newbuzz...One more day to finish out the workweek and then we are in full Christmas mode. In a few short days, it will all be over and we will pack up the season and wait again until next year. For tonight there are a couple traditions to enjoy.

By the glow of the light strands on the house, I can peek out the window and see a soft, fluffy snow falling.  I am snug in my jammies with a dog in my lap and my husband nearby. We are watching the 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street and enjoying a Tom and Jerry before bedtime.

The Tom and Jerry at Christmas is a tradition I remember from childhood. My grandpa would make the egg and sugar batter from scratch and it was served in a big bowl to the adults.  A shot of brandy, a shot of rum, a big spoon of batter plopped in a mug.  Then the mug was filled to the brim with hot water and nutmeg from a whole clove was freshly grated over it. When I was a kid it looked so good and smelled wonderful.  One sip told me all I needed to know and I would not try it again until I was long into adulthood.  Now I enjoy the sweet, strong drink as much as I enjoy the memories of days past that go along with it. Someday I'll make the homemade batter and freshly grate the clove of nutmeg. For now I use modern conveniences.

The movie is delightful though younger folks may be more familiar with the 1994 version. I am a baby boomer and we really watched television growing up, especially over the holidays. I remember the days when gifts were for birthdays and Christmas and nothing in between. This old fashioned movie speaks to my childhood and with a Tom and Jerry in hand and a dog in my lap, I am peaceful and Merry.

Meet Ping

newbuzz...Almost a year since my last post. My, oh my, how life can get busy. My last preoccupation was the research and anticipated acquisition of my new Shih Tzu puppy.

Well, I got my puppy.  Meet Ping.  He will have his first birthday on January 29, 2018.

Ping is 10 pounds of scruffy fur and fun rolled into one amusing dust mop. Just the thing for someone 'my age'. (Not that I'm old, but I did just qualify for the 5% discount at my local grocery store.) Anyway, this guy gets more attention than his namesake onomatopoeia. 

Perfect for a middle aged woman with an empty nest and no grand children, this dog has me walking, bending, lifting and sharpening my mind with ever-escalating mind games like, hide the phone cord, move the books and put up the plants. The trick is to remember where everything is stashed when I need it.

I am certain Ping will make it into many more blog posts.  For now, we both wish you all safe travels and a happy holiday season. 

newbuzz...I have not posted newbuzz in quite a while.  What then, pray tell, could make me muster the effort on a Saturday evening? It is my recent experience and decision to purchase a purebred Shih Tzu puppy.  My goodness, it has been a difficult thing.

My Shih Tzu, Puyi of 12 years was "put to sleep" on October 1, 2016 to save him the panic of a natural death by congestive heart failure.  This was upsetting and very emotional and I was glad I had the option to "put him our of his misery".  Oh, but we missed him.  His loving sister dog, Olan didn't understand where he went and she missed him greatly.  Months later, she still looked for him at happy times and then instantly became sad and subdued when he did not appear. I wanted to provide a new companion for her and for me.

A natural choice was to rescue an unwanted Shih Tzu from a rescue shelter.  It must be a Shih Tzu as we love their quiet nature, non-shedding coat and absolute darling demeanor. This breed is a perfect fit for our family and our lifestyle. As I filled out applications and agreed to send my $400.00 for a one-eyed,  ten year old dog who was not potty trained and had people issues, I felt confident I  would love this dog into happiness and it would provide the companionship my my little girl dog was missing.

It was not to be.  Rescue shelters ask very personal and intrusive questions about you, your life, your habits and your pet ownership.  I answered honestly that we own a dog that is not spayed, and this began the heartache. We have a three year old purebred English Setter who is not spayed. We may breed her, we may not.  She is not spayed because it takes time to determine if she has what it takes to pass on to the next generation.  She is a hunting and field trial dog.  We wait to see how she performs, we wait to make sure she is healthy, with no genetic defects.  We wait to see if there are any potential buyers and determine if there is a worthy sire for breeding.  If all considerations are positive, we may breed her to carry on the genetic line.  If not, we will have her spayed.  In the meantime, she is our house pet who is well fed, exercised, loved and restrained. There will be no unwanted puppies.  But she is not spayed and the rescue shelters say, "no, you cannot adopt a dog, you are irresponsible for having an unspayed dog in your home".  There could be no exception and no explanation; just no.

Oh boy.  I still want a dog so I started to look for reputable breeders of Shih Tzu puppies.This is not easy. There are many considerations.  You cannot go to a pet store.  You do not want to go to a puppy mill. So where do you go?  Online? Yes, there are many listings online. But how do you know if they are real?  How do you know you have not contacted a puppy mill?  Do you need a registered dog? What registry? How do you know if the dog will be healthy? What if the parents have been ill-treated?

I found some breeders and did some internet searching, made some phone calls, and ruled a couple out.  One wanted money and a contract before I was allowed to see the puppy or the kennel.  I settled on a commercial breeder with a state license indicating it had been recently inspected for health conditions and passed. I visited the place and then put down a deposit.

Soon, I will be able to pick up my puppy and bring him home. I still feel bad that I did not adopt from a shelter and I will probably always fight the urge to tell the long story about why I bought a puppy from a breeder.

In the end, I want a dog to love and spoil.  I will care for him until he dies.  I am responsible and anyone who knows me even causally can vouch for my devotion to my animals. This experience has been  one more indication of the cynical world we live in. People must suspect your motives  as you try to adopt a dog because they have seen firsthand the horrors of animal abuse and neglect. 

The internet age has also provided instant access to the worst examples and therefore creates an atmosphere of fear where none may be warranted.