Shih Tzu Week 40: March 29 (Day 274) – April 4 (Day 280)

Shih Tzu Day 274: March 29 (Thursday)

 Tug-of-war with Nigel

Nigel and Flower rest between bitey-face sessions. I decided to perform a test today. I put one of the fuzzy holiday blankets on the floor. The dogs can lie down on it, unless someone uses it as a training pad. While I was putting it down, Nigel grabbed it with his teeth and stared pulling on it, thinking it was a tug-of-war game.

 Attention, please!

Dottie and Flower have been very demanding today, wanting attention. They love petting time. I think it’s so sweet when I put my hand against Dottie’s face, and she presses against it, not wanting me to move it.  When I pet Flower, if I move my hand, she bats her paw at me, until I pet her again.

I guess I am lucky Nigel and Candy don’t demand petting. It’s difficult petting two dogs at once, and petting four at once would be impossible. Candy does wander up to get attention now and then, but that’s easy to do. And I am glad John picks her up and gives her attention when he is here. She doesn’t stay long, but I can tell she enjoys it. I am so happy to see how far they have come in this area.

Shih Tzu Day 275: March 30 (Friday)

 At my feet

The vampire shih tzus are at it again.After John left, Candy came over and sat at my feet, near Nigel. That was unusual, so I investigated. I forgot to put a training pad down for her, which is one of her favorite resting places. I am glad that she only chooses to sit on clean pads!

 Vampire shih tzus

Nigel was in a very playful mood today. Flower was sitting next to him and he started biting her neck. She seems to like it.

Shih Tzu Day 276: March 31 (Saturday)

 Tidy puddles

I don’t know why I have been forgetting to put down training pads. I did it again last night. Someone needed to pee before I got up, but they made a neat little puddle on the mat I sit the pad on. That’s quite an improvement from even a few months ago.

Since I no longer put the cushions up on Flower’s former couch, she has jumped up on it a few times over the last couple of days. Thank goodness, she seems to have lost interest in peeing on the couches!

Shih Tzu Day 277: April 1 (Sunday)

 Dottie can fly

Candy is still waiting for her hair cut! I didn’t feel like getting up early this morning. I got up, fed the dogs, gave them their morning chew sticks, and then went back to bed for two more hours! It felt so good. The shih tzus didn’t try to come and get me.

After I came back down and sat on the couch, Dottie came up to it. I was just getting ready to help her up, when she “flew” up onto it on her own. It was amazing; one second she was on the ground, and the next, she was beside me. It was like watching a cat jump up. She didn’t even get a running start like Flower does. Has she been faking all this time that she can’t get up on her own?

Baby Nigel

We decided it was time for Nigel’s grooming session. He got a close hair cut, like his sisters. Three down! He looks like such a little baby now. He acts like one too. When John was trimming his fur, he kept walking over to me and putting his paws on my shoulders for comfort.

 Shih Tzu Day 278: April 2 (Monday)

 Feisty Flower

Flower sat with me for a while this morning, but left when Nigel came up. She was in a feisty mood. She snuck my rubber finger I had been using to go through papers off of my laptop stand and wouldn’t give it back. I had to pry it from her mouth. Later, her and Nigel had one of their bitey-face sessions. It sure looks like that should hurt!

Shih Tzu Day 279: April 3 (Tuesday)

Me or peanut butter?

I’m not sure what Flower was doing earlier. She was on the couch and was stretching with her paws up on the top, and leaned over and licked my nose. I think she wanted to know why I smelled like peanut butter and why she didn’t get any. Then, she started growling — again, either for peanut butter, or for attention. I had already put the peanut butter away, or else I would have given her a little. Instead, I gave her a little attention. She seemed satisfied with that.

Nigel and Flower had another long bitey-face session this morning. Afterwards, Flower hauled out the Christmas rawhide bone, started fighting with it, and then trotted off to Shih Tzu Central with it. Nigel succeeded in crawling into my lap. I let him sit there for a while, before I moved him to my side so I could use the laptop.

jicama

I gave the dogs some of the jicama I was eating. They all took it except Candy. Nigel and Flower seemed to inhale theirs, but Dottie chewed on hers daintily for a while.

Shih Tzu Day 280: April 4 (Wednesday)

Lonely shih tzus

The shih tzus didn’t get much attention today. I was gone most of the day and then did a lot of organizing when I got home. Dottie was so lonely for attention that even she ran up to greet John at the door when he got home!

Shih Tzu Week 37: March 8 (Day 253) – 14 (Day 259)

Shih Tzu Day 253: March 8 (Thursday)

Nigel fights me over a sock he's claimed.My three little followers — Nigel, Dottie, and Flower — followed me up and down the stairs this morning while I tried to organize the spare room. Later on, the youngest shih tzu kids spent sometime outside sitting on the porch or playing, while Dottie kept Mom company on the couch.

I’m not sure why, but while I was on the phone this after, Dottie went off on Flower. I heard this snarling and growling, and looked over to see her doing what I call her “two-headed mean monster routine.” It usually has something to do with possessiveness. Flower stands up to her sometimes, but today, she ran back to Shih Tzu Central until Dottie got back to normal.

Shih Tzu Day 254: March 9 (Friday)

All is calm on the Shih Tzu Front.

Shih Tzu Day 255: March 10 (Saturday)

Flower can't wait to get her morning chew stick.We were gone quite a while today. I have been organizing the kitchen, the spare room, my file system, etc., so I was looking for containers, and John needed a new Nuvi for week. I always feel bad when we have to leave the dogs for too many hours. They are always so excited when we get home.

Shih Tzu Day 256: March 11 (Sunday)

Candy “knocked” to get in this morning, which is very rare. Flower stayed outside earlier for a while with her. She was sniffing around the grass, including around the fence. I am always cautious when they are too fixated with one area. I have these fears of someone throwing something poisoned into our yard. It doesn’t help that I just read about the guy that had videotaped himself tormenting his dogs. I don’t understand people like that at all.

Shih Tzu Day 257: March 12 (Monday)

John was very proud of Flower this evening. She came and stood in front of John, staring at him, and he assumed she might need to go out and go potty. When he opened the door, she ran out and pooped. I was a proud mommy too.

It has been so nice lately. I very rarely smell that urine aroma wafting through the air. When they don’t go outside, for example, when I don’t get up early enough, they pee on the training pad. As soon as I see it, I fold it up, stick it up in a plastic grocery bag, tie the ends and either put it in the training pad trash can, or throw it in the trash in the garage, and out down a new one. It is also very nice that I spend a lot less money on training pads these days.

Shih Tzu Day 258: March 13 (Tuesday)

I gave the dogs jicama and they all seemed to like it. I have also been giving them hard boiled eggs and celery, which are staples of our recent low-carb diet. Every time I attempt to give them something new, I check to see if it’s acceptable. I was surprised to find out that they shouldn’t have avocados. I thought they would be good for them. I did give Flower and Dottie a bite before I read that I shouldn’t, and they liked it. I am a little confused about dairy products. I have read that they shouldn’t have dairy products because they don’t have an enzyme needed to digest them, but then I have also been told to give them yogurt for their digestive systems. So, for now, when I have it, I will give them a little yogurt.

I have stopped completely giving the dogs some of the other chicken jerky made in China, but I have still been giving them the Dentley’s chew sticks. They like them so much. I know it’s a highlight of their morning. I only saw one negative comment about Dentley’s online, so I am crossing my fingers. But I will try to find something else. Sadie Shih Tzu’s mom sent us a recipe for homemade dog treats, so I will try that. However, nothing seems to replace a good chew stick when it comes to my shih tzu tribe!

Shih Tzu Day 259: March 14 (Wednesday)

Flower climbs on Dottie to get to her perch on the couch arm.Today I gave Flower and Nigel celery and broccoli. They gobbled down the broccoli. Nigel ate the celery, but Flower chewed on it and then left it lying around. Dottie and Candy wouldn’t try it.

John was delivering in the area, so he came home for lunch. The shih tzus heard the big truck in the cul de sac and started barking crazily. They definitely are good guard dogs, though I don’t think they could protect me much. They would give me time to call someone for help or find a weapon with which to defend myself.

I gave the shih tzus some yogurt when he was here. They all love it.