Merry Christmas Greeting Card ~Pictures ~ Shih Tzu Dogs Prize Winners ~ Obedience Training

Dog Christmas Cards

What does a Merry Christmas Greeting Card and pictures of Shih Tzu prize winners have to do with obedience training? Stay tuned...

What is the cutest Christmas card that you received this year? Readers of this hub are about to see one of our favorites!

If you are like us, the Christmas cards arrive a few at a time early in the month of December and steadily increase coming in bunches each day and then trail off later in the month with a few really late arrivals.

My husband and I happily read each card and notation or Christmas letter as it arrives and stack them to be enjoyed at least one more time before discarding them.

A few special Christmas cards, especially those with photos are worth keeping from year to year.

I thought that you might like seeing our most favorite Merry Christmas greeting card in the nature of cute Christmas cards that made its way from a Peoria, Illinois post office to ours in Houston, Texas and then via our mail carrier into our mailbox and finally our home this year.

(c) Peggy Woods - All Rights Reserved

Personal Christmas cards

Many people like to personalize their Christmas cards with photos of their families, vacation scenery or pets as well as other subjects.

There is no limit beyond one's imagination as to what can be utilized to create a unique and pleasing greeting card for Christmas or any other seasonal greeting during the year.

For my cousin Tom and his wife, Judi, they have the perfect subject matter with their pet Shih Tzu doggies.

Not only are they darling little dogs, but Judi has more than a passing interest.

In addition to having these friendly canines as companions and pets in their home...she also grooms their Shih Tzu and trains them and has won many ribbons and prizes in shows featuring the aspect of obedience.

Besides all of that, she is pretty handy with a camera...wouldn't you agree?

Photo contest winners

Judi likes to submit her Shih Tzu photos in competitions and last year won the grand prize from their local television station in Peoria for their Halloween contest.

Her Shih Tzu pets love being dressed and from what she says they love posing for pictures.

In fact, it is difficult to get a solo shot of just one dog without the others wanting to be a part of the scene.

"Three Blind Mice" was their winning contest entry in the Halloween contest.

Judi's doggies have been dressed one year as a "Chain gang."

Another time they were the "Baywatch Beach Crew" and three of them were the swimmers, one was a shark and one the lifeguard.

Obviously this is a fun pass-time for my cousins and their Shih Tzu dogs also seem to enjoy the attention they get with the different pet wear that they sport.

Pets clothing

Whether one is dressing one's pets for contest entries or merely trying to offer them some added warmth when the weather is cold outside, there are many dog outfits that can be purchased.

Everything from dog vests to dog coats, sweaters for dogs and dog jackets are available to keep your pets warm and fashionably attired.

Is it raining outside and your canine friend doesn't like getting his feet or fur wet?

No problem!

Just get him some rain gear and dog boots and he will be ready to go outside and play or do other necessary "business."

Sweaters for dogs

My mother once had a Lhasa Apso that loved wearing a sweater. In fact once he had it on his body he disliked having it removed and he fussed a bit each time we had to undress him whether it was to wash the item or because the weather was becoming too warm for him to still be wearing his sweater.

We have had similar experiences with dogs that have been groomed through the years. Often they were given a new scarf to wear. They always seemed happy to be wearing them and seemed to dislike having them taken from them.

If you bathe your dogs and they regularly wear a collar, they are always so happy to be given back their collars!

I guess just as we humans like certain possessions, so do our canine friends.

Shih Tzu dogs

The Shih Tzu dogs have been in existence for centuries and were palace pets during the Ming Dynasty.

Supposedly they are a cross between the Lhasa Apso dog and the Pekingese.

Discovered by soldiers during World War 2, they have increased in numbers becoming a most popular breed.

Shih Tzu dogs are small making them a perfect size for people living in apartments.

Unlike larger breeds who need more space to run, play and exercise, these smaller dogs can do fine with more limited exercise.

They do need daily brushing and frequent grooming however.

With their sweet personalities Shih Tzu love the attention that this brings making it easy to form a life-long bond with these little beauties and cuties.

Obedience Training

My cousin's wife Judi spends countless hours training her Shih Tzu dogs from the time that they are puppies and continuing as they grow older.

Obedience training has paid off not only in having well behaved dogs, but in a plethora of ribbons, titles and trophies for Judi and her pets.

One of her dogs, Sofie, won the rating of High in trial at the Shih Tzu National Dog Show last year. Her registered name is Trinket's I'll Go First and she is #2 in the top 10 of her breed in the American Kennel Club Obedience ranking!

This certainly attests to the dedication and effort in which she expends when working with her darling Shih Tsu babies.

Shih Tsu dogs ( just like the Lhasa Apso dogs ) have an almost baby shape when holding them.

Looking into those widely spaced and rounded eyes, they are sure to charm almost any kind of dog lover.

Judi and Tom's Shih Tzu dogs would entertain and please them even if they did not have a growing assortment of ribbons and titles.

But...nice to know that other people also enjoy and appreciate the work that has gone into making them the "stars" that they are!

Judi also teaches classes at the Peoria Obedience Training Club ( POTC ) in Pottstown, Illinois which is a part of the Peoria region.

So if you wish for your furry friends to be as well behaved as Tom and Judi Gullickson's, and you live near Peoria, you might wish to enroll your family ( you and your dogs ) into some of these classes.

Dog grooming

Judi Gullickson not only raises and shows her champion sired Shih Tzu in various competitions, but she also grooms them.

Judi's dogs are "in coat" which means that they are the long haired confirmation showdogs. This takes a lot of effort to keep their coats flowing and silky.

With a total of five Shih Tzu as a part of the Gullickson family, brushing sessions with each of them would be a part of a daily routine.

I wonder if they also get daily massages?

If so...can I be adopted? (Smile)

Suffice it to say, these Shih Tzu Gullickson darlings are well pampered and loved!

Tender Touch Dog Grooming is the name of Judi's business in Peoria.

If you live in Peoria, Illinois and wish for Judi to groom your special Shih Tzu friend, they will be well tended.

Most people who are not showing their dogs choose to have them trimmed in a shorter style which is easier to be kept matt free.

Her friend and the breeder of Judi's champion sired dogs, Julie Burns, also works with her. The location of Julie's breeding business is Metamora, Illinois and her website is the following: www.trinketshihtzu.com

By now you know why we really enjoyed our Merry Christmas Greeting Card from my cousins and have learned a bit more about their Shih Tzu prize winners, obedience training and dog grooming...all of which goes hand in hand with my cousin's great interest in showing and photographing their cute little ( and no doubt well pampered ) babies. What can they possibly do to top this year's Christmas card? Guess we will have to wait and see next year's pictures!