Bindu Wiles Challenge

21.5.800

So I read about this challenge through one of my dear Facebook friends and decided that I would try it out. Click on the badge to the right to read more about it. Basically it goes like this: for 21 days, you do 5 days of yoga/wk, and write 800 words/day. I wanted something to push me back into doing yoga (even if it might only be at home with the Wii), and putting words to paper always gets the juices flowing. I didn't know if I could write 800 words per day, but it turned out to be easier than I thought. I wrote a stream of thought about getting another dog. This morning I thought I would use my blog as a place to store my writings. Here's my writing from yesterday, I'll post today's writing later on.

Bindu Wiles Challenge, Day 1 (8 June 2010)

We are thinking about getting another dog.

I know, you’re thinking, “Are you nuts?”

But lately it has become more and more evident that Izzie needs a friend. She is so much more the social Bichon Frise than my previous one, Mitzi. Mitzi was truly a one-person dog that bonded with me the moment I picked her up from the breeder. Maybe it was the fact that she threw up in my lap on the ride home in the car that cemented our friendship forever. Izzie, on the other hand, is much more inquisitive, impish, and on the go at all times.

We have finally begun taking Izzie to meet and play with other dogs on It’s Beach, near the Santa Cruz Lighthouse, on Saturday mornings. She was a little tentative at first (I blame it on a bad experience during puppy class, when she was run over and stepped on by an overly zealous large breed puppy), but after a few weeks has finally sought out other dog-friends and happily plays along with them.

She’s had a few play dates with her ‘cousins’ on one side of the family – a Beagle named Lily, and a teacup Chihuahua named Yoda. She’s had quite a number of play dates with Yoda, as we’ve had him for overnight stays a couple of times. And while she loves playing with Yoda, he’s a little older, grumpier, and tends to get out of breath. Also, Izzie must think he’s just a live chew toy because she enjoys pulling him around by his little toothpick-sized leg. Izzie has had an opportunity to play with Lily twice, and even though Lily is larger, she’s a bundle of energy herself, and the two of them enjoy chasing each other around the house.

We go to visit my best friend, Beth, frequently, and always bring Izzie with us. She loves to hang out with her ‘cousins’ on that side of the family. There’s Zoey and Jake, a Shih Tzu and a Lhasa Apso/Shih Tzu mix, respectively. The back door is always open, and the dogs get to run outside whenever they want, but Izzie typically doesn’t get the other dogs to play with her too much. Jake is younger, but he’s a scaredy-cat, and tends to run to his mommy when Izzie gets too rambunctious. Zoey would love to play more, but she’s older and a bit overweight, so tends to tire out quickly. Zoey would rather nap, and we can always count on a snore-fest from her (and I’ve never seen a dog that’s been able to snore when awake – I swear!). They also have a cat named PheeBee, who will sometimes playfully bat at Izzie and give her a run for her money. This past weekend, Izzie met the newest member of the family, a kitten named Sidney. I think Izzie finally met her match activity-wise. She and Sydney LOVED playing with each other. Izzie would chase Sydney, and then Sydney would chase Izzie. It was so much fun to watch. By the end of the weekend, Izzie was exhausted. She fell asleep on my lap on the drive home Sunday night, didn’t stay up long after we got home, slept all night, didn’t want to wake up Monday morning, and was still a bit tired Monday evening.

So back to Izzie needing a friend. We feel that she really needs someone to play during the day when we’re all at work and school. Izzie always looks so bored in her pen. We’ve tossed around many different options, from reputable breeders and backyard breeders, to rescue organizations and animal shelters. Prior to getting Izzie, I had inquired with a Bichon Frise rescue organization and was turned down (much to my surprise), and the experience has really turned me off from them. As much as I wanted to help a dog in need, the bad experience really pushed me completely the other direction. I ended up paying premium price for Izzie because she has champion blood (not that it really makes a difference because I bought her as a pet, not as a show dog). But still, from time to time, I browse the dogs that are up for adoption at the Santa Cruz animal shelters, looking for Bichons or other small compatible dogs. Last week, I was looking on Petfinder.com and came across a Bichon that was fostered through the Humane Society of Silicon Valley (HSSV). The ad for the dog said it was about the same age and weight as Izzie – a perfect companion. On our way home from Beth’s on Sunday, we stopped at the HSSV to talk with the adoption counselors about ‘Jolene’. Thank goodness Jolene is a name that was given to her by HSSV and she’s not attached to it, because that darn Dolly Parton song has now been running through my head ever since. I’m thinking she would make a good ‘Pearl’. Shari doesn't like the name and thinks she should get to pick this time.

Pearl (as I'm calling her) was rescued from a backyard breeder, and has only known life in a cage. She has some social issues, which is why she is in foster care right now. Her foster mom is working with her to be less scared around people, and her foster doggy-brother is working with her to show her the kinds of doggie behaviors that are acceptable and those that are not. We have an appointment on Thursday to go meet Pearl and see how she and Izzie do together. The counselor says it may take a few meetings to see how things go. I will write again on another Bindu day with our take after our first meeting.