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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 🙂

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Adopting Can Be Hard – Why It’s Still Worth It

Hi! I’m Jamie, and this is my puppy, Mako. He’s a cutie Singapore Special and I adopted him from Purely Adoptions when he was 3 months old. Adopting him has been the best decision of my life.

boop! henlo!

But I won’t lie, the process of adopting a dog can be hard.

However, in this post, I hope to shed some light on parts of the adoption process, my experience, explain why the adoption procedure can be so tedious, and WHY it is necessary, but most importantly – WHY it is STILL WORTH IT. This is why we adopt and don’t shop.

It takes too long!

Yes, adoption can take a long time. Many of my friends have stated that when they tried to adopt, the AWGs (Animal Welfare Groups) took forever to get back to them. Yes, the responses can be slow sometimes but do consider all the other work that the AWGs are often really busy with. Many AWGs have endless to-do lists, such as taking in abandoned dogs, dogs put up for rehoming, urgent medical treatment for shelter dogs, rescuing stray dogs, trapping and neutering stray dogs to control the population, etc. etc. Many rescuers take in entire litters of puppies at a time. These puppies often have many health issues and the care required to keep the puppies alive is basically an around-the-clock commitment, and not all the puppies make it. Imagine the heartbreak of losing your dog. Now multiply that by the number of rescued puppies that don’t survive, and then by the number of litters rescuers take in. It’s a huge toll and so I hope you understand when AWGs take more time than pet shops to respond. They just have so much to do!

Moreover, keep in mind how hard 2020 has been for AWGs that can no longer hold adoption drives, fundraising events, or have volunteers over during the Circuit Breaker to help with shelter care. As much as we want to adopt WFH companions as soon as possible, do consider that there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

But they do get back to you eventually! One key thing you must have when you want to adopt is persistence. Don’t stop at enquiring at one AWG, enquire at others too. You will get a response if you keep trying.

When I started my search for my forever furkid, I began with the first AWG I knew of SPCA. However, SPCA has limited dogs available for adoption. I couldn’t find one that really spoke to me and applications were not even open because of high demand during Circuit Breaker!

So I kept digging. I only knew of a couple AWGS at that time, like SPCA and Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD). Perhaps you’re the same. But in reality, there are many, many, many AWGs out there with dogs that need a home! Here is a list of all the AWGs I looked at when looking for my furever furkid:

  1. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)
  2. Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD)
  3. Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD)
  4. Mercylight Animal Sanctuary
  5. F7 Home Kennel
  6. Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter (OSCAS)
  7. Voices for Animals (VFA)
  8. Animal Lovers League (ALL)
  9. Causes For Animals
  10. Forget Me Not Dog Shelter
  11. Exclusively Mongrels (EM)
  12. Purely Adoptions (not last because of importance, last because this is where I found my furbabe! There are also several more I have not mentioned here!)
dav

Yes, it can take a long time. But consider this: what is a few months delay when you are potentially adopting a companion who will be by your side for 10-15 years?

Why is the process so tough?

Even as determined as I was to adopt, I still found the research process was long and tedious. I messaged many shelters via their social media and received no replies for some. And even when I got through, there were just so many dogs that needed a home! How to choose? Eventually, I started submitting applications to a few AWGs, shortlisting a few dogs from each shelter that I seemed to like, hoping to meet them. (I applied for like, 8 dogs each from ASD and Mercylight!)

Here comes the discouraging part.

One shelter rejected me because all the dogs I was interested in were either already adopted, on homestay, or they did not want to let me adopt because they were skittish and I am a first-time dog owner. I couldn’t even meet the dog! I was really discouraged. But all I could do was keep trying.

Why continue? Well, just look at that long list of AWGs above! There are so many places you can try applying to. I think some people are not aware that there are so many AWGs in Singapore helping to rehome dogs, and don’t look for dogs there, especially for the smaller AWGs. If one rejects you, just try again! Some people are discouraged because of the HDB restrictions on many dogs up for adoption, and thus choose to buy HDB approved breeds instead. However, keep trying! There are many HDB-approved size Singapore Specials waiting for a home! Voices For Animals is an AWG that rehomes a lot of smaller sized dogs!

But why are AWGs so strict?

At the heart of it all, the AWGs primary concern is the welfare of the dogs. Think of it this way, it’s basically as important as adopting a child, but this child will depend on you all their life, and they have no voice to speak out if they are in a less than the optimal home environment. The AWGs just want to make sure the dogs go to a suitable home. The last thing anyone wants is for a family to abandon or return a dog they adopted because they realise they weren’t ready or suited for the dog. This is HIGHLY traumatic for the abandoned/returned dog and makes it even harder for them to be adopted in the future. That’s why they ask so many questions, so thoroughly check your home, and so carefully evaluate whether you are suitable. They have the dog’s welfare at heart.

But I don’t get to pick my dream dog…

We all love the smiley golden retrievers and adorable butt-shaking corgis. But at the end of the day, all dog owners know that they don’t love their dog for their breed, they love their dog for their dog’s pupsonality and the personal connection they feel with their dog. This is possible too, and with adoption, you really get the chance to find the right companion for you.

With adoption, the rehomers want their dogs to go to good homes, so they will help you find a dog that is a good match for you. Confession: Mako was not my first choice dog. There was a 1.5-year-old SS from another shelter I REALLY wanted to adopt, but he was massive, 30kg, and the shelter decided they did not think he was suitable for my first-timer family and I had to give up. However, the happy ending is that I feel like it was fate because I cannot imagine my life without my Mako now.

A shelter dog can be your dream dog too. Just give them that chance to connect with you.

Look how adorable he is with this toy I gave him on his first night home

Some people think that adopting a dog from a shelter means that you don’t know whether they are sick or have behavioural issues. THIS IS A BIG MISCONCEPTION. In fact, AWGs are likely to fully disclose if a dog has any issues and REALLY check that you are okay with these before letting you adopt. They have no vested interest in forcing you to adopt a dog you will have to give up later. They want the furkid to find their forever home too. When I wanted to adopt Mako, his rehomer at Purely Adoptions warned me extensively about the downsides of puppy raising, like the biting and the destruction, and the issues with skittish puppies. Only when I was fully agreeable and fully aware of what I was getting myself into, did she proceed to discuss with me viewing of puppies. I am so grateful she gave me that chance. Mako was a skittish, timid puppy who has blossomed into a loving, manja boy who loves cuddles and his humans, and all his doggy friends!

Why, how, can such a process still be worth it?

In my opinion? Yes. Here’s my take:

  1. The dog chooses you. Unlike buying a puppy, where you sometimes don’t get to interact with the puppy much before taking it home, you do know the dog’s personality, quirks, and potential issues before you have to decide whether to bring it into your family. And when a dog has chosen you and imprinted on you, the bond you feel is unspeakable.
  2. You save lives. This is the most important point. All the work, at the end of the day, is worth it because you are SAVING LIVES. A dog that struggles to find its next meal on the streets, that lives in fear of unfriendly humans and urban traffic, has the chance to live in the comfort of a home, loved and well-fed, knowing they will be taken care of for as long as they shall live. When you adopt, you free up space for another dog to take its place in the shelter. At minimum, you save two lives by adopting.
  3. You are very thoroughly supported through the adoption process, before, during, even after the papers are signed. That is in my experience, though I’ve heard similar from other adopters. Before the adoption, I could ask as many questions as I wanted. I felt bad but the fosterer and my contact point at Purely Adoptions were so kind and always ready to help me. During the trial homestay, they checked in to see how my family was doing, and check on how Mako was handling the transition. Even now, months after the adoption, whenever I have issues with Mako, such as fear, aggression, diarrhoea, I can always go to them to ask for help and advice (let me know in the comments if I should do an article on my experience with adopting a fearful puppy!). They are able to connect me to good sources of help. I got to meet Mako’s rescuer, who is also his pawma’s stray feeder, and she connected me to DawkStar, the most incredible doggy daycare that took Mako in for a week to teach him how to walk on leash despite his leash fear+aggression and socialise him. If the trial period for you does not work out, there is no judgement. The AWGs will help you find a dog suitable for your family. So the dog you adopt in the end, there is a higher chance that they are suited for you, compared to the odds when picking up a puppy you don’t know at all (unsuitable families for puppies, not unsuitable puppies, are often the cause of puppy abandonment later)
  4. Yes, your dog will love you so much. You are your dog’s entire world. Mako runs to greet me at the door whenever I return from work, demands to play with me, excitedly comes to me when I call him and wants to cuddle whenever I am around. Some say he is lucky to have me adopt him, but I think it goes the other way. Through the whole adoption process, I am lucky to have him. Thank you, Purely Adoptions, for bringing him into my life, which has forever been changed for the better.

mako hopes you have a wonderful day!

So this is a bit of a long read, but I do hope it sheds some light on the adoption process, for those interested to adopt a dog. If you want a puppy, yes there are puppies out there that need a home. However, take your time to find the right one for you. It is worth it. You may spend a few months in the process of adopting, but a dog is for life. What are a few months, when the result is a wonderful companion that will be with you for the next 10-15 years?

If you are interested to hear my experience adopting Mako and how my journey has been as a first-time owner, adopting a Singapore Special puppy, let me know in the comments below so I can write about it!

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What I wished I knew better before getting a puppy

So imagine this. You’re finally at that point in your life where you decide you’re ready to welcome a new member of the family- to raise a dog. You’ve done all your research, asked a couple friends and family for advice and finally decide to book that viewing appointment to see your doggo to-be.

And of course what better time than now right? With Covid-19 sticking around, 2020 is the perfect time to train and build that relationship without much FOMO (*the ‘Fear of Missing Out’)! You also start to rationalize and picture the next 10 years of your life, all while telling (well more like, convincing) yourself everyday that ‘You’re making the right choice! No regrets you got this! ? ‘

Now does this sound familiar?

If it does, then you’re probably a lot like me- optimistic, an over-thinker & someone who underestimates way too much. But hey, consider yourself blessed today because I’ll be sharing the things I wished I could have prepared myself better for while sharing a little more about my experiences as a first-time puppy owner!

The First Interaction

Here’s Calie (the one with the folded ears) chilling with her siblings, now formally known as Dole (in the pen) and Toufu (on top of Calie) at 3 months old!

When I met Calie, she was with her other little siblings playing around and was being this wholesome picture of ‘childlike innocence’ that I instantly fell in love with. Meeting the pups for the very first time almost had me in tears behind my face mask because I was basically achieving my childhood dreams of wanting a dog (yes, I was that child) and it was such a surreal moment for me. But you see, that’s the easy part. The idea of having a loyal companion by your side, giving you that unconditional love and acceptance to brighten up any bad day may seem like such a promising idea most of the time, but you have to realise that this should not be the sole deciding factor – which leads me to my first point:

1. Commitment: It’s the most important!

Now this personally, should be the very first thing you think about before getting that dog in the window! It is a known fact that dogs can live up to 10-15 years and they definitely require a lot of time invested, energy, money and commitment. There are many articles that will tell you that to the point where it literally becomes ‘textbook knowledge’, but you won’t realise how serious this becomes until you live the life yourself! But not to worry, if you’d like to know if you’re prepared for it, here are a few questions you can ask yourself:

  • Why do you want a dog to begin with?
  • Do you have time to train the puppy/dog?
  • Can you afford a dog right now?
  • Is your current home environment suitable for the particular breed you have in mind?
  • Are you ready to deal with the problems (aka ‘collateral damage’) that comes with raising a dog? – from chewing everything in its path to unforeseen health emergencies
  • …Did you do your research?

If you’ve managed to say ‘Yes’ to everything, then you’re pretty much set! On the other hand, if you went ‘Errr…Maybe?’ you might want to rethink the decision for now and wait things out, or adjust a few things in your life before making a choice.

Now as daunting as all this responsibility may seem, there is something so gratifying and rewarding about raising a puppy/dog and you can learn so much every single day from the experience alone- I know I have.

2. Be patient- Good things take time!

Raising puppies / Re-training dogs can be extremely hard! (and I’ve been to nursing school HA). The physical and mental exhaustion can be very demoralising as you help your new furriend to adjust to new environments and it doesn’t help whenever they make ‘potty accidents’, cry almost 24/7 from that separation anxiety, and treat your home like a natural disaster!

On the very first trip back to her furever home!
(aka. moments before disaster)

Yes, the ‘Puppy Blues’ are no joke and it began from the minute we brought Calie home – if you must know, she immediately marked the floors and had the worst cases of urinary incontinence (aka. a leaky bladder) for 2 weeks straight and although this was normal for puppies, I was loosing my sanity by the minute and would have uncontrolled bursts of frustrations where I would lash out or even breakdown at the most random timings. In fact, if you’d like to know more about these ‘Puppy Blues’, hop right over to @hoshi_sheltie ‘s blog after this and read their post as they talk about the real struggles and exploring ways to overcome them!

But just like how a baby needs time to learn manners, you have to understand that dogs are naturally pack animals and have instincts on their own. The more time and training you invest with your pup, the better you can curb negative behavior and build a great relationship! As a person who’s always occupied with tight schedules, it was not easy to suddenly make adjustments to a lifestyle I’ve grown accustomed to for years just so I had enough time to train Calie and help make her adapt well with the family and it was a challenge to be constantly multi-tasking. I also strongly believe in positive reinforcement when training Calie and as a result she’s able to understand and pick up on instructions a lot more efficiently as opposed to negative reactions like yelling/hitting her (which I never do), and I’m proud of how strong our relationship is every single day, because I know all my time sacrificed is not in vain.

On the other hand, I do understand that there are people who may not be able to have the luxury of time and patience but would still like to try caring for a dog. A good suggestion would be to discuss with your families/loved ones and talk about how the responsibilities can be shared or alternatives like sending the dog to ‘puppy school’ or having a private trainer.

“Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”

JOYCE MEYER

3. Unpopular Belief: Money Trees should really grow actual money for a change!

Now THIS is a real problem for not just myself, but in many pet owners out there especially in this time. The cost of living can be stressful for us hoomans, let alone for a dog & you would not imagine how much it takes to ensure your pup is in its best health and living in an optimal environment constantly. Of course, it would be a dream if I could give my pup the whole world (and possibly even more) if it meant making them the happiest doggos out there!

A visit to the vet for her last puppy vaccination

Before making a decision to bring Calie home, my family & I had to layout the possible costs for the next couple years and honestly it wasn’t such an easy pill to swallow. Besides the initial cost it took to get Calie, some examples of things I would typically get worried about is being able to provide food every month, to the many vet consultations as a result of unforeseen health scares , transportation costs (we don’t have a car to get around) and other miscellaneous items (eg. walking necessities, trivial accessories, etc.) – and that’s just to name a few! As a first-time owner I had my first rude awakening when I saw the bill for Calie’s vet consultation & I really thought my soul was ready to depart my body right there in front of the counter. However thankfully, we’re slowly learning to anticipate better in time to be more prepared for ‘financial emergencies’ & that’s something I hope to be much better at very soon.

Now I’ve heard of different ways to combat financial issues from many people and for new pawrents to-be, I’ve narrowed down a couple tips to consider:

  1. As much as possible please ADOPT, don’t shop! – there are so many fur babies who are still looking for homes to call their own, please think of them first.
  2. Consider applying for Pet Insurance (covering medical emergencies)- you never know when you’ll need to visit a vet and how often you go!
  3. Support Local businesses in the pet community! – There are so many brands out there run by pawrents themselves that cater from food, accessories and toys! (personally I have a list of brands for my reference)
  4. Make friends who can getchu lobang yall! – I’m talking brand ambassador discounts, special offers, and even the many pet giveaways on social media (eg. Instagram, Facebook), which is great news for shopaholics such as myself whoops ?

So resist that temptation to overspend and just leave it in the cart first, trust me. (yes I’m looking you, my fellow bo lui gang)

But do note that you should only spend within your means, because “Money will buy you a fine dog, but only love can make it wag its tail” – Richard Friedman!

Calie sending all the positive vibes your way!

Anyways, those are my top 3 points to consider before thinking of making room for a new fur member of the family. So far, raising Calie has had its ups and downs, but I really do cherish every single moment I have with her always. If there’s anything I regret, it would be me wishing there was more things I could have been prepared for but everyday is a learning process for the both of us and sometimes there are just some things you need to learn along the way!

I can’t wait to see where life takes us in the next couple of years, and I’ll always do my best to ensure she lives a life that’s well-fulfilled and full of love. To all the new pawrents to be, both Calie and I wish you all the best in this new chapter of your life and to have fun with the process, you deserve this! ?