My first seizure at my new home

     This morning I had a seizure. I've had lots of seizures before but this was the first one with my new Humie Parents. I was sleeping on the bed with my humies and then that thing happens where I get real dizzy and things go all fuzzy in my eyes. Then my legs shake and twitch and I feel like my body is not connected to the ground. It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't had one before. And it's scary when it happens around people because you never know if they will be scared, or do something not very smart, or maybe think you are a freak and not like you anymore. Sometimes when animals like me have problems that humans don't think are "cute" or expected, they get real upset with the animal, and they don't really want them to be their pet anymore. That's why a lot of animals end up in shelters, like I did. So in a new place, having a seizure makes me scared, because I was worried maybe my new humies would not want me anymore. But that didn't happen at all. My humid mom and dad petted me until the seizure was over, then they put me in the bed between them and hugged me till I fell asleep with them. I snored a lot and they didn't get mad at me. I even farted, and they didn't get mad. They did say they might need to get something called a "gas mask and an oxygen tank" but they weren't mad because they were smiling and petting me. So I went to sleep and I was ok. Mom said that later, if I am feeling better, she will walk me to the park and we can sleep under a tree "like hobos." Whatever that means.

A day at the lake!

My Humie Dad & Humie Mom took me to the park where there is a small lake that humies and boogawoofs play around. There are swings and sandboxes and lots of little mini-humies playing. Some mini-humies petted me and it was fun. Humie Dad gave me belly rubs by the lake, and we had a picnic under a tree. I got to eat some roasted chicken and it was soooo yummy! Then I took a nap and then played games with another boogawoof that looks kinda like me! We walked by the edge of the lake and there are these bird things in the water that look like chickens. They're Lake Chickens! So, I had a really good time and got to ride in the car, which I like a lot too. I sit on Humie Mom's lap so I can see out the window, and I'm really good- no jumping out the window or anything. 

All that fun stuff and guess what? I have been with my new family for five days and have not had a seizure! I am really happy and getting lots of love and pets and what my Humie Mom calls SmooshyFaceLove.

Humie-dog games

Today I met a humid friend named Sona. She is a friend of my humies. She's real nice and gave me lots of pets. Then I went to PetCo (I love that place!) and my humies got me special training treats and something called a clicker. See, I'm figuring out that when I hear the click, I will get a treat, that way when I do good things and they make the click noise, that means a treat.


Also, Humie Dad and I have a new game we like to play. Humie Mom made a video:

Making friends and boogawoof stuff!

So, I've been in my new home for three days now and things are starting to make sense. It's all still a little confusing. I am having trouble figuring out where and when I am supposed to pee and poo. The humies take me out for pees and poos but sometimes I am nervous. Am I supposed to poo on the grass? I dunno! So I poo in the house and they give me that "oh no, you didn't" look that humies get. -sigh- I'll figure it out. But other than that, things are going really good!


I made a couple of friends! One friend is another boogawoof dog named Lily. She is a neighbor dog and her humies are friends of my humies. She is a little black and white dog. We chased each other and played with a ball and it was lots of fun! The other friend is not so much a friend... yet. I'm not sure what it is. Mom says it is a "Bunny" but I dunno what that is. I thought it was a cat at first but it has long ears. Bunny is little, and gray with shaggy fur. She is really nervous all the time and at first she wouldn't come near me cuz she thought I would eat her. I don't wanna eat her though. She's all fur.


So this Bunny lives in the house too, and she doesn't go in a cage. She goes where she wants. She likes to sleep behind the couch or on Mom's lap. Anyway, at first Bunny did not like me at all and she would thump her back feet when I walked in the room. Today she seemed to come around a little, and this morning, she hopped up to me and said hello. We're not exactly friends yet, but I think we could be someday.


Then mom showed me this:

It's kinda blurry, but that's me there, sleeping all nice and deep. 

That gray thing is Bunny, and she is licking my fur! While I am sleeping!!!

Is that cute? Or creepy?

Oh, and it isn't just me that has to learn stuff, ya know. I had to remind these humies that dogs like BELLY RUBS!!! I guess Bunnies don't like belly rubs so the humies aren't used to rubbing bellies and they forgot. Well, I reminded 'em! 

They got the hang of it. Pure dog joy.

Pictures

This is a comfy chair on the balcony where it's 

fun to snuggle.

I was pretty scared the first night, so my new mom

put me on the bed and slept real close. I kept waking up 

to see if someone was still there and I was safe, but 

every time I woke up, she was there, so it was OK.

Me, in the elevator. Gonna have to get used to going down 

in an elevator for my walks. Kind of exciting (if you're a dog.)

And Introducing Brocco-Li!

     Hi, my name is Brocco, and I am a 3 year old Bichon-Maltese doggie that just got adopted from All Creatures Great & Small rescue organization in Hollister, CA. I thought I would keep a diary of my adventures so that people can see how much fun it is to have a rescue animal, especially one with special needs. This way you can read about me, my adventures and see pictures and fun stuff. Maybe when you think of getting a pet, you will consider getting a rescue animal, or maybe donating a little money to a shelter. That would be real nice, and you'd feel real good about it too! 


Well, like I said, I am Brocco, and here's my story...


I can't remember much from when I was a really little pup, but I think my first humie bought me at a pet store. I don't think that humie was really ready to have a dog in her life because when I started having seizures as a pup, she did not take me to a vet or give me any medication. I spent a lot of time in a back yard, alone and sad. She didn't know what to do with me. So, I ended up in a shelter. It turns out, I have epilepsy. I have seizures that make me confused and scared, and I have to have medicine twice a day and be careful what I eat. That's not really hard at all, but I need humies to help me with that so I take pills on time and get the attention that I need. 

That's me, right there. Yep, that one. The cute one. 

Then this really nice couple of humies named Skip and Georgia took me in and treated me real good. They gave me love and my medicine and since they live in the country, I had lots of space to play. I didn't even mind their kitty cats! But still, it is foster care and I know that means I need a place that will be forever. My foster parents were so nice and I really like them, but it's hard to take care of lots of animals that need homes. Everyone hoped someone would come along and adopt me. Vivian from All Creatures Great & Small (that's the rescue place) was really helpful in making sure I got the help I needed. I spent 19 months in foster care, which is a loooong time! I mean seriously, look how cute I am! How come humies were scared to adopt me? I think it's because they think it will be hard to care for me. I understand, but I hope they change their minds about adopting boogawoofs like me. Oh, that's a new word I learned. My new humies say it a lot. They say a "boogawoof" is pretty much anything with more hair showing than skin, so ya know, doggies and kitties and bunnies and stuff. Boogawooooooof! 

Me, in my new Thundershirt!

So, anyway, lots of time in a foster home. Well, guess what? I GOT ADOPTED!!! I'm so happy! I met this nice couple who live in Fremont. That's near San Francisco, kinda. It's gonna be a different life and a lot to get used to, but they seem like nice humies and they say they are ready to make me part of their family. That's all I've ever wanted! So, after a couple of meetings, I went to their house... my home. Wow, that is nice to say, HOME! They have a 2 bedroom apartment in the city, which I am soooo not used to! I am used to real quiet countryside where I have a back yard, but OK. I can adapt to that. The first night there, I was pretty scared. I mean, what's gonna happen? What do I do? Where are my foster parents that I have been with for 2 years? I miss them already, and I had a hard time the first night. 


My new humies, Alec and Rowan, they took me to PetCo and let me walk in the store and pick out a jacket harness and a Thundershirt. A Thundershirt is this cloth thing kinda like a shirt but with velcro straps. It fits like it is hugging me, and when I get scared, it is nice to put on and feel secure. The jacket harness is pretty neat too. It doesn't pull on my neck, and it has glowing REFLECTORS! I look pretty styling' now! This must be how city dogs do it! And you know what? After that first night, I am feeling a bit better now. Still a little nervous, but I am getting used to this place, and I think I might just be HOME.