Flashback Friday

June 2007 - Buddy's Homecoming

Our friends Andre and Stephanie have a Shih Tzu named Chunk that both Rob and I loved. His personality was so cute and lovey, and he had the cutest face. Shih Tzu's also do not shed so that was a big bonus for us. We knew we wanted a Shih Tzu and we knew we wanted to rescue one. So I did some research online and found someone who did not have any Shih Tzu's but knew someone who did. They referred me to Loree at Toy Breed Rescue and we set a date to meet Buddy. Loree also works at a Vet Hospital in Campbell and they keep the rescue dogs there.

He was 7 months old and was given up by his owner for having some "issues" in the potty department. He was on the wrong diet and would be constipated for days. Sorry if that is TMI (Too Much Information). He was given to the humane society and then Toy Breed Rescue Group adopted him. They got him all up to date on his vaccines, put him on a diet that did not make him constipated and got him adoption ready.

We went to the vet office on a Saturday and were standing at the front desk waiting to meet Buddy. Someone walked over with this scrawny, not so cute dog and Rob and I both thought to ourselves "oh no...THIS is Buddy?". Well, it wasn't. A guy who worked there came out holding Buddy. He set him down on the ground and Buddy was very excited to see us. We took him out on his leash to the parking lot behind the vet office to spend some time with him. He would bark and put his paws on us like he wanted us to pick him up so we would pick him up, then he would try to jump out of our arms. I think he craved human attention and we were giving it to him.

We loved him but knew it was a big decision and needed to sleep on it. We called Loree Monday and told her we wanted Buddy. Her staff neutured him and a few days later we went to pick him up. She wasn't there the day we picked him up, but she had told us the diet he was on that made his potty issues go away.

When we picked him up, we took him outside and he had to go #2. He tried. Tried again. More trying. He was constipated! Poor guy. We went inside and cleaned him up a little bit and drove home with him. I think we jokingly were saying to each other "what did we get ourselves into?" We had NO idea! That night was one of the hardest nights. He proceeded to try to go #2 (in the house) and sometimes he was successful sometimes not, but always made a mess. Looking back I think he was stressed and scared.

I would say his potty issues act up once every 1-2 months but it only lasts a day or so and he now knows to go outside. Thank goodness! He will leave us a treat every now and then if I didn't let him out but that doesn't happen too often.

Here is Buddy on the first day we got him:





Buddy's first chin scratchies:



We love you Buddy!