# What do you do with your chi all day?????



## mazdagirl23 (Feb 20, 2006)

I am new here, and I am also new to having a chihuahua. Destiny is 9 1/2 weeks old, and lately she has been coming to work with me. I cant keep her at work with me anymore. I dont know what options I have besides leaving her in the bathroom during the day. Is she going to be ok if I leave her toys, food and water, and pee pads along with her crate that will have her blanket and her stuffed animal????? Does anyone have any suggestions? I am considering quitting my job because of this. I am scared she wont be ok all day long. I work 10 hours a day. I know my husband can keep her out while he is at home, but he says that she doesnt need constant supervision. Whats a girl to do????


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## colleen13 (Jul 10, 2004)

are you from sweden?


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## mazdagirl23 (Feb 20, 2006)

No, why do you ask??? I am from Washington State.


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## colleen13 (Jul 10, 2004)

ok, my bad. there is another very heated discussion going on elsewhere on the board that seemed strangely similar to the question you are asking. :wave:


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## holly&peanut (Feb 18, 2006)

i stay at home with my chi all day, but by sept i'll have to leave him home alone.
i think there fine alone as long as this is what they know and get used too! where as i think i'm causing myself problems by spending too much time with mine! he cries if i even leave the room!


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## mazdagirl23 (Feb 20, 2006)

That is what I am afraid of too. I have been spending almost all my time with her. I have someone that will be with her Mondays and Fridays but I dont have anyone for Tues, Weds, and Thurs. I dont want her to completely have a breakdown. We are crate training, and she does not like being in it if she is not asleep. She whines, and eventually cries and practically screams if its for longer periods. She is a huge protester. She is also on wet food right now, and if that sits out for a few hours, it gets nasty. I dont know what to do about her food. I have been crying all morning. I am just sooo worried about the whole situation and her. She is a big time mommas girl.


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## ddansik (Dec 26, 2005)

Mine stay home Taco has free run of the house if he needs to use the bathroom before I get home he uses peepads next to our toilet Nina is 8.5 weeks she stays in the tub with a litter pan with a pee pad init and she has her food and water and blanket and toys and she does just fine I am gone from 6am till 6pm mon-fri hope this helps


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## Isshinharu (Jan 27, 2006)

colleen13 said:


> are you from sweden?


:laughing3:


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## holly&peanut (Feb 18, 2006)

i tried a crate but gave in as i couldn't stand the crying which i couldn't understand as he was kept in a crate by the people i got him from! and as for the food he won't even eat dog food! only human food which is worrying me. maybe you should gradually switch her food to dry?it might last better if it was left out.
i might try leaving him say for maybe 10mins while i nip to the shop then gradually increase the time i leave him for so he gets used to it.


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## Isshinharu (Jan 27, 2006)

mazdagirl23 said:


> That is what I am afraid of too. I have been spending almost all my time with her. I have someone that will be with her Mondays and Fridays but I dont have anyone for Tues, Weds, and Thurs. I dont want her to completely have a breakdown. We are crate training, and she does not like being in it if she is not asleep. She whines, and eventually cries and practically screams if its for longer periods. She is a huge protester. She is also on wet food right now, and if that sits out for a few hours, it gets nasty. I dont know what to do about her food. I have been crying all morning. I am just sooo worried about the whole situation and her. She is a big time mommas girl.


That sounds like my boy Tatsuo. What I do is give him wet food in the morning before I go to work and at night when I get home. During the day, I leave dry food out for him with his water... (and pee pad  ). He seems to nibble on the dry food, but LOVES the wet food because it's easier for him to eat. It works fine with him.


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

rockys home all day while i work and have classes, he does fine. before he was potty trained we blocked him in the kitchen with a baby gate and he did fine, now he runs around the whole house since being potty trained. they dont need the whole house to run around in though. i think she will be fine as long as she has toys and food and water. also i free feed and keep out his dry food all day long and change it every morning, then he can eat while i'm gone. wet food is not good for their teeth all the time, so i would def start dry food. people food is not good for dogs all the time. try a high quality dry food they usually like the taste better and its better for them. :wave:


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## mazdagirl23 (Feb 20, 2006)

Ok, I just read the heated debate. I have to apologize that I posted this before I read that. I wouldnt have posted this. It was eerily similar. Anyways, I have been leaving Destiny for a couple hours at a time in her crate. She cries at the beginning, I am not sure for how long, but she is ususally asleep or just kind of hanging out when I get home, and then she gets really squeeky when she hears me. I wish I would have the time to work her into the 10 hours, but unfortunately, it looks like tomorrow will be her first day alone. I am sooo scared. Mostly because she is so young, but it does make me feel better with what ddansik said with her baby in a tub. Do you use like just the bath tub? I think I am going to pick everything up off the bathroom floor, and put her pee pads down, and just kind of go with it. My mom can check on her when she gets off work. I appreciate the suggestions, and everyone lettin me know how you deal with it. Thank you, and if anyone else wants to throw in what they do during the day, I would appreciate it. 

Sorry so long


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## mazdagirl23 (Feb 20, 2006)

Rocky said:


> wet food is not good for their teeth all the time, so i would def start dry food. people food is not good for dogs all the time. try a high quality dry food they usually like the taste better and its better for them. :wave:


I am offering her Iams smart puppy dry food. It seems as if it is too hard for her to eat. Either that or she is lazy and just doesnt want to put in the effort of chewing it up. I have tried putting it in a little warm water to make it softer, and gravy like. She likes it but will eat much better if you hand feed her, or feed her off the spoon :lol:


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

mazdagirl23 said:


> Rocky said:
> 
> 
> > wet food is not good for their teeth all the time, so i would def start dry food. people food is not good for dogs all the time. try a high quality dry food they usually like the taste better and its better for them. :wave:
> ...


lol i just read the debate too. its really not a big deal to leave them they get used to it and adjust, most of the time they want to sleep anyways so its not like they have to go out every hour or something. but anyways iams isnt really a good food, get something organic like wellness or innova there are lots of good brands out there besides those. rocky was on nutro and didnt like to eat dry food either but then i switched and he LOVES his new food. i use wellness but use whatever is available in your area. hope i helped!


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## Bo (Nov 17, 2005)

What is the heated debate?


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

lol its called litter box training its like 13 pgs long. of course i had to add to it lol its actually ridiculous, but funny.


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

I wasn't planning on adding to it... but I had to :lol:. It is too crazy!

My dogs aren't normally left alone, but when I have to work at the same time as my fiancee does, we put our puppies in my bedroom with water and a pee pad. They do fine loose in there


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## Bo (Nov 17, 2005)

I figured it was that one


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## *Tiffany* (Sep 27, 2005)

rocky does fine alone he just sleeps....but i use the pee pads b/c i feel bad if he cant go when he has to. they work great for me.


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

I have a comforter on my floor under my bed which Madison and Rylie love to snuggle on. There is also a crate and a dog bed, along with all of their toys. They usually just sleep as well when I'm not home. 

I love using pee pads


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## Blue Velvet Elvis (Dec 23, 2005)

Elvis has two built in babysitters, his dog brothers and fellow pack members BlackJack and Twain, the schipperkes. Jack acts like his mom and guards him and offers him food and Twain whacks the crap out of him when he gets out of line lol (kind of funny he paws him on top of the head) lol 
They go in and out of the doggie door together (sometimes all at once.. at least they try, they sleep, play, bark, explore the fenced yard and "sing". 
They pretty much ignore me when I'm home so I suppose the days with me home are pretty much like the days I'm at work for them.


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## iluvmyvikin (Aug 24, 2005)

beenie and freia stay in the kitchen with their toys, bed, food/water, pee pad etc.. 
i feel much better going to work knowing they have each other 

when it was just beenie he had full reign of the house.. doesn't really seem he got up to much other than sleeping!!


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## Gracie'smom (Jan 7, 2006)

I've had to leave Gracie alone for most of the day more than once...we have a routine we go through....closing all doors so she only has part of the house to run....checking for shoes, toys, pencils....anything she might eat....then we just make sure she has dry food, water and a pee pad. I also leave my oldest Lab out with, and the cats always about. We haven't had a problem yet.


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

Carl is almost 6 months old (omg) and during the weekdays he's gated in the kitchen with his beds, crate, toys, food/water, pee pads...
He has everything he needs to be happy and he stays out of trouble this way!


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## bullsgal12 (Nov 13, 2005)

We are gone during the day and Gidget is gated in the laundry room during the day. She has her toys, water/food, pee/pads and her crate where she sleeps. We've been doing this since we've got her. The only big problem we've encountered is that she has chewed on the baseboards around the room and along the door. Eventually, we'd like to get her a companion to keep her company. But that'll be a while.


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## my3angels (Apr 15, 2004)

I am extremely lucky and can bring my girls to work with me. They stay in suite at work (room with a TV and doggie bed) while I work and I can take quick breaks to potty them and play with them. 

Otherwise they stay in a HUGE crate with water.


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## peanutnpepper (Nov 8, 2005)

I can bring mine to work one Friday of the month...other than that mine are at home. I am constantly trying to find the best possible thing for them. I get so frustrated it seems though...Using the litterbox/pee pad is fine, but when they are confined to a bedroom it seems as though it stinks up easily- ya know? I had gave Peanut the free reign of the house before but his potty training went from trained to not really trained and also chewing up the base boards and furniture. :shock: So I go back and forth, I was crating each when I had Pepper and they were in their own 36" crates...when I got buttercup I put them in a playpen, but Pea can jump out some how... :shock: so now they are gated in their "room"...I think they would be better on a hard surface since they seem to relate the carpet to the pee pad :roll: but I dont want to put them in the kitchen because thats a place where you eat....I just don't know...after that "heated" discussion about leaving them so long, I just want to be sure they are COMFORTABLE!


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## mazdagirl23 (Feb 20, 2006)

Well today is the first day Destiny is alone. I put her in the bathroom with the radio on, and then I just put a baby gate in the door, instead of closing the door, so it doesnt seem like she is locked up. She has her crate with blanket and baby, all her toys, her food and water, a few treats, and I put 2 pee pads in there. Hopefully she will figure out waht to do on them. We started potty training on pee pads, but she didnt understand it. She figured the carpet was one huge pee pad. Once I pulled them up and just take her outside, we dont have accidents hardly at all. I had to tape the pee pads down really well because I couldnt find a little tray for them to go in so she doesnt drag them all over, and if I just set them on the floor, she would think it was one big, noisy, fun toy. She was crying when I left so we will see how she does when I get home tonight.


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## bullsgal12 (Nov 13, 2005)

I had the same pee pad problem with Gidget tearing it up to shreds and dragging it all over the room. Like you said, Gidget thought it was one big play toy. Thanks to the suggestions from other online. I went to a pet store and bought a pee pad holder that keeps your dog from dragging the pad all over the place and so far it has worked pretty well. Gidget is now using the pee pad more often and she isn't tearing up her pads.


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## *Andrea* (Jan 30, 2006)

I understand your distress at leaving your little chi at home. I went through Junie withdrawls my first day away and I still miss her like crazy! I bought Junie a big crate for a 60lb dog that is waaaay big enough. It is made of cloth and mesh so it breaths really well and doesn't get stinky. Inside of the crate I have a pee pad, a bed, toys, food and water dishes, and her blankie. I feed her dry food with a little water so that it is not so hard to chew and it doesn't get nasty during the day. She does really well in there and it has become like her little home. She goes in there to rest and to play by herself if the cats are being bullies. I am glad I did this because she also stays in here at night and she does so well with it. I just tell her to "go to bed" and she gets in her little bed, curls up in her blanket and goes to sleep. It works. She still gets so excited when I get home and seems to love me just as much as when I spent all my time with her :wink: . I hope all goes well and your little one adjusts!


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## newf (Jan 28, 2006)

There is such a thing as a peepad tray?...I think I have to see about those things.


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## Nona (Mar 27, 2005)

Peepad holders do exist here, they're like a plastic framework that hold the peepad and stop them from scratching them to pieces! I don't use peepads, yet, but I've heard the holders are good.

Lexi stays at home with either my mum or dad during the day while i'm at Uni, and at night I get all that time with her, and weekends of course. 

When I finish Uni, i'd ideally like to get my website up and running and work from home doing what I love, pet and people portraiture, and stay at home with Lexi. Then I'd like another Chi from my earnings


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## 2pups622 (Apr 17, 2005)

austin is a spoiled brat hes always with me either out with me or home but my other 2 get crated when im not home they just sleep the whole time


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## mazdagirl23 (Feb 20, 2006)

*An Update*

Well I just wanted to post an update about Destiny's first day home alone. Boy, what a shock to walk into my house and have my puppy greet me at the door, when she is supposed to be in the bathroom. LOL. Well she was not having the whole locked in the bathroom thing. She climbed over her baby gate and had free run of the house all day. To my suprise, she was almost an angel all day. Nothing was torn up except my husbands tie. And it is not bad, a little freyed on the end. She did potty on my carpet, but, its ok. I am going to buy a shampooer and shampoo this weekend. Other than that, absolutely nothing was touched. Today we shut the bathroom door. But one good thing, I was called today by one of the main bosses, and they said she is allowed to be here!!! I am alone in my office for 50 hours a week, they said that it could be a good thing for me since I spend all my time alone. YAY!! Just thought Id let everyone know how we survived our first day though.


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## mizz (Aug 13, 2005)

Wiz stays gated in the kitchen when no one is home, he has everything he needs in there. Someone checks in on him at least once a day and the TV is always left on for his listening pleasure. My father is home a lot when I'm not so he only spends about 2 or 3 days a week home alone.


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## ddansik (Dec 26, 2005)

Congrats on them letting you take her work . I could bring mine to work every day because I work in our family business but Taco was full grown when I got him and he does not like strangers and we have 60 employe's and they all want to pet him and people are always coming in and out of my office so I bring him once a week to help him socialize


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## TareG (Aug 13, 2005)

What a sneaky chi, lol. I just saw this post, so sorry I didn't reply sooner.

All I really wanted to tell you was that, honestly, leaving her alone probably upsets YOU more than it does HER, lol. And you are a good-hearted person for caring so much.
And don't give up on crate training, as long as she has stuff to do in her crate and you don't ever use it as punishment, she WILL get used to it with time. Halle has, and in fact, she is sleeping in it right now just cuz she wants to...the door is wide open.

Good luck, and I am so glad she survived day 1.

Question: why did she used to be able to go to work with you and now she can;t?


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## mazdagirl23 (Feb 20, 2006)

TareG said:


> Question: why did she used to be able to go to work with you and now she can;t?


I brought her the first few days I had her then this pos guy that works next door called my boss and said i had a dog down here. They were all under the impression it was a big dog but never asked about her. well, they said she cant be here, so I was all upset and my husband said if i didnt wanna deal with it, to quit and we would make it work. She stayed home for 2 days, then they come back and say that they thought i had a german sheppard, but since she is a chi, and i am the only one in my office for 10 hours a day, its ok that she come with me, it would be good for me. So now, here we are again. But you are right Tare, it was way harder on me than her.


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## tuckasocki (Jan 14, 2006)

tucker is still in his playpen during the day. he has a side that has his puppy pad and food/water and a side that has his bed and toys. he does very well in it...he is alone from 7:30 to 2:30. he has stopped pooping in the pen all together...i was very impressed. when i come home and take our boxer out, he runs out and goes in the yard!! can't wait til it is warmer to get that started full swing! 

the breeder suggested the pen and it has been fantastic. he has been in it since day 3!


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## Lottie (Apr 13, 2005)

Nona said:


> Peepad holders do exist here, they're like a plastic framework that hold the peepad and stop them from scratching them to pieces! I don't use peepads, yet, but I've heard the holders are good.


WOW Nona can we get peepads and holders in the UK?? Please tell?!


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## Lottie (Apr 13, 2005)

Rocky said:


> lol its called litter box training its like 13 pgs long. of course i had to add to it lol its actually ridiculous, but funny.


  I can't find it and what to be nosey - what board is it on?


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## CM Katie (Sep 28, 2005)

Lottie said:


> I can't find it and what to be nosey - what board is it on?


*whispers* Psst, it's in Chi Chat. Here's the link: http://www.chihuahua-people.com/viewtopic.php?t=21460

*walks away innocently*


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

Katie 18 said:


> Lottie said:
> 
> 
> > I can't find it and what to be nosey - what board is it on?
> ...


 :lol: :lol: :lol: 

That was a great thread! Very funny!


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## Lottie (Apr 13, 2005)

Tee hee!

I've been reading for ages and I am only up to page 5! LOL I will have to come back for another read in the morning it's half past midnight in the UK and I have to go to bed as I have an early start in the morning.

Nighty all
x


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## daycaremom2002 (Feb 3, 2006)

tuckasocki said:


> tucker is still in his playpen during the day. he has a side that has his puppy pad and food/water and a side that has his bed and toys. he does very well in it...he is alone from 7:30 to 2:30. he has stopped pooping in the pen all together...i was very impressed. when i come home and take our boxer out, he runs out and goes in the yard!! can't wait til it is warmer to get that started full swing!
> 
> the breeder suggested the pen and it has been fantastic. he has been in it since day 3!


How old was he when you got him? I am doing a playpen for my puppy and was wondering if it would work as well as I am hoping. I was debating whether she needs a crate in there too, but I really don't want to. She won't be alone most of the time, but I do daycare, and I want her someplace safe that I don't have to chase her to keep her out of trouble. 

Do you have a pee pad outside of the playpen too so that he can use it whenever he wants? I am planning on taking her outside too when the weather permits, but we have a few months until that will be all the time.

Kristi


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## SkyDreamer777 (Jan 6, 2006)

I'm one of the ones they were fusing about on the other posting :x 

I leave for work at 5:30 in the mornings and get home around 5PM most days. I work 5 days a week as a school bus driver but I am able to come home 4 of those 5 days in between routes for 3 hours. I commute to work since I moved so the commute time is 30 minutes one way. This is because I just moved this month and have to finish out the school year for the county that I am currently employed in. If not then I will lose my benefits and take a drastic cut in pay. So people please don't yell at me.
Sara, Corey, and Copper NEVER do without.

Corey and Copper (Springer and Cocker Spaniel) stay outside in my 1 acre fenced in yard during the day. They have a very large dog house, trees and bushes for shade and plenty of food and water (continual feeders) but since Sara doesn't have all her shots and she's to little to be outside alone, she stays indoors.

While I am gone she stays in the bathroom. In there she has her bed, blanket, food, water, basket of toys, and pee pads. I wake up early to spend time with her and when I'm home she gets the run of the house.

I wish I could take her to work but lets face it there is no way she could be around 30 special needs children a day. She's safer at home.

Once she gets all her shots and is full grown I will let her spend some time outside during the day, but only in the summer. I don't worry about that so much because my Springer will watch out for her like she did my last Chi. I think she thinks they are her puppies. And I would never leave her outside alone for more than an hour at a time.

I am looking for another small breed dog so Sara won't be alone so much but that probably won't happen till this fall. I have to transfer to work for another county that is closer to where I live. The good thing is since I will be working closer to home I'll be home more often. Till then poor Sara will be alone during the day while I work since my EVIL landlord made me get rid of my cat (She's doing wonderful in her new home by the way. They renamed her Sassy though)


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## Lottie (Apr 13, 2005)

*Nona*

quote: 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Nona
Peepad holders do exist here, they're like a plastic framework that hold the peepad and stop them from scratching them to pieces! I don't use peepads, yet, but I've heard the holders are good. 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Where in the UK can we get pee-pads and holders from hun?


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## Alisha (Mar 11, 2005)

My 2 are spolied rotten they're home with me all the time. I'm upstairs about to take a bath and Bella's staring at me everytime I walk by the stairs :shock:


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## Sugar.Geisha (Dec 21, 2005)

*Re: Nona*



Lottie said:


> quote:
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Originally posted by Nona
> Peepad holders do exist here, they're like a plastic framework that hold the peepad and stop them from scratching them to pieces! I don't use peepads, yet, but I've heard the holders are good.
> ...


You can get them from pets at home, I saw the holders there today.

You guys are all obcessed with pee-pads! But then maybe I will be when I get my baby!!


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## Lottie (Apr 13, 2005)

*Re: Nona*



Sugar.Geisha said:


> Lottie said:
> 
> 
> > quote:
> ...


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