Category Archives: Animal Rescues & Shelters

Shih Tzu Prelude: Puppy Mill Dogs Foster Home

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Foster Home Problems

When I discussed Candy, Flower and Dottie with Delores at BFF Rescue, she explained that the shih tzus had had trouble adjusting — Flower and Candy in particular. The 2-year-old shih tzus, in fact, had both gone to different foster homes, but they had come back to Barbara’s. The person who brought Candy back after only a day said she was worried because she wouldn’t eat. Flower was at her new foster home for a few days, but that person said she wouldn’t play with her dogs and wasn’t adjusting.

Delores’s daughter-in-law, Barbara, was fostering the three shih tzu half-sisters. Barbara had set up an exercise pen for the girls to give them a feeling of security while they adjusted. They were allowed to leave the pen, if they chose. However, only Dottie usually chose to do that. She seemed content at her foster home. Delores said she got along well with the other dogs at the foster home and with the cat. She also said that Dottie followed Barbara around the house, sometimes slept with her and her husband and often jumped up on the couch and sat between them while they watched TV.

Flower and Candy were happy to remain in their exercise pen. Early in the morning, Barbara’s husband would let them outside into a dog run to give them their morning exercise. They went through the garage to get to the run. Often, on the way back in, Candy would slip off into the garage to be by herself in hiding.

Pet Adoption Process

I told Delores I wanted to see the dogs, particularly Candy. She stressed that she was really hoping to place Candy and Flower in a home together. She said she thought Dottie would be okay on her own. I thought about it quickly and said I thought it was possible that we might take two dogs, even though we had only ever had one dog, and I didn’t know how difficult it would be to get used to two at a time.

Delores explained to me that I would need to fill out an animal adoption form before seeing the shih tzus. I filled it out and emailed it back to her after John got home from work and signed it. She gave me Barbara’s number to call her and arrange to see the shih tzus.

When I told John what Delores had told me about the dogs being puppy mill dogs, he was a little concerned. He told me that dogs from puppy mills often have lasting scars from the trauma. He warned me that they might never be like other dogs. I admit that what he said concerned me, but I insisted that I wanted to go see them. He said he would keep an open mind.

I called Barbara and arranged to visit with the shih tzus the next day.

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: Bella, the Foster Dog —Encounter One

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Encountering Bella the Foster shih tzu at PetSmart

When our 14-year-old Yorkshire terrier died a year and a half ago, I didn’t have any idea that an encounter with a shih tzu named Bella and her foster mother would be the first step in getting another dog.

Bella, a shih tzuJohn and I had talked several times about getting another dog, but we’d always put it off. At first, it was too sad to think about replacing Joey. Also, I promised my sister Sandy that we would visit her in Florida before we got another dog, since Joey kept us from traveling together for many years.

Dogs can also get expensive, especially if they have medical problems, and we had our share with Joey, including the fact that she was a breast cancer survivor. Also, since I have been freelance writing and editing for the last few years, and haven’t had a full-time job, it never seemed to be a good time to get a dog.

On March 5, my mom, John and I were headed to the Brewery Bar II in Denver. My niece and nephew were moving to North Dakota because of Herman’s new job, and he was leaving a few months earlier than Heather and the boys. Herman wanted Mexican food for his going away party.

We picked up Mom a little early, so we decided to stop at PetSmart. It’s always “doggy alert” when we am there, and John and I spotted a cutie right away. We went up to say hi, and asked her person what and who she was. She told me she was a shih tzu and her name was Bella. We talked for a few minutes and she told me Bella was her foster dog. She said she was fostering her through the Evergreen Animal Protective League. As we talked, she told me about a medical condition Bella had. We also talked about the fact that she was a little heavier than the average shih tzu.

Later that day, I was still thinking about Bella. I couldn’t resist looking up the EAPL and looking at her picture. I fleetingly wondered if I was ready for another dog, and I looked at the site several times to see her picture. Her adoption fee was $300. That is a common amount for an adoption fee for a dog of her breed, but I didn’t think I should be spending that much on a dog at this time in my life. And that would just be the beginning. Her medical condition probably required ongoing medication, and I didn’t have very good luck controlling Joey’s weight, so a dog with just a few extra pounds worried me.

What Other Shih Tzus Need a Home?

With a small touch of dog fever, I also looked at the Denver Dumb Friends League site, and saw a shih tzu named Happy Flower that I thought about going to see. But I didn’t do anything. Too many things to stop me — mainly money. I decided not to do anything about finding a new furry friend just yet.