Tattle Tale

Number 1, Volume 1


A Furry Bundle of Love: Zuzi 2


Dogs are our best friends and loyal companions. When Tzu-Lyn (Zuzi 1) passed on at the age of 14 1/2, it broke my heart, and I decided I could not go through the emotional pain of putting another Poodle or Shih-Tzu to sleep.

Zuzi 2 sleepingI should not have gone shopping to the mall two weeks ago, but when I met this ten-week old puppy she stole my heart and I brought her home. Zuzi does not know her three pounds of feisty fur when she plays. She thinks she is a bigger dog especially with her needle-like almost teeth that attack my ankles and steal my slipper and chew on her stuffed toys and anything else she deems appropriate.

Zuzi 2 with toysWhen she stares at me with those big expressive eyes there is no such word as: No! It is amazing to see her behavioral traits at such a tender age. She was bred by Tibetan Monks to be a lap dog, a cross between a Lhasa Apso and a Pekingese. Some believe the Dalai Lama presented the Empress of China, Tzu Hsi, in the 1860s with a pair of these breeding dogs. Shih-Tzu means "lion dog."

Zuzi 2 asleepLater, a British woman took some of these dogs back to England with her in the 1960s and eventually they arrived in the USA. When I rub her tummy and sing: "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window." she falls asleep in my arms like a human baby.

Zuzi 2 on sofaI could not believe how fast those little legs could run when I took her to the park and started jogging. When I am busy writing at my computer she will bark and stand on her hind legs and wave her front paws at me to get my attention, to the point I melt and pick her up and stop working.

Zuzi 2 sittingZuzi's ears perk up at the sound of any loud noise and she stares at me for security. She also cuddles into my neck at night and falls asleep while I get a crunch in my neck. I must have lost ten pounds the last few days by waking up at 2:00 AM feedings, 3:00 AM playtime, and walking around the room hoping on just one slipper, and bending down to change potty pads.

Zuzi 2 with slipperHere are some photos of my new adorable, sweet-faced holy terror, puppy who is now in charge of my life.

She wishes all my readers a Happy Spring, full of butterflies, yellow daffodils, and hope in this crazy mixed-up world she is trying to understand.

—Alinka Zyrmont


Zuzi 1 with Rudy
Zuzi 1 with Rudy