Tag Archives: puppy play

Day 112: Devil Dog Shih Tzu Puppy

Posted on by
2

Mr. male shih tzu puppy is a handful

shih tzu puppy playshih tzu puppy playI have started getting a little impatient with Nigel, the little “devil dog.” During my morning ritual with the girls, our male shih tzu puppy decided to just start charging the girls, hoping they would pay attention to him. He’s taken to biting Candy’s tail constantly and he tries to boss Flower and Dottie. He’s quite a bit different from the sweet little boy who arrived here fresh over pneumonia and a sterilization and hernia operation.

shih tzu puppy playNigel has some fabulous qualities. For instance, thank goodness he is house trained. I am very happy that this little male shih tzu scratches at the door to tell me when he needs to go outside, and he would go out, hundreds of times a day, if I let him, particularly to smuggle out toys and bones. But, he also fakes that need a lot. Joey used to do the same thing: shih tzu puppy playscratch on the door to make me think she wanted outside, but as soon as I got up, run away from the door. It was her ploy to get me to give her food, and I think that’s what Nigel does too, many times. Like Joey did, he scratches at the door, and when I get up, he runs away from it.

Earlier, my little shadow Dottie sat patiently while I got my coffee, put things away, etc. The minute I sat down and pulled my computer table towards me, Dottie jumped up and ran to the couch, as usual. Today, though, the devil dog shih tzu puppy ran up and grabbed her tail while I was helping her up onto the couch. No wonder she growls at him when he comes to her side of the couch.

two shih tzusLater, I was working away when I realized that Flower was sitting with me and Dottie. Nigel had been on one side but crossed over to see what was happening on the female shih tzu side. Dottie wasn’t happy, probably because of the tail pulling earlier, so she jumped down. I’m sure she wistfully thinks about the days when it was just she and Mom on the couch, with no male shih tzu puppy in sight.

Flower tried to visit me earlier, but devil dog shih tzu puppy kept tackling her. I never know if she wants to interact with him. Today it looked like she was having fun with him, until she jumped up on the couch where he couldn’t get her. Bad boy shih tzu puppy didn’t like that and kept barking at her. I wanted to be a little kid and say, “Shut your big mouth; she can stay up here if she wants!” Well, I think I actually did say that.

To sum Nigel up, this shih tzu puppy is vocal, rambunctious, headstrong and pushy. But, whenever I find myself wondering what the picture would be like without him, he comes up to the couch with a bone in his silly little mouth and looks up at me with those big eyes, or begins to pull my socks off, and I have to smile. So, on the other side, he’s lovable, charming, adventurous, inquisitive and goodnatured.

Is it shih tzu puppy love?

a male shih tzu puppy and two female shih tzusCandy sometimes loses patience with Nigel too. But, like me, she still thinks he’s charming. This afternoon when Candy was outside, I heard a noise and quickly went to see if she was okay. Her and Nigel were sparring on the patio. I’m still cautious, so I opened the door to see if she needed an escape route, but they moved away from the door, so she must have been having fun.

I left the screen door open, and later, I could hear their heavy breathing. An hour later, the two shih tzu puppies were still playing outside. Still later, when the scuffling was getting quite loud outside, I opened the screen door, and they both looked at me and then ran around the corner where I couldn’t see them. I couldn’t help smiling. Is this puppy love?

When he came in later, devil dog seemed all tuckered out. He put his head on my lap and stayed there for quite a while. Candy didn’t come in when he did. I tried to approach her and she ran. She is a strange but adorable little thing. Later, when she did come in, she sat in one of the dog beds looking depressed. Did she wish she was still playing with Nigel? Another aspect of puppy love perhaps?

Candy and Nigel had another play date inside later. This time, Flower decided to get in on the action. She would get up on the couch and when she thought Candy needed help, would fly off and join the fray. I kept hearing yapping, but no one was trying to escape, so I let them play it off. Maybe none of it is puppy love. Maybe it’s all just puppy play.

Shih Tzu Day 107: Puppy Play Date

Posted on by
Reply

Puppy play date for Candy and Nigel

female and male shih tzu playingThis morning after all the dogs had eaten and I had taken my place on the couch with my laptop, I heard something in the backyard that sounded like muffled scuffling or pounding. My first thought was that something or someone was about to break in or a storm had begun. I was very surprised to look outside and see Candy and Nigel engaged in a scuffle on the carpet we put on the porch. All that noise was just a puppy play date! I came back inside and sat down. A half hour later, Nigel and Candy’s play date was still .

a black and white shih tzu on the computer. I am very happy about that. I think their play date is a good sign. I think of Candy as the “loner,” because she always stays outside by herself when her sisters come inside. Maybe she was just waiting for a little male shih tzu to come along and “knock” her off her feet.

Got Gas?

a shih tzu waiting for a treat. I am going to have to study Nigel’s reactions to food. The female shih tzus have never had gas, but he has bouts of it every day. I guess it could be that he was on medication until a few days ago. However, it could be some of the treats he gets. Today I gave them each a small piece of bologna, and I did read afterwards that bologna could give dogs gas. I also gave them all an apple and chicken treat at one point . Or he could be reacting to the rice, hamburger and vegetables I have been giving them. None of the girls ever seem to get gas. I also read too that younger dogs sometimes have more sensitive systems. I will just have to try to monitor what seems to cause it. After all, Nigel might not get another play date if he smells!

a shih tzu getting a treat.That reminds me that I still have to try the organic dog food recipe Sadie Shih Tzu gave me, if I can remember to get all the yummy ingredients. Her recipe is a lot more interesting than what I have been giving them, including elk or bison; I don’t think I would do that often for four shih tzus with big appetites, but she also uses chicken, turkey or beef. Plus instead of the vegetables I use, she sometimes uses organic butternut squash or frozen sweet potatoes, which would give them a good variety. Add apples, blueberries and eggs and the girls would probably love it. (Note to self to pick up ingredients!)

Puppy play date aftereffects

shih tzus waiting for a treat.Candy did something unexpected today. She joined Flower in coming up and putting her paws on the couch, in front of me and Dottie. I’m not sure if they wanted to see me or Dottie, but since Dottie is the one that growls at them, I am assuming they visited me. I tried to get them to come up, but they walked away. I am just happy that Candy was that bold. Her puppy play date with Nigel might have nudged her towards being more social.

Later, Flower jumped up for some loving. We had a quick petting session. Dottie was sitting on the floor, waiting for her sister to get down. Flower sat with me for awhile, but she doesn’t seem to know how to relax on the couch like Dottie. I always think she is just waiting for something (like me to pet her) or keeping watch. She did lie down for a while though.

While Dottie and Flower played musical couch position, Nigel sat on the other side of me, where the girls never sit, chewing his rawhide bone and getting it gooey.

Couch privileges suspended

Flower got couch privileges on “her” couch taken away again this afternoon. I am not sure why she feels the need to pee on it from time to time. Luckily, I had a training pad under the red blanket just in case. I have no idea how to stop her from doing that or why she does it. I sprayed both cushions with a cleaner, even though it hadn’t gone through. I stood the cushions up on end and put a plastic gate in front of the couch.

She paced up and down in front of it later, glancing up at me, and then glancing back. I didn’t give in though. As a result, she got up on my couch more often later in the day.

Shih Tzu Day 27: The Shih Tzu is a Siren

Posted on by
Reply

You want me to do what?

shih tzu vote for Fromm chicken

This food takes like candy!Bright and early this morning, after we had gone outside, we fed the shih tzu sisters and Shiloh their regular food. Then, we brought out the sample Fromm food (chicken) I got at Paws n Play. I have been hearing a lot lately about dogs needing food with higher protein content, and Fromm was one of the brands someone had highly recommended. John hand-fed them the pieces, and all of them eagerly took it.

After we came in, Flower stretched out on the floor in front of me, as Dottie lay beside me, even with John on the couch! The shih tzus definitely are getting more comfortable, although some days we seem to go back a few steps.

Shiloh and the shih tzu Siren

Come up and see me some time. Flower and Shiloh entertained us before John left for work. I have been trying to keep these two dogs away from each other, since there seems to be a lot of growling when Shiloh and this particular shih tzu are in close proximity. However, this morning, John said he thought they might be playing, so I didn’t separate them.I have you eating out of the palm of my paw.

As I watched, I realized that, at least this time, Shiloh wasn’t egging on Flower. The shih tzu would tentatively approach him, sniff him, and then back away. Maybe Shiloh hadn’t been bothering her. In fact, I think she had decided she liked the attention!

“Flower has a boy toy!” I teased. “I saw you go up to him. Are you flirting with him, or are you picking a fight!”Nice — tags!

It started to make sense — those Maybelline eyelashes! That “come hither!” attitude. Oh, yes! This shih tzu was being coquettish. Had she been that way at the puppy mill? No, of course not. But had she lived another life before this, she would have been. At one point, she made me think of Mae West, and I laughed more.

I'm a lady, not a tramp!Now, with Shiloh standing at attention, Flower tried to growl fiercely. It was hard to really take this shih tzu seriously as a dangerous animal. As I watched the puppy play, Flower would run up to him, nudge him and then scramble across the floor to safety, with Shiloh tearing after her. At times, she would jump up on her couch, looking adorable on the red blanket, and Shiloh would leap up after her. Then, they were off in a new direction.My hair gets wild after heavy petting.

Several minutes later, Shiloh made a gesture that made me realize that he didn’t want to be “just friends.” No, not at all. She wanted flirtatious dog play, but he was looking for action. I scolded him then and told him to get off of her. He did, and Flower continued giving him the runaround.

The play continued. I was equally surprised when little sister Candy trotted out from their corner, jumped on Shiloh and got in the middle of the fray. Girls will be girls, and boys will love it.