Grace for Gracie

If you are a Shih Tzu owner you already know certain things about the breed which I am about to share. For all others, you’re welcome.

This animal is a toy dog breed which originally came from Tibet. Favored by Chinese royalty during the Ming Dynasty the Dowager Empress Cixi bred them extensively. The dogs came to Europe in the 1920s gaining popularity in the USA during the mid-1950’s.

The Shih Tzu is often referred to as the Tibetan Lion Dog. Gracie certainly fits this monicker since she likes to lie on top of our sofa and look at at the squirrels playing on the fence outside, or the leather chair perched next to the window in our office, so she can watch for the mailman to deliver his bounty.

Gracie is a very affectionate, people-oriented dog. A great companion for my wife and I. Here are just a few of the specific unique identifiers of the breed… of which, Gracie performs well in all categories.

• Circle spinning before lying down. It’s a DNA thing. Circle spinning can be traced back to the ancestors who would do this in the wild to flatten grass or leaves to create a comfortable sleeping spot.
• Shih Tzu Stomp. Gracie often uses her front paws to tap or stomp when she is excited, i.e. when it is time for her walk. The stomp is amusing and seems to stem from the ancient breed signaling their presence in a non-threatening way in the imperial courts. Stomping is a playful gesture indicating our dog is happy and wants to engage with us.
• Snorting and Grunting. The sound is not unlike a human blowing into a handkerchief or tissue. Or maybe like a short breathy sneeze. It often means “You are not paying enough attention to me!”
• Picky Eating Habits. This one is notoriously famous about Shih Tzu’s. We have tried a variety of foods. Gracie will eat almost anything we cook for ourselves, but this is not the healthiest diet for our little dog. After much trial and error, we discovered that it has more to do with the size of the bites offered, than the food itself. Although she would definite prefer fresh carrots to anything else, we offer her a healthy portion of small breed dry kibble, which she now devours ravenously when she is hungry. Tip: many dog owners want to offer their pets doggie treats. We experimented and found that if we keep some of her food kibble in zip lock bags around the house, when she acts like she wants a treat, we give her a few nibbles of the exact same dry kibble. She’s happy and we’re happy.
• Paw Licking. This is a habit that can be linked to allergies… but also to sheer boredom. It’s as if Gracie doesn’t want to sleep at that moment, or play, or do much of anything, so she licks her paw. Or my wife’s foot. Which my wife loves. But me, not so much. I tolerate it sometimes and offer Grace to Gracie in the form of a foot bath. Ick.
• Sudden Bursts of Energy. These burst can best be described as the “zoomies.” Gracie will run through the house, from the bedroom to the office, around the sofa, back into the bedroom, around the dinner table, and jump up into the chair she normally sleeps in. Then look at us watching her as if to say, “What? Can’t a girl just run?”
• Sleeping with their eyes partially open. Ok. This one I get, because for some reason I do the same thing. It can be disconcerting at times to look over at our sleeping monster and wonder if she is asleep or just staring at us out of half-closed eyes.

Gracie is a dog with a large personality. But… she is stubborn to a fault. If you are thinking of getting this breed of dog for a pet, just know this, nothing happens unless they will it or choose it. Now, Shih Tzu’s can be trained to walk on a leash (which we have done), but walks can be difficult at times when Gracie decides she isn’t quite through sniffing that mailbox, and doesn’t want to leave yet. It would be easy to get angry at this stubborn animal, then she looks up as if to say, “Well, I’m waiting, aren’t you ready to go yet?”

When we brought Gracie home to our house from the breeder, she was wearing a cute little Christmas outfit, and had this Christmas Cane stuffed toy in her mouth. We nicknamed the cane “baby”, so even now when she carries this around in her mouth looking for another place to bury it, we ask her, “Gracie, you got your baby?” She stops, looks at us, as if to say, “Don’t bother me. And look away, I’m hiding this. Pay no attention over here. Nothing to see here.”

All these little idiosyncrasies can be annoying at times. But it is so easy to offer Grace to Gracie, for she has stolen our hearts. She is a gift from God to us. Just like the free gift of Grace.