First of all, PLEASE do not judge me because I got such a young puppy. I have my reasons. I KNOW that he was way too young and that he still needed his mother when I got him. This story is long so bare with me…

Here’s the story…
On the last week of December, my neighbor knocked on my door. She was holding a very tiny SHIH TZU puppy. She offered me the puppy, and I said "NO." She said he was almost 4 weeks old. He was too young, and I couldn’t take a puppy away from his mom that early. But she told me a story that shocked me. My neighbor "accidentally" bred her shih tzu dogs. When her dog gave birth to her litter, the dam (shih tzu mom) neglected them. My neighbor even said that the dam ate one of her puppies. I felt bad for the litter, and I didn’t want another puppy to be eaten (if her story was even true). My neighbor didn’t ask me money for the puppy. She just made me promise that I will give the puppy a loving home. I took the puppy. Then the next week, I heard that my neighbor moved away. I was at work and didn’t get the chance to say goodbye. I still don’t know where they moved to and where the other puppies went.

That SAME day I got the puppy, I immediately took him to the vet. He had diarrhea and had a hard time defecating. I spent over 0 for the vet visit and for the anal cleaning and antibiotics. When we got home, I was relieved to see him defecate for the first time, since I got him. Since I never had a pet before, I spent days researching about puppies (shih tzu puppies and in general) and how I can become a responsible pet owner. I took him to the vet for his vaccinations. I bought him all natural/holistic puppy food (Innova Dry puppy food). His treats are also all natural (Wellness Just for Puppy Treats). I also bought him a playpen, a bed, lots of toys, water/food bowls, blankets, puppy pads, etc…

He is now around 13 weeks old and is up to date with all his shots and gets regular vet visits. His vet tells me that he’s very healthy. He is very playful and energetic. He loves new people and is very friendly to everyone. When he is not inside his pen, he is supervised at all times. He is currently attending a puppy obedience class.

NOW MY QUESTION IS…
Since he left his mother too early and DIDN’T get milk from her or from any puppy formula, will he still have a chance to live a healthy, happy and long life? I got him when he was VERY young, and I’m afraid that this will cause any problems in the future. I really want to be a good owner and want him to be healthy and happy.

Any advice or tips?
Thanks in advance.
Sorry for this long story…
THANKS YOU SO MUCH to everyone.

Your answers made me teary.

As for his temperament, he is very friendly. He bites us gently, but when we give him his toys, he focuses more on his toys. He barely barks, only when he gets too excited. Only about 1-2 times a week.

I just need help with mistakes and the like.

My phobia, the thing that terrifies me the most, is earthquakes. The millions of people that live in California, let alone on the West Coast, fearing earthquakes may not seem so irrational. Earthquakes have happened. Earthquakes have killed. Earthquakes will happen. So why the use of the word “phobia” if my fears have valid reasons behind them? It is not whether or not my fears are sound or not, but rather my reaction to the earthquakes. All my problems started with one event, problems the likes of which still plague me to this day.

In 1994, an earthquake rocked most of Southern California. The earthquake and the damage it caused could be felt for miles from the epicenter in the San Fernando Valley, and clocked in at a whopping 6.7 on the Richter scale. I was only three at the time, but I can still remember that day vividly. I woke up to my uncle, who had been staying with us at the time, yelling at me. My bed was halfway across the room from where it had been when I had fallen asleep. My parents got to me just seconds after my uncle with my mom screaming for me and running after my dad. It was chaos as we tried to get out of the house. Glasses, plates, pictures, all seeming to fall on to of us, falling from their respective shelves and shattering on the floor. It was no wonder that no one had noticed my dad’s foot had started bleeding profusely until we were safely outside. For weeks after that day, I had nightmares and would often und up in my parents’ bed.

Nightmares weren’t the only thing that has resolved from that night. Since then, anytime there have been earthquakes or aftershocks or anything that even feels like an earthquake, I freak out. Immediately, I start to feel weak and shaky. I become fidgety for the rest of the day, and there is nothing I can do to calm down. There is nothing else that can terrify me so, and, in fact, as the years go by, it seems as though my fears have increased rather than be assuaged by time. The interesting thing about my reaction is the fact that I only seem to get these “symptoms,” for lack of a better word, when the earthquakes occur and after the entire ordeal. In between, in every other crisis or danger I have faced, I remain calm, cool, and collected. Only in the face of an earthquake do I freak out.

Most people get over their fears when they exist because of natural disasters. The people may still have an aversion to the things that remind them of the event that they have lived through, however, they tend to become used to the dangers that go with living in the region. And then there’s me. I still have my fear of any and all earthquakes, no matter how small. My sister accidentally bumping my bed while in my room for some reasons or my dogs jumping on my bed have me waking up, already on high alert. Every time I get worked up, I assure myself that everything is fine, that I am overreacting, and that I won’t act in such a manner the next time. Every time I get worked up, I forget the promise I made last time. In fact, over time, my fear seems to increase despite my effort to rein it in just slightly. Albeit, this has occurred over many years, and only slightly at that. While many other phobias interfere with people’s lives, mine has yet to do so. As such, I have little reason to for fully getting over my fear. Yes, I flip out when I believe there to be earthquakes, but it only occurs every so often, and I have yet to be incapacitated by it. I have only really freaked out at home, anyways. Nothing too embarrassing … yet.

Regardless of whether or not I have been embarrassed by my fear, the fact of the matter remains. An earthquake in 1994 scared me so thoroughly that I can still feel its repercussions, but not so much so that I have felt the need to get professional help. Perhaps, one day, in the near future, preferably before the next earthquake takes place, I will move to someplace else (Europe, maybe) where another phobia will replace my current fear of earthquakes.

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Because my Mom is a very hard working mother. She only has 1 day off a week. And she needs that day off to rest. So I would rather not go to a vet unless it’s the single only option to get rid of fleas. I don’t want any of that Hartz junk that only shortened my dog’s lifespan a few times. I am already using a flea comb but no matter how many I find, I always find more.

I also vacuum the house once a week while cleaning up our beds to get rid of flea eggs. So far, a normal shower only got rid of a few fleas from my dog but they just keep appearing. So I want to use a good flea shampoo probably made of natural ingredients. I heard of some but all the ones I find can only be purchased online and that is out of our reach right now. So if anyone could suggest a good flea shampoo that can be found in common stores, I would really appreciate it.
P.S. He’s a dog.
I see…. So are there some flea pills that can be found in stores? Or even ordered online so I could explain it to my mom at least.

my 1 1/2 y/o male pitbull is a big lap dog and loves my 6 y/o son. he sleeps in the same bed and is very protective of him. but we recently discovered that he tends to bark and growl at toddlers when they stand in front of him. a friend of ours had their 2 year old standing in the yard and when our dog walked around the corner he sat down next to the childs mom. when the little boy looked at the dog, he started to growl and then jumped on him and knocked him to the ground and then looked at me tucked his tail between his legs and went and got in his kennel and started to cry. he knew he had done wrong? i personally think it was because the boy was starring him in the eyes because he is eye level with the dog and the dog was doing what comes natural. he felt threatened and challenged, so he took care of the situation at hand. the little boy was not hurt only a small scratch under his eye. he has showed no signs of aggression since then, actually more whimpering and crying.

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i can and have fallen asleep cooking i will get a meatloaf ready sit down on the couch talking to my mom and fall dead asleep. i have gotten up from sleep went to the pottie and went back to bed. i try to go out and walk or play with my dogs but im just so tired i have no desire to do anything. alot i would rather sleep then eat. should i be feeling like this so soon?
i talked to my dr and other family members and they said that its natural but should i really be constantly exhausted and physically drained?

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