Shih Tzu Happens

Ready to open my presents! The run up to Christmas was the most exciting. I loved it! As we approached Christmas there would be presents placed underneath the Christmas tree. This was a playground for me….Cover me I’m going in! with my super sniffing capabilities I could identify presents wrapped for me and on one or two occasions couldn’t wait and had to open them. This got me into a bit of trouble – Whoops! For many years there were chocolate decorations hanging from the tree. I may have been caught sampling these from time to time! Mum got wise to this an after that these were only hung on the high branches of the tree where I couldn’t reach – Doh! On Christmas Eve we all go to Nanna’s house for hot food including freshly cooked ham and roast potatoes. As a key member of the family, I was also allowed to sample the fresh ham – absolutely fantastic! I had my own bowl of ham and then moved on to Dad where I managed to get half of his share also – mission complete. On Christmas Day...

  Ho Ho Ho - Merry Christmas Everybody! One of my most favourite times of year is Christmas. Mum and Dad decorate the living room with loads of twinkling lights, huge Christmas stockings hanging down and a garland placed around the fireplace. The centre piece of the living room is Christmas tree almost as high as the ceiling. Outside Dad hangs pretty lights around the entrance porch and has a wreath hanging from the door. It all looks fantastic and it becomes a really exciting time of year. I love to get up to a bit of mischief also in the spirit of the naughty Christmas Elf. I like nothing more than deliberately walking passed the Christmas tree so close that the lower branches rub against my tail. With a well-orchestrated tail flick, off fly the baubles! Obviously by pure accident – well that’s my version of events anyway! Christmas was also a time for me to dress up in seasonal attire. Pipps was always good at seeing my full fashion potential and I have been seen on more tha...

  Do you like my new bow? As Pipps got a bit older we could play together more. She was really into her dolls and dressing up. She would set up all her toys and dolls and help style their hair, apply makeup (usually using felt tip pen!) or dress then up in all sorts of wonderful combinations. I would play next to Pipps as I always liked to be near one of the family. She would play with me as if I were her sister which I really loved. Sometimes her dressing up games needed an added extra. If only there was someone who could dress up with Pipps and parade around the house showing off their new styles in a weird form of Paris (Paw-ris) fashion show! Pipps looked around for more dolls or teddy bears to decorate but had pretty much used them all up. She was scouring the room for extra participants when suddenly there was a light bulb moment. She starred at me…………Oh NoooooooooooooooW! Anyone for a Swim? Too late, before I knew it I had been seconded into the fashion parade and dresse...

Who wants to play? There are a lot of things I like to do, going for a ride in the car, eating Mum and Dad’s dinner, having my tummy tickled to name a few. The most fun I have is playing fetch in the garden. I have played with small dog toys as my mouth is only tiny but some of my favourite toys are not meant for dogs. When no-one is looking, I steal small toys from H and Pips and claim them as mine. Sometimes I get away with is and others I get caught and have to give them back. I particularly like toys with a squeaky inside. I was once given a round fluffy toy as part of Comic relief, a UK charity event, it was red and about the size of a tennis ball. It was filled with soft padding and had a battery device inside that made a laughing sound every time it was pressed. I absolutely loved it! I’m not so sure that the rest of the family liked it as much as all you could hear was the laughing sound for hours on end. Eventually all the filling had fallen out and the squeaky battery went fl...