I have been sharing my Fabulous four Chihuahuas with you and my readers and subscribers. I have been sharing my beautiful Chis in the order of when they came to live with us. First was Remedy, then came Cora, Winston, and last but not least is Liliana or Lily for short. Lily is a cream and tan long-haired apple head Chihuahua. And is the sweetest Chihuahua on the planet! Keep reading, you’ll see ….
how miss lily came to live with us
Liliana arrived at our home on October 1, 2022. She was 7 years old and her birthday is November 9, 2014. By this time we had lost our baby, Chico (3-10-2003 to 07-17-2020), and our precious Pebbles (08-28-2006 t0 08-31-2021) and we had Remedy, Cora, and Winston. Our family was definitely complete! We were sure that we did not want any more.
But, alas, again fate stepped in and before we knew it we had not 2, not 3, but 4 Chihuahuas (and a cat)! Here’s how it happened.
Again, it begins with F.L.E.A. the local rescue organization where I got Cora and Winston. I met Suzanne, the dog rescuer extroadonaire in charge of F.L.E.A. at the animal hospital where I worked part-time for a few years. I saw Liliana being featured on her Facebook page several times. Lily had gone to potential adopters on a trial basis a few times, however they kept bringing her back. Why? It was a mystery to both of us. Lily had NO behavior issues, she was potty trained, AND she was the sweetest Chihuahua! What in the world could be the problem? A possibility was the fact that Lily was 6 years old and most people are looking for puppies or younger dogs.
Suzanne knows about my passion for Chihuahuas and my blog. She “hinted” a few times that she really wanted her to go to “someone like me”. Although my heart was breaking for little Lily, I just didn’t think that I could give one more all the individual attention that Chihuahuas need. Plus, the cost of regular veterinary visits, dental, etc.
Although I was no longer working at the animal hospital where I would see her a lot, Suzzane and I still kept in touch. Finally, she called me and just came out and asked me if I would take her. By this time she had had Lily for 2 years and had not been able to find her a furever home.
Who could possibly say “no” to that? So, she came to live with us on October 1, 2022. She was then 7 years old and very shy. I wouldn’t say she was scared of us, but she was definitely very very cautious. She wouldn’t come to us when we called her or tried to coax her with treats. It dawned on me then that perhaps that was the reason for not finding her a furever home and why she kept being brought back to the rescue. People wanted a “friendly” dog, one that was happy to be in her new home.
The fact is it can take a rescue dog a month or more to become accustomed to their new family and new environment. It took Lily longer than that, more like 3 months before she finally understood that she was loved, wasn’t going to be abandoned again, and that she was safe. Until then she spent a lot of time lying on the floor in a corner. Then her personality as the sweetest Chihuahua on the planet finally came out!
Liliana's Personality
I can’t express just how grateful we are that we are privileged to be her forever home! She is still shy around any people or dogs that she doesn’t know, but she warms up to them eventually … In her own time. Although she was still the sweetest Chihuahua I’d ever known.
She is unabashedly my husband’s favorite of our Fab-4. She is simply the sweetest dog in the world! She is well-behaved, quiet, — seldom barks — and is a little love bug. She loves nothing more than sitting on my lap. Yes, she prefers my lap to her daddy’s lap. She will politely sit on his lap for what she considers an acceptable amount of time and then will migrate over to me.
Liliana's favorite game
It’s heartbreaking, but Liliana — like my other two rescues—doesn’t play games. Sadly, this is common among rescued dogs. Regardless of their past, it’s likely they were never given the chance to experience the simple joy of play. If they never learned that playing was okay, — or even how to — they never really develop the desire to “play”.
This is the case with all three of my rescues. I have tried to get them interested in playing, but none of them are interested. But, they are happy to just be outside, go for walks, and be with their people, so it’s okay.
being overweight
Just like Cora, and Winston, Lily was very overweight when she came to live with us. I know that most people think of rescued dogs being emaciated or very underweight due to not getting fed regularly. That is usually the case.
However, my three were kept as “breeders”. Meaning their only purpose in life was to “produce” puppies as inventory to sell. This particular “breeder” at least kept them fed. The problem was they were free-fed. Meaning their bowl was always full. Dogs don’t discipline themselves to “watch their weight” or “eat only when they are hungry”. Dogs are programmed to eat for survival. So provided they always have food available, most will eat themselves to obesity.
Breeders that breed purely for profit will free-feed the “breeders” so they will keep breeding, while the other dogs are fed minimally. When these “breeders” reach the stage in life when they no longer produce “inventory” they are euthanized. This was the case with my three. They were on their way to being euthanized because they no longer produced. Thankfully … F.L.E.A. stepped in and rescued them before that happened! Now they are living their “best life ever, together”!
Responsible breeders who breed their dogs to show love their dogs. They are not for profit! However, sometimes their puppies do not prove to have all the qualities required to be on the “show” circuit. So in that case the breeder will find good homes for those puppies. Not for profit, but to be sure that every puppy that their dogs produce live long and happy lives. Don’t miss: “Is It Wrong To Adopt a Pure Bred Puppy?”
and check out our list of “responsible” breeders: “Responsible Breeders”.
CHICHIS AND ME WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAM
Do you have an overweight dog? Do you know what is really behind obesity in dogs? Forget everything you have ever been told, or what you have read about how to help your dog to lose weight! Successful weight loss is NOT ALL about the number of treats or the kind of treats, it’s not about how much exercise they get, and you don’t have to be a mathematician to figure out how many calories they are getting every day.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:
- How to avoid mistakes most people make
- Basic canine nutrition for a better understanding or your dog's diet
- What is YOUR dog's ideal weight
- The correct serving size for your dog
- What about treats? How many is too many?
- How to correctly(and accurately) measure their food
- Are you weighing your dog the wrong way?
- And much more!
why chichis and me?
I understand the concern of having an overweight Chihuahua and the potential health risks involved. As the owner of (currently) 4 Chihuahuas, I know how much you care for your beloved companion, and I’ve experienced these challenges firsthand. That’s why I’m committed to helping others navigate this journey successfully, just as I did. I’ve worked with hundreds of Chihuahua pawrents to help them reach success. Those individuals who have followed my program have achieved complete success in managing their Chihuahua’s weight.
liliana's photo gallery
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- Liliana and her Father
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- Liliana’s smile will light up a room
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- In her bed
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- Watching me
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- Sitting in shadow
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- She is a lap stealer
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- Loves to ride in the car
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- She got a treat each time she reached a weight goal
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- With my Grand-daughter
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- Sitting on her throne
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- Such a pretty girl
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- Half asleep
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- Opps we woke her up
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- Sitting on the stairs
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- My little love bug
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- Annual Vet Visit
On a side note: The very first picture in the gallery was taken on the first day Liliana was with us. We marveled at how much Lily and Winston looked alike. Months later we learned that Liliana is actually Winston’s daughter from one of his early litters. That must be where she inherited her “sweetest Chihuahua” personality! 😉