Sunday, October 25, 2009
Chimi Made an International Friend
The Chimi at church stories continue. The FPC Nairobi Mens Choral sang at CCC this morning. A member of the group is a veterinarian in Kenya. The joyful music and vocal calls made Chimi stand up and take notice! Chimi thought the music and dancing qualified as our meet and greet time. He got out in the aile a few times because He wanted to go say "Hello to Friends" across the aile. The pure joy of the praise to the Lord made Chimi wag his tail. I am thankful that Chimi did not try to talk and join the singing!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Dog or Cats?
Many people ask which I like better dogs or cats. I was born a cat person but I am becoming more and more a Chimi person! (For those of you who have not read really old post I have two cats Plus Chimi!)
Hair – Definitely Dog – the cat hair is fine like dust Chimi hair is more like tumble weed.
Feeding - Definitely Dog - except when Chimi gets into the cat food!
Toys - Definitely Dog – Chimi has eaten most of the cat toys! Except the bird wand
Bedding Definitely Cat – The cats sleep on my bed.
Vet - Definitely Dog – Chimi loves to go the cats would rather die first!
Grooming – Dog and Cat – They take turns. Sissy sits in my lap to be brushed while I groom Chimi!
Poop Scooping – Definitely Dog – Chimi goes outside. No need for a litter box
Affection – Dog and Cats – Each one is an individual creature with personality. Each seeks attention and affection in his and her on way and can be some what jealous at times.
Sissy has actually been known to set off my medic alert system multiple times to get my attention. (No kidding.) She knows I have to come turn it off.
Smarts – Definitely Dog - Chimi has training. Before Chimi, my cats only retrieved toys. Now, they know Chimi is bigger and faster! Like I said, he has eaten most of them.
Hair – Definitely Dog – the cat hair is fine like dust Chimi hair is more like tumble weed.
Feeding - Definitely Dog - except when Chimi gets into the cat food!
Toys - Definitely Dog – Chimi has eaten most of the cat toys! Except the bird wand
Bedding Definitely Cat – The cats sleep on my bed.
Vet - Definitely Dog – Chimi loves to go the cats would rather die first!
Grooming – Dog and Cat – They take turns. Sissy sits in my lap to be brushed while I groom Chimi!
Poop Scooping – Definitely Dog – Chimi goes outside. No need for a litter box
Affection – Dog and Cats – Each one is an individual creature with personality. Each seeks attention and affection in his and her on way and can be some what jealous at times.
Sissy has actually been known to set off my medic alert system multiple times to get my attention. (No kidding.) She knows I have to come turn it off.
Smarts – Definitely Dog - Chimi has training. Before Chimi, my cats only retrieved toys. Now, they know Chimi is bigger and faster! Like I said, he has eaten most of them.
Dogzilla Chiller!
Because Chimi can not have treats, it has been so hot, and he considers ice a treat, I bought a Dogzilla Chiller bone. You fill it with water and freeze it. When you pop it out, one half is ice the other half is rubber. I was just going to look at it this morning and then give it to him after church. He stood on his hind legs, as tall as me, in begging position! He was not dressed for church yet so I gave it to him and watched him lick and chew on it for about 10 minutes until he ate the ice on one side. I rolled a tennis ball by him and he ignored it! I refilled it and put it back in the freezer for a treat after church!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
1st Year Service Dog Expenses
I itemizes what I spent for Chimi the first year These were my totals
1st Year Service Dog Expenses
Vet Care 448.58
Food and Water 235
Waste Management 116.85
Bedding 138.99
Work Gear 970.83
Grooming tools and supplies 101.12
Health Care Products 132.67
Exercise / Stress management /Toys 126.32
Total 2270.36
More than half of these expense were excessive due to my inexperience and excitement. The cheap baggies used for food servings can be reused as poop bags. The plastic bags are not environmentally green but they are cheaper. Cotton balls and ear solution last longer than the convenient more expensive cleaning pads I bought the leather harness; but, Chimi works best in the one he was trained in.I bought several leashes and head collars before I found one that worked for both me and Chimi. I explained toy expense in the last post. (Even when you find what works it has to be replaced when it breaks.)
Some of the basics like a kennel, water bowls and grooming tools, I will not have to replace for awhile. However I wish I would have gotten to know Chimi better before I bought dog supplies. I bought a regular plastic kennel and a travel bed. However, a soft sided collapsible kennel would have been a better investment for home and travel. I think He would love one of those large cushioned pillow cot like beds. (He and the cats all like to lay on the roll away bed.)
I hope to cut the vet bill in half by giving Chimi Benedrly. The majority of vet cost were allergy related.
I have now created a Chimi section in my monthly budget planning
1st Year Service Dog Expenses
Vet Care 448.58
Food and Water 235
Waste Management 116.85
Bedding 138.99
Work Gear 970.83
Grooming tools and supplies 101.12
Health Care Products 132.67
Exercise / Stress management /Toys 126.32
Total 2270.36
More than half of these expense were excessive due to my inexperience and excitement. The cheap baggies used for food servings can be reused as poop bags. The plastic bags are not environmentally green but they are cheaper. Cotton balls and ear solution last longer than the convenient more expensive cleaning pads I bought the leather harness; but, Chimi works best in the one he was trained in.I bought several leashes and head collars before I found one that worked for both me and Chimi. I explained toy expense in the last post. (Even when you find what works it has to be replaced when it breaks.)
Some of the basics like a kennel, water bowls and grooming tools, I will not have to replace for awhile. However I wish I would have gotten to know Chimi better before I bought dog supplies. I bought a regular plastic kennel and a travel bed. However, a soft sided collapsible kennel would have been a better investment for home and travel. I think He would love one of those large cushioned pillow cot like beds. (He and the cats all like to lay on the roll away bed.)
I hope to cut the vet bill in half by giving Chimi Benedrly. The majority of vet cost were allergy related.
I have now created a Chimi section in my monthly budget planning
Monday, June 29, 2009
Dog Toys
I have been given, or bought and tried several dog toy brands and different kinds of dog toys. I have gained some wisdom
1. Cheap toys do not last through one play time. The best toys are worth the expense.
2. Kong and Jolly toys are more durable than Ruff Dog. Chimi does not like Ruff Dog toys much except tugs.
3. Nylobone is best dog bone maker. They do not make Chimi sick (Larger Last longer) Dyno Bones are fun chews.
4. Expensive balls disappear like the mesh teaser with Tennis ball, the orange spiked ball, and the Kong balls. Chimi loved all three
5. Tennis balls are a must favorite toy for Chimi. Hard, medium priced, and less fuzzy last longer.
6. Chimi was given a Monster Tennis Ball that he loves to wrestle with.
7. Chimi’s second string toys are his: large Nylabone and Kong Frisbee that he and I play tug with.
8. Chimi loves stuffed animals but they can only be played with supervised “find” mind game times because he loves to mal and eat them.
9. I have very few cat toys left. Chimi has found and eaten most of them like candy. The cats get paper balls and boxes for toys now. The bird wand stays on top of the refrigerator.
1. Cheap toys do not last through one play time. The best toys are worth the expense.
2. Kong and Jolly toys are more durable than Ruff Dog. Chimi does not like Ruff Dog toys much except tugs.
3. Nylobone is best dog bone maker. They do not make Chimi sick (Larger Last longer) Dyno Bones are fun chews.
4. Expensive balls disappear like the mesh teaser with Tennis ball, the orange spiked ball, and the Kong balls. Chimi loved all three
5. Tennis balls are a must favorite toy for Chimi. Hard, medium priced, and less fuzzy last longer.
6. Chimi was given a Monster Tennis Ball that he loves to wrestle with.
7. Chimi’s second string toys are his: large Nylabone and Kong Frisbee that he and I play tug with.
8. Chimi loves stuffed animals but they can only be played with supervised “find” mind game times because he loves to mal and eat them.
9. I have very few cat toys left. Chimi has found and eaten most of them like candy. The cats get paper balls and boxes for toys now. The bird wand stays on top of the refrigerator.
Chimi at Play
One of the things I first noticed during Chimi’s playtime while we were training at KSDS is that he did not interact with the other dogs much. While the other dogs were wrestling he would hold a tennis ball and walk around the boundary of the play area. After several rounds he would stop by his trainer Michele, me and my other classmates to be petted. However he would take off if he thought you were going to take the ball. I was disappointed by this behavior because I liked to throw things and I thought it would be fun to play fetch. Michele reminded me that play time is Chimi’s dog time and it is not about me. She said that he considers fetching work and he did not want to have to give or share when he played.
When we got home I worried at first about Chimi not having other dog playmates. We have had a few. A friend’s Australian Shepherd and some over night stray guest. Chimi likes having other dogs around but he does not like to share his toys or me. The last few times other dogs have been around to play. Chimi dropped his balls at my feet and laid down and wined. I think God knew that I need Chimi to be happy playing alone.
One of the best dog purchases I made this past year was a fifty foot outdoor tie out line and stake. A friend put it next to my apartment in the grassy alley between apartments. Chimi has an outside play routine that goes something like this
1. Run leap and bound around with a sense of freedom on the long lead.
2. Roll in grass.
3. Do laps with ball
4. Be petted
5. Chew grass, bone, (ball)
6. Drink Water
7. Take care of business
8. Play tug with me.
9. Play 2 ball fetch – I learned that if I always kept one ball. He would fetch and trade balls with me.
10. When He is ready to go in he walks toward the front of the apartment and turns to wait for me.
He likes for me to watch more than he really wants me to play. If he could talk human, I would hear "Watch me! Watch me!" If He thinks I am not watching he will tap a ball at me or drop it at my feet. He expects me to play more with him inside than out.
When we got home I worried at first about Chimi not having other dog playmates. We have had a few. A friend’s Australian Shepherd and some over night stray guest. Chimi likes having other dogs around but he does not like to share his toys or me. The last few times other dogs have been around to play. Chimi dropped his balls at my feet and laid down and wined. I think God knew that I need Chimi to be happy playing alone.
One of the best dog purchases I made this past year was a fifty foot outdoor tie out line and stake. A friend put it next to my apartment in the grassy alley between apartments. Chimi has an outside play routine that goes something like this
1. Run leap and bound around with a sense of freedom on the long lead.
2. Roll in grass.
3. Do laps with ball
4. Be petted
5. Chew grass, bone, (ball)
6. Drink Water
7. Take care of business
8. Play tug with me.
9. Play 2 ball fetch – I learned that if I always kept one ball. He would fetch and trade balls with me.
10. When He is ready to go in he walks toward the front of the apartment and turns to wait for me.
He likes for me to watch more than he really wants me to play. If he could talk human, I would hear "Watch me! Watch me!" If He thinks I am not watching he will tap a ball at me or drop it at my feet. He expects me to play more with him inside than out.
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