Meet the Boys

Five of our pups are boys. I thought it would be fun if we did a Meet the Boys post, so here we go!

First, we have Cooper James. He is our resident Old Man, having just turned 12 years old. He has the most nicknames of any of the pups: Super Cooper, Super Coop, Super Duper Cooper, The Coops, and not often, but sometimes we even call him Super Cooper the Paratrooper. I don’t know why on that last one, it must have been a silly day.

Cooper was our first Chihuahua puppy, as the original three girls came to us as adult retired show dogs. Cooper was a bundle of energy and loved to drive The Girls crazy. He has slowed down a lot over the years, and now he prefers to be left alone. Cooper NEVER enjoys a puppy. Whenever a new one has joined the pack, he spends days glaring at me from across the room. He eventually accepts the new one, but he makes sure I know he isn’t happy about it.

Cooper is our number one barker in the family. Despite getting older,  his hearing is still very good, and he is the first to hear any delivery trucks that stop at the driveway, anyone that comes to the door (even before they ring the bell), anyone that walks by the property, every time the refrigerator door gets open. You get the idea. He barks at everything – even moth farts! 

I know our days with Cooper are short, and I enjoy every moment I can still have with him.

Next, we have Finn Robert. His nicknames are: Finner Winner, Finn Finn, and Finny. He answers to any of them. Finn spends most of his day walking around with a stuffed toy in his mouth – usually a Lambchop toy. He is the second most enthusiastic barker. Finn came to us at Christmas time and was a gift from my husband. Finn is very attached to me and can usually be found either laying on my feet or leaning against my leg. He is the dog that is most talented at finding something gross to roll in and relishes in doing so. Finn tolerates the new puppies but isn’t fond of playing with them. He has a great talent of being able to smile and is often photographed giving us a toothy smile. Finn has the same luxurious coat as his Mama, Panda, of the infamous Cheeky Chis. Finn is our blueberry thief, keeping our bushes cleared of all berries except for the ones on the very top that he cannot reach.

Next up is our second Cheeky Chis pup, and half-brother to Finn, Tucker James. Tucker arrived just six months after Finn and they would wrestle and play all day. Tucker is the most playful of the older boys and will still wrestle and play with Benny. His only nickname is Tucker Man. Usually said with a drawn out maaaan. Tucker is SUPER camera shy and I have to sneak any photo I get of him, which is why he is usually looking away from the camera in his photos. Tucker has the thickest, softest coat and reminds me of a rabbit. Which was appropriate when he was young, as he also hopped a lot like a rabbit. Before Tucker arrived, I use to always put Sweet Potato Vines in all my patio pots. I loved how they trailed down the sides. Tucker discovered that he loved the taste of them and would go along behind me as I planted and tear them out and eat them! After all my attempts to dissuade him fell on deaf ears, I gave up and only plant them in the front yard pots. He was a hiney-biter as a puppy, chasing all the girls and biting them from behind. He did not win any popularity contests at that time. Tucker has the most endearing head tilt when he looks up at you. It melts my heart. He doesn’t bark very much. When the others are barking like crazy fools, he will let loose with one or two quick barks and then he is done. He is the most patient pup of all, rarely getting tired of the young ones’ antics.

Fourth in line is the lovely Leo Thomas. He is our tiniest pup, but thinks he is a lion. He gave me a run for my money a few times when he first arrived as he would go on a hunger strike, causing his sugar levels to plummet and he would have a hypoglycemic crash. One such episode was so bad that he was unconscious when I discovered him and I really thought I had lost him. But, I was able to get him back and after that I would get up several times in the night for months to check on him. His nickname is Leo Banbino. He can run like the wind and would probably win every Chihuahua race he entered. His biggest nemesis is the squirrels that live in the trees near our deck. They even like to taunt him by coming up on the deck and peering through the patio door at him. He is practically foaming at the mouth in a tiny rage. Leo is our third Cheeky Chis pup, son of Nitro and grandson of Kilo. He has the vocal talents of his grandfather and always has a LOT to say. Very LOUDLY. He never approves of Tucker and Benny’s playing and will speak his mind, while at the same time he is biting Tucker’s hiney. Which seems rather justified, considering Tucker’s history of doing the same.

Last, but not least, and certainly the craziest of all the pups, is Benny Ray. Nicknames are Benny Boy and BenBen. At times, Benny can actually be calm. But this is only when he is asleep. When awake, he goes a mile a minute. He runs, he pounces, he jumps, he runs some more, he tackles the other dogs…you get the idea. When he went in to be neutered, I begged the veterinarian to find his crazy energy button and remove it for me. Alas, that did not happen. He turned one year old in May and I am still hoping that this energy level will begin to reduce a little. He is such a loving dog that you really can’t stay mad at him. Well, I can’t any way. The other dogs will tell you differently. Tucker is his best friend, and they play for hours. He is a beautiful dog, and as most people know, I have a definite weakness for tri-colors. He adores me and will look up at me with little squinty eyes like he is trying to flirt. He rarely barks, but he does do a blood curdling screech that I am sure has often had the neighbors thinking they need to call the police. This is usually done when he wants to go outside, and I am not opening the door fast enough. Or fixing the meals for the dogs. He brings an insane level of energy to everything he does, and I am considering doing some agility work with him. At the speed he runs, I don’t know that I could keep up with him though.

So, this has been a long post, but hopefully you have enjoyed getting to know the boys of Cody and Company a little better. I will do a post on the girls next!

New Doggie Door

We have a very spacious kitchen and dining room, which is the heart of our home. It has a laminate floor, easy access to the back yard, tons of natural light and is just everyone's favorite place to gather.

All of this also makes it the perfect place to corral the dogs when we need to keep them in one place. While many Chihuahuas can be well house trained, mine seem to do really well when in this area, but when they are turned loose in the rest of the house, they don't hesitate to mark their territory. It can be very frustrating!

I didn't want them to have to stay crated all the time, so we figured a way to gate off the two entrances into the kitchen/dining area and let the dogs have free run.

This last year we got a new, larger refrigerator and lost the ability to slide the gate between the wall and fridge at the main entrance into the kitchen. Fortunately, there was a sliding pocket door at one time in that doorway! It had been broken since before we moved in, and sealed up.

Enter, Shawn-the-Wonder-Guy!

He tore open the door frame and pulled out the old sliding pocket door. He then created THIS:

This is the view, looking into the kitchen from the entry hall of our house. He created a mini sliding pocket door! He even made this side to match the bead board wainscoting we have in the hall way!

Look how easily it slides open and into the wall:

This is pretty critical because whoever designed this house, did a really stupid job right here. It is not spacious, with the refrigerator on one side and a cabinet on the left. There is just no room for a baby gate that swings open.

I am so happy with this door! When completely open, it sits flush with the door frame and most people don't even realize that it is there.

The dogs enjoy complete freedom to roam around in the kitchen and I don't have to worry about them going into the living room or other areas of the house while I am busy in the kitchen.

Does that little Cooper just have the cutest face or what...??? 

I didn't get a picture of the doorway that is on the other end, but it leads into the living room, is much wider, and we have a swinging baby gate there. It is visible in a lot of the videos and pictures that I post of the dogs wrestling in the big bed.

This height is perfect. The dogs can't hop over it, although most everyone in the house except short-legged me can step over it if they want to. Although you don't have to bend that much to grab it and slide it.

Pretty cool, huh?

Mr. Cooper

Hello! This is Cooper! I have taken over the computer. Mom has been pretty busy lately doing canning of all kinds of fruits and vegetables, so she hasn't had time to write a new blog post. Her last one was all about Shimmer. I have waited patiently for her to write one about ME, but finally have decided that I could actually do a better job filling you in all about ME than she could, so here I go.

I started life with my first Mom, Liz, in Spokane Washington. Here is me with my brothers. Yes, I am the incredibly handsome one in the middle.

When I was three months old, I came to live with my new family and Mom became my Mom. This involved a very loooong car ride home, but I spent the time getting acquainted with my new sisters and my Mom and Dad

So, now some important details about me.

I have many nicknames:

Super Cooper

Cooper Pooper

Super Cooper the Paratrooper

Cooper Trooper

I have always been a very handsome little dude, although often times I am referred to as 'Cute'. Seriously, I probably am, but handsome sounds so much more macho.

Shortly after I came to call this place home, the family adopted a Tiny Human. She and I are only two months apart in age (I am the older brother!!). The Tiny Human and I have always gotten along very well, have enjoyed growing up together and are pretty good buddies.

I especially enjoyed the snacks and treats that she would toss down to my sisters and me. That is me, front and center, making sure she didn't forget that I was waiting.

I tried my hand paw at the modeling stuff that my sisters were so good at, but it really was just not for me. I am a very active guy, and holding still for the camera is not my strong point.

I was amazingly cute, though, huh?

Things that I like to do:

I like to chew on things. We have baskets and baskets of toys all over the house, but I prefer the crunchy taste of furniture. Mom does not support this love of mine and seems to take a dim view of the 'distressing' that I have done to much of the furniture.

I like to take the role of protector of the premises very seriously. I loudly proclaim to all squirrels, birds, people walking by the fence, dogs walking by the fence, and certainly anyone who has the audacity to knock on our front door, that I am here, I am mighty, and I WILL do damage to your ankles.

Ok, maybe not really do damage to any ankles, but I bark. A lot. Mom gets frustrated with that sometimes, but a guy has gotta do what a guy's gotta do. 

Besides, if Mom gets frustrated, I just turn on the charm and give her THE LOOK. It melts her heart every time.

See? It works so well that she takes pictures to remember my cute face!

When I was still little, my ears were pretty big. Everyone commented on them.

Mom wondered if I would ever grow into my ears. They eventually got heavy and tipped over on the ends. Mom tried taping them to stay up, but my sisters liked to rip the tape off - OWIE!!! So, she gave up and let them tip. She actually loves them this way.

Every once in a while my ears seem to disappear! It kinda freaks me out, but somehow Mom always finds them again.

I'm a pretty happy guy, but one thing that I really do not like is to have a bath. I hate it! So demoralizing to look so pathetic.

Unfortunately, I get a pedicure every week and a grooming and bath once a month. Mom has a really good memory for this and never forgets. I still keep hoping!

I have really gorgeous chest floofs, if I do say so myself. The girls all love to pick me up and run their fingers through my chest hairs. Everyone likes my fluffy ears too.

Along with my guard dog duties, it is my responsibility to inspect any packages that are delivered to the house. My favorites are the ones that come from Chewy, as that is usually FOOD and TREATS. I also like getting boxes from the Barkshop, as those have TOYS and more TREATS!

I am a very happy dog, my tail wags all the time. In fact, it is kinda hard for Mom to get a picture where my tail-end isn't a blur from my tail wagging. Hehehe

One of my talents is that I can get my tongue completely up on top of my nose. Really, can  you do that..???

So, I think I have done a pretty good job of telling you about myself. I think I might have some serious skills in this blog writing stuff, what do you think? And, my page is longer than Shimmer's! Hahaha!!!

However, it has made me very tired. So I will sign off now and go take a nap. 

Good  night.

And thanks for reading!!

Snow Days

We have been having quite the snow storm here in the Pacific Northwest this weekend. This always creates quite the dilemma for our little dogs. It doesn't take much accumulation to be considered deep for them.

The first day there was not that much snow, but Cooper would have nothing to do with it. He stayed on the covered patio as much as possible.

Cooper

  

Once the really heavy snows started, he would just go out on the patio and whine. The wind had blown quite a bit of snow in on the patio, so it wasn't that much of a reprieve for him.

A tough guy he is not.

The girls were a little more tolerant of it, but not big fans for sure.

Stormie

Breezy

Stormie and Breezy

Shimmer would not get out in the snow much either.

Really, I think these girls forget that they spent the first few years of their lives living in Spokane, Washington, where the winter months stretch on and on with snow. We made the drive up there two years in a row to pick up Stormie, and then Shimmer, in the middle of horrible snow storms.

Perhaps it is just a diva thing.

They are much more comfortable stretching out on the couch for a nap.

Life is good.

Dogs in the Hood

I am not sure who invented the hoodie, or even how long they have been in existence, but it seems that everyone enjoys them.

Perhaps it is the combination of shirt and jacket. Kind of like you are getting away with something extra when you wear one.

Or perhaps it is the name. Hoodie. It is a kind of funny word, don't you agree?

They are certainly a popular, hot-selling item in our shop.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, where the weather is a little bi-polar, being sunny one moment and raining torrents the next, they are an essential wardrobe staple.

The girls enjoy wearing their hoodies on damp days like this.

Cooper, not so much. But then Cooper HATES wearing any clothing.

Not sure if this is a fashion statement of his thoughts on my designs. Or he is just a boy and clothing is not an interest. Either way, he can wiggle out of anything I put on him, so I am almost to the point of giving up.

Meanwhile, the girls and I are facing the day wrapped in our favorite hoods.

Have a great day everyone!

Easter Goodies

Yes, the Easter Bunny made a stop at our house. The girls got cute little Easter bonnets.

Shimmer is opting for the "If I just hurry and look sweet, they will take the picture and I will be done' look. She was successful.

Breezy has the "I cannot believe what they make me do" look.

And Stormie just poses like the pro and shows everyone how it's done.

They also got these absolutely gorgeous collars from Crazy for Collars. They are called 'Chihuahua Princess', so of course the girls had to each have one. And wonderful Suzanne added the bling with the rhinestone crowns in the center of the bow.
Everyone got a basket full of yummies and goodies:

Shimmer always looks like she is smiling.


Breezy, once again, just wants it over with so that she can dig into the goodies.

Here is Cooper's basket....

And here is Cooper:

We never could get both in the same picture. Cooper never stops moving. You will notice the treats in his basket. They are the Bil-Jac treats that everyone here loves, but they are called 'Little Gooberlicious'. We always say to Cooper "You are such a goober', so I (I mean the Easter Bunny) couldn't resist getting them for him. He also got two new collars from Crazy for Collars.

Yep, pretty spoiled pups.

Cooper thinks that's just the way it should be.