Shih Tzu Day 392 (July 25): Nutro Small Breed Taste-Testing Party!

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Di Freeze

Nutro taste-testing party preparation

table with Nutro crunchy treats.

Well, it finally happened—our Nutro small breed taste-testing party! The day began with washing dog blankets and beds, and then, I managed to get all four shih tzus bathed. John couldn’t help before leaving for work, so I did it myself, as quickly as possible. I towel dried them but then let them air dry.

I wanted to make a fresh batch of doggy hors d’oeuvres, even though the dogs would be sampling Nutro biscuits and treats. I made a quick trip to the store for apples and sweet potatoes and made all three of our shih tzus’ regular treats: apple and chicken, sweet potato and chicken, and chicken jerky.

Leticia came over at 2 o’clock, with Oriana, Rema, Junior, Evita, and Cea, my party committee. Their job was to set up the taste-testing table in the backyard, putting out the pomegranate, banana, peanut butter, and apple treats, as well as the reading material supplied by Nutro. They also had the responsibility of filling the goody bags. Nutro sent 10 gift bags, dog bowls, collars, packages of wet food, and 4 lb. bags of Nutro Natural Small Breed kibble. They also sent picture frames, decorations, and glue.

While the children took care of their tasks, Leticia and I did the shopping. Nutro had graciously given us a Visa card for people food, so we bought lots of fruit for a big fruit bowl (which she decorated with the top of the pineapple), veggies, pickles, olives, a variety of rolls, meats, cheeses, flavored mustards, sweet potato tortilla chips, and Pringles.

I also picked up Apothic white and Apothic red wine as well as a bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, and Crystal Light appletini and lemonade for the children. When we got back, Leticia was on food detail, with Junior helping, while I checked on the taste-testing table, which looked great.

Guests begin to arrive

Our first guest, John’s sister Lynda, arrived at 6 o’clock. Shortly after that, our neighbor Jan arrived with her cockatoo Chelsea Girl.

Our first dog guests arrived a little later. Many of our readers know how we came to have our shih tzus, but I will relate the story briefly, since it has to do with these guests. John had been particularly close to our Yorkie Joey, and when she died, he wasn’t sure if he wanted another dog. I always told him, though, that I didn’t want another one—I wanted several, and I wanted a variety, like Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne’s clan.

In early 2011, I met a sweet foster dog at PetSmart named Bella. I found out she was a shih tzu. A little later, my niece Heather had a party and I befriended a shih tzu there. After those two encounters, I was sure I wanted a shih tzu. John and I were taking a bike ride one Saturday morning that June when he pointed out a dog running on the bike path. It looked like a shih tzu—a very scared shih tzu running for its life.

We ended up finally catching the dog, after chasing her for two miles, and bringing her home with us. Over the next 48 hours or so, I came to really like Rosey. That Monday, though, I made a trip to PetSmart’s clinic; they checked her for a chip, found one, and tracked down the shih tzu’s owner, Jane. As it turned out, Rosey lived with another shih tzu (Tuffy) and a maltese (Mimi). They were very happy to get her back.

I knew I was going to miss Rosey. That incident led to me looking online for a shih tzu to adopt, and eventually, to us taking in Flower, Dottie, Candy, and last but not least, Nigel. Last week, when I was making out my invitation list for the party, I thought about Jane, Rosey, Tuffy, and Mimi. I didn’t have Jane’s number, but I knew where they lived, so I stopped by and extended an invitation. I wasn’t sure if they would show up, so I was very happy to see them at the door, with Jane’s sister Kathy, and her schnauzer-Chinese crested, Beau.

The next guests to arrive were our neighbors, Todd and Kelsey Silvernail, with their new boxer puppy Dexter, their friend Chad, his dog BeBe, and Shaymus, a friend’s Boston terrier that we had met previously. Although this was a small breed taste-testing party, we didn’t discriminate against bigger dogs like BeBe!

When another neighbor, Dorothy, showed up with her dog Chloe and Max, her daughter’s Yorkie, I was surprised to find out that she knew Jane. Their sons had been in band together years ago, and it had been a while since they’d seen each other.

Beau made a new people friend (Chad). With their arrival, we had nine doggy guests! Other people guests to join the festivities included my friend Karleen and her daughter Cassidy, as well as another friend, Susan, and her daughter Allison.

Party poopers

I would love to be able to say that Flower, Candy, and Dottie enjoyed the festivities, but, sadly, they did not. When I take them walking (a recent big victory!), Flower tries to run up and investigate any dog. You would think she would be more comfortable in her own home, but her and Dottie withdrew to Shih Tzu Central as soon as people and dogs started showing up, and Candy retreated to her corner outside. Nigel, of course, greeted each person and dog.

After the party had been going for sometime, I carried Candy over to Cassidy, to get a picture of them near the taste-testing table. Candy might not have enjoyed it, but she stayed still, and Dottie allowed Cea to hold her a while. I was encouraged and carried Flower over to Lynda. Flower did what she used to do when she was afraid—pooped on Lynda’s foot, and then jumped out of her arms and ran for the backdoor. I brought her back out later, and as long as I held her she was okay, but she had no interest in joining any of the dog activities.

Taste-testing

Since it was a taste-testing party, we had good intentions of seeing which dogs liked which Nutro treats best. I didn’t taste any, but as far as scent, the pomegranate was my favorite. Beau and Nigel seemed to like all of the flavors.

Shaymus seemed fondest of the peanut butter treats and the banana ones. We had written down more results on the banners by the treats, but the wind picked up and blew them around the yard, so we couldn’t tell which results went with which treats.

Cassidy and Candy at the Nutro taste-testing table.

(After the party, I tried the taste test again with our female shih tzus, since they wouldn’t try anything with guests around. I have never been able to get them to eat crunchy treats, but Flower tried all of the flavors, and ate all of them but the banana, which she spit out. Dottie and Candy sniffed, and then politely turned their finicky noses away.)

Sendoff

Jane and Kathy had planned on only staying a few minutes, and although they were the first to leave, they were there for much longer. Kathy said we had given Beau the best night of his life! I think we said goodbye to our last guests around 9 o’clock.

As each person got ready to leave, Rema handed out a bag of goodies for each dog. We were given a coupon book that we could give to one lucky winner, bearing 12 $35 coupons for a free 15 lb. bag of Nutro Natural Choice dog food.

I was so happy with the turnout, though, that I passed the coupons out to all the guests instead. Thanks Nutro, for giving us this opportunity to bring together dogs, family, friends, and neighbors, for a great time! The only thing that would have made the party more complete is if our dog blog friends from around the world would have been able to join us! Please visit our Facebook page for more pictures!

Shih Tzu Day 367: One Year Anniversary at Forever Home!

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Di Freeze

This is Shih Tzu Day 367, the one-year anniversary of when Dottie, Candy, and Flower came to live with us (this year happened to have 29 days in February), on June 30, 2011.

I know I have to catch up on the last month, but I don’t want to miss the opportunity to write about today. Since we have gotten all of the dogs at least semi used to walking on a leash, I decided it would be fun to take them out in public, particularly since there was an event that sounded fun.

I accidentally ran across an Unleashed by Petco a few weeks ago. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a “mini” Petco. I was further surprised to find out that one had opened up just a couple of miles from our home. As it turned out, it was having a grand opening this weekend.

Why I thought it would be fun to take the shih tzus to it was because I got an email (because I have a PALS card) talking about the giveaways and discounts for the weekend, as well as an ice cream social, from 11 to 3 today. I had been trying to decide what to do for our anniversary, and I thought that sounded very celebratory. I didn’t know if they would be too nervous to eat ice cream there, but it sounded worth trying. Also, I like the harness I had fitted for Flower at Petco last week, so I wanted to get one for her shih tzu sisters.

It wasn’t too difficult to get them all in the back seat of the car, especially since we went through the same drill earlier in the week to take Flower, Candy and Dottie in for shots, with Nigel tagging along. Dottie was shaking, but the other shih tzus were pretty calm.

We got to Unleashed at 1, and I immediately asked someone if they could help us fit Dottie and Candy with harnesses. The woman I asked sent Patrice over to help us, and I told her that Flower had a medium, but she was a couple pounds smaller and might need a small. Patrice was going to try both sizes on Candy, but she was puzzled at how to get it on her. I have to admit that it took me a

while to figure it out too, and I had been putting one on Flower for days. I was holding onto Flower and Nigel, so I couldn’t show her. With John’s help, we eventually decided she needed a medium too, and, even though Dottie is five pounds heavier, she took the same size.

That process was a little hectic. Dottie sat by Patrice throughout the fittings, but there were lots of people and dogs there, and Nigel kept trying to go make friends with other dogs. I had to keep pulling him back, until Ted, another Petco associate, came up and played with him.

I had intended on taking pictures, but my plan went awry. I didn’t know my battery was nearly dead on my Nikon and my iPhone battery was nearly dead from listening to Pandora on a bike ride earlier with John. I still managed to get several pictures taken before the batteries died.

Once we had accomplished the harness fitting, I asked where the ice cream was. It was disappointing to learn that although we had arrived at 1, they had already run out of ice cream. My mind was set on it, so I ended up buying some (SweetSpots peanut butter and honey) to take home.

I also talked to a Natural Balance representative about trying yet another kibble type, since the shih tzus don’t seem too jazzed about any of the kinds I’ve been given them. I ended up buying Alpha Dog, with lamb, chicken meal and rabbit. They also gave me some other samples to try.

Flower was the biggest problem child. She was pretty good when we were working on the harnesses, but later, when I went by the front door, she tried to exit. She didn’t care if it was with or without me. I think she’s going into her rebellious shih tzu teen years!

Although there was no free ice cream, we did get two pounds of free dog treats from the treat bar on the way out (Nigel is our only shih tzu that really likes biscuit-type dog treats). We also got two $5 coupons to spend when we came in, and there were two more in the bags we got. I’ll use one to get Nigel a harness later.

Our outing was a little nerve-wracking, but we got through it. When we got home, I had John slice up some chicken for me so I could make them chicken and apple and chicken and sweet potato treats. Once I had everything in the dehydrator, we put a variety of treats on a tray, including the doggie ice cream, and took them outside for their own exclusive ice cream social. Flower and Nigel loved the ice cream, although Dottie didn’t seem to care for it, and Candy would only eat it if I put it on my finger and had her lick it off. Candy preferred the chicken jerky I put out and Dottie the rawhide that I wrap fresh chicken around and dehydrate. It wasn’t the party I planned, but I don’t think they have any complaints.

I know Flower, Candy, and Dottie don’t understand what this anniversary means, but it has been a time for us to look back and reflect. We had some main goals this past year, including getting them used to me, getting them used to John, getting them used to guests, getting them to ride in a car without fear, getting them to walk on a leash, getting them to like going for walks, and getting them house trained.

We aren’t completely there, but I think we have made leaps and bounds. Flower can’t wait to go on walks. Candy and Dottie will go, but they don’t love it yet. Dottie still shakes in the car, but Flower and Candy don’t. Flower, in fact, jumped in the front to ride with me the last two times she went for a car ride. She also got through a vet visit without pooping on me or the vet. They all wag their tails when I or John comes home, and they will take treats from guests, although visitors aren’t their favorite pastime.

Yes, we are very happy with the progress we’ve made, and we can’t wait to see what progress we make in the coming year. Happy anniversary, Dottie, Candy, and Flower! We love you!

Oh, and we want to thank everyone who is cheering us on and sharing the journey with us!

Shih Tzu Day 356: Vet & Escape

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Di Freeze

June 19, 2012

Vet Visit

Flower and Nigel on the way to the vet.

Nigel hasn’t been feeling good, so I decided to make a vet appointment for him and take Flower in for her annual checkup at Clear Creek Animal Hospital. I put her and Nigel on a couple, and she did well in the car on the way to the appointment. She also did well in the lobby and in the exam room, although she did pee on the floor. I was very proud that she let Dr. Lindsey examine her. It was quite different than her exam last year!

Flower’s checkup with Dr. Lindsey.

I shared with Dr. Lindsey how she had been kicked out of grooming class but how she has improved so much since then. She was also good with the other dogs in the lobby on our way out. I stopped at McDonald’s for a Coke and then decided to take her and Nigel into Petco to try on harnesses. And there the perfect morning ended!

The Great Shih Tzu Escape

As we were coming up to the door to enter Petco, it opened and the noise scared her. She bolted, pulled out of the harness she was wearing, and ran out into the parking lot. I was frantically trying to figure out how I was going to hold Nigel and chase her when a woman near the door asked if I wanted her to hold Nigel’s leash. I quickly handed it to her and took off running after Flower.

Flower's new harness, which hopefully is escape-proof.

My hope is that Flower won’t be able to pull out of her new harness and escape!

I chased Flower for five minutes, calling her name, trying to keep my voice calm. She was getting dangerously close to the road, and I was panicking, thinking, “All that hard work and she gets hit by a car!” She finally slowed down and stopped on a grass area near feet from the road. I sat down, opened my purse and pulled out the heartworm treat from the vet, and then coaxed her to me. When she came close enough, I grabbed her. When I finally got back to the door, I thanked the woman profusely for watching Nigel and took them both inside. I found someone to help me fit Flower for a harness that I hope will be escape free!

Take Your Dog to Work Day, Friday, June 22

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Flower

It’s been a while since we’ve posted! We’ve been very busy and Mom hasn’t been much help with our Twitter account and is behind talking about our lives at the Freeze home. She promises to catch up soon, because A LOT has been happening here!

In the meantime, we ran across this information on the 14th annual Pet Sitters International “Take Your Dog to Work Day,” which is Friday, June 22.

We’re lucky. Mom has an office at home, so, technically, we go with her to work everyday. Nigel and Dottie sit on the couch with her most of the time. I jump up to see what’s going on now and then. Since all dogs aren’t that lucky, we want all the Humans out there planning to take dogs like us to work to be prepared. Follow these helpful tips by celebrity dog trainer, animal behaviorist and radio host Harrison Forbes.

Practice Makes Perfect: Before to bringing your dog into the office, practice polite behavior by taking them out to public places. Letting Fido tag along on your next trip to the park, pet store or café patio will help them become more acclimated to new people, places and animals. This will help them learn proper behavior when greeting people and help them relax in new settings.

Plan, Prepare and Protect: Plan ahead and check with your co-workers to make sure everyone is allergy-free and comfortable with dogs. Also, prepare your work space by hiding electrical cords, and setting out a dog bed and water bowl. Most importantly, make sure your pet is up-to-date on vaccines and protected from fleas and ticks that can be passed from other four-legged office mates. Use a monthly topical treatment like PetArmor®, which is the fipronil-based preventative that offers the same protection as Frontline® at about half the cost.

Walk This Way: Learn leash manners before stepping foot into the building. A trick to combat leash pulling is to stop walking or stop and walk in the opposite direction. When the dog stops and the leash becomes loose, start walking again. Repeat this exercise until your dog learns to walk with you instead of pulling ahead. This can be a long and frustrating process, but it will be effective in the long-term.

Sit and Stay: Condition your dog to sit and stay on command. This is the proper way to greet co-workers, and will help ensure your work day is productive. Teach “sit” and “down” by practicing ahead of time out in public, and offering a small treat for every successful command. Keep training sessions short and gradually build up to an hour. Once at work, encourage your dog to sit or lie down in its bed while in you’re working in your office.

Getting to Know You: Avoid office disputes by asking permission before you allow your dog to greet another dog, and don’t force your dog to become ‘friends’ with another dog; let them meet in their own time. Try to keep a loose leash when introducing your dog to another. Pulling tightly on the leash may cause your dog to become nervous and to growl or snap.

Shih Tzu Week 48: May 24 (Day 330) – 30 (Day 336), 2012

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Di Freeze

Day 330: May 24

Thursday

The dogs all took a vote. I don’t think they like the training pad holder. I put a training pad on the spot where someone always pees before we get up. This morning, there were two wet spots and a mound of brown stuff there. The training pad in the holder was clean, however.

I was brave and took the three little ones for walks. I am not sure how that is supposed to be done. They kept moving from one side to another, tangling me up, until I final cut it short. If I go to a dog obedience class, will I learn how to walk three shih tzus at a time?

It seems like I spend a lot of time these days making dog treats. Today, it was a new batch of chicken and apple and chicken and sweet potato treats.

It seems like the shih tzus spend a lot of time sleeping these days: Dottie because she is older, Nigel because he is younger, and Flower and Candy because they don’t know what else to do. Flower always looks so bored. Can suggest what to do to prevent shih tzus from being bored?

Day 331: May 25

Friday

Dottie followed Nigel in through the Magic Mesh screen door this morning. It doesn’t seem to work like the commercial says, because their weight won’t push it, but at least he knows to push and then duck under it.

I have been working in the spare bedroom, so Nigel, Flower and Dottie come to join me. Flower has learned she can jump on the bed, so she lies on it and watches me.

Day 332: May 26

Saturday

Flower hasn’t been barking at John very often. Today, she went to his side of the bed without barking and let him pet her.

Day 333: May 27

Sunday

Today was a red-letter days. Leticia and her kids and Chris and her son came over at 12:30 for a barbecue. Candy fled outside. The other two female shih tzus went to the dining room corner, as close as they could be to me, since I was in the kitchen. When we ate, Dottie positioned herself by my feet.

Later, all the dogs tried to escape the noise inside by going outside. I sat down on the porch and Rema walked out into the yard a ways and held out a treat. Flower was hesitant, but she finally came and took one. She also took one from Chris’ little boy, who ate more treats than he passed out. Luckily, since I make them, I know what’s in them, and they are good enough to be people food!

Candy either stayed in the shed John kept open for her as a giant doghouse, or near it. She let Rema pet her but wouldn’t take a treat. She did eat what Rema put on the ground after she left though.

Flower and Dottie came in on their own, and I brought Candy in. Later, when people were still there, I noticed that instead of being huddled together in the large doggie bed, like they did before when they were scared, they were each lying in their own beds, so they are getting better.

After they left, Candy and Dottie were sitting next to me and Nigel next to John. I sat Flower on my lap, and her butt eventually migrated next to Nigel’s. John started petted her. She stayed there half on my lap, half between us for probably 20 minutes while he petted her, and she would look back at him when he stopped. That was a first. We truly have come a long way in 11 months. The funny thing is that Flower has progressed the most, but I still assume it’s her peeing in front of the TV.

Day 334: May 28

Monday

It is very amusing to watch the shih tzus in action sometimes. This morning, Nigel was perched on the couch with his chicken-covered rawhide stick. Candy barked from outside and he jumped down to find out why, leaving his stick on the edge for a brief second—just long enough for Flower to snatch it and run to Central. You would have almost thought they had tag teamed him. Later, however, I noticed Candy was minus a stick and Nigel had one, so I think he retaliated and took hers.

I bought the sticks this time from Target. They are a lot cheaper than what I get from PetSmart, but they aren’t covered with as much chicken, so the shih tzus don’t seem to like them as much.

John helped me take all of the dogs for a Memorial Day walk. They looked like a Shih Tzu Merry Go Round or dog sled team. It was difficult to keep them all together, going the right way, but we did it.

Day 335: May 29

Tuesday

I brought Candy up to sleep with us last night. She woke me up at 6 o’clock, prancing around the bed. I don’t know if that was a wee-wee dance or I’m-glad-to-see-you dance.

I had to wash my couch cushion cover today because Flower peed on it. It’s possible that she did it because Candy wasn’t downstairs. I don’t think she likes when things are not normal.

Day 336: May 30

Wednesday

John was eating a piece of toast this morning and Flower came up and put her front paws on his leg. That is the first time she’s done that. The only time she ever touches him is when he is walking into the kitchen to get food and she hits the back of his legs with her front paws.

I took Mom shopping. After I dropped her off I went to Petco and bought some Espree bright white shampoo, to see if it will make Flower’s fur brighter. I think it could be really pretty, but it looks dingy near something that is truly white. I also bought a coupler to see about walking two of the dogs on it.

Same Shih Tzu, Different Day

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

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