Tag Archives: Shih Tzu Central

Shih Tzu Week 121: Getting Used to Visitors

Posted on by
Reply

Oct. 17 – Oct. 23, 2013

Thursday, Oct. 17 

My intentions were good when I set Mom and her furry friends up in the basement, since she would have her own fridge, bathroom, and plenty of space for litter boxes and food bowls. However, she thought it was spooky, so we moved her and Buddy upstairs last night. She liked it much better. We also lifted the ban on Spot Collins (her Maine Coon) and Panda entering the living room, and they made themselves right at home. I wasn’t sure how Flower would react to cats in her territory, but she seemed to adjust quickly. What a menagerie! Dottie and Flower aren’t quite sure how to act with visitors here. They stayed in Shih Tzu Central all day but came out and strolled around after Mom went to bed. I said Flower seemed to adjust quickly. After Mom went to bed, she jumped up on the couch Mom is borrowing from her to sniff what has been going on there with another dog. Then, she decided to try to chase Spot Collins away by barking/growling at him, but Spot took a seat on a dining room chair and wouldn’t budge.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Nigel and Candy ran after her, maybe thinking there was going to be a scuffle. It did look like a little shih tzu gang trying to scare off a lone, although big, kitty. Spot didn’t seem very frightened, though. Flower couldn’t quite reach him through the chair slats, and he rested on his side, swatting Flower away every now and then. Finally, Spot seemed to get tired of the exchange and jumped down and sauntered towards the stairs.

 Friday, Oct. 18

This morning didn’t start out well. When I let Buddy out, Spot Collins sauntered out behind him. Since it had snowed and I was in my sleepwear, I had to grab a coat and put on my sandals. He had already made his way halfway up our tiered landscape area, so I had to climb over the fence we have there to keep Flower on the ground and chase him down. Then, while holding the giant cat, I had to jump back down. I am considering putting him on a leash like Jeff and Lynda Petersen do with their giant cat.

Saturday, Oct. 19

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Sunday, Oct. 20

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tuesday, Oct. 22

We have tried our best to keep Spot Collins from going outside, but now he’s figured out how to go out the doggy door, and then how to get under the deck. We went in under one side and out the other. John had to lure him back in both times. Since he has figured it out, I wish he would teach Candy and Dottie to go through it! Instead, we took the doggy door out for the time being. I don’t want to lose him! Mom would be heartbroken.

Wednesday, Oct. 23

I have been concerned about Mom’s things she will be taking to Florida. Sandy is going to have a hard enough time because of her pet allergies. I don’t want dusty items to bother her too. While I was going through some of the newspaper clippings Mom collected, I saw one saying to put an allergic child’s stuffed animals in the freezer to kill dust mites before they sleep with them. Mom’s stuffed cats and tigers didn’t look dusty, but I bagged them and put them in the freezer anyway. I also bagged the stuffed elephants Mom made us when we were children and gave them a turn in the freezer. Can’t wait ’til John finds them and thinks I’ve gone around the bend.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Shih Tzu Week 41: April 5 (Day 281) – April 11 (Day 287)

Posted on by
1

Shih Tzu Day 281: April 5 (Thursday)

Nothing much to report. It’s been a lazy day.

Shih Tzu Day 282: April 6 (Friday)

Contemplating Flower’s birthday

This shih tzu needs a trim!Flower’s birthday is a week away. I feel a little sad that she will be 3 years old! Her and Candy are so cute at 2 years old. There is such a big difference between Candy and Flower, who can be so playful, and Dottie, who, at 6 years old, is so “stationary,” with just brief moments of playfulness.

Candy looks like a baby shih tzu after her trim.And to think that Candy will be 3 years old soon too, on April 30. I guess Nigel will remain forever young, since we have no idea when he was born!

The stick game continues

Nigel chewed contently on a rawhide and chicken stick for some time this morning. I imagine he stole someone else’s, because no one else still had one. Flower kept one eye on him, and when he went to get water, she jumped down from her side of the couch, walked over to where he was sitting, walked up the milk box step, took his chew stick, walked back down and sauntered over to Shih Tzu Central to enjoy it. To be fair, it could have been hers to begin with, since Nigel always seems to have an extra.

When Nigel came back, he looked carefully at the blanket where he had been lying, trying to figure out where the stick went. When he realized it was miss, he snorted his disapproval, and then finally gave up.

And speaking of treats, it’s amazing how long the Christmas bone-shaped rawhide has lasted. Flower trotted by with it in her mouth this afternoon. It will vanish for a while, and then it will resurface again.

Flower’s couch

Flower sat on her couch for a while today. Since she seems to have given up on peeing on it, I don’t put the cushions up anymore. However, I am not used to her sitting there, and I carelessly left a picture lying on the arm; she got it and started chewing on the corner. I rescued it just in time.

She sat there for a while until something Candy did caught her attention, and she dived off to join in the action.

Shih Tzu Day 283: April 7 (Saturday)

Much better

We couldn’t put it off any longer, and gave Candy a trim today. She looks so much better. We are painting our kitchen cabinets and worked on them all day after that, so the shih tzus got little attention.

Shih Tzu Day 284: April 8 (Sunday)

Easter lunch

The shih tzus' Easter lunch.My mom came over to have Easter lunch with us. I fixed the shih tzus each their own small bowl of ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, and part of a hard-boiled egg. They loved it.

They weren’t so happy later on when the children and grandchildren arrived. They went back to Shih Tzu Central and didn’t come out until the coast was clear.

Shih Tzu Day 285: April 9 (Monday)

The shih tzus enjoy their Easter lunch.Flower is quite a character. She was sitting next to me, and I bent over to pet Candy. She started pawing my head with her paws. I guess she wanted me to give her attention, and not Candy. A little later, the two of them tap danced across the floor, playfully biting each other’s faces.

Shih Tzu Day 286: April 10 (Tuesday)

your stick’s better than mine

I never tire of the chew stick game the shih tzus play. This morning, Nigel was sitting on the couch chewing on his, and then jumped down, leaving it there. This time, Flower was sitting on the floor below where he had been, watching. As soon as his back was turned, she jumped up on the couch, grabbed the stick, and ran to Shih Tzu Central to chew on it. In the meantime, Nigel came back to the couch, with the exact same type of stick he had left behind. He had gone to Candy’s “apartment” and stolen hers, probably because he figured his would be gone when he got back.

Squirrel!

Drats! The squirrels are back in town! When I let the shih tzus outside this morning, and sat down their food, Flower tore off towards the back fence and started barking like crazy. And then I saw the attraction. I couldn’t get her attention back, so I finally picked up her bowl and saved it for her. That always makes things difficult, because the other shih tzus want to help the late eater with their food.

Shih Tzu Day 287: April 11 (Wednesday)

Flower’s birthday is two days away. As a special treat, and to avoid treats made in China, I decided to try to make chicken jerky for the shih tzus. I found a recipe at Raise a Green Dog that I modified a little. I had John cut some chicken very thin. Then, I lighted coated the chicken with oil and sprinkled parsley on it. I put it on a baking sheet and put it in an oven heated to 200° F. Although the recipe said to bake for about two hours, it didn’t seem done, so I left it in longer. I ended up baking for at least 6 hours.

Truthfully, I don’t think it looked much like the jerky I buy them. It more looked like very thin, slightly dried out chicken tenders. I gave the shih tzus a sample, and they liked it. I taste tested it, and it was okay, but I can probably do better. Since the experiment was sort of successful, I am now going to go a step further and buy a dehydrator to experiment more!

Shih Tzu Day 208: The Shih Tzu Bone Thief is Back

Posted on by
Reply

Things never seem status quo when you have four shih tzus running around. I have been saying how Nigel has been so good lately, and today I keep getting frustrated. I bought them real bones from the local grocery store, and when I passed them around, he tried to round them all up for him. This afternoon, he keeps going over to Shih Tzu Central, for what I am not sure. Now he looks like he is trying to corral Flower back to her corner, but she escaped and jumped up on the couch, breathing heavily.

I think that the winter is making them bored. I leave the door open whenever I can, in hopes that they will go outside and play, but they rarely do, even though it hasn’t been very cold. They mainly seem to wait around to see when the next treat will be delivered.

Nigel was licking his paw earlier, and I noticed it was bleeding. John was having trouble with the nail clippers, so I might have to invest in a new pair. I’m glad Lea at Gentle Grooming had put styptic powder on the “must have” list for grooming.

Shih Tzu Day 202: Shih Tzu Lost in Time

Posted on by
Reply

Hello everyone! It is impossible to think that it is January 17. I know I haven’t written a word all year, except to say that I had a computer malfunction. I won’t talk about it very much, except to mention that it has been a nightmare, but things are finally getting back to normal.

As for the shih tzu sisters, and Nigel, however, we grow to love them more every day! The winter months have slowed us down, practically into hibernation. Of course, they rouse periodically from sleeping to seek out food or treats. This afternoon is typical. As I type on my computer, wondering where the time went, Dottie snores beside me. Nigel is lying on the other side, not snoring, so I can’t tell if he is asleep. Flower goes back and forth between the couch and Shih Tzu Central, where she is right now. Checking on the dogs made me realize that Candy has been outside for probably an hour.

Dottie and Flower have taken a cue from Nigel, and now know how to “knock.” Dottie frantically tapes her front paws on the sliding glass door. Flower does too, but when she is really impatient, she backs up and jumps at the door, hitting it with her front paws and then doing it again. Candy, however, sits on the porch until someone realizes she is waiting. Half the time, even when you do notice she is missing, when we go to let her in, she runs back out into the yard. Strange child, that one.

More soon, both forward and backward in time.

Shih Tzu Day 84: Mommy, Come and Play!

Posted on by
Reply

shih tzu a.m.

two shih tzus on a couchI don’t usually eat cereal for breakfast, but I have had Frosted Mini Wheats the last few days. Flower always jumps up on the couch to see what I am eating and if she can talk me out of any. I know I should discourage this, but it’s tough. I gave her half of a mini wheat. She stayed on the couch with me for a while. I was busy updating our blog, but I realized that the shih tzus were waiting for some time with me, so I stopped and gave them some attention.

shih tzu afternoon

shih tzu on a blue and grey dog bedAfter the shih tzus had their early afternoon treat, Flower and Dottie came in with me, but, as usual, Candy, our independent shih tzu, stayed outside. She sat on the porch steps for awhile, and then went and sat by the trailer. I don’t know why she is such a loner. I’m glad she likes it outside though. I wish Dottie and Flower would stay out more, because they get so bored inside.

I had some leftover pasta for lunch. Dottie was already sitting by me, but the smell of food brought Flower running. I gave them a few small pieces, but Candy stayed in Shih Tzu Central. Flower sat on the couch with us for a while before jumping down to find something more excited to do, like lying on her dog bed staring at us.

shih tzu and she really wanted one. She asked me if there was a shih tzu rescue in Colorado. I told her about the Colorado Shih Tzu Maltese Rescue. I told her that their adoption fee is $300, but also told her about BFF Rescue and that they have a lower adoption fee: $175 versus $300.

I told her about Nigel and that BFF Rescue gets other shih tzus in from time to time. However, she is like I was at first. She wants a dog under a year who is housebroken, healthy and has no big issues. I told her that might be a little harder to do. I also told her that our girls were definitely problem children when we got them, but we had worked out some of the kinks.

Candy and the couch

Itwo shih tzus on a couchn my campaign to get Candy to be one of the couch dogs, I picked her up Candy and put her between John and me after we finished eating. She stayed there for probably 20 minutes and then jumped down. However, about five minutes later, she came towards the couch; I thought she looked like she was thinking about jumping, and I held my breath. Then, she jumped up! Except for the day when a noise scared her weeks ago, this is the first time she jumped up on the couch with us on it. She lay down between me and Dottie and stayed for probably another half hour. I don’t think Dottie knew what to do initially. She tried to sit on her when Candy first lay down, and then lay down next to her.