Monthly Archives: June 2011

Shih Tzu Prelude: Puppy Mill Life Aftereffects

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Puppy Mill Effects

My conversation with Delores at BFF Rescue was very eye-opening. She told me that the shih tzus I had seen online had all come from a puppy mill in Kansas early this year. Some would say they came from a “commercial kennel.” I had never given much thought to where those adorable puppies in store windows came from. Come to think of it, I realized I hadn’t seen any of those pet stores lately that I used to see in malls.

Delores told me the horrible conditions that many of these puppies’ mothers lived in, and how their entire purpose was breeding more puppies. Unlike the puppies that are sold, the puppy mill moms rarely receive love and often don’t get exercise. Sometimes, they are forced to eat, sleep and relieve themselves in the same small space. The deplorable conditions of many puppy mills caused both emotional and physical problems in many cases.

In the case of the shih tzus I was considering fostering/adopting, the owner of the Sheltie Shack Rescue, a Kansas-based rescue, had rescued six shih tzus when rescuing several shelties. She had got the word out to several animal rescues and two in Colorado had volunteered to each take three of the shih tzus. BFF Rescue was one of those organizations.

The shih tzus Delores took were three half-sisters, Dottie, 5; Flower, 2; and Candy, 2. The Sheltie Shack couldn’t give Delores much information. Someone had told the rescue that the commercial kennel using them for breeding no longer wanted them. When she had arrived to pick them up, the shih tzus were outside in a chicken coop type kennel.

Before turning the three shih tzus over to BFF Rescue, the original rescuer took them to a vet. The vet gave them needed vaccinations and checked them over for any problems. They noted that Candy had a small hernia.

The shih tzus came to Colorado in late February 2011. Once there, they made the trip to another vet, where they would all be sterilized. Before they could be adopted, they would need to be socialized. That meant they would need to be placed in foster homes.

Delores explained that many of the dogs that had come to BFF Rescue found homes within weeks. However, that wasn’t the case with these girls.

Shih Tzu Prelude: In Search of a Shih Tzu of My Own

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Candy, Flower and Dottie

Candy, a 2-year-old shih tzu

Off and on when I had looked at shih tzus online, I had looked at the Denver Dumb Friends League’s Quebec Street Shelter and Buddy Center, as well as local rescue centers. I recent read that the Dumb Friends League was charging only $50 for an adoption fee throughout the end of June. I looked at the site, but I didn’t see any shih tzus.

Another choice was the Colorado Shih Tzu Maltese & Lhasa Apso Rescue, but I cringed at the $300 adoption fee. Bella, the dog I had met at PetSmart, had been in the Evergreen Animal Protective League’s foster program, but they didn’t have any shih tzus on their site that were under 5. I had determined I wanted a dog at least that young.

I looked at Adoptapet.com and Petfinder.com. Each site showed a handful of shih tzus. Three shih tzus came up in Arvada, near me. They were listed by the BFF Rescue, a shelter that transfers homeless dogs from high kill shelters to foster homes until they can be adopted by a new “forever family.” Candy’s profile said she was born on 4/24/2009. That meant she was 2 years old. She was 11 pounds, which was average for a shih tzu. I read she was from a puppy mill. It also said that she had come to the BFF Rescue with her half sisters, Flower and Dottie. I read on that Candy was “still very shy and will need a lot of time and love in her new home.” Having a “shy” dog didn’t bother me. Joey had been shy. It said that Candy and Flower were very bonded and that the rescue was hoping to find them a home together.

Flower, a 2-year-old shih tzu from a puppy millDottie, 5 years old, is Candy and Flower's half sister.

With that in mind, I read Flower’s profile. Flower was  born on 4/13/2009 and was 14 pounds. Along with being shy, her profile said Flower was  “afraid of many things and would need a lot of love and understanding.” Her name made me think of Happy Flower, a dog I had seen on the Dumb Friends League’s site shortly after meeting Bella. this Flower, obviously, wasn’t yet “happy.” Maybe she could be, with the right person. But could that be me?

The adoption fee on either dog was $175, which wasn’t as good as the Dumb Friends League’s special, but was better than what I would spending going through the EAPL. I was definitely interested. I also stole a glance at the profile for Dottie. She was born on  9/17/2005, which made her 5 and a half years old. Although I had told myself I would look at dogs 5 years old and under, I still thought I wanted a younger one,  but she had a cute face. I read that she was also shy and afraid of many things, that she would need a lot of time and love and that she was good with other dogs and cats. It also said she would need another small dog in her new home.

I liked the fact that the dogs seemed to need each other. Our Yorkie was very possessive and never wanted other animals near us or her. I picked up the phone and called the number given for Delores at BFF Rescue, hoping to speak to her about Candy and Flower.

Shih Tzu Prelude: Saying Goodbye to Our Dog Guest

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Goodbye, Sweet Little Shih Tzu

Rosie gazes at me from the passenger seat.I called mom this morning to tell her about Bella, the runaway dog. She was bored and asked if I wanted to go to lunch. We went to Culver’s, which is our regular lunch place. When we got to PetSmart, I had them check the shih tzu for a microchip; I was disappointed, because she had one. I know; that’s selfish. I was really hoping someone had neglected taking care of that matter, and I would have an adorable dog!

How long do I have to wait?The woman at PetSmart took my phone number. Mom and I left the store, and I drove across the street to the Dollar Tree. I went in, leaving my phone charging in the car. When I came back out, Mom said that someone had tried to call. I checked my voice mail. A woman had left a message, saying that she heard I had Rosie, and that she would really like to see her again. I felt guilty for wishing that this dog didn’t have a chip, and she could be all mine.

I called the owner back and explained to her that I was out with my mother, but that I would bring Rosie home as soon as I was done. She told me that she had hired someone to mow the lawn, and the person had left the gate open. Rosie had taken the opportunity to explore, a day before we had found her. The woman and her friends had been praying to the Saint of Lost Animals for her safe return. They were praying that while I was praying she didn’t have a chip!

I could not bear to part from Rosie right away. After dropping off Mom, I ran an error for John, picking up a backpack from a military surplus store. I left Rosie in the car for a few minutes. When I walked out, the sweet, little thing was sitting up in the passenger seat, her paws on the dashboard, gazing out the window. I took out my Droid and snapped her picture.

I took her home and snapped a few more pictures, said my goodbyes and then loaded her back up into the car and drove to the address I had been given. As I walked up the walk, I hugged her and told her I would miss her. When I rang the doorbell, I heard a chorus of barking. When her person opened the door, three little white canine friends rushed forward, welcoming back their friend. I told the women that I had always wanted that many dogs and that I was jealous.

I ran back to my car for my Droid, so I could take more pictures. Rosie touched my heart when she gazed up at me while the other dogs raced around in circles. I am definitely going to miss this shih tzu! I feel guilty that I am wishing I had no conscience, and I had decided not to check this little darling for a chip!

Shih Tzu Prelude: Runaway Shih Tzu Home Alone

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The Stray Shih Tuz Stays Home on Father’s Day

When John came downstairs this morning, “Bella II” was sitting on the chair, looking a little guilty. We assumed that her family probably didn’t let her sit on furniture. But we didn’t care. Joey always sat on the furniture. In fact, we bought our Yorkshire terrier doggy stairs, so she could have easy access to us.

When John came downstairs again a little later, the shih tzu had wandered over and sat on the couch. Although we hated to, we had to leave her alone for several hours. It was Father’s Day, and we were spending the day at Bandimere Speedway with the children, Leticia, Gabriel and Candace; the eight grandchildren: Rema, Oriana, Junior, Evita and Dulcea; and Victor and Candace’s children, Keith, Jurrian and Caliyana; and with Candace’s husband, Victor; and Gabriel’s girlfriend, Crystal.

When we got home, we were relieved that Bella ate a little bit of the food we bought from PetSmart. I picked her up and sat her on the couch with me, and she seemed content. She seemed like such a good-natured shih tzu, and I was beginning to bond with her.

Shih Tzu Prelude: Encounter Three — Runaway Shih Tzu

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Runaway Shih Tzu

Some time ago, our HOA announced a yard sale day for today. John and I got on our beach cruiser bikes (Electra Boney Fingers and Eight Ball), checked out a few yard sales, and then headed to our regular bike path. We didn’t plan to take a long ride.

We rode about five miles, and then turned around to come home. About a half mile from where we were to get back on the path, John turned and asked if I had seen what he had seen. I didn’t know what he was talking about; he pointed to a dog that was running as fast as it could ahead of us on the path.

The runaway dog was, to my surprise, a shih tzu. The shih tzu paused ever so briefly, trying to decide if it should veer left to continue on the path, or veer right, the way we were headed. The dog made its decision and scurried right, into an apartment complex parking lot.

We followed behind it, watching as it scrambled through the parking lot. I held my breath as it headed toward the end of the complex and the street. It ran along the sidewalk towards Sheridan, one of the busiest streets in the neighborhood. John is a much stronger rider than I am, so he pedaled faster, trying to get ahead of it to stop it, afraid of what might happen if it headed across Sheridan. A person in a car had slowed down, and appeared to be concerned, too. The dog sprinted on, out of everyone’s reach.

As the dog reached Sheridan, John hollered at me not to look. I prayed that it was a red light, and that the shih tzu would make it across. But the light was green; the shih tzu sprinted across the road, as cars stopped to let her cross. We waited about a minute for the light to change in our favor, and then we crossed. John went up ahead, following the bike path for at least another mile before the dog had to make another decision regarding which way to go. It scrambled across another street, this one not so busy, and into a backyard. As John got off his bike to go find it, I knocked on the door and told the owner that we needed to fetch a stray dog from the back.

The shih tzu darted back and forth, until it was finally in a location that didn’t allow it to escape. John gently picked up the shih tzu, and determined it was a female. Her paws were bleeding from running, and she was shaking. We were miles away from home, and John now had the chore of carrying her under one arm and steering his bike with the other. He was used to carrying our Yorkie, who had weighed about 10 pounds, but this dog was heavier. John stopped a few times to rest his arm, and then we continued on.

Once we got her home, the shih tzu bolted under the dining room table. We let her stay there for a while. Then, I went around and picked her up and took her to the backyard, trying to prod her to do her business. Instead, she ran under John’s ATV trailer until we could get her back out.

This isn't the home I ran away from, but it's not bad.We didn’t know how long the shih tzu had been on the run, but we imagined someone was looking for her. She looked freshly groomed, and she didn’t look or act abused. We got in the car and drove around the neighborhood, particularly near where we found her, looking for any “lost dog” signs. We didn’t see any.

On the way back, we saw a pet carrier at a yard sale and bought it. Then we went to PetSmart and asked for the best food for a shih tzu. When we got home, we tried to give the shih tzu some food, but she wouldn’t eat it. We didn’t know what to call her, so I started calling her Bella, after the shih tzu I met months earlier.

When it was time for bed, we took Bella upstairs with us. As we got ready, I sat her on the bed. I thought she might jump down, but she headed towards the headboard, and lay as close to it as she could. When I woke up in the night, she was lying right between us, on our pillows.

John got up at in the middle of the night and took her downstairs. She went outside and then came back in and headed for the pet carrier.