Social issues

How are Aschiuta and Nightmare getting along? Oh, just fine. Aschiuta is Nightmare's best friend, only Aschiuta doesn't know it.

Introducing Nightmare to Aschiuta

Aschiuta had always been an only pet and she was also somewhat spoiled (yes, our fault). She had also started to fight easily with other dogs, which is why she hasn't been able to socialise much.

When Nightmare first came in our home, she was kept in the kitchen and Aschiuta in the living room. We knew that if they got to meet, all hell might break loose. We worked from home as much as we could those days, to help them accommodate.

My husband made a sort of barrier in the living room doorway out of a chair, boxes and a clothes dryer so the dogs could see each other, but not make actual contact. Things were ok so we moved to the next step. Nightmare's first visit to the living room.

We were of course both there, with treats for everyone. Aschiuta was the queen of the bed, so she would need to understand that Nightmare was welcome there as well. Little by little, they eventually both ended up on the bed, getting pets and treats from us.

It took quite a few visits like this until they could both get along without supervision. Aschiuta also visited the kitchen where Nightmare was living. She even tried to steal her food, which we discouraged. I will admit, I sometimes gave them different kibble and that might have sparked some fights, but they eventually understood that each has her own bowls and they would get the same food and the same treats.

The dog fights

There have been fights unfortunately. Some just because Aschiuta was angry about Nightmare for some reason, some for territory dominance and some for treats. Something we hadn't noticed at first was that Nightmare would try to store her treats away somewhere instead of eating them on the spot. Aschiuta would then find the treats and fight Nightmare for them.

The fights never left any serious damage. I think they mostly barked and tried to lightly nick each other's faces. We were always there to break off the fights, holding them both at arm's length by the nape until they calmed down. I think their fights hurt me more than it hurt them. Lately, the fights have been very rare and we are happy for that. We also always make sure Nightmare eats her treats, rather than trying to hide them in my potted plants.

Getting along

We are happy to say that they now get along quite well, Nightmare still gets Aschiuta annoyed when she is too jumpy and Aschiuta doesn't like to play with Nightmare much, but they are definitely on the right track.

Sharing the couch

Spaghetti? Yes, please, with meatballs!

Sometimes, you have to learn the hard way, if there is no other way. Aschiuta did too and I hope she will stay far away from cables, shoelaces and spaghetti. Well, at least from cables.

The low-roof oasis

It all started this summer, when she was a lot smaller and still learning about life and its many dangers. She also learned that there were such things as internet cables. And she found them delicious.

The good thing was that she never got shocked by them, even if she chewed and chewed. The bad news is... well, you can imagine it. Scorp had to repair the cables over and over again.

At the same time, the summer was a hot and scorching one (as all summers in the tropical Romania are) and poor Aschiuta was overheating, with all our attempts at cooling her off. One day, she decided that it might be a lot cooler under the bed. And so, she would crawl under there, go all the way to the corner and nap.

Cable proofing number 1

Of course, after a nap, she would get hungry and the handiest thing she could find was the roll of spare internet cable that we had tucked under the bed so we wouldn't trip on it. After many such "snacks", Scorp finally decided he'd had enough of patching wires and we'd have to barricade the bed. He used an old carton box and artificial snow (the kind found inside the carton boxes, keeping the monitor or computer safe from damage), lots of double-sided tape... Well, you can imagine the rest. But she never got through it again.

 

The view from the inside after pulling the mattress aside. You can admire the masterwork on the left. The green and yellow is the end of a patched cable.

That was wire doggie-proof number 1.

Cable proofing number 2

Number 2 was when she noticed the wires coming out from behind the bookcase and out through the edge of the door. She subsequently began to munch on those.

We weren't short of ideas, as you might find out. We put a chair that would block the access to the wires. It was rather tricky, because we had to close the door at the same time. It did hold pooch back for a while. But only for a while.

 

Notice the chair blocking the wires. Hmm, who might the puffy green cow slippers belong to?

 

And number 3...

So, Scorp had to get the tools out again and patch up and barricade these wires too. With a lot of scotch tape.

Aschiuta, curious about the new decoration, decided to rip a piece off. Unfortunately for her, the piece she ripped revealed some naked tv cable. A jump and a small yelp and she never touched it again.

And that was the story about our efforts to get ahead of doggie's wire chewing and how she eventually learned her lesson... Poor silly pooch, good thing it was a very light zap.

Cuddling

She comes and pushes the edge of the blanket with her nose. It's like she is saying "let me in, it's cold". I lift the blanket and she sneaks underneath, rolling into a warm doggie pretzel.

She presses tightly against my belly, so close that sometimes I feel I can't breathe properly. She then swallows a few times and sighs. Shifts a little until she feels that she is in the perfect position for napping. Another sigh.

I don't know if Aschiuta comes to cuddle under the blanket with us because she is really cold or if she just enjoys the closeness. She is nevertheless welcome any time. Especially during the colder weather, we keep one another warm like that. A little sandwich. Call it a "hot dog" if you're feeling humorous.
 

Pretzel doggie, waiting for someone to cuddle with.

 
I take a small paw in my hand and dive my head under the covers to give her a small kiss on the head. She smells a bit like raspberries. She smells a lot like doggie. Her ears flutter in her sleep, tickled by the covers. She doesn't seem to mind burying her nose in there, without much air. I still leave the blanket raised a little.

I then fall asleep, hugging a pretzel doggie. Gnite. Sweet dreams.

Taking care of the doggie economy-style

Scorp and I are getting by on one salary at the moment and Aschiuta is a third (albeit smaller) mouth to feed in our little room. We often have to cut down on costs as much as possible. And it's not hard to take care of a dog economically while also providing for all its needs.
 

Of course, some things can't be found at lower prices and good quality, such as some medicine or vaccines, but for the rest of the stuff, you don't have to spend a lot of money.

Food

The big issue for everyone. After trying a lot of options, we've realised a few important things:

• Cooked food can be cheaper than commercial dog food, but doesn't last as long and it might not cover all the necessary nutrients. As a compromise, we also give Aschiuta other things, like chicken, raw bone, cheese or sour cream (the occasional milk is ok too, but can cause stomach problems) and some fruits and vegetables (carrots, peppers and apples are her favourites). We give her a little of the food we eat if it's something that will be ok for her. Rice, oven roast chicken and soup are quite ok. You can find good recipes for homemade dog food and treats all over the internet; I'll recommend Doggy Dessert Chef (the writer is very careful about what a dog shouldn't eat).
• The cheapest dog food isn't always the best. There are some good cheap brands too though (our vet recommended a few brands to us) and we've found out that we can afford to buy relatively good quality food (stuff like Acana, Pro Pac etc.)

Bedding

We used to try and make a small bed for Aschiuta from a cardboard box and some old clothes. Aschiuta though had other plans. Once she grew old (and bold) enough, she started sleeping in bed with us or on the couch.

Very comfy.

A wooden crate and old clothes (you can even make a pillow out of them) can be a good solution, depending on the size of the dog. Aschiuta kept outgrowing her carton beds.

Bowls for food and water

Scorp bought a plastic food bowl from the pet store, which we used for water. Other than that, we used big plastic ice cream boxes. Talk about recycling, right? My mom keeps all of those boxes, so I thought I'd put them to good use.
 

Unfortunately, Aschiuta chews on plastic things, so after a few of the makeshift bowls and the pet store one being chewed to pieces, we decided to not leave them within her reach. She has learned to ask for water too.

Bath

I'm still using a sulfur soap for doggie baths, since the vet advised me to give Aschiuta baths with sulfur soap and apple vinegar rinse when she had her skin problems. We don't use the vinegar anymore, but the sulfur soap does its job well. It's not expensive and it doesn't smell appealing enough for her to try to eat any of it. In fact, Scorp claims it smells too bad and Aschiuta's docile manner during bath time might be because she also hates the smell.

Toys

Another hot topic. Well, here we've improvised a lot. We have the famous old socks that she loves to play with.

Aschiuta helping the sock do some stretching exercises.

The two things we bought were a rope toy and tennis balls. But if you can find a sturdy rope, you can make a toy for your dog too. I've also read a lot of interesting ideas for makeshift treat dispensers. All you have to do is use your imagination.

Ever since she was a puppy, she's always loved her tennis ball.

Clothes

Not all dogs need clothes, but for the short-haired ones, it is a good idea to have a jacket on during the winter. Aschiuta's jacket was made out of one of my old t-shirts.
 

Not quite in fashion, but still necessary (saved us from red spots all over the place).

 
There are a lot of ideas out there about reusing old clothes to make jackets (or other clothes) for your dog. At Sew DoggyStyle, you can find some interesting ideas about making doggie clothes and accessories.

And, Aschiuta was lucky and got a nice winter coat from Scorp's mom for Christmas. Bought, but we're planning on getting the design idea, buying material and making others ourselves.

Spaying or neutering

There are programs for free or low-price cat or dog spaying or neutering. All you need to do is get informed. Consult your vet too for the best possibilities. We are waiting until spring and will spay Aschiuta.

Well, these are the tips I can offer for keeping your dog healthy and happy without emptying your pocket.

Snapping shots of the Sleeping Beauty

Today I saw a post at House of Carnivores, Argos in Repose, where you can find two nice pictures of the Greyhound Argos sleeping and a hint that there is a little sleeping doggie contest and giveaway at CowSpotDog.

I will admit, I have my camera on the table, waiting patiently for Aschiuta to fall asleep in one of her funny positions so I can snap a picture. Unfortunately for me, my camera flashes a red light while focusing the image, so the chances are my Sleeping Beauty would wake up and I'd miss the moment.

These are some of the few lucky shots that I got, showing a napping doggie. Enjoy!

Her favourite position is usually "bottoms up".

Snore snore on one side.

Snore snore in black and white too.

Scorp got this one of Aschiuta and I napping together.

The missed picture... She just opened her eyes a second before the photo was taken.

What a nice way of sleeping in. Have a great weekend!

"Is Aschiuta sleeping?"

Things one can do while Aschiuta is sleeping:

• cuddling and napping with her
• getting some work done
• listening to music on headphones
• watching an episode of the current favourite series
• looking at doggie to check up on her
• thinking "awww, she's so cute sleeping like that" and taking a picture
• watching a scary ghost show and getting brave thinking that, if a nasty ghost shows up, you'd be there to protect doggie
• getting some work done
• writing random blog entries about doggie
• watching porn
• updating facebook status with random links to blog posts
• trying to grab a snack, hoping she wouldn't wake up and come begging
• slipping out for shopping or going out with Scorp
• cleaning or washing clothes, hoping doggie wouldn't wake up
• singing along to the Offspring, but not too loudly
• wondering what she's dreaming about
• thinking "she's so good when she's asleep"

Things one can do while Aschiuta is awake:

• all of the above, but, at the same time, shouting at her "stop chewing on that!"

She's so good when she's asleep...

Beddie-bye with Aschiuta

Aschiuta is a very energetic doggie - she jumps, runs, chews on things. But when things get calmer, she rolls into a little pretzel and dozes off. On the bed, on the sofa, under the bed, next to the bed, wherever there is room and she feels comfortable.

Aschiuta as a puppy resting on the floor.

The first doggie bed

When we first got the doggie, we put her in a little box with a few old clothes as mattress. But it was a bit too small for her and she kept waking up and shifting around. I found her out of the box quite a few times. Eventually, she ended up on a big pile of dirty clothes and finally had a better sleep (and got the dirty clothes even dirtier).

Carton boxes and old clothes... bed or toy?

We found her a bigger box, then another even bigger box and put a nice pile of clothes in there for her. Unfortunately, the box was carton and apparently yummy for our dog/goat/rabbit. She kept chewing on the edges and trying to yank the box around. It was messy and annoying. Not to mention the fact that she always stole the clothes and ran around with them and swept the floor with them.

The box is now on the balcony, so she can use it when she has to spend the night there.

The first big jump

When Aschiuta was still small, she couldn't jump in bed or on the couch and she was always distressed about this. She saw us sleeping there and wanted to come join us. She saw it was nice and soft, softer than the floor or her bed (she somehow ended up piling the clothes in one spot and sleeping next to them). We always laughed at her as she was wriggling her way up, trying to use us as a ladder.

I always thought that sleeping with the doggie would be a bad idea, because she wouldn't have been able to wipe her paws before hopping in. And I was happy she couldn't jump high enough.

Snore snore.

One day though, she did. She made a run for it and jumped in bed. I shooed her down, but she jumped again. Once she was able to do it, I knew there would be no way she would stay down. I had to visit my mom then and I remember Scorp called me and said "Our little doggie is growing up! Today she jumped in bed on her own. She didn't even have to sprint for it." And that was the beginning of the Doggie Bed Empire.

She likes to make herself comfortable on the bed.

We have a mini bed warmer

She can now stay in bed whenever she wants. We even allowed her on the sofa, cleared half of it for her and now she sleeps there half of the time. She used to eat up the stuffing that came out between the cushions (it's a very old sofa), but I covered it with a blanket and she can't reach it easily anymore.

As for the bed time, she keeps our feet and backs warm. She usually sleeps as soon as we go to bed, or at about 9 pm, like a good little girl. I'm surprised that lately, when we left her alone in the room for a few hours, we found her napping. It might mean that she's finally getting over her separation anxiety. I sure hope so.

Happily napping... Not a care in the world.

 She can sleep in a lot of different positions. She can stretch her paws out until she's half the length of the bed, she can curl into a ball or even nap on her back. A friend told us this means she feels safe, otherwise she wouldn't expose her belly like that. And she even stayed like that when we went to Brasov. I guess home really is where your loved ones are.

She woke up for the photo, but that was her sleeping position.

Now, the only problem with doggie on the bed is that she can get the sheets a bit dirty with her paws, even if we do wash them every time after going out. Doggies will be doggies... And they will always leave pawprints.