Jada, The Big Sister!

When we first got Jada, I was very unsure that I ever wanted to have children. I was fine with the idea that I would just be a dog mom for the rest of my life. Jada was our baby and was treated just like a child.

As time went on, and after my husband and I had gotten married, my feelings had changed (that darn biological clock started ticking!).  In September 2009, I found out that I was pregnant.  My husband and I were very excited but something in the back of my mind had me worried ... how would Jada act around the baby, since technically she was the baby first?

CUTE!

I asked other people (which I found out while being pregnant isn't always the best because every situation is different!), and it only made me feel more worried. I was told that "oh, she's a little dog, she's going to get nasty and jealous" and then I was told "you are going to have to get rid of her because a friend of mine had a little dog and it bit their baby and blah, blah, blah ... " I became sick to my stomach of the thought of having to get rid of Jada. I, of course, wouldn't want anything to happen to my child but getting rid of Jada was never an option and completely out of the question! She would just have to learn to be nice to the baby.

I went online and did some research on not only how to prepare to be a new parent but also how to prepare my dog for baby.  One article suggested using a baby doll to get your dog used to the idea that mommy has to give some attention to the new baby.  I also made it smell like a real baby with baby powder so Jada would get used to the scents before the baby was actually here. Well, this sort of work but she would still jump on my lap and actually sit on the baby doll and try to nudge it out of the way to get to me. I noticed that she was getting jealous. I was heartbroken but I wasn't giving up. I used the baby doll off and on and eventually just left it in my room to get used to the idea the baby was "still around."

After we had the nursery set up, Jada had to learn that this was her new brother's room. I would take her in and show her everything and even let her smell the lotions, powders and clothing.

Finally, on May 1, 2010, two weeks earlier than expected, we welcomed a healthy baby boy, Braylon. My husband stayed with me most of the night but then went home to sleep. From my internet research, I told my husband to take one of Braylon's blankets home that he was wrapped in to put in Jada's crate for her to get his scent.

I was only in the hospital for 2 days. I was nervous all the way home, with not only being a new mom but also, how is Jada going to react?! We got into the house, (and like almost every dog, she was super excited to see us). We put Braylon down in his car seat and let Jada sniff, staying close the entire time. AND ... she was fine with him!  Gave a few sniffs and nudges and then came into my arms. Whew! The first meeting was a success!!

Over the next few days, we all adjusted to having a new baby  in the house. Jada was very curious and would watch over me constantly.  We knew the key was to also give her the same and acknowledge her just like before Braylon.  I also think it helped that I was home with her being on maternity leave so when Braylon was napping it was just me and her.  After a while, we started to notice that she dislike the late night/early morning feedings of the baby because it distrubed her sleep :)  With me getting in and out of bed every 4 hours, she would have to move over or get up and she did not like that at all.  She actually slept in her crate the first month!

Jada is very tolerant and patient with her little brother, especially now that he is crawling and moving around. She lets him touch her and sometimes he gets over excited and pulls her ear or pinches her but we correct him to "pet the puppy nice" and he loves it.  She will only growl to leave us know "that's enough baby brother" and never snipped at him. All this time I worried and here she completely proved everyone wrong. Jada is amazing!!

Monkey See, Monkey Do!

Jada also helped Braylon's torticolis (his neck muscles were not stretched on his right side, therefore, his head would constantly be looking to only that side), by assistanting in his therapy.  Since he is always interested as to where she is, he would have to move his neck to see her and stretch out those muscles.

(((HUGS)))

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Sneaking puffs to Jada ... no wonder she's always hanging around!



Please share that snack with  me, brother!

Overall Jada has adjusted very well to her little brother and is a great big sister!

About Jada

So the main star of my blog is my dog, Jada, and I'm sure you are curious as to "who this Jada really is." Well, I will tell you!

Little Miss Jada Kiss or Jada is a black and tan purebred miniature pinscher. Her ears are naturally floppy, as my husband and I had decided not to get them cropped. Unlike a few min pins (miniature pinscher for short) who do not have their ears cropped, they do not stand up at all. I am happy we didn't get them cropped. The "floppiness" seems to add to her personality.

Gotcha Day!

We got Jada from a breeder in Northern Pennsylvania. She was born on July 1, 2006 and we took her home exactly at 8 weeks old on August 26, 2006. I had never taken care of a dog on my own nor never had a puppy, so it was an adjustment to housebreaking, training and getting into a new routine. Jada is very petite and we maintain her weight between 7 1/2 to 8 pounds.

When Jada was about 4 months old, I enrolled her in Puppy Kindergarten (yes, that's what it was called!) to help get some basics commands and training down. I found out that smaller dogs are more difficult to train and require a lot of patience. During that training, we learned not only commands but trust and loyalty to one another. We developed a strong bond through that training. Jada became my best friend. I am so grateful to the assistance of the trainers. Jada successfully graduated Puppy Kindergarten.

Congratulations Jada!

During the first year we had Jada, we started to notice she was having some health issues. I will touch on them here but they will actually one day be their own blog because there is so much more to them and I hope that telling our experiences will help others out that may have similar problems. The first of many issues arose with her first rabies vaccine. It turned out that she is allergic to something in the vaccine which caused her to develop Alopecia (hair loss) spots over her body. Over time, her hair did grow back but it took about 10-11 months.

The second issue was with her teeth. She was not loosing her puppy (baby) teeth and her adult teeth were coming in over top of them. Her little mouth was crowded. The end result was finding a pet dentist (yes, they do exist!) and had a total of 6 teeth pulled including both her canines. She is able to eat normal and she has no signs of ongoing issues. And trust me, her teeth still are sharp, even without the canines!

The last issue still remains ongoing. Just after she turned one year old, I had to run her down to the emergency vet. She had developed bloody stool, vomiting and was not eating or drinking. That day she had received fluids due to dehydration and some medication. They weren't exactly sure of what it was but I remember them mentioning something about her pancreas. She was on a strict bland diet until we were able to see our regular vet. She did have a follow-up visit to our vet but by then she was doing well. She had continued bouts with this on and off over the next few years and it wasn't until October 2010 she was finally diagnosed with pancreatitis, an inflammation of her pancreas due to diet. Now that we know exactly what we are dealing with, we are able to recognize the symptoms and treat it in time. She is on prescription vet food, (currently on Purina Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric dry food) and treats have been limited.

Over the years, Jada has developed quite a wardrobe. She doesn't wear clothes all the time, as she likes to run around in the buff, but she is very acceptable and tolerant to wearing the outfits. You will definitely see some of her outfits throughout my blog.

So that's the run down on our little Jada girl! Of course there are so many more stories to share but again, that's why I have this blog! If you have any questions about Jada's health issues, feel free to comment me!

Smiles :)

Introduction

Welcome to my blog!  I love dogs and happen to be a proud pawrent to a miniature pinscher named Little Miss Jada Kiss or Jada for short.  I love my little Jada girl!  I consider her my daughter and she is treated as a member of our family.  She is a big sister to Braylon, her human brother. 

After the passing of both our family dogs in late 2005, my husband and I discussed that once we moved in together we would adopt a dog.  In mid-2006, once we had settled in our new home, we knew it was time to get another dog.  Since our home was a small, single home, we thought a smaller dog would be better, so we decided on a miniature pinscher.  We brought Jada home at 8 weeks old to her new home and the rest is history.

I want everyone to be able to see Jada and hope she brings just as much smiles to you as she does for me!This blog is dedicated to her, the happiness she brings to me and anything else dog-related. Enjoy!