A Trip Down Memory Lane

Our senior dog, Linguini, the eleven year old dalmatian mix, was adopted when she was a little pup. M had been looking for her lost cat at the Pasadena Humane Society and had to pass by the dog kennels first. She saw Linguini shivering, all by her tiny self, inside an enormous outdoor kennel. It was November; a cold and rainy month. 

M was forced to jump through various bureaucratic hoops in order to adopt Linguini, but it was worth it. Of course, we have not adopted out of that place since. 

 M's peanuts instantly fell in love with this beautiful and sweet doggie.

Linguini grew up with Rosie, our beloved chocolate lab. Soon, she'll be joining Rosie at ... the rainbow bridge. We're trying to get used to the idea. 

Linguini is a sweetheart--an angel of a dog.

 She welcomed me into the family and was always gentle with my tiny sickly self.

Her second favorite thing is going places...

 ... but what she loves the most is FOOD!

Linguini is so sweet-natured, she even put up with Pedrito!

We love our senior spotted dog!

(She enjoyed yesterday's dog hike so much that she forgot about her dog arthritis and even chased after a bunny)

Twinkie

It's A Dog's Life

After complaining about the weather yesterday, I woke up to a beautiful sunny day. Because we're expecting more rain and cold, I am going to seize the opportunity and go dog hiking today.

Before I go, let me share how I spent my morning:

My pack enjoyed themselves as well:

It's a dog's life alright!

Have a glorious Saturday.

Twinkie

Dear Twinkie | A Dog Advice Column

A dog advice column

houndstooth asked...

Oh darn it! I really thought you were going to mail me my kitten! I had such big plans for things we'd do together, like taking long naps on the couch!

Lilac would like it to be known that she insists upon having the fan on and the a/c at all times! She gets barking mad just thinking about having to go outside for turn out. She does feel much better about recycling those green papers, though!

My question this week is about something I know you are very knowledgable about. We have been doing a lot of hiking lately and we've liked it so much, we plan to do some more. What are the things you think every hound should have in her back pack when she goes on a hike?

Bunny

TVT

I love talking about dog hiking! Oh, the joys of hiking with dogs! But just in case, one should always be prepared for . . . anything. 

I think this will do it

PS: Bunny, you should always pack a copy of the last Cat Fancy magazine. Just in case there are any dull moments. 

the booker man asked...

miss twinkie,
i'm starting to get filled with the nervosity. see, i woofed to sam and pippen that i'd help police miss ruby and miss penny's bachelorette pawty. we even came up with a super cool dance routine. and after all, my lovely miss mayzie is gonna be there, and i just can't take my eyes off of her most beautimousness. but now all the ladies are woofing about green papers and cheese and throwing these thingies at us dudes?? what has the booker man gotten himself into?!
*woof*
the booker man

TVT

I think we've all seen the aforementioned "dance" routine. If I may add, you looked spectacular! Rest assured my friend, there will be no throwing of green papers. We've agreed to recycle those. As for the cheese, who does not desire cheese thrown at them. Go with the flow. Enjoy. 

The booker man is going to get extra cheese! 

♥♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥♥ asked...

Awww, that is bittersweet about the kitties. M is a good woman - but we know it was hard for her to do.

Now about that ball and chain party - TD and Phantom are planning to go, but we are worried what the guys will think of this lampshade dude showing up. Any idea what we can do?

Woos ~ the OP Pack

TVT

I got a great idea. We'll ask the organizers to respectfully rename it "Frankie's Ball, Chain, and Lampshade Pawty! Phantom will be the best dressed party animal. 

Wow, Phantom! Who's your stylist?

Tank asked...

You're so good at answering questions Miss Twinkie. I would like to know why there are so many idiots in the world. I find myself getting depressed about this. Do you think we could herd them altogether and bite their ankles? I think this would make me feel better.

Sincerely yours,
Tank

TVT

Bitey ankle? Why not! Too bad you're over your kennel cough, I was going to suggest you cough on everybody.

 Tank day dreaming about bitey ankle

Cocorue asked...

TwinkTwink,

You ARE one smart cookie!

i'm still giggling over Tank's comment about the "idiots" in this world. i thought i was the only one thinking that!

Q: how do i Stop mumster from humanising us????? Coco is more hooman than the hoomans themselves!!!
bad enough that Coco has a vast wardrobe and has her own 'armoire' ( exCUUUUSE ME...)
AND now, i haave to wear a Sock to cover my wound - her excuse is that to go 'coneless' i'd have to wear the socks to prevent me from licking my wound.
my FEAR is this is an excuse and Before i know it, i'll be behaving like a hooman - clothes, behavior, eating habits....pls help wise Twink
i'm only 7mths and hoping for a loooooong Dawg life!
pookisses
Tiffy

TVT

TiffTiff, my dearest poor spayed, toothless, and declawed little girl! My heart goes out to you, as I've been through similar ordeals myself. Don't worry, baby. Having more small dog clothes than dad is common, especially for little princesses like your sister. Listen carefully now. This is the perfect opportunity to train your humans. You can train them at any level. I'd start with your main concern. Instead of allowing them to humanize you, I suggest you puppy-ize them. I won't rest until I see a photo of at least one of them in a dog cone and a baby doll dress. As for "The Sock", keep giving them the sad puppy eyes that I see all over your blog and while staring them right in the eyes, softly start chewing on your sock. I've tried it and mom was too busy laughing to get mad. 

As for the armoireS, OMD you're right. But your wise older sister offered to go naked for you. If that's not self-sacrifice, then I don't know what is. 

"The Sock," a new film by Stephen King. As for Coco, a special plea: no more going naked. There are children visiting our puppy blogs.

Khyra And Sometimes Her Mom asked...

How do woo do it week after week after week!?!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

TVT

Right back at you, you royal fluff ball, you! And I don't even do transports in the weekends. How do woo do it? 

PH That's probably NOT the way Khyra does it

Frankie The Chiweenie asked...

Are you forgetting something again, Twinkie? Weren't you supposed to mention your blog feature at Carnival of Shopping, along with a description of the Beloved Pets blog?

TVT

Dang! The chiweenie is right this time. Thanks, Frankie. I see you're maturing nicely. Our blog was indeed mentioned in Carnival of Shopping. As for the animal blog you mentioned, you can find it by clicking HERE. It's a blog geared towards information and tips that pet owners might find helpful and useful. 

Now, go take on the day!

Twinkie

Teacup Chihuahua Playing Hard To Get

There's a good looking dude in my life. His name is Hank and he's a rhodesian ridgeback. Here's a picture of him:

As you can see, he's a rather handsome fellow.

Hank is also an intellectual. He likes to watch animal planet and mun2.

He is also a gracious host and he always shares his marrow bone with me.

But I, Twinkie the teacup chihuahua, am quite a catch so . . .

"Catch me if you can, Hanky!"

(I love to play hard to get)

Hank is oblivious though, because he is blinded by his feelings for me.

Watch him drool over me!

What Hank has going for him above everything else is his sense of humor.

His nickname is Scooby.

"Huh?"

And because I love a great sense of humor,

sometimes, during our dog hiking expeditions, we walk off into the sunset together.

Right, Hanky? (wink)

Twinkie

Dog Obesity

The obesity rate in the U.S. is still growing dramatically. About one third of of american adults are indeed obese. Great news for dogs: get off the couch and walk your pooch. Canine obesity is a serious matter. If you care about dog health, read on.

There are two main actions one can take to curb obesity: Eat less, exercise more. Same exact principal applies to your canine companion. 

1. Adjust the amount of food you give your dog. 

2. Provide your dog with regular physical activities, such as walks (a couple of times a day if there is already an issue), dog hiking, dog parks… 

All dogs are susceptible to obesity, just like humans, however those that are fed high calorie diets (that includes table scraps I'm afraid), and those that do not get adequate amounts of exercise are at risk. There are some breeds, such as doxies, beagles, and labradors that are known to be predisposed. 

Fact: Obesity affects 20-40% of all American dogs

Visible Signs: visible body fat, not visible ribs, from above your dog the belly is bulging out

Clinical consequences: difficulty exercising, walking, getting up or down, difficulty berating, and canine arthritis (in other words, extra stress on the already inflamed joints)

Causes: too much food very little if any exercise

Organs affected: bones and joints, lungs, heart and potential diseases include canine diabetes

Exceptions to the rule: hypothyroidism, insulinoma, intestinal parasites, fluid in the abdomen, pregnancy

The majority of dog obesity can be easily treated at home, cutting back on your dog's caloric intake and increasing the exercise periods. If you have tried this simple solution and see no results, it is a good idea to visit your dog vet for a proper evaluation, including blood tests that can rule out hormonal and thyroid disease. The dog vet is also where you can purchase low calorie kibble, although having checked all the ingredients on those (mainly byproducts and lots of corn meal), I recommend to stay away and instead use a good quality dog food in slightly smaller portions. Some dogs love canned pumpkin, green beans, carrots . . . See if your dog likes those. I personally use all of the above including a small dollop of non fat yogurt for my barely obese senior dog. I know many people who simply cut back by a quarter of a cup per day the food intake on a larger dog and they have no problems. I use both of my suggestions: I substitute some of the reduced kibble with veggies and I cut back a little of the dogs' food. This way, my dogs never know they are on a diet! Do not ever put a dog on a crash diet. That can both shock his system and make him miserable. Long term but steady weightless is the goal. 

Table scraps and treats are generally bad for dogs, but especially bad for overweight dogs. Some dog owners also use a large portion of dog treats, disproportionate to their dog's overall daily caloric intake. Be careful with that. A treat is just a treat, not a meal. The good news for dogs is that nowadays you can find many low calorie dog treats available. You can also substitute store bought treats with boiled chicken cubes, celery with a taste of peanut butter to make it more desirable, and experiment with carrots and other safe vegetables. All our dogs are nuts about carrots. 

Two cases:

1. Our brindle chiweenie is almost two years old and she weights 9 lbs. A week ago, during her physical, the vet recommended she loses one whole pound! That is almost 10% of her body weight. How did we miss it? Because of her age. As she is still growing, she would one day look chubby and the next normal. Now that we heard the dog vet's warning, We're watching her like a hawk and monitoring her food intake more than we did in the past. 

2. Our dalmatian and german shorthaired pointer mix is slightly overweight. Since she's almost 11 years old, a senior dog, she is also suffering from dog arthritis. I have to keep her weight as low as possible.

For both these dogs, I do as I said from the start of this post: healthy diet, regular exercise, and creative low calorie dog treats. My dogs' health is of chief importance. 

Twinkie

Hiking By Our Favorite Creek

We love our hikes. Hiking with dogs is my favorite pastime, even more so than running crazy with my rescue dog friends at the horse barn. So, we left the newborn kittens and their outdoor cat enclosure behind and off we went. My sissies, Frankie the brindle chiweenie, Linguini the spotted dalmatian pointer mix, and I, Twinkie, the teacup chihuahua, met up with the rhodesian ridgeback pair, Hank and Sue.

Our senior dog, that is definitely suffering from dog arthritis, took the lead

Everyone enjoyed drinking the fresh creek water

I enjoyed walking on it

We pressed on and had a blast exploring, smelling, and marking, but we were cautious because one must always be aware when hiking with a senior dog

And did I mention . . .

We love hiking with dogs. It puts a smile on our faces!

For now, we're pretending our senior dog's fatty tumors aren't there. Unless they interfere with her quality of life, we're going to leave them alone. Unfortunately, her aging seems to progress rapidly. She can not get in the car unassisted any longer and her front legs often "give" which leads to some not so pleasant face plants and a look of pure shock on our girl's face. No matter, we're all going to enjoy our dog hikes and life at it's fullest until we can't any longer. As for me, I have apologized profusely for leaving my pack and getting lost the other day. For a while, my apologies were not heard as I found myself hanging for a green retractable leash, but I took care of the problem. I hid the offensive leash (and that's one of my best dog training tips so far). 

Take your dogs for a hike, you'll all benefit.

Twinkie 

The Bone Marrow Feast

It's a dog-day cinderella story. One day I was broken and sick in an alley in downtown Los Angeles, and the next I'm chewing on yummy marrow bones with my pals, after a long dog hiking adventure.

Lately my pack and I have been hiking with a pair of rhodesian ridgebacks. They've introduced us to many fabulous trails and creeks where we've had endless fun. At first, I, a teacup chihuahua, was left behind because of my size because we were worried that the robust rhodies might step on me. Recently, we decided to give it a shot. It went really well and we've all been hiking together ever since. But it's not just our hikes I look forward to. The rhodies are superb hosts and they are both great at sharing. Visiting them at home is the equivalent of a child going to Disneyland for the first time. My favorite attractions at the rhodies' is that the grounds are like a bone cemetery. At any given time, they have at least four juicy loaded marrow bones lying around with my name on them, or so I like to think.

Our gracious host, Hank, welcoming us at the door

"Welcome to my home, Twinkie and pack."

Our spotted senior dog, always gets the first taste of dog treat

Spotted dog is tolerant of brindle dog, phew!

But if you look closely, you'll see that she's not too happy about it

As long as she puts up with it, we're okay

Spotted dog was right to be concerned about her marrow bone

The little brindle dog does have the tendency to . . .

. . . devour it

I am always happy to assist with the devouring part

I have developed a technique that only small dogs can use. Take notes: The large dogs, cannot, I repeat, cannot get their big snouts in there. The best dog tongues in the world couldn't empty this fine bone. This is where my technique and size come into play. I use my front paws like spoons. I stick them in there, scoop out a nice appetizer size bite, and then I eat it off my toe nails. The large dogs have no option but to drool and stare at me in wonderment. 

Over and out!

Twinkie

Horse Show Time

Life is a basket of kittens lately, so I was relieved when I heard that we were going to a horse show. I also hadn't seen my barn friends in ages. 

I received the most warm welcome, that included a belly rub

The crazy chiweenie shared carrots with the fun police, the blue heeler, Madi

The chimeanie, Trixie was there too

Frankie had to remain alert after the last chimeanie attack.

"Mommy!"

 Holly, the blue heeler, wanted to play ball, by herself!

I stayed close to M, after our last dog hiking adventure.

In this photo, I'm on M's lap biting my sissy's paw

Out of the blue, this large gift basket appeared and guess what!

It was full of dog treats and toys! Some of the treats were even homemade dog treats! Yum!

We all got some, although I must say, I was embarrassed by the chiweenie's manners

My main job for the day was to guard the food with my life

I am good at my job

At the end of the horse show, I was rather fatigued. As for the chiweenie, she passed out again. 

I wish every day was horse barn day! 

Twinkie