Gizmo

Gizzy has been a real delight for us. Once the formal "passing of the pup" ceremony was concluded, Gizmo seemed to settle down and relax as a member of the family. He loved us to pieces, loved his daily walk, and loved Luka too. We think they enjoyed having each other around, and often came home to find them hanging out together on the living room floor, or on Gizmo's blankets.

When we lost Luka, Gizmo was as sad as we were. We spent months just being three in the house, and we know that he didn't like being all alone when we were out.

Enter Max and Gracie. They absolutely ADORE Gizmo. They want to be where he is, they want to play with him, they play with his dog treats, they hang out. It is so cool to see them actually enjoy each other! When I take the pet dishes upstairs to feed everyone in the evening, Gracie races up the steps and talks to me the whole time I am getting the food ready. Sometimes, I call and call for Max and he just never shows. Then I will walk down the steps to the landing and see Max and Gizmo laying side by side at the bottom of the staircase, looking up to me as I bring the food bowls down.

Gizmo played hard to get when they first moved in, but now he plays catch with them - they pass him the dog treat, he catches it and eats it!

Loving this pup - what can I say?

Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Dowager Cixi, said:

Let the Lion Dog be small; let it wear the swelling cape of dignity around its neck; let it display the billowing standard of pomp above its back.

Let its face be black; let its forefront be shaggy; let its forehead be straight and low.

Let its eyes be large and luminous; let its ears be set like the sails of war junk; let its nose be like that of the monkey god of the Hindus.

Let its forelegs be bent; so that it shall not desire to wander far, or leave the Imperial precincts.

Let its body be shaped like that of a hunting lion spying for its prey.

Let its feet be tufted with plentiful hair that its footfall may be soundless and for its standard of pomp let it rival the whick of the Tibetans' yak, which is flourished to protect the imperial litter from flying insects.

Let it be lively that it may afford entertainment by its gambols; let it be timid that it may not involve itself in danger; let it be domestic in its habits that it may live in amity with the other beasts, fishes or birds that find protection in the Imperial Palace.

And for its color, let it be that of the lion - a golden sable, to be carried in the sleeve of a yellow robe; or the colour of a red bear, or a black and white bear, or striped like a dragon, so that there may be dogs appropriate to every costume in the Imperial wardrobe.

Let it venerate its ancestors and deposit offerings in the canine cemetery of the Forbidden City on each new moon.

Let it comport itself with dignity; let it learn to bite the foreign devils instantly.

Let it be dainty in its food so that it shall be known as an Imperial dog by its fastidiousness; sharks fins and curlew livers and the breasts of quails, on these may it be fed; and for drink give it the tea that is brewed from the spring buds of the shrub that groweth in the province of Hankow, or the milk of the antelopes that pasture in the Imperial parks.

Thus shall it preserve its integrity and self-respect; and for the day of sickness let it be anointed with the clarified fat of the legs of a sacred leopard, and give it to drink a throstle's eggshell full of the juice of the custard apple in which has been dissolved three pinches of shredded rhinoceros horn, and apply it to piebald leeches.

So shall it remain - but if it dies, remember thou too art mortal.