Category Archives: Behavior & Emotions

Shih Tzu Day 8: A Lot of Shihtz in the House

Posted on by
Reply

I don't mind sitting with you, but I'll stay a safe distance.I stayed home with the girls all day. Dottie, Flower and Candy played together a lot. They come up to the couch often to see what I am doing. Sometimes they come to the front of the couch, but sometimes they stay in their Superyard, and peek up over the end of the couch. When Dottie did it, I pulled her over and sat her beside me. She sat  on the arm long enough for me to take a few pictures before jumping off.

I am going to take Deb’s advice and buy a dog whistle to see if I can get better pictures. Also, I tried to set my camera with her directions to take pictures of the dogs when they are romping wildly. However, I still need a lot of practice.

 

Flower has a bit of a jealous streak. Whenever I pet Dottie, she usually tries to get me to pet her instead. Look, Ma! I have on Candy's body!Then, sometimes, they end up wiggling around, jumping up and down excitedly, wagging their tails. Sometimes, Candy comes up and starts jumping on both of them.

I admit that I am probably creating monsters out of these shih tzus. I lured Flower up on the couch to get Milo’s chicken jerky. She jumped up three times, grabbed her jerky, ate it, and then jumped down. When I went to the kitchen to get me an apple, she jumped up again and walked up and down. So did Candy.

If you give me more jerky, I'll sit on the couch with you a little longer.I got their food ready while John was on his way home. It was bad timing. They had just come up to their bowls eagerly when he came in the door, and they went back to their communal doggy bed. They all just stared at him, but at least there were few growls or barks. I brought their food bowls over to them and they continued their dinner.

Later, after I had gone upstairs, John stepped in poop on the carpet. At least they are using the training pad to urinate. But, like my friend John Little said in a comment on one of my Facebook pictures of them, “That’s a lot of shitz in the house!”

Shih Tzu Day 7: The Doggy Circus is in Town

Posted on by
Reply

You'd be having a bad hair day too!The shih tzu sisters have been doing great. We had Leticia and the grandchildren over all day Sunday. The dogs weren’t thrilled, but they didn’t seem traumatized.

We ate outside in the garage and let the children come in one by one to meet them. They behaved when Rema, Junior and Evita came in to meet them. They even came out into the room when Oriana was inside, but Flower did growl at Dulcea.

We were afraid how they would react badly to the Fourth of July activities, but they came through with flying colors. We tried to get them to go outside to do their business early in the evening, but fireworks went off and they scurried back inside. After that, we stayed inside and watched movies. They handled the gunshots and loud noises from “The Mechanic” well, so action movies shouldn’t be a problem. I think the noise on the TV blended in with the fireworks outside, so they were fine.

I saw you hide the chicken jerky!Candy did a little dance across the carpet last night that was adorable. I don’t know what it meant, but she sure is entertaining. They all dance around when I come downstairs in the morning, although they get serious when John appears. I know they will warm up to him, as soon as they realize he won’t hurt them.

When they continue to be most excited, however, is when they hear the Milo’s Kitchen bag rattling. Flower jumps around like a dancing horse and they all rush me. I’m not sure if that’s acceptable behavior, but I prefer them to be rambunctious over shaking in the corner of their exercise pen.

Don't even think you can jump higher than I can!Candy is pretty good about going outside willingly, but the other two still think they should do their business in the pen or on the carpet. I bought some training pads for them, but as soon as I put one down, Flower began wrestling with it.

 

 

Shih Tzu Day 2: Candy, the Early Riser

Posted on by
Reply

Where can I hide?Dottie, Candy and Flower made it through their first day here as foster dogs. It probably has been how Delores first expected. The shih tzus have been tentative since Delores and Barbara left.

John got up at 4 a.m. this morning, because he kept hearing someone’s dog tag tinkling. Barbara told me that her husband usually got up about that time and took them outside before he went to work. I hope they will adapt their schedule to us, instead of the other way around.

When he came downstairs, Candy scurried back into the Superyard. She hesitantly came back out, and then she went outside and did her business. John said she growled and barked at him. She has never growled at me, so men must frighten her.

I came down about 7 a.m. and got Candy to go outside. I also picked up Dottie and took her outside. I couldn’t get Flower to budge. I should have left her, but I went in her play yard to try to get her to go outside. She went, but she wasn’t happy.

I was just getting used to my last foster mom!

When we came back inside, I put Dottie on the couch next to me. She was still shaking a little, but she did allow me and John to pet her, and every once in awhile, she’d look up at me. That was at least better than yesterday, since she wouldn’t make eye contact with me at all then.

Nothing smells familiar!

After John got up from the couch to get ready for work, she jumped down off the couch and went back in the pen with her sisters.

Candy surprises me. She came out of the pen a couple of times when I was talking to Mom on the phone. She was the last one I expected to venture out on her own.

Shih Tzu Prelude: Last Dogless Day

Posted on by
Reply

I called the shih tzus’ foster mom today to see if I could come see them at 10. I imagine this might be my last visit to see them at Barbara’s house. John and I just need to make our final preparations tonight and then it is up to Delores to see when we take the girls home.

Candy, Flower and Dottie huddle together in their exercise pen.

I didn’t take them out to the dog run, as we have done on all past visits, because I was only staying for a short time. Barbara came in and held one of the shih tzus while we were talking. I was petting the shih tzu and telling her that one day soon she would let me hold her and Flower would as well. Barbara said, “This is Flower.” I was surprised. I really wasn’t looking at the dog’s face, but just petting her and not paying attention. She was so docile, and I am used to Flower growling. Every now and then I get those glimpses of what Flower will act like once she is used to me — at least I hope so.

I have been looking for safety gates and exercise pens on Craigslist, even though Barbara and Delores said I could take the exercise pen they have. I figure if I get something intended for inside, we can use that one outside somehow. I called someone yesterday on a North States Superyard in Commerce City. It was listed for $50. However, I saw the same thing at Walmart.com for the same amount. I asked the woman if she would go lower, and she said she would take $30. John went and got it on his way home from work. We got a better deal than I thought. The play pen has six sides, and a two-sided extension sells for an extra $20. I didn’t realize this one had the extension already. I was pleased with it. It’s sturdy plastic instead of metal, so it looks more like a baby pen. In fact, it is made for babies. Ironically, the pet stores sell the same thing by the same company under a different name for nearly $100. So, I am very pleased with the purchase.

Shih Tzu Prelude: Come a Little Bit Closer

Posted on by
Reply

shih tzu visitation

I went to visit Dottie, Candy and Flower, my potential daughters, this morning. Although Dottie follows Barbara around, she doesn’t come to me. Of course, Barbara has been foster mother to this sweet, shy little shih tzu for five months.

I sat in the exercise pen with the three shih tzus for a while, but then decided that Dottie might be distracting the little ones. Barbara took her to another room, and I talked to Candy and Flower. Barbara bought me some of the doggy chicken jerky that they love. Every five minutes or so, I would move a little closer to the shih tzus, huddled at the other end of the pen. Finally, I was close enough to offer them the treat. Flower finally took one, and then another. Candy kept her head behind Flower, but she finally got too curious and tentatively took a piece from my hand.

mixed reactions

The shih tzus had eaten all the chicken jerky in about 10 minutes. Next, I reached over to scratch Candy’s ears. She let me do it for several minutes. However, when I tried to scratch Flower’s ears, she growled and acted like she was going to bite me, so I backed away.

We next went out to their dog run. Dottie stayed at the opposite end of the run. Flower ran back and forth, always stopping a few feet short of where I sat, but Candy convinced herself to come and see if I really had more chicken jerky.

Candy would come near me, grab the food and skitter back, moving especially quickly if I even raised my arm a little. She kept coming back, however, until she had eaten all the jerky. I have to admit that Candy is the reason I keep coming back.

I stayed for about an hour and a half. John and I will be preparing a dog run in the backyard tomorrow, covering the bottom of our wooden fence with chicken wire, so they can’t escape, and putting lattice around the back porch, so they can’t crawl under and out of our reach. I don’t know if we will bring them home Monday or not.