The main thing is to be prepared! Have all your supplies ready before the big day arrives, preferably no less than one week prior to the due date. Formerly dogs whelped just wherever, in the barn, under the porch. Today’s breeder, however, has a real vested interest in their pregnant shih tzu, one of time, money, energy and emotional investment. Breeding shih tzu is a big, big job and full of labor. If you are passionate about breeding shih tzu, however, it all boils down to labors of love!

Care involves meeting nutritional and emotional support and detailed attention to the environment you provide during whelping and later. Not only is the whelping place of utmost importance to the physical and emotional well-being of your shih tzu, but also the “layette” you assemble to assist in the whelping and care of the puppies is of equal importance.

The whelping box is by far the largest and most obvious piece of equipment you must have. Cardboard boxes just won’t do. There are manufactured whelping boxes you can purchase. You “can” use plastic storage bins (these are very easily cleaned). I like using a wood box the size of a child’s toy box. I have mine special made to a specific size for each of my shih tzu. I have mine painted with a durable paint I can disenfect easily. I like to put some colorful decales of some sort for decoration on outside the box. I have mostly pastel colors like baby blue, baby yellow, baby pink. The wood boxes are warmer in my opinion. I use regular heating pads in the boxes under the babies for extra warmth. These boxes can also be used as sleeping boxes of which most of my shih tzu adore. They can be made very cozy with soft blankets and homemade quilts, which my shih tzu also adore. The box should only be big enough for the mother to fully stretch out in. Bigger is not better. Most of my boxes measure outside 21 inches wide and 31 inches long. Inside the box is 18 inches wide and 29 inches long. I have a trim on the bottom that is 22 inches wide and 32 inches long. Whatever whelping box you use should be sturdy and should not rock, should allow the mother to climb in and out easily. A solution of Clorox bleach and water is a good disinfectant to use on the whelping box daily.

The whelping box should be ready for occupancy about two weeks prior to the litter’s due date. Show the mother her box as her personal territory. Encourage her to sleep in it before delivery. Let her get use to getting in and out of the box. A shih tzu unacustomed to her whelping box may refuse to use it. She may try to carry her babies off somewhere else. Exterior doors to the whelping box area should remain closed for the mother and puppies privacy. The environment should be draft-free and kept a consistent temperature.

The area you make for whelping should be large enough for the box, her food and water and a place to occasionally rest away from her puppies.

Be prepared to give up a portion of your home for no less than three weeks. My moms and puppies have a permanent spot reserved especially for them until delivery of the puppies. Ideally, do not move the mother and puppies from the area where puppies are whelped. Once puppies are able to try and climb out of the box, they can be moved along with mother to another location if you desire.

Expect your life to be disrupted when you and your shih tzu mother are raising a litter. Most puppies arrive at odd hours, seldom during the day, most often in the middle of the night. You need to be present for each whelping, but especially for the whelping of a first time mom. Without you, mom may become confused or excited and scatter or neglect some of the puppies.

You will need a separate puppy box. Small vinyl shoe boxes work well for this. Have it lined with a heating pad and a soft, flannel baby blanket. After the mother has whelped her second puppy, remove the first and place in the puppy box. Sometimes this is hard to do. Shih Tzu mothers are very possessive of their babies. It is important to warm up newborn puppies as soon as possible and the mother’s whelping box will most likely be cold and full of whelping fluids. It is more important now to get the babies as warm as possible. You can place another baby receiving blanket over the puppy box to make an incubator-type atmosphere and hold in the heat. If puppies settle down and do not cry, the temperature is just right. There will be plenty of time for them to be with mom after all puppies are whelped. If time in between puppies seems to be long, you can place the puppies back with mom to nurse if they will. This helps stimulate the labor pains of the mother and to deliver the next puppies. If puppies refuse to nurse, place them back in the warming box. Change the whelping box blankets or towels after the 3rd puppy is whelped. Mom will need the smell of her newly whelped puppies to wake up her instincts to continue deliveries, cutting cords and tending to her offspring.

The heating pads should be square or slightly rectangular, be waterproof, have a protective cover and be free of any strings or ribbons. Heating pads ust have a variety of temperature settings and an automatic turn-off switch for safety. Have this puppy box warmed and ready to receive the newborns. As mentioned before if puppies are sleeping quietly, the temperature is just right. If the puppies move about crying, they are either too hot or too cold. If the puppies are bobbing their heads and crying, they are hungry. Attempt to place them on the mother to nurse. As soon as all puppies are whelped, place clean linens in the whelping box and all the puppies back with mom to nurse. Place the heating pad in the box with mom and puppies.

You may also need the following items: sterile hemostats or sterilized blunt-end scissors, heavy sterile silk sewing thread, dental floss or heavy sterile silk sutures, petroleum or lubricating jelly, several pairs of sterile surgical gloves, a rubber pediatric bulb syring, surgical antiseptic scrub for your hands. Ink pen and paper.

The well-equipped “doggie midwife” will also have on hand a tube feeder and syringe, and some puppy milk replacer.

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Do you understand why parents potty train later today than they did 30 years ago?

30 years ago there were only cloth diapers available for babies to wear and few automatic washing machines. You had dirty diapers hanging around the house and washing was not as easy as it is today.

Woman frequently had one child fairly soon after the previous one giving another incentive to get a child potty trained early. Nearly all children were potty trained by the time they were12 to 16 months old? This was the same in most developed Countries. In many parts of the world today, potty training still frequently starts when the children are about 6 months old.

What has happened?



Have the children changed?

Are today’s children in the developed world different from what they were 20-30 years ago?

No they are not.

It’s society and culture that has changed.

It’s not the children but our life style that has changed and brought with it changes in potty training trends. As the trends changed so did the advice to parents about when to start potty training their children.

The next change came when more mothers started work outside the home and didn’t stay at home and care for their children full time.

Then along came the automatic washer and dryer and the disposable diaper.

The absorbency of the diaper increase as the price dropped. These changes means the diaper can and often does stay on the child longer. Therefore a mother doesn’t have an incentive to potty train her child early; it is now much easier for the parent to wait as long as possible!!!

How much better it would be for the environment if there were thousands less disposable diapers to get rid of.

Think how much money could be saved if children were potty trained at the latest by two years old.

There are many theories and many people that say most children cannot be trained until they are at least two years old and have more understanding and control. All the children I have trained have been under two years of age.

In many homes there is now nobody around to pay 100% attention to potty training as there was in the past and so it’s done later.

You CAN start potty training early if you like because it’s not children that have changed its society and expectations that have changed.

Save money and the environment by potty training your child early. It can be done easily and potty training charts can help you child’s success.

They Spur Members To Grow Emotionally

Tatiana Tannenbaum grappled with a classic stepfamily struggle when she moved from Moscow, Russia to Portland, Ore. and married Leb Tannenbaum: Her three new stepsons weren’t very happy to have her in their lives.

To earn her stepsons’ acceptance, she cooked Russian meals, which the boys rejected. At times, she spoke English and felt as if no one understood her. It seemed all her efforts to win them over failed, she says.

Finally, she realized she had to love herself and accept the fact that her stepsons might never connect with her, she says. Once she embraced this philosophy, she began to empathize with her stepsons’ point of view, she says. “I was able to see what it was like having me in their life. I realized they didn’t always have it easy,” she says.

Everyday, people in stepfamilies, like Tannenbaum, learn to grow in ways they never thought possible, experts say.

Adults learn to empathize with their stepchildren, keep their anger in check, communicate well with their partners and spend time with ex-spouses they don’t really want in their lives. “Nothing will force growth and maturity like stepcoupling and stepparenting as you go through the adjustment pains and come out the other end,” says Susan Wisdom, co-author of the book Stepcoupling and a licensed professional counselor in Portland.

Bill Hays, a stepfather in Corvallis, Ore., experienced some adjustment pains once he became part of a stepfamily. “Early on, I tried to use “sergeant/major” stuff on my two boys and my wife’s kids. My stepson would fall to the floor in tears. I realized I had to slow down and change,” he says. “Men want to be understood and want people to do things their way. I had to learn to back off on that. I told my wife, ‘I have to follow your lead on disciplining and motivating your kids.’ I had to make some big changes,” he says.

The desire to change in order to create a successful stepfamily often prompts adults to stretch and find ways to communicate better with each other, adds Joyce Hays, Bill Hays’s wife.

“Our marriage is much stronger because my husband and I have to be a united front,” says Mrs. Hays. “My husband and I have to do a lot of talking about issues before we can talk with the kids,” she says. “In a stepfamily, the adults really have to figure out how to be a much stronger team than in a nuclear family. You learn emotional skills you thought you’d never learn.”

Kids Grow, Too

Adults aren’t the only ones in stepfamilies who stretch emotionally. Children in stepfamilies must learn to relate to divorced parents, stepsiblings and stepparents, a challenge that often teaches them important interpersonal skills, says Dr. Margorie Engel, president of the Stepfamily Association of America. “Children in stepfamilies learn a lot of interpersonal skills, like fighting fair and reading people’s faces and interpreting their tones of voice,” she says.

And they often grow up living in two cultures: Mom’s house and Dad’s house, where there may be very different expectations about TV-watching, nutrition and staying up late. Those two cultures often teach children tolerance for people’s differences, says Engel.

At the Haley house in Portland, Ore., Shauna Haley’s stepdaughter, Madison, has learned to follow a different set of rules than when she’s at her mom’s house, says Haley. Rather than staying up late to watch TV, she turns it off and gets to bed early.

“It’s good for kids to grow up knowing there’s more than one way of doing things,” says Haley.

In addition to learning about multiple ways of doing things, children in stepfamilies are exposed to a broader definition of family and a place to work on their social skills, says Mr. Hays.

By addressing troublesome topics during their monthly family meetings, the Hays children hone their interpersonal skills by working out issues at home. A few years ago, Mr. Hays’s son, Sam, took advantage of the family meeting to practice an important social skill: asking a girl – in this case his 13-year-old stepsister, Megan – to stop giving him a hard time at school.

“Megan was being silly with her friends,” says Mr. Hays. “She was trying to embarrass Sam at school, and he felt comfortable using the family meeting as a place to bring up and resolve his concern.”

Members of the Hays family have learned to stretch on a day-to-day basis. And that’s great news. But here’s the best news of all: Over the years, stepfamily members as a group have matured and learned to stretch emotionally for the sake of the family, says Engel.

“Stepparents do things for the kids that they thought they would never do. And that makes (being part of) stepfamilies better and easier for the children,” says Engel. “Parents are sitting together with their ex-spouses at football games and school plays. When divorced parents are willing to hang out together, they remove a lot of the children’s guilt and worries.”

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Blogging is one of the most popular methods of earning online these days, and moms are getting involved by the thousands. What about blogging makes this so profitable? Why is blogging so commonly used by stay at home moms? Before these questions are answered, you first need to understand:

What is Blogging?Blogging is basically just writing. Writing about your day, your new pair of shoes, your new favorite product, or that movie you just saw. Normally blogs are a continuous page of day by day updates by a user, about random topics or about a specific topic.

How can I make money blogging?

Blogs generally receive thousands of hits or more every month, depending upon how popular your blog is. That’s thousands of people who are interested in what YOU have to say. If you write about a great new product that you just purchased, tons of people are going to want to try that product. If you talk about how well your mattress fixed your back problems, people with similar back problems are going to want to give that mattress a try.

Basically, you write about products and services that you have tried and that you have enjoyed. In the article or at the end, you simply leave an affiliate link (a URL with your name embedded), and if someone purchases the product through that link, you make a commission. It sounds like marketing, and that’s what it is, but it’s not hard selling and flashing obnoxious pop ups and spam in peoples faces. It’s honest selling, the way it should be, and that’s exactly why this works so well.

Does this cost anything? Do I need my own website?

You don’t need your own website, as there are hundreds of free blogging services. (Blogger, Hubpages, Squidoo, etc.) Everything involved in blogging for income is free, although learning the actual methods may cost you something.

Blogging for cash is the most popular job for stay at home moms for a reason. It’s very easy to get started and requires very little investment in money. You update your blog whenever you like, with no obligation.

If you want to make your mom really happy on her birthday, you need to know the perfect present to give. There are so many possibilities that will fit well within your budget. Mothers generally appreciate every little thing you give them especially ones that can’t be bought with cash. Here are some of the best birthday gifts for moms.

Just the Two of Us

Mothers will like having a nice item that she easily can access to remind her of your relationship and happy times together. A locket with a small photo of you and her is very sentimental. You can choose traditional heart-shaped ones or classic round designs. Lockets come in a variety of colors and designs so simply pick one that will fit your mom’s fashion sense. A locket watch is functional as well while a locket fixed on a necklace can be brought anywhere.

Look over some of your old family albums and try to look for a picture of you and your mom together. If you can find a photo of your mom cradling you in her arms while you were still a baby, it would be perfect. You may have someone convert the photo into a more dramatic black and white scheme. Look for a beautiful frame to mount the photo. You may also look for candid photos of you and your mom during a picnic, party, etc. Have it blown up then mount it on a huge frame.

Never-ending Care

Mothers always like to care for something even when you’re all grown up. A bonsai tree would be very good since it epitomizes several motherly virtues like steadfastness, patience and kindness. Bonsais live for several years and are very convenient to store in any part of the house. Your mom will surely like looking after the plant and watching it grow in its small space. When you present the bonsai tree on her birthday, you may place some confetti on the plant as well as attach a card complete with your greetings.

A pet may also make a good birthday present considering that your mom is an animal lover or wants to take care of live beings. Choose the right animal for her such as a parrot, goldfish, cat or dog. Pets make perfect gifts for moms whose kids have all grown up and left home. Be sure to find the right pet that suits your mom’s lifestyle and include some preliminary necessities as well like food, bowl, cage, crate and leash.
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This is a blog I am going to post up on my myspace (which is private so only my friends can see it). My question to you is, should I still be her friend (her name is JB on the listed texts)? All of the A Fake: …. is the stuff she does to me. Please respond. Ultimate I make the decision but your opinion is helpful.

P.S.- Just so everyone knows, I am done with fake friends. I am tired of being tossed aside like I am worthless. GUESS WHAT? I am a human being and I deserve to be treated with respect. It is hard to let go of someone I have been friends with since 4th grade but I can’t take the drama. I am seriously done with the little “oh lets not tell anyone we are friends” bit. FUCK YOU. I’ve got other people that love me for me and WILL let me know when plans have changed and DON’T throw me aside just because they have another friend living with them. <--- I have already stopped being friends with one person. She knows who she is. If you are like this too then I don't want to be friends with you. You can KISS MY ASS good bye. I am sorry for being vulgar but I am PISSED OFF. You shouldn't want to treat anyone this way because eventually they will end up not wanting to be friends with you anymore. Seriously, are there ANY people out there that are REAL anymore???

My texts last night (with a few unimportant ones cut out):

JB: We're not going [to the football game anymore]. We're at good will.
Me: Okay so what are we gonna do tonight then?
JB: IDK <-- (this one was sent at 5:50. Game starts at 7)
Me: Okay...whatever. Just let me know if you think of anything.
JB: Hey We are at the game you wanna come? <-- (sent at 7:15 AFTER she said she didnt want to go. We were gonna paint our faces and ride together to the game.)
Me: Umn no. Have fun with your friends. Bye.
JB: R U mad at me?
Me: Ive got better things to do than to wait on you in order to hang out with you. You don't make an effort to be friends with me so why should I?
JB: I do to. I was trying to go but Ari didnt want to so we decided not to then at the last minute she went to her moms and so anna and I went.
Me: Oh...So it's ari's fault that we haven't hung out? Yet you have time to go to the game with anna [who she would have driven past my house to pick up] and THEN call me [after getting to the game]. Seriously pathetic excuse babe.
JB: I don't know
Me: yeah...neither do I. Bye.

So Pretty much:

A Fake: May or May not lie behind your back to cut you off from other people.

A Fake: Talks about you behind your back

A Fake: Is One-dimensional. They see only their needs and is oblivious to needs of others

A Fake: Is Full of excuses for why they have no time for you - often only coming around when they want something and that something isn't YOU

A Fake: Their actions don't back up their words

A Fake: Makes fun of your imperfections

A Fake: Will try to lead you down a destructive path, not caring where it takes you

A Fake: Will drain your energy dry

Fake: Cuts you down

I understand if you can't make it to the game but after telling me you aren't going and then texting me after you get there and after the game starts is just plain stupid.
Hmm...sounds like I need to rethink about who I call my true friends.
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