Acapulco & the Stairs

I dedicate this post to my obnoxious, adorable, (sometimes) grouchy, (slightly) land-sharky, old, devoted Chihuahua Acapulco. He landed in my life when he decided to hang out in my parents' garage until a rain storm was over. He was barely 5 pounds, starving, bald, and extremely pathetic. I decided to keep him because I was certain nobody would want him. For a long time I did not really want him, because he was a real "challenge". But after he and I learned each other a bit, I loved his little self and was so glad that I got him!!
When I first got him, I hid him in a crate in my parents' garage for about a month. He did not make a sound; in fact, he would not even walk. He would drag himself around the house on his belly and keep his eyes downward. If anyone looked at him or talked to him, he would tinkle all over himself! After a few months of that, I got married and he graduated to having the run of a whopping 490 square foot apartment. He would run in tiny circles all around, so happy to have "all that space" to play in. I still remember, after almost a year, when he figured out that toys were for him. He loves extremes: either VERY tiny toys, or VERY large ones. He does not allow the cat to play with his toys. When we moved to Fort Lauderdale, he did not know what to do with our 1,000 square foot condo. He raced around like a jet rocket. He never stopped moving or wiggling. He was so excited to have so much room to romp!!

It almost short-circuited his brain when we moved into a house with STAIRS last week. I could see the wheels turning in his little brain and his bright, naughty brown eyes were full of mischief. First I taught him stair safety and made sure he could get up and down without falling or hurting himself. Paranoia after the thousands of dollars that stairs have made me in my profession. :) Next I made sure that he knows he is not allowed on the stairs without permission. He is so smart, it's scary!

After 3 tries he can zoom up and down all 16 stairs and the landing in about 6 seconds flat. It is so funny that I tried to take pictures, but all I can catch of him in motion is a black blur racing past and wagging his little tail at the top. I have attached a bunch of pictures like the psycho pet parent that I have proudly morphed into over the past three years. But seriously, rescue a little bundle of brattiness, and have a little dog watching your every move with devotion (not to mention convinced that you are the center of his universe), and I think you'll understand where I stand. :)

 SO excited that he is halfway up!! See that tail wagging furiously between his ears!









Racing down the stairs on Ninja Speed Mode

That smirky little face and play bow that he gets
when he is excited!

 Doing the VICTORY DANCE at the top!!

 More of the Victory Dance. this one includes a little yapping!

 Very suspicious of the camera. Most of the time when I try to take his picture he gives me an evil eye and hides under the bed.

 Very excited barking, waiting for me to c'mon so he could keep going to the top!

 ZOOOOM!!!

This black blur is about all I can catch of the little booger in action.