Category Archives: Puppy Mills

Shih Tzu Day 101: Puppy Mill Before and After Shots

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A glimpse at puppy mill life

A shih tzu the day she was rescuedshih tzu in a green sweaterWhen I checked my email this morning, I saw one from Linda at the Sheltie Shack. She had found the pictures I asked for of Dottie, Flower and Candy from the day she had rescued them from the puppy mill. I didn’t  know what to expect.

The first attachment I opened was Dottie. She was sitting in hay in some type of enclosure. She looked forlorn and disheveled. The next attachment was a picture of Candy. Another sad looking shih tzu, with long, dirty hair hanging over her face, covering one eye.

Those pictures made me very sad. I knew the last picture would have to be Flower, but when I opened the attachment, it was hard to recognize her. She looked more like an unkempt sheep than a dog. I couldn’t see her eyes at all.

A shih tzu the day she was rescuedshih tzu in pink sweaterMy heart broke for my little girls and the time they spent at a puppy mill. It also broke for all the other dogs forced to live in those conditions, for the sake of giving other people fluffy little puppies as pets.

As I looked at the pictures, I looked at Dottie, Flower and Candy in their safe zone in our living room. They were wearing sweaters I got them to celebrate their first fall with us. My guess was that no one at the puppy mill where they came from ever saw a need to groom these little puppy producers. I seriously doubt that anyone came by and held them, hugged them, kissed them and told them that they were loved.

a shih tzu the day of her rescueThose pictures were a symbol to me. Yes, where they came from might have been legally classified as a “commercial kennel,” but that kennel was a puppy mill all right. No dogs should have to experience what they experienced. I have no idea what that full experience was, but I know they weren’t the pampered little princesses that many shih tzus and other dogs are to their humans. I am so grateful that they can experience life from the other side now.

shih tzu in red sweaterIt’s true that they might never act like other shih tzus who never lived in those conditions. They might never crawl into my lap, but they might. They might always show signs of fear in some way or another. But at least I know that John and I are doing our best to give them a great life from this point forward. And I am thankful that other puppy mill moms, many who have had far worse lives, find loving, forever homes each day as well. I am very grateful for organizations like the Sheltie Shack and BFF Rescue that make it a point to help these dogs find good homes.

Shih Tzu Day 100: One Hundred Days at Our Forever Home!

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three shih tzus

Our forever home and looking back

The girls are celebrating their one-hundredth day at their forever home with us! I think we’ve come a long way. If I look back to the beginning and how they responded to me, after spending their life in a puppy mill, there has been vast improvement. They are also getting more used to John, especially Candy. The grooming has gotten easier. Potty training is going okay, but the lease walking still needs a lot of work. I can’t wait to see what the evaluation is after the shih tzus have been at their forever home for a year.

We left the dogs alone with various things to chew on for most of the morning, because John and I had errands to do. When I settled down to work this afternoon, Dottie came to the couch and waited until I picked her up, then sat beside me all afternoon, as usual. Nigel sat with us too.

Possible Play Date

two shih tzusLater, Nigel stayed outside with Candy for awhile. I was a little worried, since he is kind of rough and tumble, so I went to check on them. They were running around the yard together at a good speed. It looked like Candy might actually be having fun. I’m a little overprotective of her, but she wasn’t squeaking, yipping or yapping, so I went back inside.

Nigel continues to think that anything that the girls have belongs to him. When they aren’t at Shih Tzu Central, he goes and rounds up anything he can chew on that is lying around and takes it to his dog bed, or carries it to the door and if it is opens, runs outside and hides whatever he smuggled out. I haven’t yet come up with a way to prevent that from happening. I wish he’d start taking them things instead. Maybe then they would like him more.

Shih Tzu Day 91: Sheltie Shack

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Digging into the Past

When I first saw a picture of Candy online in June and called Delores at BFF Rescue to ask for details about her, she explained that her and her half-sisters Flower and Dottie, all in a foster home through her rescue, had been puppy mill mothers.

She told me that a Kansas organization named the Sheltie Shack had been the rescue that was initially involved. I have recently been thinking about their origin, and I decided to look up the shelter online. I found a number for the founder, Linda, and called her. I told her who I was and that I had a blog telling the story of three shih tzus I had adopted. I said I had heard her organization had rescued them and asked her if she would tell me what she recalled about that day.

Linda was very pleasant to talk to. She remembered the dogs instantly. She said she had heard that a local breeder was not going to breed shelties anymore. When she inquired about them, the breeder told her she could take them off their hands. The breeder also relayed in the conversation that they would no longer be breeding shih tzus, and that if she wanted to, she could take the ones they had. Concerned about what could happen to them if she didn’t take them, the rescuer said she would make arrangements with other rescues to place them in homes.

When she picked them up, six shih tzus were in an outside chicken coop-type dog kennel. They were in need of grooming and affection, having lived a life isolated from humans, but otherwise, the rescuer had seen fair worse cases among the hundreds of dogs she had rescued. I was relieved when she said that. I thought maybe their life hadn’t been as bad as I had imagined.

She told me a few of the shih tzus acted very frightened. The others simply acted confused, most likely because they were being moved from the only home they had ever known.

I thanked Linda for sharing the story with me and asked her if she might have some pictures of the girls from the day they were rescued. She said she would look into it and send me what she could find. I will share those pictures if she finds any.

Shih Tzu Day 83: Just Another Tuesday

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More Grooming for Candy

shih tzu on carpetWe did a little grooming on Candy. She is still the worst one on the grooming table. She bites at the clippers and squirms and wiggles. She seems to do a little better when she can’t see the clippers. She had a short session. She ran off as soon as we let her down, but then she came back and got her hot dog pieces. At least she isn’t so traumatized she can’t eat.

As soon as John left, Flower and Candy came out of their corner and started wandering around. Flower came up on the couch looking for food. I know I shouldn’t, but I gave her half of a frosted mini wheat, so then had to give one to Dottie and Candy too. Flower stayed there while I petted her, but got down shortly after I helped Dottie up.

Looking Guilty

shih tzu on a carpetI haven’t put my beautiful cowboy area rug back down, because we need to clean it again. After we clean it, I guess we will only put it down when we have company. I miss it, but I have to break them out of the habit of peeing on it. I know they liked to sit on it, though, so I put their red blanket from their couch on the floor. I had it down for a few hours before I noticed a wet spot! My guess is that is was Candy and Flower. When I pointed and asked who did it, both of them looked guilty; also, both of them scampered under the dining room table.

A little later, I went into the spare room to print a coupon. I don’t let Candy go in there, because I think she’ll pee on the carpet, but I did let Dottie come in with me, because she is so good with the training pad — and she peed on the carpet! I know I am not supposed to raise my voice, because puppy mill dogs particularly are fragile dogs, but I couldn’t help it. I chased Dottie out of the room, stomped downstairs, pointed toward the door and told them to go outside.

Fall Wardrobe

I didn’t want the girls to think I was angry with them, so I made sure to kiss them all goodbye before leaving to run errands. While I was out, I went to PetSmart, and then next door to T.J.Maxx/HomeGoods. While I was looking at the pet stuff, I found three adorable sweaters for Dottie, Candy and Flower. I don’t want summer to end, but at least I have their fall wardrobe!

When I got home, I took the girls outside to give them their apple and chicken snack, and then left them out for a while, hoping that if anyone needed a potty break, they would take care of business. The bad thing about leaving them outside when I go inside is that I don’t know who took that opportunity. A little after they got in, however, Candy ran upstairs. That often means she’s looking for a place to relieve herself, so I quickly followed her up there, and she ran back downstairs. I asked her if she wanted to go outside. She did, and she did her business, so that spared us one spot to clean up. As soon as I remember to buy some, I’m going to try to train them to ring jingle bells when they need to go outside.

Flower Loves Lovin’

shih tzu on carpetCandy was excited when John got home, although Dottie and Flower acted wary. They warmed up to him again by the time we went outside and he produced the treat bag. We also gave them a teeny bit of our Noosa yogurt, in three separate little bowls. We hadn’t given them any in a while. They love  it.

We are one of those couples who usually eats our meals on the couch, in front of the T.V. Tonight, we had leftover roast. Flower quickly caught the scent and leaped up onto the couch, hunting for the source. That prompted Dottie to jump off the couch without even begging for any roast. Flower stayed for about 10 minutes after I gave her a bite, waiting for me to finish eating so I could scratch her chest and pet her. Then, she lay down for awhile, staying there until John came back into the room. I am glad that she’s learning how to be loved. I still recall very vividly when she ran every time I tried to get near her — and pooped!

Shih Tzu Day 49: Laughter is the Best Medicine

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Flower’s Fixation

Mom says we look like the Billy Goats Gruff. Must be before our time!I am not the main attraction any longer when the shih tzus come upstairs in the morning. Dottie and Flower come to my side and do the usual routine, with Dottie barking maybe a few times and then whining and Flower barking, both of them scratching at the bed, to try to get me to acknowledge them.

Look at this face. How could I do anything bad?You take the head, I'll take the legs, and pull real hard!Now, however, Flower stays on my side for a minute or so and then runs to John’s side of the bed, barking like crazy. He puts his hand down, and instead of the small bites they give me, she backs up, charges towards him, nips at his hand and does it all again … and again and again. After visiting that side of the bed, however, she seems a little more aggressive with her nips when she comes back to me. I have to keep telling her to be gentle. I am not sure what that behavior means.

Dottie follows Flower to that side of the bed sometimes, or else she just sits quietly and waits for me.

Candyland

I'll save you! Candy made the trip up the stairs this morning again. Her sisters tend to push each other around, but push her around even more, so she stays at the back while they are scratching at the bed and vying for attention. When I peeked over the side, Candy got up on her back legs and excitedly waved her paws in the air, like a dancing bear. I don’t like being woken up this early in the morning, but I can’t help but laugh, and, what do they say? Laughter is the best medicine.

Muddy Buddies

The shih tzus definitely get dirtier now that we have opened up the yard to them.The grass is wet a lot of the time, so when they come in, their paws are muddy. It’s definitely time to give the carpets and hard wood floors a big cleaning!

Quiet Time

I heard the bag crinkle, and that means treats, right?The girls were quiet for most of the day. Flower spent a lot of time chewing on her firemen. She mangled two of them pretty badly. I am considering going back and getting her the policemen and the military men, but it might not be socially acceptable for them to maul them, plus I still am not sure if the small pieces of plastic Flower swallows are very bad for her. I do throw away the parts after she disengages them from the bodies.

Dottie sat with me on the couch for quite a while. She seems to be content just to lie or sit there while I work on the computer.

Did Shiloh Teach You That?

I don't know who Einstein is, so how could I look like her?I heard a commotion earlier today and looked up to see Candy and Flower play fighting. Well, they were play fighting, but it wasn’t like the other day. What Candy was doing was pretty funny, but I don’t know if it is normal.

She had Flower pinned to the ground and she had her head between Flower’s legs. Then, she jumped up, and somehow, Candy positioned herself where she was sitting on her face and made the strangest gyrations. I don’t know how to read up on that to see what it’s supposed to mean! I do know that Shiloh exhibited similar sexual behavior to both Flower and Candy, and those advances looked like that, so maybe Candy thinks it’s just another way to play. And, I tend to forget that they were puppy mill moms. Hmmm. It is hilarious to watch them.