The day that Squeaky lost his squeak

Bruiser loves his toys. There is actually a hierarchy of importance as far as the toys go. For the last while, purple Squeaky has been the "toy du jour" and Bruiser takes it everywhere with him. Rocki likes Squeaky when he feels compelled to tease his brother. Otherwise he couldn't give a rip about it.

So imagine the horror when Grandma, who is staying with us while she recovers from surgery, accidentally stepped on Squeaky and he lost his squeak.

Bruiser was beside himself. After giving Grandma the stink eye, he ran over to his precious little pet and tried to squeak it. Nothing. Grandma got "the look" another time and Bruiser tried to revive Squeaky. No deal. Squeaky squeaked no more.

Bruiser then decided to appeal to the "fixer of all things"...that would be me. He brought Squeaky to me and started to grunt. I picked up the toy and took it over to the counter where the light was better. Bruiser did not leave my side. After fiddling around with it, I realized the squeaker was simply stuck and squeezed it in another direction to get it going again. Problem solved! Squeaky got his squeak back. Bruiser was ecstatic, promptly grabbed his beloved pet and proceeded to run around the house at full speed with Squeaky firmly in his mouth.

Another day...another dilemma...another resolution. All's well in the house now.

A quick note on antibiotics....

I was a bit hesitant in giving antibiotics to my oldest when he had the ear infection because I know from my own experience how antibiotics can affect the body and possibly lead to other problems which, of course, would entail another visit to the vet and more medication to counteract the first one.

What had concerned me most is during the time he was taking the medication he didn't have the same spunk. He also didn't eat very much and seemed to sleep a lot. I also did some reading and, not unlike humans, I discovered that yogurt will help bring back the "good" bacteria that the antibiotics kill (along with the "bad" bacteria). So, after Bruiser was finally done taking the antibiotics, I'd give him a little bit of my yogurt when I had it in the morning. From the bottom of the cup, I'd dig out a bit on my spoon and hand it to him and he'd lick it off. Rocki, of course, was there as well. Can't give to one without giving to the other! Rocki didn't care for it, and neither did Bruiser, but it's almost as if he sensed he should have some and tried to eat it. He'd have the equivalent of about half a teaspoon in total. But this I hoped was enough to start building up the good bacteria again.

So, a few days later, it appears he's back to normal. He's not scratching at his ear and his brother's not trying to lick it for him. I'm still trying to give him a bit of yogurt in the morning, but since he's got that little "skip" to his step back, I think I can safely say that he's back to normal.

Shih-Tzu hairstyles

I, for one, am fascinated by the hairstyles given to Shih-Tzus. In particular the "top knot" seems to be the thing to do with this breed.

Although my boys have short hair, I've found some links for those who are a bit more adventurous and want to give their dog a bit more panache.

1. Shih-Tzu top knots - illustrations of how to tie the top knot, show knot and puppy knot.
2. A casual Shih-Tzu top knot and the illustrated guide to the Show knot (curling iron required. Really!)
3. One of the most fabulous pics I've seen of a Shih-Tzu. I have no idea how they got the dog to look so perfect, but I suspect it took quite a few hours and hairspray was involved.

Ear infections

Dogs with long, floppy ears are prone to ear infections, and Shih-Tzus are certainly not immune. My oldest just got treated for one.

At first, I didn't even realize he had an infection. When I was growing up, we had a Lhasa Apso and whenever she got the infection, there was a distinct odor that came from her ear so we knew it was time to go to the vet. However, when I checked my oldest, there was no odor so I let it go longer than I should have because I thought that it was just overly itchy and perhaps a bit irritated because of this scratching. I realized something was wrong after my husband told me he got up in the middle of the night and found our oldest scratching his ear and crying. That was enough to convince me something wasn't right. I immediately made an appointment with the vet and, lo and behold, he had an ear infection.

So what are the signs? Assuming there is no odor (which is a dead giveaway), this is what you need to watch for:
1. repeated scratching of the affected ear
2. repeatedly licking the paw that scratches the ear (in our case, he would scratch, lick, scratch, lick over and over)
3. shaking the head
4. rubbing the head against a carpet or floor

The vet took a swab from his ear and tested it. It turned out he had a yeast infection. They also said his ear canal was thickened due to the infection. They flushed out his ear to clean it. I was given antibiotics and ear drops that I have to give him twice a day.

Already I am seeing signs of improvement just after a day. He sleeps a bit more (which is probably the antibiotic) but when he's awake he seems to have more spunk to his step. Most importantly, he is not scratching his ear anymore.

Looking back, I was stupid not to have gotten him to the vet sooner. Sometimes we think we can diagnose a problem, but in the end we're not experts. I was relying on past experience, other people's knowledge and what I read on the internet. However, nothing compares to having a vet have a look at the problem. So if you notice these types of behaviors in your dog, take them immediately to the vet to have it checked out so your pet doesn't suffer any longer than they have to. Dogs can't tell you when they're in pain, and my little guy probably endured this pain and discomfort for longer than he should have.

It all comes down to...ice cream

The boys know when they get their "special" treat...vanilla ice cream.

They stand at attention...there is no movement...when that container carrying the luscious commodity known as "ice cream" comes from the freezer. (and just as an aside to all you decorators...isn't my floor hideous, but I digress...)

There is absolutely nothing the boys won't do for their special treat. Even sitting still is not a problem!

Of course, a precaution - nothing with chocolate because that is toxic. And, although sugar is not good for their teeth, they do deserve a sweet treat once in a while, and vanilla ice cream is their favorite. I usually buy Breyers All Natural. And I'll tell you...you're dishwasher couldn't clean a bowl like two Shih-Tzus with ice cream in a bowl!

When your dog becomes aggressive

When your sweet little boy starts behaving like a mean old junkyard dog, it's time to consider neutering.

Aggression could result from a number of different things such as a new dog (or cat or other pet) entering the home (as a resident or visitor) or tresspassing within the broader boundaries of your dog's "territory", another person moving in, a complete change of residence or a bad experience that perhaps you are unaware of. Although dogs do have a natural instinct to protect their loved ones and their territory which neutering will not affect, aggression in a male dog that appears out of the blue when no real changes have occurred and no "threats" can be discerned may indicate it's time to look into having him neutered.

Neutering will make your male dog less aggressive, reduce their tendency to roam, make them less prone to marking the territory, and reduce their tendency to mount other dogs (and in our case, their big cushions!). Neutering will also reduce the risk of testicular tumors and prostate disease. It will not affect their inherent playfulness or friendliness.

Neutering also helps to keep down the pet population. If you haven't neutered your male dog because you plan on breeding him, think long and hard about your reasons for doing so. Is it purely for profit? If so, shame on you! There are other ways to make money. Is it because you want another dog that is sired by your male? If so, are you prepared to ensure that all the other puppies resulting from a litter are placed in good homes? Do you know the buyers or are you willing to check them out thoroughly to make sure the puppies aren't abused or become another homeless statistic?

Neutering is, as always, a personal choice. However, please read about it and talk to your vet about the pros and cons of this procedure so that you can make an informed decision.

The Shih-Tzu Temper Tantrum

While we were away in California for two and a half weeks, my mother-in-law and my nephew were dog sitting. We thought it was the least stressful method of leaving the boys while we went on vacation. How wrong we were!

For the first two days, we were told they didn't budge from the door we left from, they cried and refused to eat or drink. On the third day they did start to take some water and a bit of food. By the end of the week they appeared to be "back to normal". Not...

During the second week they became the dogs from hell. They peed everywhere they could and pooped on the carpet. They never do this when we're at home, but they were angry that we were not around and all rules went out the door. They tore up their toys, bedding and blankets. They ripped up my plants, books and anything else they could access. As soon as my mother-in-law cleaned up their mess, they would mess again.

We came home at 3:00 in the morning and the last thing I wanted to do was clean, but I had no choice. I spent 1/2 an hour scrubbing the floors and using carpet cleaner on the rugs. I definitely am going to have to rip up the family room carpet and have it replaced. Flooring is looking like a good option. However, since we've been home they've been good as gold...no mess on the carpet, no mess in the kitchen.

So if you are planning to go on vacation and have a dog sitter, my advice is to cover your furniture with blankets you can wash and have a lot of carpet cleaner on hand...you're going to need it!