Column: Three licks and a bite
On June 15, 2022, at around 3 p.m., approximately 12 weeks after her birth, a 1.7lb Shorkie arrived at our home. Her name is Lola (she is a showgirl), and she represents the very last thing a couple in their mid-70s anticipated doing for however long we have left on this planet. Oh, sure, we talked about adopting an ole dog, like us, who would only be around for a few years, but our daughter found Lola on a website and the rest is history.
Truthfully, when you consider how cute this Tibetan or Chinese/British mixed, non-registered, newly invented breed of a Yorkie dad and a Shih Tzu (Pekingese and Lhasa Apso) mom is, there was an absolutely zero chance she would not be fun, playful, calm, friendly, and independent which translates into the phrase, not so obedient. Ironically, the Shih Tzu was bred to look kind of like a lion and that’s what the name means. Oh, and they are really smart dogs.Yorkie’s, on the other hand, made their debut in England in 1861 as a broken haired Scotch Terrier. In fact, the first-ever therapy dog from WWII was a Yorkie named Smokey who comforted wounded soldiers. Rather than being the regal lord of Buddha like the Shih Tzu, prior to becoming lap dogs, the Yorkies earned their keep as ratters in coal mines. It’s kinda like mixing the classes from Downton Abbey. On a scale from 1 to 90 with one being the sharpest crayon in the box, Yorkies rank about 17th. (I can identify with that.) That IQ makes them easier to train, and great for communicating. Unlike the Shih Tzu, they aren’t crazy about having strangers around them.Now that you have the background, Lola, the showgirl (Barry Manilow song), is adorable. She loves to be cuddled but most of all, she loves loves loves to play, and, because her legs are the length of a finger, she does a lot of hopping like a bunny. Unfortunately, for youth-challenged humans, she’s faster than a speeding bullet. Lola can outrun a Road Runner on steroids and when you try to put a harness and leash on her she simply lays down and refuses to move even one millimeter. It reminded me of the old joke about the four guys who went golfing, and one of them died on the first tee. Then other three complained they spent the rest of the game just hitting the ball and dragging Mike.This dog is a licker and a nipper, hence the title, three licks and a puppy-teeth bite. Shoes, furniture, toes, and whatever else is on or near the floor are all fair-game with this little dust mop. She has managed to terrify the old cat who lives with us, and she lovingly attacks anyone who comes anywhere near her. In fact, if her tail motion could be captured, it would provide electric-generation for the entire house because it wags at about 100 strokes a second.So, what’s the reality of a dog who could either be Hawk-bait or live for 17 or more years? It’s definitely either going to extend our lives or kill us from chasing it around, trying to avoid tramping on her, and being potentially licked to death. It’s a trip. Take her out every morning at 7 a.m. for her bathroom break then 10 more times during the day, make sure she has water and food, and pray that our grandkids come to the house before bed and run her for 20 minutes so she will sleep through the night. That’s our new routine. The good news is we could get her a service dog vest because she already makes everyone happy she’s around with that little puppy voice and her crazy tail.Would I recommend getting a Shorkie? Oh, heck yes. They’re crazy fun, and what a great way to die!
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Nick Jacobs column about living with a new puppy
