June 30, 2006

Pet of the Month

Ricky, leader of the small dog pet club

By Laura Rheinheimer
Times Intern

Ricky, a small rat terrier and chihuahua mix, went from a lost dog to a pampered pet when owners Jakob and Mia Saxtorph took him home from the Humane Society of Silicon Valley. It was the start of a “big happy family,” Mia said.

“Ricky” enjoys a sunny Saturday afternoon in Evergreen Village Square with owners Mia and Jakob Saxtorph. Photo by Laura Rheinheimer

Ricky spends his days playing in the sun with other little dogs. At home, Ricky amuses himself and his owners by playing with his “chew chew” stick and chasing laser dots. For relaxation, Ricky curls up in Mia or Jakob’s lap and watches TV.

But life wasn’t always so good for Ricky. “He was a homeless dog on the street,” Mia said. “People called to have him picked up.”

When the Saxtorphs went to the Humane Society in November 2003, the first dog they saw was Ricky. For Mia, it was love at first sight, but getting a small dog was something Jakob took some time to get used to.

“I liked him at first, I just wasn’t sure I wanted a small dog,” Jakob said.

When they brought Ricky home, their cat Coco was also unsure of the new family member. At first they didn’t get along, Mia said. Ricky stayed downstairs while Coco stayed upstairs.
“Ricky liked to intimidate the cat at first,” Mia said. But the two got used to each other when Coco realized Ricky was harmless.

These days, Jakob enjoys getting the “big welcome home” from Ricky, which includes lots of jumping and kisses. When Coco tries to butt in, Jakob said, Ricky scares him off as if to say “me first!”

“Ricky gets jealous,” Mia said. But the pampered dog has little reason to be: he has a matching cowboy bed and dresser set and an extensive wardrobe. “I dress him up,” Mia said.

“You feel like he’s kind of a baby,” Mia said.

She said some people don’t realize how hard it is to care for a small dog, but she takes her role seriously. She even organized the Evergreen Toy Dog Meet-up so that her “baby” could have fun playing with other small dogs. The group meets at least once a month in the Evergreen Village Square where the dogs can play in a fenced-in area while their owners enjoy the outdoors.

There’s no dog park in Evergreen, Mia explained, so she thought owners of dogs 15 pounds and under would appreciate the outdoor dog play date.

On Saturday, Ricky played with more than 10 friends and enjoyed toys and treats in the grass. Mia said she is looking for more members for the group, which was started in the beginning of May.

“When he played with other dogs he was so happy,” Mia said.

The toy dog meet-up is usually held once a month, Mia said. She would consider having more events if she had more members. The group has a Web site with 39 members currently, many who signed on recently.

Many San Jose neighborhoods have dog parks, some of which include an area for small dogs only, but if Evergreen residents want to meet up with other local small dog owners, they might find it difficult.

With the momentum the group has gained in its short existence, Mia is hopeful that other dog owners will join up, but isn’t sure if she has time to plan events more than once a month.