Omigod! That's not Bao, is it? What happened to him?
The "new look" has not been an unqualified success, although a handful of friends insist they actually like it better this way, because it shows off Bao's sturdy little body. Yeah, and his skinny little legs. And you can also see all his bits.
It sort of reminds me of when I was a teenager and dyed my hair black and everyone tried really hard to find something nice to say. Happily, Bao isn't the least bit fussed. And in this heat and humidity, short back and sides must be more comfortable for him. And -- I keep telling myself -- it'll grow back. Give it a month, and there'll be enough on top for him to wear his little bow again. I love that little bow.
But at the moment he looks a lot like the tiny dogs you see scampering around beneath tables in 15th century paintings, where they're usually referred to as spaniels. The Shih Tzu is one of the oldest breeds (although they didn't actually have breeds as such before the 18th century) and who knows how many of them were carried along the Silk Road? The big eyes, the floppy ears, the plumed tail -- maybe the earliest spaniels were really Shih Tzus.
Meanwhile, I'll have to call the guy who's supposed to start painting Bao's portrait and tell him to put everything on hold for a month or so.