Tag: commitment

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The loss that nobody wants to talk about.

It has been some weeks since I’ve thought of making a contribution to Pawjourr and I’ve finally plucked up enough courage to touch on a sensitive topic that’s really close to my heart. But before I begin, a gentle disclaimer that this story is not meant to tell or prepare you on how and what to feel, as in my opinion, no amount of preparation will ever be enough to deal with the loss of your beloved pet.

This is Junior, my little Bichon Frise who was always up for an afternoon snuggle – the bestest companion I had been longing for since before 2009.

I still remember the day I got him.

As though shouting to us “Notice me!”, a white ball of fluff jumped excitedly as he saw us in the pet store. My mum and I instantly fell in love and the moment I sat in the car with Junior in my arms, I knew my life was never going to be the same again. ❤️

Tug-o-war time!

Junior was a quiet little boy who didn’t really enjoy interacting with other doggos. He was like a little old man, always minding his own business and chilling out around us as we go about our daily activities. He enjoyed his squeaky toys and would occasionally come over to me for mini tug-o-war sessions. 

Junior was ALWAYS around – through the late-night studies, family celebrations, and festivities, he was always there. Junior was really the sibling I never had. Milestones after milestones, I could definitely count on him to give me a really big comforting hug, and as strange as it sounds, he’s always one of the first few “people” I shared my good news with. 

One thing I missed for sure was hiding food from him. Where there is the sound of plastic bags, there was Junior. ?  Someone, please teach me how to resist dem puppy eyes. ?

In March 2019, Junior left our family. 

His deterioration which led to his death went relatively fast and came highly unexpected. Everything happened in the span of 4 days and it was agonizing.

It was truly a roller coaster of emotions in the days he was admitted, I was not prepared nor did I expect to lose him when we did. I hadn’t the slightest idea that recovery was not in his books and hence was not able to process or accept the loss. It was absolutely mind numbing that sometimes I wish I hadn’t brought him to the vet, just so our time together would extend. (Although I know I did the right thing, reducing his pain and suffering)

When the loss is traumatising, recovering is often complicated. 

Without his little paws tapping the marble floors and occasional whines and barks, the house was unbearably quiet. Unable to face the silence alone, I purposely kept myself busy and stayed out a little longer. Every little thing reminded me of Junior and weeks following his death were just filled with sleepless nights and tears. I remember thinking to myself how nobody told me about this agony I would have to go through as a pet owner.

As much as I hate to admit this, the painful truth is that our pets don’t last forever. 

It’s been over a year since I lost my best friend but not a day goes by where I do not miss him. I still cry at the thoughts of him from time to time. Goodbyes are heckin tough but I would do it all again in a heartbeat (which was why I decided to adopt Dexter but that’s a story for another day). 

So as someone who has lost her bestest friend, here are some things that I found useful and would like to share:

Firstly, don’t be pressured to “move on” or “let go” – There really isn’t a reason why you should be expected to move on quickly. Give yourself time to grieve and reach out for comfort if you need to. It was a traumatic experience for me and the last thing I wanted was someone to tell me to move on so please do not offer such advice if you know someone going through such a situation. Just be there for them and lend them your shoulder to cry on. 

It’s ok to find yourself going through good and bad periods – Some days are simply harder! I could be dealing with Junior’s passing really well one day, and be hit by a truck of emotions the next. But that’s fine, acknowledge your grief and allow yourself to express it but most importantly, reach out and seek support when you have to. 

Lastly, amidst all the cuteness and silly moments with your furkids, know that the process of aging and death is inevitable. Spend and cherish the time you have with them as they had with you till now. Though it would eventually come to an end, the joy and sheer bliss of having met them are beyond the devastation that follows. So do not shy away or be afraid! I know Junior and I were meant to meet and he has been and always will be irreplaceable in my heart. ❤️

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Why I Don’t Think I Can Care for a Pet

Hoshi

Hello everyone, I am hoshi hooaunt.

I hardly appear on Hoshi’s account, if you’re unaware that Hoshi had an aunt, helloo! ?

Hoshi and me (hooaunt) at Wooftopia

Today I’m going to share why after getting Hoshi, I don’t think I can be a hoomum of another fur baby.

I care for Hoshi along with my sister, I mainly help out to feed him and just take care of him in general. Even though I am not the main caretaker for Hoshi, it has been a difficult journey. Caring for a puppy takes a lot of time and commitment, there’s much to take note for him.       

Smol Hoshi taking a nap in his old crate

Sitting on the sidelines, watching my sister sacrifice her personal time and her wallet for Hoshi, I am in awe of her efforts and hard work. Hoshi isn’t a difficult puppy to take care of, he’s very smart and super sweet. He knows where to pee and poo which is usually the most troubling issue for most pawarents. Something really magical ✨ about having dogs is that Hoshi knows when we are happy and when we are sad. I got to experience that myself and it was such a memorable moment, I am sure that it will remain forever in my heart. 

I had just came back from work, and was feeling a little down. I think Hoshi realised that I was a bit upset, he started to cuddle with me. It was unusual because, at that time, he would usually be quite active when someone comes home. However, that little cuddling session with him really healed me and it felt very special?. 

Hoshi being a cuddly boi after sensing that im sad ?

Having said all that, having a dog is wondrous thing however, there are things that i did not expect as well. 

Separation Anxiety 

Whenever we leave the house, Hoshi cries and whines and it’s really heartbreaking to hear and see him like that?. After he gets tired from crying, he would lay his head in between the gate and watch us leave. I guess leaving him alone at home is inevitable and it’s definitely a process that we have to go through. 

Hoshi being a sad boi when we leave for work
Hoshi being a happy boi when we come back

Time and Commitment

Having a pup takes up a lot of time and commitment. Starting from the basic care, his meals, his walkies, and hygiene, these are just some of the important things to take note of. ?

His meal times, Hoshi can be quite picky with his food at times, so we try to add in a bunch of variety for him. However, that would also mean that we would have to be on the constant lookout for new things for him to try. Thankfully, Pawjourr has a sampling program, where we can try out different things before purchasing the full-sized products.

Hoshi enjoying the free samples from Pawjourr!

Moving on to his walkie sessions, we try to walk him everyday however when it is raining, we can’t bring him down. In replacement, we would play fetch with him to waste his energy and spend some time with him.

Hoodad teaching him how to jump

As for his hygiene, we would have to brush his teeth, clip his nails, and care for him like a baby! It is a lot of work, but it is necessary for the lil baby! 

Hoshi’s cupboard –> where we store all of his things!

These are just the very little things that you would need to care for a puppy! It really takes a lot of effort and courage to love a puppy! Hoshi is a great blessing in our lives, and we are so in love with him!

For all those who are considering getting a puppy, please know that there’s a lot of hard work that comes from caring for one, but of course a lot of love as well. For all the pawrents out there, hats off to you guys! Lastly, for all the hooaunts/hoouncles that are just like me, keep loving your furbabies! 

Smol Hoshi taking pictures ?

Follow @hoshisheltie on Instagram to follow us on our journey.?

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Did I make a mistake adopting a Singapore Special?

I adopted Gigi back in 2017. I was a pawrent noob. Never owned a dog before, hardly knew anyone who owned a dog and knew nothing about Singapore Specials(SS). I did not know what to expect upon adopting and there were times i wondered if I was making a mistake.

My adopted SS – Gigi

One thing you have to know before adopting a SS is that they are all different – personalities, traits & temperament. There is no one-size fits all when it comes to Singapore Specials. I know of super timid, fearful SS but there are also SS who are very confident & friendly.

Gigi is a fearful dog who expresses her fear through aggression. When I first met her, I was told that she was aggressive towards other dogs and also very apprehensive towards strangers, especially in the house. Despite not knowing how to handle an “aggressive” dog, her pitiful past and adorable face moved me and I had to bring her home. She warmed up quickly to me and my family and that’s when I thought it was fate. Apart from her temperament, Gigi is all sorts of perfect – independent, house-trained and all-round well behaved. She could be left alone at home without a problem and she wouldn’t end up destroying the house.

Though she does not look it, she is fearful aggressive

But I struggled greatly with her temperament. She would bark at neighbours, lunge at other dogs, she even tried attacking strangers before. I started to live in fear of her accidentally injuring another dog or human which led to avoiding walking at crowded places or peak hours, waiting endlessly for an empty lift and refraining from inviting people over for dinner. Those were the times I asked myself if I had made a mistake adopting her.

I attempted to train her, engaged trainers, sent her for daycare all in hopes of helping her. There were failures and successes, there were times I really wanted to give up. Only when I came across our very last trainer did things change for us. It took a lot of conditioning, firm handling and hard work but I saw the changes in her. Both our lives have changed for the better and I cannot be more grateful.

If you asked me if I think adopting Gigi was a mistake – no, she is the best thing that happened to me and my family. And if given the choice I would still adopt her. But, there are some things I learned along the way and for anyone who is looking to adopt a SS, I would encourage you to consider these 3 things –

  1. Be prepared – There were so many things I wished I knew before adopting, like how to handle her temperament & what to expect. That would have saved us from ending up living in fear and feeling hopeless.
  2. Understand Singapore Specials – They may come with their trials & difficulties. SS are known to be skittish & fearful. Understand the temperament of the dog you are adopting be ready to make the commitment.
  3. Do not give up – The journey may not be easy but it is rewarding and don’t give up on your furkid once you have made the commitment.
Hang in there pawrents!

There is no journey like the one you embark on with your dog. The key is to know what you are getting into and never give up.

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Important things to note when keeping fish as pets!

Previously, I wrote about the things you should note if you’d like to get a pet (i.e., dogs, cats), and what it’s like to work in a pet environment. To summarise my previous article; you should definitely consider getting a pet if you’re able to look after it (cleaning up its poop, pee, feeding it etc). If you’re unable to, then my recommendation is working in a pet-friendly environment, as it gives you the ability to see what it’s like to own a pet, without actually owning it.

I also mentioned that I don’t own any pets. Unfortunately, I might have unintentionally misled you. After writing and publishing my article, I remembered that my father actually owns fishes. Due to the fact that they reside in my house, it gives me partial ownership over them as well.

Therefore, I thought it’d be worthwhile to share my experience when owning pet fish, and what are some do’s and don’ts when ensuring their well-being.

DO’s
Purchase Anti-Chlorine for the Tank
This is a CRUCIAL point to note when keeping fish at home. The chlorine in the water will make your fish sick, and will eventually end up killing it if you don’t add it in. You can purchase one from the aqua-shop that you buy your fish & tank from, and it’s not every expensive!

Usually what I do is add just a few drops right after I finish cleaning the tank. DO NOT add more than that because too much can make your fish sick!

Have Enough Space for your Fish
One of the most common misconceptions is that you can pack quite a few fish in one tank. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. For example, goldfish can grow up to 14 inches in the wild, and their size depends very much on the space around them. As such, it’s important to note the type of fish you

Fish can also get claustrophobic if they don’t have enough space, so it’s important to note that you need to give them enough room to move.

Provide Companionship
When kept in captivity, it’s good to provide your fish with some company, because they can actually get stressed from being alone (which could eventually lead to death).

For those of you who DO have standalone fish, some common signs if your fish is stressed include:
1. Fishes coming up to the surface to gasp for air (could also be due to poor oxygen quality)
2. Fishes not eating their food

Keep some of the Previous Water when Cleaning the Tank
If there is a large change in water quality/quantity, fishes can get stressed/sick and die. It’s important to reuse some of the previous tank water when cleaning the tank, to prevent too radical a change in the tank.

DON’TS
Overfeed your Fish
Similar to land-based pets, if you overfeed your aquatic buddy, they’ll of course create more poop. As a result, the amount of ammonia and nitrate in the tank will significantly increase, polluting the tank and affecting the fishes health.

Of course, a solution to this is increasing the frequency of cleaning the tank, but not everyone may have the ability to do this. My recommendation is feeding them once in the morning, and once at night. However, some breeds of fish require more food than others, so do a quick check online to ensure you’re feeding them enough, too.

FORGET TO CLEAN YOUR TANK
The more you forget, the dirtier the tanks going to be and your fish are going to S U F F E R. Please don’t forget!

CONCLUSION
Contrary to what many people believe, fish need quite a bit of care in order to be at their best. While they don’t require as much love and affection as dogs or cats, they do need attention at least once a day, and shouldn’t be neglected for long periods of time.

Additionally, if you’re already the owner of some wonderful fish, you may consider taking it a step further and try aquascaping! I’ll be discussing this in further detail in the coming weeks as well.

– – –
Feel free to comment below about other topics you’d like me to discuss!

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The ugly truth about getting a puppy. #Puppyblues

Are you planning to get yourself a puppy in 2021? Perfect! Because you’ll need all the advice you can get before taking on such a responsibility. Much like any other purchase or product, getting a puppy isn’t just about plopping down some cash and taking it home. It takes research, preparation, and consideration.

#Puppyblues IS true. I know this sounds crazy but I cried the first weekend when I brought Oolong back from all the stress. My husband was very concerned about my mental health because I was looking visibly stress and couldn’t sleep well at all.

It’s been around a month since Oolong is with us – so let’s break it down week by week on what you should expect when you bring home that bundle of joy… or poop machine ?

Week 01: The calm before the storm

First night with us

The first night Oolong came to our house — to be fair to him, he didn’t give us as much issue as his siblings since he wasn’t too “homesick”. In a way, he is a pretty confident and independent kid who can be bounced around different homes and sleeps through the night.

Issues you might face with your puppy for the first 1-2 weeks

  1. Whining / crying through the entire night
  2. Waking up every 2 hours to pee/poop
  3. Sleeping on the floor with him/her

These are all actual anecdote we hear from other pet owners around us.

It is very important to note that puppies should stay with their mum until they are AT LEAST 8 WEEKS OLD. Oolong is approx. 3 months old before he left his litter.

I can’t emphasize this enough – this is SO SO SO SO IMPORTANT and I only realize it after getting Oolong! When a puppy is 5 – 8 weeks old, they get feedback from their siblings on bites/mouthing because the other pups will yelp when it’s too hard — this helps the puppy to understand when a bite is too painful and is not pleasant for the recipient.

DON’T WORRY – YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!

During Oolong’s first week, I was so overwhelmed that I cried. I stay with my parents and my mum can be very iffy about cleanliness around the house so it added on to the stress. Not helpful that I like to sleep in on weekends and with a dog around, that’s gone.

WEEK O2: The REAL shit starts

Literally. Oolong IS pee pad trained and for the first 2 weeks, there were no potty accidents at all (he sleeps with us in the room). Well guess what, he decided that it’s not going to be that case anymore! 😀

It might also be because he had his last jab and wasn’t feeling too good.

Waking up to the surprise Oolong prepared for us – thanks, son!

So yes, potty training is going to take a while. I was literally on my knees (PG13 please!) 80% of the time, cleaning up after him. I’ve read online to ignore and not to chide him but seriously, I’m not Guan Yin Ma okay. So the morning this happened, I was really livid and gave Oolong a good “beating” and by beating, I meant rolled up newspaper hitting the floor.

Another huge round of applause for Oolong, who’s poop aim is spectacular
(RIP to @lokithetoast hooman’s wire)

General rule of thumb for potty training

  • 2 months old puppy can hold their bladder for 2 hours
  • 3 months old puppy can hold their bladder for 3 hours

It will be helpful to keep a poop journal (yes, motherhood indeed) to track his poop timing across a few weeks. Oolong is still very sporadic with his poop time but we know that he poops every morning when he wakes up, and after meals. So he poops 3 – 4x a day.

This WILL change. Milky poops twice a day and he is outdoor-trained.

WEEK 03: So you think you can leave me alone at home

SA. SA. SA. You are going to hear SA a lot. SA stands for separation anxiety, which is loosely defined as your dog screaming like he lost a limb when you leave him alone in the house.

We used Google hangouts so that different people could join the call and look at Oolong like a specimen. ? Okay lah, everyone is concerned about Oolong.

Pro Tip that works for us!

  • Start off with 5 – 10 – 15mins before increasing it to longer hours.
  • When you leave the house, give the doggo a treat (we like to give chews)
  • When you reach home, don’t be overly excited. Be normal and don’t get all excited and give him attention.

Oolong can be at home for a long period of time now (4 hours+). We don’t put the pee pads in his crate because we don’t want him to encourage him to pee in his crate. Now, he gets free access to the house since he is toilet-trained and will pee/poop in the toilet (without pee pads!!)

Most of the time, there are still peeps in the house so he is usually with peeps around. We bring him to the office for 2-3 days every week so that he gets to mingle with other people, dogs and socialize well.

Week 04: It WILL get better.

We brought Oolong home on 8 Dec, when he is exactly 3 months old (he is born on 9 Sep). It’s been a little more than a month now and yes, things are definitely getting better.

It feels like a long time that he has been with us — but he is toilet-trained now and growing up healthily. He still poops and pee at the wrong places, but he kinda gets an idea of what’s right and what’s wrong.

His mouthing is still an issue and we are correcting his food aggression (for high-value food) and learning to share and be nice with other doggos — be it his water bowl or toys.

Find someone who looks at you the way Oolong looks at his bowl.

He is extremely food-motivated so it’s easier to train him, but that also meant lots of trips to Pet Lovers Centre and spending tons of money on treats and toys to keep him busy.

He is also learning commands like SIT, DOWN, STAY, LEAVE IT & GENTLE (puppies are so excited when it comes to food!!).

He is learning how to behave during walks, how he gets treats when he poops and pees outdoor (or on pee pads), and will run to me to get his “reward”. The clever boy will actually “ration” his pee so that he gets more treats whuttttt.

#PUPPYBLUES ARE REAL

Yes, puppy blues are real. During the first few weeks, I was constantly bogged down by negativity and just wondering if things will ever get better.

I had thoughts of sending him back to his parents because I wasn’t sure if this is something I can handle. I felt so guilty for even having such thoughts that I just cried and felt like a useless mum. I felt that I’m useless because other peeps seem to be able to “do it” but I can’t seem to, and these are people who were working a 9-6 job or juggling a child and a pet and a job and their own mental health. HOW?

The irony is that I know it’s hard to take care of a dog, and I was mentally prepared. But the thing is — it REALLY wears you down over time. There are no off days, MCs, or short-cuts. It’s step-by-step and you don’t expect instant gratification.

There is also no “nursery” to send your kids to for a couple of hours (yes there are daycares, but there are so many horror stories when it comes to dogs dying or getting infected with ticks/flea and eventually died).

But yes, it is worth it. A dog will always love you more than he loves himself, and the feeling when he wags his tail to welcome us home :”)

Hic – Hic!

If you are thinking to get a puppy, these might be helpful:

  • Adopt or buy from a reputable breeder. When you buy from pet shops, you might unknowingly be supporting puppy mills. There are also other issues like:
    • Health problems from inbreeding or unhealthy parents.
    • Potty training is going to be an ass because they pee and shit in their cage.
    • Crate training will be an ass too because puppies in pet shops are constantly locked up.
    • You might face huge behavioral issues like mouthing/teething because of what I mentioned earlier — there was no chance for the puppy to get feedback on bites.
  • Why adoption might be better for you
    • Most of the time, you won’t face potty training issues because the dogs are grass-trained.
    • No puppy blues because most dogs should be in their adulthood already, meaning a much calmer demeanor.

It is important to note that PET SHOPS and REPUTABLE & ETHICAL BREEDERS shouldn’t be seen as the same thing. The latter takes pride in what they do and are very transparent & responsible with how they breed and who they sell.

With pet shops, many are in it for the $$ (despite the claims they put on how they love animals) and I see lots of health problems and issues because of the way the dogs were handled. It’s also extremely suspicious that when pet shop A has a Shiba Inu, pet shop B C D also has Shiba Inus for sale (much coincidence?)

End of day, a pet is a commitment for life. Make sure you are ready (financially and mentally) and yes — your family members are OKAY with the new family member. It is very tough for you to bring up a dog if your family members are NOT okay. It is also being respectful to the other family members living in the household because it really takes a village to raise a dog.

All the best! x

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Community Stories

How to Care for an Older Dog

Most of the time when people look at Belle, they assume she’s about one or two years old. And that’s very understandable because she’s pretty white considering that she’s a Golden Retriever. Usually, you can tell a Goldie is getting older when the fur on their face is a lighter shade than their coat. 

So when I tell people that Belle is 11 years old, they get very shocked and they usually say something like “wow she looks great for her age!”

Of course, when you take a closer look, you can tell that Belle’s getting behind her years because her legs aren’t as steady as before and she gets out of breath after long walks or even after a trip to the park.

Diet

As Belle got older, one of the biggest changes would be her diet. The food (dry and wet) she eats now is catered towards senior dogs and the vet has advised me to not give her as many treats as before. Which is a good thing because it’s extremely important for senior dogs to not be overweight otherwise it’ll be a big strain on their bones and limbs. 

Apart from her food, I also give her her daily dose of Glucosamine soft chews. It definitely helps her limbs because she still enjoys walking (sometimes running) up and down the stairs in my house. 

Exercise

When it comes to bringing Belle out, I guess the important thing to take note of is when she lags behind me because she’s always on my left. I usually take that as a sign that she’s had enough exercise for the day. Sometimes I bring Belle out to the pool as well because swimming is definitely less taxing on Belle’s limbs as compared to walking. It’s a great form of exercise for her too because she usually sleeps like a log the minute we get back home. 

Of course, when Belle gets too tired to walk anymore, she immediately lies down on the ground and only moves after a lot of encouragement. That’s when I step in and carry 23kg of fur, bones and flesh. 

Grooming

Grooming-wise, not much has changed to be honest. Every 6 to 7 weeks, I send Belle to the groomer’s where she gets her fur and nails trimmed and she comes back smelling like flowers. It’s also important to do daily maintenance as well. For example, cleaning her ears every night after a walk will help to prevent ear infections. 

On top of everything mentioned above, I think the most important thing is to still shower a lot of love to your dogs. Everyday I still smother Belle with loads of hugs, kisses and baby talk. Everyday she would get up (even if she’s sleeping) when she hears me call her name and walk towards me to greet me. When I first got Belle back in 2010 when I was only 14, I never thought too far in the future about her as an older dog; all I wanted was to have fun with her everyday. Now that I’m older and more aware, I know that one day I’ll have to say goodbye to her. But in the meantime, I’m still going to spoil her rotten because to me, she’s still my best friend and the number 1 Goldie in the world.

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My Close Escape from Euthanasia

Hi guys, in case you don’t know yet, my name is Kiki. This name was given to me by my first family and my pawrents just continued to use it.

In Feburary 2018, at 3 months old, I was brought home by my first family. They were so excited to have me and so was I to have them. However as days go by, things spiraled out of control.

Being in a family with 3 small children (4 if you consider me as a small puppy as well), my then pawrents did not have the capacity to care for me adequately and I soon fell into the arms of the devils.

I got myself some sort of a skin irritation where I constantly scratches and bite myself. I was constantly itchy and in pain. However, as I was the first puppy the family ever had, they did not know how to deal with me.

Pawdad sent me to the vet several times and was diagnosed with skin allergy. They suspected that it could be due to food, but despite changing my diet and eliminating via food type, they could not find the root cause.

It just kept going on and on and months flew by. At my very worst, I was almost bald and bloody due to the constant scratching and biting (I really can’t help it) and to protect my siblings, pawdad asked his friends to foster me temporarily.

This was the start of my journey of moving house to house. I was sent away by countless “fosterers” as they could not deal with my constant scratching (and disgusting smell). I am also always locked in my cage almost 24hours a day as they were afraid of me dirtying their places. I was at a very sad place. It was until July 2018 that pawdad reached out to my current pawrents to seek help as a last resort.

He had scheduled me to be euthanised 2 days later, but has no place to temporary put me up at. My mummy had questions about me but agreed to put me up for 2 nights.

When pawdad brought me over to mummy and daddy’s house late at night, he told mummy that I had severe skin allergy and the vet recommended to be euthanise as I will not have quality of life. He felt sad about it but this is what he had to do. He left after saying goodbye to me.

After closing the door, mummy opened my gate. It was the first time the gate has been opened for godknows how many days or weeks. I climbed out of the cage… Despite all the pains and itches, I made my way to mummy’s lap and asked for a belly rub.

Mummy gave me a good belly rub and looked at daddy saying how pitiful I was (no doubt, I was so raw then). Daddy suggested that we should not give up on me and that he would make an appointment tomorrow with his friend’s vet and get a second opinion. Mummy agreed. Little did they know, it was this decision that saved my life.

The next day, daddy got home from work and brought me to the new vet. The vet saw me and immediately got down to business. He took tests and did everything he needed to do. He even gave me a huge slab of salmon from his stash for dinner as he said I was so severely underweight for my age (7 months).

All red, at the vet

It turned out… The results showed that I was suffering from a very severe form of chronic scabies that the bugs were eating me alive inside and outside. Luckily though, I was diagnosed in time, if we were to wait any further, I would not have made it out alive.

This event turned everything upside down. Mummy contacted pawdad to inform the results and pawdad was shocked. He could not believe his ears and asked if mummy could keep and restore me back to health. He would be willing to pay for all the medical bills for my condition until I got better.

Mummy and daddy discussed and agreed to give me a second chance in life.

I got home, looking like this….

July 2018

Being also a first time dog owner, my new pawrents did not know what to do, much less prepare for my arrival.

But mummy being in the healthcare industry knows fairly well how contagious scabies is and quickly build me a playpen using Daiso metal grids to temporary keep me at a corner of the house (but this is definitely bigger than my cage which I’ve been living in it for many weeks!)

I was on medications 3x a day and showering every 3 days for 2 whole months. As both mummy and daddy are working, mummy engaged the help of her 3 good friends (AKA my 3 godmas now) for rotational help. The 4 of them took turn caring for me 24hours around the clock. Making sure I was fed well, had my medication and showers, and had lots of love and care. They almost could not leave me alone at home as I would start biting or scratching the moment I got nothing to do. In addition to all the special attention I needed, daddy assist in keeping the house scrubbed and cleaned well. He mop the floor and wipe everything I touched EVERY SINGLE DAY.

For the first time in many days and weeks, I finally slept well.

Slowly but surely, my skin started to recover. Instead of being like a skinless roast duck, I became a pink chicken and my fur started to grow out.

Look at me, being all cozy on mummy’s lap

As my condition slowly got better, I also became a vacuum cleaner during park walks (mummy ever had to pick out a chicken bone from my mouth) and learnt to climb stairs!

From taking each step gingerly….

To hopping like a kangaroo!

Everyone was very amazed at my recovery and I was so active by then! With due care and diligence from pawrents and godmas, I was on a roll. I became the puppy I should be.

Pawdad saw my miraculous recovery and after discussion with mummy, they decided to transfer my name under mummy’s name to make me officially adopted by my pawrents!

I could not be happier and pawrents were elated to have me part of their family. I mean, I am already their family since the night I got there, didn’t I? Hahaha!

Everyday, I create new problems and challenges to my pawrents which made them scratch their heads (see the pun?) and try to outwit me each time. (Soon after, mummy started me on command training to tire that clever brain of mine).

It took 1 month for the Chronic Scabies to be cleared and close to 3-4 months before my fur are fully grown out!

Take a Look!

Aug 2018
Sept 2018
Oct 2018
Nov 2018

In Nov 2018, I celebrated my first birthday!

I wouldn’t have made it to my first birthday (or even third this year!) without my pawrents’ decision to bring me for a second opinion. I would not have escape that needle of death. So I’m forever thankful for their kindness.

Lastly I got to say, even though pawdad and family did me unjust, I forgave them and I still love them. Till date, whenever I see my pawdad and family, I am always very happy to give them hugs and kisses! I knew that although they may not have given me the best care, they had made the right decision to let my current pawrents adopt me. For that, I am forever grateful.

Today, I am happy and I hope you are too!

Signing off,

Kiki, your favorite MP

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Community Stories

The Plight of the Singapore Special

What the Shelter Won’t Tell You

Lady-Mae is my first Singapore Special. We adopted her in 2012. She is my seventh dog in my life. When I was growing up, we could have unlimited number of dogs as long as they weren’t a nuisance to the neighbours.

As an experienced dog owner and handler, I did something totally out of the ordinary when it came to choosing Lady-Mae. I went purely with my instincts. I didn’t research about owning a rescue dog, I just went ahead to get one. (If you’re a new dog owner, I highly suggest that you speak to many fellow Singapore Special owners. A variety of owners and not just one type of owner. It’ll give you a more realistic view of this dog. Please do not follow my example.)

As time went by and I got involved in the dog community, I realised that many people struggled with their Sg Special because either their dog wasn’t properly socialised or they did not get a suitable trainer. So here’s a list of 12 things that I think will help you to decide if the Singapore Special or SS is for you and if you’re up to the challenge.

1. They are the toughest dog to train, even harder than a husky: Most trainers will tell you the Husky is the hardest dog to train. Well, move aside Husky because the Singapore Special tops that list. Singapore Specials don’t care about anyone. They are not bred to want to listen to you. They are bred to solve problems on their own. They do not do well with a wishy-washy handler. Not being able to make a decision on the fly is going to make you be a weakling in the Singapore Special’s eyes. Once you’re seen as a weakling, they will exploit that. I often tell fellow owners that making a bad decision is better than not making one at all.

2. You’ll need to find a GOOD balance trainer: A good balance trainer means a trainer who knows how to use Positive Reinforcement and knows how to teach corrections in a fair and just manner. Singapore Specials are sensitive dogs. They do not do well with high aversive training and neither do they do well solely on Positive Reinforcements only.

3. Singapore Specials need a firm owner: Being firm these days is being labeled a dictator. On the contrary. Being firm means that when you say NO to your dog, be prepared to say NO another one thousand times before your dog will take you seriously.

4. Critical Learning Period For every dog, not just the Singapore Special, the critical learning period is from 3 to 5months. During this time, if a dog is intentionally socialized well to the environment, people, and the lifestyle of the owner, it will grow up to be a balanced dog. However, this is highly critical for the Singapore Special. Missing out on this window creates many of the behavioural issues that the dog will carry through its life. The only reason why the dog becomes good is because of good management. So be prepared to manage your dog but it doesn’t mean you will see the problem behaviour go away.

5. Socialising your dog is a crazy long list over a crazy long time: For many Singapore Specials, they find it hard to adapt to the urban lifestyle that we live and move in. They need to have POSITIVE experiences from the time they are rescued all the way until they have matured adults (4 to 5years old). Socialisation is not going to be a ONE-time affair. These dogs need the consistent positive experience. Socialization isn’t bringing a dog to a dog park and letting it do what it wants. Socialization is an intentional affair with a specific goal.

6. Knowing who you are is critical: Self-awareness is probably the one thing that most SS owners struggle with. So before you bring one home, know what makes you tick. Know how you make decisions, what needs you have so that you can make decisions. And be comfortable in your own skin. E.g. some people need TIME to make a decision. If that’s you, then be aware that if your dog reacts, you should already have a backup plan because there will not be time for you to deliberate. Your Singapore Special is going to know you before the first day is over. And it’s going to know what your weaknesses are and how it can exploit you. E.g. if you’re afraid that the dog will bark its lungs out and get a complaint from a neighbour, the Singapore Special is going to bark the heck of its lungs out because it’s going to push every weakness button. It wants to see which of our weaknesses it can exploit.

7. It needs leadership: Leadership has become a nasty and dirty word in the dog world today. It’s sad because Singapore Special needs a person who is able to provide them clarity. These dogs need someone to give them clear definitions of what is and what isn’t acceptable behaviour. And they need someone to give them clear guidance on how to achieve acceptable behaviour. Failure to provide this will result in a Singapore Special that is highly fearful, reactive, or aggressive.

8. The Singapore Special is wild at heart: I think too many people downplay this trait in the Singapore Special. They are very feral. Almost wolf-like. But they are dogs. They will be eager to please if you can provide leadership. You’ll never be able to domesticate the Singapore Special but it doesn’t mean they cannot be in a home. I always felt guilty for adopting Lady-Mae because I felt like I was caging her by adopting her. It took me 8 years to be able to say that my rescue dog is beginning to be more like a dog that has been carefully bred for centuries.

9. Singapore Specials need an outlet for problem-solving: Because these dogs have evolved to problem-solve daily, they need to be active participants in their training. One of the things that I do is WAIT for the dog to offer me a behaviour that I find acceptable. I don’t give it a command. This is what we call Free Shaping in dog training terminology. Eg. I will wait for the dog to calm down and not jump on me before putting the leash on. I will not tell the dog to sit etc. I will wait until the dog is calm and gives me eye contact before I reward the dog. Having fostered and helped so many dogs and families, Free shaping is highly integral for a Singapore Special. It keeps them engaged. It makes them think about what you want and that taps into their instincts to problem solve. Know how to work with their instincts not against it.

10. They need to roam free: Every Singapore Special yearns to be off the leash. It’s sad that many owners aren’t able to train their dogs to the point where their dogs can be off the lead and ignore people and dogs and just be engaged with their owners no matter what happens. So if you ever adopt one, be prepared to put aside EVERY free time you have and work with the dog until you can get here. Your dog will thank you daily.

11. They are purpose-driven: Singapore Specials are not the usual pet dog. If you’re looking for one, be prepared to go to a trainer who is adept at knowing how to train working breeds. They need a job. Some Sg Specials are really adept at obedience work. Some are great with tricks. Some are awesome with people, (yes there are some Sg Specials who are). And then, there are some who are like my dog, Lady-Mae who enjoys helping people and animals in distress. It’s going to take you at least a year or two before discovering that your dog’s purpose is. So be open minded, go try many activities. Lady-Mae and I have tried, Obedience Competition style training, Tricks, Pet therapy, Agility, Lure coursing. All these flopped terribly and miserably. My dog just stood there and looked at me like she was bored. Until we tried Nosework. Lady-Mae enjoys the search especially for an animal that’s in distress. She enjoys it so much that you can’t even lure her away with Mcnuggets!

12. They are resilient, have great perseverance, and are highly intelligent: Many times when I see descriptions of a Singapore Special up for adoption, nothing that is on that paragraph is what you’re really going to get. Singapore Special is a highly resilient dog, meaning it can withstand a lot of psychological challenges and it’s going to use that with you throughout its lifetime. The SS is also a dog with great perseverance hence they might look very stubborn. However, if you are able to persevere together with them, you will not only gain their love, loyalty, and devotion but their utmost respect. Lastly, the Singapore Special is highly intelligent. I think people do not give enough credit to this dog. Lady-Mae hasn’t ceased to surprise me every day with her ability to offer an innovative solution.

The Singapore Special requires us to put their needs way above ours for a very long time. Adopting one will consume you. It will take up a lot of your time, money, and energy daily for a good 3 to 4years before you’re able to see a highly reliable dog. That’s if you put in the work daily. I have not met a SS owner who said their adoption journey was easy.

Every SS owner will tell you how hard they worked to get where they are. I worked hard but I know of owners who had to work much harder than I did. If you are still up to adopt one, then, welcome to the club. You chose a dog that will not just change your life but it will force you to grow you in ways you never imagined.

Adopting a Singapore Special is not for the faint-hearted. It’s for people who are prepared to take on a self-development journey.

Categories
Community Stories

When is the right time to get a dog?

I have always liked dogs and wanted one but I knew I wasn’t ready for all the commitment: monetary, time and mentally when I was younger. 

  1. Commitment: Monetary and Time 

I’d say what most, obviously myself do not expect is the amount of time and effort needed to put into having a dog. 
What I thought was simple: 
Money for food, necessities, treats of course, grooming and vet.
Time to feed, to walk, to bathe and to train. 
Be mentally prepared for all these to be a norm once you have a dog.

But what I didn’t think enough was how exactly and how much time and how much you need to compromise with your own time/schedule (depending on what age/temperament of your dog).

  • I had to, as much as possible settle Dusty’s needs before my own if it could be put on hold as I do not want to bother my family even if had to travel more and rush, I would do it myself. 
  • Training wasn’t something that I thought was needed or necessary other than Project Adore Obedience Training. What I had in mind was providing the dog a comfortable life, under a roof with fresh food and walks >= x2 daily.

    But training is also important in my opinion, to improve both our lives as we coexist under one roof and to set boundaries. Not only that but also be a responsible dog owner and not cause unnecessary problems to people living around us. 
  • Vet visits are definitely a need for annual vaccination and check ups but other than that it depends on your dog’s health. Money has to be set aside for emergency and I’d say always prepare for the worst (a bit kiasi).

    You could also look up into buying pet insurance for your pet as it will help ease the vet bills if anything were to happen. 

At the end of 2018(when I was 20), I knew I was ready for the commitments and started looking up on all the shelters I could find through web and social medias. It took much consideration and courage to finally take the first step in filling up an adoption application.

  1. Picking the RIGHT dog, not what you want but what you can handle with you and your family’s lifestyle. 

Of course including us, we wanted the nicest, cutest, and a fun dog.
But I knew that wasn’t the right way to look for one.

  • Are you active or more laid-back and chill? 
    I know my family and I wasn’t that active, so I decided that a lower energy dog will fit perfectly into my family. DON’T pick a dog that fits a lifestyle that you aspire to have. But pick one that fits your current lifestyle and work towards it. 
  • Who will be living together with the dog? 
    Make sure everyone in the family as well as the dog is okay with one another, especially if you have kids and the elderly in the house. 
  • Is the dog skittish/shy or aggressive/fearful?
    If the dog that you pick has any of these behaviours, just get ready to have to spend more time and (maybe) money to help your dog gain the confidence and to improve. 

Slightly more than a year of having Dusty with us, I wish I did know more (experience wise) about dog handling. 

  1. Get experience on how to handle a dog. 

Before adopting, what goes through my mind was what’s so difficult about having a dog? It just has to eat, sleep, bathe, walk, shit and pee. Thinking of it is so easy than having to experience it not for one or two days but till the end of their lives it’s a different aspect. 

  • Get a first hand experience as a volunteer or fosterer on how and what is it like to handle not just good and easy dogs but also skittish, shy, fearful and aggressive dogs. And from there you know what kind of dogs you can handle and live with for the next 10-15 years.
  • Reach out to dog owners and get to know more about their experiences with their dog.

So this sums up my thoughts on what I wish I had known.
Hope it was insightful for those who are planning on getting your first dog but is still unsure on what to expect! 

Do share with us your concerns or any experiences that you didn’t see coming with your first dog in the comments below! So that we can learn or at least have an idea on what to do if something similar happens to any of us! 🙂

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Community Stories

How having a dog changed my life.

Processed with VSCO with p5 preset

It’s…. officially 9 months 5 days since I had my first dog, and it’s been a helluva ride for me. Well, do not mistake me when I say that. This helluva ride kinda changed my lifestyle, my habits for the better, though twenty percent of the time, I had my eyeballs rolled after every mess my dearest pup made:)


TIME AND COMMITMENT

My fiancé and I decided to get a dog as we were living in the same house and working in the same company. COMMITMENT, I would say is the distinguishing factor whether or not, you should, or SHOULD NOT have a dog. Living with a puppy is honestly underrated and definitely incomparable, to taking care of a baby as many would say.
We were really blessed to have flexible working hours to deal with the puppy period as the first few weeks of your life with them, is gonna be disastrous.

You cant get mad at this puppy face isnt it.
  • Meals

Prepping their meal isn’t as simple as what many thought it would be and to further clarify this misconception, it definitely isn’t just scooping a cup of kibbles and expecting them to feed on it for all of their meals, their entire life. Every individual puppy is different and do keep in mind that their body changes and reacts to different types of food as they grow.

We did have had quite an experience with my sheltie’s meal since he was a puppy.
From raw to kibbles, to freeze-dried, to raw again and then to home-cooked.
Was indeed a stressful process I would admit. HEH!

They could be receptive to raw at first but allergies could kick in after.
They could be receptive to kibbles at first but decided to be picky after.

The list continues and to sum it up, every type of food, be it commercial food, home-cooked, raw … etc, they each have their own benefits but it boils down ultimately to how your puppy reacts to each type of food and the commitment of every dog owner to formulate the meals of their pups accordingly so they can eventually live a long and healthy life.

  • Daily walks / Dog runs / Cafes

Oh.. daily walks. Some people lament the need to walk their dogs daily and soon after, they no longer walk their dogs anymore.

This is when commitment kicks in as walks are what your pups look forward to every day where they can run wild, play at dog runs, or even just a 45mins walk outside wherever. Pretty similar to the kind of break we look forward to after staying at home the entire day.

Walking them daily exposes them to different environments instead of being a country bumpkin. Some puppies react very much as they were not exposed to cars, people jogging, the sounds of the birds chirping …etc when they are young and become fearful as they age and these certainly are not fears that could be eliminated overnight. This is only just an example of my experience having a sheltie, however, there could be other problems owner faces depending on the breed of their dog.

Commitment to walk them daily eliminates bad behaviour and is a good form of exercise to correct them of their bad habits and to develop a healthier relationship between you and your pups:)

Let them have their fair share of playtime too. Cafes are really heaven for them.

  • Trainings

Obedience training, focus training, toilet training, or whatsoever training you have enrolled yourself and your pups into, please do not give up halfway as these are the essentials and know-hows which will definitely be useful to you and your pups. All in all, don’t get one if you cant commit and don’t resent them if they were to pee on your couch or your bed or your favourite cushion in the future. #JUSTSAYING

  • Showers

Be sure to shower them weekly / twice a week to keep them clean. You don’t want bugs or fleas up their fur. As my sheltie has dry skin issues, he has to be showered weekly with medicated shampoo. The process is really tiresome but you get a puffy, pleasant smelling, and happy puff at the end of the day.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND SACRIFICES

Waking up at several intervals during the night to clear his poop was a test for us. Both me and my fiancé struggled so much as we were logs before we had him. Puppies poop like there’s no tomorrow, and just so you know, they eat their own poop like it’s the best dessert they ever had. And yes, this is gonna be repetitive for the first few weeks. Ingesting too much poop is definitely not healthy for them in the long run and it could become a habit which would be hard to correct in the future.

It was madness for us at night and we were soulless in the day when we headed for work. But seeing how much he has grown and learned when and where not to poop, we know the sacrifices were not wasted.

As it’s only just me, my fiancé, and my pups living together, we could barely head out for a long period of time. Well, not until hapsie is an adult. heheh.
Staycations were also a no for us, temporarily. Covid’s here anyway.

HOW IT EVENTUALLY CHANGED MY LIFESTYLE

Having our own personal time has became a bonus for us.
Without a dog, you can travel whenever you want to, enjoying impromptu plans with friends and families, spending some time chilling while watching Netflix, popping chips into your mouth.

But when you have one….. you have to feed him on time, spend time walking him, playing with him, teaching and training him. Your energy will be drained by the time the sunsets. Zero time for dating or even just mere chilling. Times where we left him at the groom for about an hour or so, was the only personal time we had to have a cup of coffee, to lay back and chill for a bit. We even had to drop him off at our parent’s place occasionally to attend meetings/appointments and only fetch him when our day ends.

Waking up early has become a habit as we had to feed him. We use to be logs who only wakes up in noon. Now our body clock has changed.
Weekends have also been busier than before as we’ll bring him out to cafes, dog runs to meet his siblings and friends as weekdays were only walks and journey to the office together. Chilling and lazing on a weekend has become a once in a while event. It did change my lifestyle to a healthier one and I’m thankful for this change. 9 months into having a dog and I’m enjoying every second of it. Looking forward to having him celebrate the different milestones I’ll be achieving in the future and I’m really grateful for the change he has brought upon us.

—

Ah, not forgetting the twenty percent of the mess I mentioned earlier, its nothing more than having holes in your favourite shirt, clean socks which are soaking wet, strings in your pants shredded, and tissue paper pieces all over your floor 🙂 But don’t worry, after all the mess that’s been made, you’ll be sure to see their most innocent, brightest smile which you can never get mad at 🙂