#104 Adverse Weather - Canine CondiShawns

♪ ♫ Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Fire! ♫ ♪

We had our first Thunder and Lightning storm of the season last night.  

It came out of nowhere and beside taking Marcel and I off-guard, it really did a number on the smaller of our two dogs.  Santiago is just a wee little Chihuahua, (he only weights about 3 1/2lbs) and is not a fan of loud noises.  Thunder, Fire Works etc. He trembles. His heart-rate sky-rockets and he is incredibly skittish. 

In the past he would seek solace in his padded mini man-cave (It’s a foam and fabric dog house with a couple of dog blankies inside that he can burrow into), or he will dig under the covers in bed, or the dog blanket on the sofa.  But, last night he wanted to do was head for the hills, or what to him appears like hills: Marcel and I.  First while on the sofa, he would climb up on our laps, then into our arms, then onto our shoulders… and were he capable I’m sure he’d have climbed to the top of our heads.  This was completely new behavior for him, and we really didn’t know what to think.  We would take him down from his lofty perch because we were afraid what would happen with the next crash of lightning…

Peanut (the larger of the two dogs) jumped at the first crash of lightning, and then harrumphed and went back to sleep. Usually her calmness eases his jitters… but not last night.

And a good hour to ninety minutes after the thunder stopped, he was still on edge, ears at full attention, not allowing himself to curl up on the bed with us as we watched TV. 

They’re calling for more of the same tonight… poor little boog.  We try not to over-react to his reactions, but when you see something so small and so scared, how can you not react and want to do whatever you can to help him.  

Fingers crossed that tonight’s storm is not as intense. 

#011 AppreciaShawn

Say what you want about social media, it makes the world we live in seem a little smaller and brings people from a distance seem closer.

Case in point, the friendships I've made on Facebook. A quarter of all the people on my Friend's List are people I've not met in person. But what's interesting is that these are to a great extent the primary people that I interact with. Some I'd even consider part of my extended family.

Through the years some a closer connection has grown, and the exchange of Christmas Cards, and Christmas and Birthday gifts have evolved. Not that gifts equate to value per se, but does indicate at least to, me an intimacy of connection and relationship.  It really says something when you have closer relationships with these people than some family. But then again, you can pick your friends, not your family, so...

One particular friendship that has developed is with a couple in Atlanta, GA. Aside from Marcel and I, and they being gay, we all share a love and fondness for our pets. All rescued dogs, all Chihuahua or Chihuahua cross. 

As I've said, while it's not expected, there has been an exchange of Christmas gifts between us in the past few years. They are at once one of my most firm defenders (and suppliers) of all things Leopard and of Chihuahua Christmas Ornaments. Sometimes both combined! It is the Chihuahua Christmas Ornaments that I cherish the most because they combine two of favourite things, AND they've helped me be able to add to my collection to ensure I have a new ornament for each year I've had my 3.5 pound furry bundle of joy, Santiago de Montreal. I don't know that they even know this, but on those years I've not been able to locate such an ornament they have sent me one. 

It's such a small and yet significant gesture that is deeply appreciated and cherished. And one that would not have existed save for a little web interface known as Facebook.

So I say thank you to Facebook, and to John and Carl as well.