Happy New Year

2009 was a year of a few highs for us and of course one of those highs was finding Miss Vicki. We look forward to bringing her back home with us in the next couple of days.

I can just hear her howls of delight when we approach her kennel and laugh at her full body tail wag.

Here's to a healthy and happy 2010. May you find joy in things great and small this year.

A Whole New Vicki

We are so impressed with this lighter version of Vicki. We cannot believe that this is the same dog we took home on that hot August day just five months ago. Here she is having lost 20% of her body weight, chasing street cats and Gusty too. Someone said you were a mission impossible but we knew it was possible.

Merry Christmas, Vicki. You bring us such joy!

Christmas Pugs

Vicki won't be spending Christmas with us this year but we'll be thinking of her. She would probably love to laugh and play in the snow with the other dogs and kids. We have another cute outfit for her that we may get to put on her as the temperature here is dipping to a chilly 12 degrees celsius (brrrr!)

Check out this website below for two cartoon Christmas Pug stories...

http://www.raaacartoons.com/christmas06.htm

Puppy Love

Much to Vicki's delight, she had more company on the weekend. Two of my friends helped me bake gingerbread men. As I mentioned before, company is a rare treat for Vicki. She loves the constant attention lavished on her by basically anyone and the prospect of food droppings is so darned exciting too.

Well, my friends were here for about 6 hours and the only thing that dropped was Vicki's head on the carpet in the kitchen for snoozes every hour. She grunts, snorts, gives the bulgy-eyed, tilted head expression while sniffing the spicy air and then suddenly just flops and snores contentedly.

Walk on By

Okay, lately it seems Vicki has had enough of larger dogs sniffing her behind on our walks. Vicki often sees two excitable Spoodles named Oreo and Truffle. As soon as they spot Vicki, the tag team ensues. She accepts their playful advances for a few minutes but then last night she, not so politely, told them to back off.

This morning, Vicki wanted to stop for a stalwart, tan and white  bulldog. We crossed the street to where he stood. She sniffed the air around his face and he went in to get to know her better. He may have gone a little too far because she began to squat on his snout as she would when doing a number two. I pulled her away as quick as I could while the other dog walker stared down with her jaw dropped for a moment.

Ah, can't we all just get along, huh? Another day our girl might be a little more receptive.

Vicki Loves Company

Last night a new friend stopped by our home and found herself bombarded by "The Barge". Vicki was so delighted by the rare opportunity she gets to monopolize the lap and free hands of another dog-lover in her home.

Thankfully, this person likes animals although Vicki has a way of coercing someone to, if not liking her, at least paying some kind of attention to her. She wouldn't leave this woman's side for the better part of the evening.

We don't often have people over to our home because usually people in Hong Kong meet up with friends in restaurants, bars and malls. I now realize this customary way of living here is infringing on Vicki's social life and is not allowing her the full range of attention she fervently craves.

Geez, one would really think she never gets enough attention from us. Clearly, she would like more company.

Do These Horizontal Stripes Make Me Look Fat?

Okay, for the love of God, why does my new family insist on dressing me up in unflattering outfits? First, they take a video of me snoring, then they ration me on dog food and now this. I just want to play with my ball, eat whatever I want, when I want and sleep. Oh, and of course, I like plenty of affection too.

Thankfully, the weather is warmer here these days so I'm not forced into the latest fashion craze by that over-zealous woman. What will the other dogs think of me when she parades me outside in this get up like a giant red and white bumble bee with a panda head stuck to my tush?

Pug or Slug

I found these tips on www.dummies.com. What I love about this advice is that it describes our Vicki so well. She is 100% Pug and these two traits in particular made me realize it:

Putting a big dog into a little body

Pugs have a big idea about themselves and think that they're the prime movers and shakers in their households. They probably are because most owners end up catering to their Pug's needs. A Pug is determined to get what she wants, but only if she doesn't have to go too far from the couch.

Finding another jogging partner: Pugs and intense exercise don't mix

If you're a jogger, don't even think that your Pug wants to accompany you on long-distance runs. Although her spirit may be in the activity, her body isn't, and she stops running or walking when she feels like it. Never walk a Pug farther than you're willing to carry her. Sometimes she may just sit down on an outing and refuse to go anywhere.

Oh so true and I can most certainly relate to that last sentence -- all of it actually!

Let's go, Vicki!

Hong Kong Dog Rescue Needs a New Home

HKDR brought us together with Vicki and now, just a few months later, they too need a new home. The rescue centre is now situated in Pok Fu Lam but, as of February 28, 2010, they will need to relocate.

This organization brings hundreds of dogs together with people each year. They genuinely care about every dog that passes through their doors. I hope that something can be done to help with their relocation whether it is finding them a new location, adopting a dog, fostering a dog or making a donation.

This weekend the HKDR is organizing a fundraising dog walk called Peak to Fong. Details can be seen on their website -- just click on this image.

Kennels Information: 

Address: 698 Victoria Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

Tel / Fax: 2875.2132
Website: www.hongkongdogrescue.com

We wouldn't have Vicki without the Hong Kong Dog Rescue and we hope they will find a great home soon! 

Dog Owners Killing the Planet?

I was going to write up a cutesy little entry on the new outfit we purchased for Vicki over the weekend. Turns out the outfit and her food consumption are both contributing to a larger carbon footprint than an Ethiopian farmer.

Most people have probably heard by now that two scientists from New Zealand have data that claims a medium-sized dog produces a larger ecological footprint than an SUV. These scientists are also the authors of a book entitled "Time to Eat  the Dog? The Real Guide to Sustainable Living." It definitely got my attention. I guess we all ought to provide a balance sheet for our personal carbon footprints. Vegans can minus 2 hectares but how large of a carbon footprint does 100,000 copies of this book leave?

This all makes me wonder what these scientists have against dogs and their owners anyway. Pet owners are now to blame for creating a larger carbon footprint. What a load of poop.

Holiday Boarding and Winter Wardrobes

We really have to consider all options before leaving on a trip now. Augustus, our cat, is fine with someone feeding him but Vicki requires more care. Luckily, a spot freed up for Vicki  at the kennel over Christmas (we were 5th on a wait list since September!). Our friends agreed to take her over the holidays but perhaps we'll save the favour for another time.

The weather has been quite cool here over the past several days and so I've been thinking about getting our girl a cosy sweater. I think that pugs do mind the cold but wonder if it bothers her that much really. Some of the dogs in the area have their coats and sweaters on and they do look completely adorable. It may be my imagination but I even think they walk a bit jauntier with their winter apparel. Booties, in my opinion however, do cross the line!

My Monday Morning Chuckle

Vicki has her way of bringing a chuckle to an otherwise dreary Monday morning. She has her spot on the couch with all of her toys positioned within easy reach. After checking emails, I became aware of Vicki snoring and found her in her usual spot. There was Vicki resting her head on the sole of one of the shoes I wore that morning on our walk! I had to laugh out loud when I saw her perched on a pillow with the shoe under her chin. What a character!

Time Keeps Ticking

It's a busy life for most people these days but hey it is for dogs too.

Walks, feedings, pets, scratches, baths, dancing for breath freshening treats and naps can add up to an exhausting dog's life. Oh, and guarding the front door from deliveries, neighbours and anyone who dares to breathe in the hallway out front.

When I think about having Vicki in our lives, it seems she's been with us for a long time. Yet Vicki has only been with us for just over 3 months now. She's so lovable and all she wants from us is some attention and, of course, food!

Well, time to give Vicki some of those much appreciated pets and scratches.

Change of Pace

Well, Vicki seems to prefer the two walks a day. Now there is a spring in her step. There's not much grass to be found in the area but we have managed to find a couple of green patches and she generally loves to frolic on something other than concrete for a change.

These minor variances keep Vicki interested and moving.

A Little Bit Better

Though Vicki has refused to walk at times, today was a bit better. She needs plenty of time to sniff around at the scent of other dogs or to stop as people depart from the mini-bus or to look at a man washing windows. We have learned to just slow down and let her explore on her own. She has no physical ailments impeding her from putting one paw in front of the other. As to whether there is an underlying psychological issue only Vicki could say for sure. We try to make it a fun, positive and rewarding experience with lots of praise, the odd treat and so forth.

When I ask other pug owners about the unwillingness to move (there are 5 other pugs in our area that we see regularly) some laugh and agree there are times when they don't wanna move.

We are changing her routine up a bit by taking her out twice a day instead of three times a day. Perhaps it's all just a bit much for her but we'll see how that goes. No matter how often or when we take her she still has the odd accident in the home. She'll sometimes piddle even shortly after a successful walk. I don't think she was properly house trained before so it will take time for her to realize outside=treat and in the home=no treat. She's a good girl most of the time but, like most of us, she's not perfect. Some days are better than others.

Vicki Won't Walk

We cannot get Vicki to move anymore on her walks. She sits in the middle of the street unwilling to budge. We try bribing her with Scooby snacks and have tried changing the routes because we read that pugs can bore easily.

Any dogs I've had in the past loved walks, Vicki seemed to love them too until recently and now there she sits. I just had to bring her back because I'm at a loss for what to do. She needs exercise, she needs to socialize and most of all she needs to pee and potty outside.

The Latest Thing

When we first brought Vicki home, she loved walks, she loved to sniff the other dogs and greet their walkers. Fast forward to three months later and our enthusiastic and sociable girl willfully sits on the sidewalk refusing to budge. Oh, sometimes she'll clip along then all of a sudden stop in the street. It could be the scent of another dog or just as easily that she does not want to walk. Vicki loves attention so she will stop at any chance of a pat on the head from a passerby. Guess we just need to slow down and go with it.

We Tried to Get The Halloween Money-Shot

Only one word comes to mind when we attempted to dress up Vicki and take a photo of her beside a pumpkin for Halloween and that is pug-nacious. There was no way we were going to get her to sit for that photo session. No trick or treat in the world would make her wear
that silly cape and stare out at the camera in front of that round orange thing that she couldn't even eat. Oh well, there's always reindeer antlers at Christmas!

This Blog About a Dog

Vicki is doing well. She does the usual things that dogs do such as barking at strange noises, peeing on rugs and chewing on shoes as a few examples.

Sometimes I miss the days of our home with carpets (we've pulled most of them up because of her need to mark her territory on them) or of our stainless couch and clothing with less fur. Aw shucks she's so gosh darn cute it just all makes up for it.

Attached Versus Detached

Our pets are like night and day. Vicky craves attention and closeness during all her waking hours while Gusty is content to snooze away all by his lonesome. Both have their own charm and character. It is these traits of cat and dog that we appreciate so well.

Vicki would be open to a friendship with Augustus but that cat wants nothing to do with this dog. Augustus sits on high hissing and batting his paws at Vicki. We know full well there will never be a reconciling of differences and so each pet lives life in our home on their own terms.

Will these two ever become best buddies? Not likely but at least more frequently now they can stand to be in the same room with each other, even if it is Vicki on Greg's leg and Gusty across the room on a chair. Now that's progress.

A lot of Dog

I read somewhere that pugs are a lot of dog for a smaller breed. Now one could argue that Vicki is not that small but she is certainly full of character. Vicki is always making some kind of noise whether it is a grunt, groan, bark or snore it is easy to find her.

Our cat Augustus can disappear for hours and only around dinner time will he make his presence known by howling for his daily dose of the wet stuff. Vicki, on the other hand, is always close by and is now in the habit of getting on my lap while I'm on the computer. Vicki is not yet a lap-sized dog although she seems to think so and my legs have paw-sized bruises on them to prove it.

No matter what her size, noise level or character though she has the most adorable face and expressive eyes. We wouldn't want her to be any other way.

Housetraining

This is one area we thought we had beat but for the last week or so we find Vicki has peed in the bathrooms, on the carpet in our bedroom and on the couch. Her schedule hasn't changed except for one day where I was an hour late in taking her for her evening walk.

It is discouraging because we do not know how to eradicate this situation. Peeing in the bathroom is partially acceptable; peeing on the couch and carpet is not acceptable. We have a spray called Urine-Off that is supposed to deter dogs from peeing in the same spot but she just chooses another one in the same vicinity.

We have even found her peeing again after taking her for a walk. She was doing so well and we really don't understand why she is doing this again now.

All Chewed Up

We bought a couple of different kinds of balls for Vicki to enjoy. She did enjoy these balls but maybe a little too much as bits of them are scattered all over the place. I think she may have even eaten some of the materials (shocking).

The lesson of the day is no form of foam or rubber balls for Vicki that can be easily chewed up. I knew the one type of ball was foam but thought it would be durable enough, not a chance. The other ball had fuzz on it and a rubber core. We knew the fuzz would disappear but so has almost half of the ball! These doggie toys are unsafe and really ought not be sold at all. We have other toys for her such as tug ropes, her red squishy ball, etc. that are great so I guess it is just a matter of buyer beware.

Vicki's Jipi

We found a new toy for Vicki. She now has a little penguin that we named Jipi Japa after a store in Causeway Bay. After doing an internet search, I discovered Jipijapa (pronounced hipihapa) is actually a city in Ecuador renowned for making panama hats from the leaves of the Jipijapa plant. Okay no connection whatsoever but interesting just the same. Anyway we shortened the penguin's name to Jipi (with the "j' sound cause we just like it better). So now we ask, "Vicki where's Jipi?" She then grabs hold of that toy proceeds to chew off an arm. After about a day and a half of carrying Jipi everywhere I notice she has hidden the penguin. When I ask her where Jipi is she just looks at me and rolls over for belly scratches.

A Warm Welcome Awaits

I have not been home very much lately so Vicki has had the place pretty much to herself. Augustus sleeps all day on either our bed or the top of his kitty condo. What does she do all day? When I come home I find she has collected several of her toys and sleeps with them on her blanket on the couch. She sleeps with her nose buried in the blanket and all that can be seen is the top of her head, no eyes, no nose and no mouth.

Vicki always warmly welcomes us home in anticipation of plenty of pets, scratches, a walk and dinner. All of this activity wipes her out and up she returns to her corner of the couch and begins once more to snore away.

Don't Tell Me She Smells

I took Vicki for her usual afternoon walk yesterday. Our area attracts loads of joggers. Sometimes it can be difficult to navigate ourselves through these people but most are considerate and make way for The Barge. Perhaps it is not so much about consideration and more about not wanting to trip over her.

Vicki had done her business and I had a little bag that I wanted to deposit in the trash can. There was a group of joggers resting by the trash can (why, I don't know). One of the joggers hesitantly gave Vicki some pets while another one said with a scrunched up face, "It smells". Now she was no where near Vicki or her little baggie but I had to elbow someone out of the way to the trash can opening and quickly shot back, "You smell!" and walked away. Her remark sparked a response in me as though someone were criticizing my child. As I write this I feel the sting again. Shrinking away from a little pug is one thing or commenting on her weight but for some reason this comment really got me. Oh well Vicki doesn't care about these things so now I'll let it go.

A Signal for Attention

I have started up my morning walk and I go anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. Each time I head out the door with keys and water bottle in hand Vicki thinks it is time for her to walk too. There's no way our girl can do a 5km walk. When we first got Vicki, she could only do about 200 feet and now she can easily walk for about 1km.

When I get back from walking, I usually go to the computer where Vicki starts pawing at my knees and grunting for pets. If she doesn't get attention right away, she flops on the floor by my chair and snores away. The moment I rise from the chair her head pops up and she follows me around until she gets some loving.

Giving Thanks for Vicki

This photograph has been imported from Photobucket.

Today, we are attending the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Thanksgiving Dinner. This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. Vicki doesn't know about this particular holiday but I'm sure she would appreciate a plate of turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes all the same.

Well, she won't be getting any turkey but she did snatch a piece of gum that I had dropped on the floor today. Along with losing a few pounds she's also moving quicker these days. Hopefully, a piece of gum is not too detrimental to her health.

Well, Happy Thanksgiving and if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving I hope you can still think of a few things that make you thankful. Vicki is one of those things for us.

Time to Take a Bath

Thankfully Vicki loves to take baths. She likes getting the soap massaged into her fur. She is quite content to sit in the tub and let me rinse all of the soapy suds from her body. She doesn't move until I lift her out of the tub and begin to towel her off. She loves to play tug of war with the towel and gets very excited as she is dried off, from her big backside to her spindly paws. Of course, she loves to jump up to her favourite spot on the couch after her bath and leave a path of damp paw prints in her wake.

Red Squishy Toy

Vicky has a few different toys that create various levels of interest for her. She has a tug rope which does not keep her attention for long, a pink fuzzy ball that is now bald but her most favourite is a red squishy toy.

Something about this particular toy just winds her up she'll chew on it indefinitely and will not let anyone else near it. This toy is her precious and Greg caught it all on camera.

Regular Routines

There's really not that much new to add to the life of Vicki these days. She walks, she eats, she sleeps and she plays. We are very happy to be home and both Vicki and Augustus seem delighted to have us back. We discovered that Vicki has lost three pounds since we rescued her about seven weeks ago. For now she is snoring contentedly in her usual spot on the couch. I'll keep posting as any new developments occur.

Vicki's Back!

Yay, we're so glad to be home with Vicki and Augustus again. Our trip was exhausting and there's nothing better than snuggles with our lovelies. Today is a holiday in HK (National Day) and Vicki would not let us sleep in. She doesn't care what day it may be she wants her morning jaunt and scratches. She cannot hoist herself up to the bed so she will bark at the head of the bed until we get up.

While away, I saw three pugs - awww, so cute! I wanted to go up to the owners and ask to pet their pugs and also tell them about Vicki but instead I ogled from afar. When I turned up to get Vicki she was eager to see me and snorted her excitement. Not a day went by on our trip where we didn't say many times how much we missed our pets. It amazes us at how quickly we have become attached to Vicki and, well, Augustus is special too.

Bye Bye Vicki

We knew before we adopted Vicki that we would be away for some time and here's one of those times. I had to take Vicki in for boarding while we are away. She seemed excited at first sniffing out the other cute dogs, then her excitement turned to confusion as she was placed in the area she would live in for the next 10 plus days. I put her blanket down and gave her a toy. She jumped on the bouncy dog bed and then proceeded to follow me out the door. I said good-bye to her while she was exploring the outdoor area they have there for the dogs. Our flight leaves later tonight so I came back to our quiet home. There's no Vicki craving scratches and belly rubs or wanting her regular walks or waiting impatiently for her dinner. The place just feels so empty. I know she'll get the proper care and we don't need to worry. I look forward to coming home and bringing Vicki back.

The Taste of Tissue

Both Vicki and Augustus love to eat tissue. Vicki will even eat wet wipes if they're left lying around. I use wipes to clean out her wrinkly bits and she chomps on them immediately and eats half of them before I can clear her mouth. We use cotton pads to clean her ears and it is no wonder she doesn't snack on those from time to time. Augustus, on the other hand, unrolls the toilet paper from the tube and leaves the paper in a pile on the bathroom floor. We go through large amounts of paper products between these two with kleenex, toilet paper and moist wipes. Yum.

String Theory

Well Vicki found a ball of yarn we bought for Augustus about three years ago. No, I don't knit and don't plan on taking it up any time soon. Anyway, she was delighted with herself for discovering this wondrous thing and quickly began unravelling it everywhere. The yarn-thing confirms my suspicions that this dog has a little cat in her ( I know, KK, cause she ate it!!). Really though, the finicky eating, the purring sound she makes when I scratch her belly and the yarn just tells me she is part cat.

Now the string sits in a heap on the floor of our bedroom and, if we dare to touch it, Miss Vicki will have something to say about it.

Do Dogs Smile?

Yesterday, after lots of scratches, pets and generally lolling about after the T8 signal was raised, I could have sworn Vicki was smiling at us. The corners of her usually downturned mouth lifted ever so slightly into what Greg and I interpreted as a smile.

When I was a kid we had a black Springer Spaniel mix named Kaiser. The name is unusual, given that Kaiser was female. This dog was also unusual because she smiled when we walked through the door, gave her treats or any other form of positive attention. She showed her teeth, wagged her tail and seemed generally delighted.

Is it possible that a dog can smile at being completely satisfied with life? I think so and once in a while Vicki's face shows it :c).

The Many Expressions of Vicki

This dog has a

face full of expression. She has the most woeful eyes sometimes. Her bulging brown eyes seem brimming with hope when food might land on the floor. Her downturned mouth almost appears as though it might utter some sound such as, "oh, yeah scratch me there."

Good Girl

Vicki is a quick study. Within the 3 plus weeks since we've adopted her, she is now trained to go outside. We give her lots of attention, praise and a small treat (according to the book "Newdog" we discovered liver treats are a dog's delight). When she messed inside we wouldn't say or do anything just clean up the mess. She only pooped in our home once and peed a few more times than that. We developed a routine of walking her morning, early evening and night time. This works very well for us although I'm sure there are as many house training methods as there are dog owners. I guess for us consistency is key regarding when we walk her, where she walks (she has a favourite pee spot not too far from home) and how she is rewarded.

She is generally a good girl and the last accident she had inside happened well over a week ago. When accidents happen we just clean them up without a word. She has learned to save up her business for praise and a small treat.

Picky Vicki

You know, for such a...ummm...well-rounded dog, Miss Vicki sure is picky. She refuses to eat any food that has beef in it. She will inhale anything with chicken, pork or even lamb but if it has the slightest trace of beef, it stays in the dish. I can only imagine that this dog sat in the lap of luxury having meals of chicken and rice cooked for her on a daily basis and probably served in a silver dish. You may think, "Oh just leave it and she'll eat it eventually." This line of thinking simply doesn't work with her. She'll rip up tissues, scratch the walls and pace around at night if she does not get her food. This month, Vicki will turn five years old and having lived 35 years in human time she knows a thing or two about getting her own way. We know the way to a happy and well-behaved Vicki is through her discerning stomach.

I Miss My One Reader!

I really don't know what to write about as Vicki has settled in quite well. We did find out she doesn't like thunderstorms last night and she barked her disapproval at the gods. Great that she is able to snooze away the rest of the morning after a good walk and some decent food, really great (yawn).

It is difficult to talk on the phone from home now cause she can be heard snoring even over 4,000 miles away. Even my mother, whose hearing is not as acute as it once was, can hear her snoring through the phone. Vicki's reach is farther than she could ever imagine. Let's hope she'll reach a peaceful, deep and uninterrupted sleep tonight.

Hey, KK, I miss you. Come back soon, k? Bye.

An Ordinary Day

Nice to say we have fallen into a routine with Miss Vicki. We walk her 3 times a day for about 10 minutes each time. She gets to eat once in the morning and once in the evening. Chicken is her absolute favourite dish. She gets a bath once a week and lots of scratches and pets from my husband and me. She is a great addition to our little family and it is hard to imagine life without her now.

Vicki Dug Another Pug

Vicki did not want to go her usual route this morning. She decided to go another way and in so doing she met up with another pug. When two pugs get together there is usually an instant camaraderie and today was no exception. Of course, the other pug was half her size but that didn't matter to either of them. The other pug was also a female. Hopefully, they'll meet and greet again some day. She loves her daily walks now and looks forward to the socializing with other dogs and especially other pugs.

New Nickname for Vicki

We have a new nickname for Vicki these days. We call her "The Barge" for mainly two reasons:

1. She barges in the front door from her walks and

she barges in on us where ever we may be (as in previous post).

2. She is large and flat on top.

Compared to her body her legs are skinny and look like they could give way at any moment as she walks. She doesn't shy away from belly rubs or back scratches. The Barge always makes her presence known.

Moving Day

Today, our neighbours are moving and Vicki is busy telling us exactly what they are doing. She is panting, pacing and barking. These activities just are not allowed at her front entrance.

Her walks are becoming increasingly longer as she jaunts along on her lead past the usual turning points. She really enjoys getting out and meeting up with other dogs and the odd admiring human. She gets particularly overwhelmed by a group of seven or eight little dogs that flit past us everyday. Vicki doesn't quite know what to make of these petite puffs but seems to find them all very interesting.

The moving continues and Vicki has settled down for the moment.

Vicki Loves A Drink

Oops! I left my almost empty wine glass on the table and discovered another of Vicki's favs. Who knew dogs would actually drink red wine!? She stuck her nose in my coffee cup but wouldn't drink it yet the last traces of wine were gone, gone, gone. I love her but I'm not sharing my wine with her anymore. Augustus knows better! Wish I had of caught that action on camera or video.

Potty Breaks

Okay, ahem, this one is about what happens when I go for a little break. Usually, Vicki follows me everywhere and I mean everywhere! The Thinker wouldn't get any thinking done with her around. Good thing I save my thinking for other places. I took the pictures today to show what I stare down at while I, well...you know. If she does not follow me into the bathroom, she will push the door open, if the door cannot be pushed open she paws at the door. Even if I tiptoe quietly while she snores she jumps up and clips over to where ever I may be!

Walking the Dog

Vicki does not particularly like exercise. She starts out excited enough though sometimes halfway through a walk she'll just plunk herself down with her hind legs splayed out behind her. Once we give her a few minutes then she gets up and is ready to continue the walk. She seems most energetic when she realizes we are close to home. I must say, after two weeks of walks she is showing signs of improvement, she no longer plunks down in the elevator for the long ride to the 3rd floor!

Vicki and Company

This dog loves people and particularly people who do not like dogs. She will find those who do not like her and attempt to charm her way into their hearts. Her attempts fail because some people do not appreciate the efforts she makes. She'll nap for a few minutes then will have a burst of energy and run around to those most frightened by her.

We know her breath stinks and try to give her doggie breath mints. The stinky breath is persistent. Time to get a toothbrush and some yummy toothpaste.

She also had her rabies shot at the animal control centre which is located near Hong Kong Dog Rescue. We went to visit her old stomping grounds and she was ready to just go back in with the other dogs. It was heartbreaking to me that she would think she'd have to go back. One of the employees there enthusiastically came out to greet Vicki and Vicki loved it.

She was also a hit at the pet shop where I proudly showed her picture and the girl immediately recognized her from HKDR website! Our Vicki is a bit of a Hong Kong celebrity.

Vicki Has a Bath

One thing about pugs, as with most dogs, she's stinky. We gave her a bath last night and she was really great. We put down her pink rubber mat to ensure her paws didn't slip in the tub and pulled out her very own fluffy pink towel. She loves the shower and of course the scrubs with shampoo. As she got out of the shower she bumped her head on the vanity. She is not the most graceful dog. Earlier in the day on one of her walks she was sniffing around a fire hydrant, heard a noise and blingo! She hit her head on the hydrant. She was stunned for a brief moment but quickly recovered. She is quite intelligent but not that graceful.

Vicki's Namesake

Any similarities? We like to think of Vicki as our beloved. She may not be thin and beautiful but in her own way she's our glam girl.

It's Not Just Us

There's something about Vicki that draws attention and she loves it! Took her to the vet's for her booster shot. People generally love her. The staff makes a big fuss. Even other dog owners look at her with wide-eyed wonder. When they weighed her she was 14.5 kilos. Maybe, maybe the skipped meals and 4 or 5 walks a day are doing some good. Some people are blunt, "Whoa, she's fat!". Other people are more diplomatic, "Oh, she must be a sweet one to have so many treats." Our standard reply is that she is a rescued dog and we are working on getting her healthy.

Vicki and Augustus can stay in one room without barks and hisses now especially when attention for both of them from us is involved. Augustus has been really great throughout this transition. We have to keep his food off the floor but he doesn't mind. Having Vicki around keeps him on his paws. We can hope that one day they'll be friends.

Power Snoozes Goooood!

If there's one thing our girl loves to do aside from eating it would be sleeping. She takes these little 3-5 minute naps (well, longer than that sometimes too). Yes, even while sleeping we are still aware of her larger-than-our-home-like presence.

We are headed to the vet's office today for a booster shot. This will be a different vet from the traumatic ER weekend visit. Let's see how she fares.

So Happy Together

Hard to believe it was just a week ago that Queen-sized Vicki joined our household. Already we have gone through a lot with her. This weekend began with the trauma of an emergency trip to the vet for her bleeding nail but ended Sunday evening relaxing and listening to Vicki's loud as a human snores.

Although Augustus and Vicki are not BFs yet they do, for the most part, tolerate each other now. She still barks sometimes but usually I can figure out what she's attempting to communicate.

She's a great watchdog and always alerts us when there's someone outside. Vicki barked as I clicked the leash on for her walk yesterday and lo and behold there was a person sitting on the stairs near the elevator. Her senses are very keen.

We end up talking to people a bit more while others scurry off in terror. I think Vicki is anything but scary while some people I guess are altogether afraid of dogs.

Here's to another exciting week of getting acquainted with Vicki though Augustus probably doesn't think thats' so exciting.

Vicki the 15.1 KG Sized Pug!

We had Vicki to the vet's office yesterday and she weighs a whopping 15.1 kgs or just over 33 lbs. Of course, the vet whipped out the product they sell which is a high fibre, low fat woodchip. She will not go for that, come on, after five years of mauwing on caviar who would go for hamburger? Yes, I would probably eat beef or pork if you starved me for a week too. Instead of caviar, we are trying to reach a compromise that we can all live with, and canned food is it. I know kibble is great. It is super convenient. It is wonderful. We had our previous dog on kibble (even the diet kind) and she loved it. This dog will not eat it and this transition needs to be as smooth as possible. One day we hope to mix the kibble and wet food together but for today she eats wet food.

I'm sorry I traumatized Vicki by trying to cut her nail. I do feel terrible about putting her through the whole ordeal. I will not cut her nails again ~ end of that story. "People make mistakes but dogs have accidents."

Feel Like a Heal

Well, today I tried to cut Vicki's nails with pet nail clippers. Yup, you probably guessed it. I clipped only about 1/4 of a centimeter and it started to bleed and bleed and bleed. We tried to bandage the bleeding nail bed up but it would fall off. We tried rubbing alcohol, baking soda and finally thought, "hmmm, maybe we should just leave it alone." It has stopped bleeding after half an hour and that seemed like an eternity. I'll now leave the nail clipping to the vet and groomer.

A Better Day

August 21, 2009

Well, things are looking better. Vicki has learned that a mini-bite doggie treat is good. No messes in the house for about a day and a half (one very small pee on the paper yesterday). I bought a book called New Dog. The advice seems very sensible. Though I may not use all of the advice, it has already been helpful. She’s still barking a bit mainly at the cat and or she needs to walk. Our helper, Norie, left a note after yesterday morning/early afternoon.

“HA HA.. Miss Vicki make fun of me and scared me. First. She hide behind the curtain w/out any sound. Even when I call her. Second she pretend to be very weak...she is not moving just lying so I hold her to stand, but she keeps to be in her lying position.”

That is the personality of our Vicki! She knows how to ham it up for us humans!

Right now she is snoring by my feet at the computer. It is nice to have some company as I type. In fact, it is difficult to feel lonely at all in the house with her around. She fills the space with her exuberant personality.

A Bit Discouraged but Still Hopeful

August 19^th

Today my heart is just not in this. Vicki is continuously barking after I have walked her, fed her, scratched her and gave her toys. She barks at Gusty’s kitty condo (he’s not there, he’s in the kitchen on top of the wine fridge).

Can understand barking at strangers at the door but this barking for no valid reason stinks. Pugs aren’t typically barkers, so why is she? I try to distract her with toys and scratches or even giving her a firm “no” but she runs back and barks incessantly.

Am more concerned the neighbours will complain and she will have to go so I hope this is not habitual. She sits at the base of the kitty condo not allowing Augustus to climb up to the top where he feels safe. She peed on the kitchen floor and continues to beg and bark. I know she is a dog and this is what they do. We all need time to adjust. I want to love her with all of my heart but right now it is a challenge.

We walked her at least four times yesterday yet she pooped and peed overnight in the house. Today has not been a great day for housetraining and barking. We did manage to bathe Vicki and we also started her on treatment for ear mites. My husband Greg and I say we are sure she has the potential to be a great pet. She is a dog after all, and well, dogs do pee and poop and bark a bit.

Left Vicki alone for the first time yesterday (well she did have Augustus). I locked the door after she tried to escape with me. She barked and she whined. I really thought I would have to cancel. She continued to bark for a few minutes and then it subsided as I made my get away. This time, I was the anxious one. Felt like I was leaving my child to the babysitter for the first time. She was on her own for a couple of hours and did okay.

She got her pet bed yesterday and she slept in it last night. People food would be her choice but we will not do it. I left kibble down for her but after two days she would not eat it and would rather eat tissues. I found a type of canned dog food she really likes. The food somewhat resembles people food. I also found a few toys and she has taken a strong liking to a small, pink ball. She does not want to play toss but would rather hold on to the ball and strip it of the fuzzy coating.

She is adapting as we are. She has the common problem of ear mites. She shakes her head and scratches mostly her left ear. We found dried blood and other telltale signs. Today, we'll get some medication for her scratchy ears. We need to set some boundaries but not be too rigid. After all, dry kibble seems like eating cardboard. We’ll slowly introduce a mixture. A few accidental pees can be expected. Vicki is a loveable pug. If only we could convince Augustus of how loveable Vicki can be.

Day Two of Vicki's (and our) New Life

August 18, 2009

Today is day two of our new life with Miss Vicki. Fortunately, I was able to spend the entire day with her. She is not eating her food. Have tried dry kibble, then kibble mixed with a little wet food and water and then straight wet food. After reading up on the “my newly adopted dog won’t eat” searches most agree dogs will eventually eat what is given to them. She ate some of the canned food in the after noon but when we ordered pizza for dinner she turned her nose up at her own food.

She had three walks yesterday with lots of attention. We live in an area with many joggers around – some must think, due to her size, I am a terrible pet owner! Oh well, we hope to dwindle her down to a svelte size. Is that even possible with pugs? We’ll see.

A few other things: she snores; she pees in one spot of our home; she goes wherever we go.

One of the volunteers at HKDR called her a Mission Impossible but after one day we will see what is possible.

Vicki slept well last night and peed on the newspaper we put down for her. I was beginning to think she was not housetrained at all but she did her business on her morning walk today. Little things can make us feel really proud and happy!

Vicki's First Day Home from Hong Kong Dog Rescue

August 17, 2009

I’m not sure what to think as I sit listening to poor Miss Vicki trying to breath with such difficulty.

Did we really take on more than we can handle?

In my heart I believe the answer is of course not. She is just anxious. What a week she has had. Her previous owner surrendered her to the Hong Kong Dog Rescue with no reason given. She lived at HKDR for a brief week with a group of other dogs. She’s very sociable really. The taxi ride was terrifying for her as she futilely tried to squeeze her queen-sized girth under the seat.

Now, we are home. The cat is ominously quiet and resting on top of his kitty condo. Vicki aka Exel has flopped with her legs splayed out behind her and breathes like an asthmatic. Will she calm down? She is a sweet dog but she is not amused with her new surroundings or with me yet.

I put on some music and started dancing while Vicki stopped breathing heavily for a while and was even wagging her tail as if to the beat of the music.

Broke out some humous and carrots and she nearly tackled me for it. She’ll have to learn begging for people's food is not allowed here! Oh, and The Emperor is not amused..