people food for dogs | Same Shih Tzu, Different Day

Shih Tzu Day 274: March 29 (Thursday)

Tug-of-war with Nigel

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

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

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 260: March 15 (Thursday)

Tested in the U.S.

My search to find treats for the shih tzus not made in China is exasperating. While I was looking at PetSmart to see which products were made in China, I noticed some clever packaging. I saw packages that said “Tested in the U.S.” and “Printed in the U.S.” I don’t understand the importance of testing and printing in the U.S., so I imagine the wording is just to trick people into thinking the products are made in the U.S.

I ordered some beef dog treats called Doggy Dollars from Costco, because they are made in the United States and had good ratings. I’m a little leery, because I haven’t had much luck with beef treat products. I am still confused, because I am not sure if I just need to avoid chicken jerky products from China, or if I need to avoid others as well. That’s what is daunting, since most of the treats I pick up say they are made in China.

I would like to buy U.S. products anyway, just to support U.S. companies, but I don’t understand why companies like Milo’s Kitchen, whose products are made in China, have treats that smell good enough for people to eat, and others have products I can hardly stand to smell.

hard boiled eggs

Since I have been back on a low-carb diet, I have been sharing my snacks more often with the dogs. Thank goodness, the eggs I hard boil are from the good old U.S.A. They all love them. I did read up on giving them to dogs, and found out that they are a good source of protein and fat, which benefits their coat, skin, and claws.

People food no-nos for dogs

I have been checking a lot online about what dogs can and can’t eat. I just ran across a slide show on Web MD that gives foods that are dangerous for dogs. They include avocado; alcohol; onions and garlic; caffeine (such as coffee and tea); grapes and raisins; milk and other dairy products (this is confusing, since I have been told yogurt is good for dogs, and I have given it to my shih tzus without bad effects??); macadamia nuts; candy and gum; chocolate; fat trimmings and bones (I have heard that you can give them bones that have not yet been cooked?); persimmons, peaches, and plums; raw eggs; raw meat and fish; salty foods (like chips and pretzels); sugary foods and drinks; yeast dough; people medicine, and items from the kitchen pantry. Web MD recommends treating dogs with lean meats; fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, and watermelon; vegetables like carrots, green beans, cucumber slices, zucchini sticks (mine love jicama), and plain baked potato (not raw); and cooked white rice and pasta.

Shih Tzu Day 261: March 16 (Friday)

dog step DILEMMA

I bought Nigel wooden dog steps at Ross or TX Maxx before Christmas, but they aren’t very sturdy. One of the grandchildren stepped on them and broke a step during the holiday season, and John fixed it, but I recently realized that Nigel was acting tentative when he stepped on the bottom step. I investigated and found out it was broken again. This time, I decided to look for new steps. I got online and saw that Bed, Bath and Beyond had some Animal Planet wooden steps that looked pretty as well as functional. It looked like the only store that had them though was Cherry Creek, which is a little further than the one I usually go to. I made the jaunt to get them. However, once I set them up, Nigel wouldn’t go up them. My guess is because they are taller than the other steps, and a little wider. I’ll keep them a few days and see what happens. If Nigel won’t go up them, the other shih tzus definitely won’t.

angels’ eyes

I have been giving Flower and Dottie Angels’ Eyes for their tear stains. Flower’s were much more noticeable, because of her coloring. I think it really helped her. I started giving Dottie the powder about two months after I started giving it to Flower, but I haven’t noticed as much of a change. I am now out, and since it is costly to give it to both of them, I think I will hold off on ordering it again and see how they do without it.

Buddig Turkey Time

Candy came up to the couch at noon, wagging her cute little head from side to side, signaling that it was time for lunch. I started giving them Buddig turkey when I started giving Flower Angels’ Eyes, because she wouldn’t eat it on her food. When I am at King Soopers, I usually buy their Kroger brand, but I just found out that it has about 25 percent more sodium, so I will stick to Buddig from now on.

Shih Tzu Day 262: March 17 (Saturday)

saving $$ on training pads

I didn’t have to put down a new training pad this morning, because the one I put down last night was still dry. It is so nice to not have to change them as often as I had to before. I feel like we are getting somewhere, and we are saving money!

Bully sticks, bully dog

A few months ago I bought an economy size bag of Big Bark All Natural Steer Sticks because I was told they are softer than bully sticks and the shih tzus might like them better. I still had some left, although I couldn’t remember why. Usually if the shih tzus like something, I don’t have any leftovers. This morning I passed some out. Nigel instantly turned into a little bully. If anyone came near him, he got a murderous look in his eyes and started growling. He also tried to steal them from the other shih tzus. I think that was why I stopped passing them out. I gathered them back up and put them away, so Nigel would get back to his normal, sweet self.

Shih Tzu Day 263: March 18 (Sunday)

Cute little Candy

Candy seems to come up to the couch more often. Her fur is kind of long and she looks like a little bear, so I have been calling her Candy Bear. John picks her up and holds her for a couple of minutes at least each morning.

She has so much character. I wish I could catch a picture of her when she is outside playing by herself. She was hopping and bopping around by the gate earlier, with an imaginary friend, I guess. It was adorable.

Shih Tzu Day 264: March 19 (Monday)

Christmas in March

I am not sure where they are hiding them, but every once and awhile, one of the shih tzus gets out one of the flat Christmas rawhide bones I got from Petco in December and starts chewing on it. Today it was Flower who ran by me as if she was sneaking one into Shih Tzu Central, and then sat chewing on it for quite a while. I am not sure why, but it makes me smile when they chew so loudly. I guess it is because they seem to be having so much fun when they do that.

royal canin doggy day spa giveaway

I got an email today from Joe at Royal Canin. He invited me to do a Doggy Day Spa giveaway of their new x-small adult dog food, with some other pet care products, valued at $80. For doing it, the shih tzus would get the same gift, so I said I would be happy to do it. This will be our first giveaway, so I am excited. We will start the contest April 1 and it will last three weeks. I’ll announce on April 1 how the winner will be chosen.

Shih Tzu Day 265: March 20 (Tuesday)

Magic Mesh time?

Candy has been in her apartment most of the day. The weather is warm enough on some days now that I could keep the back door open, so they can come in and out when they want, but I already had a visiting bee — or fly. Not sure which. I saw that Bed, Bath and Beyond now carries the Magic Mesh curtain, so I think I will try it. I remember what a kick I got last fall when the commercial would come on; dogs would bark, and the shih tzus would dash to the door, thinking they had visitors, I guess. I think it was a memory from either their puppy mill days, or their foster home before we got them.

Shih Tzu Day 266: March 21 (Wednesday)

Candy Kisses

Candy came and put her paws up on the couch twice today. I always assume she just wants food, because in the past, when she has come up and I have reached for her, she has run away. However, she seems a little more approachable these days. This time I reached for her very slowly, and she didn’t back away, so I picked her up. She sat there while I petted her, for probably ten minutes, until John drove up. As soon as she heard the truck, she jumped down and ran to the door to wait for him. She did her twisty dance, wagging her butt one way and her head the other, with all paws coming off the floor. I really need to catch that on video some day.

Doggy Dollars Arrival

My Made in the U.S.A. Doggy Dollars arrived today from Costco. The shih tzus weren’t eager to take them, but they did, and I think all of them ate theirs. I wish they had been a bigger hit, especially since I had to buy two big bags of them.

Foot warmer

After John got home, Candy sat on his lap for about 15 minutes getting love. Earlier, Dottie let him give her a face rub for a while. One of the blankets had fallen on the floor, and my feet were on it. Nigel sat on my feet while John held Candy.