Tag Archives: lap dog

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

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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 Day 104: Dog Bone Wars and Dog Bed Relocation

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Dog bone Redistribution

three shih tzusa shih tzu dancingOnce the girls started barking this morning, Nigel started stirring. He sleeps so soundly that throughout the night, you would never know he was there, except for the lump that is his body. It was different with Joey, because she had a tendency to snore. Occasionally, though, he will sigh. I’m not sure why, but it is very cute.  When John got up to go to the restroom, Nigel wandered up to lay on my pillow. Well, he actually lay down on my head, which was on the pillow.

three shih tzus at bottom of stairsthree shih tzus at bottom of stairs.I kept the dogs occupied for a long time this morning with various dog bone and chew things. Of course, although Nigel had more than enough, he went to Shih Tzu Central to steal the dog bone I left on the dog bed for Candy. Flower also had two red and white rawhide minis, but she had to take Candy’s too, so I had to do bone redistribution again.

three shih tzusDottie isn’t much of a thief. She usually just takes what Mom gives her and chews away contentedly. Even after the redistribution, Flower went and took the dog bone Candy was chewing on and Nigel boldly pranced into Shih Tzu Central and came out with a mini rawhide to add to the collection in his dog bed. I had to shush everyone when the barking over dog bone property got a little fierce. Later, though, Nigel left a half chewed dog bone on the couch and Flower stole it. He watched her walk away with it without charging at her. That’s a good sign.

Bologna thief

The back end of a shih tzuI had a bologna sandwich today, so I gave each of the dogs a very small piece. When I got to Candy, however, who was in her dog bed, Flower ran up and nipped it out of my fingers before I could do that. When she sprinted away, I blocked the entrance of Shih Tzu Central with my legs so she couldn’t do that again and Candy could get her piece. I also shared some of my apple with Nigel. He is the only dog still interested in apples.

Dog bed relocation

two shih tzus greeting dad.shih tzu in a lap.I saw a very cute video a few months ago of a small dog dragging its dog bed all over a room. Nigel was doing that today. I don’t know what he was trying to achieve, but it was fun to watch him. Another thing I haven’t been able to figure out is why Flower likes to lay behind her bed, against the wall, instead of on one of the dog beds. Candy does that sometimes too. I thought maybe it was because the floor was cool, but it hasn’t been that hot lately.

Flower did abandon her wall to sit between Dottie and me on the couch for quite a while this evening. Once John got home, Nigel was content to sit in his lap for most of the night.

 

Shih Tzu Day 101: Nigel in the Middle

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shih tzu in the middle of a family gathering

three shih tzus in sweatersshih tzu and little girllittle girl with shih tzuWe invited the children and grandchildren over to celebrate Jurrien’s birthday, which was a coupe of weeks ago. John’s idea was to make cinnamon rolls with the grandchildren, but it didn’t work out. Leticia overslept, so her and her five children didn’t arrive until after John had already completed the preparation process.

Candace and her three children didn’t arrive early either. Oh well, at least everyone could enjoy eating the cinnamon rolls even though they didn’t get the experience of making them with Grandpa.

shih tzu and little girlI was still emotional when everyone got here, so I explained that I was teary-eyed because of the pictures of our shih tzus I just looked at. I didn’t have much time to think of those pictures after that, though. Everyone thought the sweaters I got for Candy, Flower and Dottie were adorable.

However, the center of attention was Nigel, sporting his skull sweater. Everyone knows that my girls aren’t party animals. When company comes, they go to shih tzu Central and wait it out there, hoping that no one will want to talk to them. Well, except for Dottie, who is getting better about that.

shih tzuEach shih tzu did venture out when it was time to move outside for treats, however. And they all eventually accepted treats from a variety of children.

Our social shih tzu, Nigel, however, is different. He wandered around looking for a lap to sit in, pleasing all the grandchildren and the big people.

Shih Tzu Day 69: Canned Dog Food and Lap Dogs

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canned food test

Shih tzu on red blanket. We continued our experiment of shutting the bathroom and bedroom doors again last night, to see if our shih tzus would let us sleep longer. I could hear someone barking at 5:00. However, the barking stopped, allowing me to stay in bed until a little after 6:30. When I opened the bathroom door, three happy and excited shih tzus rushed me.

We have never fed them canned dog food before, and John wanted to know how they would like it. We picked up a can of Priority beef dinner and I gave them each a tablespoon with their dry food, instead of cottage cheese. They definitely liked it. Dottie ate hers in one bite and before I could stop her, rushed over to Candy’s bowl and scooped the tablespoon out, eating it, too. I told her sternly that she couldn’t eat Candy’s food and then went and got Candy another tablespoon. I can see why Candy only weighs eleven pounds and Dottie and Flower weigh fourteen. I have to watch them diligently to make sure they don’t steal her food.

lap dog?

shih tzu in dog bed.After the shih tzus went into the yard to do their business, Dottie came back and put her paw up on my leg. I thought she might want me to hold her, so I picked her up and sat her on my lap. She sat there peacefully, so I guess I was right.

Although shih tzus are supposed to be lap dogs, these dogs haven’t got there yet. I think this was the first time Dottie ever acted like she was asking me to pick her up. Flower acted like she wanted to sit on my lap once when we were outside, when a noise scared her, and Candy has never indicated she wanted to be picked up and held. I hope that changes over time.

excited dog and jealous dog

excited shih tzuIt was a quiet morning, with each of our small dogs in different beds. I left the house at 11:00 and didn’t get home until after 4:30. Once again, the shih tzus were yappy happy. I took them out to do their business and gave them a small sweet potato and chicken treat.

When I heard John’s truck in the driveway, I started telling the girls, “Daddy’s home,” in hopes that I will one day train them that it’s a good thing. When he opened the door, they barked and ran to hide under the dining room table. When he told them hello, Candy cautiously came out, and then did her tail wagging, hello dance.

Once outside, John passed out their chicken jerky. Candy and Dottie came up to him readily. Flower came up to him, grabbed her piece quickly and leaped off the porch, a safe distance away from whatever she thought was going to happen.

When we came inside, Dottie took her usual seat on the couch by me. When Flower jumped up to join us, Dottie growled at her. She did that a couple of times, and John said that I should correct her because she was beginning to think she owned me. I shook my finger at her and told her to be nice, but I am not sure how to correct that behavior.

Shih Tzu Prelude: Getting to Know You

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Day 1 of Shih Tzu Visitation

I had my first visit today with the shih tzu half-sisters, Dottie, Flower and Candy. Five-year-old Dottie actually seemed to warm up to me quickly – at least she didn’t seem to be afraid of me. Two-year-old Flower was a different manner. Barbara, Delores’ daughter-in-law and the dogs’ foster mom, went to pick Flower up to hand her to me, and the poor little thing was so frightened that she pooped. Barbara said that she definitely was a “special needs dog.” (That didn’t frighten me too badly, because, frankly, I always thought that our precious little Yorkie, Joey was a special needs dog, too, and she had never had the traumatic experience of being a puppy mill mommy. She did, however, have the experience of being a temperamental writer’s fur baby.)

As for 2-year-old Candy, Flower and Dottie seemed intent on protecting her from any harm. I took the fact that they sat in front of their sister to guard her to mean that she was the most vulnerable and timid sister.

I stayed for about an hour, attempting to get the shih tzu sisters to let me into their world. Barbara helped by giving me a chicken jerky treat to feed them. Dottie and Candy took it from me, but Flower kept her distance, growling every now and then.

In my head, a vision appeared: it was of friendly, fluffy puppies romping around the house, spunky and lovable. I knew that if I brought these dogs home, if we signed adoption papers, it would not be that vision. I was already a little concerned. Would they be “lovable” dogs? Would they ever be lap dogs, like John and I both wanted? Like Joey was. Like Rosie would have been. Heck, like many other dogs would instantly be. What if we got them home, and they never became “normal”?

While I visited, Barbara had told me that she had been fostering the shih tzu sisters for more than three months. She had also adopted a poodle that she had been fostering, who had also come from a puppy mill. She said the poodle had been very fearful when she got her. She was definitely a lap dog now. Also, she didn’t seem to be afraid and she seemed to love people, especially Barbara.

After hearing about Barbara’s foster experience, I asked her if she thought Delores would agree to John and I being foster parents to Candy and Flower, with the intention of eventually adopting them. I know. It seemed a little less frightening to think of checking these two shih tzus out like library books, instead of signing papers saying they were our responsibility, forever and ever.

I told Barbara that if Delores would agree to that, we would probably foster Dottie as well, so the sisters wouldn’t have to be separated. Barbara thought it might be a good idea and said she would talk to Delores. I left thinking that John would probably like that idea much better too.