Shih Tzu Day 154: Dumbo Lion

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Di Freeze

Nigel!

I was surprised this morning to look over and see Flower sitting on the Nigel/John side of the couch, behind Nigel. I thought it was so cute, but then he turned around and tried to bite her head off. I had one of my freak out moments and yelled, “Nigel!” I started Flower, and between me and Nigel, she jumped off the couch.

Nigel and Flower have very possessive attitudes lately, and it is frustrating. In fact, Candy is the only one that doesn’t act possessive over anything or anyone. She is definitely not the pack leader.

Dumbo Lion

John has started calling Flower “Dumbo Lion,” because of the way she moves her head and body from side to side when she walks sometimes. He was tickled when she came up a few feet from him this morning, sat down on the floor and watched him eat. I am happy that she is getting more and more comfortable with him.

On most days now, while I work, Nigel sits on one side of me and Dottie and Flower on the other. Candy loves Nigel’s dog bed. For some reason, he doesn’t seem to mind sharing his bed, although he minds sharing his treats and bones.

Shih Tzu Day 149: The Shih Tzus Get a Break from Company

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Di Freeze

they’re gone, at last!

Sleeping on my sofa sleeper for the first time was quite an experience. I didn’t think it was comfortable at all, although John said he didn’t mind it. Once company had all gone upstairs, the shih tzus came out of the “tent” I had made them to see why we were invading their living room.

Later, once they went back to Shih tzu Central, Flower kept making little barks. It took a while to get to sleep, but I finally did and slept fitfully until the shih tzus started stirring at 5:30. I jumped up to feed them, hoping they wouldn’t disturb John and that I could get a little more sleep after they settled back down. When I lay back down, all the shih tzus came up to visit my side of the sleeper.

I couldn’t get Dottie to come up, but Flower jumped up and lay beside me for a while. I finally fell back to sleep and didn’t get up until after 8:30. Flower was back on the floor when I got up. Candy kept going up to John for him to pet her.

The female shih tzus were back to their pre-company normalcy, until Heather came down the stairs and surprised them. Flower immediately started growling. Eventually, though, they just went back to huddling in their corner. I spent a little time with them while Heather went to pick up my mother and Herman and the boys went to see his family. Heather and Mom came back and got me and we went to lunch and to find Heather a coat. It wasn’t a typical Black Friday for me, because I didn’t spend a penny. Heather and her family left at 4 to go visit other relatives, so the dogs had the house to themselves again!

Candy has decided that she likes the faux leather dog bed I bought Nigel from TJ Maxx. While he was preoccupied, she went over and investigated, looked around to see if anyone was going to stop her, and then crawled in for an afternoon nap.

Shih Tzu Day 122: Ideal Shih Tzu Morning

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Di Freeze

shih tzu morning miracles

This was quite an ideal Saturday morning. I didn’t hear Dottie on the stairs until 6:37. I went back to sleep and didn’t wake up until 7:10, when Candy barked that it was time to come downstairs.

John had a neck ache so he got up when I did. When I opened the door, Dottie and Flower started to rush in, but stopped short when they saw the Man. The shih tzu sisters still danced around me, but only in the hall. The Candy Committee was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for our hand and toe biting session. Dottie snuck a few toe bites in as well.

a female <em srcset= shih tzu on an animal print throw” width=”300″ height=”225″ />And, miracle of miracles, Flower ran over and peed on the pee pad, as if to say, “Look, Mom. I waited to show you that I could.” She probably wants her couch privileges back. I sprayed puppy training spray on the pad, so maybe it is working. If so, I should have bought it earlier.

Flower, Dottie and Nigel waited in the kitchen for me while I put their bowls of hamburger, rice and veggies and Taste of the Wild kibble together. No one succeeded in stealing Candy’s food. Either she is eating faster or my image in the doorway continues to keep the other shih tzus away. Flower sauntered over by the bowl, but didn’t do anything.

a black and white <u srcset= shih tzu on an animal print blanket.” width=”300″ height=”225″ />After they ate, I let Nigel out for the kibble scavenger hunt. I went in to clean up dishes from last night and none of the shih tzus instantly came to the door to be let in. Flower, Candy and Nigel all roamed around the yard. I think Dottie did her business and then just sat on the porch watching them.

While I worked on the computer this morning, John watched YouTube videos on his iPad. Dottie gave up her couch end position to Flower, I think to avoid having Flower sit by me.

a <em srcset= shih tzu with a pig ear treat in his mouth.” width=”300″ height=”225″ />The most excitement to the morning was when Nigel decided to rest in one of the girls’ dog beds, and then decided he also wanted Candy’s red and white rawhide treat. I decided not to interfere. She yip, yip, yipped, but eventually gave the treat up to the bully. Those things are pretty popular. The pig ears I bought are also popular with the shih tzu gang.

Shih Tzu Day 118: Strange Shih Tzu Behavior

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Di Freeze

is that normal shih tzu behavior?

Dottie didn’t start whining until 7 a.m. That was an hour beyond when she started trying to wake me up yesterday. I haven’t been letting the shih tzus in the bedroom, because of past accidents, but I decided to give them the benefit of a doubt. I left the bedroom door open while I brushed my teeth, and Flower ran into the room and started circling. That was my cue to usher her out so she wouldn’t pee on the carpet.

Dottie, Flower, Nigel and I worked our way down the stairs towards the Candy Committee. They did their morning dance and I tried not to fall down the stairs while they did it. During the next part of the ritual, while I was allowing Candy to bite my hand at the bottom of the stairs, Flower jumped up on the couch, which she sometimes does in the middle of her dance. But, instead of jumping right back down, she squatted. I had never seen her do that on the couch, but I knew what usually came after squatting, so I hollered, “Flower!” and tried to get there on time. Too late. She left a big wet spot before she jumped back down. Sigh. Back to housebreaking 101.

I had towels under the red blanket, just in case, but it went through everything. I took the cushions off, sprayed cleaner on them and put up a gate around the couch. Flower lost her couch permissions for the day. She can still come up on our couch, but I have to keep an eye on her.

John thought the problem might have been the newspapers I put down when I ran out of training pads yesterday. Candy and Dottie seemed okay with it, but I have noticed that Flower doesn’t do well with change. John said maybe she hadn’t yet associated the newspaper with where she is supposed to pee.

One of the other shih tzus was acting odd today. While I was talking to Dottie this morning, she started flailing around on the couch. I could not see that anything was wrong with her. She was rubbing her face against the blanket on the couch at first, and then against my side. I thought her ear might itch, so I tried to help her itch it. When I went to move my hand away, she lunged to bite it; not in an aggressive way, but play bites. I petted her a while and then she settled down. Still not sure if she just wanted affection.

shih tzu squirrel! alert again

Candy has been alerting us to the squirrel again. I assume it’s the same squirrel, but maybe not.

Our own personal squirrel, Nigel, has been irritating Candy and Flower today. They have been yapped at him a lot. I am going to have to start yapping at him too. I can’t wear socks anymore, because he insists on taking them off my feet. My feet get cold, but I have to admit that his sock fetish is darned cute.

Nigel continues to irritate Dottie. She leans in close to his face and growls at him when he comes to her side of the couch and puts his paws up on it. I am afraid she might hurt him, so when she did it earlier, I went to move her back and him away and managed to knock my coffee over onto the couch. Well, at least the red blanket will have a companion in the washing machine.

Nigel irritates Candy the least, I guess. She didn’t push him out when he went to lay in her dog bed with her today. It was a very cute sight.

something good

I have this bad habit of forgetting to refill the shih tzus’ water bowls late in the day. Today, after I filled one of the bowls up, I went to put it down and two of the shih tzus excitedly ran over to it. John laughed and said they thought they were getting “something good.” When I sat the bowl down, though, they started lapping up the water. I told John it was “something good” after all. All that play makes the shih tzu quartet thirsty.

shih tzu beggars

Sorry to say, our shih tzus are officially beggars. Flower in particular jumps up on the couch at any hint/smell of food. Tonight it was Carroll Shelby chili, however, so I didn’t share.

Shih Tzu Day 106: Nigel’s Night in His Dog Bed

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Di Freeze

People Bed vs. dog bed

Nigel has slept with us every night since he got here. Most likely, he slept with his last humans and he is just used to it. Last night, however, I think he slept in his dog bed. Usually, he hears us getting ready to go upstairs and jumps up from wherever he is and follows us. However, he was lying in his dog bed when we went upstairs and didn’t budge.

He must have slept in his dog bed all evening. When I went in the bathroom at 5:30, I heard a sound outside the door and opened it to find him there.

I should put a dog bed in the hall, since Dottie sits outside the door for a while waiting for me to wake up each morning. I don’t know if she’d use it though. I have some blankets folded up there that Candy used to use when she escaped upstairs all the time. I have a feeling Dottie just stands guard in front of the door until I open it, so lying down in a dog bed while she waits probably wouldn’t suit her.

Our Yorkshire terrier, Joey, never would sleep in a dog bed. She slept with us, and when we were home, if John was sitting down, she sat on his lap. She also liked to lie on the carpet. Our girls don’t get that privilege, since they still pee on any carpet they come in contact with. They get plenty of use out of their dog bed kingdom in the corner.

Shih Tzu Central is empty a lot more now than it used to be, though. Dottie sleeps in her dog bed every night, but I think Candy and Flower go between their dog beds and the couch. During the day, Candy spends a lot of time going between the various dog beds, but she also still likes to go in her corner in the dining room.

Flower spend a lot of time in their various dog beds, but she is getting more and more comfortable with sitting on my couch. Today, several times when Dottie jumped down, she jumped up next to me. Dottie only visits her dog bed occasionally during the day. She probably spends a lot of time in it when I am gone, but when I am here, she mainly sits with me.

The girls’ day

I didn’t hear any barking until 7 a.m. The shih tzus must have had some party last night.

The munchkins have started to play Nigel’s game. Today one of them stole a treat out of his bed and he was agitated. When Flower steals something, she jumps up on her couch with it, since no one else can jump that high. Today she stole Nigel’s green dog, and he snorted his disapproval. It will wind up back on the floor tomorrow, and everyone will have lost interest in it.

Nigel would be able to reach Flower’s couch if I put dog steps there, like I have at our couch, but I think it’s best if he can’t get up there. That is Flower’s personal kingdom, including her refuge when she doesn’t want to play with him. But since she smuggles treats that don’t belong to her up there, when she has gathered enough, I redistribute them.

Same Shih Tzu, Different Day

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

Category Archives: Dog Beds People Beds & Sleep Habits