On Tuesday, our Shih Tzu dog turned 14 years old. We celebrated with cake, candles and party hats. We also prepared her favorite food...boiled chicken.Birthday parties for Shih Tzu started as a lark when she was one year old, mainly as an excuse for Hubbie to get his favorite dessert...pineapple upside down cake (Shih Tzu doesn't care for the cake, and sniffs disdainfully at it each year).
As the years rolled on, though, friends and family got caught up in the tradition. Grandkids spending their spring break week with us joined in the celebration, making homemade birthday cards for her and happily donning party hats and singing "Happy Birthday."
Last year, Hubbie's aunt from another state planned her visit with us to coincide with Shih Tzu's birthday party. His sisters from another town also came. All of them gamely wore birthday hats and gathered around Shih Tzu for picture-taking.
Each year, Shih Tzu receives at least one letter or birthday card from someone, and this year was no exception. A woman with whom we frequently do business sent her one with the picture of a dog on the front, and a greeting inside that says, "It's your birthday...party like a bad dog."
How does Shih Tzu feel about all this? Basically bored, but tolerant. Her people are silly, but if it's makes them happy she'll wear a Scooby Doo party hat and pose for pictures. Once the celebration is over, though, and she has been rewarded with a lunch of dog food topped with boiled chicken, she's more than ready to find her favorite spot on the carpet, flop down, sigh heavily, and go to sleep.
Ah-h-h, at last, it's over for another year.
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