Our New Pooch!

Our kids have been begging us to get a dog for a long long time. My kids don't realize how spoiled they are to practically live at a zoo. I was not excited about the idea of taking on another critter but I felt that if something came about that I would be okay with it. I surely was not going to pay for another dog. A couple of weeks ago Candi, my sister asked if we would like a Shih-Tzu puppy. She had a friend who needed to find a home for her little dog. I don't think she was ready for my kids response as they all yelled "YES, mom can we please get her?" Candi called her friend and told her that we would love to have her. (Why not? When you have this many pets, what's one more right?) So on Monday the 22nd she and her five year-old son brought her over to our house. I felt really bad because she was in tears and had been all day. She has a really sad story. A while back she was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and she had a huge tumor taken out of her chest. It is in remission but she still gets weak and was having a hard time caring for her. They live in a desert landscape area and she would get really dirty and muddy with all of the rain that we have had. She is also going to school and working and she just did not have the energy to take care of her. She was given to her by a friend while she was in the middle of her Chemo treatments and I think that is why she had such a hard time letting her go.

It only took her a couple of days to get used to us. She is quite a crazy little dog. She loves to go outside and play with the big dogs. She chases the chickens up and down the fence and she loves to get nice and muddy in the irrigation. She is loving the two acres of yard to run around. We are really enjoying the new little addition to our family however she does not listen worth a lick.  Maybe we need some obedience training but heck I could use that for my kids too. Anyone know of a place that does a two for one dog and kids training?