July 6, 2008
Well my wonderful little pups are fabulous! We love them to bits! We’re trying to take them for walks everyday now that it’s finally nicer. It’s not been easy though, because my knee has been quite bad, and hubby has had some mystery lump on his foot that’s been causing him a lot of pain for the past week. They just love to go though! I also need to make them appointments tomorrow for a grooming. They’re getting quite hairy again, and were a bit uncomfortable in last week’s heat! Especially Teebo, because he’s the bigger of the two.
BUT we still are having many issues with them going to the bathroom in the house. I can’t for the life of me figure out what the cause is!!! They’re so smart, and yet they just aren’t getting this, and they’re a year old now!! The door is often left open, so they can come and go as they want. They’ll just come in from outside, and then come in and pee on the rug! GRRR! I’m just at my wits end with this! Anyone have any tips??
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April 8, 2008
I’m very glad spring is nearly here!! It was finally getting all nice and dry, and then we got a big dump of snow this weekend, so now we’re back to the melting and muck! I took the boys to a new groomer (we used to use for our old dog) and they got shaved down for Spring. Wicket looked so skinny and “different” that I couldn’t hardly recognize him! They seem to like it, although I think Wicket gets cold easily now.
They just absolutely love to go for walks, and are excellent on the leash! Fortunately, hubby has gotten very fond of taking them! However, they are not fond of car rides. Wicket is always willing to go, but he gets carsick. Teebo, you have to chase him down to get him into the car! I have no idea why they are so leery of car rides, because they love visiting people when they get there. They went on their first longer car ride out to my Mom’s, an hour away. We gave Wicket some gravol, so he didn’t sick, so that certainly helped.
We’re still have big issues with their house training, and I really don’t have a clue why! They are 100% trained if we are hanging out in the family room, kitchen area. They will come and whine or stare at us to go out. BUT if they have free run of the house, like when I’m upstairs and hubby is down in the family room, they use the living room to go in a lot of the times, and I can’t make sense of it! Or, this morning when hubby was taking them downstairs to go out for the first time, he stopped to go to the bathroom himself first, and Teebo came back upstairs and squatted on my bedroom floor! GEEZE! I must get this figured out, because they’re fabulous lovey dovies, but they can’t be having accidents so often!!
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January 7, 2008
Since I went back to work, and Winter arrived, I haven’t been taking the pups for walks. Partly me being a big, fat lazy ass, and partially because I didn’t know how well they’d handle the bitter winter!
Well it’s a new year, and I’m trying to make a few small healthy changes to my lifestyle, and walking the dogs every day is part of those changes. Good for all 3 of us. Today, the moment I got home, I grabbed their leashes, and let them out of the crate, and away we went. We did about 15 minutes, but considering the cold, and icey walkways, it was quite a good little walk! The pups did fabulous!! The pair of them trotted along beside me like they’d been doing this for years! They never pulled, or dragged along, didn’t stop to sniff and carry on. They walked through a busy parking lot with lots of people and cars, and they just didn’t even miss a beat! They were so cute, and well behaved that I was immensely proud!! I’m also looking forward to taking them again tomorrow!
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December 22, 2007
Here’s the boys in their Christmas outfits. They’re quite happy to wear sweaters and coats. The hats NOT SO MUCH! Their training is going well. They can now sit, lay down, sit pretty, and Wicket learned to shake a paw the other night, and it’s the cutest thing EVER! Teebo will get it too, it just takes him a little longer to learn things.
The house training is still “iffy”. Wicket will come to us now and growl when he needs out, but I don’t think Teebo has got it so much yet. I’ve read though that many Shih Tzus take a year until they’re really trustworthy to have free run of the house.
We had a large party here a couple of weeks ago for my husband’s 50th birthday party. They were quite a pain in that setting. Firstly they get so excited when anyone comes that they are jumping up in their laps, and licking and just crazy! Then of course is the issue of trying to host a party, and trying to make sure someone is watching them to let them outside when they want! They settled down once they got over the excitement of company.
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December 9, 2007
The pups are doing very well in their first Canadian winter! They don’t mind the snow, and will still go out and play when the temperatures are in the 0 to -10 degrees Celsius range, but last week it was -28 degrees. They couldn’t tolerate that too much! I bought them these sweaters to wear on those days, because they really seemed to love their Christmas duds that Sarah bought them. They liked these too, and proudly prance around out in the snow in them!
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November 11, 2007
Wow I’ve been so lax in posting! Let’s see. What’s new with the pups? Well on October 30, they got their first professional grooming and haircuts. They looked absolutely adorable as you can plainly see! They look so different now that you can see their eyes! They were so soft and fluffy, and smelled so nice. As you can see, they got little Halloween bows put in their hair. They were really well behaved at the groomers, so that was very good to hear.
On Friday, they got neutered. That also went very well, with no complications. They were really groggy throughout the evening, but my morning, they were completely back to normal, running around like crazy, playing, and jumping as though nothing ever happened.
They are doing really well on the leash, and walk very nicely. Unfortunately, they are still having a lot of accidents in the house. Not so bad when they’re confined to the family room/kitchen, but not good at all when they have any more freedom than that! We’ll just keep on, keeping on!
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September 20, 2007
I apologize for my lack of updates. Getting back in the groove of working has been quite the adjustment for both me, and the boys! They are doing great! I just fall in love with the little guys more every day! Hubby is totally hooked as well. They do very well with their potty training when they are confined to the family room/kitchen area. When they are given more freedom, and allowed upstairs, they seem to be at a loss as to what to do when nature calls.
They are both 100% with “sit” and “down”. We’re working on “pretty”, teaching them to beg. That’s a bit more challenging. They walk well on the leash, and we’re starting to expose them to car rides as well.
They went this week for their booster shots, and got their rabies tags. They both still have yeast infections in their ears, which don’t seem to want to clear up, even with the antibiotic drops.
They will play outside for great lengths of time. Running, and chasing, or sleeping. They rarely bark now, unless they have a cat cornered, and are trying to convince it to “play”.
They are handling being crated during work times, very well. Hubby comes home during his lunch hour, and gives them a 1/2 hour of play time outside while he eats. Then I’m home by 4:00 pm. They’re day gets broken up pretty well this way.
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September 3, 2007
Well the puppies are doing great!! The first couple days of being crated for a length of time went fine. They were sleeping quietly when I got home.
The yard has been escape proof for several days, and it’s HEAVENLY to be able to let them play without worrying. The only time they bark is when they’re playing, or want one of the cats to play. They don’t bark when people come, or the doorbell rings, or any other time.
They both know “sit” and “down”, Wicket a little better than Teebo, but he’s getting very well now too. They sit nicely to be brushed, and they walk “pretty good” on a leash.
Most nights they sleep all night, and if they do get up, they go out and do their business and go right back into the crate until morning.
We’re really getting to see their individual personalities, and we’re totally falling in love with them!
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August 31, 2007
Yesterday, the pups had to be crated for the day. I left them with water and toys, and went off to work. I thought about them often during the day. When I got home, they were just quietly sleeping in the crate. I took them outside right away, and to my surprise, it was still another 5-10 minutes before they actually went to the bathroom! They were hungry, but otherwise completely unscathed! Today I only work a half day, and then hubby is off for 2 weeks, so they will have another couple of weeks before they have to get back to full time reality.
The other day, I heard this “yelping” in the back yard! I quickly went outside, where I discovered Wicket in the neighbor’s yard, and Teebo, with his head stuck between the board! HEH! The yard seems to be safe now, but Houdini seems to be able to slip through anything!
Then this morning, there was a bowl of soft cat food sitting outside on the picnic table. I was watching Teebo dancing around trying to get up there, sniffing wildly. I averted my attention, as he’s our chunky monkey little bear, and he isn’t so good at jumping yet! A few minutes later, I looked out again, and there he was…..on top of the picnic table gnoshing down the cat food! I couldn’t believe my eyes! I even had to call hubby down to see for himself, because I knew he’d never believe me if I told him!
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August 28, 2007
After adding more chicken wire, and knowing we need 4 more rolls to finish the whole yard (which we never imagined we’d need to do), yesterday was an escape-free day. Today however, they managed to get into Joe’s yard. Fortunately Eunice was in the back yard working, and I saw them through the fence right away, so I went around and got them. I took their leashes and took them for a wee, little walk down the block, just to see how they’d do on their leashes out of the yard. They actually did very well! I was quite surprised! I think I may get them harnesses though, rather than just collars. With them being so little, and me so tall, I think it ends up being uncomfortable for them.
Hubby plans to finish fixing the rest of the yard tomorrow. Thank goodness! They just love it out there, and I hate having to constantly be watching them, paranoid that they’re going to get themselves into trouble! I haven’t gotten hardly anything done around here since I got them!
Wicket can now do “sit” and “down” with just the hand signals, and Teebo finally mastered “down” today. Smart little poops!
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