Is the media and our culture to blame?

Reading the headlines and news articles this morning is depressing. The article that caught my eye was an AP article about the massive amounts of Chihuahuas being abandoned in shelters in California. As we humans are a morbid bunch, I read the article, knowing it wasn't a very happy article.



The article cites that the shelters in California are up by over 30% for intakes of chihuahuas and small dogs. Many blame our media and culture on the initial popularity of the breed, celebs like Paris Hilton and movies like Beverly Hill Chihuahua. Then as soon as the "new" wears off, they are being dumped by the hundreds.

Despite it's size a small dog can be just as expensive for care as a large dog. And if you have small children, you quickly find that small dogs are not suited well to a household with small children. For one, a small dog is much more breakable than a larger or stockier breed. And small dogs tend to be more timid and can nip or bite quicker when they feel threatened. Small dogs prefer to bond with one or two people.



However, chihuahuas aren't the only small victims of our media and culture, Guinea pigs are also being abandoned by the hundreds. Our shelter alone has quite a few guinea pigs and other small rodents for adoption.



Other animals like ferrets and  rabbits are also left looking for care and homes. And species or breed specific rescue organizations are filled to capacity too.

My heart breaks for all these homeless animals, being bred by the thousands, bought as presents or because they are the "animal d'jour"  or the latest fashion trend. Then they are being disposed of, abandoned by the thousands by uncaring people or people who find themselves financially incapable of caring for them anymore, or because their kid lost interest, or being left to starve in the foreclosed house. And with the economy still in the tank, there just isn't anywhere for them to go anymore. Millions of animals are being put to sleep (euthanized) daily because they are overbred and there is simply no home for them.

And yes, I do blame the media for alot of this predicament. Animals have really become a "fashion statement" or a statement of how well off a person is. Many people feel the need to show to the world how affluent they are by owning only a purebred, etc. And when the poor animal becomes a nuisance or out of fashion, it is disposed of without a care for it.  Less and less is seen about the truth of the over population of pets, and what happens to them. Even less is seen in the media about responsible pet ownership or spaying and neutering so animals like these don't have to die for our vanity. Even if you read today's article on the overpopulation of chihuhuas in the CA shelters, you won't see the mention of spaying or neutering your pets at all. Just a mention that these little dogs most likely come from puppy mills. And a great majority of puppy mill dogs sold in pet stores have many inherent health problems.

Yes, for those of us who do care, we need to help spread the word, educate friends and family about not buying purebreds, many great purebreds and dogs period come from adoption from shelters. We also need to help educate for spaying and neutering. If you must give a pet for the holidays, give the recipient a leash and collar and perhaps a gift certificate from the local shelter, or take them there to pick out their pet, and pay for the adoption. Let's all promise for the new year to help reduce the overpopulation of pets and help to decrease the numbers from the shelters by vowing that your next pet will be from the shelter.

Small Dog Mentality....

So, I went back to work today after two days off from a bad back. The dogs are always happy to have someone home with them all day. Understand, I have a small herd of Chihuahuas, 3 to be exact. Once upon a time it was 4. They are all a bit older and for the most part mellow. Lil'Shit being the eldest and most needy these days. With Thumbelina being the smallest and thinks she's the most independent and ferocious.

Things I have learned over the years living with little dogs (as Yummy the cat sits draped over my shoulder and encouraging me to write this).

1. They truly have no concept of their size. Their whole attitude says Rottweiler.

2. They are vengeful when things don't go their way. For example, you come home from work and turn around without sitting with them for at least 1/2 hour and go out again for supper. You come home to find that the coffee table is cleared off and what was once on it is now littering the floor, or.... you find a lovely pile of fresh poo behind the front door, or..... something is chewed up. And as you grumble and clean up they sit there looking like innocent angels blaming the cat.

3. Never, ever come between a small dog and their food or bone, it's a sure fire way to get bitten.

4. Never underestimate their loyalty and protectiveness to the person they choose as their person. Patting that person's knee or even kissing or touching that person is another way to get bitten.

5. They can love everyone when they choose to, unless you are the vet with a syringe or nail clippers. Then they become miniature tasmanian devils, all teeth!

6. The smaller they are, the cuter they are right? Don't let the size fool you, they're a devil in cute clothes.

7. They can be very needy when they choose to be, and are kind of like leeches, pick them up and you can't detach them from you again without some sort of surgery involved.

8. Only if they choose to will they allow themselves to be housebroken. If they choose not to be, there is absolutely nothing in the world you can do to change it.

9. You will never be more stubborn than they are. See #8, you can leave them outside all day in the hopes that they will figure out that outside is the place to go, and it won't work, they won't leave the door, and will hold it all day till you give in.

10. They are either very finicky eaters or eat everything except what is good for them. All but one of my dogs loves the raw diet. The other, if you put it in her bowl she won't touch it. But if you drop a piece of raw meat on the floor accidentally, she'll gobble it down like a piranha.

11. Speaking of piranhas, who needs a floor cleaner in the kitchen. You drop food, you either need to be very very very quick in getting it off the floor or be prepared to lose fingers. Doesn't matter what you dropped, even if it's a lemon or dill pickle, it's human food and it's theirs when it hits the floor.

12. Be prepared to have  bells on their collars or some other noisemaking device for when they start aging and losing sight or hearing. You need to know where they are, otherwise you are always falling over them.

13. Older little dogs and stairs. Be prepared to carry them up and down the stairs as their coordination and balance is not that great on their own and they tend to fall down the stairs without injury quite often. Or put up a child gate at the bottom of the stairs.

14. Oh, speaking of child gates..... don't get the ones with the diamond plastic mesh in them, they are too easily chewed through by a tiny determined dog that feels they should not be locked out of any room in the house.

15. Strange chewing habits..... Let's see, I had one who felt she must audition for Frederick's of Hollywood and create all these custom crotchless panties and pants if she could get to them. Her daughter has a thing for chewing through small plugged in electrical cords, like those for cell phone charging. Another loves anything of paper, tissue, napkin, or paper towels if he can get to them.

16. And be prepared for other OCD issues as they get older. Lil'Shit has a think about licking everything, fabric, ankles, toes, shoe insides, you name it. It's rather unnerving when he goes up to a guest and begins licking their ankles. LOL Hmmmm, Poppy on the other hand, if she feels you are even remotely close to where she has staked her claim, even if she is sound asleep, she will bark sharply and growl and snap. Usually no one is remotely close.

17. If they wish to be trained they will be and it'll be a breeze, usually they don't wish to, and will tolerate only the absolute things they must tolerate, like leashes.

18.  And either they are very social and love everyone, or they are scared of everyone new and have to bark constantly, or just only like their owners.