Niya Jean

After several times mentioning her..."HERE SHE IS...MISS AMERICA. It's Niya, the needy chihauhau. The Taco Bell dog. The Mexican marvel. The Frito Bandito.

Seven years ago...my 2 daughters moved out of the house. We pleaded with them not to get a dog. They were both working, and spent a lot of time away from the house. Within 2 weeks...Julie...my oldest and my most impulsive child...came home with Niya. It took another 2 weeks before the phone call came. "Mom, Dad,...can you watch the puppy? I have to work all night." 2 more weeks and Niya was ours for good. 6 weeks, and I had a second dog that I didn't want. We already had Holly, a long-haired daschund that Julie thought we needed for Christmas 11-12 years ago.

A few things about Niya.

1. I'm surprised I got this picture, because if she sees you hit a chair or a bed...she wants to be next to you.

2. My daughter thought it would be OK to let the dog sleep with her. "She's just so little." When Niya got to our house...she gave you the "big eyes", and wanted the same thing. So...she sleeps with us. One problem. Ever since she was little...she has to lick her paws before she goes to sleep. She also is always cold...so she goes to the warmest spot. That means...whether she goes to your crotch or to your backside...your'e always going to get a nice big wet spot there. We have a nightly skirmish to see who has to have her.

3. She's a poop-eater, and a poop-roller-iner. She hits the back yard, and it's like a smorgasbord at the Golden Corral. One time she got really sick, and we had to take her to the vet. The vet said chihauhaus were usually pretty particular about what they ate. I guess we got a lucky one. She is white with brown spots. When you let her in...you count the spots. If she has any extra...it's right to the laundry tub downstairs for a bath. Fortunately, she doesn't do either of those like she used to.

4. She doesn't like loud noises. The week around July 4th is torture. Even when you load the dishwasher...she heads for the hills. You drop a pan...she's gone for hours.

5. She doesn't like you to watch her eat. She hides on the top of the stairs until you vacate the kitchen...then she sneaks down, and eats.

6. She can't ride in a car like a normal dog. She has to ride between your shoulder blades and the head rest. Weird.

Now...for the good stuff. Hmmmmm...Hmmmm(I'm thinking.) Hmmmm...(More thinking.)

She is a lovable little dog. After she knows you and likes you, she will love you to pieces. When you sit down on the couch...she runs up you like a baby mountain goat. She is cute. When she rolls over on her back for a tummy rub...she is real hard to resist. All in all, the good outweighs the bad, and we love her. Needy Niya....our dog.