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Shih Tzu in flight

My Shih Tzu Oscar just after he picked up the ball I threw for him!
Most dogs have a strong fetch instinct but Oscar’s was hidden away until we discovered it earlier this year. Now he loves the phrase "where’s the ball Oscar?"

Shih Tzu and the Ball

Shih Tzu dogs love to play ball! We only found this out after a dog trainer came to the house and “ruffled his fur” a bit and in the process Oscar became a lot more relaxed.

Now he adores playing ball and even one mention of, “where’s the ball?” and his tail wags and he looks up expectantly for the ball!

This was a bit of an experiment. I’m not so sure how this will look on the web, but full screen the textures of the grass and his fur contrast nicely - rough, hard, and sharp versus soft and cloudy. Not your usual pet photo but why be boring and ordinary eh?

The groomed Shih Tzu

Our pet Shih Tzu, Oscar, has been suffering under the unusual August weather. It’s actually quite warm, and his long coat is more useful for colder weather. So this morning we had him groomed and doesn’t he look cute?

Oscar! Come here!

Imagine the scene. Out on a pier, I’m lying on the wooden beams over the low tide surf on the rocks below and I’m calling to my dog. Thankfully Oscar obliged and I made this photo as he walked towards me with his tongue half-hanging out of his mouth. There’s Jacinta in the background, she’s almost 9 months pregnant in this photo, but you probably can’t see the bump in this small image!

Shih Tzu playing ball on the beach

Our pet Shih Tzu, Oscar with a tennis ball in his mouth on Garrettstown Beach a few weeks before Adam was born last April.
He loves running after the ball, but the poor little doggy is a bit lame right now. We took him to the vet who couldn’t find anything wrong. This has happened before and he recovered so fingers crossed he gets better this time too.
The strange thing is, it only affects him when he’s walking on pavements or roads. On grass he’s almost fine, and at home you wouldn’t know it from his running around! Dog psychology?

The dog and his bone

Oscar, our pet Shih Tzu, pictured with a bone shaped biscuit treat. Actually he doesn’t like them much. He prefers Markies, but they’re bought now so he’ll finish them!

Alone in the park

A dog, a tree and a park bench in the Lee Fields, Cork.

I took Oscar, our shitzu, for a short walk at the Lee Fields a while back and made this image during what was a fairly uneventful walk. Neither of us was in the mood for a walk but we had time to kill.

Dog on the beach

Oscar ambling along on the beach at Garretstown in Co. Cork. He never liked the beach, there’s just too much dirt and gravel and sand and just plain yuck, but he had a great time that evening. I don’t think Shih-Tzus are the most adventurous of dogs! Compare this picture with an earlier shot before he was groomed. Quite a difference eh?

Under Irish law, dogs should be kept on a lead in public places at all times, and really should not be allowed on a beach but I made sure he did his business before we went anywhere near the sand! He’s so timid he rarely left our side the whole time, and I had the lead in my pocket, just in case.

I spotted a horse in the distance and the hoof marks were visible in the sand, but I was too late to get a shot of the horse and rider this time unfortunately.

This page on Shih Tzus describes Oscar perfectly:

The Shih-Tzu is an alert and spunky little dog. Happy and hardy, endowed with loads of character. They are royally dignified, courageous and sometimes arrogant. This breed does well with polite, careful children. The gentle loyal Shih-Tzu makes friends easily and although obstinate can respond well to consistent patient training. A very alert watch dog, the Shih-Tzu likes to bark, but is usually quiet inside the house. They are stubborn and clever. Shihs can get snappish if they are surprised or peeved. Playful and lively, this affectionate little dog needs to be with people and are generally good with other pets. Some can be difficult to housebreak.