal with. Dr. Adams has placed Dolce on a heart medication that will hopefully lower his blood pressure and make it so his little heart doesn't have to work so dang hard. At this point it's safe to assume that Dolce will be on heart medication for the remainder of his life. I wish I could fly around the Earth like Superman and make time go back so I could save Dolce a long time ago. I just hate that he's had to go through so much and here is just one more thing...it's all very frustrating. But then there are days like today where he is so full of life and happy. We packed up the car this afternoon to take everyone to the dog park, but before we left I realized that I forgot the water bowl in the house so I ran back inside to grab it. Dolce must have liked the smell of the smoothie that I just made to take with me because when I got back to the car Brett told me that Dolce stuck his head in my cup and started drinking my smoothie. Later on I found some of his hair in my cup...I didn't mind.

In one month we will take Dolce back to see Dr. Adams to see is the heart medication is working...I really hope it does the trick and makes it easier on our little guy. I get so sad to see him start coughing when he tries to run around or when he gets excited to see me. I just want to scoop him up and wave my magic wand....wish I could find where that damn wand is.

Oh and about Dolce's jaw, the side that was severely broken is taking its time to fill in and heal, but its to be expected considering how infected the break was. The other side looks good. At this point Brett and I will be giving Dolce a nightly mouth rinse to try and keep his mouth as clean as possible. We're hoping that if we keep it nice and clean it will help his bone heal faster, because that pin in his jaw will need to come out eventually.

Keep thinking positive thoughts for our Dolce...he's come a long, long way, but still has hurdles ahead of him.

Little Furboy

A few days ago I posted an update saying that Dolce had a slight setback and had urinated on himself overnight...well he did it again, but I'm beginnig to think that I may know why. He's still very scared of the hardwood floors, thinks that he can't walk on them. So rather than get up and potty on the floor, he's just going on himself. :-( I think the best option is for Brett and I to hit up PetSmart and get some potty pads to place next to his bed at night. That way he can get out of bed and walk onto the pad, which should make him feel better since they will cover those "scary" hardwood floors. I know it's all in Dolce's head, because today he would walk to me slowly on the floors and even walked into the hallway on his own...we just need to help him overcome this fear.

Besides Dolce's fear of the hardwood floors, this week has been really amazing for him. I didn't want to mention it to anyone (not even Brett), but for about a week or so last month, Dolce went through a really rough patch with me. I really thought, that he just didn't like me and that maybe him being adopted sooner than later would be best. He went through this phase where he was constantly growling at me and being a total brat only towards me. I would tell Brett that Dolce growled at me or lunged at me and he would laugh it off because it never happened when he was around. I'm not sure if Dolce was testing me out or what, but now he is the biggest (little) love. He has evolved into this little boy that just craves being with Brett and I and with the rest of the dogs. He gives us kisses, is over the moon when we come home, his eating has improved, he wants to cuddle all the time and he even lets us know when he wants to be held. The things he has accomplished and the little pup that he has become is so far beyond anything I could have imagined for him. And the growling at me has stopped!! I'm so proud of our little furboy...he's doing so well! Now we just need to get over that fear of the hardwood floors!

Oh and Dolce is seeing Dr. Adams this coming weekend to see how his jaw is doing and if a 2nd surgery will be necessary. Please send positive thoughts to our Dolce boy in hopes that the other side of his jaw has begun to heal. I would hate to see him have to go through another surgery.

Playful Pups

Slight setback last night. Usually Dolce can hold it all night, but when I went to get him up this morning to go outside his underbelly was soaked with urine. :-( Poor guy, now he's gonna have to go through the trauma of getting a bath again. Then at breakfast Brownie was shaking uncontrollably and refused to eat. What is going on with these two this morning?

Other than that, Brett was hired for a new job, which means he will be out of the house for a good portion of the day everyday M-F...I hope our little poochers can handle this. I set Dolce up in the kitchen with his bed, food and water. So if he wants to pee all over the place, he can have at it...that floor is easy to clean.

Did everyone see the video Brett took of Dolce running around? Wasn't that amazing? When I got home from work Brett was outside with Chico and Dolce and they both came running up to me happy that I was home. What wasn't in the video was how Dolce got so excited he ran all over the little front yard excited that I was home. Then Brownie pushed the screen door open when she saw I was outside and came running to see me as well. What's so great about Brownie and Dolce playing together is the fact that neither one has played with another dog since they came to be with me. We take Brownie to the dog park multiple times a week and she likes to run along with the group of dogs playing, but never actually plays with them. It was so great to see her get down and playful with Dolce...those two are so great together!

Dolce has been in a great mood lately! He seems like he has suddenly become very attached, more loving and slightly needy. He wants to be sitting with us at ALL times. This morning anytime I would walk past him he would run alongside me, or paw at me with his tail wagging like crazy. He even played with me this morning on the rug in the living room and got so into it he was growling and bouncing around! He's 100% a different dog from the dog we brought home about a month ago.

Progress

Dolce's wound is healing nicely and looks great...thanks to those meds! The last few days he has really shown an attachment to us. When we got home on Sunday from going to the dog park he was upset for being left at home and not included and just wanted to be all over Brett and I. Then when it was bedtime and we put Dolce in his bed he came over to our bed and pawed at it standing on his back legs...just begging to be in bed with us and the rest of the pack. We let him get in with us until he fell asleep, then he went right back to his bed. I love the dog that he is becoming now that his feeding tube is out and he's gained weight...he's much healthier and happier.

Today when I got home from work he ran right up to me and stood on his back legs trying to get me to pick him up. Then we went to the dog park right before dark and he ran around enjoying the open space. He even tried to play with another small dog but my being overprotective, I kind of ruined that. Dolce's been playful with Brett and I, but not with our dogs or other dogs; in fact he has always just wanted to mount them. It's AMAZING to see Dolce want to interact with other dogs for reasons other than mating. Brett said that Dolce even tried playing with our Chihuahua Rico today! Progress people!

At this point we have one last hurdle...the March 12th appointment to see how his jaw is healing. Once that's done Dolce is ready for his forever home. He's going to be a hard one to part with...we've all become attached to our little Dolce-Boo.

Look Ma...no Sutures!

Got up this morning and took all of the dogs out for a little potty break. Dolce was in such a good mood he went running and prancing back into the house when he was all done. He's been such a good boy lately.

Yesterday Brett and I decided he needed to go back to the vet because his suture in his neck (from the feeding tube) was stinky...very stinky! He had a lot of black junk covering the sutures and when I cleaned it it crumbled away, which made me immediately stop and decide I'd feel more comfortable with Dr Adams doing this. So Dr Adams removed Dolce's suture and we're now putting ointment on his wound twice a day. We have another appointment in March to find out of Dolce will need another surgery or not...we're hoping not.

We also decided on a food that Dolce seems happy to eat, Nutro Ultra Senior. Funny thing about Dolce is that he is one picky little guy. When we cut up his food and give it to him he will stand there and stare at us. He refuses to eat until we sprinkle his food with shredded cheese. Once the cheese is added to his food he will clean his bowl! Also, this may be an "overshare" but I'm so happy to report that since he's started eating a more solid like food (the stuff we put in his feeding tube was VERY watered down) he is now having real little doggie poops. I don't know who is more relieved, Dolce or Brett and I. He's still having trouble with making it outside to go potty. He will go to the door and wait for us, but other times he just gets up and walks over the the nearest object and lifts his leg to relieve himself. I'm not sure if that will ever change at this point.

Well Brett and I are off to take advantage of the sun by hitting up the dog park. Unfortunately Dolce is going to have to stay home this time. With no bandage covering his wound I don't want to risk it getting licked by another dog or getting dirty and causing an infection.

I do not like green eggs and ham...I do not like them, Sam-I-Am

Well Dolce has had his feeding tube out for a week as of tonight. We were able to continue him on the food from the vet's office for a little while, but eventually he was done with it despite all the goodies we threw in there. So Brett and I took Brownie and Eldad (2 other fosters) to Petsmart to stake out the canned food section and see what they might have that would resemble human food. We purchased the following cans:

1. Blue Buffalo: Chicken Pot Pie

2. Natural Choice: Simmered Beef and Potato Stew

3. Wellness: Lamb and Sweet Potato

4. Nutro Ultra Senior: Chunks In Gravy

#1 was a hit! It smelled like vomit in my opinion (literally), but Dolce thought it was great!

#2 was another hit! He ate almost the entire little container of food! And to my delight it actually smelled like beef stew...big upgrade from vomit smelling.

#3 was a dud. He refused to eat it. It also smelled pretty awful to me.

#4 we have yet to try...but I have a bad feeding about it.

I think our next step will be to head over to the holistic dog food store just down the street and see if they have anything that can entice Dolce into eating. Other than that I am about a hop, skip and jump away from cooking him food myself. Because of Dolce's age and all the injuries he's had to overcome as well as the importance of gaining weight and continuing to maintain it, it's really important to me that Dolce is not eating empty calories. I want to make sure that everything going into his body will do more to help him than harm and to do everything I can to ensure that he lives a longer healthier life.

In other news Dolce is getting better with the hardwood floors. He's easing himself back into slowly walking down the hallway. I think he slipped around a bit too much after being bathed and that it scared him or made him think he couldn't walk on the floors without slipping. Something really scary also happened this week. I went to bed the other night and Dolce stayed up with Brett. I guess Brett put Dolce in our bed, which I think he thought would be nice for Dolce and didn't think how it could be possibly dangerous. Anyway in the middle of the night Brett rolled over and caused Dolce to fall out of the bed. I swear I have never bolted out of bed so fast in my life! Brett felt terrible, he took Dolce and sat with him in the living room holding him and checking him over and over to make sure he was okay. I was pretty much a mess thinking that we had killed Dolce...of course Dolce was upset about falling off the bed but was in no way "dead." He was actually completely awake and even eating and walking just fine...but I'm sure you can all image how much I would worry after taking such a fall especially after having jaw surgery and being so skinny. Brett took Dolce to see Dr. Adams and we were told by a vet tech that Dolce would need to have x-rays and to stay overnight, which made us even more upset. So when the vet called later in the evening and said he was fine, didn't need x-rays and could come home I tore out of Pasadena as fast as I possibly could to get over to West LA and pick up our boy! I am SO GLAD he was okay and that we were able to get him back without him having to go through the scary experience of staying at the vets office overnight. He must have been extremely relieved too because he stuck to my lap as soon as I got him into the car.

Oh and the photo on the top is of Dolce the night I brought him back from almost staying the night at the vet. We got him all tucked in and comfy into his bed that night. Brett and I have both learned a huge lesson...no Dolce on anything higher than his bed on the floor and the couch when he can be supervised.

Dolce's Weekend

Since Dolce has had his feeding tube removed I'm really happy to share that his feeding schedule is going really well. He's always been a finicky eater for us so I was really concerned with how well he would do without the feeding tube.

At this point we mix in nutri-cal into his canned food and add shredded cheese to the top to get him going, it actually looks a lot like refried beans when you see the cheese on top. We also do the same thing for Brownie since she's just as finicky as Dolce. But sometimes no matter how much cheese we add to his food he just won't eat it, so then we bring out the big guns and take some soft treats and break them up and place them on his food. So far this has worked every time, so lets hope it continues to work.

Brett and I took all of the dogs to the dog park yesterday before the heavy rains started. Dolce LOVES being outside and really enjoys the dog park, but I still don't feel comfortable letting him run around so he gets to enjoy the outdoors and the dog park from either my lap or Brett's. Maybe someday he will be healthy and strong enough the run around the small dog section of the dog park. On a side note, yesterday at the dog park we had this HUGE dog in the small dog section and she came over and sniffed at Rico and Chico and got as close to Dolce as I would allow her, then she flipped over and was submissive to all 3 of the Chihuahuas...too funny!

When we got home from the dog park everyone was in need of a bath. Brett and I were able to bathe 3 out of 4 dogs...which we feel was an accomplishment. I'm going to post photos of Dolce getting his bath and will share them. He's so little when his fur is all wet. Once he has the stitch in his neck removed we're planning on having him groomed to have some of his extremely thick fur thinned out. Does anyone have a suggestion for an amazing groomer? I don't want him going anywhere that I haven't heard some great things about.

Link to photos of Dolce: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2558736&id=16833855

He's a New Dog

Dr. Adams called me last night to give me an update on Dolce. He may have a 2nd surgery ahead of him if one side of his jaw doesn't heal by next month, but his feeding tube has been removed and the goal is to continue to at the very least maintain his weight. I was told that he was pretty sedated and would be out of it when he got home and would need to rest for the remainder of the night. When Brett picked Dolce up he told me the same thing, that Dolce was really quiet and drugged. However, when they got home Dolce was SO HAPPY to be home...he was still drugged and wobbly on his feet but his tail was wagging and he refused to sit still. I asked Brett what happened to him being "out of it," and he said that during the car ride Dolce just sat on his lap and stared up at him and that when he saw the house he completely changed. Since he was so wobbly on his feet I scooped him up and took him to lay in bed with me and watch a movie. I eventually fell asleep and I assume Brett didn't have the heart to put him in his bed, so I woke up in the middle of the night to Dolce sleeping on my face and giving me kisses. We had all 4 of the dogs in bed last night, it was definitely crowded but it felt nice to have everyone in one place and for all of us to be cozy and snuggled up.

When I get home I'll take some pictures of Dolce without his feeding tube. Once we get the stitch out of his neck I'm planning on taking him to get groomed...no more messy haircuts from Brett and I.

This is One Tough Little Dog

When I got home from work tonight I took Dolce and Brownie outside for their little potty break. I think Dolce was probably in the best mood I've ever seen him in. He was running around, attacking acorns and wagging his tail all over the place. I was petting Brownie and looked over and saw that Dolce had been digging at an acorn and his face and snout had dirt all over it...he just looked up at me with his little doggie grin and wagged his tail...so happy. I called for him to come inside and he came running across the little yard and did something that literally AMAZED me. Dolce ran up to me and started pouncing at me and jumping back and forth with his tail wagging like crazy...he wanted to play! I swear to god my heart skipped a few beats...this boy has come such a long way. After we tried playing we went inside and he immediately ran right into the kitchen ready to eat some food. I'm telling you this dog is not the same one I brought home!

Somehow I got my days mixed up and didn't realize Dolce's appointment with Dr Adams was tonight. I'm so glad I thought about it and called the vet to make sure! When we got to the vet all of the staff came out at different times to greet Dolce (he's very well known over there) and tell us how great he's looking. But for the best news: Dr Adams wants to remove Dolce's feeding tube! YAHOO! He wanted us to leave him at the vet over night and remove the feeding tube first thing in the morning, but I really didn't feel 100% comfortable with that since Dolce went from being a super happy dog to shaking and quivering once we walked into the vets office. I really felt like it would be too much for him if we left him there and he spent the night there all alone. This little guy has been through enough and doesn't need to worry that he's being abandoned ever again. Dr Adams understood my concerns for Dolce and told us we could bring him back the next day to be sedated and have X-Rays taken of his jaw and to have the feeding tube removed. I think my favorite part of tonight's visit to the vet was when Dr Adams was looking at Dolce's mouth and said to himself, "this is one tough little dog." I love the way he said it. He said it in a way that felt like he was so relieved and proud of my little Dolce boy and like he was letting out a sigh of relief.

When we drove home we hit a lot of traffic and Dolce was getting overheated (he gets that way easily) so he got on the arm rest between Brett and I and stretched out (as much as he could since it's a small space). Eventually he wanted to stretch out and sleep, which was difficult since there was no place for him to lay his head...so Brett put out his hand and Dolce placed his head in Brett's hand and slept like that for the remainder of the car ride...so sweet.

Can't wait to update with photos tomorrow when his tube is removed! Thanks for reading everyone!

Quick Update

Hi everyone,

Dolce is doing really well. Since we doubled his food intake and added Nutri-cal he has so much more energy! And he seems to be feeling really well because yesterday afternoon he was running across the yard excited for his lunch. He's also become very active and alert and doesn't sleep nearly as much as he used to. I haven't had him weighed since our last visit to see Dr. Adams, but I have to assume he's gained some weight because his bones don't seem to stick out quite as much as they used to. One thing that does concern me a bit is his back legs, especially the one on the right. They seem to be quite frail and sometimes he has difficulty putting weight on them. On Thursday when we see Dr. Adams I'm planning on asking him what he can do to strengthen those two legs or if there is a supplement that can help him...I'm thinking he may have arthritis in them. I'll keep everyone updated on his legs and what Dr. Adams thinks about the feeding tube.

Other than Dolce, I do want to raise awareness to a really sweet girl that volunteers her time at the same shelter that Dolce came from. Claudia Garcia is 17 years old, volunteers 5 days a week at the shelter and has been able to have countless dogs saved because of the photos that she takes, the networking that she does and the work she preforms on the dogs. Her little dog Spoty was bit by another dog and the bite wound has become infected. Spoty took a turn for the worse this weekend after the vet cleaned out the infection and she now needs a blood transfusion. Poor Claudia is extremely upset and needs financial help to save her little dog. If you can donate even $5, it will really help her.

http://insightanimalrescue.chipin.com/spoty-got-bit-and-needs-surgery-please-help

The Feeding Tube Fight

Getting Dolce to eat food without the use of his feeding tube has proven to be quite the challenge. I'm not sure if the meds and the nutri-cal we mix into his food are deterring him from wanting to actually eat it...or maybe he just likes us taking care of it for him.

When I made his food this morning I really wanted to see what he would eat on his own before we pushed it through the feeding tube. He licked at the bowl a couple times then stared at me. I assume we were having a power struggle and Dolce obviously won the battle, because my little diva boy had no problem eating his food when it came to him on my index finger. At any rate, he seems to be gaining a little meat on his bones...but I worry how long that will last after his tube is removed. If anyone has any suggestion on what they give to a senior that has essentially no teeth...please share with me and I will run it by Dr. Adams. I REALLY want to get Dolce back into the habit of eating without a feeding tube but not if it means he will lose weight.

In other good news, we have a little old lady that lives a few houses down from us and apparently she seems to be very taken with Mr Dolce. I have yet to meet her since she comes over to see Dolce when Brett takes him out and I'm away at work. From what Brett has told me, she seems to be very interested in him and wanted to know when he would be adoptable. It's always nice to see my old boy, Mr. Dolce getting noticed.

Also, I'm including a short video I took of Dolce last night on the couch. He's a total cuddle bug and will go between Brett and I on the couch to see who will give him the better back rub and belly rub...I won the honor last night. ;-)

Dolce's Adventures

Doesn't Dolce look great in this picture! So alert! Every day I am so impressed by him and the improvements that he makes! I was so worried when we first got him that the there wasn't much life left in him...boy was I wrong. Read the adventures of Dolce over the last few days:

1) Barked at the mail man: On warm days we will leave the front door open while we're home but lock the screen door (since all of the dogs now know its easy to push on and swing open). Apparently all of the dogs went crazy when they saw the mail man at our door dropping off our mail and Dolce got in on the action and began barking at the guy. Now for all that didn't know, I have been wondering if Dolce was devocalized because he never barks (I know, I know...devocalization doesn't mean the dog isn't able to bark completely) and it would have fit if he was used for breeding and lived in a cage. So anyway, it turns out that Dolce CAN bark...he just doesn't choose to do it often.

2) Attacked more acorns: This evening when I got home I took Dolce and Brownie outside and Dolce immediately started pawing at the acorns and attacking them. But today he treated the acorn like it was a ball that he wanted to carry around in his mouth. Every time I would take an acorn away from him he would find another to attack and carry in his mouth. I mean this little guy was running around the yard attacking these acorns...and he must have been getting pretty pissed off when I kept taking them from him because he started growling when I went to take the last one from him. It's funny but when he growls at me over things like his acorns, I can't help but laugh and be happy because it shows how far he has come and continues to grow.

3) Followed strangers walking by: If ANYONE walks by our yard and Dolce sees them, he wants to go with them...so we have to keep our eye on him! In the morning a neighbor of ours walks to work and Dolce almost always starts trotting behind the guy with his tail wagging like he's off to work too. It's good to see that he likes people and isn't afraid of them.

4) Fell in love, er...lust with a GSD mix: One of our neighbors has a German Shepherd mix and from what Brett said, Dolce met her and her dog today. I assume the German Shepherd was female because Dolce's tail was wagging and he started following that dog down the sidewalk. I think this is a great sign! Dolce can do well with dogs of all sizes...but he prefers females...my little casanova. ;-)

A Different Day at the Rainbow Bridge -Author Unknown

Just thought I would share this...

Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before. But the animals who had been ...waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch. It wasn't long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often. He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be. But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of an Angel who apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their people could pass over Rainbow Bridge. With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also elderly and infirm. They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting. One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for a while to explain it to him. You see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to rescue just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge. The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?" As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom lifted. Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person and among the older animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all young and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life. "Watch, and see" said the second animal. A second group of animals from those waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. The newly restored animals fell into line and followed him towards The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together. "What happened?" "That was a rescuer." The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of his work. They will cross when their new families arrive. Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they couldn't place on earth, across The Rainbow Bridge. "I think I like rescuers," said the first animal. "So does GOD," was the reply. (Author Unknown)

Skinny Dog

I came home last night from the vet with Dolce and Brett (and Brownie) feeling frustrated and a bit down on myself. Dolce will be keeping his feeding tube for at least another week, if not longer. I was a little upset last night because both Brett and I felt like we were being blamed for the fact that Dolce had lost weight. We've followed the feeding schedule exactly as we were instructed, 10cc of water into the feeding tube followed by 15cc of food and again 10cc of water into the tube to flush it out every 4 hours. I feel awful, if Dolce's lost weight (and he is REALLY skinny) I feel like I should have known better, but then again it's not like me to go against the directions of a vet. Anyway I have to assume that the vet tech either gave us the wrong information or they didn't realize how much food Dolce really needed to take in, and I guess leave it at that. Dolce is now getting twice the amount of food (still every 4 hours) and we're giving him Nutri-Cal to supplement his diet and hopefully help him gain weight. My biggest worry is that Dolce has been walking around hungry and I didn't even know it...I feel awful.

Alas, there is nothing I can do about it now; it's all in the past. Dolce will no longer go hungry and he will gain weight! As god as my witness, Dolce will never be hungry again! Okay, I added that for dramatic effect.

Dolce and the Acorn

I have to just give a quick update on Dolce before I head to work this morning. I just took him out with Brownie for a potty break before I leave for work and Dolce apparently was feeling very playful! It was too cute! Dolce never really feels playful but something must have changed this morning. We have a large oak tree in front of our house and their are acorns EVERYWHERE. Today Dolce discovered all of the acorns (that he has been walking all over for the past couple of weeks) and decided it would be fun if he would paw at them and make them fly into the air. So he was pawing at acorns hard enough to make them fly into the air and bounce away, then following the same acorn around the yard and repeating the process over and over. It was so amazing to see him having such a good time with a little acorn. His little tail was wagging the entire time. I'm hoping that he will do it again and I will be able to get a video of it for tomorrow. And stay tuned for an update tonight once we get Dolce back from the vet...send him your positive thoughts tonight. :-)

The Senior Citizen

I CANNOT wait to get Dolce's feeding tube removed! I'm thinking he's going to be so much happier once he can get that thing out and can really start the healing process 100%. We're going back to the vet Tuesday evening...so cross your fingers!

Dolce is so funny, he comes to greet me when I get home from work with a little tail wag then stands on his back legs and puts his front paws on my leg, begging for some pets. This boy loves a nice back rub or belly rub on his cute Valentines Day blanket. He loves to cuddle but he's also very independent, he will get up and go to our bedroom and get into his bed and sleep for an hour or two while we're all hanging out in the living room. I like that he feels safe enough to leave the room and know that we will still be there when he gets back. Our other foster, Brownie has total separation anxiety and will pace the house until she knows where everyone is and what they are up to.

I was telling Brett last night how happy it made me to see Dolce asleep on his blanket on the couch all stretched out and dreaming. It seems really unfair that he had to experience such a huge portion of his life at the hands of such cruelty, but all that I can do is focus on the future he still has. He's my little senior citizen and I just love his skinny little bony body.

Dolce the Superdog!

I am so amazed by Dolce! In a weeks time he is a new dog!

This morning I was up getting ready while Brett and all of the dogs were still sleeping. When I heard a noise I peeked into the hallway and found Dolce standing there wagging his tail. I was so impressed to see that he got out of his bed and came down the hallway and to the living room (this dog does not usually walk around the house) to find me. He must have been feeling great this morning because he followed me out the front door did his business then turned and walked up the stairs and back inside...AMAZING! Most people would think that behavior like this is normal, but this is huge!! This boy is not accustomed with walking around and obviously loves to stretch his legs and be outside.

Dolce is making huge strides towards healing and finding the loving forever home that he deserves. He loves to be cuddle up next to someone and cannot get enough of belly rubs. I can't wait to see how he improves once he has his feeding tube taken out!

It's Dolce's World..and I'm Just Living in it

Dolce is most definitely on the up and up and coming to life. He is a HUGE fan of belly rubs and will come sit next to me on the couch, look at me, place his head on my lap then flip over and assume the position for belly rubs to commence. The photos above show the amount of fur Brett was able to brush off of Dolce and how great he looks since Brett brushed him.

If Dolce had his way he would walk all over Pasadena, sniffing and lifting his leg. In true Chihuahua fashion, Dolce enjoys taking his time sniffing what seems like our entire block and he does not appreciate being rushed. Apparently he believes that there is a method to his madness. Anyway, it happened to be cold a couple nights ago and he had finished his business and was still sniffing and lifting with little to nothing coming out so I opted to pick him up to take him inside...big mistake. Dolce was not happy with me for messing with his sniff and lift routine and let me know by growling at me for about 30 seconds. The funny thing is that I was so happy to hear him growl because it meant that he's coming back to life. Not long after we got back inside, he seemed to be embarrassed by his behavior and he came and snored with his head on my lap for about an hour.

Also, Dolce and I want to say thanks to Ginger Rooksby Grable for sending him a cute little Valentines Day fleece blanket. We cover him in a blanket at night when he sleeps, so this will be his new blanket. Thanks for caring Ginger!

Heading to the Vet

Dolce and Brett are headed for West LA as I type this, to see Dr. Adams and have Dolce's neck wrapping redone. Since Dolce has gotten here he's really become quite active when we take him outside and it has become evident that he is one stubborn boy. He has specific spots that he must go to each time he goes outside, and he doesn't care if you want to go to that spot or not, cause he's going there! So with all of the outside potty trips we've been taking him on, the neck wrapping must be redone. Poor little Dolce did the little doggie shake last night and cried out in pain because his feeding tube pulled a bit...that told me that we needed to tighten up the loosened neck wrapping as soon as possible.

Other than the neck wrapping, Dolce has become much more alert and even gives the tiniest of tail wags when you greet him after being away. We're getting somewhere with him and I think things can only get better once his feeding tube is a thing of the past.

Oh and the picture included on this post is of Dolce last night while he and I were hanging out on the couch. He's a cute little guy.

Baby Steps

Dolce and I got up at about 6am this morning while Brett, Rico and Chico were still sleeping. After we went outside I reintroduced him to the water bowl to see if he would use it rather than his feeding tube, which he did. One of the hard things to watch with Dolce is how he acts like a zombie dog. After having water from the water bowl he just stood there in the exact same spot in the hallway, not sure what to do next. I sat down on the floor and began to slowly pet him. I would slowly pet him for a few minutes and then stop to see if he even noticed what I was doing, then repeat the petting. We did this for 45 minutes (time got away from me) and eventually when I would stop he would take 1 step forward, as though to let me know that he wanted another pet. In the course of 45 minutes he ever so slowly walked up to me and even put his two front paws on my legs. My goal is that eventually he will feel safe enough to walk right up to me without any hesitation and curl up on my lap. Baby steps...baby steps.

The beginning

We've had Dolce since Tuesday night (and today is Thursday) so obviously he has only been with us for just a short time so far. Before Dolce came home with us I had this fantasy that he could just come strolling into our house and with enough love and affection he would be the worlds most confident dog within a few days. Who was I kidding??

For one, I 100% believe that Dolce was used as a breeder and spent 95-100% of his time in a cage and had a terrible life at the hands of some awful humans. Why do I think this? Dolce refuses to make eye contact; he doesn't even like to look in your general area. The first night we had Dolce, Brett and I were worried that he may be blind; which he isn't. He will now look at us from the corner of his eye, but definitely not interested in looking at us in a way that would require him to turn his head and make direct eye contact. Dolce also has an issue with other dogs, he doesn't dislike them but he does treat my 2 Chihuahuas like two very much in heat females...Rico and Chico do not appreciate this since 1)they're not in heat 2)they could never be in heat considering they are males. Poor Dolce boy has clearly had little interaction with other dogs other than to mate and create cute little Chihuahuas that can be sold to an unsuspecting moron. Another reason I suspect he spent most of his life within the confines of a small cage is because of how he chooses to eliminate. He basically just goes all over himself, that is, he did until we got a hold of him. We now have him going outside to potty every 2 hours. He seems to be getting used to going outside and lifting his leg, which is a great because Brett was worried we had an 8 year old puppy on our hands.

So with all that said, I'm hoping that one day I can look back at this blog and read through all of the posts on Dolce and look back on what he had been before he came out of his shell and enjoyed the good life, like every doggie should.