Category Archives: Behavior & Emotions

Shih Tzu Day 134 (Nov. 10, 2011): More Bone Wars

Posted on by
Reply

Nigel, the shih tzu bone king

a shih tzu chewing a bone on the "pee" carpet after moving the training pads.Candy and Nigel had a long romp session outside this morning. After they came back in, they were squabbling so loudly over a rawhide chew flip that it frightened me. I thought for sure they were killing each other. I yelled (bad habit!), grabbed Nigel by the scruff of his neck and pointed him towards his dog bed. The demon shih tzu worked very hard to terrorize the female shih tzus today. He finally tired himself out and crawled back up onto the couch and snuggled up next to me to get some rest, while Flower and Dottie rested on the other side and Candy wandered around. If we had a slightly bigger couch, would all four shih tzus sit up here more often? I’m not sure.

two shih tzus squabbling.After all the shih tzus had rested, Nigel was back on the prowl, growling at Flower like a ferocious  animal. I think that was over a red and white mini rawhide treat. He is under the impression that anything on the floor belongs to him, even if he has to take it out of another shih tzu’s mouth and put it on the floor. He was fixated on Flower and wouldn’t look at me when I scolded him. Either he is slightly deaf or has selective hearing. Not ever having more than one dog before, I have no idea if it’s normal for dogs to growl so often at each other over bones and couch positions. ?

a shih tzu with half of a bone.I decided to move all the treat-type bones to shih tzu Central since Nigel is being so possessive. He definitely didn’t like it. He flew outside when I opened the door, and then he flew back inside, then back out and back in again, before finally jumping up on the couch and settling down. A little later, the three youngest shih tzus roamed around the living room, glancing my way every now and then, probably wondering if I was going to break out any more treats. After a while, Flower and Candy trotted by side by side, back to Shih Tzu Central.

Candy, Flower and Nigel were very excited, as usual, when John got home. They all started running around, but again, as usual, Flower hung back while Candy and Nigel ran to the door. Nigel did it with a rawhide treat in his mouth.

Shih Tzu Day 133 (Nov. 9): Flower’s Gold Star Visit to the Vet

Posted on by
Reply

shih tzu vet visit

a shih tzu with tear stains.Flower had a vet appointment today with Clear Creek Animal Hospital. I wanted to talk to Dr. Lindsey about her blinking and watery eyes, to make sure she doesn’t have an infection particularly. I brought Nigel with me, to show Flower that vet visits don’t have to be terrifying.

Flower shook on the way to the vet, but was so much better than last time. She did poop when we got to the vet door, and only got a little on my pants. Her shih tzu companion  ran into the clinic and then ran around visiting everyone. Nigel had been there before for his sterilization and hernia surgery, so they all remembered him.

Flower was also much better in Dr. Lindsey’s office. She didn’t poop on the floor like last time and didn’t fight at all throughout her examination or try to jump off the table. The vet said that Flower didn’t have hairs growing in her eyes, a common reason for shih tzus to blink and have watery eyes. She also checked for blocked tear ducts by putting some dye in Flower’s eyes. She told me that if it didn’t go out her nose, it was a good sign that her tear ducts were blocked. None came out. She said the best thing to do would be to have her eyes flushed when she is under for a dental exam or for some other vet procedure.

I asked the vet about the tear stains caused by her watery eyes. I had already read that the reddish-brown tear stains (epiphora) are actually caused by bacteria and yeast growing on the wet skin caused by excessive tearing. We talked about what causes the excessive tearing. The vet confirmed that the causes include allergies (corn, wheat, soy, artificial food colorings, additives, preservatives), water minerals and genetics.

Dr. Lindsey mentioned Angels’ Eyes. I had already researched Angels’ Eyes, which is a beef liver powder mixed with a small amount of tylosin (tartrate), an antibiotic used in vet medicine. I hesitated getting it, because I wasn’t sure about giving her or the other shih tzus antibiotics. The vet said she didn’t know if it was good to take antibiotics forever, but that she hadn’t heard of any real drawbacks to Angels’ Eyes, which the dog must take daily. Ironically, I have an eye problem that requires I take a light antibiotic indefinitely, so I think it will be safe to give some to Flower as an experiment. I just need to find out who sells it.

The vet also mentioned someone telling her that they had tried corn starch on the stains. I have already tried that, but I should research more exactly how people use it. I didn’t try it for very long.

The vet also looked at Nigel’s eyes and confirmed that they were overflowing. While we talked about dog food, Flower lay down on the table next to Nigel. I knew I should have brought my camera!

post-vet treat

I stopped at McDonald’s after the vet visit, but Flower was too nervous at first to eat her share of the hamburger I got; I did get her to eat a couple of small pieces. Since she did so good at the vet, I also thought I would take her into a local pet store, Paws ‘n’ Play, with me. She was very good. I even walked walked her a little bit before I realized that she doesn’t walk on a leash! Once I realized that, I coaxed her to go a few more feet.

It was tough with both of the shih tzus, since I am not used to walking with two dogs. I kept getting tangled in the leashes. I also dropped Nigel’s while I was talking to a customer about sheba inas, allowing him to aggressively run after a big dog. I caught him before he could do any damage.

I bought Taste of the Wild bison and venison kibble for the girls to try, since it is grain free. Flower was very relaxed on the way back. After leaving Paws ‘n’ Play, she even lay down in the front seat with Nigel instead of sitting up.

Shih Tzu Day 130: Daylight Saving Shih Tzus

Posted on by
Reply

two shih tzus on a bed. an extra shih tzu in our bed

I decided to see if Candy would sleep with us. I told Flower and Dottie goodnight and Nigel, John, Candy and I went upstairs. Candy’s shih tzu sisters must have been curious, because they came upstairs a little later. I had set Nigel and Candy on the bed, and Flower and Dottie came to the edge of it. Candy became  queen of the mountain. She leaned over the bed and growled at her sisters.

a shih tzu being bathed.

Candy didn’t attempt to jump down, like Dottie does, so I turned off the light to see what she would do. She stayed on the side of me, where I had set her. Nigel was laying between John and I, which is where he tends to lay, unless I move him. I fell asleep right away, but I woke up in the middle of the night. I’m a tosser, but when I went to turn over, there was no where to turn. Candy and Nigel were as close as bookends, and since they were on the bedspread, that made it even harder to turn. I woke up several times during the night, but tried to stay on one side as long as possible.

no Daylight Savings for the shih tzus

a shih tzu after a bath.

I awoke to Dottie’s moaning outside the door. The problem was that they were an hour early. We s

et the clocks last night for Daylight Savings. The furry alarm clocks didn’t recognize the hour change, so they came upstairs at their regular time.

Since I hadn’t slept well, John volunteered to get up and see if the shih tzus would let him feed them. It went well, except Dottie resisted going outside.

a wet shih tzu after a bath.

I asked John if Flower and Dottie tried to steal Candy’s food. He said they came over to check her bowl out, but Candy has figured out how to keep the other female shih tzus away from her food. She keeps her face in her bowl until she finishes eating!

All the shih tzus ran to greet  me when I got up. We decided three of the shih tzus needed grooming: Nigel, Dottie and Flower. Flower was the best when it came to

bathing and trimming. Dottie wasn’t too bad, but Nigel fought us again. We need a very deep sink for him, because he fights so hard to crawl out of ours.

 

 

Shih Tzu Day 127: Chasing Tail

Posted on by
Reply

two shih tzus on a couchwe’ve come a long way, Flower

I had lunch with a friend today and we were talking about the shih tzus. She said one of her children asked her if Flower still poops when she’s afraid. I thought about that. I guess we have come a long way. She hasn’t done that lately.

a shih tzu on an animal print throw. I had another shih tzu conversation with a friend recently. She found out I had adopted some shih tzus and told me that she really wanted one. She expressed that she was hoping to find a black-faced shih tzu. Her reason was that white-faced shih tzus get “eye goo.” I think she was actually referring to tear stains, which she thinks eye goo causes. I understand what she is saying, because I definitely would love it if the shih tzus didn’t have tear stains, but I don’t love my shih tzu sisters less because of it. They are beautiful in my eyes, tear stains or not. I know different things cause tear stains, though, and I will keep trying to figure out why Flower in particular has them, because I want her to be healthy.

tail-chasing shih tzu

a female shih tzu on a bright throwThe three youngsters were in a paw-boxing mood today. It started with Candy and Nigel, as usual, but then Nigel decided to take on both of them — or they both decided to take on him. I’m not sure which is correct. The shih tzus mellowed out for a while, but a little bit later I hears a loud squeak, which usually means, “Thief! That treat was mine!” I looked up, but couldn’t figure out what had happened. Dottie and Flower, on the couch by me, looked at me innocently, and Candy and Nigel looked up from the floor. Oh well. That’s one mystery that won’t be solved.

The shih tzus got restless again at about 7:15. It was time for another round of tussling. I looked up when I heard a noise like a stampede of horses crossed the dining room floor. It was Flower, with Nigel hot on her tail. Again, my guess is that there was a stolen treat of some kind involved. A little later, Dottie started to come up on the couch, and Nigel bit her tail and held it firmly in his mouth until I made him let go. That little male shih tzu definitely has a thing for tails!

When the house’s other male came home, Candy and Nigel rushed to the door to greet him. This time, Flower was right behind them. She can’t quite bring herself to go clear up to the door though. One of these days she will.

Shih Tzu Day 124: Halloween for the Shih Tzus

Posted on by
2

bad start for Halloween

a shih tzu keeping an eye on a squirrel.a squirrel running along a fence.

 

 

 

 

Halloween for the shih tzus began with one of them throwing up yellow bile. It was one of the female shih tzus, because I found it when we came downstairs. I smelled all of their breath to see which shih tzu it was, and Flower had the bad breath. John said that didn’t necessarily mean that she threw up, since she could have eaten someone else’s. Gross, but I know it could happen. I don’t think that is the case, though, or else two shih tzus would have bad breath. None of the dogs acted sick, so I don’t know what caused the problem.

morning shih tzu squirrel notification

two shih tzus in black and white clothes. a shih tzu at the door wearing skull sweater

 

 

 

 

a shih tzu in polka dots and one in skull sweater. a shih tzu wearing a black and white polka dot dress with hood.

 

 

 

 

two shih tzu sisters wearing black and white polka dot dresses.a shih tzu and a trick or treater.

 

 

 

 

Candy spent a lot of time outside this morning prowling the perimeter again, looking for squirrels. Every once in a while, she would bark and summon the troops outside. What’s funny is that the dogs can’t always see the squirrel very well, so he will be running one way and the shih tzus will be running the other in search of him. Nigel doesn’t always join in on the squirrel hunt. Sometimes he lets the girl shih tzus do the chasing and he lays in the grass chewing on a bone.

shih tzu door greeter 

I took Nigel to PetSmart and Petco. I dressed him in his black sweater with the skull on it for Halloween. He was very excited to get to go in the car. He did very well, until he saw a big dog in Petco and his dog aggression came out. He started barking, growling and straining at the leash, so I had to pick him up and carry him until the dog was in another part of the store.

two shih tzus that look like werewolves. three blurry shih tzus with weird eyes.

 

 

 

 

When I came home, I dressed up the girls. They didn’t have costumes, but I dressed them all in black and white. Dottie and Flower wore matching polka dot dresses. I had returned Candy’s black and white houndstooth dress that was too small, but I finally found a medium, so I dressed her up in that. I definitely spend too much time looking at dog clothes at Ross! It took me a while to catch Candy to put her dress on her, since she kept running under the dining room table.

I knew that no one but John and me would see the girls, but I still thought it was fun. As I thought, Nigel was the door greeter, once the trick-or-treaters started arriving. He ran to the door every time the doorbell rang. When the doorbell wasn’t ringing, he ran to to the door anyway, waiting for the next group of children to come along. Again, the only problem we had was when a group came up that included a big dog, who waited in the driveway. Nigel showed his dog aggression again, so I’m sure the parents were glad to be off to the next house. Well, the good news is that Nigel is great with children and small dogs, so that is still better adjusted than Joey was and the shih tzu sisters are.