Delores stopped by this morning to make sure the improvements were made in the backyard to keep the shih tzus safe. We passed our BFF Rescue inspection. She came back about an hour and a half later, with Barbara and the shih tzus. We were all pleasantly surprised that Flower surveyed her new Superyard without appearing frightened. Instead, she danced around, tail wagging, jumping over Candy, who was the quietest one. Delores tried grooming her face yesterday, so she might not be that happy. Dottie roamed around the house a little. When we opened the door to go outside, they all followed us, and circled their outdoor exercise pen several times.
It reminded me of scenes from Toy Story when Barbara and Delores left about 45 minutes later. Dottie, Candy and Flower all went back to the far end of their pen and huddled together, as if they had never come alive.
I went to the store this afternoon to get them some chicken jerky and a water bowl. Barbara gave them Waggin’ Train they bought in large bags at Sam’s Club, but they didn’t have it at Costco, so I bought what they had. I also got a very cute ceramic bowl from the Dollar Tree that said “Lap Dogs” and “Feed Me” and pictured traditional lap dogs. Although shih tzus top the list of popular lap dogs, I have no idea if these little furry fellows will ever sit on our laps.
When I got back from shopping, I opened the back door and Dottie and Candy went outside, but Flower wouldn’t move. I tried to give them some jerky, but none of them would take it from me. I put a few pieces on the ground, though, and someone ate one of them. After that, Flower left the pen, strayed a few feet and then came back. Maybe she was just looking for a way to escape, or maybe she was looking for Barbara. I tried to utter the magic words, “Silly girls,” which Delores says makes them dance. It didn’t work.
I hoped to have better luck getting the girls to eat at dinnertime. I had recently read that most dogs like hamburger, mashed potatoes and green beans (Joey did, but she liked most food!), so I planned to treat them with a good, home-cooked meal after John got home.
The furry critters didn’t seem too frightened when he walked in the door. When John started cooking, I hoped the delicious smells would lure them out of their pen, but it didn’t happen. Instead, I fixed them petite plates and served it to them in their play yard. Flower was the first one to eat the hamburger, followed by Candy. However, they left the potatoes and green beans mostly untouched. Dottie wasn’t eating at all, so I took her out of the pen, hoping she might eat in a different location. It didn’t work.
Their stress doesn’t prevent them from sleeping, however. They appear to be sound asleep right now.
At least two of the shih tzu sisters came up the stairs looking for me this morning. I could glimpse Flower and Dottie out in the hall from the bed. I don’t know when they started, but I could hear someone going up and down the stairs until I got up at 7:30.
I called Mom this morning and asked her if she wanted to come by and meet the girls. She thought they were adorable. She said they looked like three old women. The girls were relatively calm when she was here. Candy and Dottie let her pet them, although Dottie growled once. She asked if she could pet Flower, but I told her she probably shouldn’t. The most fearful of the sisters was growling and she was pressed up against the back of the play yard, as far as she could go, her eyes big.
When I got home from taking Mom shopping, the shih tzu sisters were ecstatic. When I fed them their Milo’s Kitchen chicken jerky, Dottie was so excited that she accidentally bit my finger instead of grabbing the food. She didn’t draw blood; she just startled me.
