Tag Archives: Grinch

Shih Tzu Day 179: First Christmas with the Shih Tzus

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Christmas morning grooming for the shih tzus

I got up at about 6 a.m. and finished wrapping presents. I got the stockings together for Dottie, Flower, Candy and Nigel. I put a stuffed animal and a lot of treats into each one. I added a light-up ball to Candy’s stocking. I don’t know which shih tzus might play with it, but I thought it was cute.

three <u/><u>shih tzus</u> with Christmas stockings.We had quiche and mimosas for our Christmas breakfast when John got up. Then, we got prepared to groom the shih tzus. We decided that Candy and Nigel didn’t need trimming, but we gave them baths. Candy was very still and we bathed her quickly, but Nigel squirmed constantly, so he took longer. He was a little better with the blow dryer. Flower and Dottie were very good, both during the grooming, their baths and drying.

After they were dry, we put Nigel in his Grinch outfit and the female shih tzus in their dog dresses. I swapped the red and white dresses Flower and Dottie wore when Deb took their pictures, but left Candy in the one with candy canes and ornaments. I thought we had a couple of hours to take some pictures with their new collars and dog tags and stockings, and to just spend some time with the shih tzus, but my stepdaughter called to say they wanted to come over early. We ended up hurrying to get pictures done and the living room cleaned up. We did get some cute pictures of the dogs with their Christmas stockings.

To add to the chaos, Flower must have been nervous because at some point, she relieved herself on the couch. She did it on a very furry throw, and it puddled on it. I was surprised but happy that it hadn’t reached the couch, but it did when I tried to move it. I threw the throw and the cushion cover in the laundry, so when company started arriving, I had to grab a different throw and cover the foam cushion.

Christmas guests

a shih tzu and a rawhide candy cane. Candy always seems the most nervous around guests, so I took her upstairs and sat her near our closet before anyone arrived. When Candace and her family arrived, the other two female shih tzus ran to Shih Tzu Central. While we waited for the other family members to show up, we sat around the dining room table talking. Dottie and Flower eventually made their way across the room to the dining room corner where Candy’s dog bed is. They didn’t socialize with the guests, but I think they wanted to be near me. They stayed there the whole time we sat there talking.

I brought Candy back downstairs later and sat her in Shih Tzu Central. I am trying to get the shih tzus all used to people, so I picked up Flower, Candy and Dottie at different times and held them for a while as I talked to different people. Nigel is usually Mr. Sociable Shih Tzu, but he wasn’t as people friendly as normal. It could be that he is not feeling well. He was panting on the bed last night. He could have just been hot.

The female shih tzus got back to normal quickly after everyone left. I took some of the rawhide treats out of their stockings, like the lollipops and gingerbread men, and spread them around. They were all chewing on them and on the rawhide candy canes, so I guess they liked them.

 

 

Day 169: Christmas Shoot for the Shih Tzus

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the shih tzus say cheese

three shih tzu females posing for a Christmas card. The shih tzus were in for something different today. One of my closest friends worked for me as a photographer when I was editor of an aviation paper a few years ago. She volunteered to come over and take holiday pictures of Dottie, Candy, Flower and Nigel for Christmas. We decided to make it our Christmas luncheon combined doggie photography session.

a male shih tzu in a Grinch outfitBefore Deb got here, I set up our small Christmas tree inside Shih Tzu Central. I figured that would be where the female shih tzus would retreat to when Deb got here, so that would be the logical place to shoot their pictures. My plan was to move the tree back out once Deb left. We also combed the shih tzus and washed their faces, although they probably should have had a complete bath. Then I dressed the girls up in their holiday dresses and Nigel in his Grinch shirt. I made the mistake of letting them outside about a half hour before Deb arrived.

a shih tzu sitting on someone's legs. I could tell that Candy thought something was up. As soon as I let them outside, she ran under the trailer and stayed there. I tried to lure her out with a treat, but that didn’t work. Then I went to the end of the backyard and exclaimed that there was a cat back there, but she didn’t fall for it. I went inside and waited until she came out from under the trailer and headed for the far end of the backyard. I was quiet enough that she didn’t have time to escape when I came up behind her.

Deb and I were combining the photo shoot with our Christmas luncheon. I thought it might get the shih tzus a little used to her presence if she didn’t shoot right away, so we sat at the table and had appetizers and some wine. The girls ran into the corner of the dining room when she came in and stayed there for an hour while we sat there talking.

I wasn’t sure how we were going to get them into their corner, since they hadn’t run there when she came in. However, as soon as we got up from the table, they ran to Shih Tzu Central. Deb had brought a dog whistle with her, to get their attention for pictures. However, ironically, the female shih tzus were so scared that they sat still and she didn’t have a difficult time taking their pictures.

Of course, Nigel wasn’t afraid at all. He was all over Deb as soon as she came in the door. When she lay down on the floor to get a good close up of the girls, he crawled up on her legs and settled in. We did try to get him in a picture with the girls, but he wouldn’t sit still. She did end up getting a couple of pics of him by himself though.