Shih Tzu Day 65: Shih Tzus All Alone

Mom’s up!

When Flower and I went to wake up Mom this morning, a little before 6 a.m., she didn’t make us wait too long before she got up. My shih tzu sisters and I thought that was a very good sign. We followed her downstairs, and Dottie was at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for us to join in our dance with her.

Why does the Treat Man and Mom think it's so cute when Candy jumps for treats?

We danced and danced and danced, grabbing Mom’s hands in our teeth playfully. Flower and I can’t help it, because we’re bigger, but we knocked Candy over a few times. Oops. She got back up and got back in the game okay.

Mom gave us our food, and then she didn’t sit back down on the couch with me right away. She was cleaning up in the kitchen and then she took a shower. When she came back downstairs, it looked like she was dressed to go somewhere. However, she sat down on the couch for a while, typing on the computer. Flower jumped up and sat with us for awhile. Usually, Mom takes the time to pet us shih tzus a lot. She did pet us, but not very much.

A <strong srcset=shih tzu on a couch.” width=”300″ height=”225″ />shih tzus home aloneĀ 

A little later, I heard Mom tell the Treat Man that she had to drive across town to meet with this man, because she is editing his life story and she had to go over things with him. She also said that she had to learn to balance her career with her life as shih tzu Mama. Sigh. I knew what the conversation meant: no telling how long she would be gone.

Mom left when the Treat Man left, telling us good-bye and kissing us on the head before she walked out the door. At first, it was fun. We ran around looking to see if she’d left any food where we could reach it. When we didn’t find any, we went upstairs to investigate Mom and the Treat Man’s bedroom. That wasn’t much fun, so we came back downstairs. Finally, we just got in our dog beds at Shih Tzu Central and took a nap.

Three shih tzus on a dog bed.Mom comes home

Mom finally came home eight hours later! We were really happy to see her, but we weren’t happy that she had been gone so long. She took us out for a treat, and then she rushed inside and started making dinner for her and the Treat Man. Speaking of the Treat Man, if I am right, I think he will be home soon. Candy gets excited when he comes home, but Flower barks like crazy, acting as if she had never met him, so I never know what to do. I usually start barking too, and then Mom says, “You silly shih tzus! That’s your Daddy! Why do you still do that?” Is the Treat Man our Daddy?

 

Shih Tzu Day 7: Flower Ventures Out

Flower ventured out into the living room on her own tonight. This is the first time I’ve seen her do it. She walked around only for a few minutes and then went back to the pen.

I spent part of the day looking for doggie beds and food and water bowls for the shih tzus. When Barbara and Delores brought them over, they brought a dark grey oval cuddler that Dottie usually lies in. However they all take turns in it. They must like it because it’s comfy; I like it because the cushion comes out and can be washed separately.

I guess the bed is okay, as long as I can chew on my Pork Chomp in it!

They also brought over a striped, rectangular dog bed, but they don’t use it very often. I started out looking for beds at PetSmart and was disappointed with the variety. I did find some colorful oval cuddlers, but they didn’t have a removable cushion. Petco was even more disappointing. TJ Maxx had some cute beds, but still, without removable cushions. I ended up getting one-piece beds, including a large, rectangular bed from Murdoch’s that all three can lie on. Then, I bought a rectangular faux leather cuddler from Costco and a red corduroy one from the third PetSmart I went to.

Flower tried out the faux leather cuddler, but they seem to prefer huddling together on the Murdoch’s bed or climbing back in the grey cuddler. I know that part of it is just that it’s what they’re used to.

I had told Delores that I had bought a ceramic dog bowl from the Dollar Tree, but she mentioned concern about lead and said that aluminum or glass is probably the best, and that dollar stores usually carried some cheaper than PetSmart. I thought the ones I found at Family Dollar were too big for shih tzus, but I did buy two for water. I ended up getting smaller ones at TX Maxx. Of course, then I saw some a little bigger (and cuter) at Ross that I might have to go back and get.

While I was looking for beds and bowls, I couldn’t resist looking at some dog clothes. Some day!

Shih Tz Prelude: Approved as Pet Foster Parents

Pet Foster Parent Approval

Delores emailed me this afternoon. She said that she would agree to us being foster parents to Dottie, Candy and Flower, on behalf of BFF Rescue, if that’s what we wanted to do. She said that the shih tzus were very sweet and just needed a chance and a loving home. She mentioned again her concern about Flower needing to move to a place where she wouldn’t be so afraid.

We had no children or teenagers at home and no other dogs. For the most part, our foster dogs would be in a calm atmosphere, except when the grandchildren descended on the house. I knew that we could offer Dottie, Candy and Flower shelter in the downstairs bathroom during those times, if it became necessary.

Delores said that since we would be foster parents, initially at least, she would send their playpen and dog beds with them. They would also supply food. She wanted me to know that foster parents usually had a short time to decide if they wanted to adopt a pet, if they thought that might be an option. If they did not want to adopt, the rescue would continue searching for a good, suitable home for them. I told Delores it wouldn’t take very long for us to decide.Delores said that because of their issues she worried that the dogs might bond with us, and that it would be hard on them to move on to another home.

I told John about the fostering idea, and he agreed that he felt better starting out that way. He also agreed to go with me to see the shih tzu sisters at 8 tomorrow morning.