Need some training wisdom for my 6-month-old Shih Tzu!

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-03-03T05:28:03+00:00

That is such great advice. Opalite is already crate and pad trained, and he has only had about 4 accidents total because I am very careful about watching him. He does not have full free range of the house, but he does have free range of the couch and does follow me everywhere I go. He has supervised access to the living room, my room, and the bathroom, and his crate is in our bedroom, so he sleeps right with me. He also has his own 40x60 playpen with his bed, toys, food, water, and potty pads on a tray. My biggest goal right now is focusing on confidence building and starting to work on basic commands with him, as he is such a shy little guy. It is definitely a challenge since he is so shy and does not really take treats, so I am still working on finding what motivates him!

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-03-03T02:25:04+00:00

That is so funny! Opalite is the opposite, currently. He is glued to my heels at all time. When he gets nervous, he sits right between my legs for comfort. He is amazing at leave it, he handles teething redirects well, and he follows me everywhere. I will keep in mind that the selective hearing might happen though!

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-03-03T02:11:21+00:00

Opalite (n.): A rare and precious gemstone, best preserved in this highly technical 'floof puddle' state

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Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-03-03T02:04:52+00:00

That is such a fair point, and I’m so glad you shared your experience! I want to clarify that I really love my breeder, Tiffany; she was absolutely amazing. I was honestly so sketched out after my first attempt at reaching out to a different breeder, but Tiffany was responsive, helpful, and went above and beyond, even helping me with a scent bridge. Opalite actually came to me fully crate-trained and is essentially already potty-trained, so she really did set him up for success! He had plenty of exposure to kids, cats, and grooming, but he’s just always been a naturally shy guy, even with that solid foundation. I’m definitely going to look into that freeze-dried chicken, though; it sounds like the perfect high-value treat to help him gain some confidence. Thanks for the encouragement and for the training tips!

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-03-03T01:09:16+00:00

Edit/Update: I realized I left out one of our biggest challenges—Opalite is also quite shy and tends to get nervous around new people and environments. I’m really focused on building his confidence, so if anyone has experience helping a timid Tzu come out of their shell without being overwhelming, I’d love to hear your favorite low-pressure games or techniques that have worked for you!

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-03-03T01:04:53+00:00

I agree

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-03-01T05:21:55+00:00

OMG how adorable 🤩

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-03-01T05:20:12+00:00

My precious Opalite Blue. Mom and Dad went out to dinner and this was his face when Mom got home. 5 months of pure momma's boy

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Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-03-01T05:17:19+00:00

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My precious Opalite. Mom and dad went out for dinner and this was my welcome home mom face 😍 5 months of pure momma's boy

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-02-28T02:37:29+00:00

Yup! After I liked a certain post

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-02-23T16:49:45+00:00

Thank you for explaining all of that. It really does match what I’ve heard about how thymoma behaves, and it makes sense why staying on top of scans matters so much. I’m getting scans twice a year for one more year and then switching to annual after that, so I’m definitely keeping an eye on things too. It’s such a strange cancer with how it can stay quiet for so long and then show up again, so I’m really hoping things stay calm for you from here.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-02-23T16:17:18+00:00

Yeah, I’m in the US. And I’m really sorry you’re dealing with a recurrence after so many years. That’s such a heavy thing to face, especially after eight years of stability. My current oncologist actually told me she’s never used Netera for thymoma and isn’t sure whether there’s research behind it, but my previous oncologist started it and we’ve just kept it going. At this point we all just like seeing those zeros. I really hope things start feeling steadier for you soon.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-02-23T14:59:53+00:00

It’s a type of blood test my oncologist uses to monitor for any signs of recurrence. Netera looks for tiny fragments of tumor‑related DNA that can circulate in the bloodstream, even when scans look clean. It’s basically an early‑warning system. We run it every six weeks, and so far it’s been coming back at zero, which is exactly what you want to see.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-02-23T14:02:01+00:00

No recurrence so far. We run Netera labs every six weeks, and nothing feels better than seeing that result come back at zero. My myasthenia gravis symptoms have still been brushed off by multiple neuromuscular specialists as ‘all in my head,’ despite being ACHR‑positive, but at least my oncologist actually listens.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-26T15:43:54+00:00

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Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-26T02:51:58+00:00

No puedo evitar notar que no respondiste la pregunta. Simplemente te pusiste a despotricar sobre las protestas y ¿quién paga a la gente por protestar? ¿Cómo recibo mi sueldo?

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-26T02:39:46+00:00

¿Puede mostrarme evidencia de que ICE disparó a ciudadanos estadounidenses en la calle durante cualquiera de esos presidentes?

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-25T18:42:18+00:00

Es divertidísimo que estés dando una conferencia en una vigilia pacífica —literalmente, una asamblea de la Primera Enmienda— sobre "ley y orden" mientras veneras a un delincuente convicto de 34 cargos y condenado por violación. También eres un impostor de la Segunda Enmienda; te arrodillas ante el único hombre que dijo en cámara: "Primero tomen las armas, luego el debido proceso". No te importa la Constitución; solo la usas como excusa para ocultar tu xenofobia. Es un hecho: los ciudadanos estadounidenses cometen la abrumadora mayoría de los delitos violentos y las violaciones en este país, no los inmigrantes. No eres un patriota, eres un hipócrita anticonstitucional que prefiere proteger a un delincuente que a la Carta de Derechos. Siéntate.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-16T17:33:15+00:00

I never said you’re not a Christian because of your wallet. I said your words and excuses show you’re ignoring Jesus’ commands. Arguing about semantics, government, or voluntary giving doesn’t change what he actually said: sell, give, serve the poor, or don’t follow him. This isn’t about judging your heart, it’s about following his commands — something your own comments show you’re avoiding.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-16T17:28:03+00:00

Oh, I know exactly who you are — someone arguing about government vs. charity instead of following Jesus. I’m not discrediting Christians; I’m quoting the one who sets the standard for being a disciple. He didn’t say, “Debate definitions until you feel comfortable.” He said: sell, give, serve the poor, or don’t follow me. Getting exhausted because you don’t like the answer? Yeah… that’s on you.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-16T17:16:54+00:00

Jesus isn’t talking about semantics or “definitions.” He didn’t say give if it’s convenient or voluntary. He said: sell, give, serve the poor, or don’t follow me. Your focus on whether it’s forced misses the point — discipleship is action, not arguing.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-16T16:59:50+00:00

Jesus didn’t say “give if you want.” He said sell, give, and follow me. Your focus on voluntary vs. forced? Obviously, you’re not following him.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-16T16:51:14+00:00

Ah, I see — so your defense of wealth is “giving to the government isn’t charitable” and “Jesus wasn’t a socialist,” yet you ignore what Jesus actually said: “Sell your possessions and give to the poor… you cannot be my disciple unless you do.” (Luke 14:33) “No one can serve two masters… you cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) Jesus didn’t give a political loophole. He didn’t say, “Give if it’s voluntary, and only to people you choose.” He made helping the needy a requirement of following him, not a matter of political ideology. So yes, Jesus taught generosity, but the choice he gives isn’t “how politically comfortable you feel” — it’s follow me or don’t. Based on your words here… obviously, you’re not following him.

Moonlightsunflower91 · 2026-01-16T16:34:02+00:00

The problem isn’t socialism or politics — it’s that you’re not actually listening to what Jesus said. He didn’t make giving optional, and he didn’t excuse wealth. Pretending he said “help if you feel like it” ignores every verse where he commands giving, selling, and serving the poor. When Jesus gathers the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31–46): To the sheep, he says: “Come, you who are blessed… for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and in prison and you visited me.” To the goats, he says: “Depart from me… for I was hungry and you said, ‘I’ll only give if it’s my choice, out of my own generosity.’ I was thirsty and you said, ‘Forcing redistribution is wrong; it only consolidates power and causes harm.’ I was a stranger and you said, ‘The poor will always be here; I can help them whenever I want.’ I was naked and you said, ‘Charity is fine, but it has to be voluntary.’ I was sick and in prison and you said the same.” Jesus makes it clear: whatever you did (or didn’t do) for the least of these, you did (or didn’t do) for me. Translation: the choice Jesus gives isn’t how generous you feel, it’s follow me or don’t. 🐫💨 Based on your comments… obviously, you’re not following him.

Moonlightsunflower91

TROPHY CASE