Spike

Meet Spike!!

We got Spike on August 10, 1997 when his former owner was moving out of town to a place where he couldn't have a dog. We've known Spike all his life and babysat for him once in a while when his owner had to be out of town, so it wasn't like a stranger moving in. Spike is Skeeter's littermate, they're brother and sister. They're a lot alike, but so different in many ways also.

Spike was 3 years old when he came to live with us, after spending the last 2 years of that living outside. He had a hard time adjusting to changing families, but I think Spike now really loves his new life of living inside a house. He sleeps with us and, when we're not asleep or in a comfortable chair, he loves the dog beds we have in the house, mostly hooded cat beds. Spike had never seen one until he came to live with us. He also loves to be covered with a blanket and otherwise pampered and coddled.

The day we brought him home, I think Spike remembered us because he was very wiggly and happy. When I placed him on the floor he began to run about, wagging his tail. He ran up to Skeeter to greet her and she wagged her tail back at him as she loves everybody and every animal she meets.

But then he went to greet Cocoa. Cocoa had never seen him before. She is afraid of anything that moves and half the things that don't. She began to run away from him, yelping so loudly anyone would think she was being killed. While running and yelping across the kitchen she was looking backward to keep her eyes on Spike who was still running after her. Cocoa ran smack-dab into a kitchen cabinet, bounced off, and continued to run and yelp.

As if Cocoa's yelping was not enough, Skeeter then began to holler at the top of her lungs (I guess because Cocoa was hollering). I picked up Cocoa to try to calm her and Sonny picked up Skeeter to try the same thing with her. Both kept hollering while we held them. Spike was staring at us all with a perplexed look on his little face. I told Sonny (when I could get a word in edgewise between the yelps) that I thought we had raised two neurotic babies.

Cocoa got used to him within a day or two. It took Spike a little while to feel at home, but now he is a full-fledged member of this family and he knows it. He wasn't overweight when we got him, but he sure is now. He LOVES to eat. He doesn't just eat -- he gulps and inhales it! For the sake of his health, we'd like him to lose some of that weight, but it's hard to tell him "No."

Spike barks when he wants anything. Although Spike doesn't reverse sneeze like Skeeter does, he sometimes breathes noisily and he always snores -- very loudly! When he rests his chin on anything, he sounds like he's snoring even though he's wide awake. His overall breathing seems to be very noisy. I wonder if it could be caused from him having to spend those 2 years living outside in all kinds of weather?

You can email us your comments by clicking on the little Chihuahua puppy above.

We would LOVE to hear what you think about my home page or any other comments you might have!!

Created by Matt Lake of Matt's Web Design on September 14, 1998, and last updated on March 29, 2003.