Santa's Little Helper

Once again...it's the dog! I'm sure none of you think she's nearly as cute as I think she is...but she'd just been groomed and had on a candy cane scarf (and believe me, those things don't stay on long)...and I couldn't resist taking a few pix of her (actually there are about a dozen more, so consider yourself lucky).

This is Schizo. She's 4 1/2 years old. I got her when she was 5 months old. She came from a hell-hole: she'd never been on grass, she'd never been held or loved on (stiffened up like she was scared to death), was stained halfway up on her body with feces and urine (supposedly she was in a kitchen with 20 other puppies!). The guy I got her from said his mother raised Shih tzus in Tennessee...show quality...but sometimes would have one that didn't make the show quality criteria, so she'd sell them really cheap. Not caring whether it was show quality, I decided I needed another Shih tzu...I'd lost my other one about 5 months earlier (March 2004...I'd had her since 1987 when she was 8 weeks old). I worked with the guy and so when he was going to Tennessee we arranged it that he'd bring back a puppy (actually they brought back 3 puppies). I had no idea what I was getting other than "female and hair around eyes is two different colors." I started looking in an old psychology book for split personality or something like it...and it said "It is a common misconception that schizophrenia means 'split personality.' ..... The misunderstanding comes from the fact that the root schizo comes from the Greek verb meaning 'to split.'..." And that's how Schizo got her name...because she has a "split" color on her face. (And I bet you thought it was because she displays "odd and eccentric" behavior!?!) The pigment around her right eye is pink/white; the pigment around her left eye is dark. Day one: trip to vet to find out (before I completely fell in love) if I was setting myself up for a lifetime of tumors and eye problems. He assured me that the eye was completely normal and shouldn't be a problem. One week later I had her spayed and she's here forever and ever! (And she is odd and eccentric....and ornery!!)

Just as an aside: one of the other puppies that was brought back was extremely ill. The new owner spent over $1200 trying to keep it alive. Last I heard it's ok...but I don't stay in touch with any of those people now. As far as "show quality".....BS!!! Schiz still has her dewclaws - all 4 - and even puppy quality should have those removed. Her teeth are extremely crooked. I truly believe the breeder is a low grade, poor grade puppy mill. The only thing about her that's "show quality" is her coat...she has HAIR...great HAIR!!! I didn't give much for Schiz...and I'm delighted to have her and for her to be out of that place! But overall, this is just another reason we should all adopt animals from shelters. If the jerks who are breeding to make a buck were shot down, they'd have to quit breeding dogs!!! (Yes..I do realize I did just what they wanted me to do!)

To make a very long story short(er)....my neighbors at the time have a little dog - Wally- just a little bigger than Schiz, and we decided Schiz needed to be socialized. It took her awhile...she liked Wally and finally decided those people came with him so they must be okay too. Well...4 years later...she's definitely SOCIAL!!! She likes everyone! Never meets a stranger! And she and Wally are still best friends - in fact, she stayed with them while I was in Joplin the past few days. She's as at home in their house as she is in ours! My personal opinion is she lucked out all the way around....and deserved it!