Monthly Archives: July 2011

Shih Tzu Day 17: A Menacing Steam Cleaner

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The Shih Tzus Meet a Steam Cleaner They Don’t Like

Dottie, Flower and Candy can’t take the credit for getting me up early this morning — for once. I woke up a little before 5. I didn’t want to get up right away, though. After all, you’re supposed to sleep in on Saturday, right?

I ended up getting up before 6. I had a lot on my mind. Chief was steam cleaning the carpets with the new steam cleaner! Correction, the information says it isn’t a “real” steam cleaner.

I have been studying carpet cleaners all week. I see rave reviews for the Hoover Steamvac with Clean Surge. However, as is often the case, I couldn’t find it locally, at Target, Walmart or Costco. What I did find on sale at Costco was the Bissell Proheat 2X. I loaded it in my cart and hoped it would take care of the pet smells overcoming our house! But, before I began, I had a full day ahead of me.

When I got up, after I fed the girls outside, I went through the cupboard, which had been a jumbled mess. I went through it shelf by shelf, organizing fresh products and getting rid of expired products. Then, I washed dishes and cleaned kitchen counters. I also tackled the job of going through the piles of things on the table, mainly stuff I kept putting out of reach of the girls, worrying about what might happen should they get their paws on them.

While I worked, Dottie followed me around. I also made trips back and forth to the basement, loading and unloading wash. During one of those trips, Candy sprinted up the stairs to find me. If she had a fear of the steps before, she has overcome it.

Candy has a different personality today. At one point, she tore out of the pen, circled the rug, tore across the one under the table, and then rushed upstairs and back down. Then, a little later, she came tearing out of the pen as if a demon was chasing her. It could have been Flower doing the chasing, because I have a feeling she picks on her as much as she tries to protect her. Then again, she might have just had poop on her butt! That happens.

When John came downstairs, we escorted the girls outside again. They weren’t sure what they were doing out there. Flower let me hold her. Dottie sat by my feet. Candy was the independent one again, sitting near the fence, seeming to stare out at the flower. What is she thinking?

John and I left for awhile, and came back with a ping pong table. Since girls get anxious around John and company, we figure we should spend more time in the garage, if not outside.

John helped me figure out the steam cleaner before he went outside to put the ping pong table together. I made the mistake of letting Candy the Inquisitor into the spare room, since she always peeks n there. The first things she did was pee on the floor. Well, at least I plan on steam cleaning in there someday! She liked the room though. She always seems to need her space, away from Flower, Dottie, and even me. When we started up the steam cleaner, she sprinted up the stairs, and I let her stay in there until we were done. Flower and Dottie stayed in their pen, looking nervous.

Working on Creating Couch Puppies

Dottie on her dog towel on the couchDottie likes to sit by Mom on the couch sometimes.

After we steam cleaned, I picked Candy up and put her on the couch between us. She stayed there for a few minutes before wandering off. Flower let me pick her up without much fuss, which is always a surprise inside. I sat her between me and the edge of the couch. She lay down for about five minutes, then, she too, wandered off. Dottie, however, watched a whole movie with us. First, she sat between me and John, then she got to the other side and stretched out.

Shih Tzu Day 16: Shih Tzu’d, Sidestepping and Dental Care

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Who Shih Tzu’d the Blue Dog Bed?

I don’t know who shih tzud the blue dog bed, but someone did. I decided this morning that I wanted to move the indoor play yard across the room. It’s very hard for me to see the shih tzus during the normal course of the day, since one end of their pen is blocked off by the couch. Also, if a picture-worthy moment is in action, I am usually not in the position to capture it. My thought was to move them directly across from me, sitting their pen next to the stairway.

I succeeded in moving the play yard over, but when I looked at its former location, the girls were gathered together on one small doggie bed. They didn’t look too comfortable, physically or mentally. It wasn’t until a little later that I smelled evidence of poo coming from that area, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. However, when Dottie ran across the floor, she was tracking something brown behind her.

I traced the smell to the blue striped doggie bed they were sharing. They must had been really afraid when they saw me moving their home. The bed had tell-tale brown spots, and a dog bone looked like it had been dipped in chocolate. Ugh. I  tried to corral all of the shih tzus to wipe their feet, but Dottie and Candy were the only ones to submit to the baby wipes. The bed went directly into the washing machine. Boy, with the blankets, doggie beds and towels I wash for or because of these little darlings, that machine gets a lot of use these days.

After all of that, I decided it might not be the right time to move the pen, so I moved it back before John left for work. They recuperated relatively quickly from the moved pen ordeal. Before I left for the store to get the girls some more things I thought they needed, Candy had wandered up on their couch and begun frantically digging in the blanket that protects it. One day, I’d like to find out what causes dogs to do that.

Dottie Side Steps the Step Stools,

Since Dottie has attempted to get up on my couch a few times over the last few days, with, at the least, embarrassing results, I came back from my shopping trip with what I hoped was a solution. One was a small, pink child’s step stool from Target. The second was a foldable black and white step stool from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

When Dottie came up to the couch this time, I pointed her to the first experiment, the pink stool. She gave it a quick look and scurried away. I tried the other stool the next time, but she wouldn’t take the bait. I guess I’ll return them and try the real dog steps.

A Substitute for Brushing

Since we aren’t at the point in our relationship where I can attempt to brush their teeth (I never did succeed with our Yorkie), I scoured the shelves for the perfect dental treat. I brought home Dentist’s Best Chewy Treats, described as tasty and fully digestible.

The girls didn’t know what to think about these white and blue specked treats shaped like chicken bones. At first, Dottie and Candy smelled them, looking disinterested. Flower moved hers to a safe place and then went and grabbed Candy’s and trotted off with it. Later, they were all chomping away, leaving white flecks on the red blanket on their couch and the brown one on ours.

Shih Tzu Day 16: The Chinese Lion Dance

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Flower, Dottie and Candy in the Lion DanceFlower, Candy and Dottie do their morning Chinese Lion Dance.

The Chinese Lion Dance of the Shih Tzus at Dawn

Flower tackles Dottie during the danceFlower tackles Dottie during the dance.

The dogs didn’t start rumbling until 5:20, after they heard me get up and use the restroom. Once I was back in bed, Dottie  came into the room and up to the bed. She rolled around a little near my side after I picked her up, and then she jumped down. Flower came up stairs, but didn’t come into the bedroom or bathroom.

The Lion Dance Gets IntenseThe Chinese Lion Dance sometimes gets intense.
Candy, Flower and Dottie continue the Lion DanceThe Shih Tzu Lion Dance usually lasts several minutes each morning.

I stayed in bed until 6. When I came down the stairs, John was right behind me. For once, he witnessed the shih tzu tribal dance. Candy, Flower and Dottie danced around merrily, nipping at the hand I extended and jumping over each other. Occasionally, Flower jumped up on the couch, and then jumped back down, occasionally landing on Dottie or Candy. Sporadically, someone would get too rough, prompting a yelp or low growl.

Our Nature Lover

John had the shih tzus go outside and wait while I fixed their meal of dry food, Natural Balance and cottage cheese. I can tell they are getting more used to him. Even though he was outside, they gobbled it right down.

Later, Candy wandered around for awhile in their outdoor pen, looking for a place to do her business. The other girls still don’t take her lead. After that, Candy sat on the stairs, looking out at the yard. I think she is the nature lover.

Flower walked up and down on the porch where we sat, sniffing John, coming back to me, going and sniffing John, coming back to me, sitting near John very briefly, then coming back and sitting next to me. When she was in a good position, I picked her up and held her for about five minutes.

Dottie Attempts a High Jump

After we went in, they all wandered around the living room. Dottie kept stopping in front of the couch. I finally picked her up and positioned her on the couch next to me. John noted that he hadn’t seen her shake for awhile. I realized that the outside noises didn’t seem to be bothering any of them lately either.

A little later that morning, Dottie tried unsuccessfully to jump up onto the couch. She fell short by a couple of inches, landing back on the ground, and I quickly picked her up and set her beside me.

She followed me upstairs later, waiting there for me until I came back out into the hall and came downstairs.

I seldom sit on Flower’s couch, but today I did, briefly. She jumped up to sit beside me, and stayed there next to me until I got up a few minutes later. When Dottie and I were upstairs, I turned around and saw Flower sitting at the top of the stairs. It surprised me. I hadn’t heard her dog tags jingling. As soon as I turned, she ran right back down.

Shih Tzu Day 15: Morning Salutation

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Morning Salutation of the Shih Tzus

The shih tzus sure like those midnight hours. Candy and maybe someone else began barking at about 3:30. The barking stopped for about 20 minutes and then began again. I decided it was time to start turning the TV off at night, no matter how long it takes to warm up in the morning. John went down and turned it off. I don’t know if the shih tzus stopping barking because he came down and told them to or because the TV distraction was gone, but they did let me sleep for a couple of hours before starting up again.

I got them all to go outside this morning, but then Flower came back in and I couldn’t convince her to go out again, so I fed her inside.

The Waiting Game

Dottie followed me upstairs most of the times I had to go up them today. Once she was there, she just sat in the hall and waited for me, then followed me down again.

Candy was on the couch when I came back from Walmart. She jumped off, but instead of running to the pen, as usual, she ran to meet me. So did Dottie. Flower hung behind in the pen. I think she waits to see if that Man is with me.

Canyon Creek and Kong

Candy and the Kong teddy bearCandy keeps a watchful paw on the Kong teddy bear.

I gave the dogs a new treat: Canyon Creek Ranch Big Blast duck wrapped pork skin with liver centers. Whew. That’s a lot to say. They loved unraveling it. I also bought them a little Kong teddy bear. Candy carried it up on the couch with her.

Flower and Candy also love to bring their treats up on their couch with them. At one point, I looked up from the computer and saw Flower contentedly gnawing away at her treat on her couch. Candy was at the other end of the living room, sitting on the carpet doing the same thing. Dottie had wandered over to my couch and was burrowing between the throw and the couch, wrapping it award her. I thought of the importance of the fact that they were that comfortable, instead of huddling together in their pen, with Dottie shaking, Flower growling, and Candy looking frightened.

Dottie has begun coming up to me on the couch and wanting up. She can’t seem to jump that high successfully, so I pick her up and she lies next to me while I work.

Shih Tzu Day 14: Tweeting on Twitter

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Flower, Dottie and Candy, Twitter Profile PicFlower, Dottie and Candy pose for their Twitter profile pic.

I have signed the shih tzu sisters up for their own Twitter account, under ShihTzuSisters. They’d love for you to follow them!

Dottie and Flower waited until 6:30 to come up the stairs this morning. Flower stayed in the bathroom, but Dottie came up to the bed and let me pick her up. Although Candy didn’t go upstairs, she was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when I came down, and danced around as much as the others, softly biting my hand.

We had a severe lightning and thunder storm last night.The shih tzus seemed frightened, but at least they weren’t shaking. The storm left the ground drenched and muddy, so I didn’t make them go outside right away. I fed them by the back door. I am not sure if Candy doesn’t like the Natural Balance meat, or if she is just used to the other shih tzus taking it from her. I give them separate bowls and try to make sure they get different amounts, but it’s difficult with her, because she sometimes doesn’t seem interested right away, and then she wanders away and usually Dottie goes and grabs the best stuff out of the bowl.

We all went outside when John came down at 7. When he came out with our coffee, Flower started barking. She finally came and stood sidewise in front of me. I think she knows I can pick her up easier that way.

I was gone from 9:15 until 5, meeting a client whose book I am editing and then Deb for lunch at YaYa’s. The girls were excited when I got home. Candy seems more alert tonight. I attempted to pick up Dottie, but at first she ran. I think it’s only to impress Flower. Candy did the same thing. However, they did let me pick them up without too much fuss. Flower continues to tense up when I try to hold her inside, so I just pet her and leave her alone.

When John got home, we took the chicken jerky outside. They have eaten most of the Milo’s Kitchen chicken jerky. This time, I thought I’d try Waggin’ Train Jerky Tenders. I let them try a little of each. I couldn’t tell if they noticed a difference. Personally, I think Milo’s smells better. The girls let John feed them treats outside. Flower barked, but she eventually succumbed to the temptation.

Later, I put Dottie between us on the couch, and she let us both pet her. So did Candy. I can’t resist trying with Flower. I went into the pen and petted her and then tried to pick her up. She backed away from me a few times, but finally let me pick her up. Instead of sitting down by John, however, I sat on her couch. She seemed content to stay there with me. We sat there for about ten minutes, and then I put her down on the floor.