Days Come and Gone

So…Chaka has now been officially (well, not officially) renamed Chukcha. She likes it more, and I think it suits her more. Also, she’s learning to heel, sit, down, and paw. A quick study – only when you have treats on hand. Otherwise, it’s as if she never knew a command. Damn smart doggie! Anyways, at times she is driving me insane and at others she’s the cutest thing ever. Oh silly doggie, why do you torture me so? Anyways, I must go – as I have spent all morning walking, training, and feeding those two that I haven’t had time to eat myself. Buying a puppy and introducing it to your old dog really is a great exercise and diet plan! Gone from 131 to 124.5 in just less than 2 weeks! At this rate, I’ll be ready for a bikini in no time! Anyways – FOOD!

Trippin’ to Virginia

So it’s been a hella long weekend – considering it started on Wednesday. Chaka and I made our way down to Virginia for my friend’s graduation from University of Mary Washington. There she learned not to pull while getting walked on a leash thanks to choker collar and ‘turn-the-other-way’ training techniques. Thanks to some random chick, she also got untrained from her name…but I have been working all day to correct that problem. I have learned since that she is overwhelmed by a large amount of people, and also that she plays rough – and doesn’t fully realize bite inhibition yet.

Last night we arrived home and Lucky’s reunion with her went fairly well. They got into a tiff this morning, but nothing serious. I think it was more my dad starting some trouble due to lack of understanding of dog’s hierarchy (and that Lucky is not necessary the top dog). So far its back to peace in the land of the Gurevich house.

Me and my dad are beginning to re-train her jumping now though, aka she will be ignored when we enter the room to show she’s not the alpha here and that she can’t jump when she wants to on who she wants. It’s from an interesting dog training book I am reading at the moment. When I have more time, I will go into greater detail. Right now just trying to sum up all my over-loaded thoughts from this weekend and this morning before I head down to Long Island for a day or two with the devil-bitch.

She is really a fucking hand-ful at times too. I was exhausted yesterday but felt bad keeping her in her crate, but I was literally crying from being too tired to deal with shit. It gets hard at times. My heart goes out to housewives everywhere.

Anyways, despite my dads protests of my dog lacking protective instincts, being a punk, being tiny, and other strange complaints – I think he likes her deep inside. The protest “why does she lick me…I only gave her 2 treats” does not seem like one from a man who actually dislikes the beast.

Anyways that is all I have time for, will return later to chronicle the chronicles.

PS…what is it about an 11 year old male dog that makes him hump a 6 month old bitch’s face?

Training the Fuzz

Well, snuggle time was up this morning for the newest member of our family. Not that she was ready for it to be over. Little miss princess stayed in bed for an extra half hour after I had gotten up. She snuggles at night right up against me – so cute!

Anyways we got up and Lucky and her were getting along better. I had taken her out after my dentist appointment to train her a little around my block. I could hear my dog outside barking his head off all the way down the block when it stopped. Chaka and I headed back up the hill and guess who was there: Lucky! He had escaped from the backyard to come and meet us on our walk. I have since fixed this problem – but what a munchkin. It was funny to see the both of them walking side by side, sitting at my command. They get along much better when busy with commands. I’ve been abusing this for sure.

I took her to the park and used the trainer’s tips to get her to learn her name and come to me. I would call her name and get her to come, and then shove a cookie in her face and let her enjoy. Then off she goes. We did this many times – and it worked all but two times when she ran too far to hear…or at least I will give her the benefit of the doubt. She even started sprinting my direction. It’s really cute.

Anyways, Lucky is so exhausted he can hardly stand. The little brat is mouthing on everything around her that she can find. I think she’s a tad younger than 6 months actually but we don’t know. I have decided for sure that she is a Basenji mixed with a Staffordshire pit bull terrier – I have seen pictures online of other dogs, and descriptions – and she matches them perfectly! Anyways, I’m completely exhausted and going to go chill on the couch and watch some TVs.

NEW FUZZ!

Oh wow, am I excited or what! Umm…actually closer to exhausted. So the final name was chosen by the dog. It was narrowed down to Chaka and Simka. The dog only responded to Chaka – so that worked out pretty good! Claudia helped me out all day. We went and picked her up and got to meet Benni’s other two dogs which are also adorable. Then we got Chaka and all her paperwork and heartguard and Frontline and all. We went to Petco and she got her crate, bed, bowls, toys, food, treats, collar, leash, choker, toothpaste, toothbrush, long leash…I think that’s all but I could be wrong. Then we took her down to the dog park to exhaust her. I tried to keep her on a leash since she doesn’t have a name or anything yet – and I didn’t think she associated me with her ‘owner’. After half hour of her running to the end of her leash and snapping backwards and upside and rough housing with other dogs, I was convinced by a fellow guy that if she didn’t return all of them would help me catch her. I figured with ten people there, we could catch her so I let her go. She plays rough! No ‘back down’ in this girl! She stood up to dogs three times her size without a problem.

There was another Pit mix at the park (probably with a lab) named Callie. Those two were going at it non-stop. Callie was just taking Chaka’s head in her mouth (not biting of course) and they were running and tumbling for a good while. When another lab came over and the game got too rough, Chaka was all about it. I had to pull her off to keep the play from becoming a fight. When it was just her and one other dog though, she was good. She just runs and jumps smack into other dogs. And if the other dog doesn’t like it they really let her know. She seems to be a bit too persistent about her rough playing – but a couple warnings seem to put her in line for now. Little dogs don’t seem to like her and let her know – she finds them interesting.

There was a moment when the dogs were kind of chasing her hard and I crouched down and yelled at her to come over. And she came to me! She was kind of hiding in my hug to keep from the other dogs to take a break. I’m glad she associated me with safety. There was another point in the hour and a half romp where she was following a golden retriever and was wondering kind of far. I called out  ‘Chaka’ and she stopped and turned around. Then I yelled ‘Come here’ and she came to me! The guy talking to me at that moment was a trainer and he was really impressed with her quick skillz. I was really proud.

Everyone was just fawning over her. ‘She’s adorable’ ’she’s so smart’ ’she’s so cute’ ‘where’d you get her’. Quite the show stopper this one. Because of her weird bark, the trainer kind of agreed with me that she might be crossed with a Basenji (they don’t bark). I also think she might have some Boston Terrier in her cause she kind of looks like one from the back – she also lays down and has back legs like a toy dog. Those bow legs, with that funny sprawled out back legs rest. The trainer disagrees, but I don’t know…

Anyway, the trainer was commenting on how she was one of those dogs that handled pain very well. I asked if it was a good thing and he just said that meant she wouldn’t back down easily. Hmm…from her rough house play, I am for sure going to have to keep an eye on her socializing. And get her to know commands very well to stop her if she’s playing too rough, or another dog that’s not playing but being aggressive. Perhaps going to a trainer isn’t a bad idea.

So then after exhausting her, I took her home. We took her and Lucky for a walk around the street. Earlier that day I had taken him for a quick walk and brushed him out well. My front yard is covered in fuzz. WE went to my backyard and she seemed good with him – in fact by the end of meeting in our backyard he was trying to get it on with her! Anyways, we let her off the leash in my backyard and she was running around once again. We have a pool in the backyard covered by a tarp thing, but it’s old and worn out and bound to break from too much stress. She ran straight out to the middle of it and seemed scared. I called her back to me and she came and I pet her. Another time she was racing across the backyard and decided to cut across the pool again – and she ran across the tarp that was sinking down from her weight – and she ran smack into the side of the pool. I called her off the pool again and she stayed away for the rest of the time. I am going to have to watch her though, or put up a temporarily fence or something.

Anyways we came inside and they seem to be good except for an occasional spat. I fed them separately, locking her in her crate until Lucky was done. He woofed his food down quicker than I have ever seen before! Then me, Claudia, and Preston chilled on my couch and watched House. I LOVE HOUSE! The dogs have been settling in more and more, they fight much less when I just act like I don’t favor one or the other and don’t care about their order. The training books were very right to say that if you just are top boss, they settle in easier and don’t care as much. The two are passed out behind me for now. Lucky sprawled on the floor exhausted, not having had such a hectic day in years. She’s passed out on the couch hugging a blanket.

The only thing that concerns me is that she has a couple red rash looking places in her armpits, and on the inside of her back legs. They feel a little warm and I am thinking that they might be hot spots. I think I’m going to book an appointment with the vet to take a look at them. Plus I want to fill out her paperwork so that she’s put down as a terrier mix instead of a pitbull. It will make it easier with the house insurance, apartments after vet school, and stuff like that. The trainer said she’s still gonna grow, and Preston agrees. She’s gonna get taller, and wider – I’m kind of sad cause she’s adorable at her size. But I can live with it. I got her a bigger crate, so that’s good.

She really didn’t like being in her crate alone. She was whining and trying to bark…although after a while she got better at barking. I ignored her until she shut up and then let her out (and when Lucky was finished). Lucky walked into my room where her crate is. She was whining and barking and it stressed him out. He started whining too, getting all antsy. It was kind of cute.

Anyways, so that’s the story of Chaka’s very first day. So far so good. I am so glad I got her. She’s adorable, smart, and the biggest snuggler ever! And she loves me. Everywhere I go, even when Claudia was here, she had to follow. And Lucky would follow right behind her. I felt like I had two stalkers who weren’t good about being discrete. It was adorable.

Names for Fuzz

My parents really seem to like the name Simka (a variation of Simcha down below). I really like it too. Still unsure. I can’t wait until tomorrow! Have to mail out my deposit to Iowa State, want to see if perhaps they do deferred admissions (maybe take a year off?? maybe not?? depends on if I can), and call people out there to set up appointments to see some trailers for June when I fly out there. And then…once that is done…unless I have to drive my dad to the airport…I get to exhaust my dog. Then drive and pick up Ruthie (aka maybe Simka) and then go to Petco to get her all the best that life has to offer, then exhaust her at the park with Clauds. Then…and only then…she will be meeting Lucky on our street and they will be going home together. AM SO EXCITED!!!!

OKing home for fuzzes

So that is Ruthie, aka dog with no name. I just had my house check by Benni, who is a really nice although somewhat stressed lady. Her poor dog Booboo (maybe?) is very sick with sarcoma and has only a little bit of time left to live. She really wants to spend more time with her fuzz, but it’s hard when you are also trying to find good homes for pits! So she came by today and we had a nice talk about how to introduce Ruthie and Lucky, about me moving her, about how to do homechecks – since I will most probably be helping her with some in the future. I will probably be picking her up tomorrow and I am really excited. I don’t know if I should pick her up in the morning to have my mom here during the introduction. I have to drop my dad off at the airport so I would have to take her with me. Or pick her up when I come back, take her to the park and wear her out. Maybe chill with Claudia somewhere until my mom comes home and only then introduce them? Still thinking it over. Anyways, I have been OKed and I am so uber excited!

Oh, on the name search – I still have to settle with a decision. Here is the list of potential names:

• Iti (means with me in Hebrew)
• Keena (means judged in Hebrew)
• Nissa (means sign in Hebrew)
• Sheba (means daughter of an oath in Hebrew)
• Simcha (means joy in Yiddish and Hebrew)
• Nessa (means miracle in Hebrew)

So, that’s all of them so far. Maybe we will ask Ruthie (aka dog with new name soon!) which one she prefers!

I have to go to the library but it closes in 15 minutes. Maybe I will go back to Barnes N Nobles. Get a book about training with crates and what not. Start reading. I have to buy her some food, toys, a crate, a bed, a collar and leash – all the good things in life. I do have a feeling I will be spoiling this one rotten!

OG Fuzz meets NG Fuzz

So…today was a decision day. I took my dog, Lucky, over to ______ Animal Hospital to introduce him to Ruthie (aka. no name) to see how they would get along. Because my dog is calm and likes other dogs just to chill out and be happy, I was a little worried. After all, an energetic 6 month old puppy is not quite what I would call “calm”. However, after the initial butt sniffing, my dog gave up caring about this other dog. Ruthie decided this was a good time to jump all over me and say hello – this didn’t phase my dog either. He was busy sniffing dog pee in the yard in front of the vet office. When Ruthie decided to jump on his head and then his shoulders, my dog seemed a bit taken a back the first moment. Immediately afterwards though, he decided this was a great position to fully check out Ruthie’s crotch. And when he was done investigating this and Ruthie jumped on his head anyways, he didn’t seem to care at all. She was happy to meet him, he seemed amused if not uncaring to the situation. All in all, a positive step in the right direction.

Now I am waiting for a call back from _____, from the _____ Breed Rescue on what she thinks of my adoption application that I sent her last night. And then I guess the next step will be the meet and greet on my property – since we’ll never really know how they will be at home until we try. Perhaps an overnight stay that may turn permanent. Don’t know yet.

However, at the moment, I must go back to jet off to Long Island to visit the other three shelters there in case this doesn’t pan out. Probably I will only end up seeing one shelter by the time I get there and see the other two tomorrow. Either way, I am excited since I will be going to a carnival with Kerri, my wife! Probably going to chill with a few of my other friends while I am there. It’s been a while since I’ve seen my Hofstra friends, so I am excited.

Playing with Fuzzes

So, today Claudia and I went out to investigate what fuzzes were available for adoption in the area. Trumbull – nothing. Well, not what I’m looking for. Then I called and set an appointment with _____ Breed Rescue but you have to have specific dogs in mind. So I told them which dogs I was interested in. I went to ______ Animal Hospital on the Post Road in Westport where I used to volunteer, where there were two dogs (one of which I had seen online). The first dog, Carly, was a brindle pitbull mix about 8 months old that was extremely hyper and so cute! She was gorgeous, her brindle coat was the most you could ask for.

Then they brought out the second dog that I was skeptical of. Ruthie was her name. She was a pup found wandering in Kansas that was rescued and then taken in by the _____ Breed Rescue. She was sent there because of an incontinence issue. They were unsure if it was medical so they sent her to the vet to be checked out. Otherwise, it just needs retraining. She was so adorable. She climbed up on my lap and all she wanted to do was be petted and loved. Kisses and hugs all around. She was a bit hyper – but with a purpose. She was also a lot smaller than all the other pit bull mixes I have looked at so far. Just a cutie. And she doesn’t respond to her name which is a good thing – it gives me the flexibility to change it (cause it suxs). So I really fell in love.

Then we went to the CT humane society. There was a cute chihuahua/terrier mix that was extremely small, hyper, and cute – but I’m not sure Lucky would be okay with that. Brandy, another pitbull mix was more interested in cats than with saying hello to people (and I just wasn’t that into her). The girl down at the end of the aisle, Tali, was an adorable blue colored pitbull mix who was about 2 years old. Housebroken, some obedience, she is fairly mellow but loves to play. She seems like a perfect dog. I am told she is somewhat dominant which may pose a problem with Lucky – so we will have to see. She is so far my second pick. She is adorable and so cute, and so soft, and her nose is so squishy.

Anyways, those are my top two picks so far. In the morning after I get a mani/pedi at 9 am (wtf???) then my mom and I will go to introduce Lucky to Ruthie (aka. no name) to see how they get along. Hopefully, they like each other cause I am absolutely head over heels for her. She is the dog I was wanted – even before I knew what I wanted!

Also, am going tomorrow to Long Island to go visit three more shelters there to see the dogs there. If someone really calls to my heart more than Ruthie (aka. no name) or Tali than I will consider driving my lazy big-butted dog down there. Otherwise, I will have to chose between the two. Not so bad of a position actually. And Claudia said I could bring the dog down there to Virginia if I end up adopting before Wed. because they have had dogs in their apartment before. Woop woop!

Relocating for a New Fuzz

So, I have been giving serious thought into adopting a new dog before I relocate out to Ames, Iowa for 4 years of veterinary school. I wanted to adopt the dog toward the beginning of summer so that I would have adequate time to socialize, train, bond, and love the dog before I started pack full days of studying at the vet school. I understand that it may be a little selfish to get a dog when I am planning to go away for school, but the worst part about undergrad and living in a dorm was that I couldn’t have a pet. It didn’t even hurt as bad as when i didn’t have a roommate. It’s just nice to come home to a warm, loving, fuzzy creature. But it might just be the FMA.

However, as noted before, I have a fuzz living in my parents house that is used to being the only fuzz, getting all the attention. I know that it is often hard to bring a new dog home and train it. I don’t want to make Lucky jealous when I spend time with the new dog, and I know that lots of energy will be put into planning how to spend time with a new dog without making Lucky jealous. Also, I am afraid that if I get a new dog and Lucky gets used to it, as well as the new dog, that it will hurt them both when I separate them in August. For that reason I checked out the room in the house (with a fenced in yard!!) where my cousin Mike has been living for the past year with his friend Max. Max has agreed to let me live there – but Mike has not yet mentioned the prospect of the dog. I think it would be good as I wouldn’t have to live at home (read earlier post), wouldn’t have to worry as much about Lucky, would give me place to socialize him with dogs and cats (Heather’s plus parks), and I would enjoy spending a summer up there with Heather. However, this is all if Max let’s me keep a dog there.

If that is a no go – I am unsure of what I am going to do. I am, however, certain that I will have a dog. I need to do this for myself and for the dog. As I said before, I have an addiction. And 8 hours just talking about fuzzes and not being able to come home to one – this would break my heart.

So I was thinking that I would probably keep him at home and go through letting him know Lucky. Despite how much of a pain in the ass this is.

Then…an idea struck me. At Mike’s house there is a one room apartment above the garage – they have a backyard where dog poops already. I could socialize it with that dog. The other dog is tiny, and I know isn’t territorial (when I brought Lucky there). Unfortunately, I know that my aunt and uncle with voice great complaints. And it would probably be worse living there than here even though it’s a separate apartment than from the house. They are clean freaks, who dislike anything that is not theirs. It’s hard enough to let someone borrow a car, or a rake, or some other meaningless thing. I highly doubt that in this life time they would let me live in the apartment over the summer AND train a dog there. “But housebreaking…and you’re so irresponsible…your house is so close”. I could just imagine the millions of protests they have.

So this is my current dilemma (as well as my messy messy room). I shall find a solution one way or the other. My sanity depends on this.

No Time to Fuzz?

I don’t know how this is possible, but I seem to have no time to fuzz. The fuzz lays there with his sad eyes staring at me as I run around doing stupid things all day. Everytime I go to pet the fuzz, I am called away to do some mind-numbingly, useless, irritating errand/call/to get bitched at. Not that starting a blog has helped – but it relieves the stress so that I don’t overpet the fuzz when I happen to have time to pet the fuzz. The fuzz, however, does need petting. More like grooming. His fur is everywhere – coming out in huge clumps and small pieces all day long. He must be shedding pounds just from losing fur alone (he’s also on a diet cause he’s a fatass as mentioned earlier).

Speaking of, I have just changed his food regimen for the upteenth time in weeks. He has no Artemis dry food and some Purina Veterinary Diet OM (Overweight Management) that has almost no fat in it whatsoever. He seems not to mind. Probably from the fish oil I put on his food. DAMN, does that stuff reek. If you get it on your hands – beware! for everything you touch shall smell like fish for days.

Anyways, I am attempting to get a hold on all the stupid little errands in my life so that I have time to clean my room and see what I need to buy or sell or get rid of or throw away before I move. But as you may or may not know, these little things seem to multiply the more you do them. For instance, I paid my cell phone bill only to have two letters to write for the company I work for (sort of) and sort out four more bills for them. Once I sorted their bills, before I had a chance to write their letters, I urgently have to sit on a phone trying to figure out why Delta is being a douche – yet again. Immediately afterwards, my mother needs my help to find people who are mushroom hunting. While my dad wants to know why I haven’t paid my American Express yet. It’s an insane kind of warphole where the more you try, the more you have to try…and the farther you fall from your goal. On the bright side, after two weeks of battle – I have almost nixed all the stupid stuff and will soon begin the perilous journey of uncluttering the mess in my car, garage, attic, and room. Wow, am I NOT looking forward to it.

For the first time in about eight years, I have changed my screen name. From my previously loved i3luntGod, I have upgraded to fuzzz machine in honor of my new chronicles. Now all that’s left is to inform my friends and actually have buddies on my buddy list. Some more stupid stuff to add to the list. Poor fuzz machine – needs his fuzzing as much as I need to fuzz. Having an addiction requires much organizing nowadays. Those lucky alcoholics, they lose their jobs and have all the time in the word…but what about us???