Shih Tzu Day 216: Poop Patrol

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Di Freeze

double feeding

John got up with a headache at 6, and since he was going downstairs, I asked him to feed the dogs. I didn’t think I went to sleep. I heard scratching at the door, and opened it to see Nigel, Flower, and Dottie sitting there, waiting for me to get up. John was indisposed, but I assumed he hadn’t been able to get them to go downstairs and outside, so I went to the kitchen and got their food bowls together, threw away the soiled training pad, and went to fill their bowls with water. One still had quite a bit in it, so I filled the other one.

When John emerged from the bathroom, he asked if the dogs had gone outside “again.” I said that they had gone outside, because I had just fed them. He looked surprised, and told me he’d already done that. Oops. Of course, they didn’t tell me they had full bellies. I guess they had eaten and immediately ran up the stairs to wait for me. I must have dozed off for a few minutes, so just assumed they had been waiting for me the entire time and that they hadn’t eaten. They were probably thrilled to get one over on me.

poop patrol

When it’s warm enough, I leave the door open, hoping to tempt the dogs to go play. Candy and Nigel will do that sometimes, which is why they weigh less than Dottie and Flower. I know they need a good exercise program, translate, lots of walks. I am waiting for the weather to be warm enough when John is home so we can get on the ball again.

I was on poop patrol today, and I am embarrassed to say it had been a while, and we have a pretty big backyard, so I got my exercise. Flower and Dottie trailed behind me, and I’m sure they were wondering why I had a baggie on my hand and was picking up those small, brown blobs and throwing them in a plastic bag. Too bad they can’t help. Another item on my to do list is to figure out how to get them to go in one small area. The good news is that they do go outside, and not inside.

That reminds me how good Flower has been lately. I did find some brown blobs downstairs, and that was either Flower or Nigel, but it seems like an isolated incident. Flower also seems to have gotten over having to poop when she is frightened. John was working in the area today and came home for lunch. She was sitting on the couch and he was petting her. I told him she likes butt rubs, but when he moved his hand away from her face, she bolted, jumping over Dottie to sit by my side. At least that’s all she did. Oh. Her eyelashes have grown so long, and she looks so adorable.

green dog

I just heard a noise and saw Candy jumping away from something on the floor. My first thought was a mouse, but it was actually just Green Dog. She grabbed him in her mouth and trotted out the door. At least she is getting exercise, while Flower and Nigel are curled up on the couch. I also just realized that Dottie is just standing near my feet, waiting for her elevator lift up to the couch.

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

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Di Freeze

shih tzu vet visit

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 127: Chasing Tail

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Di Freeze

we’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.

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

The 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 121: Further Housebreaking Dilemmas

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Di Freeze

shih tzu cat alert

Candy woke us up barking at 6. John went downstairs to investigate and said there were cats fighting in the backyard. Our guard shih tzu sounded the alert about three times.

Our housebreaking dilemmas continue. When I came downstairs, there was a big, wet spot on John’s end of the couch. My guess is that it was Flower. I hate putting pee pads on the furniture, but I did.

When I talked to someone at PetSmart, he told me that we might have to just do what people do with puppies and kennel train her. I hate to do that. To be fair, I feel like I would have to only do that with Flower. I imagine her in her kennel watching her shih tzu sisters running around enjoying their freedom.

I’ve considered blocking off our couch or putting the cushions up before we go to bed. I think Candy and Flower like sleeping on it, so that would end that. Also, we could shut them all up in shih tzu Central at night. I like to give them the freedom to run around and to come up the stairs in the morning. I’ll have to think about it more.

dog bed habits

When the shih tzu sisters came to live with us as foster dogs, BFF Rescue let them bring a blue and white dog bed and a grey dog bed with them. The grey dog bed was getting a litter tattered on the bottom, so I replaced it recently with a pink and white one. Candy normally lies in the pink one, but since she also likes lying down in the corner in the dining room, I put the grey bed over there. She has been getting use out of both of them.

Flower continues to spend some of the time in the blue dog bed and an equal amount of time “behind” the dog bed, resting her head on it. I’m not sure why she does that. Maybe she just feels “safe” behind it?

will the shih tzu sisters be lap dogs?

When I interact with the shih tzus, I sometimes think of Delores at BFF saying that they will get in our laps at some point. I have serious doubts about that. They seem perfectly content at arm’s length. Nigel, on the other hand, likes to cuddle up next to me, which makes it hard to work. He definitely wants to be a lap dog. He climbed up on my lap today, and surprisingly, the way he was laying, I could actually reach the keyboard, so I let him stay there a while.

false alarm

I’m not sure what was going on outside this afternoon, but the shih tzus heard a noise and they all ran to the front door, I guess thinking it was the Treat Man. Candy was shaking her tail feather. About ten minutes later, they heard it again, and Flower, Candy and Nigel ran to the door together. It was so cute.

something even more disgusting

So, there might be something more disgusting than your shih tzu peeing on the couch — your shih tzu pooping on it. Yes, I know. Gross. But Flower managed to do it today, and since she wouldn’t clean it up, I had too. Since the spot had to dry off, there wasn’t much dog property. Dottie sat with me after the clean-up job. Candy lay on the floor, watching us. Nigel was chewing on a treat contently in his dog bed, and Flower sat next to the bed, watching him.

While I was watching her, I was noticing how much her eyelashes have grown back. I’m not sure if they were bothering her eyes, so I think I will let them grow back for a while. She is such a cute little Maybelline baby again. I call her Marilyn, but I know Marilyn Monroe didn’t poop and pee on couches and carpets!

Shih Tzu Day 58: What’s “Fetch”

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Flower

that bright light!

Dottie, Candy and I ran upstairs to get Mom and that Man out of bed, because they’re being lazy again. Mom was holding that little box again, which kept shining a bright light at us and making clicking noises. That was weird because she usually does that downstairs. She must have carried it upstairs with her last night.

She wouldn’t get up, and we got tired of waiting, so we all tinkled on the carpet. Of course, we each picked a good spot. One of us did number two, too, but Mom didn’t know who did it. We’ll never tell. We all looked at each other when we heard her say, “Great. They think our bedroom is a potty box.”

fetch?

We finally got to go outside and eat! That is always so exciting. Mom brought this round thing outside afterwards and threw it, asking us to “fetch,” whatever that means. Dottie and I weren’t interested, but Candy chased it, grabbed it, carried it a little way and then dropped it. I wonder if that is fetching?

the table where bad things happen

Things were going great, but when we came inside, Mom picked me up and sat me on that table where bad things happen!! However, she didn’t pick up that thing that makes a lot of noise and cuts off my fur. Instead, she gave me a treat and petted me, then she put me down. That wasn’t bad.

Later, Mom gave us this flat, white thing that was fun to chew on. She said it was something called a Flip. It didn’t have much taste, but it was fun.

scary man

We were all cozy in our area, and then that Man started talking to us and then came over to our private area, uninvited! We know Men want to hurt us, so we ran like crazy. He tried to pretend he was nice, by giving us hot dog pieces, but we know he has something very sinister in mind. I jumped on the couch so Mom would protect me. I couldn’t help it, though; when he held out more hot dog pieces, I took them.

Still, I don’t trust him! Or any man! In fact, I don’t trust anyone, except I trust Mom just a little. While I was running away from that Man, I couldn’t help it. I did number two on the floor. Well, it’s his fault. I heard Mom say that I need a counselor. Is that true?

Same Shih Tzu, Different Day

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

Category Archives: Poop Parade