Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday, Dear Flower! Happy Birthday to You!
Flower is now 3 years old! This is Flower’s first birthday at her forever home. She spent her first birthday at a puppy mill and her second at a foster home.
So glad that Flower, Candy and I have a Forever Home together! Nigel too, although he didn’t come with us from the puppy mill!
Mom says she will have pictures later of our birthday party, including the homemade chicken jerky!!
I decided to perform a test today. I put one of the fuzzy holiday blankets on the floor. The dogs can lie down on it, unless someone uses it as a training pad. While I was putting it down, Nigel grabbed it with his teeth and stared pulling on it, thinking it was a tug-of-war game.
Dottie and Flower have been very demanding today, wanting attention. They love petting time. I think it’s so sweet when I put my hand against Dottie’s face, and she presses against it, not wanting me to move it. When I pet Flower, if I move my hand, she bats her paw at me, until I pet her again.
I guess I am lucky Nigel and Candy don’t demand petting. It’s difficult petting two dogs at once, and petting four at once would be impossible. Candy does wander up to get attention now and then, but that’s easy to do. And I am glad John picks her up and gives her attention when he is here. She doesn’t stay long, but I can tell she enjoys it. I am so happy to see how far they have come in this area.
After John left, Candy came over and sat at my feet, near Nigel. That was unusual, so I investigated. I forgot to put a training pad down for her, which is one of her favorite resting places. I am glad that she only chooses to sit on clean pads!
Nigel was in a very playful mood today. Flower was sitting next to him and he started biting her neck. She seems to like it.
I don’t know why I have been forgetting to put down training pads. I did it again last night. Someone needed to pee before I got up, but they made a neat little puddle on the mat I sit the pad on. That’s quite an improvement from even a few months ago.
Since I no longer put the cushions up on Flower’s former couch, she has jumped up on it a few times over the last couple of days. Thank goodness, she seems to have lost interest in peeing on the couches!
I didn’t feel like getting up early this morning. I got up, fed the dogs, gave them their morning chew sticks, and then went back to bed for two more hours! It felt so good. The shih tzus didn’t try to come and get me.
After I came back down and sat on the couch, Dottie came up to it. I was just getting ready to help her up, when she “flew” up onto it on her own. It was amazing; one second she was on the ground, and the next, she was beside me. It was like watching a cat jump up. She didn’t even get a running start like Flower does. Has she been faking all this time that she can’t get up on her own?
We decided it was time for Nigel’s grooming session. He got a close hair cut, like his sisters. Three down! He looks like such a little baby now. He acts like one too. When John was trimming his fur, he kept walking over to me and putting his paws on my shoulders for comfort.
Flower sat with me for a while this morning, but left when Nigel came up. She was in a feisty mood. She snuck my rubber finger I had been using to go through papers off of my laptop stand and wouldn’t give it back. I had to pry it from her mouth. Later, her and Nigel had one of their bitey-face sessions. It sure looks like that should hurt!
I’m not sure what Flower was doing earlier. She was on the couch and was stretching with her paws up on the top, and leaned over and licked my nose. I think she wanted to know why I smelled like peanut butter and why she didn’t get any. Then, she started growling — again, either for peanut butter, or for attention. I had already put the peanut butter away, or else I would have given her a little. Instead, I gave her a little attention. She seemed satisfied with that.
Nigel and Flower had another long bitey-face session this morning. Afterwards, Flower hauled out the Christmas rawhide bone, started fighting with it, and then trotted off to Shih Tzu Central with it. Nigel succeeded in crawling into my lap. I let him sit there for a while, before I moved him to my side so I could use the laptop.
jicama
I gave the dogs some of the jicama I was eating. They all took it except Candy. Nigel and Flower seemed to inhale theirs, but Dottie chewed on hers daintily for a while.
The shih tzus didn’t get much attention today. I was gone most of the day and then did a lot of organizing when I got home. Dottie was so lonely for attention that even she ran up to greet John at the door when he got home!
Dottie came up to me today with her Dentley’s stick in her mouth and wanted up. She is practicing being Nigel, since he is the only one who usually comes up to the couch with something in his mouth and wants up. It can be a Dentley’s stick, one of my socks, a rawhide bone, a stuffed animal.
Dottie is usually content just to sit by my side, but at times, especially when Flower decides she wants love, Dottie wants in on the action. Today, Flower started nuzzling my hand, and then Dottie did. I was trying to pet them both with one hand, but whenever I lifted my hand from Flower, she would look up and move her paw, so I had to use both hands.
I love to cup Dottie’s little face in my hands. When I do, she just gazes at me. I remembered when none of the female shih tzus wanted me to come near them. Now, Dottie will even let me kiss her. Flower is actually the biggest lover. I think she would like to be rubbed and petted all day.
Flower had a lot of energy this evening. She was dragging and pulling around the red, soft dog bed that no one ever uses. My guess is she was just trying to tear the tag off, but she didn’t succeed. A little later, when she was sitting on the couch, she started growling. Unlike other dogs, when Flower growls, it usually means she wants to be petted. However, she jumped down, grabbed a rawhide bone from off the floor, and pranced away towards the back door, with Candy following behind her.
I picked Candy up again today when she came up to the couch. She stayed until I tried to take her picture. The picture taking has definitely slowed down. I took hundreds and hundreds of pictures last year after getting the shih tzus. However, as things have gradually gotten back to a new normal, after taking in four shih tzus, the camera often isn’t in the right place at the right time. Also, my attempts at finding a small camera I like to keep near me haven’t been successful. I heard that the iPhone took great pictures, and I finally got one, but I haven’t had luck getting anything more than blurry shots inside. I have to read up on what I am doing wrong.
John and I were gone most of the day, so the poor shih tzus have had to fend for themselves. When we came home, I went upstairs to change while John gave out some treats. After a few minutes, I heard paws on the stairs. Flower came up to get me. She wandered around the room sniffing until I went back downstairs.
One of our friends was in town this week, and we went and met him for dinner. He invited us out to Boston to see him whenever we wanted to come. I had to smile at that. It was hard enough going out of town when we had one Yorkie. It will be nearly impossible with four shih tzus. They definitely aren’t the type of dogs that you kennel, and they steal don’t trust anyone but John and I, so dog sitters are out.
We decided to do a little grooming today. Partially, I wanted to try out the Fresh n Clean shampoo that came in the Royal Canin goodie basket identical to the one we are giving away, courtesy Royal Canin. John trimmed Nigel’s paws and face. After that, he started working on Dottie’s face. I decided to help him, so I started trimming her body. He informed me I had used the wrong blade, so she got a very short cut. Even though it was a mistake, we decided to do the same with Flower, since it is spring, and they don’t need long fur to keep them warm. Plus, we can go a little longer without grooming them. They look like completely different dogs than Nigel and Candy.
Flower was being sassy this afternoon. She sat on the edge of the couch, wagging her tail and waving her front paws at me, like she does when she wants to be petted. Then, she lay on her back against the couch gazing at me, her cute little under-bite showing. I waited a little too long to pet her, so she started growling, until I gave her what she wanted.
Since Flower hasn’t peed on our couch for quite a while, I put the cushions down on the other couch that she used to always sit on, but I think she has forgotten that used to be her could. She rarely goes up on it anymore. I am happy that she sits with us on the community couch — and that we have had dry couch cushions for a long time!
I still need to replace Nigel’s steps, since one set broke, and he wouldn’t walk up the next set. For now, I have an old milk box on its side that I put in place in front of the couch before John comes down and needs to sit there, and then again after he leaves for work. This morning I forgot to put it there, so I had to help Nigel up. When I looked down, he had an ice cube in his mouth. It was so cute. He sat it on the couch and then picked it up again once I sat him next to me. That little boy has so much character.
I left a throw on the floor last night and someone threw up on it. My guess is that it was Candy. She wouldn’t go out to eat when her sisters did. Instead, she hid behind the dining room table. When I picked up the throw and put it in the hall to take to the basement later, she came out and then went out to eat. Maybe she thought she was going to get in trouble. I had to keep an eye on her bowl so her sisters and Nigel wouldn’t try to eat her food for her, since they had already eaten by the time she decided to eat.
I weighed the dogs today. I have read different answers regarding what shih tzus should weigh, with the range going between nine and twenty pounds, but the average answer seems to be ten to sixteen pounds. If so, we’re not doing too badly. Nigel now weighs 13 pounds. I think that is a good weight for him. He only weighed 10.5 pounds in October, but he was still recovering from pneumonia. Candy weighed 11.5 in October and now weighs 12 pounds. I’m not as happy with Flower and Dottie. Flower was 14 pounds and is now 15.5. Dottie was 14 pounds and is 16 pounds now. Flower and Dottie might be within the range, but we need to work on that.
Now that the shih tzus are more comfortable with John and I, I think the leash training will go better. My goal is to really get on this right after Easter!
I am hoping that our diet will benefit the shih tzus. I know that some people don’t give dogs people food, but we always have. I am trying to replace some of their dog treats with people food. For instance, Flower, Dottie, and Nigel all like celery, although Candy won’t try it. I am particularly glad that Flower does, since it is better for her than plastic bottle caps!
We had tuna salad on a romaine leaf tonight. I left out some tuna to give them a few pieces while we ate.
I have been busy cleaning house. I’m not sure where I got the energy. I cleaned the living room, kitchen, and bathroom today. The female shih tzus don’t like it when I clean, for a few reasons. One, if I am cleaning, I am not sitting in my place on the couch, with my laptop before me. They really don’t seem to like change. Plus, when I am moving around and not sitting, they seem nervous. Sometimes Flower follows me around, but usually, they stay inside Shih Tzu Central and watch me. Then, when I do sit down, Nigel, Dottie, and Flower are immediately there. Nigel climbs up his stairs, Flower jumps up, and Dottie waits for me to help her up.
In the past, I wanted to praise some of the dog food and dog treat companies who produce our shih tzus’ favorite products. However, I have to back up and say it appears I have been wrong in praising some of the companies. One of my wonderful readers wrote and mentioned that she thought some of the treats I feed the dogs are on the list of treats from China to be wary of, since, according to the Food and Drug Administration, they are treats that may have caused kidney failure, liver disease or Fanconi syndrome, in dogs in the U.S. and Canada. Ironic for us, since the shih tzu originated in China!
From what I have read, including at Vitals.MSNBC.com, it is mainly chicken jerky pet treats — my dogs’ favorite treat — that appear to be causing illnesses in canines. Sorry to say, out of more than 600 complaints by pet owners and veterinarians, several point to brands I have fed my shih tzus for months: Milo’s Kitchen (produced by Del Monte), Canyon Creek Ranch and Waggin’ Train (both produced by Nestle Purina PetCare). That is a huge disappointment, and I am embarrassed that I didn’t look into this earlier after a mention from another reader about some Costco products that come from China. Thank God, though, my shih tzus don’t seem to have fallen victim to what other dogs have. I guess now I know why so many coupons are readily available for Milo’s Kitchen and Waggin’ Train!
FDA regulators do say that repeated tests have not shown an absolute tie to any brand or manufacturer. As a result, the FDA hasn’t recalled any specific products, so they remain on store shelves. FDA regulators have asked consumers to report problems, and supply jerky treat samples and medical records of dogs that may have become sick or died after eating these products.
So, what does someone do when their dogs just love those treats? I guess you look for products made in the U.S. Believe me, I have checked shelves at local big box stores, grocery stores, and pet supply stores, and that is almost impossible. So, I am on a search for treats I know are safe. If you have any suggestions, please let us know, and we’ll start reporting what we find.
My stepson Gabe, his girlfriend Crystal and her daughter Avi stopped by. Nigel ran to greet them, and, as usual, the females went to Shih Tzu Central and waited for company to leave.
I started my search for U.S. chicken jerky treats. Well, it was not named by the FDA as a concern, but the Dogswell Breathies Chicken Breast with Mint & Parsley I just bought is made in China, as are the Cadet duck treats, but I haven’t seen anything about duck being an issue? Also, the dogs love the Canyon Creek Ranch Yam Good product, which is duck fillet wrapped yams, so I need to figure out if that is OK? Help, if anyone knows.
My organization continues. I organized the kitchen drawers and refrigerator. Then, we tackled the challenge of giving half of the shih tzus baths. We chose Nigel and Flower. Flower had a little too much hair in her ears, so she had a hard time, but she was very brave. As usual, our little boy didn’t want his bath, so we had to fight him every step of the way.
Dottie got her bath this morning. John and I started working out downstairs this morning to prepare for spring biking. Flower ran down like she normally does when I am down there, and then stopped and ran back upstairs when she saw that the Man was down there too. However, she couldn’t resist, and she was back five minutes later, sniffing around.
I spent a few hours trying to organize my pictures of the shih tzus. I have way too many files, since I was organizing them by day. Now, I have put them into weeks. I must have bored the dogs, because they all fell asleep.
John came downstairs this morning after getting ready for work, and Nigel and Flower calmly looked at him — from HIS place on the couch. Nigel went on chewing on his bone and Flower went on doing nothing. John finally sat down on the other couch after telling them they sure looked comfortable.
After John left, Candy came over wagging her head at me, and then the others gathered around. For some reason, the shih tzus think that John leaving the house means they get a treat. I usually accommodate them, but now I am trying to break them of the habit of coming up to me when he leaves, expectantly. Instead, I have been waiting until 11:30, and then I feed them small pieces of turkey.
So, instead of offering food, I petted Candy for a while this morning. A little later, Nigel mysteriously came up with a chew stick. He sat on the floor chewing away, while Candy sat next to him, just watching him. Flower, sitting on the non-Dottie side of the couch, leaned over and watched him too, as if his chewing was the most interesting thing in the world. I am not sure why his chewing was so fascinating to them.
When he was done, he climbed up his stairs and plopped down next to me, ready for his nap. He is such a baby boy. He couldn’t possibly get any closer to Mom. I remember when we first got him, and his behavior was sometimes very annoying. I admit, he does get a little too overbearing with the girls sometimes, but he is such a little lover and such a cutie.
I have been forgetting to say that I have only been throwing out the training pad once every day or so. For no apparent reason, however, Flower did pee on John’s side of the couch the other day. I think she was nervous, since I had been up and down cleaning a lot.
I did see some improvement in that area. John swept out Shih Tzu Central while they sat it it, and although they huddled together, the shih tzus didn’t look too freaked out about the broom coming so close to them.
In recent months, we kept a “pee” rug under the training pad, because of mis-positioning of shih tzu butts, resulting in wet hardwood flooring. It was washable, so I threw it in the washing machine every week or so. However, the unpleasant smell of urine always wafted up from the basement, and when I threw it in the dryer, that smell mixed with that of the rubber backing. I finally had a bright idea.
We have an anti-fatigue mat that doubles as a kitchen mat and a mat for dog grooming, because it cleans easily with a wipe of a wet rag. I bought one to put under the training pad, and threw away the tainted pee rug. It seems to be working good. Plus, one edge is straight, so I fold an edge of the pad under it, near the wall, and it keeps it in place a little better.
We still have some misses, so I just take a paper towel and wipe up the mess and the floor around it. It’s been working great, and no more pee smell, once I toss the used training pad.
I accidentally discovered that Nigel and Flower like celery. I dropped a piece of celery on the couch, and when I turned around, Nigel had it between his paws and was chomping away. Dottie and Candy, my particular shih tzus, wouldn’t try it, but Flower did. John was concerned, because he thought celery might be dangerous for dogs. I researched it and according to many cites, including Barf World, found that, indeed, dogs can eat celery! Good, since I need to find them healthy treats to replace Chinese chicken jerky treats!
Tish and the kids were ove for awhile. Evita and Dulcea cornered Candy and petted her, but I asked them to stop, since she didn’t look like she was having much fun. Dottie took a treat from Junior, and of course, Nigel would eat anything from anyone.
The dogs still don’t like when people come over, but they now get back to normal ten minutes after the door closes. In fact, shortly after they left, Flower and Nigel were play fighting next to me, and when I looked over, Flower was sitting on him. Such a cute little family.
When Dad comes home, Candy wags her butt, instead of just her tail. When he picks her up, she smells his face. I think she is starting to love Daddy.
The wind was so strong last night that it blew part of our fence down again. The dogs huddled together in the corner. Later, with the wind still blowing and all of us on the couch, Candy came to the couch looking befuddled, so I picked her up. We were happy to have her join us, since that is a rare occasion.
When John got home, he had to rig up a temporary solution, since we couldn’t let the shih tzus outside with the fence down.
The sibling rivalry continues between Dottie and Flower. Sometimes when Flower is sitting by me and Dottie wants up, Flower jumps right down. Today, when I was petting Flower, Dottie looked at me and jumped down and stayed down for quite a while. The problem is that Flower demands attention and Dottie normally doesn’t, so sometimes it’s easy to forget to pet her, since she isn’t growling for attention.
I was gone most of the day. I always look forward to coming home and seeing my shih tzu tribe. They are always so excited. It reminds me of the country western song, “Like my dog.”
Calm and lazy day for the dogs. Not much to report on. We have been getting a kick watching our shih tzu cat Candy pounce on things. When she is outside by herself, she often barks. I used to jump up and see if there was a problem, but any time we do, she is just jumping around on the porch, patting a toy around or chasing her tail. Such an independent little baby.
It’s becoming a common event for Flower to let John pet her. She seems very calm when he does. Dottie let him pet her too today. However, their confusion continues. He came down the stairs wearing a visor and glasses, and they went crazy sounding the alert about an intruder. He had to take off his hat and glasses to calm them down.
Sometimes I don’t understand why they get so confused at odd times. For instance, they line up in the same order every morning for breakfast: Flower, Dottie, and then Candy nearest the house. This morning, Candy went to Flower’s feed bowl, so Flower didn’t know where to go. I had to guide Candy back to her bowl.
I have been trying to figure out why Nigel hiccups sometimes. It happens probably once a week. I read that hiccuping is common especially up to 18 months. That reminds me that we really have no ideal how old Nigel is, although the vet thought he was about 18 months when we got him last fall. I guess if it starts happening more often I’ll take him to the vet, but for now, I’ll just keep assuming it’s normal.
(Mr. Chewy Review)
Flower is becoming more and more comfortable here every day. This morning, she jumped up and sat down very close to me, between Nigel and me. They left John a very small place to sit.