Chibi And Sumo Need More Cowbell

It's Raining....Dog's go on Strike

2011-01-04T13:38:00.000-08:00

It is the most frustrating thing when it rains.....both dog's refuse to go outside. Chibi isn't as bad as Sumo...she'll still eat and drink and wait until she REALLY has to go and will rush outside and relieve herself. However, SUMO will stop eating drinking and will refuse to step foot/paw near the door. We literally have to find him (he's usually hiding down the hall or under the bed), leash him up and either carry or drag him outside. Once outside, he'll sit on the stepping stone and look up at the rain or run back to the door. It's so frustrating when we know he has to go.

Today, both dog's decide to go on strike and not go (i know they have to because it's their routine before we leave for work and i know they better because it's a long day before anyone comes home).

I took both dog's outside in our backyard (like I normally do) and they both did nothing....it wasn't raining outside but was damp. So I attempted to take them both outside to the front. I leashed Sumo up first and after standing outside in the fog and freezing cold he finally went #1 but ran straight back to the door. Chibi was next....just as she was about to relieve herself the garbage man comes and she panics. I tried to calm her down but at this point she is tugging me towards the front door. So I bring her inside and try to take her to the backyard....she can still hear the garbage truck and refuses to go. By this point, I'm getting extremely frustrated and at the point of yelling at Chibi (who probably could care less)..telling her to go pee or poo. I give up, walk into the house and tell my husband........it's now up to him.

I left for work...not sure if Chibi or Sumo ever went or finished going and dread the fact if they didn't we may find a "surprise" somewhere in the house. Ugh!

Bathroom Door Left Open

2010-11-03T17:07:00.000-07:00

Apparently someone in the house left the bathroom door open and the dog's thought it would be a good idea to eat the feminine hygiene products (not used). I thought we were past this stage!

Oh and yesterday we found a Wii game case chewed up as well (thankfully the game wasn't in the case).

Doggies Vet Visit

2010-08-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

Had to take Chibi & Sumo to the vet on Thursday. They both have their crazy seasonal allergies so Chibi has managed to eat a hole in her fur near her tail and a few other patches on her body. Sumo is licking his paws raw. They both are a mess right now...between Chibi's bald spots and Sumo's red feet....both not attractive looks for either of them. Chibi is on an antibiotic for the "hot spots" she managed to get and they are both on Temaril...and anti-inflammatory medicine to stop the "itchies".

Here is a picture of them trying to figure out their escape from the dreaded vet's office...."oh no, not the thermometer!"

Running as Exercise..Maybe Not?

2010-08-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

When we first got Chibi, I (Dad) was hoping that she would help me exercise more. I had to walk her every day (which is good exercise for both dogs and people). I was hoping to eventually start jogging/running with her (as my endurance got better).

When I finally was feeling ready to start jogging (Chibi was a little over a year old), she would always start sprinting at full speed (which was way too fast for me). She would dart ahead and get yanked back when she hit the end of the slack in the leash. My jogging pace was right in between her trotting and walking, but not quite running, etc.

Eventually, I gave up on the jogging. Then came Sumo dog. So we were walking 2 dogs now. Sumo still pulls at the leash until he chokes himself. We've tried corrective leash action, harness, harness that pinches the legs together, a backpack, and the face harness, but he still pulls sometimes.

I decided to start running again, which made Sumo happy. He doesn't pull anymore (his pace perfectly matches my stride) and runs right beside me. Chibi now lags behind and eventually slows down until I stop running (at which time she "sits" until I stop jogging). She's perfectly content now to walk and ONLY walk. I imagine, it looks a bit odd with white dog pulling in front, red dog lagging behind, with me in the middle.

The solution is to walk both dogs when I'm the only one home, OR when mom is available, she walks Chibi and I go for a run with Sumo. The first time was interesting, the first 10 minutes or so, Sumo would stop every 20 yards or so and look back to try and find Chibi. Once he even stopped and wouldn't keep going. He laid down and just faced home.

I'm not sure if Chibi is getting older, prefers a slower pace, or is just letting me know that she could run (because she used to) if she wanted to, but because I used to not let her, she's not letting ME run now. (I'm all but certain that's it :-p)

What is she doing?!

2010-08-04T11:52:00.001-07:00

Oh no......where to sleep!?

2010-07-12T15:07:00.001-07:00

Sumo's been sleeping in munchkin's room for awhile now......last night she was at a sleepover and poor Sumo was completely lost. He had no clue where to go to bed. He waited in the hall by her bedroom door so I opened it up and he went in. About 10 minutes later he was back by the door crying to be let out of her room.

We let him out and he came running into our room. Because the dogs will be going to the doggie sitter for a fews days, I had already broken down his kennel and put it in the garage...he looked a little frantic that his kennel wasn't where it was supposed to be. So we called him up on the bed and he made his little nest and went to sleep.

Only thing.......................he woke up around 3 am to clean his butt and lick his feet! I kept trying to nudge him to stop but he kept going. I finally fell back asleep and awoke to a yellow mark on my new white comforter...........it's not pee, so it must be from his licking his paws/butt ALL NIGHT LONG!

Note to self....next time muchkin is at a sleepover...make sure Sumo's kennel is set-up. No more sleeping/licking paws/cleaning butt on the bed!

Princess Sumo

2010-06-29T16:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we have documented that when it's cold, windy, and/or rainy, Sumo will not go outside and pee and/or poop. He's held it for over a day at times. The first day of over 100 degree weather this week, and now we've discovered he also will not poop/pee when it's too HOT outside.

Both Chibi and Sumo prefer to sit by the window in the air conditioning all day. (not that I don't either) :-)

Sumo's Allergies Are Back

2010-06-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Poor Sumo is on Benadryl and we've started using ointment for his eyes. Poor guys feet are red from him cleaning them and his eyes are horrible. He's managed to itch them raw. He just lays on the couch all day looking doped up from the Benadryl. (I will post pictures soon)

2 Shiba's For Sale!

2010-06-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

Got home last night after running errands and as I was putting things away in the hall bathroom I noticed our bedroom door open. We don't allow the dogs in our bedroom unless we are in there so I went to peak inside. As I push the door open.....I notice white "fluff" all over the bed! I walk closer and see the following...(note this picture was taken after the "fluff" was picked up by my husband). Notice the lovely HOLE in the middle of my expensive comforter! Here's Chibi & Sumo ........."Mom, what are you doing?" We're pretty sure that Chibi (the red one) was the one who pulled the stuffing out.......but Sumo helped as well (later found a piece of stuffing stuck to his nail).

I thought we were over "stupid" dog things!

Sumo The Guard Dog!

2010-05-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

Sumo has been sleeping in munchkin's room from time to time lately. Last night he woke her up with warning barks (which was more him being scared of something in the dark). When we got to her room, we found that her backpack had fallen off the beanbag chair and he was warning it to stay away.

Well, we think he was warning it/us. A few minutes after we turned the lights back off and put him back in there, he was crying to get out and away from the scary backpack. :-p

I Guess I'm Just Lazy

2010-05-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

We have taught Chibi and Sumo what we though were "many" tricks. The Shiba Inu isn't un-trainable, but also it's reputation is that it's not as easy as many other breeds.

We have done many of the basics, sit, stay, lay down, come (which works when they feel like it), roll-over (which only Chibi will do), shake, high-five, around, speak (which only Sumo will do), and weave.

Apparently, there are many that we have left out :-p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjblqE3xHk&feature=player_embedded

That Time of Sumo Year Again...

2010-04-09T09:50:00.001-07:00

Sumo's allergies are back.

We've been trying to manage them with benadryl, but either we caught it too late, or it's just a bad year. We had to take him into the vet last week. His eyes were getting red and puffy (beyond the normal eye watering red), and his paws were starting to get a bit sketchy also.

He's been on a steriod for the last week and his eyes look TONS better. His paws are back to mostly normal. Only a few more days left and he should be back to normal. The dosage is 2 a day for 4 days, 1 a day for 4 days, 1 every other day until gone (4 more times).

Funny though, with all the steriods, he's not any more buffed out ;)

Talking In His Sleep

2010-03-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

I always wondered what dogs dream about. I still do, but at least now I know they DO talk in their sleep sometimes. The last couple nights, I can hear Sumo in his crate. He's definitely asleep, but making "squeaking" sounds. Sounds much like a rubber duckie being squeezed :)

3 Times Tougher.......I think not!

2010-03-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

The new toy grandma bought for doggies stated "3x tougher"..........not the case when 2 Shiba Inu's are involved. First Chibi (right) ate the spots off & then decided to rip it's insides out.

Chibi Shedding

2010-02-23T10:46:00.001-08:00

After petting Chibi for a little.......I realized she is starting to shed.....AGAIN! We looked over at her a few seconds later and saw the fur on her nose.

Rule of No Dog's on Couch....not going well! (Mom's fault)

2010-02-22T16:55:00.000-08:00

Bedtime

2010-02-11T11:14:00.001-08:00

Sumo is a big boy now. He's allowed to sleep in munchkin's room every night on the bed. He actually is ready to head down the hallway anytime after 9 and immediately claims his curl up into a ball spot on the blue blankie.

We've tried to give Chibi bed privileges in our room, but she doesn't seem to like or want them. She'll stay on the bed as long as we're awake, or one of us is not in the bed (she usually curls up on one of our pillows). The minute we start to go to bed, she jumps off the bed and gets back into her crate. Oh wells!

Things I Wonder...

2010-02-03T11:11:00.000-08:00

If Chibi did have puppies, odds are we probably would have ended up with 7 shiba inu's in the house. I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have been able to give any of them away :)

You always understand that the same breed, is supposed to look alike, and act alike (mostly) and move alike. Watching shiba cam and momma doggie, reminds me so much of Chibi (yes, I'm sure she would have been a great momma dog), and the cream puppies remind me of Sumo when we picked him up as a pup :-p

Ahhhhh POOP!

2010-01-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, spoke too soon.

Sumo has been so averse to peeing/pooping outside and holding it, I guess it was bound to happen. He pooped in his bed (again). He hasn't done that since he was less than a year old. But his unwillingness to poop when he's let outside in the rain is stronger than the common sense to not poop in the house! :-p

Return of Shiba Cam

2010-01-21T14:37:00.000-08:00

http://www.ustream.tv/sfshiba

New Camera Lens + Doggies

2010-01-21T14:12:00.000-08:00

New tests/samples with an ultra-wide angle lens!

Grown Up Doggies Who Hate Water/Cold

2010-01-21T14:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, the good news is, the doggies are no longer required to stay in their exercise pens when we leave the house. There is finally some free space in the family room again! We're pretty sure they sleep, sit and lay on the couch while we're gone (since they're not allowed on the furniture when we're at home).

Sumo is a big boy dog now. He's allowed to sleep in munchkin's bedroom at night outside of his crate (on the bed). Chibi still prefers her crate. She'll jump up on our bed and rest for a while at night, but eventually jumps back off and crawls into her crate (and we do still close the crate door once she's inside).

Neither dog pee's or poop's when it's wet, raining, windy and storming outside. The average time between pee's this week for Sumo is between 12-24 hours (yes, he went 1 full day without peeing or pooping).

Attempt to Keep Updated

2010-01-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

In the midst of youth competitive soccer, scouts, basketball league, etc...something was neglected (the blog) :-p

Dogs are fine, they went to their first grooming session for nail clipping, ear hair removal, paw fur cleanup, bath, etc. They both came back puffy and clean.

The big news is the removal of the doggie pens while we're not at home. While they are still blocked off from some areas of the house, they are no longer confined to their pens! (which makes them happy, and our family room look less like a dog kennel!)

Sumo has turned into a cat this Winter (e.g. sleeps all day in a ball on the top of the couch or under a blanket or curled up next to us), Chibi is still Chibi :-p

Sumo & His Upside Down Bed

2009-09-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

After fighting/playing King of the Bed with Chibi and flipping the bed over. Sumo decides to try and nap on it. Our special boy...

Old School Photos

2009-09-02T16:27:00.001-07:00

Ha, Mom found some old photos of Chibi and Sumo :-)

Exercise Dogs?

2009-08-25T11:16:00.000-07:00

I recently started jogging with the dogs. I waited until Sumo was at least 18 months (Chibi is already 2.5 yrs).

Chibi used to really enjoy the "running" aspect of the daily exercise, but now she's settled into trotting along behind JUST fast enough to keep the tension off the leash. Sumo (of course) runs ahead and still hasn't figured out the leash will pull him back when he gets too far ahead.

Even if I pick up the pace to "run" vs. "jog", Chibi isn't going any faster. She loves being outside and will trot as long as we stay out there...but "fast" isn't on her agenda anymore.

I'm not a runner (nor do I really enjoy jogging either), but I think Chibi is starting to take after her owner :)

Huge Mega Sumo!

2009-08-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, not really huge...nor mega...but Mom picked up Chibi last night (who doesn't like being carried or cuddled, hence why we try to pick her up and cuddle her) and then picked up Sumo (who loves being carried and/or cuddled).

"Wow! Sumo weighs more than Chibi!"

It took a year and half, but he's now taller AND heavier than Chibi. He still doesn't LOOK bigger (it's probably the color and style of his coat).

When we first got Sumo we just assumed he'd always be smaller. Chibi was much bigger than both Sumo's parents. Oh well, guess that's what we paid the extra $ for in their special dog food? :-) lol

Doesn't matter much though, Chibi still rules the house.

What Happens When You Eat String...

2009-08-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

Sumo decided it would be a good idea to shred his rope toy (and several pairs of socks). What goes in, must come out, right?

He figured out (and was angry about it), that his intestines don't actually digest thread, but instead, use it to string his poop together into a long chain that doesn't come out. No matter how loudly you scream at your butt, or run around in a circle.

Frisbee dogs! NOT

2009-08-11T08:17:00.000-07:00

Chibi (and techically Sumo) have had a chewy frisbee for several months now. Never known as retrievers or big air dogs, I was hoping they'd at least "catch". After this length of time, I've learned:

Chibi tries to bat the frisbee down or catch it inbetween her paws, then grab it with her mouth
Chibi hasn't figured out that you cant pickup the frisbee when you're standing on it
Sumo has no idea what a frisbee is, nor does he care

Sumo & the Coo-Coo Berries (we think)

2009-07-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend while we were out.....the baby-sitters, our daughter and her friends were swimming in the pool. Apparently they let the doggies run around in the backyard while they were swimming. Around 11 when we got home....Sumo was acting strange....(more so than usual).....his tail was semi-straight and he kept whipping his head around sniffing. We both figured maybe he had farted and startled himself (a common occurrence with our special boy...Sumo).

When it was time for bed....he was still acting a little strange but ran into his pen for his bedtime snack. About 10-15 minute later, he began whining, so we let him out to the bathroom. He tried to pee but nothing came out.....put him back into his kennel........he began to whine again. Finally took him out of his pen and I grabbed my pillow and headed into the living room with Sumo. He started wondering up and down the halls, sniffing in the air and acting like he was hallucinating...with his tail straight. He did this for several hours and then finally curled up next to me on the couch and went to bed. He woke up the next morning and was fine.

We think he may have munched on some of the fermented plums that fell from the neighbors tree. Poor guy!

Back from Vacation

2009-07-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a week long vacation in beautiful Oxnard, CA. (aka. close enough to Santa Barbara so that we could afford the rental house "on" the beach, vs. "near" the beach) :)

Chibi and Sumo did not have to go to the boarding kennel this time. They were lucky enough to stay with their trainer (who also does dog sitting) this time. They got to play with a golden all day, as well as get their behavior fine tuned as needed :)

Reports back were that it was pretty much as we had anticipated. Chibi was always on patrol/alert & was the primary play buddy, Sumo was always on the couch looking to be pet.

Doggie Meds Are Back

2009-07-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

Well, allergy season has returned. Chibi chewed another hole in her coat and licked most of the hair off her backside (which required a steriod med to reduce the itchies, and an antibacterial shampoo).

Sumo started rubbing his eyes until they started getting oozy again, and also licking his paws (until they got infected between his toes), which required the "cone of shame" or a day, then an antibiotic, then eye drops, and also benedryl.

On the upside, we removed all the ground cover in the backyard (that hid all the cat poop), so now the doggies can run free in the backyard (but now they don't really seem as excited to do it).

Out of the Frying Pan...

2009-06-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

For some strange reason this weekend, Chibi decided it would be a good idea to sleep/rest/relax in the fireplace...

Leaving the Doggies In Jail

2009-06-23T14:53:00.001-07:00

Well, eventually it would have to happen. We had a weekend trip and were unable to use our normal friendly "watch the doggies" resources.

We boarded them at our local vet hospital (where they are favorites among the vet techs). We also opted for the "bathe the dogs before we take them home" option for a few extra $. (who wants doggies who have vet/kennel smell at home).

When we arrived to pick them up, one of the techs said, "Sumo doesn't like baths does he?" We replied, "no, not really, why do you ask?"

About an hour before we arrived, one of the techs heard another struggling with Sumo in the grooming area. The noise stopped, she saw the other tech walk from the area soaking wet with the request, "can someone come help me please?". After another 10 minutes with some help, they both walked into the reception area soaking wet.

The key lessons from this weekend. The dogs are fine for a weekend at a boarding facility, and Sumo doesn't like baths (at all) :)

Minor Achievement

2009-06-11T14:25:00.001-07:00

Well, we'll take the wins where we can get them. Ever since Chibi was a puppy, we haven't been able to let her go pee/poop outside without supervision (and on leash). Mostly because our backyard has TONS of ground cover and we are visited by many many many several many cats that deposit a bunch of cat mines in the ground cover.

Chibi would always bolt away from us, not come back in, and come in after eating a good share of cat poop. Seeing as we can't have that, we always had to take her out on leash to pee/poop in back. With repetitive training, she no longer tries to bolt on leash at least, but if left to her own devices, would go look for cat mines and return with very unpleasant breath.

Sumo however, has been much better about going out the door, IMMEDATELY turning right towards the grass, doing business and returning on demand/call. Mostly because he's terrified of the pool and won't walk towards the ground cover because it means passing by the pool.

The last few times, we have been able to let him go off leash and do business and then he'll run back in the house with no distraction. YEA!

Ever Wonder What Your Dog Sounds Like...?

2009-06-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that I'm not the only one who has imagined what my dog's personality, voice, thoughts would be like if they "could" talk...our family has been watching clips from "Up!", and we're convinced that if Sumo could speak, he'd be Dug the dog...especially when we walk him, and his biggest distraction..."SQUIRREL!"

Morning Eater, Evening Eater

2009-05-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

We've started noticing, Sumo prefers to eat his main meal of the day first thing in the AM (after pee/poop time).

Chibi on the other hand, usually waits until the evenings (after 8 PM) to have her main meal of the day.

Another random question of the day, why is it that Chibi will pee/poop during 1 trip outside. Sumo, will pee, come back in the house for about 5 minutes, then want to go back outside to poop. Would definitely save some time if he would do both at the same time. We've tried to keep him outside until he poops, but when we try that...he sits on the ground and just looks up at us like we're nuts (e.g. "Hello! I'm done!!!")

Sumo DOGS!

2009-05-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

Mom had some free time and photoshop...not always a good thing :-)

Maybe A Napkin?

2009-05-21T10:34:00.001-07:00

Sumo has become very consistent in his eating patterns and behavior as of late.

Grab a mouthful of kibble, walk over to the area rug, drop it, eat one piece at a time

Once he's done eating, lay on a different part of the area rug and wipe his snout, mouth, muzzle on the area rug. I guess our carpet is his napkin :)

New Photos

2009-05-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

Bound to Happen

2009-05-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

It was bound to happen. They were GOING to get into the garbage can eventually I suppose.

Chibi has figured out how to open the garbage can. She uses her front paws to step on the foot pedal and crack the lid open. She then shoves her nose in the small crack and keep it open. From there, she gets up on her back paws and shoves her whole head into it.

It only works when the lid isn't totally closed (or has a bad seal from the plastic garbage bag that hangs over the edges).

New Behavior...Interesting....

2009-05-06T09:56:00.001-07:00

Sumo has started just laying flat on the ground on a frequent basis. Head resting on the floor...looking quite pathetic.

Missed a good opportunity to capture some pics yesterday while looking for a camera. He had decided to sit with his new pose on the floor, head flat on the ground looking up at us with a pathetic expression. Chibi decided it would be a good time to grab a bone, walk over next to him, place/prop the bone resting against his head and start chewing on it (while Sumo continued to sit there doing nothing about it).

New Camera -- So new dog pics!

2009-04-13T21:37:00.001-07:00

Size Update and "From Time to Time"

2009-04-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess it was possible.

Sumo is now officially the same size as Chibi. She had been outweighing him by about 4 pounds the last few months and we had stopped weighing him assuming it was just genetics. But looking at the dogs today we decided to weigh them. They are now exactly the same size (or at least the same density). The boy dog finally caught up. He is looking much more buffed lately. His size has increased across his shoulders and chest.

22 pounds and change for both of them.

From time to time, they get into arguments. Loud. Boisterous, and vociferous. But for the most part, just noise. Tonight was the exception. They went at it pretty good over a chew bone. Started like normal but escalated beyond normal. Had to pull them apart.
Finally tally:

Chibi with a bruised paw and minor limp
Sumo with a slight injury above the eye

2 minutes later...back to normal. I just think he's not taking any more shznit from her as he gets older/bigger. Hopefully this was just aberration.

Clearing Up and We Were RUNNNNIN'

2009-04-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

after a few days of eye goop ointment, sumo's eyes look tons better. the only thing now is the staining from his tears (which there isn't much we can do with).

as the doggies are now both over a year old, ive started jogging (at my pace, it's probably closer to a very brisk normal person walk) with the doggies every other day (alternating with walking).

sumo still tries to dash ahead (even with this new harness -- which still tips him over when he pulls too hard), but chibi has figured out a good "trotting" pace to match my run. i still haven't figured out yet which is better (or which they enjoy more), a longer "walk" or a shorter more intense run. the distance covered is the same, but the duration changes every other day.

from what i can tell, they seem to be more relaxed after a jog/run (or at least they sleep/nap longer after) :)

Allergy Season

2009-04-01T15:50:00.001-07:00

I guess it's allergy season already.

aka. coat blowing season

this time around it's not chibi with the allergy issue (see: eating her own fur and scratching a bald spot from last year), it's sumo.

his eyes have had a higher than normal amount of tearing and he's been rubbing his face more the last few days. taking him to the vet this evening just to make sure that's all it is. but if i didn't know better, i'd say it was a case of the watery red eyes that goes along with high windy springtime weather.

Been a While

2009-03-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

Let's see what's new...

We bought a new camera...so we hope to be posting new pics soon (once we figure out how to USE the thing)
Chibi discovered a loose few threads on the couch (NEVER a good thing)
The doggies have pretty much been themselves lately
Chibi lost her mega puffy look (looks like the "blow the coat season" is here)
The doggies like ducks (at least staring at the one that is in our pool every AM)

Well, I Guess He Was Due?

2009-03-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

We're not entirely sure what happened....or if it's a change in the "norm" caused issue...but....

Earlier this week, we happened to run out of our normal doggie food so we had to scramble and hit the grocery store to pickup a small stash to get us through Sunday breakfast and dinner (until Monday when I could get down to our normal feed store).

Of course, the doggies LOVED the new food (they love any change of flavor after 25#'s of the same for a few weeks).

Sumo is now a year and 3 months and hasn't had an accident for a good while (other then when he is in his pen and can't helpt it). I got home, he walked down the hall and just decided to squat and poop in the hall. Didn't even bother to go to the door on the other side of the house...just walked over, looked me in the eye and felt the need to poop (a bunch btw -- sorry for the visual).

About a hour or so later, he decided he wanted to pee by the back door on the new door mat (he normally scratches or barks to go outside).

We'll give him this mulligan for now and assume it was the new food (which also gave both dogs frequent and unbearable gas).

Sumo's Frustration With His New Harness!

2009-02-24T13:04:00.001-08:00

Another? NOT

2009-02-19T18:58:00.000-08:00

We were scanning the local paper today. Found an ad for 2 sets of shiba puppies. 3 black and tan male puppies and another litter of 4 red ones. The 4 reds are from the same parents as Sumo dog.

For about one tenth of a fraction of a second, we were thinking about completing the set and picking up a black and tan, but...NOT!

Just When You Think It's Safe

2009-02-19T18:53:00.001-08:00

Chibi decides to EAT another corner on our baseboards...Nothing like destroying the newly installed/painted baseboards from 2 yrs ago. She's 2 yrs old...She hasn't destroyed anything of consequence in a few months (other than some cardboard boxes...but I guess if we had left her, she would have eaten what was IN the boxes too).

[and in homage to the NBA trade deadline passing today]

Interesting observation with Chibi and Sumo around a new toy I bought. A huge rope ball (about the size of canteloupe). They both love it. Sumo had it the other night and wouldn't give it up. So Chibi watched him for about 10 minutes, then went over to the toy bin and pulled out their favorite bone. She dropped it right in front of him. Then waited to see if he'd leave the rope ball. No chance.

We just thought it was interesting. It was almost as if she was offering up a trade. Or at least tried to distract him.

Photo Evidence

2009-02-11T21:15:00.000-08:00

Ok, here's the photo evidence of sumo on the levy in utter fear! :-p

Harness, Sumo, Not as Dumb as We Think?

2009-02-11T09:48:00.000-08:00

well, i got the harness home and took it out of the box. the dogs were their normal happy selves when they saw me get home.

chibi saw the harness and immedately became curious. she came over, sniffed it, stuck her nose all over it, pushed her head through the loops, even licked it for taste. sumo, on the other hand, immedately backed up and away from me and wouldnt come within a 6 foot radius of me.

not wanting to force anything, i just set the harness on the floor and did our normal greetings and petting, rubbing (only chibi was close at this time). i was waiting for sumo to come over and get his normal welcome. i waited about 5 mintues, and he still kept his radius. usually when i give chibi attention, within SECONDS, sumo is there sticking his whole body betwen chibi and i.

i finally gave in and grabbed some treats (his nemisis). chibi was happy now, she got attention and treats. sumo came within "i can get the treat" distance, but wouldnt let me pet him still. i needed to size the harness, so i put it on chibi as a test. she was fine, so i figured sumo would be close (since he's a bit smaller).

sumo wouldnt come any close, i just had to have him sit, then put it on him. he immedately tried "cleaning" it off on the floor, down the hall, on the couch. it was the shiba 500 all over the house (by himself).

the upside, after the first 2-3 times of pulling/bolting/running where he almost flipped himself over in a ball. he adjusted to the harness and the walks were fine! (so far) we got home, and i left the harness on him for another 30 minutes so that he would become more acclimated to it. it's hard to tell if he was more sad or ticked off at us as he sat/layed on the floor with his head down not moving.

oh well, it worked. the walk was pleasant!

Oh Yah, Few Extra Tidbits

2009-02-10T13:55:00.000-08:00

took the dogs back on a walk to the levy. chibi was fine (as usual), and sumo actually appeared to be ok for the first 5 minutes, until he looked to his left and saw the river (aka. EEEEEEEEEK! HUGE BODY OF WATER).

he then spent the next 10 minutes crawling on his belly (newly clean from a shower) on the far right side of the levy trying to get down the hill back to safety.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY CHIBI! (2 years)

This is much better than last year (last year on her birthday, she decided to pee in the house) :-)

Reeling in a Sumo-Fish

2009-02-10T13:51:00.000-08:00

ok, it's been over a year and sumo still wont "not pull" while walking. he honestly doesnt seem to mind choking himself with uncontrolled panting while on a leash. we've tried:

stop immedately when he starts pulling (no good)
immedately reverse direction when he starts pulling (no good)
treats when "not" pulling (works, until we run out of treats)

moving on to something new now...going to try a new harness. not the "gentle leader" (yet), we're going to try the gentle lead "harness"

cross your fingers!

Apparently They Do Have Issues To Work On

2009-02-03T12:10:00.000-08:00

we bought chibi and sumo a new chewbone (natural bone with some leftovers on it) from our local gourmet store (since i had to buy a new bag of food).

when i bought the bone, the girl behind the desk asked if i'd like 2 (since the store tracks the sales/owners/dogs) since i have 2 dogs. ive decided buying 2 is a bit of a waste. i used to buy 2 of every toy, but over time ive realized that even if the toys are identical, the dogs want what the other has and one toy goes unplayed with.

when i brought the new chewbone out we learned a few things:

it smells...a lot
the dogs REALLY liked it
they were able to both share/chew on it at the same time
once sumo had left the bone and tried to come back, chibi nearly ripped his head off and needed to be put in a timeout

the bone has been re-bagged (to help contain the fantastic aroma) and put away until we decide if the dogs will be able to share it or not. we havent seen such a "high value" toy/treat since sumo was a puppy. for the most part, they argue over toys, but nothing quite so aggresive.

Catching Up on Pics

2009-01-28T21:48:00.000-08:00

Here's what it looks like when a rotweiler decides to eat a sumo dog:

on a much happier note, his staples have been out for a few weeks, and the fur is now growing back.

a much better option to see (a few weeks after the attack):

Interesting Weekend

2009-01-28T10:36:00.000-08:00

we had to send chibi and sumo to a dog sitter this weekend (thurs through sunday). we usually use one of our friends who know the doggies, but since she was going to be with us this weekend, that wasnt going to work.

we were lucky enough to have our dog trainer (who also provides other services -- dog walking, dog sitting, etc.) available to watch them. she's known both doggies since they were puppies so we figured it was a win/win situation. she has a male golden retriever, which we figured would be good for the dogs (so in addition to each other, they have someone else to play with)

key learnings:

sumo isnt quite as doggie social as chibi (not that he's anti-social, just not as anxious or enthusiastic about playing)
chibi got in trouble a few times during the weekend for playing too rough/aggressively with the retriever (we always have suspected that our shibas play rougher than normal/happy play dogs. chibi and her brother tomo still go at each other pretty hard and loud everytime they meet, sumo and chibi are fairly aggressive in their play as well)
chibi does have some food protection issues (which we have been noticing, but we usually dont have to deal with since we feed the dogs seperately across the room)
both dogs are now famous for hating water/rain (our sitter noticed that they really acted like a bunch of pansies when it was time to pee/poop and it was raining outside)

like usual, when they got back 'home' with us, they pretty much slept the entire day and ate 2x their normal amounts (usually when we leave them, they dont rest much and they hardly eat).

it was nice getting to clean the house of most doggie fur, not have to worry about opening and closing doors with an eye to where they dogs were, and have some peace and quiet for the days they were gone. we're just as happy to have them back now too though.

More Observations

2009-01-20T13:23:00.000-08:00

sumo has definitely learned the sounds and patterns around the house. late at night around bedtime, any time we get up to go someplace or he hears the sound of the tv turning off, he bolts to the bedroom door and waits for his treat to go to bed.

the other night, he was sleeping on munchkin's bed. we were in the living room watching tv. turned the tv off to go to bed, and heard him jump off the bed and come rumbling down the hall to meet us at the bedroom door.

as he gets older he's also challenging chibi more for "who's the alpha doggie". he still loses. he's also started making new and unique noises. a cross between barking, yelling, and screaming. definitely fun to hear...like a whining cry of complaint. the best description is scooby doo with a voice about 50 octaves higher.

chibi dog is still chibi dog. she's getting fluffier every winter. someday i'll get around to posting some updated pix (as well as the "frankensumo" pictures after he got his staples). his staples were removed a week or so ago. the scars are healing well and the fur is growing back now :)

Sumo Cuddling His Hot Dog Toy

2009-01-12T14:01:00.000-08:00

On a much lighter note...

2008-12-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

we'll just add this "trick" to the list of things chibi and sumo will never be able to do :)

Attacked on a Walk

2008-12-23T09:19:00.000-08:00

It has been an eventful week. I took the dogs for a walk friday evening before we were headed out for dinner, no different than any other evening after work. We turned the corner at the end of our block to return home where another dog owner was also turning on his walk coming the opposite direction with his 2 rotweilers.

In the blink of an eye, one of his dogs had managed to pull lose of his grip and go after sumo. I tried to pull sumo away, but there isnt a whole lot you can do when a dog is charging full speed. Chibi tried to get in between them and protect him, which then triggered the 2nd rotweiler to pull it's owner forward and onto chibi. I had 2 shibas trying to get away from 2 rotweilers and a guy who couldnt control either of his dogs.

sumo was in the bite of one of them getting shook, while chibi was dancing and dodging the other inbetween getting bit. i gave up trying to get away from the rots when they let go each time, because they kept lunging forward anyways and the idiot owner couldnt get them back anyways. i tried grabbing for it's collar/leash to pull them off (primarily the one that had sumo becuase the one that was attacking chibi was still being "held" by the owner -- who was on the ground being dragged around). after getting a hold of the leash i gave it to the owner and backed away.

sumo got the brunt of the attack. his right paw was curled under, and i noticed blood on his coat. we had to rush the dogs to the vet. we found to 3 gashes on sumo with a few scrapes. he has/had a large tear on his upper right front shoulder and also one underneath his right leg on his chest area, along with a matching puncture wound on his right inside leg. the vet stapled him up (franken-sumo). she thinks there may be some neurological damage (which is why is paw is curled up occasionally when he tries to put his paw down). it may be just from the soreness, but we wont know for a few weeks to see how it heals. doesnt matter much anyways, if it's neurological, there isnt anything we can do about it.

he's been resting comfortably at home doped up on pain medication, anti-inflamatory, and anti-biotics.

chibi appears to have escaped with minimal physical harm.

my question (though this is purely rehtorical) is this, the owner of the rots said his dog was "dog aggressive". the owner is about 6', probably 200 to 210 pounds. he was walking 2 rots with a combined weight over his (they were large AND overweight). at what point did it seem like a good idea to walk down a highly populated residential street where other people walk their dogs?

i get that it isnt the breed, but my other point is....if they "can" be lethal dogs, but they arent when trained properly, but there are no requirements for owners to traine or have the dogs cerified/licensed to own them, how is that any different than allowing me to buy an assault rifle? guns dont kill people, people kill people right? i should be allowed to buy whatever i want?

strange as it sounds, i remembered an episode of the dog whisperer during the attack. "do not pickup your dog when it's being attacked, it may make you the target becuase you're holding it close to your body and the attacking dog wont know the difference" my initial instinct WAS to pickup sumo and run, but then i remembered that tip.

i'm glad i wasnt bit, i'm glad our daughter wasnt on the walk with me as she sometimes is. im just left in wonder sometimes, WTF people are thinking.

mom took some pics of franken-sumo, ill try to remember to post them later one we get them off her cam.

Forgot About...

2008-12-04T15:23:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back, we noticed a bump/growth behind Chibi's left ear near her neck. Went to the vet to have it checked out. Luckily it wasn't cancer. They took a small biopsy and had it tested. The vet said sometimes younger dogs/pups have these small growths, and they eventually just go away/fall off.

We've been keeping an eye on it, and it has been getting smaller and is starting disappear :)

Found a pic (not a great one), from mom's camera phone of the doggies when it's cold and rainy outside and they dont feel like getting up.

Happy Birthday

2008-12-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

This week Sumo will be one year old. Amazing. We're assuming he will be starting his crackhead (or more crackhead) phase of teenage behavior. Chibi was between 12-14 months when she started.

Other minor updates:

Dogs have been destroying toys at an alarmingly expensive rate (especially toy balls)
Sumo hates cold/rainy days and will hold his poop until it stops raining
We've stopped giving cookies after successful trips outside ot pee/poop and it has reduced the number of times they've gone outside and done nothing
Sumo's habit of barking at strangers (particularly men) has started to show up again (as well as barking at garbage cans, motorcycles that are parked, and random trees and bushes)

Hungry Dog Observations

2008-11-12T10:38:00.000-08:00

Interesting obesrvation from the other evening....Mom was eating a hot steaming bowl of soup the other day at the coffee table when Sumo got a bit too close. We moved him away, which he complied with, however, he was still within good "sniffing" distance. We could see the steam blowing over the side of the table right at his nose.

He proceeded to try to "EAT" the steam. Amusing visual.

We've also noticed that both dogs are now taking mouthfulls of food and walking about 10 feet away from their bowls to eat. Mouthful, walk away, drop mouthfull on carpet, eat, repeat.

Let's see

2008-10-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

yes, we've been lazy in posting pics. we'll have to get around to that. reality is, we've been lazy just getting pictures off the cameras lately.

sumo's been a good boy latey. still barking on occasion at the random stranger during walks (usually male). chibi however, is getting tired of his noise during the walks and usually let's him know when it's he's been barking too much and it is time to move on (ramming into him, screaming at him, or generally putting his head in her mouth).

he still has the habit/behavior of grabbing a toy and barking at people when he see's them or gets too excited. not sure why, but it is still just as amusing to watch :)

we watched an interesting show on the animal planet the other day "Dogs 101". the show essentially goes over dogs breed by breed (no shiba inu yet), and describes the size, behavior, traits, and general ownership information (good for families, size of house required, amount of exercise, etc.). it also warns that it's only a breed generalization, your results will vary.

a commonality we've come to really embrace. sumo and chibi couldnt be more different. we love them both, but they are definitely different dogs. the only question is, "would sumo be sumo, if he had been the first dog in the house, or the more dominant dog in the house? is he only the way he is, because chibi is there?"

we'll never know for sure, but it's interesting to wonder.

Excursion to the Dog Park

2008-10-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

well, this was a big weekend.

chibi and sumo had their first trip to a dog park. mom forgot our camera, so we dont have any documented proof, but we still had a great time.

we went to meet another shiba owner from the area. we got there and the dogs were excited (just excited to be out and about mostly), but we still werent sure what to expect with our shiba's unleashed and free running with other dogs. we got to the entry gate, and each seemed excited to be there.

we walked around for the first 5-10 minutes with each on a leash just to make sure there wouldnt be any huge issues. they were both mostly calm and more interested in sniffing dirt/grass/bushes/fence than playing with the other dogs.

once off leash, they had fun sniffing almost every square inch of the park (sumo mostly trailing chibi around the park). they sniffed and were sniffed by other dogs, nothing dramatic. there was one shiba 500 burst of chasing each other that lasted about 20 seconds. the rest of the time was just happily trotting around exploring. sumo made the most friends (dogs and people), while chibi mostly stuck to her own agenda.

once the heat and exhaustion took over, she actually walked along side me for the rest of the day. sumo found a shady spot under one of the other dog owner's chairs and sat there. we were happy to say the "ill tempered, self absorbed, dominant" myth of shiba's in a dog park were just that for us.

the only close call was when chibi was sniffing a bush and a HUGE MEGA SIZED male malamute came along side and needed to pee on the bush. since the malamute was about a foot and a half taller than her, he was just standing above her (didnt see her), lifted his leg and started to pee. she missed being peed on by about 0.5 seconds and 1/2 an inch.

we'll have to head back soon :)

Sumo The Special Boy!

2008-09-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

Been A While

2008-09-18T11:37:00.001-07:00

nothing really new to report....

minor updates:

sumo still barking at stuff more than we'd like, but still friendly
chibi/sumo helped a family catch their stray dog that was running down the street...by just sitting there and letting the dog sniff them
we've switched back to the original food that chibi had when she was a puppy (since we now know the allergies she had were environment based)
chibi's allergies returned and she's back on her meds
still need to post some updated pictures
we've been letting the dogs run around the backyard more and explore
sumo stil is the only one that responds to the "retrieve/come" command everytime

i think sumo is entering his "out of control crackhead teenage" years/months. he's started to destroy stuff again, and isnt quite listening as well as before. chibi did the same thing at 9 months, so hopefully, he'll grow out of it too :)

Motivation

2008-08-27T10:45:00.001-07:00

each dog is different (duh)...but it's amazing how different the same breed can be sometimes.

sumo = motivated by food, any food, any snack, the hint of food
chibi = not so much motivated by food

going out time without the dogs means the dogs go into their exercise pens and get a treat to enjoy while we're gone. when we get up like we MIGHT be getting ready to leave/go, sumo runs into his pen and just sits waiting. if we go by the treat jar, sumo runs over to the jar to see if we're grabbing something, then BOLTS to his pen and gets in. chibi will get in, but requires some additional attention.

bedtime in the house usually means the doggies get a snack in their crates before sleep. sumo has embraced bedtime. usually when the tv goes off, he runs to the dog gate anxious to get to our room and get into his crate. gate opens, he bolts to the room and runs into his crate and sits waiting for us to catchup. chibi, not so much. must be coaxed into the bedroom and into her crate (but still enjoys the snacks).

Good To Know

2008-08-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

well, had our favorite dog behaviorist (trainer) come by this weekend and give some input on sumo's new found dumbness. i had emailed her earlier in the week about the new barking he's been doing in his 8th month, and asking if it's something we need to be worried about or something that she can help us correct.

luckily, the answers were:

based on his age, the behavior is about right. between 6-8 months, a male puppy may begin to have the terrirorial and/or scared/untrusting behavior that they had with things that bugged them as very small puppies. it could be either unsureness/fear or it could also be protecting/warning (himself, chibi, and the rest of the family)
it isn't anything to get too stressed about and we have a few new items/techniques to help correct it

the general idea is to try to get his attention focused elsewhere. given the intense focus that shiba's (esp our 2) tend to have once they get set on something, we start by backing them further away from the stimululs until we can get their attention again (using a 'high value' treat). they are rewarded when they can focus back on us. we gradually get closer to the stimulus until they can focus on us by command and/or ignore it altogether.

we also can try a new command. "touch". "touch" rewards the dog for putting their nose on your hand (thus focusing away from what they were looking at). we had to use 2 fingers (instead of open palm -- which is already conditioned for their "high five" paw). so far, sumo "gets it" (though his "touch" also includes a subsequent "lick the hand and fingers" also). chibi seems to have no interest in the command (nor the treats that she gets when she does it)...however, chibi also doesnt bark at everything that moves, so we'll work on it, but not with the vigor that we'll try with sumo-dog.

fun fact of the weekend: sumo managed to "tunnel" underneath his doggie bed, get stuck underneath, then walk around with it on top of him, looking like a turtle. chibi then saw the moving dog bed with legs, and pounced on him, knocking the turtle flat :)

Changing Times

2008-08-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

well, it's been a while, had some more pressing issues, but thought i'd post about some subtle changes that have been happening.

sumo is starting to bark/whine at most everything when he's excited, or not happy, or happy

he's decided it's a good idea to bark at ANYBODY we see while walking, sometimes a sprinkler head, the occasional trash can, the random pinecone on the ground, and definitely anybody who comes to visit at the house. he's also become quite the crying whiner. instead of just tapping on the door/gate of his crate (like chibi), he's decided to cry/whine about getting out.

since chibi never did (and still doesnt) really bark at all at people. it's tough to figure out how to deal with it. it's a little embarassing frankly, but we'll have to start looking into techniques to stop it.

this is about the age that chibi hit her "max crackhead stupid puppy dog" mode...hoping this too will pass :)

ah yes, and furball #2 has finally started to blow his puppy coat and make a mess in the house just like big sis chibi lol

on a sad note, chibi and sumo's friend (14 yr old yellow lab Kona) was diagnosed with cancer. she's not in pain right now, but doesnt have much time left with us. the family is preparing with the little time they have left. she's the original sock eating dog (way before sumo).

Socks Socks Socks

2008-08-05T08:59:00.001-07:00

chibi used to love our socks. she'd leave them chewed on, and slightly mangled...but still useable.

sumo has a talent for destroying socks. his razor shark-like ninja teeth tear holes in the toes, heels, etc. all that's left is a slobbery wet dust rag.

i just picked up 2 new bags of socks.

im thinking it may be time to do some specific "these are MY SOCKS" training with sumo around :)

Correction!

2008-08-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

i owe chibi an apology, it was SUMO who ate our rockband drumstick!

sumo's poop issues are gone today, and we now know what was causing the issues. i came out of the bedroom this morning and noticed a small "poop-sized" nugget of something on the area carpet. it was a little ball of woodsplinters, mixed with fur, mixed with hair, mixed with animal toy stuffing, etc. (think cat furball)

hope you werent just eating :)

Upset Tum Tum

2008-07-31T09:53:00.000-07:00

well, sumo has just been having a great run of luck. yesterday he started having diarrhea issues (which we shall refer to from here fwd as D-issues).

his late afternoon poop started it, then for about every 3 hrs after that, he had to go again. he hasnt eaten anything unusual (at least that we have observed). so we're not entirely sure why, but then again, we do remember chibi getting something similar for a day when she got upset once.

he seems fine, dandy, happy, energetic. so we'll let it go for another day and see if it fixes itself. the downside (in addition to the mess), he's managed to step in it 3 times so far in the process.

Random Observations

2008-07-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

since sumo was a puppy, when he first notices someone at home, he's had the habit of picking up a toy and barking/howling with it in his mouth (we'll have to post some video, it's hilarious)
while he's doing this, his ears and tail are in sync (tail wags left, ears move up, tail wags right, ears move down)
chibi usually only barks/howls at sumo
sumo has been getting much more vocal the last 2 weeks
chibi has finally (most of the time without prompting) gotten the routine of "sit" when we stop walking or get to a curb to cross the street

Back From Vacation

2008-07-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

the family (minus 2 shiba inus) went on a 7-day cruise. had a great time. the doggies got to stay at home with cousin K.

just before we left, sumo decided that where he was shaved for his surgery was getting itchy (when the hair started growing back), and licked himself into an infection. so he was on antibiotics and topical spray while we were gone (along with his cone being put back). needless to say, he wasnt happy. but he was fine once we got home.

it appears the doggies missed us a bit. they hadnt been eating their normal amount. overall summary for the week....chibi destroyed another drum stick (no rock band for a while), and one xbox controller. sumo appeared to be fine, except he looks much bigger than before we left.

we've noticed in the week we were gone, he is now officially taller (and looks much bigger) than chibi!

Sumo the "Special", Part Deux

2008-07-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

ok, im pretty certain that if the old saying, "stupidity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result each time", then sumo may have some concerns.

we noticed last night, sumo was trying to get underneath the blanket on chibi's bed (like when he got stuck before). this time, he couldnt figure out how to "back out", so he decided to turn and twist, which got "most" of his body out, but then he stopped. so his head was the only part underneath. he then gets frustrated, and spins more. his head is now wrapped in the blanket like the top of a tootsie roll pop. he just stops moving and stands there and looks back at us like "help".

chibi walks over and starts messing with him (of course). a dog body, pink blanked wrapped shiba inu head, and barking at the same time.

S-P-E-C-I-A-L

mom took pics, hopefully she'll upload them soon :p

Fat Dog!

2008-07-16T13:52:00.001-07:00

I know.........I'm a slacker!

2008-07-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures of the coneheads!

Sumo The "Special"

2008-07-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

we've heard stories (myth or not, we're not sure), that when you place a dog under a blanket, the faster he gets out from under, the smarter he is.

chibi has always managed to get out from under blankets very quickly

today, sumo managed to crawl under the blanket on chibi's doggie bed and then realized he wanted to get out. he turned left, right, left, right, forward, back, etc. and couldnt figure out how to get out from under the blanket. so, he just sat in the middle of chibi's bed underneath the blanket.

hopefully (for his sake), it's a myth...someone call mythbusters!

Pretty Much Biz As Usual

2008-07-15T09:33:00.001-07:00

doggies are back to normal.

havent noticed any medical side effects, and definitely havent noticed any behavioral differences (contrary to what some readings would suggest). however, sumo is/was still under his mature drive to reproduce age, so maybe that has a lot to do with it. chibi is back to her normal high energy torment her brother behavior :)

she's back (and happy) sleeping in her crate at night.

still waiting for mom to upload some pics of the doggies in their "cones of silence"

things we've noticed:

chibi has become the calm/relaxed well behaved dog we had hoped for (for the most part), and it's only taken a year and half
sumo isnt quite there yet, but is definitely more outgoing and affable then she ever was (or will be)
he barks 10x more than she does
i had forgotten how much time/work it was, to get chibi to walk nicely on leash (and now she's a pro), and sumo still has some work to do
we still suspect chibi wouldnt be the well behaved balanced dog she is now, had we not added sumo to the mix (regardless of how many walks we took her on a day) :)

Med Update

2008-07-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

doggies are doing tons better. let them wander the house yesterday for a few hrs without their "cones of silence". they tried to lick/itch/scratch a bit, but we kept an eye on them to prevent it from going too far.

chibi's energy level is back to normal (when she's not coned up), sumo pretty much was back to normal (even when he IS coned up). today is probably the last day in cones.

because chibi has been unable to fit inside her crate at night with the cone, she's been sleeping in our room where ever she wants. mostly on her dog bed, but the last couple, she's been on OUR bed getting way too comfy. i wouldnt mind so much, except when she moves/shifts positions at nights, she has a tendancy to step ON me when she does it :-)

she'll either have to get used to sleeping

back on the floor
back in her crate
in munchkin's room (which was the original plan, now that she's mature enough)

mom should be posting pics soon....hopefully......hehehehe

Doggie Surgery

2008-07-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

We've been neglecting the posts lately, but the big news is, that both dogs were "fixed" on saturday. We'll get to posting some pics when we get them off the camera.

It's been an adventure. The doggies seem to be adjusting ok to cones on their heads for the last few days. There have definitely been some amusing events of doggies bumping into stuff. Sumo doesnt seem to mind it much, Chibi just sulks (like when she had her diaper on last time she was in heat).

Chibi was spayed, had her booster shots, and was chipped. She's recovering a bit slower.
Sumo was neutered and was chipped.

I know it's the responsible thing to do since we decided to not breed the doggies, however, it's not really fun watching them go through the pain/discomfort right now.

Sumo's Doggie Day

2008-07-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally got an opportunity to re-introduce sumo to a few different doggies (that chibi has known since her early days) since he's not a pure fuzzball puppy anymore. we were interested to see how things would unfold. he met...

tomo (chibi's brother) - who sumo actually met his first month
nala - the golden retriever

to summarzie the experience, he was his typical "ignore everything around him and walk around in a circle". while the other doggies played around at high speed in the yard, tearing circles and wrestling all over, he stayed by the group of us humans, and just sat and watched. once he went out and ran circles, but it was by himself on the other side of the lawn, and then he stopped when the other dogs came over to play. he just sad down and did nothing.

not sure what it means, but, we'll see what happens next time.

Weekend Away (Summary)

2008-06-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

we had a weekend out of town, which means the doggies got to stay with our friend who graciously volunteered to watch them. our friend has kitties in the house, so we were interested to see:

how they'd do with cats in the house
how they'd do away from our house and us for a weekend

what we learned this weekend:

chibi is a big huge wussie dog. she barked/shiba screamed at the cats like she always does through the window at home when she sees the cats in our backyard, the cat got mad and hissed at her, chibi kept going until the cat (declawed) bopped her in the head. chibi proceeded to run away, tail straightened onto the couch and hide behind a sleeping sumo (who was oblivious to the event and the cats)
sumo is oblivious to most things...didnt really even notice nor care about the cats being around
sumo doesn't realize he's not a tiny puppy anymore and tried to sleep inside one of the kitty cat houses (and didnt fit very well)
chibi is brave when mom is around. when mom went to pick chibi up, she decided it was time to bark/yell at the cats again from BEHIND mom's legs. cat hissed again, chibi ran away
they probably both dont sleep much while we're gone and they're in a strange place...they napped for hours and hours after they got back home

Sumo

2008-06-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Sumo passed out in the cat tower! His fat butt wouldn't fit inside....

Weekend Away

2008-06-16T11:08:00.001-07:00

Chibi & Sumo were at a friend's this weekend while we were away. The friend has 4 kitties......This picture is moments after Chibi thought she was big and bad and barked at one of the cats....Chibi got cat slapped across the head and is next to Sumo because she's scared out of her mind! haha!

New Photos

2008-06-12T16:49:00.001-07:00

Tale of the Tape (Weigh-in)

2008-06-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

stood on the scale last night...

official results (+/- a few ounces):
sumo - 18 pounds and change
chibi - 20 pounds and change

Observations of the Week

2008-06-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

sumo is getting as tall as chibi (and weight and length wise, he may actually already be there). he's definitely a "girth" bigger dog. she has a more "lean" look, while he's more solid in the middle (with still no fat).

he has started being more rambunctious (ill check the spelling later) the last few days. not sure what it is, we're thinking maybe it's his adolesence kicking in? the boost of extra testosterone. he's been bugging the heck out of chibi lately (and getting yelled at more than usual, from chibi). we usually hear the yelling/screaming, turn around or walk out and see chibi with sumo pinned to the floor. we separate them, then he goes right back to nipping/biting/jumping on her (repeat).

the good news is that he's learned he likes to go for walks now. he'll actually run to the door with chibi and sit when it's walk time. he still needs some work on his walk ettiqute, but, we're working on it.

another random observation is that the collars appear to be turning some of the whiter fur around their necks a strange shade of grey. ill be heading to the store to see if i can find another of the same style out of different materials. mom thinks it'st he metal from the links of the chain, i think it may be the dye from the nylon/material parts. who knows.

oh, we put the recliner into the family room (dog area). i think sumo likes it (FAT DOG!)

ps. mom has also "re-implemented" the, no dogs on the couch (since we now have a new one), unless invited. chibi is readjusting fine, sumo (who never knew or grew up with the rule), is having some issues :-p

Fat Dog Photo

2008-06-05T16:33:00.001-07:00

Sumo after his walk.....

Quick Updates

2008-05-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

We've been slacking...we'll need to put up some new pics soon.

Chibi and Sumo are nearly the same size now. Haven't checked his weight, but they're only about .5 inch apart shoulder to shoulder. He's definitely putting on weight quickly. The joke now is that his body is more full, and rounder than chibi, but his head is still puppy sized. Fat dog with a little body :)

Chibi's itching has been dwindling since we started her on the antihisthimine/steriod medication. She's stopped chewing on the hair on her back, and the bald spot is slowly starting to grow back. She's also started being a little more of a butthead to Sumo. We've had to keep an eye on her around feeding time. She's starting to become a little more territorial around feeding time (unless we're standing right next to her, in which case she's fine). Not sure if it has something to do with him gettting bigger.

Sumo is warming up to the "lets go for a walk". He still hides a little bit, but now that he's old enough to have a big boy collar and not use his harness when he walks, he seems much more open to it.

Anybody Want/Need A Shiba?

2008-05-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, we saw an email from one of the local shiba groups asking if anybody knew of, or lost a black and tan that turned up at the local SPCA.

This past weekend (Saturday), we were at another basketball tournament and saw the lady that had the small puffy red shiba (from a couple weeks back). She mentioned she had picked up (rescued) a black and tan from the SPCA. Turns out it was the same one.

We went back Sunday, and she had brought him out to the gym to see if anybody wanted to adopt him. One of the normal rescue organizations (for the Nor Cal area), couldn't pick him up because the foster dad is sick and couldnt get here in time, so she was housing him for the next 2 weeks.

If anybody in the Northern California area is interested in adopting a black and tan shiba, here are the details:

Black and tan male
About 8 years old
Neutered
Has a knee issue that will require surgery (we've been told that the rescue org will pay for half for whoever adopts him, about $1000)
Seems to be (from our 20-30 minutes with him) to be an easy going, sweet, mellow doggie
He did fail the SPCA temperament "test" (which is why they wouldnt allow him to be adopted)...BUT...the test was administered after he had been locked in his kennel for 2 weeks, they handed him a rawhide, then tried to take it from him and he growled at them. Not really a fair test of a dog (IMHO)
take a look at the pics at the bottom...you will see how much faith we put in the results of their "test"
if you're interested, leave a msg here (in the next week or so, otherwise, he's off to the san jose area rescue group)
if we had the room, he would have helped us complete the trifecta of shiba colors!

(would a ill tempered dog be this comfy surrounded by a crowd of people?)

(defintely an ill tempered dog lol...about 2 minutes later, he was asleep)

Bed, Bath, Beyond

2008-05-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

looks like the bed switch is permanant. chibi now walks into sumo's crate at night, and vice versa. they both sleep better, so we'll leave it as it is :D

sumo had his second bath last night. he does "ok" (at least relative to chibi). he doesnt like it, but he doesnt fuss as much or scream as much as chibi did/does. he was starting to get that "i smell like a dog" aroma, so it was about time. chibi had her bath as well. she's itching/scratching tons more (looks like she's blowing her coat). it usually helps for a day or 2 (in addition to furminating every other day)

i probably should have taken pics, but after sumo was dried, he got super extra puffy. he hasnt shed much at all (unlike chibi did at 5-6 months). he got SO puffy, that he looked LIKE a sumo dog. it put 5 pounds of weight on him :p he looked bigger than chibi, and his rear fur just exploded into a big "rap guy's girlfriend" butts. he looked extra extra shiba inu puffy (except of course, being that 'defective' cream color)

Switch!

2008-05-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

apparently, chibi now prefers sumo's crate to sleep in, and sumo prefers chibi's.

chibi just wanders into his crate at night, and sumo actually prefers chibi's (he actually doesnt whine and bang on the door to get out).

guess it works out for everybody

Been Slackin...

2008-05-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

ok quite a few updates...ill try to summarize:

sumo has become the "i dont wanna go to bed" kid. no matter how much exercise, or activity, or keeping him up at night with no naps, he just doesnt want to go into his kennel at night. it usually takes about 20 minutes of "shiba whine" to get him to sleep.

chibi had what looked like a growth on her soft under belly. of course, i paniced and took her to the vet. turns out it was an infected T-Tee. she's on antibiotics now (for the last 5 days), and it appears to be clearing up.

chibi has decided she doesnt like sleeping in her kennel anymore either. she DOES however still like sleeping in A kennel (sumo's). we did actually put sumo into chibi's kennel last night (a wire crate, a bit larger than his usual, and he actually seemed to go to sleep faster).

woke up this AM (6 AMish) as usualy to sumo whining to get out and run around. found chibi had opened the kennel/crate door (we have been leaving hers open at night, since she usually just sits in there anyways) and was just staring out the window next to him (basically, what woke him up)

we're thinking we'll start moving one of the doggie beds (probably chibi's favorite one) into kiki's room at night, and see if she'll sleep in there without eating stuff or other mischief. it's been the plan all along to have chibi sleep with kiki, but until about now, she hasnt been trustworthy/mature enough to try. we're not sure how she'll react to sleeping in a room without sumo.

sumo is also rapidly getting HUGER AND HUGER. he's looking almost the peer size to chibi. more teenager than puppy look. still has the pupppy like puffy soft coat. he hasnt started shedding like chibi (at the same age). we're wondering if maybe the "genetic" defect that gives him the cream/white coat also has some "less shedding" side effect (we should BE so lucky :p)

just for the record, we must have the only dog that doesnt like the word "walk" or the act of going on a walk. you say "walk", chibi immedately is attached to your heels, or runs to the door, or decides to ram into sumo at high speed over and over to get him to the door. sumo hears the word "walk", he sulks over, starts looking sad, and tries to hide in the corners of the house. he hates exercise....fat dog....definitely MY dog :)

In Time, Im SURE It Will Be Fine

2008-04-30T09:54:00.000-07:00

Lately, sumo's been the super-mega crackhead dog. I wish we had written down (or blogged :p) chibi's experiences growing up, so I have a reference point as to when the exact 'crackheadedness' began with her, or if it was nearly this bad.

The last week or so:

he's started not wanting to go to bed at night and just being a general pain in the @ss when everybody else has been trying to sleep (we've tried more exercise, keeping him awake in the early evenings, etc.)
he's decided that chewing on his toys and teething aids arent enough. our windowsills look delicious (i DO remember that chibi thought drywall, coffee table corners, and baseboards were good for teething at times)
the shiba 500, has been the shiba 1000 for him lately
what dog DOESNT like to go on a walk? and would rather just lounge on his bed all day (while not annoying the co-habitating red-shiba inu)
being a general pain in the @ss to chibi (which, we have to admit, is fun to watch)
volume and frequency of sound of chibi (even at her non-talkative best) is about a 2, sumo is about a 9.8

last night as we stood in the kitchen watching chibi relaxing quietly on the couch (while crackdog sumo was barking at full volume at her, trying to chew on her foot and get her to play), we wondered. if chibi had been more like this 6 months ago, would we have felt it necessary to get a 2nd dog to keep her company? by now, she'd have run of the house, she'd be able to be left out of her pen while we're gone, and it would be easier to take her out (vs. 2 dogs). im sure he'll be fine in a few months...*sigh*

quick note, we were at a basketball tournament this weekend and saw another shiba inu sitting quietly on one of the bleachers. it was tiny (relative to chibi), but very relaxed and well behaved. it was a 4 yr old female at about 12 pounds. she was more fluffy and soft than both our dogs. she didnt appear to have the firmer/stiffer outer coat. it would be nice to have a shiba about that sized, however, it did dance on the "too small and cute for me to walk everyday and be seen with a doggie that small" side of the fence. hehehehehe

New Photo's

2008-04-25T16:25:00.001-07:00

New Strategy "may" Be Working

2008-04-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

ok, we tried not letting sumo "nap" in the evening after 8.30pm AND we added another blanket to his kennel (it has been cooler the last couple days) AND we also went back to covering his kennel with another blanket when he goes to bed.

he slept through the night again.

since we actually changed 3 variables, we'll dont know if any of the strategies were solely responsible, or the combination of the 3 (or merely an abberation). we'll keep trying it tonight and see.