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

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.