Happy belated holidays!

We want to wish you a happy belated new year and a lot of accomplishments!

We have been busy these past few days, coming to visit with my mother-in-law (wow, such a long name) and our godparents at the mountains. We were lucky to have had some snow for Christmas and it's still snowing now. Aschiuta couldn't be happier.

We got here by train, of course, with a doggie ticket for pooch and regular priced ones for us. It was nice and spacey for once and we had time to take some interesting photos.

"Woohoo, first class! I'm taking the window seat and the aisle seat!"

Poochie already bored on the train and lying down on the floor.

Christmas was fun, we shared some champagne (yes, from Champagne in France) with the family and stuffed ourselves with traditional dishes. Of course Aschiuta had her share, as always.

I had to go back and forth for the New Year week, since I was working every day. I left on the 31st in the evening to join everyone at the mountains, then went back home the next day. I have to say, work was tedious, but luckily, I have another week off and so I'm back here with everyone for some more relaxation.

Poochie has been quite nice, without making a lot of confetti, but she did swallow some pieces of gum. Good thing she got rid of it.

She has been extremely excited about being here and for the snow as well. When we go out with her, she sometimes makes very quick dashes from one side of the other, as far as the leash allows her. All I can do is hold on for dear life, there's no way I could possibly match her speed. She even broke her extensible leash doing this and my husband had to go buy another one. It seems better quality, but too bad it's not red, as that is poochie's wardrobe colour.

Aschiuta taking a break from running.

And speaking of wardrobe, I made some adjustments to her winter coat. I replaced the leg elastic, so it wouldn't wobble left and right on her back and added a little embellishment, made by me. I think it looks fetching on her, don't you?

A much better fit and a snowflake. See my other needle works here, if interested.

Santa and the big-eared elf

Ho-ho-ho? Where did the summer go?

We have been very busy the past couple of months. Yes, Poochie and I, because she contributes as much as she can: shedding lots of hair all over the place, sleeping under my arm and of course, asking to go out during an especially difficult task. Thank you Pooch, you may have a treat.

What have we been busy about? Well, we have been playing Santa and making presents left and right, ever since October or so.

I know, I know, making presents is like baking your own Christmas cozonac (yes, look it up when you're in Romania, it is yummy) and making your own cakes. Who spends time on that anyway, when you can just go to the store and buy one? Crazy people, I tell you.

Well, I have learned to make lace using a needle lately; the technique is called tatting. I will not bother you much with the details, however the results are quite cute (Poochie has been teaching me to be less modest, haha), so I opened - sorry, we opened (Poochie helps, you know) an online boutique. If you are curious, you are invited to visit, it's called Dandelion Lace. Yes, we do ship abroad too, hehe.

The trouble is that there is so much to do and so little time until Christmas, I will still be away for a while, making presents. Poochie, come help me!

"Let me give you a paw with that."

The change of the seasons

Hasn't it been a long time? It certainly feels like it's been months and I'm sure there have been several months since I have last written a post in either blog.

"Oh, hello, I was just writing in my blog here..."

Winter has come and gone, marking its passage with lots of snow and very cold winds. I'm a bit sad that I don't have any pictures of Aschiuta prancing around in the snow, as she is really cute doing it, like a little kid (goat's kid, that is).

We had managed to go out for the routine walk just as some snow had settled down on the street and it looked like a warm white blanket to the unknowing eye. For who doesn't know, we moved away from the hustle and bustle of the market place and the large busy road to a very quiet neighbourhood, where cars pass maybe three-four times a day. So, you can imagine how soft and untainted the snow appeared, especially at that early hour on a weekend.

Aschiuta loves the snow and to her joy, we did have several weeks of solid snow, so much that we ended up wishing for spring to hurry up. At times, it was so thick and so soft, Aschiuta would simply swim in it or try to, with her bunny hops. The first day of good snow, we chased each other around and I tried to topple her over in the snow, but she really wouldn't let me, so I settled with throwing a few soft snowballs at her. I am sure that, if she had been bigger, she could have pulled me on a sleigh if she wanted to. Snow is always good fun with the poochie.

Now the spring breeze is here to warm up the frozen earth and the snow has almost completely melted away, leaving lots of mud behind. Aschiuta's coat has been put away and we are already making plans for her next haircut, since she is shedding again. That much for snow... But still, we are looking forward to the joys of the next season, lots of grass and flowers for poochie to prance around in.

A visit from an unexpected friend

A couple of nights ago, Scorp called me to come downstairs with some dog food. We've had a few stray dogs taking shelter at the entrance of the building, so it's not the first time I've brought a share of kibble for another dog.

But then he added "It's our former neighbour, the old black dog." Some of you might remember that last year we had an old dog stay on the hallway of the first floor and we would bring it food almost every day. There is a post about him, Our new neighbour. He disappeared a few times, but he'd be back in a couple of days. But one day, he was gone and we didn't see him again...

Until two days ago. I was a bit sad, wondering where he'd gone off to and if he'd managed to get through the winter safely. But he was back, still limping, still gentle and shy, but no longer lethargic. He was walking around with more energy, sniffing us and wagging his tail happily.

Most of our strays are mutts, grey, black or yellow, medium built and with droopy or pointy ears. If you've read my more recent post about Bobita, our doggie neighbour, you can get an idea of how these dogs look like. The old dog with a bad leg looks a lot like Bobita.

We were happy to see him again, since we had been a bit worried. He sniffed the food but didn't want to eat it from Scorp's hand, so he left it on the stairs. I'm sure he'd eat it later, they always do.

"Poor sweet dog", Scorp said, looking behind as we were going back inside, "he wouldn't know how to defend himself from bad people."

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.

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.

Happy New Year!

It's already the 2nd of January and we're back home from a very lovely trip to Brasov. We really had fun, even if we still didn't manage to go skiing or anything fancy like that. It's just being in that city that makes us feel good. And the holidays, of course.

The train ride

We had packed everything the night before leaving and I was going to meet Scorp at the train station with Aschiuta. Everyone keeps asking "you're taking her with you?". Yes, we take her with us and she even has a special ticket too.

The taxi ride was just awful... Aschiuta was sick and the driver didn't pull over when I asked him to. You can imagine the rest.

The train ride was the usual standing in the hallway with Aschiuta on her leash. This time it was very cold and wet on the floor, so she kept trembling. Scorp's mom suspects she caught a cold on the train and that's why she wet the bed... twice.

A well-dressed doggie

But no more of that now, because she got Aschiuta a Christmas gift (see, I told you she was a good girl) - a great little coat with fur on the inside. No more trembling for her and she was really pretty in it.

New Year's Eve

My own mom came for New Year's Eve and we all stayed in the kitchen and had a nice dinner. I was impressed that my mother played with the doggie and let her stay next to her without complaining. Though I'm sure she still doesn't like the dog hairs.

At midnight, we went out and lit fireworks, with the pets inside. I'm sure they got pretty scared, because, although we had quiet fireworks, there were some neighbours who bought really loud bombs. Such recklessness...

The ride back home

We went by train again, except this time it was slightly faster than the ones we usually take. Aschiuta was frightened for some reason... She kept trembling and whimpering, even with all the attention she got from everyone. So, we stayed on the hallway again.

We walked most of the way from the train station, trying to teach Aschiuta to walk beside us. Long trips like these are good for walk training. She actually caught on and didn't pull on the leash as much, so I hope to teach her some more later on.

This was our little holiday in Brasov. And even if it's a bit late, I want to wish you all a Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays

It's winter and a little chilly. The only snow has fallen and already melted, but we still had some fun in it.

And yes, it's Christmas! Mother and I cleaned the house, we have two fir branches that smell nicely, but are beginning to shed their needles. I went shopping for food, drinks and presents yesterday and today we can enjoy the day off.

Christmas decorations

We bought a little artificial tree a couple of years ago, decorated it nicely with lights, bulbs and wreaths and a little star on top. And we never undecorated it, so this year I took it, dusted it and set it up nicely.

Our little Christmas tree. Donkey sneaked under there too.

Donkey is Scorp's present. It's wearing the "noble steed" armour and helm.

We also have a long cable with red lights that I put around the door frame and on the bookcases. It's hard to walk in when it's plugged in, but it makes a nice light.

Aschiuta's first Christmas

Aschiuta has been especially good today, most likely because Scorp and I were both home and played with her. She even got to greet mom, who was squeamish as usual and didn't let her touch her.

Such a good girl... Maybe Santa has something for her too?

I don't think Aschiuta feels like it's a very important day, and she's sleeping a lot, but I'm thinking of giving her a nice bone to chew on. She loves them.

That was our little Christmas at home, no relatives, because they live far away...

I wish you all a merry Christmas!

Our new neighbour

There is a new neighbour in the block of flats. He's quiet and doesn't disturb anyone. Even if he's very shy, he easily warms up to nice people and he has a sweet personality. He's not a person though.

Doorstep dogs

I've told you before in the post On the streets that there are a lot of stray dogs where I live but that some people take care of some of them. They are allowed to sit in the entrance of buildings and you might even see a little rug or piece of cardboard put there for them. The pet store is close and you often see dog food in a corner, left by a nice person.

The old black dog

A few weeks ago, we've seen a big black dog sitting outside of the building we live in. It was night and a bit cold, so Scorp opened the door for him to get inside. We've seen that dog a couple of times there again, brought him some food on occasion. He didn't seem too attached to the place though and he came and went.

He's been inside a bit more often when it got very cold, sitting under the letter boxes. Once there were some fries in front of him from someone, but I don't think he ever ate them. He gulped down the kibble I brought him though.

The injury

Some people are simply stupid or mean or both... I'm sad to say that we suspect someone hurt the poor dog when he was inside one time. He has been limping ever since, unable to put his hind paw down. He never barked at anyone, let alone try to bite people. He was like a little old beggar, rolled into a ball, trying to get shelter and warmth and looking at people with sad eyes, hoping to get some food.

I don't know who or how carried him up the stairs to the first floor, but we found him there and he's been there almost every night. I think that when he isn't around, someone living on that floor might have taken him inside.

I was walking up the stairs with Aschiuta one evening after going for a walk. The power was out, so we couldn't take the elevator and it was pitch black. We ran into the old dog and Aschiuta and him started sniffing and wagging tails, because they knew each other. I was trying to walk further in the dark with one crazy dog on a leash and another limping one following us, stumbling and talking to them. A door opened, but nobody came out and they closed it back when I started climbing up to the second floor. Maybe they were worried about the dog... I hope they were taking care of him.

Scorp and I went and left him food a bit more often, but he was hurt and very skinny. We were very sad we couldn't take him in, but my mother can hardly accept Aschiuta, let alone another dog...

I do believe people are also taking care of him, because the floor is clean and they are letting him sleep in front of their doors. And I'm almost sure he can't climb up or down with that leg... So I hope they take him inside sometimes.

It's really sad to see such a lovely dog in that situation, but I'm happy someone is taking care of him and maybe his story will turn into a happier one.

Happy holidays everyone... Don't forget about the less happy among us.

Aschiuta's first snow

Aschiuta is less than a year old and since she was born in spring, she's never seen snow before. Well, this week we had the first snowfall this winter and the snow piled up nicely on the streets and sidewalks.

Naturally, I had to take her out for a feel of her first snow. And I must say she loved it. Well, she loves every walk we take, but she really enjoyed herself running around and sniffing in the snow. My boots aren't rigged, so I was afraid to let her run too much, otherwise I might have fallen on my back. Although I'm sure it might be fun to let her pull me around like a sleigh.

Unfortunately, she managed to chew up part of her little red shirt, so she trembled a little, but all the running kept her warm. I will repair the shirt and might end up taking some pictures to show off her new "outfit".

Some tips about winter care for dogs

It's winter, Christmas is coming and if you've got some snow too, it might just be a great holiday season for your family. If you have a dog, it will probably enjoy the snow too. But you should know a little about how to keep your pet safe.

You can find a lot of useful information about this on the American Kennel Club.

You might sometimes see a cute fluffy dog with a coat, a grannie walking her dogs dressed in homemade knitted sweaters. There are thousands of offers on the internet for dog clothes and coats. It's true that a lot of short-haired breeds need an extra layer to keep warm and if you see your dog is shivering, you should consider dressing them up. You can even try and make something to wear for your dog if you have the necessary skills.

Also, be careful of dangers hidden in the snow. It's true that the white fluffy snow will cover up all the ugly mud and junk, but that doesn't mean it's not still there. Be careful where you walk with your dog and if you see any red pawprints, it's time to check the paws for cuts. Something like this happened when we took Aschiuta to a sunny grassy slope in Brasov. There were some hidden glass shards in the grass and she ran over them a couple of times. After that, she didn't show any sign of pain or discomfort, even if she had a big cut and a few scratches on her paws.

Antifreeze is not good for your dog. To be on the safe side, always wash your dog's paws (and any spots you see dirty) after each walk. Like I said before, I use a very simple sulfur soap that the vet recommended for a skin problem and I've been using it ever since. Also, dry well with a towel and blow dry too, if needed. Aschiuta gets nervous when I turn the drier on, so I reserve that for full body baths.

Other than that, be careful and don't overfeed your dog. Dog obesity is a real problem and you should check with your vet to adjust your dog's diet. Also, be careful what treats and scraps you give to your dog. But more about feeding your dog in another post.

Enjoy the holiday season and may everyone get a nice present from Santa!