Resort dogs

My mom went away this weekend and left me with my grandparents for a trip to the beach. She would have preferred to bring me along but cannot do so since she took public transport.

The beach in Zambales was about 6 hours away. Early Saturday morning, she took a walk along the shores and found these resort dogs lounging on the sand and enjoying the soft morning breeze. Afterwards, the dogs played on the sand and chased the waves. When they got tired they slept on the sand again.

About a dog

Once a upon a time, my mom had a big dog called Bruce. Brucey was a mixed-breed dog. His mother was a Dalmatian and his father was an Aspin (Asong Pinoy).

Her relationship with this dog had an ominous start. The first time she met him, he was hiding under the table. My mom greeted him and held out her hand. He growled at her. She later found out that he was brought there inside a bag so it was easy to understand why he was stressed and wary of strangers.

When he was a puppy, Brucey chewed everything - slippers, books, table legs, chairs, and even the washing machine hose! He had boundless energy and zipped through the house, breaking anything that came in contact with his wagging tail or his huge paws. My grandma was so exasperated that she decided that they should just give him up. But, my mom pleaded and, in the end, they decided to give him another chance.

Brucey had so many behavioral problems; he was very hyper, had separation anxiety and even aggressive at times. Mom really struggled in socializing him and in teaching him proper manners. He was also a leash puller which was a big problem since he weighed almost the same as my mom. One time he pulled so hard, my mom tripped and was left with scrapes of varying sizes and colors on her knees.

Despite his flaws, Brucey was loved and accepted as part of the family. He turned out to be one intelligent and loving dog. He just needed an outlet to release pent-up energy. My mom enjoyed running with him and taking long walks at night. My mom took him to different places to run and play. He was a good companion, playmate and friend. That is why she was so worried when Brucey became very sick. Despite trying very hard to save him, his condition worsened. He passed away on January 30, 2007. He was only 6 years old.

My mom was devastated. She knew no other dog could be like Bruce. She was cautious to get a new one immediately after his death because she did not want to get a dog just to replace him. She said it would not be fair to Bruce or to the new dog. Months later, she was still not very excited when her family suggested a new dog – a two-month-old japanese spitz.

After she met me, all her apprehensions disappeared. Yes, she still missed Brucey but she figured that one can never really forget the loss of a beloved pet. Getting a new dog does not mean she would have to divide the love she have for Brucey. She learned early on that I have a different personality and was never a replacement dog. I guess the timing was just perfect. She was ready to move on and take care of another dog. I was looking for someone who would spoil and love me.

The sad story of the Asong Pinoy (Philippine Dog)

My mom and I were very very sad last night after we watched a documentary on dog meat trade. Dog meat trade, while prohibited by law, is still rampant in a specific northern province of the Philippines.

According to dogmeattrade.com it is estimated that around 500,000 dogs are killed annually in the Philippines for human consumption. Despite the passage of the law prohibiting it, it is still flourishing because of lack of strict enforcement and insufficient public education. The barbaric practice has a lucrative commercial market which makes it easy for the violators to ignore the law.

It was very hard to see the plight of my poor brothers. Hundreds crammed in cages with ropes tied around their snouts to prevent them from barking or whimpering. They all have this horrified, dazed look because most of them came from homes, are captured or sold to traders, then, crowded into the back of the van en route to the place where they will be tortured and killed.

My mom felt horrified and hugged me tightly while we watched the show. I know I’ll never experience that fate. I have a loving family and more food or toys than I could ever want or need; but, what about other dogs? She cried mostly because she felt so helpless. If there were no practical constraints, she would adopt all of them. But, for now, all we can do is to disseminate information and help in the campaign to stop this atrocious practice. We are also hoping to get your opinion and ideas on this topic.

Love,
Charlie


For more information, visit:

http://www.dogmeattrade.com/

http://www.hsus.org/about_us/humane_society_international_hsi/cruelty_issues_around_the_world/dog_meat_campaign.html

Making amends

Hi pups! Im so sorry that I have been out of the loop lately. Blame my mom.

To make it up to me she spent yesterday mending and washing my stuffies so that they will look nice and clean again. Of course, I supervised. She also gave me a new stuffie to play with. It's very nice but when you press it's tummy, it snores loudly and frightens me.

Here are the pictures of my stuffies after they have suffered surgery and almost drowned in the big bad washer and dryer. I promised to take care of them well so that they won't have to go through that again. Poor babies! But, they do smell good after washing.

This is so embarrassing!!!

Will someone please remind my mom that I'm a boy-dog so she'll stop putting orchids on my head.

In my defense, I was smiling because she was dangling three pieces of cheese just so I'll pose for these blackmail-worthy pictures.