I just wanted to let you know that Bella and Cooper are doing fine. We're enjoying them so very much and have just fallen in love with them. �They are learning quickly. �We're amazed how bright they are. We made a decision not to feed them from the table while we're eating, but have them wait while we eat, then give them a tidbit from the table when we're done. �The first two days they were pretty rambunctious so that we crated them until we were done eating. �Now when they come to the table, we just tell them "down" and surprisingly after just a few prompts, they go on about their business.

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We've had a few accidents in the house, but fewer than we would have anticipated. �They both sleep on the bed with us, Cooper under the covers and Bella next to me. �When she wants to go out, which is usually about 3 am, she licks my face. �She's been pretty good about waiting till we get outside. �Cooper is still working on it, but I'm sure he'll figure it out soon.

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They're playful, affectionate, and funny. �We're so glad we have them. �It's a good match for us and we're really glad we adopted them. �Thank you for trusting us enough to allow us this privilege. We'll give them plenty of love, good care, and a spot of good old fashioned spoiling. �Isn't that what it's all about?

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Take care, Lu and Fran

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Fran took Bella and Cooper to the vet and was very impressed by the care they received. By the time their appointment came up, Cooper was his old self. The vet was very pleased with them, noting that they appear very healthy and happy, especially Bella who he described as a "real kisser". She does love to give kisses. Cooper weighs 6 pounds and Bella 9 so they obviously don't miss many meals. I cut their dry food back a bit to keep their weight steady and they don't seem to miss it any. The vet says their weight is very good right now. He also thinks they are younger than you had mentioned, more like 8 months. That explains some of that puppy behavior, 100 mile an hour chases after each other, and gnawing on their toys. We've found they particularly like stuffed animals, but we have to find pretty sturdy ones. The ones we bought at Petco for Christmas didn't last long as they had the stuffing out of them before we even knew what was happening. I found a small bear, very sturdy, and they play with it all day, chasing each other, playing tug of war, etc.

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The potty training is about 95 percent there. There's still an occasional accident and when I ask "who forgot to tell me you had to go", they have that "oops, I forgot and I'm feeling guilty" look, both of them, so who knows who left the surprise. They're both getting better at letting us know they need to go out, Cooper at the door and Bella putting her paws up on your leg and if you don't respond, she softly barks at you.

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Cooper is getting a little more hair on his back, but the vet said that some dogs only get the lightest coat. He took a scraping, just in case, but that it appears everything is normal. Cooper really thinks he's a big dog and certainly acts it. Fran said at the vet's office he started quite a commotion with his barking, and he wasn't even out of his carrier.

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They're both doing well when our granddaughter comes over as well. Their little tails are wagging like crazy and she can hardly walk down the hall without them both trying to get her attention. It's a good thing she's tall for her age.

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Oh, by the way, the vet says Bella is all Chihuahua, and when we mentioned the underbite, he said all chihuahua with a "little defect". �I think it makes it look like she's smiling all the time!

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So all is well. We're enjoying them immensely.

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Thanks for the referral to the vet. We're very pleased with him and know they'll get good care there.

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Fran and Lu

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