Puccini and Ollie have been enjoying all this sunshine lately and all this great weather! Thank you February for 60 degree weather!

Sunshine naps

Puccini crawled into one of Nicholas' shirt sleeves, got stuck and fell asleep!

Sleeping on puppy mountain.

His signature look.  Look with his eyes, not with his face.

Squished in the blankie between Nicholas' knees

Catchin' Up

So, sorry its been a while since I've updated you on the livings of Puccini.  And boy are there some fun things, and pictures, to check out.

Let me start by saying that Puccini is generally an awesome puppy, obedience wise.  So, lately, I've been leaving him out of his crate when I go to run errands and such.  Usually I come home to find him either eagerly awaiting my return at the door or snoozing on the mound of covers on my bed.  Today, however, after a 30 minute stint at the post office (to get my passport! finally!) I come home to find that Puccini and Ollie have wrecked havoc (or, had the most fun in the world) with an entire brand new roll of paper towels. I could hear Puccini's nails tittering to his crate as I turned the key in the lock.  Someone knew he was in trouble.  When I walked in, Ollie was cowering behind the heater, looking up at me with big apologetic eyes as if to be saying "sorry, but it was the dog!" It was hard to be angry.  Puccini's obvious display of guilt was the most adorable thing ever.  And afterall, its just an entire roll of shredded paper towels!

Paper Towel Mayhem

Angle Two

Also, I thought it might be fun to post a few pictures of Ollie as she is such an integral part of Puccini's play and fun.

General distaste face

Whiskers

Her favorite toy, a Saiga 20

Biscuits and Guns

Sunshiney lazy Sunday afternoons are the best for sleepy cat naps.  Puccini is no exception to this rule and yesterday I was able to snatch these pictures of the Puppy Prince.

It just feels soooooooo good!

Slightly annoyed that the sunshine has moved beyond the comfort of his crate. Straight Chillin'

I can't say that anything extrordinary has been going on here lately.  Puccini had his first taste of Guinnes last night, he likes. He has also sampled such specialties as bacon and steak fat.  He is definitely a fan of the people food.  The most adorable little whines come from his tiny black lips when Nicholas and I sit down to eat and the smell of delicious food hovers in the air.  I will say, however, that Puccini is very obedient about begging.  If I tell him to go sit in his crate while we eat dinner, he usually does, more or less; but he most certainly stops sitting adorably at my feet looking up at me with the roundest most hungriest and pleading eyes (which are insanely dificult to resist.)  Tonight is taco night, so I guess we'll see how the pupperoni likes the chili powder on his carnitas!

Puccini was a big help with cleaning the apartment today.  He graciously moved all his toys from the spot on the couch where I had put them so I could vacuum.  H was great at standing riiiiiiight under my feet as I was stepping backwards while mopping.  His favorite task of the day, cleaning out the fridge.  Patiently, oh so very patiently did he wait with the most attentive eyes and nose on the lookout for his favorite fridge fall-out... the garlic skin.  As soon as the garlic rolled out of the shelf where it is kept it was in Puccini's mouth and trotting off to his crate.  Ah yes, the crate, with the freshly laundered towel in it that annoyed the little puppy to no end.  When I replaced his stinky puppy towel with the fresh clean one, Puccini jumped right in and began thrashing about so as to rearrange his "home" and rubbing his chin around to get his puppy stink all over everything again.  Puccini was a really big help with cleaning out Ollie's litter box too.  Its a wonder all of Ollie's bathroom treasures didnt make it all over the floor what with me having a Puccini and an Ollie with their paws up on the edge of the box and their noses curiously trying to figure out what I was doing with all that "stuff."  The two of them kept looking from the litter box into my face so questioningly, I just had to smile at them.  When Puccini wasnt helping out with the cleaning, he was keeping that kitty away from whatever I was doing.  Piccini has sort of taken on the role of "herd dog" when it comes to Ollie.  He just loves displaying dominance.

Cuddle bug all worn out from cleaning.

Stretchy legs in sleepy time.

Puccini the Heart - Stealer (Ruby has nothing on him)

So its been cold here in OTR these past few days. Puccini has been cuddling for warmth just as much as he can stand.  He's so tiny though, that sometimes he overheats.  Just the other day he was cuddling under the blanket with me while I was watching TV and he started making this noise.  Naturally, not having heard this noise before, I was worried and tore the blanket back to check on my fur baby.  He was panting.  Full on, tongue-on-the-couch, mouth open wide panting.  It was by far the most adorable panting ever.  He looked up at me with an annoyed look in his eye as if to say "you're wrecking my sauna in here mom!" 

Puccini playing kangaroo baby.

Puccini's aunt Marisa with his cousins (not sure how far back, but theres definate genetic history) Scout and Willow warming up.

Also, I feel its worth mentioning that half of the Chihuahuas that I know of in and around OTR came from the same breeder.  So, Puccini is never far from family.  Thats something that I know he doesnt understand (another dog is another dog) or care about (he growl-barks at Levi territorially whenever they're in the same room, so far only at the vet) but I still find it cute...  Theres a family herd of tiny chihuahua pupperonies running around Cincinnati. Too bad theres snow on the ground and its waaay too cold to have a puppy herd play date.

There's not too many new pictures of Puccini to post. He's been adorable and snuggly, but he never quite realizes when I want him to remain perfectly still.  I have a lot of good mental pictures.

I will say though, Puccini is probably one of the most jealous creatures I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.  Jealousy in most individuals is a tremendous turn off, but when you're considering a five pound pooch, it just gets pretty cute.  Puccini cannot stand anyone getting attention other than himself.  If Nicholas is cuddling with the kitty, Puccini does what ever is in his power to break that up.  He'll sit on the floor stairing up at the two cuddle bugs whimpering and whining and snorting all while stomping his little paws and attempting the huge two foot jump from the floor to the couch.  Many a times has that little puppy wiped out trying to gain the summit of the couch.  Then, of course, he gets embarrased at his failure and runs to the comfort and safety of his crate.  Puccini also hates Ollie having anything he doesnt have... In fact, whenever I give Ollie any sort of treat, whether it be a catnip sock or a midnight crazy, within a matter of minutes Puccini is parading around the apartment with his stolen goods proudly displayed in his mouth... That little stinker.

Playing "King of the Mommy Mountain"

Not much to update about today.  I think I'll tell you the story of Puccini's first Thanksgiving. 
Being the little guy's first Thanksgiving ever, and having tortured him with all the really good smells of baking up a pumpkin pie, some sweet potatos and carrot cake cupcakes, Nicholas and I decided to take Puccini with us to our Thanksgiving get together with the OTR misfits.  Puccini was shy enough, being in a new environment with new smells and really really tall people that he'd never met before.  Needless to say, he was cuddled up on one of three familiar laps; mine, Nicholas' or Gavin's.  After dinner had been eaten and the conversation was picking up, Puccini, sitting now in Gavin's lap, saw a golden opportunity.  With no one paying attention to the four pound puppy, Puccini leapt from the safety of a lap into the body cavity of a dessimated turkey.  There, before anyone could really react, he proceded to stuff his tiny little mouth with the savory scraps of a fantastic Thanksgiving bird.  I am so so so sad that there is no pictoral evidence of this occasion, as it speaks thousands of words more than I can possibly explain to someone who was not there.  So, all in all, Puccini had a fantastic Thanksgiving as well.

tryptophan coma

Wrastlin'

I know that I've talked a bit about Puccini's affections with wrestiling his sister.  I thought that today, among other things, I might talk about, and show, Puccini's moves.  Puccini, only having known cat-warfare, has picked up a few tricks of the feline trade... For instance, when he advances on the cat, he mixes his dodge-and-nip move with a cat like batting with his tiny little paws.  So, the poor cat gets nipped in the chest, doesnt get to make contact with the attacker and then is smacked in the face with a puppy paw.  Now, the fights are never unfair. Quite often I have to seperate the two of them when they are fiercely gnawing down on eachother.  Puccini also tries to make the fights fair by nipping the cat, then rolling onto his back, exposing his belly, and letting the cat try to attack him.  Of course, when the cat does try to attack, Puccini uses his back feet to rabbit kick Ollie's chin till she gets fed up and just lays down on top of him.

Puccini and Ollie enjoying a roudy jostle

On another note, I dug up some of Puccini's baby pictures.  I know he's still a small guy (just under 5 lbs still) but I cant get over how tiny he was just three months ago.

Puccini's first night with us; getting used to his new family

Before Puccini became a snuggle bug, he would hide under a chair and sleep on the sheepskin rug

Puccini's very first outdoor excursion (in our courtyard)

Puccini and I taking a puppy-nap in the sunshine (not quite a baby pic)

Puccini has had quite a busy day today. The usual kitten chasing was called for, quite a bit of synthetic wine cork (his new favorite toy) chewing was mixed in and then, there was the making of the pizza blanco!  Puccini was such a big help with the making of dinner tonight; in fact, because of him, I didnt step on one slice of olive or crumb of cheese on the floor during or after the pizza making process. The little puppy even posed for a photo with his finished masterpiece.

Puccini was such a good boy while Nicholas and myself were eating our nummy pizza that we gave him a tid-bit of crust for exceptional behavior.  Pucci perched on my shoulder while I was eating so as to almost get the full effect of eating it all by himself.  This is not a new trick of his, in fact, we tend to call him the "puppy parrot" due to his ability to sit on my shoulder.

The Beginning

Today, I am going to share with you where the Puppy Wonder Puccini came from.  Its not a long tale, but explains a bit of Pucci's personality.

One warm spring day, our breeder had all her dogs out in the yard.  All her studs were rough housing in a pen in the yard, while all her lady dogs were lounging on the deck. All but one of her studs, that is. Oscar, Puccini's father, could smell the lady dogs on the deck and he wanted a piece of that.  So, Oscar dug his way out of the pen and sprinted towards the deck. Before anyone even had the chance to realize what had happened, Oscar had impregnated at least three of the lady dogs...  Yes, Puccini is the result of a puppy orgy of sorts. 

So today, lets take a moment to thank Oscar for his heroic act of civil disobedience, because without his valour and dedication to pleasing his own instincts, the world would not have the most adorable and sweet puppy that is, Puccini.

Afternoon everyone. My Pucci story this dull and frigid day has to do with a little puppy who has learned how to do big-boy things and then spaced out and failllllled. 

Puccini always sleeps in his crate at the foot of our bed. So, to help wake Nicholas and myself up, in the morning we let Puccini out of his crate so he will jump up on the bed and "attack-kiss" us till we get up and feed him. (Attack-kissing includes, but is not limited to, dodging hands batting him away, jabbing with a tiny little tongue that usually ends up a nostril, between lips, or in an eye.) This particular morning, Puccini jumped up into the bed like always (the bed is only maybe 8 inches off the ground) and attack-kissed us almost to death. When I finally got up (finally because we have extra blankets on the bed in order to keep us warm in our frigid apartment) Puccini naturally went to follow me.  Unfortunately, this morning one of his tiny little puppy paws got caught in some fold of blanket and he bit it jumping out of the bed. Oh the moans and cries and utter dejectedness that were coming from this 4 lb pupperoni!! You would have thought that I had beaten him! He even threw in a limp for a few steps before I scooped him up and all his cries ceased immediately. To think! This little puppy has already mastered the "pitty-whine." I always knew he was a smarty pants.

On another note, today is Puccini's official half birthday. Yes, this lovey dovey furry ball of energy has been alive for six whole months!  I personally cannot wait for his first birthday... he's going to have ALL his chihuahua friends hang out with him in a park somewhere.. A beautiful puppy herd.

Puccini gnawing on a wine cork. Yum!

These past few days Puccini has been as adorable as ever.  His days are spent snuggling on either Nicholas or myself, chasing his kitty sister around, or snatching up shiny bits of trash (bottle caps, twist ties, any of Ollies toys) and carting them off to the safety of his crate.  The other day I went to put Puccini in his crate while I went to run errands and I found one of Nicholas' necklaces (chewed to bits), Ollies two mouse toys, three bottle caps and six twist ties all nestled into the crevases of his blankie.  These are things that I had assumed made their way to the trash, but that had somehow made their way to the floor where Puccini managed to sniff them out.  Hence the title of this blog, Puccini's Treasures; you never know what you'll find in his crate.

Puccini taking a break after a rough wrestle with Ollie

Our Future

I'm sure this mailbox will find itself in the front yard of one of our future houses

An Introduction

This is a complete bit of adorableness to keep the free world up to date on the adventures of the puppy wonder that is Puccini. Enjoy the photos and silly stories and let your heart melt.

Puccini's favorite napping spot: on top of his mommy

Occasionally he prefers a blanket bed, when he's had enough love and pettin's

Puccini on the left and his biological brother Levi on the right.

They both had their big life changes on the same day.

Typical napping on the daddy

Puccini: Puppy Wonder