Tag Archives: Dottie

Shih Tzu Day 21: Bath and Vet Time

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Dottie gets a bath

I made the momentous decision this morning to give Dottie a bath. Don’t ask me why I waited this long.

Dottie wet after bath

shih tzu after a bath

The eldest shih tzu did okay with a little grooming when Barbara, her former foster mother, was here, but I was still concerned that she would be afraid of a bath.

I was going to bathe her in the bathtub, but John thought the sink might work better.

 

She did better than I thought she would, although the blow dryer scared her. She kept gasping for breath and blowing bubbles out of her nose, which she does when she is afraid, so I finally decided to let her air dry.

Flower & Candy Visit the Vet

Delores from BFF Rescue emailed me today that she would pick up me, Flower and Dottie at one o’clock to go to the vet. Oops. I had my days off. I thought vet day was tomorrow.

We talked last week about concerns I had regarding Flower and Candy that I wanted to discuss with the vet. Candy never seems to have the energy her sisters have, plus she seems to tire easily. When her sisters come inside, she likes to stay outside and lie on the paving stones or in the dirt in the garden. I’m always afraid she’ll get too much heat. When I see her, looking so quiet and a little frail, I think of the youngest sister on Little Women who became sick and died. I can’t help it!

In the morning, although she often runs up the stairs with Dottie and Flower now, and although she romps playfully with them, biting at my hand, she backs away before the other two and goes back to her safe area. Delores said that when she was rescued from the puppy mill, the veterinary clinic in Kansas noted that she had an umbilical hernia. I was afraid it was something that was bothering her. We have been seriously talking about the pet adoption process, so Delores wanted the vet to check the shih tzus while they were still foster dogs, so that Best Friends Forever Rescue would take care of any vet charges.

Another thing I wanted to ask the vet about was Flower’s left eye. It seems a little bigger and darker to me than her right eye, and sometimes when I look at her, it has a “glass eye” look. It’s fine if it’s cosmetic — she is such a cutie, with those Maybelline lashes — but I want to ask the vet if it is anything serious.

shih tzu waiting for adoption

Delores brought the shih tzus some canine visitors: Peekaboo, the Pekingese I had met at Barbara’s while visiting the girls, and a poodle named Miss Muffet, who was going to get a chip implanted by the vet. They were wearing very cute “Adopt Me” harnesses for their vet visit. They wandered in and made themselves at home instantly. Peekaboo quickly figured out how to get up on the dining room table, climbing onto a chair that was pushed out and then jumping onto the table, where she promptly lay down. Miss Muffet started to follow her lead, but I was afraid our little ewoks would get an idea, so I got them down and pushed in the chair.

Peekaboo, a Pekingese, wearing her adopt me harness

Flower and Candy rode in a kennel on the way to the vet, Clear Creek Animal Hospital. Flower got so frightened on the way to the clinic that she pooped in the kennel. Once we got to the vet, I talked to the shih tzus in their kennel in the lobby to try to soothe them. When we went into the assigned room, Miss Muffet and Peekaboo wandered around, examining everything, while my little shih tzu princesses huddled, frightened, in their kennel.

Candy was the first one out of the kennel when we opened the door, so Dr. Lindsey examined her first. Although Candy was frightened, she let the vet weigh her (11.5 pounds) and then examine her. The vet said that the hernia had healed over (I can’t remember the medical term!). She didn’t find anything else wrong with her, so her temperament must just be different than the other two shih tzus.

Flower did okay at first. She sat in the scale (13.5 pounds) and let Dr. Anna look at her eyes. The vet assured us that she didn’t see anything wrong, but that it was good to watch their eyes. However, when the vet touched Flower with the stethoscope, the shih tzu freaked out and tried to jump off the table. I caught her — barely. That was the end of Flower’s vet examination.

Shih Tzu Day 19: Sleepy, Shabby and Psycho Shih Tzus

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 Shabby but Happy Shih Tzus

Being a big sister tires me out sometimes.I look at these shih thus every day and thing that they are a little shabby and need some grooming. John thinks they desperately need a bath. I know, it’s odd, but I don’t really notice that “dirty dog” smell. But, I will soon try to give at least Dottie a bath, to begin with. I have this dream of succeeding in making one of them look like a “real shih tzu,” with the hair down to the ground, but I don’t know if that will ever happen.

Fluffy Puppy Moments

The girls were sleepy heads earlier, but now Flower is raring to go. She has a new habit of running off with my socks. At the present, I think she has four in the pen.

Mom, do you want to see me do a back flip?I commented earlier in the blog that I thought wistfully of “fluffy puppy” moments that come with getting a dog shortly after it is born. However, we have lots of playful moments. They are so excited to see me every morning and when I come home. I do wish that they would want to come up and sit beside me or on my lap, though — for company, and not because they just want a treat.

Speaking of treats …

That Man says I look like a lion. Do I? Grrr.I continue my search for the ultimate dog treat. This time, I handed out Bil-Jac PB Nanas (peanut butter and banana treats). I thought Dottie would like it, since she can’t seem to eat hard treats well, but she sniffed and walked away. Candy did too. But I can count on Flower to give a paws up to most of the treats. She ate hers and theirs. Since Flower and Dottie didn’t want the Bil-Jac treat, I gave them all each of the Waggin’ Train Cowboy Steaks. They will always eat those.

The Safe Zone

I have to hurry! I think I heard Mom open a treat bag.I’m not sure why, but Dottie hasn’t come over to the couch to visit me today. Candy is spending a lot of time at the other end of the play yard, away from her sisters, on the floor, instead of a dog bed.

I shouldn’t really keep calling their area a play yard or pen. We have only been using two sections of it, so it’s more like a fence with a wide open area for them to walk through. Somehow, although it’s only about a fourth of a pen, they still feel it is their “safe area.”

Flower is being a little bolder these days. She goes and sits near the front of the play area and stares at me.

Psycho Baby

Daddy called me psycho, so I planted poop for him to step him when he comes down!Candy and Dottie took hamburger from John when we were eating, but Flower wouldn’t. She’s holding out. Although she seldom growls at him anymore, she barks when he comes in the door. He says she’s protecting me. He also says she’s out of control. He playfully calls her a psycho “female dog.” I call her the psycho baby. I also call her “Maybelline lashes,” because of her dark, long lashes.

Candy Gets Closer

Candy does seem to be taking to John. She came up to him repeatedly while we were sitting on the porch after the sunset and let him pet her.

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 10: The Lawn Mower Monster

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John and I didn’t go to bed until after midnight. Since the shih tzus have been leaving “gifts” on the carpet for John to find, we formed the Superyard into a closed pen, instead of leaving it open. However, I didn’t go to the trouble of securing it shut.

When John got up this morning, at about 6, at least one of the shih tzus was running around out of the pen, thankfully, without leaving any reminders. If we really don’t want them to get out of the pen, we will have to try harder.

I knew I should go downstairs, but I slept for about thirty more minutes. When I came downstairs, the dancing began again, even though John was sitting nearby on the couch. They must be getting a little more comfortable.

I didn’t see any evidence that they had done number one or two, so we herded them outside. The exercise pen was still muddy, so we used the safety gate from Barbara’s to make a smaller pen on the porch. However, again, we didn’t secure the end, so Dottie went around it and down in the mud. The other two stayed on the porch.

I fed them their breakfast outside. After that, they stayed quietly in their pen for awhile. When John was upstairs, Dottie decided to wander around. We went to lunch and to get the girls some more cottage cheese. I couldn’t find any Pork Chomps, so I got them some treats that looked like chicken wings. I gave them  each one when we got back. Dottie didn’t eat hers, probably because of her missing front teeth, but Candy and Flower did.

Later, we took the girls outside again, although they never seem to do what we want them to do out there. John gets them outside quickly, as long as I block off their “tunnel” once they get through it, since Flower always wants to turn back. Once outside, they were okay until they heard John start up the riding lawn mower in the shed. They scattered and then all of them came back to sit by me. They let me pet them while they watched John intently, and Flower let me hold her for awhile without fidgeting.

Candy didn’t seem scared, but just inquisitive. Flower seemed nervous and Dottie shook like a leaf. I put Dottie on my lap for awhile. They stayed on the porch with me for about ten minutes.

Shih Tzu Day 9: Dogs Gone Wild

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John got up early this morning and went downstairs. He isn’t used to having to watch where his feet land, and took a few steps before realizing he was tracking poop.

Can you do this with your tongue?When I came downstairs, our shih tzu sisters were giddy with excitement. They danced around crazily, bumping against the side of their Superyard. They waited impatiently while I put together their breakfast: a mix of dry dog food, Natural Balance and a tablespoon of cottage cheese, which they love.

They stayed in their playpen until John left, as usual, and then one by one, started wandering around.

Barbara called after John left for work and said she could come over and do some grooming for Dottie. When she got here, I could tell that they remembered her. They didn’t growl or bark.

As far as the dog grooming went, Dottie surprised me. Joey, our Yorkie, trembled and shook whenever she had to get groomed. In fact, she trembled any tiYou think this Bird is Angry!me she got in the car. As a result, she only got in the car if she had to go to the veterinarian or the groomer, which reinforced her fear that something bad was going to happen to her. But Dottie sat there very calmly while Barbara trimmed her, with the clippers and scissors. She wasn’t so calm when it came to her face, but she was able to trim some of it. With her face trimmed, she reminds me even more of the faces of the Peace and Garcia Ty Beanie Babies I used to collect.

Flower surprised me even more. Although Flower likes me to pet her, she still bolts when I try to pick her up. This time, she tried to get away, but calmed down as soon as I picked her up and went to sit by Barbara. She handled the grooming almost as well as Dottie.

Candy was a different story. She struggled to get away once I picked her up and sat down on the floor by Barbara. Barbara was able to trim her more than she had been able to previously, but Candy fidgeted quite a bit. Barbara said she could tell the girls trusted me, or they wouldn’t have been as calm as they were.

After Barbara left, I realized how much the trim affected Candy. She went outside by herself and sat in the corner of the exercise pen near the house, where I couldn’t see her. It had been raiI told you clippers freak me out!ning, so she got lots of mud on her paws. Barbara had just cut the mud out of the pads of her feet and I didn’t want the new mud to harden, so I washed her paws in the sink and sat her back down.

She went and sat down outside the indoor pen, against the wall, so I knew she was still feeling threatened. I shouldn’t look at Milo’s chicken jerky as the cure for everything, but I gave her a piece. About 10 minutes later, she came around and got back in the pen with her sisters. I took the opportunity to take a group photo that included one of their Angry Birds dog toys.

I was concerned when it started thundering this afternoon, but the shih tzu sisters didn’t seem to notice it. I thought it might scare them. I guess if the noise comes from outside, it’s not a threat to them, even though Candy in particular is afraid of most things, including her shadow.

Men still terrify them. They didn’t growl or bark when John got home, but the three shih tzus ran for the backdoor when my stepson, Gabe, came over. In fact, Flower was so afraid that she ran into the kitchen and stood near my feet until I picked her up. That is the first time Flower wanted me to pick her up — she was that frightened.

I went outside with Flower, Dottie and Candy and stayed there for about 15 minutes. Flower sat quietly in my arms most of the time. Their fear, in particular towards men, makes me wonder what they went through at the puppy mill. It also could just be from other males they have been around, or maybe they are just more used to women. We will never know.

Things are a lot different than I thought they would be. When I first met these furry darlings, I thought Candy and I would bond the most, but she is the most aloof, and Flower seems to rely on me the most. She continues to nudge me to pet her if I pet either of the other dogs.