When you get a dog you expect him to be your lifelong friend for ever, right? He would follow you, run after you, sit next to you, wait for you by the door, and never stop looking at you with those adoring eyes. That’s what I expected when I got my shih tzu, four years ago. Well, not that I don’t have all that, but it’s slightly different now, that my husband retired. I will start from the beginning.
I decided to quit work and pretty much be semi retired back in August of 2005. By the end of September of the same year, I decided to get a dog. After a long consideration of what kind of dog to get, I decided on a shih tzu. My husband was still working at the time and he, too, thought that a dog would be good company for me, since our children were all grown up and pretty much out of the house. So we brought this little sweet puppy home, called him Nappy, and not too long after that I got very attached to him and he to me. He would still get excited when my husband came home from work, and he would hop and jump up and down as soon as he saw him coming through the door.
Our days were on a schedule. My husband would take him out in the morning when he’d leave for work, then as soon as he’d close the door behind him, Nappy would come up and sleep with me for another hour or so. Then we’d get up, I would have my coffee, he would sit at my feet and either fall asleep or just stare at me. Sometimes we would have a staring contest just to see who would withdraw first. Needless to say that he won all the time. After my morning coffee, he would follow me to the bedroom where I would change into my exercise clothes and then he would stay at the top of the stairs, waiting for me, while I’d exercise in the basement. It was a ritual. Every day, as soon as I’d put my coffee cup in the dishwasher, he ‘d get up from his spot in front of the fireplace and wait to see where I would go so that he could follow. This went on and of for the next four years.
This past October my husband decided to retire, so he is home with me and Nappy now. The first few days after he retired, Nappy didn’t know exactly what to expect. He would still follow me wherever I went, wait for me to give him his food and water, and any treats when he was a good boy. Gradually, I noticed that he stopped coming to me, and go to my husband all the time. Especially after he’d notice that my husband would go into his office, he would follow him and when my husband picked him up and held him on his lap a few times, Nappy quit following me everywhere. He began a new ritual: follow papa in his den so that he can pick him up. I was surprised to see that. I was wondering what made him change. Until my husband confessed to me of what he did to lure Nappy to be his buddy all day long, day in and day out. And here is the secret: when my husband let Nappy out in the morning to do his business, as soon as Nappy came in the house, my husband would give him a treat. In the afternoon, when we would have our afternoon coffee he would give Nappy another treat. In the morning when he’d finish eating his cereal, he would let Nappy drink the milk. Sometimes I wondered if it’s a cat that we got instead of a dog.
In the beginning, it didn’t bother me at all; I didn’t even notice it much. But as the months went by, I noticed it more and more. I’d still play with Nappy, give him treats but I would also be the one to reprimand him when he did something that he was not supposed to do. Like a child he went to the parent who is more lenient with him. Shih tzus are adorable dogs and very loyal. Until you give them a treat. They will bark when they hear someone breaking in the house but, if they give them a treat they are their friends. They will even show them where the goods are. I felt betrayed by my own dog. Now I want to get a dog that is all mine. Should it be a shih tzu, or another breed? I love this dog too much though, to decide on another breed. Even though I feel betrayed by this one, I would still get another shih tzu. And as I write this article, my little Nappy followed me into my office and is sitting at my feet watching me with those adoring eyes. Hey isn’t that what dogs are for? To just adore you and be there all the time?
I decided to quit work and pretty much be semi retired back in August of 2005. By the end of September of the same year, I decided to get a dog. After a long consideration of what kind of dog to get, I decided on a shih tzu. My husband was still working at the time and he, too, thought that a dog would be good company for me, since our children were all grown up and pretty much out of the house. So we brought this little sweet puppy home, called him Nappy, and not too long after that I got very attached to him and he to me. He would still get excited when my husband came home from work, and he would hop and jump up and down as soon as he saw him coming through the door.
Our days were on a schedule. My husband would take him out in the morning when he’d leave for work, then as soon as he’d close the door behind him, Nappy would come up and sleep with me for another hour or so. Then we’d get up, I would have my coffee, he would sit at my feet and either fall asleep or just stare at me. Sometimes we would have a staring contest just to see who would withdraw first. Needless to say that he won all the time. After my morning coffee, he would follow me to the bedroom where I would change into my exercise clothes and then he would stay at the top of the stairs, waiting for me, while I’d exercise in the basement. It was a ritual. Every day, as soon as I’d put my coffee cup in the dishwasher, he ‘d get up from his spot in front of the fireplace and wait to see where I would go so that he could follow. This went on and of for the next four years.
This past October my husband decided to retire, so he is home with me and Nappy now. The first few days after he retired, Nappy didn’t know exactly what to expect. He would still follow me wherever I went, wait for me to give him his food and water, and any treats when he was a good boy. Gradually, I noticed that he stopped coming to me, and go to my husband all the time. Especially after he’d notice that my husband would go into his office, he would follow him and when my husband picked him up and held him on his lap a few times, Nappy quit following me everywhere. He began a new ritual: follow papa in his den so that he can pick him up. I was surprised to see that. I was wondering what made him change. Until my husband confessed to me of what he did to lure Nappy to be his buddy all day long, day in and day out. And here is the secret: when my husband let Nappy out in the morning to do his business, as soon as Nappy came in the house, my husband would give him a treat. In the afternoon, when we would have our afternoon coffee he would give Nappy another treat. In the morning when he’d finish eating his cereal, he would let Nappy drink the milk. Sometimes I wondered if it’s a cat that we got instead of a dog.
In the beginning, it didn’t bother me at all; I didn’t even notice it much. But as the months went by, I noticed it more and more. I’d still play with Nappy, give him treats but I would also be the one to reprimand him when he did something that he was not supposed to do. Like a child he went to the parent who is more lenient with him. Shih tzus are adorable dogs and very loyal. Until you give them a treat. They will bark when they hear someone breaking in the house but, if they give them a treat they are their friends. They will even show them where the goods are. I felt betrayed by my own dog. Now I want to get a dog that is all mine. Should it be a shih tzu, or another breed? I love this dog too much though, to decide on another breed. Even though I feel betrayed by this one, I would still get another shih tzu. And as I write this article, my little Nappy followed me into my office and is sitting at my feet watching me with those adoring eyes. Hey isn’t that what dogs are for? To just adore you and be there all the time?
