Random Photos

They're buddy buddies. She LOVES playing with my dad.

One of her ways of telling me she wants to go outside.. by inching her way towards the door, stopping, then looking at me, then inching again.

To add some more...

This was a first. Her tail leaked out of one of the holes.


While the other end was trying to sleep..

I believe I'd forgotten to share stories + photos abt Poochie's first time experience at a park (Robert E Lee Park in Baltimore, MD). I went there with a friend of mine and as soon as Poochie saw random specks of dogs here and there (which is also a new sight for her, at least with me) she started to freak out - lunging and making freakish wailing noises like I was tormenting her or something. Honestly, Jess and I did NOT know what to do in that situation, but I mean.. after getting to meet a good handful of dogs she finally calmed down. Rather she met a couple new friends! Here's a photo of her and the two dogs (Ebby - pit mix, Rocky - Poochie's love interest, who didn't want anything to do with her):



This was also the first time Poochie went for a little swim in the water river (? reservoir?) there. Ebby's owner gave me a few pointers on introducing her to water.
It was also the first time a stranger held her leash, which she didn't really think much of.

Until next time!

To add...

I absolutely hate it when I have no photos to share with my stories since I'm such a visual person. I don't read something unless it's tiny, or if it has pictures.

However..

I do have a lot of random/pointless photos of Poochie to share :)


She can be my new runner partner now :)




Poochie bath time!


The hood got stuck while dressing her and as a result she looked like an alien.


It was really hot and muggy in my room that day so she was really like melted chocolate on my desk and arm. She stayed like this the whole time while I was at the computer. She actually likes to lay on me like this quite often, but during this night she was extra melt-y.

More photos to come!

Poochie's Doing Great

She's become more and more goofy. She's such a princess. Except she looks like a boy so she really just seems like a dramatic gay guy. Which, by the way, I love. Actually, she isn't that dramatic, but you get what I mean.

I'm pretty sure she's learned a couple more tricks since I last blogged, but I've started to lose track. About a couple weeks ago, I really started to word hard on training her to be quiet. She's shown a lot of improvement, but still it's a challenge. It's hard when she's as protective as she is.

Though, a week ago we went to the city for my friend's 3rd annual DIY Festival and Poochie had to meet a LOT of people coming and going, along with their dogs of various sizes and attitudes. I think she was quiet the whole time because she was so overwhelmed and a little intimidated, but I like to think that she did really well. Instead of barking and screaming at every little movement or sound, she was okay. She was only a tad skiddish when people approached her and she was actually more curious than anything.

She even let this little kid pet her and be around her for a long period of time. Granted, it really did help that he lives with a dog and that his mother was there telling him what to do and how to behave around Poochie. It was great! I mean, it was a lesson for both Poochie AND me cause I really don't like kids. Rather.. I don't understand them, or trust them. Rather, I don't trust their parents. But this kid was great. He did talk a lot, but I didn't mind that too much.

After that DIY Fest, she had to stay home alone at my friend's apt - which she's previously done a couple of times - while my friends and I went out. After THAT Poochie and I went to my (DIY Fest) friend's house for their after show which had even more people, including drunk people. Again, Poochie did really well with the people, but the dogs were another issue. There was a male pup that hadn't been neutered (hopefully, YET) who had the hots for Poochie and wouldn't stop trying to hump her. And there were Eve and Crom who wanted to "eat" her.. as in.. lick her from head to toe nonstop. Poochie was so overwhelmed that she tinkled a bit, but after the other dogs calmed down Poochie was able to relax a little more.

Anyway...

• I'm still working on Poochie's overprotective barking.
• She learned to "high five," which is adorable.
• I like the new "wait" command where I hold a treat/food right in front of her nose and she waits until I allow her to eat it.

She's basically 110% potty trained. I mean, she was always good about doing her duty outside, but we didn't quite have a system(?) .. or a clue for when she needed to be let out. She definitely has a schedule, but sometimes she just needs to pee an extra number of times and for a while we weren't quite sure when she needed to go out each time.

Oh, and along with teaching her to be quiet, I've been reteaching her the "come here" command since she tends to not listen to me when we're outside, or think that she can get away with it at times when we're indoors. She's improved a tremendous amt. Sometimes I forget about being repetitive with training commands.

Almost forgot.. I'd been having a really hard time teaching Poochie to be quiet so I finally decided to give in and try out one of those collar/remote things. I found an Ultrasonic sound emitting training remote from Pet Safe (Pet Safe Remote Trainer) and I stiiill don't really know what to think about it. I think I love it, but I feel like it doesn't quite work at times... Maybe it's because it's only the beginning, but I expected that to happen after continued use of it... STILL, it has helped tremendously. Poochie did try to run away from it the first few days I tried it, but recently she'd stop with the barking and actually listen and come to me ordered to.

I still don't know, though... It hadn't made as great of achievements as I would've liked it to. Whatever I think, I'm going to use it as little as possible.

The Surprise Chute

So.. I've noticed several times before, that Poochie occasionally had rotting fish breath (.. at both ends). But I never bothered to look it up and instead put up with it until recently. So, anyway... I learned that it could be impacted anal glands.. but I knew it never got bad for her because the smell would go away and she never resorted to scooting or anything beyond a few licks.
Anyway... she started sticking her bum at some point tonight and i smelled it.. and phew.. yeah.
SO thanks to the research I had done previously, I was somewhat prepared to do whatever it is I was supposed to do.

Did it. Mystery brown liquid on a napkin. Over. Wasn't thick and the smell eventually went away and she stopped bothering with her butt. So.. I've checked it off as a successful first time. :)

.... I was a tad shocked once I saw that the squeezing did cause secretions.. and then the smell was 300 times worse.. and since I was kind of confused and had no idea if whatever I was doing was even right.. I checked to see if she was cleared or not by sniffing her butt... first whiff.. HUGE mistake..

it choked me a bit.

i still smell it. it's.. in my nose.

Running machine

During those icy days, I couldn't take Poochie out for her daily walks so I taught her to walk/run on the treadmill! Honestly, I didn't think I'd be able to do it, since she's so scared of anything big and loud.. but she loves it!

It's been a while...

Hey everyone

Poochie's doing super :)
Within the last few weeks her ears and her tail got a little bigger. Her tail is longer and a little fatter.... definitely not that flattering. Poochie had a blast on the weeks worth of ice we had not too long ago... Slipped and slid everywhere.

New tricks! "turn" and "shake". "Turn" she only knows in Korean, though. So she knows all of her commands in both English and Korean. Yes.. yes, we are proud of her :)

Socializing

Forgot to note that she has been making progress with being around people!

Happy Holidays and Greetings to a NEW YEAR!!

My dad returned from Korea with one of his sisters as well as a bundle of gifts for Poochie! A great quality knit sweater (comes with matching scarf) cost around $10.00.

Here's another shirt he got her. Actually, it was a freebie from the groomer's my aunt's Yorkie goes to. Each time they go, they're given free dog clothing. I hate pink and I hate wings, fairy-like things, but this shirt... is a winner. I think it's the teeny wings that bettered it. The pink isn't too painful, either.

She also got two pair.. sets of shoes! All leather, zipper, velcroe, and fashionable... for around $10-$15 each. They fit perfectly and stayed on. Awesome, awesome. As soon as my birthday present (camcorder, hurray!) comes in, I will take a video of her in them. After a minute she's gotten the hang of the 1 set (black & white). The other set is brown leather and a size bigger than it should be, so it's a bit funky... Have you seen a dog trying to walk in shoes for the first time?? Do you know just how painfully hilarious it is?? Now, don't comment and say something annoying like, "that's inhumane," "you're torturing the poor dog," "you should go kill yourself," "etc.". I think she'll appreciate having warm feet when out in the freezing cold. She loves her clothes more than anything. If I pull one out and prepare it to be put on her head, she dances, sits down, then sticks her nose out for me to put it on her.

Oh deary me

It's been quite a while since my last update!

I have been sick and busy. Now that I'm a full-time student, I'm twice the busier.

Poochie is well... She did have a bit of a skin problem due to the dryness and coldness. Our house is super dry ...
She had these hot bumps on her back for a couple of weeks. It's all cleared, though it spread a bit to her bum, but that's nearly cleared as well. I kept her back moisturized and cooled with a peppermint oil spray I made. I don't know if it's the cooling mists or just time, but her back did show signs of getting better when I started to use the spray. It also made her coat smoother. She never showed any changes in behavior. The bumps didn't itch, either. I could tell that it did irritate her, tho. During the breakout, she also chewed her tail raw. It healed as soon as I sanitized and applied ointment. Used Bitter Apple to keep her mouth off.
To keep her warmer I made her a fleece vest. It's super cute and she likes it. She dances when I bring it out.

She dances a lot now.

Such a brat of a princess, she is.

Still working on the socializing, but her training is going really well. Still haven't taken her to classes, but I think I'll still wait on that till I can take her to more advanced classes and once she's much more socialized. Due to my busier schedule and being so ostracized from friends, it's harder to go out and do things.

I am loving the low gas prices, thanks to our WONDERFUL economy...

My first book is published and availble for purchase online!!!! EXICTEMENT!!!!
I was going to wait on giving the link out till my name is put in the inside of the book, but the publishers like to rip us off on teeny changes like that, so.. here's the link!!! I'd prefer you guys buy the softcover, since my name is permanently on that one. The hardcover has my name on the jacket, but not on the physical book :(

Rosie Fights the Twisted Wind - Written by Tad Troilo, Illustrated by Jennifer "Bagel" Han

Here are a couple pictures of the book that the author sent me a copy of :) (Thanks Tad!)

The jacket:

The Spine!! My first real, hardback spine. (without my name T_T )