My Favorite Things: The Tiger
Image by Sue Cook
“…and whiskers on kittens…” Or in this case, the whiskers are on the Tiger. Tiger is my ShihTzu rescue dog, who is definitely a favorite in my life.
We adopted Tiger at 5 months of age. (He is now 11) He was going to be abandoned by the side of the road, had I not taken him in. Our intention was to find him a special home. We did…ours!
From day one, he was the Monarch. At the time we agreed to foster Tiger, we had a houseful of senior rescue dogs from various sources, plus a Service Dog. Tiger fit right into the pack without any issues. My Shihpoo, Michelangelo, was in declining health, and rallied with Tiger about. They all did. Rescue is wonderful, hard, heartbreaking and rewarding.
Tiger was a puppy mill dog. He suffered numerous health issues ranging from faulty hips, (FHO was performed) failing heart, (he has a pacemaker) bladder cancer (he beat it without traditional chemo) and glaucoma.
Tiger is blind. If the glaucoma treatment (consisting of drops and ointment) doesn’t work, then the vets will remove his eyes. It will decrease the pain of high pressure glaucoma, and improve his quality of life. God bless our local Vet, and the Vets at UW Madison for saving his life numerous times.
I breathed life into him after an almost fatal heart attack. Our bond was tight before, but after that, he had become my shadow. Even now, with his blindness, we never leave him alone. Blindness has been his most difficult hurdle. He is trying to conquer it everyday. An example that inspires me everyday.
Tiger had been featured in Jody Bergsma’s Art Book Volume 2, and in The Complete Guide to Shih Tzu Dogs. In this picture he rules from his rocky throne, a blade of grass in his mouth, surveying his domain. Make no mistake, he rules with kisses, and love. All hail, the Tiger. Grrrr!
Looking for more good vibes? Check out these offerings from the MockingOwl Roost contributors and staff.
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- My Favorite Things: Peppermint Mocha
Sue Cook lives in Freeport, Illinois with her husband Randy and two dogs. Her passions include assistance dogs, rescue dogs, music, acting, theater, poetry, and Doctor Who. She’s been in both film and theater and is a regular cast member of the podcast Doctor Who’s Line is it….Anyway? Sue is an advocate for the use of Service Dogs to assist their disabled handlers to maintain their independence. Quigley’s Quest, her first children’s book, addresses how a dog becomes a Service Dog.
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