New Member Saying Hi!

[gillykat]

Hello there I found this site as I was lookig for a 'sensible' chihuahua forum (where they are treated as dogs and not toys or handbag accessories to dress up ) as I have loved chi's for many many years and hope to become a Chi Mom very soon.

I'm Gill, 44 years young and married to Neil. We live in Northumberland, UK, in a medium-sized town that is quite popular with visitors during the summer. I work in a newsagents and can always tell when the holiday season is upon us as we start to sell LOTS of postcards!!! ;D
My hobbies and interests include reading, writing to penpals, gardening, sketching & painting, taking digital photos (still very much a beginner as Neil won't let me play with his 'posh' all-singing-and-dancing Canon I also enjoy country & beach walks and am completely spoilt rotten by living where we do ;D
We currently foster old & abused cats for a local animal charity and have two - Misty & Nina. Misty is approx 17 years old now and a feisty tortie and white. She had a sequestra ulcer in her left eye earlier this year which refused to respond to all manner of treatment from our wonderful vet. She ended up having it taken out on 12th April but is now back to full fitness and ruling the household with a paw of steel
Nina is jet black, 10yo, and epileptic. She has pills crushed into her food twice a day and this helps reduce her seizures a lot. She has been with us since October 2011 and we have no idea of her previous life as she was abandoned at the vets surgery in a box They soon realised she was epileptic and got her stabilised and she was then taken by the charity we foster for which is the People's Animal Rescue & Rehoming Team *PARRT* When Neil and I heard about her we just HAD to take her and she will be with us for life. We are classed as fosterers but in truth we take the oldies or ill and give them a spoilt-rotten retirement home until they go to Rainbow Bridge. None of our girls or boys have ever left us for another home.
Nina is a little bit shy of humans and doesn't like to be stroked anywhere except her neck or cheeks but we are ok with that - as long as she feels safe and happy is all that matters
I lost my last dog, Tina Whippet, in August 2008 in a horrible drowning accident which I completely blamed myself for Ended up off work with post-traumatic stress in 2009 because of bottling it all up and my counsellor made me realise that it was NOT my fault and that I should open my heart to a dog once more. It felt like SUCH a weight off my shoulders but I was still a tiny bit afraid to get another dog in case I lost that one in an accident as well.....which is how we got involved with looking after old cats
But now I feel SO broody for another dog in my life and don't feel complete without one. I wanted a small breed that would be happy to go for walks with me and be 'portable' enough to go on caravan & cottage holidays around the UK with us and a brainy breed that I could train as well. Nothing like competition obedience or agility etc just the basic Good Citizenship and tricks etc. When I was a teenager I used to help a friend with her pony and there was THE most beautiful friendly cream smoothcoat chi bitch who lived there - she loved everybody! I think she was the reason I fell in love with the breed as I'd never met a chi before then! I vowed then that one day I would have my own chihuahua and I'm thinking that I might just (or probably will!) get my wee girl or boy in March 2013 when I turn 45. THE perfect birthday present to myself, eh?

Anyway.....I'm waffling on Off to explore the rest of this site and, hopefully, get to know you all and your dogs a lot more in the coming weeks etc

[Sarah]

Hi Gill

Welcome tot he forum.. thanks for such a lovely introduction!!!

So sorry to hear about the passing of your whippet its never easy

See you'll have a problem you'll get a chi in march.. then come September you'll be like it needs a friend.. then it'll need another friend and before it you end up with 4 or 5 LOL

[gillykat]

Shhhhhhhhh don't tell Neil THAT! What he doesn't know cannot hurt him He pretends to say no at times but realy he's as soft as anything and absolutely adores animals. He works nightshift on security so whilst I'd be at work for 4-5hrs five days a week our chi could do as Tina did - snuggle up UNDER the duvet with Daddy Very very rarely he might need to take our dog to work with him and when I mentioned the 'possibility' of a chi the other week he said he'd look ridiculous doing a patrol (he's 6ft tall) with a wee dog ;D I told him to stop being so daft.....the dog could wear a Security Vest and any villains on site wouldn't see our Ninja Chi before she wrestles them to the ground by their ankles! ;D

We had only had Tina two weeks before we started thinking how soon we could get her a sister I decided to hold off until I'd got her a bit better trained as she hadn't had any at all when she came to us at 18 months She soon picked up all the basics and became a wonderful happy dog I had such a bond with her and never really got around to getting another whippet and then we lost her in a freak accident and I've only been half a person since then.....I really DO need a dog in my life to feel complete

Mind you......I say I'm planning to only get one pup for my birthday but you never know.....if I have enough pennies saved by then I may just come home with a chi for Neil too His birthday is 10 days before mine so joint birthday pressie ;D

[Sarah]

awww thats nice.. i think every home needs a dog

[gillykat]

Or three.....

[brodysmom]

Welcome!! I will be following along on your journey to a new dog to love. You will never regret getting a chihuahua. They are such a wonderful breed.

[gillykat]

If I can get one as GORGEOUS as your Brody I'll be over the moon I saw him on another chi site a few months ago (a USA one I think it is) and just drooled ;D He looks as fit as anything, happy and just mwah

There's a couple of guys in our town who have a tiny black & tan bitch who loves everyone and I just go gaga when they bring her in to our shop I keep saying ''Has she not trashed your house yet? Do you not want to sell her to me?'' So far she's been an absolute angel and I haven't been able to get my mitts on her ;D

[Lowenchi]

welcome to the forum x