Short for Tornado

He came along at a time when I really needed a distraction and some unconditional love. Little Toro, the runt of the litter, born with a harelip.

The breeder’s husband and vet both thought Toro should be put down. They thought he’d never survive. But Jane, the breeder, must have seen Toro’s spunk early on. He managed to find a way to eat and drink, despite the harelip. He held his own at playtime too. The first time I held him he just snuggled into my arms and took a nap. He was so sweet. When I brought him home he weighed barely 2 lbs. and fit into the palm of my hand. He was my baby. I even took time off work to stay at home with him while he got used to being in a new place. I carried him around a lot because he was so small I was afraid he would get stepped on. He still loves to be carried around. Mister, the family Schnauzer, taught Toro how to bark, and did he ever teach him well. Mister also taught him how to howl, a surprising trait in a Shih-tzu.

Toro has put up with a lot of ridicule over the years, mostly due to his harelip. It makes me sad when I have to defend him on this. He’s a quirky little guy, but that’s what makes him extra-special. Jane taught him to drink from a water bottle, the kind rabbits and guinea pigs use – it keeps their furry little faces dry! He attacks his bowl of food like it’s waiting to be killed, growling at it, slamming it against the wall, and pushing out all of the food onto the floor. I think he’s artistic. He picks up a piece of food, walks away and places it down, just there. Then he gets another piece and carefully places it in the vicinity of the first one and this continues for several more pieces. Sometimes he’ll pick one of the pieces up and move it just slightly. He does it so deliberately; I swear he’s creating art. He goes crazy over his squeaky toys. You should have seen his reaction to the new toy he got from Auntie Krista last Christmas! WOW! Look out! He loves to play fetch. He sleeps on pillows, whether it’s his head, his whole body, or just one rear paw, there’s almost always a pillow involved. Toro loves fruits and veggies and popcorn, and waits so quietly and patiently for a piece of Sunday roast beef to fall his way. Toro knows I’m boss, and still follows me around like a puppy. Sometimes (if I’m lucky), I just have to give him a look to get him to behave. But other times nothing works.

He was my only child for 8 years, until Miles came along. Toro has done so well with two little boys taking over the house. He’s a little freaked out when Jonah follows him around, but you can see that he wants to play with the boys – he already drops his toys in front of them hoping they will throw it for him to fetch. I’m proud of him for having patience.

I hesitate to even put this into words, but I really hope he stays with us long enough for Miles to grow up a bit more and become Toro’s boy, and best friend too.