He's been our dog for a little over a month and Milo is on a constant adventure filled with cuddles and unexplored rooms. Actually he's explored all the rooms in the house but he seems to think he might have missed something.
Milo's ancestral background is an interesting one. He's 1/2 Shih Tzu, 1/4 Bichon Frise, and 1/4 Toy Poodle. I can see all three breeds in various aspects of his behavior. His look is overall one of Shih Tzu with some Poodle influence on his coat. I often see him resting with just the tip of his tongue out, which I've seen on countless Shih Tzus (though it could belong to other breeds and I just didn't notice). He can be very delicate with his paws, and seems like he will easily learn some cute tricks, and I attribute those things to the Poodle. His Bichon Frise heritage comes out once or twice a day when he does what is known as the "Bichon racetrack." I don't know if all Bichons do this or just the ones who are stuck indoors most of the day during the winter, but it's hilarious. It's a dead run at top speed through a predetermined circuit of the house. It's during this performance that we see his aerial skills. He's been known to jump up on furniture he normally can't reach during this, and I've seen him on the back of our couch once or twice. It's amazing how fast this little guy can go! If I knew a cop I might try to borrow a radar gun and clock him. I've seen terrified people (on TV of course) who can't top Milo's speed.
The best thing about Milo though is not his entertainment value (which is high) or even his super intelligence (this morning he went looking for the kid I was calling to come downstairs, who was presumably still in bed, nothing like a cold nose to wake you up). Milo's heart is the best part of him. He is loyal and affectionate and patient. He loves my daughter even though she tends to use him as a pillow (she's tiny, so she doesn't hurt him at all). He will calmly approach one of the boys when they're on the floor and see if they want a snuggle. Our youngest son actually asks for Milo at bedtime and asked for him when we dropped him off at school today. Milo is always happy to see us, even if we've been gone for 20 minutes, putting kids on school buses. He is happy and his tail is wagging as soon as he sees his favorite people. He'll follow us up the stairs even though he can't get back down on his own. He will growl at strange noises, and bark at new people. Not sure he knows that he isn't threatening, but there's no question about his devotion.
Milo is part of our family and we love every soft, squiggly, chewy inch of him.