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Zooming with Zena

Introducing, ME, the Guinea Pig...

Some how, some way, I was the first one that Julia groomed a few months ago during her vacation. Surprise, when I turned out looking good AND still alive with no blood loss, she went on to gain experience by grooming the other ones here.
Well, today it was time for my Spring groom. Julia wasn't here, but Momsie decided to go ahead and give me the fuu fuu groom for the warmer weather. Frankly, I really LIKE that groom. There is much less hair on my body so I am cool and comfy and best of all, there isn't much left to brush out, either.
Soo, first thing, Tonya bathed me whilst Mom was shaving down some HUGE, HAIRY beasts. After I was dry and we had lunch, Mom did my feet and face, then, because she got a brand new SHARP blade, she decided on the fuu fuu doo. I was actually surprised at how quickly she finished me off.
There were a couple of problems, albeit minor problems. First of all, Mom couldn't find the fingernail polish remover so she just CUT OFF the parts of my nails that still had Julia's polish on them. Scared to death, I was expecting lots of pain and blood, but I guess Mom DOES know best... no polish left on my nails and NO blood letting at all!
The other problem was NOT my fault, either. It seems that Toto has also been chewing on MY coat. Mom found a whole area around my shoulder and elbow that had been chewed off. Obviously, since Toto chewed Ali's back last week, he must have been practicing on ME first!!! Mom said she did catch him holding me down, and when she brought me in I was all wet there. What a strange dog he is!!!
I am now all set for Summer, IF Spring ever comes!! And, Mom is all trained on me so she can now do the fuu fuu on the others!!

Adopt 2012 Contest

Mother had a decision to make when I came here. She wanted a black toy poodle. She really didn't care so much about a puppy over an adult, in fact, she thinks us adults are easier most the time.
Our Mom was a dog show person, breeder, etc. But, as times goes on, she is moving more toward a dog owner, former breeder person instead. She does LOVE breeding and keeping her own babies, knowing that the health testing and temperament testing and showing part is all done on the parents, and pretty much knowing she can predict what the babies are going to be like in those aspects.
But, Mom does mostly playing and loving with us dogs now. She is busy with working in the kennel and breeding and shows take time AND money. Besides, with poodles, the dogs being shown in conformation need to keep the fuu fuu clip and can't race around in the field and go kayaking and all that stuff Mom wants to do with us.
So, her decision was much easier... she really wanted a female and the handler lady only had a male puppy. Then, Mom heard about me. I was a finished champion so Mom's dog show eye wouldn't have any problems looking at me, BOL! I was in need of rescue... my breeder had placed me with a person who pretty much considered me product to produce puppies so she could sell them. I was kept in a crate by myself most of the time and if I wasn't in my crate, I was outside alone in a pen. I had a litter but I wasn't a good mother and my puppies had all died within the first week so the lady who had me didn't want me and sent me back to my breeder. My breeder knew Mom was looking for a black toy, so she told Mom to come get me.
I am soo happy Mom chose me and not the puppy. Puppies are fun, sure, but...even though I am almost five years old already, I am FUN too!!! I run and play and have fun just like the a puppy would BUT... I am all growed up and mostly trained and what you see is what you get, not what I might grow up to be!
Sure, I came with issues, but who is to say that a baby puppy wouldn't grow up with issues??? My issues are not too severe, Mom CAN live with them and she is working on some of them to change me. You CAN teach an older dog new tricks, sometimes even faster than you can teach a baby puppy!!!
Meanwhile, I am in a home where I am wanted for what I am, not what I may produce. She had me spayed immediately, so she obviously doesn't care that I am not a good mother. Mom loves me and doesn't care if I EVER go to another dog show. She puts pads down on the floor because, if they are on the floor, she has figured out that I won't pee in her bed, BOL! She is working on my excessive barking, but has also noticed that the longer I am here, the less I feel I need to bark for attention. And, she lets me run and play and go in the wet grass and the pond and the bushes without even worrying about my fuu fuu coat...for the first time I am finding out that dogs can all play together, we don't have to just go outside to do our business all by ourself, one at a time, and then go back in our crate.
And, I am also learning about sharing and loving and, yes, just being held quietly. Before, I just got picked up when someone was going to do something to me like brush me or bathe me or clean my teeth or whatever. Now, I have learned that if I want some loving I just need to walk over and put my feet on Mom's leg...she will instantly pick me up and hold me.
And, I have also learned that the other people here are the same way. EVERYONE picks me up and holds me, even kids and old people!
Here, if I have to go into my crate it is only for a little while, usually when we eat OR when Mom is mopping or vacuuming. The rest of the time I can hang out where ever I want to. I can sit in the chair and watch out the window, I can lie on a dog bed and I even get to sleep in Mom's bed with the others.
I am soo glad my breeder got me back AND I am even more glad that Mom and Julie drove all the way to North Carolina to get me so I could live here. Life is very, very good, finally!!

Playing, and playing, and playing.

I LOVE Summer!!! We pretty much ALWAYS get to go outside into the big yard or the lab pen and play and play and play.
Today it was a bit warm down there, but Mom and Julia took us early enough so there was still some shade and still some cool breezes. I had soo much fun chasing Riley and Beanie that I didn't even realize I was hot!!!
Julia was here so she found all the squashy balls and she was tossing them all around for us to go and get. Of course, we always chase whoever gets one, hehehe!
Finally, we WERE too hot so we all came back to the air conditioned house and napped the rest of the day away. Now I am wide awake listening to the fireworks. I don't know which is louder, the thunder here or the fireworks from uptown!!