Category Archives: Dog Food & Treats

Shih Tzu Day 15: Morning Salutation

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Morning Salutation of the Shih Tzus

The shih tzus sure like those midnight hours. Candy and maybe someone else began barking at about 3:30. The barking stopped for about 20 minutes and then began again. I decided it was time to start turning the TV off at night, no matter how long it takes to warm up in the morning. John went down and turned it off. I don’t know if the shih tzus stopping barking because he came down and told them to or because the TV distraction was gone, but they did let me sleep for a couple of hours before starting up again.

I got them all to go outside this morning, but then Flower came back in and I couldn’t convince her to go out again, so I fed her inside.

The Waiting Game

Dottie followed me upstairs most of the times I had to go up them today. Once she was there, she just sat in the hall and waited for me, then followed me down again.

Candy was on the couch when I came back from Walmart. She jumped off, but instead of running to the pen, as usual, she ran to meet me. So did Dottie. Flower hung behind in the pen. I think she waits to see if that Man is with me.

Canyon Creek and Kong

Candy and the Kong teddy bearCandy keeps a watchful paw on the Kong teddy bear.

I gave the dogs a new treat: Canyon Creek Ranch Big Blast duck wrapped pork skin with liver centers. Whew. That’s a lot to say. They loved unraveling it. I also bought them a little Kong teddy bear. Candy carried it up on the couch with her.

Flower and Candy also love to bring their treats up on their couch with them. At one point, I looked up from the computer and saw Flower contentedly gnawing away at her treat on her couch. Candy was at the other end of the living room, sitting on the carpet doing the same thing. Dottie had wandered over to my couch and was burrowing between the throw and the couch, wrapping it award her. I thought of the importance of the fact that they were that comfortable, instead of huddling together in their pen, with Dottie shaking, Flower growling, and Candy looking frightened.

Dottie has begun coming up to me on the couch and wanting up. She can’t seem to jump that high successfully, so I pick her up and she lies next to me while I work.

Shih Tzu Day 14: Tweeting on Twitter

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Flower, Dottie and Candy, Twitter Profile PicFlower, Dottie and Candy pose for their Twitter profile pic.

I have signed the shih tzu sisters up for their own Twitter account, under ShihTzuSisters. They’d love for you to follow them!

Dottie and Flower waited until 6:30 to come up the stairs this morning. Flower stayed in the bathroom, but Dottie came up to the bed and let me pick her up. Although Candy didn’t go upstairs, she was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when I came down, and danced around as much as the others, softly biting my hand.

We had a severe lightning and thunder storm last night.The shih tzus seemed frightened, but at least they weren’t shaking. The storm left the ground drenched and muddy, so I didn’t make them go outside right away. I fed them by the back door. I am not sure if Candy doesn’t like the Natural Balance meat, or if she is just used to the other shih tzus taking it from her. I give them separate bowls and try to make sure they get different amounts, but it’s difficult with her, because she sometimes doesn’t seem interested right away, and then she wanders away and usually Dottie goes and grabs the best stuff out of the bowl.

We all went outside when John came down at 7. When he came out with our coffee, Flower started barking. She finally came and stood sidewise in front of me. I think she knows I can pick her up easier that way.

I was gone from 9:15 until 5, meeting a client whose book I am editing and then Deb for lunch at YaYa’s. The girls were excited when I got home. Candy seems more alert tonight. I attempted to pick up Dottie, but at first she ran. I think it’s only to impress Flower. Candy did the same thing. However, they did let me pick them up without too much fuss. Flower continues to tense up when I try to hold her inside, so I just pet her and leave her alone.

When John got home, we took the chicken jerky outside. They have eaten most of the Milo’s Kitchen chicken jerky. This time, I thought I’d try Waggin’ Train Jerky Tenders. I let them try a little of each. I couldn’t tell if they noticed a difference. Personally, I think Milo’s smells better. The girls let John feed them treats outside. Flower barked, but she eventually succumbed to the temptation.

Later, I put Dottie between us on the couch, and she let us both pet her. So did Candy. I can’t resist trying with Flower. I went into the pen and petted her and then tried to pick her up. She backed away from me a few times, but finally let me pick her up. Instead of sitting down by John, however, I sat on her couch. She seemed content to stay there with me. We sat there for about ten minutes, and then I put her down on the floor.

Shih Tzu Day 13: Flower’s Food for Thought

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Flower

Hi. It’s me, Flower. Boy, I can’t believe how late Mom sleeps in. We were up and playing around at about 5:30, attempting to make so much noise that she would have to come down, but she didn’t. Dottie finally decided to run up the stairs to try to get them. She didn’t want to go into that one room Mom always disappears in, so she just went and peeked into the bathroom, and then ran back down.

I was getting bored, so I started running and up down the stairs with her. This is kind of fun! Who needs a dog run!

I decided that I was going to see what Dottie was looking at, so I peeked through the bathroom door with her. I couldn’t see anything though! Then, Dottie went and walked right into that room! I didn’t know what she was doing. I finally went and peeked through another door, and she had her paws up on this big wooden thing. Oh, I know what that’s called. It’s a bed!

I went right in there beside her. Wow. It’s weird being in here. Mom was saying, “Come here, girls. Come over here, girls.” I could tell she was on the bed. She was hanging her arm down and wiggling her hand. I ran up and started dancing near her hand with Flower. We took turns pretending we were biting her hand. She was laughing at us. We know not to bite down too hard. We don’t want to hurt her. We just like to play.

I wanted to see what this room was like, so I started walking around. Then, I had to stop. I felt that feeling I get some time and I crouched down. Mom said, “Don’t pee there.” Too late.

Dottie kept reaching up, putting her paws on the bed. Shih tzus don’t have very long legs, so Dottie couldn’t jump up that high. Mom picked her up and I couldn’t see where she went. A few minutes later, she jumped back down and started playing with me again.

Mom finally got up at 7. We sat in the hall and waited while she got ready to come down. When she did, she went and got our three bowls of food together. The Man came downstairs and we knew what he was going to say: “Go outside.” We all ran outside, but then Candy and I ran back in. It’s kind of fun to pretend like we are going to mind, and then to suddenly scurry back inside.

By the time we went back outside, Dottie had eaten all of the food out of one of the bowls. I saw her headed towards mine! But Mom picked her up and held her, while Candy and I ate our food. Sometimes Candy’s food looks better, so we switch places, and then we switch places again.

That Man came outside. I barked once, just a little one, to tell him I was watching him, but then I went back to finish my food.

We heard a loud noise and we all ran back inside. Mom said, “It’s only a motorcycle. It won’t hurt you.” When we were sure it was gone, we came back ouside.

I went to sit between Mom’s feet a few times, before she finally picked me up. There are strange noises out here, so I kind of like it when I can sit on her lap and look around. Only when I’m outside! Inside, I don’t need to sit on her lap.

Shih Tzu Day 12: Foster Grandma Visits the Shih Tzu Sisters

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The shih tzu sisters get a visitor

shih tzu in exercise penAt least two of the shih tzu sisters came up the stairs looking for me this morning. I could glimpse Flower and Dottie out in the hall from the bed. I don’t know when they started, but I could hear someone going up and down the stairs until I got up at 7:30.

a shih tzu in an exercise penI called Mom this morning and asked her if she wanted to come by and meet the girls. She thought they were adorable. She said they looked like three old women. The girls were relatively calm when she was here. Candy and Dottie let her pet them, although Dottie growled once. She asked if she could pet Flower, but I told her she probably shouldn’t. The most fearful of the sisters was growling and she was pressed up against the back of the play yard, as far as she could go, her eyes big.

Need Chicken Jerky!

a shih tzu in cuddler. When I got home from taking Mom shopping, the shih tzu sisters were ecstatic. When I fed them their Milo’s Kitchen chicken jerky, Dottie was so excited that she accidentally bit my finger instead of grabbing the food. She didn’t draw blood; she just startled me.

I think that the girls miss their dog friends, either from their foster home at Barbara’s, or maybe even from their time at the puppy mill. When they hear barking on TV, the shih tzu sisters jump up excitedly and run in to the living room.

Shih Tzu Day 10: Eating Out of John’s Hand

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I guess I'll see what happens if I take this chicken jerky from Him.

We had a big victory this afternoon. John attempted to offer the girls the Milo’s Kitchen chicken jerky, but they huddled together at the far end of their pen. First, when they didn’t respond, he threw a couple of pieces to them. I asked him to get closer, and he walked into the pen. When he did, Flower began growling.

I pushed back the couch so they didn’t have a tunnel, and it freaked them out. Someone knocked over their water bowl. I asked John to sit down in the pen with them, as I had done at Barbara’s. Although they were frightened, Flower bravely reached for a piece of chicken jerky. Candy finally responded and took a piece from John. Then, Dottie took some. After a while, they all had taken several small pieces from him. Candy also let him pet her while she ate her jerky. Dottie also let him pet her. When he tried to pet Flower, she froze with the jerky half in and half out of her mouth, but eventually, he was able to stroke her a few times.

That was pretty good!

Later, I decided to remove the towels that had gotten wet from the water. I pulled the flexible gate out, making the space larger. Candy, the Inquisitor, started roaming in and out of the pen. Even Flower came to the end, wagging her tail, which she usually doesn’t do when John is nearby. Eventually, she went back to their communal doggy bed, where Dottie was sitting. As for Dottie, she had been shaking earlier, but she stopped while John was feeding them.