Living With a Dog Who Stole Our Heart

My Heart Melts

I’m sitting on the sofa cuddling my precious dog, Chewy, while he lies on my lap. I can’t help but smile with the loving feeling that takes over me while I stroke his soft back. He sleeps so innocently and his snoring just broadens my smile. I love my husband dearly, but I have to admit that Chewy’s snoring is the only one that brings a smile to my face. Even though my leg feels numb, I can’t bear to move because I don’t want to disrupt his rest. 

Why Abuse Them?

I don’t understand how there are people that abuse these helpless creatures. Whenever I see videos of abused and/or malnourished dogs it breaks my heart and I end up in tears. I don't even know why I watch the videos if I know how it'll affect me. Do people not realize that once you commit to these animals their lives depend on us? To them, we are their pack, their protectors, their “parents.” They don’t know anyone else but us. You would not leave your children to fend for themselves, so why do it to your pet? I get that not everyone is a pet person. So, if you’re not, don’t get one.

I Don't Want A Dog!

There was a time I didn’t want to have a dog. Not because I didn’t like dogs, but because I had too much on my hands. I had three small children, a husband, a job, and a household to take care of. I knew no one would help me and I did not want to add on to my daily chores. I didn’t think it was fair to me or the dog. It wasn’t until my children became adults that our dog, Chewy, came into our lives. I have to thank my daughter, who insisted we get one. I was still reluctant to the idea but gave in with certain conditions.

My Conditions to Adopt a Dog

1) It had to be a female because I did not want a male marking his territory around the house. 

2) She needed to be a rescue because I was not willing to shed out an enormous amount of money for a dog I’d most likely not keep. (Yes, I too had that mindset of returning a pet).

3) Every time the dog went to the potty, her privates and paws needed wiping with baby wipes. 

4) She needed spraying often with dog spray because I did not want a smelly dog.

5) Everyone had to pitch in with the cleaning because I did not want my house smelling of dog.

It Was Love at First Sight

Once my family agreed on my conditions, my husband and I set out to find a puppy for our family. It didn’t take long to locate a rescue. Chewy was the runt of the litter and his mommy rejected him. So he was fed with a bottle instead. Even though I was firm on wanting a female, when the young man placed this 6-week old puppy in my arms, it was love at first heartbeat. There goes the first of my conditions. I held him close to my heart and could not even think about leaving without him. I placed the tiny guy on my husband’s chest and could tell he felt the same way. There was no turning back now. We adopted the tiny 2-lb guy and bought him home. 

He Needed a Name

My children fell in love with the puppy and showered him with so much love. We could not agree on a name for the little guy, so we left him unnamed for about 5 days. One day, holding him up to my face, I noticed his resemblance to Chewbacca from the Star Wars movie. My family thought so too. Only he was a better version. That was the day we agreed his name would be Chewy.

Chewy in the Training

My family cooperated with meeting my conditions. We trained him to potty on a pee pad first and eventually took him outside. Every time he went outside, we wiped his privates and sprayed him with a gentle dog spray that also nourished his coat. Chewy visited the vet to get neutered, vaccinated, and grooming according to his age. We also learned he is a mix between a Dachshund and a Chihuahua. This little guy quickly became the spoiled baby of the family.

The Loving Lap Dog

Chewy is a sweet and loyal dog. He is still small and weighs about 23lbs. Of course, coming from a Dachshund and Chihuahua, we can’t expect him to be big. He’s a lap dog and loves to cuddle on my lap. When I sit on the sofa, he jumps up with a bone in his mouth and taps my leg with his paw. That’s my cue he wants to cuddle. Therefore, I grab my blanket and place it on my lap so he can chew his bone, and eventually fall asleep.

 A Lap Dog Attitude

Chewy is also stubborn. When he doesn’t get his way, he’ll go to the far end corner of the sofa and sit with his back towards us. We can call him and try to get his attention, but there is no way he’ll fall for it. It's on his time, not ours. He is also a big yapper. When this little guy barks, it is so loud it makes our hearts almost burst out of our chest. Many will agree his bark sounds like that of a big dog.

Who Doesn't Love Naps?

Napping is a special time for Chewy. He recognizes the word nap in English and in Spanish (siesta). He is a bilingual dog. He also knows what a yawn means. Once he hears those magic words or sees you yawn, he sprawls into action searching for his bone and impatiently waits for either of us to head to our bed. He jumps on the bed and sits while we accommodate ourselves before he does. Once he finds his spot, he gnaws on the bone until he falls asleep. My naps are just 15-minute power naps. But sometimes I just lay there waiting for him to wake up because I don’t want to disturb him. He is so spoiled. His snoring is so adorable and makes me laugh.

No Games at Dinner Time

Chewy does not play around when it comes to dinner time. The little guy is a clock. If my husband does not feed him by 4:30 p.m. he will sit in front of me or my son and whine. When fed, he makes sure there’s not a grain of food left on the bowl or on his mat. If a grain falls on his mat he whines until someone moves his bowl and he can get to the grain. As a puppy, Chewy was a picky eater and stopped eating altogether. No dog food - dried, canned, cheap or expensive - called his attention. Thorough research taught us dogs could eat rice, chicken, peas, and carrots. Therefore, we opted to cook it ourselves and the rest is history.

If I Can't See Them They Won't Find Me

Thunderstorms, fireworks, and loud noises terrify Chewy. He trembles uncontrollably and jumps on either of us looking for safety. However, we’ve discovered that if you cover his entire body with a blanket and sit very close to him, he stops trembling. I don’t understand the surrounding rationale, but if it works, we’ll continue doing it. I imagine him thinking if I can't see them they won't find me.

Let's Go Night-Night

Chewy also has a bedtime routine. "Chewy let's go night-night," is what we usually tell him. His bed is in our bedroom. Chewy won't go to sleep on his own, he waits for us to tuck him in bed. He does not stay in his bed for the entire night. He either ends up under our bed or on our bed. I love it when he snuggles with us, even though he takes up most of our king-size bed by sprawling across. He will even growl at us when we attempt to accommodate him. Sometimes we just conform to sleep with our legs hanging off the bed because Chewy is in the way. But when I wake up in the morning and see his little face, I can’t help but smile.

He's Not Just a Dog

Chewy is not just a dog to us. He is our family. We love him so much and can’t imagine anything happening to him or not having him in our life. He is now 8-years old and will forever be the king of our home.