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CICCIO 12/19/02

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Ciccio's Foster Journey - Adopted 2/14/03

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Pertinent Information
5 yr. old Fawn Male
65 lbs. Neutered and UTD
Seems to be Okay with Cats
Being Fostered Near Willimantic, CT
Adoption Donation $175

2/14/03 - Ciccio has been adopted

2/2/03 - Ciccio is learning tolerance of the cat.  I recently moved my computer into the spare room where I’ve been cloistering Mr. Molly.  Now when I work on the computer, Britty and Ciccio come into the room and lay down.  All the while, Mr. Molly is laying on the couch in the same room.  Cheech will sit and stare and has twice just lost control of himself and pounced on Mr. Molly, but not to kill, just to play.  Of course Mr. Molly doesn’t see the humor in this game and all it takes is a simple “NO” to Cheech and he sits back down and relaxes.

I think I go on and on about what a good dog this Ciccio is, but I can’t repeat it enough.  He’s very smart and it only takes a repetition of once or twice for Cheech to learn what you want.  He still loves all people, nothing’s changed there and looks forward to visits.  He’s gotten much better about staying down when people come in.  It’s not that he’s aggressive about jumping on people, he just gets excited.  He is, however, a BIG boy and I’ve been working with him on staying down when people come in the house.

I still keep Cheech in his crate while I’m at work.  Although he’s not thrilled about it, he goes in obligingly.  I don’t even have to bribe him anymore, he just knows that’s what’s expected of him.

Got teenagers?  Ciccio would love it…someone to play rough with. He LOVES to rough-house in typical boxer fashion, feet flying everywhere.  I do have to say, though, that even when you’re playing rough with him, he never uses his teeth to bite down.  He will mouth your arm and tackle you around the waist with his legs, but if you say “ow” or “easy” he backs right off.  On the other hand, if you have small children, he never jumps and is very gentle them.  He’s also very tolerant of the kinds of things that small children do, such as ear pulling and bear-hugging.  Nothing phases Cheech, he’s just happy to be getting the attention.

2/1/03 - Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy---I am in love with this big guy!  I met him last night, and he is the most awesome dog!  Big, big head and floppy jowls---like "Hooch." Big paws that he loves to plunk into Jan's hand for "shake hands." He loves to wrestle around but is still so gentle about it---he would be sooooo fantastic with teens. And what a talker!  He is constantly making these little rumbling noises---chatting away.  He loves Britty, and is so unbelievably comfortable rolling around with another dog.
I cannot believe he hasn't been snatched up yet---oh, I wish I could have another male!  He is truly one of the most awesome dogs I have yet encountered.
Boxer Angel Karen

1/25/03 - Ciccio has had an exciting week. With all this bitter cold, we unintentionally got a house guest....a field mouse. I also found out that Mr. Molly the cat has retired from his job as rodent patrol and Ciccio decided to take on the responsibility. For three days Ciccio stalked and chased the mouse, which was pretty funny watching those long legs of his trying to maneuver the corners of the house. Unfortunately for Cheech (and fortunately for me) he couldn't catch it. I ended the adventure when I decided to buy a trap and send Mr. Mouse to the Rainbow Bridge. Cheech's second adventure was a close call with Mr. Molly the cat...I woke up in the morning to Cheech standing half way in the bathroom whining and crying. Apparently Mr. Molly had decided to jump the gate that was across his bedroom door and go to the "spa" for a drink. Molly was cornered in the bathroom with no safe place to go, if ever Cheech was going to show tendencies to be a "cat killer," that was his chance...and he didn't do it. He just stood in the doorway, making all kinds of whiney, barky noises. I do still think that Cheech's idea of play would be too rough for the cat and will continue to keep them separated and supervised. The third thing was tonight. I was going to go out for a few hours and decided to take my chances and leave Cheech out of his crate. I have in the past, left him out while I ran to the corner store, but never for more than 10 - 15 minutes. When I got home all was well. Just two very excited boxers kidney beaning all over the place. Nothing harmed, nothing touched. As you can see I've sent in new pictures. His old pictures showed him looking like the raggedy soul that he was when Patty took him in for BAR. The new pictures show just what a handsome boy he's turned out to be. And the big plus, he not only has good looks, but a great personality too.

1/19/03 - Cheech continues to thrive here at Britty's Boxer Boarding House. He's gained a little weight and is now up to 71 lbs. You can no longer see his spine or his hip bones sticking out. I wish I could explain about his face. He is just sooo cute in a Sad Sack, "Hooch" sort of way. He's such a charmer. He's becoming more and more at home here. He now will get up on the couch to lay down, but he does have manners and if you tell him "no" or "off" he will listen and get down. Although I still crate him when I go to work, or go out, Cheech is no longer crated at night. He has earned the right to either sleep on the bed with me and Britty or on the dog bed on the floor in the bedroom. And, a big plus, he's mellowing with the cat!!!! The other day I lost my head and left the bedroom door open where Mr. Molly has been cloistered. Mr. Molly wandered out into the living room and Cheech and he sat about 2 ft away from each other. I told Cheech "no" and he just sat there and watched Mr. Molly. I still wouldn't trust Cheech alone with Molly but he's definitely coming along. I'm still not sure if Cheech would hurt him, maybe unintentionally by being too rough. Cheech also joins us now on our morning walks. He gets real excited and pulls at first, but i just tell him to stop pulling and he does. I just can't say enough good things about this boy. He's smart, good looking, gentle, a real silly boy when he's playing...he makes me smile all the time. Cheech would be a wonderful addition to anyone's family.

1/11/03 - Well you can take the dog out of the pizzeria, but you can't take the pizzeria out of the dog. I think while Cheech was spending time in the alley behind the pizzeria, he must have formed a liking for Italian food. Last night we brought a pizza into the house and Cheech's nose followed the pizza box from the front door right into the kitchen. This guy loves Italian food. I had a leftover meatball and sauce in the fridge and put it in his kibble tonight and he just loved it!!! Whoever adopts him better have access to a pizza place!! Cheech is getting much better with going in his crate at night and when I go out, but he does have to be coaxed with something special...a plain old dog cookie just won't get him in there. So, I've been using those little frozen meatballs. It works like a charm. I only give them to him when he has to go in his crate and now, when I take out the meatball, he goes right in. The weather was finally nice enough to take him for a walk. He still pulls on the leash, but not half as bad as he did when he first came here. He does have to be reminded with a little tug, but then he slows right down. Ciccio continues to be the biggest mushpot of all the boxers that I've ever known. He loves everybody and loves attention. You can do most anything to this dog, play with his jowls, ears, tug on legs, roll him over for a belly rub and even stick your hand in his mouth...no matter what you do to him, he just accommodates you. He has no food aggressions at all with either people or my dog. This is one wonderful dog. I think he'd love a home with a family and kids and maybe even another dog to play with. Cheech is a great dog!! 

1/6/03 - Ciccio is a doll!!! This dog just loves everybody!! I've had adult male and female guests, my daughter's and my grandchildren (ages 4 and 11) at my house and Ciccio just loves everybody. Yesterday my grandson came over. He played with "Cheech" for about 30 minutes straight with a squeaky toy. Ian was pushing the squeaky toy around the living room like a toy truck and "Cheech" kept trying to get it...but not with his mouth, with his paws only. He was very, very gentle with my grandson. Ian even stuck his hand right in Cheech's mouth to get the toy. We were laughing so hard because you couldn't see Ian's hand at all....Cheech's big ole jowls just covered up Ian's whole hand and arm. Cheech does have some minor short comings. He is very aggressive with my cat, so I've had to keep the cat cloistered in a spare room while Cheech is out of his crate. I would not recommend that he go to a home with cats. Cheech would do well in a fenced yard. I think he would love to have a nice big yard to run in. My yard is not fenced and, as I found out today, Cheech will take a jog down the road if he gets loose. Fortunately he was right in front of my house and I opened the car door and he hopped right in the car. He really, really loves to go in the card for rides. This boy is a big mush. He loves kisses and hugs and playing with toys. He's a good boy when he has to be in his crate and he just loves all people. Cheech really needs his own family to love him. Wouldn't you like to give him a Happy New Year and a happy new life?

12/30/02 -Cisco was not responding to his new name, but responds very well to his old name, Ciccio, which is a term of endearment in Italian!!  And since he is such a big mush and has endeared himself to everyone he has met, then Ciccio it is!
Ciccio has been with me for a day and a half now. Just long enough to fall in love with this boy. So far he's a complete love bug. He's happy to see anyone come to the house (man, woman, or child). He is still a bit exuberant in his greeting as he tends to jump on people, but immediately gets off when told OFF. He also knows sit, down, and give paw (both left and right on command). He is quite a puller on his leash, but in one day has already started to respond to "tug and release" on his leash and he will stop pulling. His only problem with that is a short attention span. I think with more reminders and a few more lessons he'll get it. He is a VERY smart boy and seems to pick up on things quite quickly. One problem that I've discovered is that he's pretty intense about my cat. Ciccio hasn't tried to hurt Mr. Molly, but has tried to grab him with his feet in typical boxer fashion. I'm not sure if Ciccio would do anything if he actually held on to him. It's still too early to tell as I've only had him one full day, but I do suspect that he would be better in a home without cats.   Ciccio goes for his neuter tomorrow and I'll update again when he comes home from the vet.

12/28/02 - Just wanted everyone to know that Cisco has made it safely to his permanent foster home.  Thanks Pat for temporarily fostering him.
 What a cutie!!!  He has the biggest head on a boxer that I've ever seen, the longest jowls and he has the cutest wrinkles in his forehead.  He's still a little skinny, but not half as skinny as he was in the pictures that Pat sent with him.
He's already responding to being loved and cared for.  He's going to be a BIG boy once he fills in.  So far, Britty, my little white girl, seems to like him and got him to play a little out in the yard.
I'll post more as I get to know him better.

12/22/01 - Me heart is breaking for this boy. You can just see how sad and dejected he is. He lets me love him a little and then he goes in the kitchen and lies down. He seems to like the kitchen. I asked my brother to come with me to Xmas shop and run errands this afternoon...I wanted to bring the boy and my brother sat in the car and kept him company. My brother said his eyes were on me every time I walked away from the car. He was very quiet and very good in the car. He is sooooo sad. I was hugging him before and I just cried. How could someone break his heart? His spirit is so broken. He is eating better....I have to mix real meat or chicken in with his dog food, he won't eat just dog food wet or dry or both. But, I mix it in good so he is getting a good amount of kibble. He wants to drink lots of water but I am limiting it a bit. I am gradually giving him more because he now walks to the back door when he has to pee. No accidents since Thursday night. I also gave him a little vanilla yogurt tonight and he lapped it all up, then he laid on the kitchen floor with yogurt all over his face. He is sooo innocent. No, I won't be keeping him. I know I sound like I want to. It is too difficult with my 2. My male is not happy he is here. My female would like to play with him, so I may try them together in the outdoor run. But, I know I will be crying when he goes. How do you guys do this time after time???  

12/21/02 - Last night I put the crate in my bedroom, and my kids slept next door with my uncle. Cisco only fussed for about a half hour, then slept all night. There was a chair right behind the crate with clothes on it, somehow he managed to get a pair of my pants through the crate completely and was sleeping on them. I guess he likes me!
Cisco went to the vet this morning.  The good news is, he is heartworm negative! He also had no worms in his stool, although the dr gave me de-worming treatment anyway. He also had no UTI. His skin around the penis is thickened  and he has very large, black nipples for a male, both of which the dr said were probably caused by constant irritation. It may have been what he was lying on, or he  may have been lying in his own urine. He was a very good boy and everyone loved him..he is extremely friendly!  I think he is also friendly towards other dogs. I was able to get his old vet records faxed over..he was seen in April for distemper and rabies shots, he weighed 75 lbs. Today he weighs 63, and his legs are full of callouses too. I was also able to get his DOB, 8-15-97, I had guessed he was 5. So right now he has a big head on a very tiny body, I could imagine him being easily 80-85 lbs for his structure. He is big boned and has a thick neck area. The dr said he has ear infections, both ears, but I was almost home when I realized they never gave me anything for it. I have to call Monday on the blood work, so I will remind them. So, other than mal nourishment and a little lack of manners, he has no major problems! He is going to be a GREAT dog for someone.

12/20/02 - I heard about this boy "Chi-cho" who will now be named Cisco, living in filthy conditions outside behind a pizzeria, by the dumpster.  I manipulated my way into getting the dog, finally last night.  He was so dirty and smelly...I bathed him immediately.  He is the sweetest boy, extremely friendly, not afraid of hands, or men or anyone so far. I don't think he was physically abused, but severely neglected. As skinny as he is, he is STRONG.  I can't have my uncle (who is sick) take him out (we are not fenced in), therefore, he will be crated for many hours while I am at work. Last night I crated him 2 rooms away and he cried all night. My kids were so upset! He  peed a gallon in the crate at 3 am and  I went in the room and tried to sleep in there, but he still cried. He was in the crate a looong time today, and I think he got a little more used to it, he did pee in there over 9 hours. (I am also limiting his water intake as he peed in the house quite a few times last night). Anyway, this will not be easy, switching, separating etc, but I could NOT send him back to the horror from which he came. He is a natural eared fawn boy. I hope to get his previous medical records tomorrow and I may be able to get his age. I am hoping my vet can check him out in the am. So, that is my long winded intro. I slept less than 2 hours last night so I may be a little spacey! Thanks for all the support guys! Pat & "Cisco" the Rescue boy
Pat has graciously offered to temporarily foster Cisco for BAR until a space opens up in one of our regular foster homes. Thank you so much for your dedication to the Boxer breed.