Zinnia Has a Few Words

(Editor's Note: Zinnia has a number of challenges to overcome. She is a very special doggie, and has done well in spite of her limitations. She will remain with her adoptive parents, who love her.)

I'm Zinnia and I was found by a garbage truck driver in Scottsdale, and turned in to a rescue group, and my mom and dad found me there. I can't remember to potty outside all of the time, but I know when its feeding time. Mom and dad have me on a special diet because they say I weigh too much.

The vet says there's something wrong with my back legs because they don't connect right to my hips, and I can't jump, but I like to walk and I can sure run when I'm called to dinner!

Life is good here, we all have pillows to sleep on (that's my second favorite thing besides eating). I have lots of long hair and it needs to be brushed often, but I don't like that, so mom and I have to compromise. Sometimes I look like I'm having a bad hair day, so mom puts me in the sink and scrubs, trims and brushes. I growl when she does that, but she says it has to be done.

Was I supposed to say more?

Zack's Story

Hi,

I'm Zack, dog of few words. My favorite words are "Zack, treat!", and "Zack, let's get the paper!".

My story? I was a cute, fuzzy puppy. They tell me I'm part chihuahua and part terrier. My first parents called me Oso-that's "bear" in Spanish. I kept getting out of the yard and the Animal Control people in Sierra Vista kept finding me wandering the streets, so my first parents turned me in at the shelter.

Someone told my new mom there was a long-haired chi available at the shelter, and she and my new dad decided to take me home. I've been here six years and had many adventures, like the time I chased a coyote. He bit me and I had to go to the vet. Luckily I had all my shots so I was ok.

Mom and dad have taken me to doggie training so I know how to "sit" and "stay" and I love to walk on a leash. One of my favorite pastimes is sneaking into the living room to sleep on the rocking chair. My hair makes a beautiful contrast against the green upholstery.

I like to sit on mom's lap when she works at the computer. She thinks I want to learn to use EBay to order doggie goodies, but I have a problem typing. My fingers just don't work well on the keys.

I've talked enough.

I'm Zelda

Zane's been saying things about me, and I'm here to set the record straight. First of all, yes, I am an overachiever. You would be too, if you thought your life depended on doing something that would make humans keep you!

I must have been a cute puppy, because someone adopted me, but as I outgrew that stage, they lost interest, and I was abandoned. Yes, this man put me out of the car in Texas Canyon, and left me!

Texas Canyon is an area along I-10 in southeast Arizona made up of weird rock formations. No one lives there but there are lots of coyotes, and sometimes even bobcats. It's scary as hell for a small dog.

Fortunately, a kind lady saw this happen, and she rescued me. She couldn't keep me, so she turned me over to Chihauhaua Rescue and Transport in Tucson, AZ., and they found my mom and dad.

I was so nervous meeting them for the first time! I barked, jumped on furniture and even pooped on the floor. The lady asked the man, "What do you think?" and he said, "She's perfect!" Of course, by this time I was on his lap, licking his face.

So they kept me, but I was still worried that I might be abandoned again, so when they seemed happy when I brought them a ball, I kept on bringing them things. I think they will keep me; I've been here for six years, and they are now training me to be a therapy dog.

I get to wear this vest, and they can take me everywhere, like restaurants, where I have to stay under the table, and I go to formal training classes to make me a "good citizen". There will be more training after that until a become a Certified Therapy Dog, then I can go to rehabilitation facilities and visit people.

So there, Zane Carlos, being an overachiever is something to be proud of!

(Editor's note: Next week, if he chooses, Zack may have a few words to say)

Zane Speaks Again

Last week I told you a bit about myself; let me now tell a bit about my family. There are 12 of us here at the homestead, plus mom and dad. Sometimes there are more, like when we get a "foster" dog. That happens sometimes when someone finds a lost dog, mom and dad will keep it until the owner is found. Once a lady had to stay in a hospital for a while, and her two dogs stayed with us until she could take them home again.

Well, about the permanent crew: we have Zelda, she's the overachiever I mentioned last time we talked. Then there's Zack, the wuss that always has a bad hair day. Mom says his dad must have been a Brillo pad. And there's Zinnia. You know how humans tell blonde jokes? Well, Zinnia should have been blonde. She just doesn't have much upstairs. She and Zola are what mom calls the "wide bodies". They're both long hairs, and chubby. In fact, they look square, and have to be on a special diet.

Then there's Zarra, who won't talk about her life before she came here; we think she was owned by a hoarder. She's had lots of puppies and is on special medication called 'glucosomine' to help her joints.

Maybe I'll let some of them be guest editors in the weeks to come, and they can tell their own stories, and even insert their pictures. (You will see what I have to put up with.)

The rest? There's Zia who looks like a sewer rat, Zeus who we think was sired by an armadillo, Mr. Harry, who has no hair, Zipper and Petey who are just little brown dogs, and the favorite, Licorice, the teacup.

It's a tough job, keeping all of them in line, somebody's gotta do it.
(Editor's note:Next week, Zelda will tell her story.)

Zane Carlos Speaks

Hello. My name is Zane Carlos, and I'm the alpha dog in a herd of chihuahuas. Now that's a serious job, considering I'm responsible for all of them, from the 2 1/2 pound teacup to that 18 pound doofus, Zipper.

My mom and dad chose me from the animal shelter; that's the old one, before a kind lady donated money for the new Nancy Brua Animal Care and Control in Sierra Vista, AZ. I was found wandering the street, and was taken to the shelter.

This nice lady came by looking for a long-haired chi, and there I was! She picked me! Then she called this man over to look at me, and she said "he's the one" and the man agreed.

Before they took me home, I had to be neutered. And I gotta tell you guys, it's not so bad. It's no big deal. And the neighbors can't blame me when their Yorkie turns up pregnant!

Home was great! I had a whole house, and my dad fixed the fence so I couldn't possibly get out. I guess they wanted to keep me. They sure did funny things, like getting down on the floor and rolling a ball. I had to teach them I don't retrieve, that's such a mundane thing. Now I have a sister, who thinks she's an alpha female, who is fixated on retrieving a ball. She's ok, and I'll admit, she always has my back.

Mom and dad call us, Zelda and I, the A team! We sometimes get to travel with then. We've been all the way to North Dakota to visit grandma. She likes us, too. Especially that little suck up, Zelda. I don't know what it is about people they way they like to throw balls, but grandma really got into it, and Zelda just played along.

We went to Wisconsin and visited Alex and his dog, Zoe. She's a big min pin, but we got along fine. Not so fine visiting in Tennessee, where they had CATS. One of those monsters took a swipe at me. The nerve of that hussy!

Here at the homestead, my days are busy. I nap, bark at the javalinas, nap, eat, watch the herd, nap, bark at the doorbell, watch the herd, bark at them, nap, eat, you get the idea.

Next week, I will tell you more about the others, especially that overachiever, Zelda Lou.