Dharma notes

Dharma has been adapting to our household very well. She has had a few "accidents" in the house. One time was after we took her to the vet, so I am not totally sure that was really an accident. I think she was mad at us. Darn shots.

If you look at the top of the page, there is a link to info about puppy mills and how to combat them. I think the doggie on the link looks a little like Dharma. Puppy mills turn out as many dogs as they can, as fast as possible, to make as much money as possible, without any regard for the health or comfort of the dogs. Even sadder, some mainstream pet stores sell puppies that they claim are from responsible breeders, but they are really from puppy mills. You might be supporting dog abuse just by buying treats and food at one of these stores. So, click the link to learn more. Don't watch the videos without a hanky, though.

Answers to frequently asked questions about Dharma:

• She won't get much bigger. She is nine pounds and four ounces.
• No, she won't grow into those ears. Doxies have big ears, and she has especially big ones.
• Yes, we will get her "fixed" just as soon as the vet says it is okay. It is safer to wait until she is not in "season." No, it doesn't hurt as much as it does for humans. They use a laser, with a tiny incision. Most dogs don't even need any pain meds.
• We didn't name her. She came with the name. She does know her name, so we don't want to confuse her by changing it. We did register her with the American Kennel Club. To make sure she had a unique name, we gave her the name Theobroma Dharma. Theobroma is the genus name for the cocoa plant (the one that gives us chocolate, not the one that makes cocaine.) It means "drink of the gods."
• No, doggies cannot eat chocolate, it is bad for their livers. They can eat carob, but we all know that is a pale substitute.
• She is up to having company, if you want to come see her just give us a call. She is shy around strangers, but she can be bribed with treats. I might mention that I have been way more interested in playing with the doggie than in cleaning the house, just so you know what to expect.
• She is not up to having dog visitors yet. We will wait until she is no longer in "season."
• She doesn't need anything, but she loves having piles of stuffed toys. Actually, I think we have more toys than we have dog, by weight! My mom sent her a box that was much bigger than Dharma, with a pink Hello Kitty pillow and quilt. And little dog Alpha Bits. And tee shirts. And toys. Just in case Derek and I weren't spoiling her enough on our own!