Category Archives: Visitors

Shih Tzu Day 25: Unsociable Shih Tzus

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harmonious shih tzus

All the shih tzus came up to get me this morning. Waldo (one of my nicknames for Shiloh) stood by while they danced, until we went into the kitchen, and then he participated in a mild fashion. I think he’s getting tired of me telling him not to scratch my legs.

John didn’t come down with me, since we had stayed up late last night with our visitors, Nikki and Clarke, watching music videos. After the shih tzus and I came in from their outdoor breakfast, they acted like they wanted to play again, instead of going right back to their corner, like they usually do.

But, company and a houseful of dogs have been slowing me down, and I needed to do a little work. I settled on the couch with my laptop, letting Dottie up when she put her paws up on the couch for assistance. Flower lay down on the floor by my feet. I thought Candy was back in their safe zone, but then I realized she was sitting in front of my feet, chewing on a Pork Chomp, but the laptop was blocking me from seeing her. Whenever I’d look at Flower, her tail would wag. The harmony and contentment made me happy. As for Shiloh, it made him bored and he bounded back upstairs.

Dottie Takes Her Second Car Ride in the Jeep

We again put Shiloh in the kennel before we went to pick up mom for breakfast in Boulder. We had to come back home and get Nikki and Clarke so I decided to take Dottie with us for the fifteen-minute car ride. She shook in the Jeep at first, but otherwise did good.Dottie on her second car ride

Our breakfast took more time than we thought it would, so we instructed my stepdaughter Leticia to have the children change into their swimsuits and swim for a while before we got there. Gabe drove up with Crystal and her daughter, Avi, when we were leaving to go to the store for lunch fixings, so we told him to go on in.

When we got back, the shih tzus were all huddled in their corner. I moved everyone to the garage, where we were going to eat, so they could have a little peace. Nikki and Clarke decided they were going to get on the road before lunch, so they said their goodbyes to us and Shiloh, leaving the shih tzus with two less people to watch warily.

I thought the shih tzus might be a little more comfortable with people, so I told Evita to come and say hi. However, Dottie growled at her, so I warned them that they should say their hellos from a distance.

Shiloh Takes a Walk — or Twenty

After we ate, we brought Shiloh out on his leash, and I brought Dottie outside to sit with me for awhile while people took turns playing ping ping and riding our bikes. Rema, Oriana, Evita, Dulcea and Avi took turns taking Shiloh for walks. Shiloh loved the attention and the walks.

Our granddaughter, Dulcea, walks ShilohThings didn’t go perfectly with Shiloh, however. He did growl at a couple of the kids, so we kept an eye on him. He also growled and barked at the neighbor’s dog when it walked by. Shiloh growled at the neighbor’s big dog, hair standing up. He is a great dog, but I think he definitely needs a watchful eye on him.

They’re Gone!

Once everyone left, the ewoks emerged from their corner. True, we lured them out with treats, which John fed them. The shih tzus will probably be very happy to know that they will be visitor free at least until next weekend, when the kids and grandchildren descend on the house again.

Shih Tzu Day 24: Mama’s Little Angel Devils

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Shih Tzu Confusion

John spent quite a bit of time in the garage, trying to figure out why the garage door would go down most of the way, and then go back up. Each time it went down and then back up, three little shih tzus would run out of their corner, dash halfway across the living room and halt, realizing that I was sitting on the couch. They associate the sound of the garage door opening and closing with me coming home, so the noise really played with their furry little heads.

When we left to go to the zoo with Nikki and Clarke, we put Shiloh in the kennel, to be on the safe side. After we got back, they left for date night downtown. I picked Candy up and set her down on the couch between John and me. She sat there patiently for a few minutes, before sauntering off the couch and going back to their corner. Then, for some reason, Dottie and Flower trotted out and greeted me, wagging their tails. They must have thought there was a treat waiting for them somewhere. It looks like we are getting beyond the stage of them staying as far away from John as possible. They might not greet him with dancing, like they do me, but they tolerate his presence better.

Shiloh, the TV Dog

Shiloh growls at the TVShiloh provided us with a little entertainment tonight. We had decided to watch “Bloodworth.” In the first few minutes, a dog begins barking at a mailman. Shiloh ran up, put his paws on the TV, growled and barked. When I rewound it to see what we had missed, he did the same thing.

The Shih Tzus Run to Mama for Protection

All three shih tzus on the couch at the same time for first timeWhen Nikki and Clarke got back from their date night, Shiloh mainly sat on the couch with them, enjoying his new friends. However, he was sitting on the floor with John for a while. Suddenly, we heard growling, like Shiloh had done earlier to Nikki and Clarke and to John.The growling turned to a strange howling when John swiftly turned the dog over on its back and held him down. He held up his hand and  showed us where Shiloh had bit him. Nikki and Clarke were shocked, so John explained that Shiloh was increasingly showing more signs of aggression and that putting him on his back showed Shiloh that he wasn’t the one dominating the situation.

When Shiloh began shrieking, three scared little shih tzus ran up to the couch and jumped for it, landing by Dottie and me. It was the first time all three of the girls had ever been on the couch with me. In fact, Candy has never jumped on the couch when I was on it. Flower does on rare occasions, although Dottie usually comes up to the couch several times in the day wanting me to pick her up. They sat there for probably ten minutes before Flower and Candy got back down.

In the meantime, John took Shiloh for a walk. When they came back, John sat down on the couch besides me and Shiloh jumped up and sat beside him. He was docile when he went upstairs with us to bed.

Shih Tzu Day 23: Shiloh Leads the Way

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Shiloh Leads the Way

Since Nikki and Clarke were visiting, we set up the ping pong table in the garage and fixed pomegranate margaritas. Shiloh went in the garage with John and our guests, while I stayed inside briefly.

Our neighbor, Kelsey, came by to meet the shih tzu sisters. At least Dottie and Candy let her pet them, although I don’t think Flower did. When her husband, Todd, came in, Dottie took Flower’s cue, growling with her.

Kelsey and Todd brought some friends over later. One of them, Jason, brought his 10-pound Boston terrier, Shaymus, with him. He shared with me that Shaymus had also been a rescue dog, and that he had come from the National Mill Dog Rescue in Colorado Springs. We took one look at Shaymus and decided that if Shiloh was a Boston terrier, he definitely wasn’t completely; guesses included chihuahua or pug. I wish I would have taken a picture, since I have been trying to document all the pets and people who visit and the reaction of the shih tzus and Shiloh.

Everyone commented on what a good dog Shiloh was. He and Shaymus did have some tense moments, however. They circled each other and one of them growled. It didn’t look friendly to me, so I moved Shiloh away.

Jason told me about a pet food that he feeds Shaymus called Taste of the Wild. He gives it to him because it’s high in protein. He gets it from a pet supply place that sounded interested. It’s called Mouthfuls, and it’s near one of the Sunflower Markets I go to, so I’ll visit it next time I go there.

Shih Tzu Day 21 Highlight: Forever Home!

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Dottie, Candy and Flower Freeze Have a Forever Home

Candy is oblivious that she was just adoptedI have known for a week that Delores and I would be discussing something very important today: adoption. She brought over the paperwork for me to sign after the visit to the vet.

Although it was a very momentous occasion to me, and the shih tzus — ! — things were a little too hectic at the house when I signed the papers to be able to pause and celebrate the moment.

Shiloh Explores While Candy and Flower Bathe

Dottie would be happy to know she has found a forever homeFirst, when we got home, we let Shiloh out of the kennel, and she started roaming around the house. While she explored, Delores and I took Candy and Flower into the kitchen to give them a bath, blocking their exit with a baby gate. I couldn’t catch Flower right away, so we bathed Candy first. She was nervous, but she, like Dottie, she did fine. I was surprised that Flower did too. Both were very docile while wrapped in the towel for drying.

As soon as I let Candy go, she took the first opportunity to go and roll in the dirt in the garden.

Did I hear someone say I've been adopted?Although Dottie and Candy mainly acted as if Shiloh wasn’t there, Flower looked at the intrusion differently. I was concerned when it looked fisticuffs was inevitable, but Delores thought they were just playing. I’m still not sure about that.

In the meantime, Peek-a-boo found a way to get up on the table, and decided to lounge there. Miss Muffett made herself at home on the couch. With so many canines in the house, I feebly asked her to get down, but then gave up.

Adoption Day

When Delores asked if I was ready to sign the papers, transferring the shih tzus from BFF Rescue to us, I realized that I was. It was a big step — a lot bigger than being foster parents — but it was a step I was ready to take. I love these little ewok princesses!

As I looked over the paperwork she had brought with her, I noted their names: Dottie Rose Ann, sired by Ringo Boy Stein, and the dam, Kiyanne Rose Stein, on 9/17/2005; Frosty Iris Candy, also sired by Ringo Boy Stein, with dam Saki Grace Stein, on 4/30/2009; and Golden Flower, sired by Ringo Boy Stein (busy, busy boy!) and dam Sasa Nicole Stein.

I was happy! I was now the Forever Mom of three precious, although slightly dysfunctional, little girls!

Shih Tzu Day 21: A Temporary Dog Guest

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A Dog Named Shiloh Visits the Shih Tzu Sisters

When we first arrived at the veterinary clinic,  a small black and white dog named Shiloh came up to greet Delores. I asked who Shiloh belonged to. Delores told me a sad story, like so many sad pet stories.

We came back from the vet with an extra dog.

Shiloh had been the only dog of a family for many years. However, when a new dog entered the home, an incident between the two dogs and a bagel led to a tussle over the food and Shiloh accidentally biting a child. Shiloh’s people decided they didn’t want him anymore, and he ended up at the veterinary clinic.

Out of the goodness of her heart, Doctor Anna decided to look after Shiloh until they could find him a home. Shiloh hung out at the clinic, greeting people and pets when they came in. He had been hanging out there for about a month.

I also met a foster dog named Pumpkin. While we were waiting for Muffie to get a chip, I talked to the cocker spaniel’s foster mom in the lobby. She told me that she fostered Pumpkin through a local cocker spaniel rescue. She had fostered 64 dogs in the last two years — !! — even fostering seven at one time. I asked her how she did it, without getting too attached to them. She told me that it happened the first few times, but it got easier, and she was always happy when they went to good homes.

As I talked to her, I thought of Shiloh. I didn’t know how Dottie, Flower and Candy would take it, but I thought maybe we could bring Shiloh home just until BFF Rescue found him a home. I mentioned it to Delores, and she was very happy with the idea.

My mother has a terrier that she adores. John has mentioned liking Boston terriers before, and this dog was a Boston terrier mixed with something else. I called John and asked him if Shiloh could come home with us — definitely just as a foster dog, until BFF Rescue found him a home. He hesitated, thinking I’d gone over the bend, but he said if I thought it was a good idea, he was fine with it.

Delores said if Shiloh didn’t get along with the shih tzus, or if there was any other problem, she’d take him back off our hands. Shiloh eagerly got in his kennel, and we loaded all five dogs into Delores’ SUV. I wasn’t sure if I was making a mistake, but we’d give it a try!