Meet our new family member

[Tundra_Queen]

Hi

Well I got a new family member last Sunday!! Her name is Mindy, she is 5 years old and a retired Champion Shih Tzu! She hasn't had much of a family life as she was a show dog in a kennel setting. These people breed dogs to show them and have many different breeds that they show, they are also International judges. Not to say that they were mean or anything, just that Mindy wasn't raised in a home, but in a room with other shih tzus. She is also the mother to many other champion dogs. But now she is MINE!!! *doing the happy dance*

My son took me to pick her up which was a 8 hr drive each way. She is such a quiet girl and I will have to show her how to play with toys as she doesn't know how. She is also trained on pee pads, so I have to train her to go outside too. She doesn't chase the cats, who are not doing too bad with her except willie, who is really ticked that I brought another critter into HIS house!

Tegan wants to be her friend, but Mindy was getting beat up by the other dogs in the kennel and had to be separated from them with her friend Rizzo. So when Tegan gave her a sniff yesterday Mindy snapped at her. She seems to be very smart cause when I told her she was a bad girl and that she had to be nice she did go give Tegan a sniff after she said sorry to me.

She doesn't know things like lay down or sit, but she seems very smart so I'm sure she will learn. She already knows if she pees or poops outside she will get a cookie!

I will try and post pics.

Debbie

[Tundra_Queen]

and here is another one.

[govgirl75]

What a pretty girl. Sounds like you have a great start on "peoplizing" her. She is lucky to have found such a wonderful family. Good luck and keep posting pictures.
Gloria

[newtohosta-no more]

My goodness! Doesn't she look grand! Sounds like you're off to a good start with her and I hope that will continue. I hope Willie comes around to the new addition to the family.

[JaneG]

Oh my, what a PRINCESS!! Look at all that flowing hair! AND A BOW!

Things around the Tundra house are sure getting interesting!!! Sounds like you will have fun getting her settled in to her new surroundings and new family.

[Linda P]

What a pretty girl! I know it takes some patience to get the kennel dogs integrated into family life, but at least she's had contact with people when she was shown. You should have great fun with her. Good luck!
Linda P

[LucyGoose]

Hi Debbie!! Congrats on the new fur kid!! Have you ever head of clicker training? It is great.....baby steps.....most show dogs don't really have a life....IMO.....Good luck..she is beautiful!!!

[Tundra_Queen]

Thanks everyone!

She is a nice dog, but poop training seems to be going slowly. She was doing well until we had to go to Walmart yesterday for 2 hrs and I put her in her kennel and she messed in it.

Someone on another forum told me that lots of shih tzu show dogs are raised in a 3 X 3 kennel so they don't ruin their coats. They pee and poop in their crate and it falls thru, but sometimes the poop doesn't so they learn that keeping poop out of their their crate and food isn't important. So I'm wondering if she was raised like that.

Apparently it takes a year for their coat to get to show quality and playing with other shih tzu can ruin their coats, walking on carpets can break their coats too so they are raised on tile. I know their was a room behind a door that had the show dogs in it, but we couldn't see inside it.

Lucy, I have heard of clicker training for cats..I know they do it for dogs, but I haven't read how to train dogs, just cats. LOL and NO I haven't trained my cats...yet. LMBO

When she goes pee or poop outside I tell her good dog for pee pee or #2 and give her a cookie right away. she is very food motivated

Linda, yes she had lots of socialization which is great! My son and family came over last night and she loved my little grandson who is just 2. It was the first time they met and she just followed him around and I should of grabbed my camera.

Debbie

[kaylyred]

What a pretty baby! She's just lovely. Are you keeping her coat up, or will you have it clipped to a more manageable length? I used to work for a dog grooming school (administrative capacity, but I showed cocker spaniels so I have some decent grooming skills) and the shih tzus were some of the sweetest dogs we saw.

House training sounds like it's going to be a bugger for you--I wish you luck! It's true that many show dogs--particularly the long coated ones--are exercised only in pens with wire bottoms to help keep their coats pristine. I don't have firsthand experience, but I can definitely see where it's going to take Mindy some time to understand that it's okay (in fact, preferable!) that she goes potty outdoors.

Anyhow, congratulations and enjoy your beautiful girl!

[Tundra_Queen]

Thanks Karen. Mindy is doing very well. She has most of the potty training down well though she still has accidents in the house every once in a while. But it's just when hubs and I leave the house. It use to be when I left, but she is ok if hubs is here with her. So she is learning.

Her hair was cut short when I got her, no show coat, but it has grown a few inches now. She will have to get it clipped again before the hot weather gets here as she doesn't like the heat we've been having. She pants when I take her for a walk and it's only 70.

[Ginger]

She is so pretty Debbie! I love the name Mindy! That is my oldest DD's name She may not be used to a lot of exercise, thus the panting, but then again.... that is a lot of hair to carry around I am glad she is doing well and learning to potty outside!

Ginger

[Tundra_Queen]

Thanks Ginger.

Mindy is doing much much better now! She hasn't messed in the house the last 4 times Gary and I have left her alone!! Yeah! I tell her NO pee in the house and no # 2 in the house. Wait until Mommy & Daddy get back in the house and u will get cookies if no pee pee and no #2 in the house. She gets lots of loving if she is good and tons of cookies too! LOL

She is pretty good with the sit command,but we are still working on the lay down. She loves being on the patio with Tegan and me but if it's hot she has to go back in the house as she can't take the heat at all.

She loves her walks in the park and her steep hills. LOL She didn't get walks before so she spends lots of time sniffing...everything. LOL