Tag Archives: dancing shih tzus

Shih Tzu Day 33: Video Shy Shih Tzus

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video shy shih tzus

I was very excited about getting up, my new camera beside me, and trying to catch the dancing shih tzus on video. That didn’t happen. Dottie and Flower came up to get me this morning, doing their Sesame Street wobble and bobble at my bedside, putting their paws up on the side, and jumping up and down.

However, it was too dark, so I asked John to turn on his lamp. Of course, as soon as he did, the shih tzus stopped their routine. I tried to get them to start up again, by pretending I had gone back to sleep, but they just wandered off.

Next, I decided I would see if the “Candy committee” was waiting at the bottom of the stairs to dance and prance for me. She started to, but immediately walked away when she saw the black object in my hand. They wouldn’t perform their lion dance either, although Flower and Dottie did a few lackluster moves. I ended up getting some video of them dancing a little outside, but mainly eating. I was in the picture, and this is all about the shih tzus, so, I will try again another day.

We are trying to figure out ways to get the shih tzus more comfortable with John. When we came inside after feeding the girls, John knelt by the couch and petted Dottie. She seemed completely comfortable with it.

I left the house for a few hours to take my mom shopping. When I came back, I tried to video the shih tzus again, but they still seemed to say, “This is only for you, Mom. This is our private life.”

cheap dog toys for our shih tzus

I brought the grandchildren and shih tzus back two bags of stuffed animals I bought at a thrift store for three dollars. There had to have been at least 30 animals in the bags, including a couple of Beanie Babies. While I was putting them in the washing machine, the shih tzus barked incessantly — well, at least Flower was barking, but it sounded like at least one other. I had been gone too long and they were demanding attention.

When I came back upstairs, I took the shih tzus outside to give them a treat. Once back inside, Dottie settled in beside me on the couch, while Candy chewed on a Pork Chomp on the carpet. Flower was lying on the carpet, but she went back to Shih Tzu Central. Actually, she didn’t retreat quite that far. She took possession of the dog bed between the couch and their safe zone, where Candy usually hangs out.

Flower on the people couch

I decided I would try to approach Flower to see if she’d let me hold her. My chances are usually 50-50. She bolted out of the dog bed, but instead of running any of the places I would expect, she jumped up on the people couch, which is what I wanted anyway. She jumped back down almost immediately, but then she stole the Pork Chomps treat Candy had been gnawing on, and jumped back up. She jumped up and down a few more times. Either she really wants to sit by me, or she wants to tell Dottie that she’s claiming the people couch.

I don’t think I should say she let me pet her. It’s more like she demanded it, because as soon as I would remove my hand, she would look at me like, “Put it back.” That got a little difficult, since I was trying to type on the computer. Also, if I petted Dottie, Flower would look at me, like, “Why are you doing that?”

I tried to move Princess Flower to the left side of me, so I could at least pet her with my left hand, but she didn’t want that. Instead, I typed as long as I could with just my left hand. I finally had to give up trying to please her, knowing she’d probably jump down. While this was going on, Shiloh decided to sit on the back of the other couch, looking bored or lonely; I’m not sure which.

analyzing Candy

I have been trying to analyze Candy. I am starting to think, or to get back to thinking, that she might hold back because Flower pushes her out of the way many times. I have definitely seen that happen. I will have to keep an eye on that.

I told John that Candy would have to be his project, since Flower was so jealous. After I learn about fearful dogs, I need to learn about jealous dogs! And I need to learn how to handle fearful/spoiled dogs that bark constantly.

Since Flower seems to try to block any overtures towards Candy, I stayed outside with her when the other dogs went in. I tried to pick her up, and she ran off a few feet, but then stopped so I could pick her up. I held her for a few minutes, showed her the rainbow that had appeared and talked to her.

When I passed out Pork Chomps Big Blast dog chews to the shih tzus, I was glad to see Dottie chewing on one. She doesn’t seem to like, or perhaps be capable of, chewing many of the treats. I never know if she’s just picky, or has problems eating them due to her teeth.

Shih Tzu Day 31: One-Month Anniversary With the Shih Tzu Sisters

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Look Mom! Don't we look like a two-headed shih tzu?

one month with the shih tzu sisters

It is the one-month anniversary of when the shih tzu sisters came to live with us as our foster dogs. John and I went out to a diner for breakfast and then went to Best Buy, in search of a small camera that will take videos. I want to capture the dancing shih tzu sisters and their feisty behavior with Shiloh, plus I don’t want to do any further training with any of them without documenting it. We can also start taking videos of the children and grandchildren when they visit.

Some days it is so boring here!I intended to get a Nikon, but chose a Canon instead, knowing I have two weeks to decide if I want to keep it. We also went to Wal-Mart to buy some different Milo’s Kitchen treats. PetSmart has been running a special that if you buy three bags of a certain size of Milo’s Kitchen, Pup-Peroni or Milk Bone products you get a bag free. I figured out that would be approximately $60 for four of the size bags I buy; at Wal-Mart’s prices, if I buy four of the 18 to 20 oz. bags, at regular price, it’s less than $50. I bought the chicken jerky, which is a staple in our house, as well as chicken meatballs and beef jerky pieces.

We gave the girls a sampling of the two new treats and, of course, they loved them. John commented that it smelled good enough for us to eat. I agree that Milo’s has some good-smelling dog treats.

Chinese Food for the Chinese Dogs

John and I had Chinese food and wine. He joked that since they were Chinese dogs, they’d probably like the food. Although the Mongolian beef would have been too spicy, they probably would have loved the sweet and sour chicken, but I didn’t give them any. I did give them a couple of noodles from the combination lo mein, which they loved.

How Far We’ve Come

When we first brought the girls home, they spent a lot of time huddled together in their pen. We will never know why they were so afraid, but I know that is common in puppy mill dogs. They still huddle together in the corner, but not as often and usually not out of fear. I think it’s comforting, and they like each other.

Maybe I'll be more comfortable in this position.

Now, however, they basically just have a divider, behind which they can feel secure, when they need to, but they can exit it quickly as well. This afternoon is a good example of how far we’ve come. At one point, Flower was on her couch, Candy was on her chair and Dottie was next to me. Dottie seemed content and sleepy. Candy and Flower looked bored.

Dottie sat beside me for quite a while. Flower spent a little time flirting with Shiloh. While I was writing that in my dog journal, she ran up and jumped up on the couch, as if she knew I was writing about her.

Flower sat with me and Dottie on the couch for a while. They were sitting one on either side, until Flower jumped over by Dottie.

Later, Flower was lying on her couch. She made me laugh because she had her chin on the front edge of it, and her face was so scrunched up. Then I looked at Candy on the chair, and she looked the same way. Flower got so bored with life that she ignored the fact that John was on the couch next to me and came up and rubbed against my feet, and then put her paws up on the couch, before lying down at the edge of the carpet.

Shiloh, aka Rover, lounged in his kennel for a while. I’m not sure what was going on over there, maybe a fly invading his space (he hates flies!), but he growled and scared the bajeebers out of Flower, causing her to jump down from her perch on the couch.