The Feathered Nest

Gizmo


I feel like I have a newborn. A hairy, snorting, roaming all over the bed 15 pound newborn. Shi tzus were originally bred to sit on the laps of royalty, looking pretty, and doing little else. Well Gizmo makes the breed proud, for this is exactly how she likes to spend her every waking dozing moment. Since we aren't residents of emperial China, however, she makes do with snoozing her days away on the dirty laundry in my closet.

This is all well and good, except that at night, she is rested up from all that sleeping, and spends her nights wandering all over our bed, looking for a spot to rival those smelly socks she loves so! Since I am a worrier, I spend most of my nights making sure she doesn't fall off the edge, or alternatively pushing her off my head. I mean, I love the dog, but sleeping on my pillow while snorting and licking her chops is too much even for me!

Last night I scooped her up and plopped her back in the laundry pile, thinking she loves it so much during the day, she would be thrilled to be reunited with her cozy bed, but oh, no, she beat me back to the bed. Grrr! Finally, in desperation, around midnight I plopped her on my daughter's bunkbed and barred the ladder with an overstuffed horse (I guess my fear of her falling had been replaced with desperation for sleep!) to prevent her from leaping to follow me, and finally sank to sleep in my own bed.

I told my husband she really is like a newborn with her days and nights mixed up, and that we need to make sure she stays awake during the day. He just stared at me, amazed, I think, at what his life has become. Amazed in a happily surprised way, I'm sure!