About Flower

My nicknames include Flower Girl, Flower Pedal, Flower Power, Flower Fu, Lion Queen, Lion Baby, Control Freak, Psycho Baby, Poophead Princess, Shih Tzu Head Princess and Maybelline Lashes. My Mom sometimes calls me Marilyn but lately calls me Flower Kardashian. I am not sure why. I think it has something to do with the way my butt looks in some of my pictures.

Shih Tzu Day 176: The Snow and Flower “Shiver” Shih Tzu

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Flower

another shih tzu snow day

It snowed A LOT last night. We wanted to go outside, but Mom insisted we wear our jackets. We hate wearing them, but I didn’t get very much ice on my tummy this time, so that was good.

Me, Candy and Dottie came back inside, but Nigel wanted to stay outside and explore. Us female shih tzus had been inside for a while when we heard him barking. The Treat Man went to see what was wrong. We didn’t think the snow was very high, and the man had made a path for us, but Nigel still couldn’t get back up the porch steps. He was sitting there with his paws up on the porch, whining. He had a lot of snow on him. The man helped him up; he said the snow must have weighed him down.

I don’t know if it was because of the snow, but Mom stayed home with us almost all day. We were happy, because she has been gone a lot lately. Mom and the Treat Man have mentioned something called Christmas several times. We don’t know what that is, but if it has anything to do with how often Mom is gone, I don’t think we like it.

Flower “Shiver” Shih Tzu

Mom leaves sometimes when the Treat Man does and doesn’t come home until hours later. Sometimes she brings home lots of bags. We saw some toys that look really strange. They look like something I would like to chew on, but I guess they aren’t for us. Mom keeps them on shelves where we can’t reach them. We think they are probably for those little kids that come over sometimes.

Ever since she started bringing those dolls home, she has been calling us her Monster High “dogs.” She said I am so fluffy lately that I look like Abbey Bominable’s pet wooly mammoth, “Shiver.” I have no idea what a monster is, who Abbey Bominable is or what a wooly mammoth is, but I saw him, and Shiver did kind of look like me!

Although those toys must not be ours, we know that Mom has been looking for something for us. We heard her tell the Treat Man that she was having a hard time finding us “stockings,” because some were too big and others were too small. We have no idea what stockings are. I hope it’s not something else she is going to make us wear!

Shih Tzu Day 152: No More Company! Yeah!

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Flower

happy shih tzus: we have our house back!

We don’t know what’s going on, but Mom and the Treat Man spent the night on the couch (I guess they call it a sofa sleeper) again last night. Us shih tzus were wondering if they are going to sleep there all the time?

We waited until 5:30 and then went to Mom’s side of the sofa and scratched to wake her up. She got up and fed us. She asked us shih tzus to come in right after we ate and did “our business.” We didn’t know why, but it was because she wanted to go back to sleep! We didn’t let her though. Nigel kept scratching at the door, and she kept getting back up to let me, Nigel and Dottie go in and out. It was fun!

All four of us shih tzus are really happy that there is no more company! Let’s see. What else. We were restless today, but didn’t know what we wanted to do. We kept going up to Mom’s feet to get her attention. I scratched her ankle, because she wasn’t paying attention. Oops. I guess I scratched it harder than I thought, because she said, “Ow!”

She finally got up and gave us some string cheese. Yum! Shih tzus — at least us shih tzus — love string cheese.

We were playing a lot and Mom said we were being “rambunctious.” Even Dottie played with me and Nigel for a while. Candy didn’t feel like playing, I guess. She was just roaming around. Oh, and when Nigel was busy, she went and lay in his bed. She really likes it. He doesn’t seem to mind that she lays in it sometimes. I’m not sure why she likes it so much though. It doesn’t seem that special to me.

Shih Tzu Day 58: What’s “Fetch”

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Flower

that bright light!

Dottie, Candy and I ran upstairs to get Mom and that Man out of bed, because they’re being lazy again. Mom was holding that little box again, which kept shining a bright light at us and making clicking noises. That was weird because she usually does that downstairs. She must have carried it upstairs with her last night.

She wouldn’t get up, and we got tired of waiting, so we all tinkled on the carpet. Of course, we each picked a good spot. One of us did number two, too, but Mom didn’t know who did it. We’ll never tell. We all looked at each other when we heard her say, “Great. They think our bedroom is a potty box.”

fetch?

We finally got to go outside and eat! That is always so exciting. Mom brought this round thing outside afterwards and threw it, asking us to “fetch,” whatever that means. Dottie and I weren’t interested, but Candy chased it, grabbed it, carried it a little way and then dropped it. I wonder if that is fetching?

the table where bad things happen

Things were going great, but when we came inside, Mom picked me up and sat me on that table where bad things happen!! However, she didn’t pick up that thing that makes a lot of noise and cuts off my fur. Instead, she gave me a treat and petted me, then she put me down. That wasn’t bad.

Later, Mom gave us this flat, white thing that was fun to chew on. She said it was something called a Flip. It didn’t have much taste, but it was fun.

scary man

We were all cozy in our area, and then that Man started talking to us and then came over to our private area, uninvited! We know Men want to hurt us, so we ran like crazy. He tried to pretend he was nice, by giving us hot dog pieces, but we know he has something very sinister in mind. I jumped on the couch so Mom would protect me. I couldn’t help it, though; when he held out more hot dog pieces, I took them.

Still, I don’t trust him! Or any man! In fact, I don’t trust anyone, except I trust Mom just a little. While I was running away from that Man, I couldn’t help it. I did number two on the floor. Well, it’s his fault. I heard Mom say that I need a counselor. Is that true?

Shih Tzu Day 42: Kicked Out Of Dog Grooming School

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Flower

dog grooming school practice

I might have a hard time composing myself to write this, because I had a very hard day! It’s all the fault of Mom and that lady named Lia at Gentle Groomers. And maybe it’s even Candy and Dottie’s fault! I know it’s not mine. I didn’t decide to go to stupid dog grooming school!

The day didn’t start out all that bad. We had our yummy food outside, and then Dottie and I went inside. Candy likes to be by herself, so she went and sat under what the man calls a trailer.

Later, the man went and brought her inside. Mom said since she couldn’t figure out how to watch the videos from dog grooming school, she’d have to do her homework by memory, with his help. She got that obnoxiously loud thing and cut fur off of Candy. The lady named Lia at the dog grooming school said she had to cut fur off of her paws and her “woo-hoo.” Giggle. Her woo-hoo! I guess that’s where we have to wee-wee. Anyway, I’m glad it wasn’t my woo-hoo they were trimming for dog grooming school. I like my woo-hoo as it is.

We decided we weren’t going to spend much time with Mom today, because of this dog grooming school thing. Plus, I don’t like the fact that Mom makes me drag this leash around behind me. I don’t know what she thinks she’s going to accomplish that way. Someone told her that if she did that, we’d learn how to walk with her on a leash. No way!

dog grooming school dropout

Mom made us get in the car again and took us to that strange place again. Having to take the car ride was bad enough. Then, this time, instead of getting Dottie out of the kennel, they got me out. It wasn’t funny! Mom let that lady set me up on that table. She put that thing on my neck that she told Mom would keep me from jumping down. She told Mom that she would do “half” of me and Mom would groom the other half. I sat there patiently for a while as she clipped me, but I didn’t like it. Then, she did something that didn’t feel good, and I decided that I’d had enough. I started fighting them, until Lia put a “seat belt” around me, to make me stay on the table. I really don’t like this woman!

I pretended like I was getting calm to make them take the seat belt off me. After they did, I got even. I waited for my chance, and then I jumped up, pulling my neck out of that noose, and jumped backwards off the table. You should have seen their faces!

Mom and Lia tried to catch me, but they couldn’t. I was angry, but I was a little afraid, too, and, well, you know what I do when I’m afraid. I can’t help it. I heard Mom say she’d get a paper towel and pick up the poop off the floor. Lia told her I needed a bath, because she couldn’t finish grooming me. Good! I didn’t want to be groomed anyway.

Lia put me in this tub and put something around my neck so I wouldn’t try to jump out, but I was sick of her touching me! I jumped and fought and scratched and kicked — except I guess I was fighting with myself. Lia and Mom just stood there watching me. Mom got concerned because Lia told her I bit my tongue. I did, and it hurt! It also hurt when I hit my head on the tub, several times. I thought if I kept banging it against the tub, Mom would come to my rescue. What’s a dog supposed to do when they don’t want to be groomed or take a bath?? I wish I could talk to someone about animal abuse, but Lia said I was doing all the damage. Well, I guess I was, but it really was their fault.

My shenanigans, as Mom calls them, worked. Lia said I didn’t have to get groomed after all. In fact, she recommended Mom take me to obedience class and gave her some names. That will be the day!

Shih Tzu Day 13: Flower’s Food for Thought

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Flower

Hi. It’s me, Flower. Boy, I can’t believe how late Mom sleeps in. We were up and playing around at about 5:30, attempting to make so much noise that she would have to come down, but she didn’t. Dottie finally decided to run up the stairs to try to get them. She didn’t want to go into that one room Mom always disappears in, so she just went and peeked into the bathroom, and then ran back down.

I was getting bored, so I started running and up down the stairs with her. This is kind of fun! Who needs a dog run!

I decided that I was going to see what Dottie was looking at, so I peeked through the bathroom door with her. I couldn’t see anything though! Then, Dottie went and walked right into that room! I didn’t know what she was doing. I finally went and peeked through another door, and she had her paws up on this big wooden thing. Oh, I know what that’s called. It’s a bed!

I went right in there beside her. Wow. It’s weird being in here. Mom was saying, “Come here, girls. Come over here, girls.” I could tell she was on the bed. She was hanging her arm down and wiggling her hand. I ran up and started dancing near her hand with Flower. We took turns pretending we were biting her hand. She was laughing at us. We know not to bite down too hard. We don’t want to hurt her. We just like to play.

I wanted to see what this room was like, so I started walking around. Then, I had to stop. I felt that feeling I get some time and I crouched down. Mom said, “Don’t pee there.” Too late.

Dottie kept reaching up, putting her paws on the bed. Shih tzus don’t have very long legs, so Dottie couldn’t jump up that high. Mom picked her up and I couldn’t see where she went. A few minutes later, she jumped back down and started playing with me again.

Mom finally got up at 7. We sat in the hall and waited while she got ready to come down. When she did, she went and got our three bowls of food together. The Man came downstairs and we knew what he was going to say: “Go outside.” We all ran outside, but then Candy and I ran back in. It’s kind of fun to pretend like we are going to mind, and then to suddenly scurry back inside.

By the time we went back outside, Dottie had eaten all of the food out of one of the bowls. I saw her headed towards mine! But Mom picked her up and held her, while Candy and I ate our food. Sometimes Candy’s food looks better, so we switch places, and then we switch places again.

That Man came outside. I barked once, just a little one, to tell him I was watching him, but then I went back to finish my food.

We heard a loud noise and we all ran back inside. Mom said, “It’s only a motorcycle. It won’t hurt you.” When we were sure it was gone, we came back ouside.

I went to sit between Mom’s feet a few times, before she finally picked me up. There are strange noises out here, so I kind of like it when I can sit on her lap and look around. Only when I’m outside! Inside, I don’t need to sit on her lap.

Same Shih Tzu, Different Day

Journal of Three Former Puppy Mill Mothers / Shih Tzu Sisters … and Nigel

Author Archives: Flower