Suki

My blog books will be a little late this year.  Sorry moms.  It is the one thing I had to put on the back burner this Christmas.  I realized there were a couple posts I had skipped over and I feel they are important to include.  So fear not, the blog books are coming, just not yet.

I wanted to be sure to tell the story of Suki.  What an unusual and unexpected thing for us to find ourselves with a dog this Christmas season.  If you had told me that last year I would've laughed at you.  If you had told me it would be a chihuahua, I would've wanted to punch you because now you're just being mean.  I've never liked chihuahuas.  They are weird, bug-eyed, constantly shaking, always nipping and yapping little alien dogs.  They were my least favorite of breeds (other than maybe min-pinschers).

Well, one cold, rainy day in early October I was taking Finn to school and saw a little furry dog walking along the street.  It looked determined and cold.  I did pull over and try to call it, but it completely ignored me and kept walking.  I figured it belonged to one of the farm houses along the road so we drove on.

About 7 hours later, on the way to pick Finn up from school, wouldn't you know it - it was the same little dog.  Further down the same road I had seen it on that morning, but still in the same area.  It must've just been going back and forth, up and down the same road all day.  I followed this little dog slowly as she made her proud way down the middle of the busy road.  Almost getting hit by three separate school buses and many other cars.  She held her tiny little apple-head high in the freezing rain.

I pulled over.  I just couldn't pass her twice that day.  I got out and walked over to her.  She had traffic stopped in both directions.  She didn't cower or run, just looked at me wearily.  I picked her up and took her back to my car.  I wrapped her in a towel as she was soaking wet, shaking, not to mention I could hardly hold her with the massive amount of prickly burrs on her belly and legs.  She sat calmly in my lap the rest of the way to school.

When we got home, I started the task of removing the burrs.  It took me almost an hour.  This is how she laid while I did it.  She hardly moved.

removing the burrs

Over the next several days I tried to find the owner of the dog.  I had her scanned for a microchip (which she had but it wasn't registered), put ads online and put up flyers.  Finally, I got a call from the owner.  A neighbor had seen my flyer and given her my number.  And she asked did I want to keep the dog?  The dog is 9 years old.  They'd had her for 7 years.  And they were "looking for a good home for her".  I guess we'll never know if she got out or was put out.  All I know is, this little girl is here to stay.

 

A few things about Suki:

• She is the sweetest dog I have ever owned.
• She is also the calmest dog I have ever owned.
• She won Cody over immediately.  I was trying to find a home for her for a few days, even while all my friends told me she would end up with me.  No way did I want another dog right now - no matter how cute and sweet and potty trained!
• She sleeps in our bed and is the best live heating pad ever.   She sleeps completely under the covers, snuggled next to my stomach.  A few hours later, she wiggles up and sticks her head out of the covers but keeps her body under.  Picture it - me on the left, then Suki in the middle, and Cody on the right.  All with just our heads out.  I'm sure we look hilarious.
• She doesn't shake, nip or yap - but she certainly does have bug eyes.
• She makes a lot of funny sounds. like "bi gug gug gug"  She sounds like a chicken.  We call her Baby Chicken Dog
• She is fragile and my kids don't always get this.  But they adore her.  She tolerates them