Max, our furball

His first days at home

Max, a shih tzu dog, came into our lives last September 2016.  He was put out for display for a few minutes at the Chew Thean Yeang Aquatic and Pet Store before we snagged him for RM900. 

Initially we wanted to adopt a dog but the shelter dogs we've seen were all big sized, not really a good fit for our small apartment.

Sarah's live toy =)

Potty training a dog in a high rise apartment is tough.  Early on, we use training pads placed in strategic locations inside the house.  So far, he's been doing Number 2 outside our small balcony with 90% success rate.  The other 10% are for nights when it's raining or too windy to do his business outdoors. 

Number 1 has very low success rate.  Some days he goes to the pads, some days he outright marks his territory by peeing all over.  We've read that once dogs have been neutered or spayed, most of them will reduce the marking behavior.  Max's vet at the Hope Veterinary Clinic advised us to neuter him when he reaches his first full year, mid-July, so as not to impede his full growth potential.  We're hoping his peeing improves over time, and fast haha!

Off to the pet store to do full grooming

He's been a constant source of joy and mischief for all of us.  Sarah takes him to the playground 2-3x a week, where the kids fuss over him.  He's like a superstar when he makes an appearance, really!

We love you Max!