Round Round Get Around

*to the tune of beach boys!*

Round round get around. I get around....

Not really. I have been turning around tho. I don't know what got into my M's head, and she has decided to teach me a new trick. Me, an old dog, new trick. This does not bode well for my future.

Every morning now, for the last 3 mornings, my breakfast has been accompanied by the repetitive command of 'Turn around, Herbie'. A 5 course breakfast (by which I mean 5 bitesize pieces of biscuits, although I wished that it was a full course), would mean 5 rounds. She's been going on and on about turning around like a spoiled tape recorder.

My M was telling Aunty G and Aunty W about her new mission last night, and Aunty G proudly annouced that Big Boss Jack used to be able to turn both right AND left circles. Thanks a LOT, Aunty G, for putting more crazy ideas into my M's non too sane head. And Aunty W was not that helpful either, going on about how to execute the 'play dead' trick. The only thing I feel like executing now is myself.

I wonder how long more this turning around thing will last. I hope it's only a fad.

Excuse me while I go lie down. I need to recover from my dizzy spell.

How much am I worth?

My M is going to start a new job next month, at some far away place. By far away she means more than 20 minute's drive. Anyway, the new job means that she may have to come home quite late on certain days, so she's contemplating if it's worth getting a 2nd car, since my MM is in sales and he would definately need his own car.

She had a conversation with Uncle J, who suggested that she sell her camera and me (ahem!) to raise funds for the new car. Guess what was her reply? She said that she could at least get back about $1k+ for her camera, but for me, she might have to 'toh tiap'. Again, for the benefit of those who do not speak the hokkien dialect, it means that she may have to pay the other party instead to take me.

Well! I will have her know that there are people who would LOVE to have me! They would gladly take me in, and not accept a single cent!

Hmm, but I wonder, would anyone actually pay to have me? How much would you guys be willing to pay for me? In terms of cash, chicken wings not included.

PS: This is just a 'what if' scenario. I am NOT for sale, or giveaway, really. Although I know how much you guys want me, but I'm staying put in this house.

Slow updates

My M has been pretty busy this weekend, so no time for updates. If you ask me, she's been busy snoozing almost the whole of sunday afternoon, and she calls me the pig!

On a short note, I was punished again on Sunday. I went into the neighbouring granny's house to look for her. Well, her grand-daughters opened the gate for me, I thought they were inviting me in. How was I to know they were letting their guest out? So just as I stepped into the front door, I was dragged out by my tail, hauled up by the scruff on my neck and scolded. So embarressing! Scolded right in front of the neighbours. I had no place to hide but went behind my M's dad's legs to hide my embarressed face.

Darn, I wonder if the neighours will remember how embarrassed I was.

No baby brother :(

The breeder just replied my M, both the bitches who were mated are not pregnant, so no baby brother for me. My M is hoping that there will be another planned litter soon. Now awaiting reply from the breeder.

AUnty V said that I must have been praying for no brothers, but that's not true. I was hoping that the new brother will not be greedy so that I can take his food away from him... hiak hiak hiak.... Opps! Did I just say that out loud? I mean, puppies can't eat too much. Bad for their development... ermm... ya.

On a seperate note, some bad person abandoned 4 rabbits at the park yesterday. The rabbits must have been traumatized. Aunty G said that since my M can't get another puppy for now, it's a sign from heaven that she should keep the rabbits. I don't think my M's very keen on that. I'm not too interested in them tho, but Rafv and Scuba and even Lolo keeps wanting to get nearer to the rabbit. Luckily for the rabbits, a lady took them home to foster and will be looking for a forever home for them.

How to make yourself less attractive

I don't know what is it with me recently, that all the dogs seem to have taken a liking (or rather, humping) to me. Kafv has started humping me again, and now Joey is jumping onto the bandwagon as well!

Joey: Maybe I'll try humping to see what all the hype is about...


I highly suspect it is the shampoo that Uncle C bought. So to counter the smell of the shampoo, I came up with this brillant plan yesterday to make myself less attractive. When my MM took me down for my toilet break last evening, I took the opportunity to roll in.... poop! Now, the theory is, with smelly poop smell on me, no longer will I be attractive.

Unfortunately, that also caused me to get a scolding, a kok on the head and.... another bath! My plan totally backfired! Or maybe not. You know what they say about dogs having good sense of smell? Well, Rafv turned his head away after taking a whiff at me, even after my bath. So I guess the shampoo could not cover the underlying poops smell. However, Tommy needs more work, he was as interested in me as ever.

Now, I wonder what smell would put Tommy off.... hmm, maybe the smell of rain?

Happy Birthday to Jack... and thanks to Chili

Well, first and foremost, a Happy Birthday to the grouchy big boss. He is now a ripe old age of... I dunno... ancient? Anyway, his age is not important. The important thing is Aunty G made dinner packs for us and a cake for Jack (which of course we got to share later).

Unfortunately for me, I got so anxious at gobbling down my food coz there were so many dogs around me, that I puked the lamb balls right out, about 30 seconds after I downed them. And before I could stop my M, she threw away the lamb balls. What a waste! I could have happily eaten it back in, since it's my own bile covering it after all. And to top it up, my M did not cook my dinner, since Aunty G is preparing dog food for us. All that delicious food, and it only managed to stay in my tummy for 30 seconds! Life is so unfair!

My M even had to ask Aunty V is there's any food for me. Luckily for me, Aunty G said that there's an extra packet of lamb balls. We were supposed to hold the party at the park and since it rained, Chili and Sugar couldn't make it. So nice Aunty HS told Aunty G to keep the food. Thank God for the rain! Or I would have been a hungry dog. So in the end I ate Chili's share. Thanks Chili!

Well, apparently, I feel that the food was still not enough, so when the humans were having their dinner, I tried to beg. But all thanks to Tommy and Rafv, who are now having some bad blood, they had to be kept separated. And because Tommy kept licking my ears recently, causing me to have a hotspot on my ear, he had to be kept separated from me. And guess where we were all kept? Rafv was in the balcony, Tommy was in the dining area with ALL the humans, and me, alone in the kitchen! Although I am the Kitchen God, I don't want to stay in the kitchen all alone! What's the point of staying in there when everyone who might feed me is out there in the dining room! Such a perfect begging chance, wasted on Tommy, who did not even make any attempt to beg! And there I was, trying my best to act pitiful through the kitchen door! I was so upset I could cry! Look at me! Don't I look pathetic?

Let me out.....


Well, I had to thank my lucky stars (or rather, Jack) that although I did not get to beg at the dining table, Aunty G made a very delicious birthday cake, which I shall not talk too much about. I'm sure old man Jack would talk about his cake once he get his old paws down to typing.

Life is good.... at least on Sunday.

Pictures!

Some pictures taken this morning at the dog run.

This is Kafv, and I think he looks more goofy than me. Hiak hiak hiak... I wonder why, he's taken a liking to me recently as well. Been trying to hump me, much to the horror of his owners. Must be my shampoo.

Me? Goofy?


There he is, running after me...

I'm gonna get you!


Gotcha!


And saw this border collie who keeps running after his ball..

Checkin' in

I think I'm a very lucky dog... really, I am! How many dogs can say that they have checked into a hotel before? Not smuggled in, but walking in through the front door? Anyway, I can't be smuggled anywhere even if I want to. I'm too big to fit into a carrier. My M always said that if she needs to smuggle me somewhere, this is the only thing that can fit me, and she'll still need to drill some holes in the bag so that I can breath.

Smuggle bag with wheels... for your poor aching back


Well, I managed to check myself into Four Seasons Hotel last year, courtesy of my M and MM, coz they were getting married there. Mind you, I almost could not attend their wedding. They had told the coordinator that I am a retriever, and I do not know what that guy was doing, thinking that I am a small dog. Oh yeah, I was small, about 6 years ago!

Apparently Four Seasons have a weight/ size limit for pets, and I am way beyond that limit. The coordinator asked my M if she could find someone to look after me, but it was the wedding day, everyone has been invited to it, who would be able to look after me? Besides, I don't want to miss the food!

Luckily, the coordinator told my M not to worry, they'll let me stay for the night, and maybe some arrangements could be made for me to be looked after by someone the next day. So there I was, checked into the suite. Check out the bed! It's the first, and also the last time my M allowed me onto their bed.

Big Bed!


They decided that I took up too much space on the bed while sleeping, and now the only bed I'm allowed onto is the sofa bed. Oh well, better make the best out of the king sized bed before I get chased away.

Can this be my permanent bed please?


It was soooo comfy, that I almost did not want to leave.

If I hide myself here, no one can find me and chase me away


After the wedding, my M and MM opened up all the Ang Pows they got and started counting the money. And I got to take photos with all that cash. Wow, I've never seen so much money at once before. Too bad they're not going into my pockets.

Now let's see, do I have change for a $50?


Now that I think about it, I've been to a wedding and a funeral. Yes, I've been to a funeral too, no one was pantang about it, and I'm sure Uncle Bob welcomed me and my friends to his funeral. We even sent him off at Mandai crematorium. Anyway, as I was saying, maybe if I go for 3 more weddings, I can shoot my very own, 4 Weddings and a funeral! I'll be the next Hugh Grant! Or Herbie T!

Anyone wants to invite me to their wedding? You'll be mentioned in the movie's credits.

Dogs and Asthma?

*Announcement: We interrupt the usual ditzy postings and bring to you a posting on a more serious note.*


My M was having a conversation online with her friend, and the topic went to dogs and asthma, after the said friend found out that I'm gonna get a brother. She expressed concern that dogs can cause asthma, or trigger it if the human's genes have asthma, and wonder how my M and MM will cope when they have kids in future.

Although many people have this idea that dogs (or rather, pets) can cause asthma, they do not realise that dogs do not CAUSE asthma. They can be a TRIGGER, because they are a common source of allergens, but they are not the cause. Compared to cats and rodents, dogs cause less allergiv sensitivity than other mammals. Other things like tobacco, dust, mould, or sometimes even temperature or emotions can trigger off an asthma attack. So before eliminating other possible causes of asthma attack, it can be very unfair to your pets if you decide to give them away or abandon them just because someone had an asthma attack. I know there are many families who will conveniently pin all the blame on the poor pet and decide to give them up, without even checking if the triggers could be due to other factors.

Even if the asthma is triggered off by pets, there are some things that can be done to minimise the impact of pet allergens. You can have a pet-free area in your house (most recommend the bedroom), frequent vacuuming and mopping will mininise the presence of allergen. Basically, have a clean house.

Also, latest research has shown that having a pet can make kids less likely to develop asthma or allergies. The researchers believe that exposing children to cats and dogs so early in their lives affects how their immune system develops. The result is that they have a lower risk of developing allergies and diseases associated with them, such as asthma.

The study of 474 children found that those exposed to two or more cats or dogs during the first year of life had half the risk of developing common allergies by age 7 than children who had not been exposed to pets. The children growing up with multiple pets had lower rates of allergies to pets, ragweed, grass and dust mites.

Another study also shows that dog exposure in infancy decreases the subsequent risk of frequent wheeze, although not of atopy.

Being a dog, of course I support the latter theory. And they did say that exposure to two or more cats or dogs will half the risk of developing allergies. I make one... and my brother will make two dogs. See? We're helping to lower the risk already! Besides, other medical benefits in having a dog is that we help to lower the possibility of heart disease, reduce stress, and some of us can even sniff out cancerous cells!


*Announcement: End of serious note, start of ditzyness.*

I think I shall become a doctor. Any idea if medical school accepts dogs? Or anyone wants me to sniff any cancerous cells? Preferably in the kitchen?


Note: Post with references from the following websites
Center for disease control and prevention
The Answer Bank
Personal MD
Paediatrics Journal

Habits are contagious

You know the chinese saying "近朱者赤，近墨者黑"? Which literally means, "One who goes near vermilion gets stained red, one who goes near ink gets stained black", which also means that, one will take on the behaviour of one's company.

I think we dogs have been seeing each other so often that we've taken on one another's habit.

Case No 1:
I don't know why, but whenever Scuba is scratched on his side, back, front, belly.... well, almost everywhere, his legs will start twitching. I've never really had an 'itchy' spot, unlike Scuba. But recently, in the past few months, I started having an 'itchy' spot as well. Everytime someone scratches my side, my legs will start twitching. Even when my M brushes me, I'll twitch as well.

Case No 2:
Tommy never had the habit of begging around the dining table. But recently he has taken to hovering near the table like the rest of us and begging for food. Darn, one more competitor!

Case No 3:
I never used to make too much noise when playing, but after playing wirh Rafv too much when I stayed over at Aunty V's house last year, I learnt to growl a bit when playing from Rafv. But now that I don't stay there, I've lost this habit.


I wonder if any of my good points (like calmness, peace-loving etc etc) has rubbed off on any of my friends (like Rafv and Tommy). Would any dog want to enrol in my meditation class? *ohmmmm*

Bath time

Just had my bath today, after 2 weeks. My M was supposed to bath me every week, but sometimes she gets lazy and I get bathed only once every 2 or sometimes 3 weeks, not that I'm complaining.

I just hope that Rafv won't be coming to our house tonight. I don't wanna be caught on video again.

*worried*


Now there's a new reason to hate bath days.

Am I Dumb?

No... not stupid dumb, which I'm sure many of you would think that was what I meant. I'm a smart dog ok? Although my M is sniggering at the thought that I would be smart. I subscribe to Mr Kiasu's philosophy, which is to "Act Blur, Think Smart".

Going back to the word dumb, what I meant was 'soundless', as in, I'm a very quiet dog. What made me suddenly think of this? Well, this morning, as my M was brushing me downstairs, we bumped into our neighbour, who commented that she has never heard me bark. My M told her that I'm a very quiet dog, and she asked if I'm a mute.

Which brings me to this story. In the following months after my M adopted me, she suddenly received a call from her dad at work. Mind you, it was such an important question that her dad could not wait til she comes home. He needs to find out immediately!

The first question he asked when she picked up the phone was "An zua li buay ji jia eh gao ting lai". For the benefit of those non- teochew speakers, it meant "Why did you bring a mute dog back?".

For a moment, my own beloved M became speechless too. I hope her dad didn't think that speechlessness was contagious. Anyway she assured him that I can bark, my voice box is still intact, it's just that I seldom bark. Until now, her dad has never heard me bark. Her mum only heard me bark once, and it was a singular bark.

Barking continuously is so tiring, I'd rather conserve my energy. And by not barking, the humans cannot teach me the 'speak' command. Just ask Tommy and Scuba now. They will have to 'speak' whenever the humans command them, so that they can get their favourite food or toy.

Me? I just act blur when they ask me to speak. Sooner or later, they will get sick of trying to teach me the command and give me the food anyway. See? Mr Kiasu's philisophy works. I don't have to bark like Tommy and Scuba but I still get what I want.

Now that's what I call smart.

Presenting.....

the three little pigs!!

Oink oink oink


or come to think of it, maybe not so little...
maybe fat...
maybe not 3 pigs... Rafv doesn't look like one
maybe the Big Bad Wolf and 2 pigs... but then we'll be short of one pig!

Any GR wants to audition for the part of pig? Tommy can't be in the show, coz I think Rafv will turn reel into real, and attempt to eat Tommy up.

In case anyone is wondering, the other pig is Mickey, or we sometimes call him mikimoto, coz his dad is a Jap like Aunty R. I heard from AUnty R last night that Mickey's ear was swollen, and they took him to the vet. I wonder how he is now. Get well soon Mickey! We need you in the play!

On a side note, see what I can do to Rafv. This is a posed photo but I risked life and limb to take it. If it were any other dog (with maybe the exception of Scuba), I think Rafv would have chomped off their head. But he let me put my legs around him, like a pillow.


How long more must I pose?


Actually, it's quite comfortable.... I almost fell asleep. And Rafv was even grinning in his sleep. *roll eyes*

We're the best of friends

Outing at WCDR

My M and MM took me to West Coast Dog Run on Saturday, a change from my usual dog run. Turned out that my M joined some photographer's outing. Luckily, the weather was good, coz it was raining over at our end, and my M actually thought of not going.

My usual friends were not there, but I met some new friends.

Hello...


dogs at play




Perpetually worried looking Ping Ping


unknown schnauzer

No more bad nail days!

Or so I hope.... As I've said before, my M is very bad at cutting nails, my nails, that is. She has no problem with her own nails.

Many a times, she has cut through my quick and caused my nails to bleed. Lucky for her, I am a sturdy dog, and have a high threshold of pain. Well, I remember the first time she made me bleed, she was in such a panic that the blood did not seem to stop flowing, and the blood stopper she bought had hardened up. She had to rush out to the petshop opposite the road to buy a new bottle of blood stopper.

By the time I waited for her to return.... guess what? I fell asleep.... from the long wait. Or maybe I fainted from the loss of blood. Well that was not the last time my nails bled. Over the years, I've lost count of the number of times they bled. And M my has become so hardened over the years that no longer will she panic. She will now just stuff cotton wool on the injured digit and continue with the rest of my nails with just a 'sorry'. Talk about heartless!

Well, maybe not so heartless. Aunty G told her that homefix is having a discount on the dremel pet nail grinder, and she bought one for me. Instead of cutting the nails, the grinder is supposed to file the nails. And the advantage is that it is less likely for my quick (which is the vein that supplies blood to my nails) to be cut, and the nails will be smooth, and less likely to scratch others.

No more bloody nails


All hail my new saviour!

Straits Times Article

My M, who never buys any newspapers (they usually come free courtesy of her family, or MM's family, or Aunty V), went to buy a copy to today's Sunday Times early in the morning. Apparently my blog was mentioned in the papers. Wow, on national papers!

She don't remember herself saying she's the pioneer of dog blogs. Apparently it was Aunty V who told the reporters she started it all.

Well, to read about it, go grab a copy from your newstands today.

For for new readers, welcome. And in case anyone still think M stands for Mummy, it's not. M is for Mistress, and MM is Master.

Kitchen God

I now have another new nickname. The humans are starting to call me the Kitchen God. And I'm sure you would know why I'm called that. Yes, that's because I'm always stuck in the kitchen.

For those who do not know what a Kitchen God is, here's a short write up from about.com

And I do work hard in my job! Here's all the pictures as proof! See how busy I am everyday, guarding the various kitchens!

Kitchen Inspection here


This is such a boring job...


There is absolutely nothing interesting going on in THAT kitchen


So all of you better be nice to me, give me more food and I will give you a good report to the Jade Emperor