Taco-Belle's
Life and Times

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Hello, my name is Taco-Belle and this page will let you know all about me. More information will be added as I grow older.

This page was getting too big so other chapters have been added. Click here for Chapter 2 or Chapter 3.

You can go straight to the most recent journal entry by clicking here.

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My Name Taco-Belle
Mother and Father Nicki and Max
The People I Own Kelly and Ian
Where I Live Orange, Australia
My Favourite Things Chewy Bone, Fluffy Shark, Squeaky Toy, Old Shoe
What I like to Eat Just about anything really, including cheese, meat, berlina, devon, vegemite toast, Good-Os and my favourite -- liver treats.


How I got my name:
The people I own thought the chihuahua on the ads for the American Taco Bell fast food chain was funny so it was a logical choice. They also like all things Mexican, like tacos and burritos and cactus. The second part of my name is Belle because I'm a girl and I'm beautiful.

The People I Own:
The people I own are named Kelly and Ian. They came and picked me up from my parents' place on Saturday November 6, 1999. By then I was twelve weeks old and had already been to the vets for my first vaccination shots. My people love me lots and give me whatever I want whenever I want. It certainly didn't take me long to have then under my spell, did it?

My visit to the Vets:
On Saturday November 13, I went to an open day at the vets to have a look aroud. The people there seemed friendly so I won't be too scared when I have to go back for my second vaccination shots on December 13.

The open day was informative for the people I own too and they got free samples of food for me plus some shampoo and lots of other goodies and free sausage sandwiches which I enjoyed too.

My First Bath:
My people didn't waste any time in giving me a bath. Armed with the shampoo sample they got at the vet's open day, they put me in the kitchen sink and went to town on Sunday November 14! The experience wasn't too bad though, I've got to admit. They took a photo of me all wet and shivering and it'll be added to my photo album page soon.

The Doggie Supermarket:
On Wednesday November 24 I went to the local doggie supermarket - it's called "Gone To The Dogs" (cute name!) - with Kelly and they have so much cool stuff I was in heaven. Ian was away for the whole week - that made me so sad - so he missed out.

Kelly took Ian and me back for another visit on Saturday November 27 and I talked them into buying me lots of nice things - another toy, a kong, a nylabone, some fresh dog meat and (they just couldn't help themselves) some reindeer antlers so they can humiliate me with lots of Christmas photos in a few weeks time. The owner thought I was so cute she gave me a free packet of dog biscuits (made in France ooh la la) which I absolutely loved.

This Christmas thing sounds like a good deal as my people said I'll be getting more presents. Oh goodie! I'll be going back to "Gone to the Dogs" in two weeks time to get my photo taken with some dude called Santa Paws!!

You can read the journal entry below and see the photos here.

Happy Happy Joy Joy:
Oh, I was happy and Kelly was happy and Nanny Yvonne was happy and Ian was happy today (Monday, November 29) because he got a great promotion at work. Just means he'll now be able to afford even more presents for me (hee hee).

When Ian got home from work Kelly was teaching folk art so Ian took me for a long, long walk by himself - although he did all the walking and just carried poor little me whose legs are too small to walk so far!! :D   One big dog barked at me and scared me but Ian protected me! Then I saw a smaller dog (a fox terrier) and when he saw me and he ran away with his tail between his legs. He was scared of me - do you believe it? It was so, so funny.

I had another bath today (hey I ain't that smelly I tell ya) but I didn't really mind because it gave me an excuse to run around the yard in the sun for an hour with Kelly and Nanny Yvonne.

My First Storm:
Well that was an experience. No-one ever told me that would happen. There I was fast asleep last night (Wednesday, December 8) when I hear this rumbling and it just got louder and louder. I woke up and looked around but couldn't see another dog anywhere. Then it was like someone was turning the lights on and off. I was sleeping on Yvonne's bed (I take turns - gotta share my love around) and she said it was alright but I wasn't sure. She said it was just thunder and lightning.

I was home alone today (Thursday, December 9) and there was another one of these storms but I wasn't gonna be a fraidy pup so I just snuggled under my blanket and tried to sleep. When Kelly got back home though I ran around in circles and jumped up and down and was happy to see her, I tell you. Please don't leave me alone again if there's gonna be a storm. OK?

I've discovered another fun game. When Kelly or Ian make me go outside for a wee, I run around and don't let them catch me. They seem to have so much fun chasing me all around the back yard and up the side of the house until I decide they've had enough exercise : - )

Santa Paws:
Sunday, December 12. Ian and Kelly took me to Gone to the Dogs Pet Supermarket today to have my photo taken with Santa Paws. The photos should come back on Wednesday so you'll be able to see cute little me with Santa Paws wearing my reindeer antlers either that night or Thursday, depending how busy my people are. They told me they're looking at moving to another house in another town so that's going to be a big adventure but I don't know how soon it will be.

Santa Paws was not too bad but I was a bit scared by some of the other dogs who came to get their photos taken too. The people who work there love me, or so I thought until they sold my people a pen to lock me up in when I'm naughty. I've been ever so good since they got it home :D They said I have to sleep in it tonight but we'll see who gives in first!!!

You can see the photos here.

Ouch:
Monday, December 13, 1999. Today I had to go back to the vet's and it wasn't fun. The vet, Kelli was her name, stuck this thing called a thermometer into me and did it hurt. I still can't sit down if you know what I mean. Then she got this horrible pointy needle and poked it into me. She said it would stop me from being sick. I tried to be brave but it hurt and a cried a bit. Kelly patted me and said nice things to make me feel better then she started to cry so I cried some more then we went home to recover.

By the way, they made me sleep in that damn pen last night but I played a trick on them ... I didn't make one noise - not a whimper, nothing. I just curled up and went to sleep!! Bet they're still wondering what's going on. Hee hee.

Taco's Big Trip:
Tuesday, December 21, 1999. I was taken for my first ever out-of-town car ride to Bathurst today. Ian was working and Kelly and Yvonne were looking at houses because they're going to move to another town to live with me. The first real-estate agent didn't like dogs but reluctantly let me go with them in his car, as long as I didn't make a mess. The nerve of him. Just to be funny I made a gagging noise like I was going to be sick and he got all nervous. Hee hee. One house had siamese cats in there and I barked at them. It was funny. Another house had a BIG dog and I was frightened. I crawled up on Kelly's shoulder and hid under her hair. They said I was a really good girl and I could go in the car again soon.

The vet:
Wednesday, December 22, 1999. I got hurt the other day, I was playing with Kelly in the yard and climbed up on her shoulder and fell off, all the way to the ground. I hit with a big thud. I got a big shock (so did Ian and Kelly) but didn't break any bones. That night though I didn't feel well and got sick so I was taken to vet Geoff to get checked out. I bit him, I'm sorry to say becasue I was scared but he said it was OK. He stuck that awful thermomenter into me again then checked me out. He said I was fine, just that chihuahuas are finicky and they vomit sometimes. He did think I've been eating too much and have to cut back and also take worm medicine just in case.

My first Christmas:
Saturday, December 25, 1999. Today was my first Christmas and I hope there's lots more of them because it was great. The other night Ian, Kelly and Yvonne took me for a ride in the car looking at all the pretty lights in peoples front yards and houses. Kelly's sister Michelle had a baby today so we didn't get much sleep but it was still fun becasue I had so many things to play with and to eat. I was supposed to be on a diet they said but I ate more than ever today.

Ian and Kelly bought me a nice new bowl for me to eat from plus some doggie treats and a few more toys.

They left me in my pen while they were out for a while and I climbed out of it. I thought I was so clever, climbing up the rungs and over the top but Ian and Kelly didn't think it was so funny because they said now they can't leave me in the house without me getting into mischief!! I didn't touch anything though - I just walked around and then barked ferociously when there was a noise at the door. It was Ian and Kelly and I scared them but I didn't mean to. I was just guarding the house for them.

New Millennium Dog:
On December 31, 1999 everyone was going on about a new Millennium and people on TV were worried that a Y2K bug would get them. I like ctahcing bugs so just let me at it. I don't know, but it seemed the same as any other day until that night when there was a really loud noise outside. People were yelling, they were beeping their car horns, there was all this smoke and fire and pretty colours in the sky and on the TV. Kelly and Ian thought I might get scared but I just rolled over and went back to sleep. One thing though, they kept annoying me with a Taco Bell dog that kept saying over and over "Happy New Year, Amigos." Oh, they though they were so funny!

New House:
On January 4, 2000 we went for another trip to Bathurst in the car. Ian and Kelly decided on the house they want so it looks like I'll be moving to Bathurst one day. After all the bank people and legal people did their bits, my humans told me we'll be moving on February 25! Can't hardly wait for another adventure to start. All those new things to explore.

Houdini:
My humans keep calling me Houdini because I can escape from anything. They lock me in my pen and I just climb straight up the bars and over the top. They put me in again with mats over the top so I can't get a grip but I just burrow underneath the mat and climb through and out the top again. No problem. They put me in again with green mesh pegged to the top but I climb up and push it off and climb on out. Oh, it's too easy for a smart dog like us chihuahuas.

Flying Chihuahua ... Ouch again:
On Thursday January 6, I jumped out of Kelly's arms and landed on the concrete patio at the front of the house because I was anxious to get inside. It hurt a lot and I was in pain and couldn't walk so Ian and Kelly rushed me to the vet which is luckily only 5 minutes drive away. The vet did a quick examination of me and said there were no broken or fractured bones then did an x-ray to make doubly sure. Everything came back OK but I was "out of it" for at least a day with the painkillers and sedatives they gave me.

Vaccination Blues:
To cap off a bad week, on January 10 I had to have my third vaccination. I was a bit wary when we got to the vet's (I'm starting to have nightmares about that place) then leaned hard up against Ian who was trying to calm me down while I got another needle. That was at 5 o'clock and they took me home but in the matter of 15 minutes I had an allergic reaction. I started running around crazy then started scratching all over and all of a sudden I had little bubbles under my skin all over my body. Ian and Kelly raced me back to the vet and I was given an antihistamine to ease the pain. That seemed to work for a couple of hours before I started acting funny again and getting the little bubbles again.

My humans rang the 24 hour emergency number and one of the vets (Lisa) came in to see me and gave me two more needles to help. We all got back home about 10 o'clock then Kelly and Ian stayed up most of the night caring for me. Tat made me feel good but I was still in pain and tried to be very brave and gradually improved throughout the next day. The vet checked back with my humans and I should make a full recovery.

Doggie School:
My life has been one fun time since I recovered from that damned needle -- eating whatever I can can beg, climbing out of my pen, playing with my toys, running like a mad girl around the backyard, making up new games like dragging toilet paper all around the house and growling at anyone who comes to the door... Mmm, maybe I shouldn't have done that last one because my humans said I was too naughty and had to go to doggie school to learn some manners. Ah, what are they gonna teach me that I don't already know?

True to their word, they dragged me to Doggie School for the first time on Sunday, February 7. I was a bit scared because I was the littlest dog there - there were some real big dogs but I growled at them all and they didn't intrude on my space. They tried to teach me things like heel and sit and stay and stand and there's gonna be a test in a few weeks to see if I learned it all.

bones


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