It’s hard to believe that Maggie, our 5 1/2 pound Shih Tzu, is going to be  two years old this November.  Although my husband and I have had two other Shih Tzus before her, Pixie and Mattie, and loved them both dearly, she, I think, has  the warmest personality of the three.. Except for her adorable face and her expressive big brown eyes, she looks pretty much like the other imperials of this breed with beige and white coloration. She is classified as an imperial because she will not be over 6 pounds. It is the combination of both her appearance and her friendly personality that wins a person’s heart.  Even at two, she looks like a puppy. And at 10 she probably still will.

Maggie is everywhere that we are. When my husband reads the morning paper, Maggie stands upright and  puts her tiny paws onto his knees and whines softly until he picks her up, and she then she turns around on his lap to view the paper.  It’s as if they are reading the morning news together.  If we are watching TV,  she is cuddled up on the couch alongside one of us or on the floor nearby in one of her favorite poses. During the night, she curls herself into a compact little ball of fur at the edge of our bed, and she becomes so small that she blends into our tan comforter and becomes barely noticeable. She remains in that position until morning.

When I am troubled, she senses my mood, sidles up to me as close as she can, and looks at me with those big brown eyes as if she would do anything to help if she could.  It is enough sometimes just to have her there although she is not aware of that.

Maggie loves guests and she enjoys adults as much as children.  She spends her time going out to the backyard for brief periods, barking at the squirrels from our back kitchen window, and yipping at the leaves blowing in the trees when the day is blustery. When she walks, she struts proudly and when her hair is long and she runs, Maggie looks like she is flying in the wind with her glorious mane flowing behind her.

Mostly she is contented to be quiet.  We sometimes take her for a ride in the car or for a neighborhood walk, but we don’t do this as much as we should.

She is most attached to her small red rubber toy with the round head and the little feet.  She has learned how to take it in her mouth and press it against your leg, foot, or arm so that it makes a continuous loud squeaking noise. For some reason, she likes hearing the sound. She does not reserve this little exercise in futility for us.  She uses the same technique on whomever happens to be present at the time.

One of my favorite positions, and she has a few, is when the day is done and Maggie lays her small body straight out on the floor, stretches out her little arms and places her head on top of both her paws.  When she arranges herself in this way, it looks as if she is in a state of meditation. She usually remains in that position until it’s time for bed.

Our veterinarian has labeled her ‘alpha dog’ because, although she has a tiny frame, at times she has a very stubborn disposition.  Her stubborness is most observable when she is at the vet. She HATES being there! She begins s to shake as soon as we get into the car and head in that direction.  When her doctor comes into the room, he is greeted with a look that should make him shiver.  Sometimes I don’t think she realizes how small and fragile she really is.  It is not until we are back in the car again and on our way home that she regains her composure.

Our two other Shih Tzus lived to be 14 and 15 so they were with us for a good long time. Hopefully we will have Maggie with us for at least that long.