Pixie Turns 2 Years Old

I cannot believe that Pixie is 2 years old today! Where has the time gone? It seems only a couple of months ago she came home at 8 weeks old. She has now grown up to be such a beauty. It has been yet another quick year from when we celebrated her 1st Birthday. A lot has happened since then. 

From being a shy, cheeky and getting into trouble she has grown to be loving, loyal and a cuddly Shih Tzu and I wouldn’t change her for the world. She used to get up to so much mischief but then you would when you were a puppy because you didn’t understand, but we have managed to bring her up to be behaved. We still have our ups and downs now that she has grown but we tackle it head on and don’t give in. She is cheeky and likes to try and wind you up. She barks at the slightest thing on the television or in the park and don’t get me started on the other dogs that live across from us, (what a nightmare) so no she is not perfect but then who is? Every dog must have something that they don’t like and for Pixie it is things flying around on the television and those two dogs in the back garden. It is something we are still working on to over come and it will take time. At the end of the day you didn’t learn to write overnight!

Pixie is a quick learner and managed to learn our way of living with no issues. We toilet trained her which did take some time and when she was a puppy she would always wet in the crate, we would wake up to her swimming in it. This did take some time for her to not do this. From puppy pads to going out the back door which was always a tackle because we live up three flights of stairs she had to learn to hold it till we got to the bottom and out the back door. Again this did take a while for her to get used to. When a dogs got to go, a dogs got to go and there was the odd accident once or twice but nothing a mob and bucket wouldn’t fix. Now at 2 years she has learned to hold it although we do get the occasional excitement dribble when Jamie comes from from work. She cannot help it she is just too excited that a little pops out, and she knows fine well that this is wrong to wet in the house so she immediately runs away in shame.

One thing Pixie has learned is when she has done wrong and is in trouble she knows. Wether it be having an excitable accident on the floor, or being to angry at the dogs out the back door to just playing and just catching your finger with her teeth for you to say ouch she runs away in shame and knows she has done wrong. One example is when I give her a tasty smart bone (non rawhide chew) she comes up and snatches it off us which I see has wrong, she needs to take it nicely as to me that was an aggressive way of taking it and I do not do aggressive behaviour, the peanut butter ones are their favourite but when she snatches it off of us getting it back to say no is a bit of a nightmare. She clamps her jaws down on it and refuses to let go. It must be that tasty. So we have to pull her jaws open to take it away, the odd time she has snapped back at myself and Jamie and she has got it into her head that us saying ouch means that she has hurt us and she has done wrong. So when she snaps back she gets a ouch shouted back at her for her to then go on time out into her bed. When she comes out after so long she creeps out, creeps over to us and souks up to us, we tell her that was naughty and she gives us a kiss. A bit like a child I suppose but she has learned that now when she comes out of time out to come and give us a kiss and then she takes her treat nicely.

This year has been the best. We have seen her blossom even more, she has became more cuddly and closer to us than ever before and comes across very protective. As always she is spoiled with treats, toys and our love. She is closer to Roxy than she has ever been, grooming her, playing with her and looking out for her. She has been in great health this year with little vet visits (apart from the anal gland situation) we have been very lucky with her. She is loving life at the moment and taking in every second and making the most of it. I am making the most with my time with her as well. One on one time when I am grooming her is the best time to spend with her apart from when she is giving you snuggles. She is getting really good on the grooming table more so than ever before. Her hair is long enough for top knots and bows and her hair is starting to separate down her back. We still have a while to go but this has been the longest she has ever been since she was 6 months old. Mats are ongoing but it is only tiny ones and they are manageable.

I cannot express how much I care and love her. Words just cannot describe it. She is my everything. She makes me smile, feel safe, feel loved and she makes me feel complete. She is my world.

With this I look forward to the rest of our journey together through these many years ahead.

Happy Birthday Pixie!