Posted on 11/19/2008 8:16:30 AM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo
Bug the dog has spent most of his life being underappreciated.
"I didn't care for him," admits Cathie Lukowicz about the Shih Tzu crossbreed she reluctantly brought into her home. "He's ugly and I don't like those kinds of dogs."
Bug didn't exactly have a supporter in Cathie's husband either. "He's kind of a yippy dog and I don't care for those," says Jay Lukowicz.
The yipping may have annoyed Jay a bit over the past few months, but Bug's barking Saturday morning is getting credit for saving the Lukowicz family.
Jay was out of town. Cathie, not feeling well, was sleeping late with her 14-year-old daughter Abbie in a bedroom above the family's tuck-under garage.
Ten-year-old Jonathan Lukowicz was a floor below with a friend playing on the computer.
That's when Jonathan heard Bug barking, in a way that drew his attention. "It's just a bark where he wants you to come right now," recalls Jonathan.
He got up from the computer and met Bug, still barking, at a doorway leading to the garage.
When Jonathan opened the door, flames were already licking the garage ceiling.
"First thing I remember is the door being kicked open by my son," says Cathie, who awoke with Abbie to learn the house was on fire.
"We just got to my neighbor's gate and that's when the front exploded." Cathie assumes the explosions she heard were caused by gas cans in the garage. "When I looked back the whole bedroom was just consumed with flames."
"Really it's because of him our whole family was saved," says Jay. "The dog actually started barking before the smoke detectors went off."
And to think the Lukowicz's only have Bug because a friend was planning to put Bug - a runt of a litter of pups - to sleep.
"If they couldn't find a home they were going to put him down," recalls Cathie. "So we decided not to put him down, but take him in."
Jonathan says, "I guess he was just paying back the favor."
Bug has quieted down some since the fire. During KARE 11's visit to the burned out house, he didn't make a peep. But everyone else can't stop talking about him. "Yes the dog can stay," affirms Cathie. "He's got a good home."
[Shih Tzu crossbreed]
I feel sorry for that poor dog. Shih Tzu’s wooly fur mats easily and I’d say that dog’s fur is totally matted.
You can tell from the background in the picture posted above, that those people aren’t much on ‘neatness’, lol.
HI! Just good to know you are ‘still around’. Thanks for the reply.
Who cares about the mop? Show us the dog!!
Well hope she will appreciate the dog now.
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Doggie bumperooooooo!
Something I’ve wondered about - I see people talk about perhaps ‘putting down’ the RUNT of the litter pretty often.
I always thought of the runt as the smallest of the litter. Perhaps they are thinking in term of a sickly pup?
“potlatch”, my Peke-a-poo, was the tiniest of the litter and that’s why I picked him. He was also one of the most energetic and lived just short of 15yrs of age.
Beautiful dog. Yours?
Nope....I just rotate through the UKC breed list for the doggie pings. You can see pics of my boys on my FR home page....
Always liked Shepherds. Had a 1/2 Shepherd - 1/2 Lab mix long ago. She was the best dang dog I ever had. The Shepherd hip displaysia(?) got to her in the end. Couldn’t walk very well. Would lay out on the driveway soaking up sun to warm her bones. Had to put her down :(
;-)
Oh, I think Bug will get promoted to the good dog food...
;-)
.
I’ve seen the “runt” of the litter often grow up to be the King of the Area with other dogs
I’ve also seen that in cattle and horses -
[King of the Area with other dogs]
Yes, I know what you mean.
I wish that they lived near me. I’d be happy to groom him free for the rest of his life. He deserves at least that much.
At first, I thought the mess was from the fire - but after watching it again, it was obvious that they aren't the kind of people who worry too much about 'dust bunnies'.
As for Bug? Poor baby. He is so matted he will have to be shaved (that is, if they ever bother to get him groomed.)
Here is a picture of a groomed Shih Tzu, and look how proud he is!
Very pretty picture. My daughter has a black and white Shih Tzu and gets it groomed often. She does leave the fur long, which I like but then I have a YORKIE, yorkie!! LOL
I CAN HAS PORTERHOWSE?
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