It's a dog's life ... or is it?

Danny and the Garden

2013-07-06T15:57:00.000+08:00

A few months ago, I took up a new hobby when I chanced upon starter kits for cherry tomatoes and basil. Now, traditionally, plants die on me from a tiny cactus (under watered) to a monkey cup plant (over watered) to a lost mint plant (yes, lost) to a God-knows-what plant in a terrarium (because plants just hate me). Seriously, how do you kill a plant in terrarium?

I digress. Anyway, the grow kits came with a little sign that said "Guaranteed to Grow". The failed gardener in me sat up. I figured if I can get anything to grow from seeds, I would have redeemed myself for all my past plant sins. So I grabbed one of each, carefully followed the instructions on the box and then jumped for joy when a few days later I saw this:

Success! I was happily showing them off when it occurred to me that they would all probably grow a fair bit bigger and I would need to replant them at some point. Eeep.

I won't bore you with the details, suffice to say that after several repottings and seedling funerals (including those which had been roasted alive under the Singapore sun) later, I wound up with a nice batch of basil...

...as well as a small handful of flowering cherry tomato plants.

So what does this have to do with Danny?

Over the weekend, I did what was hopefully my last repotting of basil. To do this, I headed out to the nursery to get fresh soil and fertilizer. When I got back, the first thing I did was to sprinkle fertilizer on the cherry tomatoes. Nosey, of course, got wind of the action. He came scurrying in and then screeched to a halt when he smelt the fertilizer. He poked his nose into one of the pots and started sniffing about. Then he stuck out his tongue... Yes. Eew.

Thankfully it was organic.

I scolded him and tried to push him off but the allure of dehydrated chicken dung proved too much for him and he held his ground. Finally, I was forced to get up and chase him from the area. I quickly watered the plants so the fertilizer would soak into the soil and left, thinking his new-found fetish was restricted to dried bird poop.

I should be so lucky.

The next day, I began the repotting. To do so, I opened bags of soil and emptied them into various pots. Once again, Poop Breath came along. I had a pot filled with soil in front of me and eyed him as he took a quick sniff. Then he looked up at me and casually sat next to the pot. When I didn't say anything, he lay down next to it with his mouth just hanging over the edge. After studying him for a bit, I went back about my business. He quickly took the opportunity to dip his head into the pot and took a couple of quick licks.

I yelled at him, took the pot and placed it next to me. Danny pretended he didn't care. He got up and nonchalantly strolled around me pausing to sniff the ground here and there, and eventually wound up lying down next to the pot again. When I put a bit of plastic between him and the pot, he surreptitiously tried to push it away... Seriously, dog, now you're just being insulting.

I did the rest of the repotting as quickly as possible and brought the plants up to the attic where they would be safe from the soil eater.

He probably smelt something that seemed like food (though I'm quite sure his dog food doesn't smell that bad), or maybe he thought he needed a more luscious cost of fur. Either way, Danny is now officially banned from the herb garden. Period.

"Did someone say fertilizer?"

The Knotty Naughty Dog

2013-07-03T10:00:00.000+08:00

If you've been following this blog, it's been well established that Danny is one naughty dog. Lesser known is that fact that our friend easily gets knots on his underside. The fur there is extra fine so it gets tangled quite easily, especially with all his mad-cap adventures.

Every time the knots build up, we get the scissors out and trim them off. It's a two-man job, or at least it was until Rhoda got the hang on handling him alone and took it on herself to shear the dog.

Now that she's left, it's up to us again. Danny didn't know that, which is why when I approached him with the scissors in hand, he sat up all eager to play. I didn't want to make it a chore for him so I patted him and gave him a bit of a massage before turning him on his back. Even then, he thought I was going to give him a belly rub. Silly dog.

To his credit, he held still even when he saw the scissors coming. However, the first snip sent him wriggling. I tried another spot nearer his flank, hoping it would be less sensitive, but Danny was on to me now. He lept to his feet and did his best to evade all attempts to turn him on his back again. At one point, his back paw made contact with my ribs while his front paw dug into my thigh as he tried to stop the flip. If I wasn't struggling so hard, I would have been quite impressed with his doggie gymnastics.

Eventually, I had to call in reinforcements (aka hubby). He took over the scissors while I held on to Danny. It took about 10 minutes to get most of the knots out - both the little ones and the littles ones that had combined into big ones.

When it was all over, I released him and gave him a treat. He crunched it up right away and then promptly stalked off to sulk.

"Why do you do mean things to me?"

Yeah, that's right. Take my bribe but still refuse to be friends. Brilliant, dog.

The Danny Experiment

2013-06-30T19:01:00.001+08:00

My dad-in-law recently adopted a kitten. I've always been somewhat blah when it comes to cats. Just about every cat I've come across tries to sink its claws into me for no good reason. The only exception was this really sweet kitten who followed me home one day, mewing pitifully until I brought her in. I named her June. She would come when called and if she was scared, she would hide and peek out from behind the table legs. Cute as she was, Chassard (my old dog) really didn't take to her...and I mean REALLY. So after about a week we found her another home.

Thus when my parents-in-law announced they had a kitten, I thought maybe she would be something like June. Hmm...not exactly. She's a pretty cat with a nice meow, but I need to be on high alert when I play with her. It normally takes about 10 maybe 15 seconds before the claws come out.

Anyway, after about the 10th or the 20th near miss, I began to wonder how much attention Danny could handle, and what he would do when he's had enough.

Well, I took the advantage of a lazy Sunday morning to try and figure it out. It was raining a bit, so I was stuck at home and Danny was leashed up indoors while we had breakfast. I took a quick glance at the clock (11.05am - yes breakfast at 11, I did say it was a lazy morning) and headed towards him. He sat up right away with an expectant hopeful look. Today, I would not disappoint him, I thought with glee.

I start by rubbing his head, then his back. Then he rolled over so I could scratch his tummy. After a while, I sat him up and started all over again.

This went on for about half and hour until it finally hit me that I need to get on with life.

So I stood up much to Danny's dismay...

"What? That's it?"

...That same astounded look followed me down the stairs.

"You're really leaving???"

The experiment may have failed but I have come to the conclusion that Danny has Attention Deficit Disorder - he's always in deficit of attention regardless of how much he gets.

It's a hypothesis that warrants further testing should I have another boring day, but until then, ADD Type D (for Danny) it is!

Ding Dong Danny

2013-06-27T14:28:00.002+08:00

This is our doorbell.

It's quite rusty now but its actually a cowbell which my parents got from Holland a really long time ago. It used to sit on our shelf as a decoration until the renovation when it was moved to the gate. It's surprisingly loud and distinctively clangy. Sometimes people don't realise its the doorbell but for those who do, its very effective - especially when its comes with this.

You see, the bell activates the dog regardless of where in the house he is, and the dog's incessant barking (which can raise the dead) will shake anyone out of bed. Here's a sample:

It's actually a very user-friendly, energy-saving system (for us, not the dog). Just bang on the bell once and the dog will keep it up until the door is answered.

The bonus feature is really the personalised service. The dog will dash to where the maid is and bark, calling to her to the door. Unfortunately, yesterday Lisa (our new helper) didn't understand what Danny was trying to do. She was resting in her room and hadn't heard the bell. Danny went into her room, looked at her and started barking. She just stared back. And my 73-year-old mum was left stranded outside the house with bags of groceries.

Still despite the odd set-back, the Danny Bell is working very well. We used to have the conventional doorbell but it would short out during downpours. The Danny Bell, on the other hand, works in all weather, rain or shine - all for the price of a bag of treats and some dog food.

After a hard day's work...

Danny's Best Friend

2013-06-24T14:07:00.000+08:00

Rhoda, our domestic helper of 6 years left for Chile yesterday. As she was the one in the house most of the time, she also was the one Danny hung out with the most. This was most poignant at dinner time, when he would stare down the stairs waiting for her to come up and feed him, and give her the biggest welcome when she came home.

"I love you...."

So far, I don't think he understands that Rhoda's gone for good. (He can be rather oblivious.) But then let's give him a few days. I know some people are a bit insulted when I say dogs are like children ("Nooooo! How could you say that??!!"), but in many ways they are - happy-go-lucky, live-in-the-now, never worrying or caring about the future...

My family's always had Filipino helpers since I was a kid, which is quite typical of many Singaporean families. The first one I remember was Evelyn - glasses and a cheeky smile. With both parents working and my brothers busy at school, I would often follow her about the house (much like Danny), peppering her with questions and trying to help her but messing up. I don't remember much about the day she arrived, but the day she left was the day I understood the meaning of forever.

You see, when people you care about go on holiday or work/study overseas, they come back. Even if they migrate, they pop back for visits or you can take a trip to see them. For maids, that goodbye means you'll probably never see them again.

Then came Mary - soft-spoken and sweet-natured. I still remember the day after she arrived coming back from school and wondering if she would mind hanging out. I snuck downstairs and peeked round the door to her room. I did it a few times, quickly pulling my head back when she looked up, until she decided to invite me in to stop the poltergeist effect. She would stay up with me in my room when the rest of the family went out (I was afraid of the dark). Back then, I never understood why she wouldn't let me lend her my mom's blanket and pillows, even after I carried them in for her. When she left, I was sad and angry, not with her but with the situation. I remember sitting in my room, refusing to go downstairs to say goodbye. Instead, Mary put down her luggage and came upstairs. "Come, let's kiss," she said, before planting a kiss on each cheek. And then she was gone.

After that, I decided that there was no point getting close to someone for them to leave again. The following helpers came and went in a blur. There were one or two who did try to make friends with me but I would have none of that. Even Nellie, who stayed with us for about 10 years, I would talk to but I wouldn't share with. When she left, it was with a cheerful "Hey, all the best!" - I liked her and I genuinely wished her well but I had grown somewhat cold and pragmatic.

Things changed a few years after Rhoda arrived. Perhaps it happened a bit late in my case, but I finally understood that people don't come into our lives by chance. And that the meeting, however brief, must have a purpose that we will only discover if we open ourselves to it.

So I did. Once again, after almost 30 years, I confided in a stranger from another land who lived with us, silently supporting us however she could as we went about our mundane lives. She bore witness to my family's ups and downs and through her eyes, I began to see that things weren't always as bad or as hard or as unfair as I had made them out to be. I understood there were many things to be thankful for and even more that I took for granted.

Yesterday was tinged was sadness but instead of being mixed with anger like it was so many years ago, this time, it was blended with joy. Rhoda is moving on to better things that will benefit her family and her children's future, and how could I begrudge her that?

There's an old Chinese saying: "It matters not the length nor the breadth of time; what matters is that our paths once crossed". And thanks to the internet, perhaps they will cross again in cyberspace...

Rhoda and me at Gerry's Grill

Oh, and if you've ever been a maid or a nanny to a family with a spoiled, fussy brat, there's a good chance that years after you've left, he or she still thinks about you every now and then, and wishes you all the happiness in the world. I know I do. :)

Danny's Check Up

2011-08-11T10:49:00.004+08:00

Okay, okay, it's been uber long since I did my last post! Ever since I became a full-time copywriter, it's like my creative juices have been drained by the end of the day! It also doesn't help that I've spent the last couple of months ghostwriting.

But for everyone who has been so supportive over Danny's fit episode, I totally, totally owe you guys an update.

Danny is doing fantastic! Ever since we brought him back from the vet, it's been a steady climb back to his usual rambunctious self. I brought him back to the clinicfor his yearly check up in June and he was bouncing off the walls and pouncing on every doggie (and non-doggie) scent. When it was his turn, he dashed into the clinic and the moment he saw Dr Kenneth, he jumped on him and started licking him. I guess he's got a good memory.

He was so excited about seeing Dr Kenneth and his assistant that he didn't even seem to notice he was getting an injection. Normally he yelps when the needle goes in, but this time, he was wagging his tail-stump the whole time.

He was supposed to get a blood test to check on his damaged liver but Dr Kenneth decided that as he hadn't had another fit and he was so obviously healthy, we could skip the interrim test and just wait till September to do the final one - saving me about $150.

With that, I went back and did my sums:

Danny's hospital stay - $900
Danny's check up and distemper shots and deworming and heartworm pills... - $120
Having Danny's smackable Schanuzer butt destroying the living room again - Priceless

Stay Danny Stay

2011-04-11T11:40:00.008+08:00

A while back, one of Danny's trainers taught us this trick to calm him when he's scurrying around. It's supposed to work whether or not there's food involved, but Danny is a slave to his stomach so thus far it only works when he has some sort of incentive.

He's chained up in these pics cos the floor was getting cleaned and after his incident, the last thing we want is Danny lapping up soapy water. (Yes, Danny, it smells of roses but I don't think your liver can take another blow!) But the trick works when he's free too.

Seeing he was such a good boy with just one cracker, we decided to up the ante...

On a seperate occasion, I managed to surround him with crakers and make him stay for a good 3 minutes. Yay! Success!

The down side is you need to keep an eagle eye on him or the temptation is just too great. Ah well...it's still an improvement!

For better or for worse

2011-04-05T20:08:00.004+08:00

As each day goes by, Danny is getting visibly better.

On his first day back, walking a few steps would make him pant.

On the second day, he could prop himself up at the dining table to check out what we were having.

On the third day, he tried to bark with the neighbour's dog but could only emit a growl.

On the fourth day, he joined in the doggie chorus.

On the fifth day, he could scuttle around a bit without breaking a sweat.

On the sixth day, he was protesting being confined in the air-con study with me and scratched the door and yelped to be let out.

And, as his energy returns, so do the pitchfork and tail.

Yesterday, I scolded him for the first time since he came home when he barked at me to share my lunch. First time I scolded him all week. (Normally I'm yelling at him everyday.)

Today he tried to snatch dad's socks - got yelled at again.

Hubby is really happy though. He said that this meant that Danny was getting better. (I was surprised cos he's been trying to make Danny a lap dog ever since he arrived.)

It's true, and yes, we are glad. But I think I'm with dad when he said with an air of resignation, "When Danny gets better, he gets worse."

"I'm back!"

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

2011-04-04T22:22:00.005+08:00

Danny's much better now!

"Thanks everyone for your prayers and concern!"

(He's a little scruffy in this pic cos he was scheduled for a grooming session when he got sick.)

It's been a week since his fit and so far no repeat. We've been watching him like a hawk. His blood test came back and showed he has some serious liver damage. The vet said that it was partly caused by the severe fit and partly by something he ingested that damaged his liver.

Danny had been running around the garden the whole morning so he could have nibbled on something toxic at some point though I really can't think what it could be!

As we all know by now, he has this tendency to nom on all objects regardless of material. Case in point, on his first day back, we turned our backs for a couple of minutes and found him with a piece of styrofoam in his mouth. Sigh.

Well, at least now we know what went wrong. The new revelation saw me hauling him back to the vet for a jab and to pick up more meds. (Add another $150 to the mounting bill. Expensive dog, no?)

Still despite the scary test results, the only sign of his sick liver is that Danny's energy level isn't at 100%. He sleeps a lot more and doesn't scurry around like the house is on fire. But he still has the old Danny spirit.

In the last week, he has:
1) Made off with used tissue with paint on it, which I had to pry from his jaws.
2) Tried to snatch mom's slippers twice. I say "tried" cos the extra weight made him tired and he dropped it after a few feet.
3) Hauled the floor cloth up from the basement (Dropped it midway past the stairs, like I said, not 100%.)
4) Poked his nose into the kitchen dustbin 4-5 times but got caught. (Not as fast as he used to be.)
5) Barked at me when I refused to share my lunch.
6) Tried to steal my lunch when I got up to get ketchup. (Couldn't reach. Too short. No energy to jump.)
7) Woke me up with his yelping this morning.

Think of what he could have accomplished if his liver was fine.

"I'm up on all fours and trying my best to be naughty again!"

Danny's Home!

2011-03-29T19:41:00.002+08:00

Danny's back home! His vet called the night before and told me to wait for his call before collecting him. He said he wanted to give him a thorough checkup before discharging him and asked me not to appear first thing in the morning. How did he know that was exactly what I was planning?

Anyway, he opens at 10 but by 10.30 I couldn't stand it and called the clinic. They said he was in the clear so I could come by around 11.30. I left the house immediately after putting down the phone and was there by 11. Heh!

Of course I had to wait. Anyway they handed Danny over together with his cocktail of meds which have super complicated feeding instructions - or maybe I'm just not very smart.

Total damage: $680
Having Danny back from the dead: Priceless.

He's still not 100% though. He is curious about all his usual stuff and poking his nose into garbage cans and trying to sneak upstairs where he's not allowed, just that he is doing everything at half speed. Walking from one end of the room to the other makes him pant and his back legs are quite weak so stairs are a bit more of a challenge than usual.

He seems to have more energy in air-conditioned rooms and pants a lot less, especially when it gets hot, so now from 11am onwards, our friend stays with me in the study. I keep the temp low and wear a jacket.

He drinks copious amounts of water though, which the vet said it's caused by the steriod jab, which means I'm changing his newspaper every hour on the hour.

Everyone at home has come to realise that he's not quite as indestructable as we thought. He now needs more looking after, but we're all glad he's home.

Will take new pics soon!

What a difference a day makes! - Danny update

2011-03-28T21:02:00.005+08:00

Thanks for all the prayers! They worked a miracle!

Got a call from the vet this morning. Danny's doing a lot better. He was up on all fours and polished off a whole can of dog food. He was still panting a little heavily although all the twitching and jerking is gone. The vet said he still wanted to keep him another day so as to monitor that his seizure doesn't reoccur, but we were more than welcome to visit him at the clinic.

So hubby, Rhoda and I all trooped down around lunchtime to see our friend. He was like a completely different dog! When I left him yesterday, he was lying down on his side with muscle spasms coming every 2 to 3 seconds. When I called his name or patted his head, all he could do was roll his eyeballs in my direction. As it was, the vet called it an improvement on the previous hour, which had him having no recognition in his eyes whatsoever and pee and poo streaming out of his other end. (The latter was when the vet thought we would lose him)

Today, however, when we appeared, he stood up, his tail (or stump) all twitching, and banged against the cage door. He's been on a drip since yesterday so that wasn't new, but we were a little puzzled to find an e-collar on him.

It was soon cleared up when the vet's assistant explained that Danny's unstoppable mouth (save for the fit) had been nomming on the tube for the drip and the collar was to prevent him from biting through. Also, he had somehow gotten his gangly legs tangled up in the tube during the night and they had come down to find him in an "oh help!" position.

Eating for two and getting himself into all manner of trouble? Mmm...yes, he IS feeling better. Still can't believe he actually managed to be up to mischief confined in a cage. It's some kind of talent.

We opened the cage door to pat him better but then had to physically hold him in cos he kept trying to jump out despite being a good metre from the ground and still being attached to the drip! And when we left, he started yelping as in "You guys forgot something - ME!!!"

Anyway, if this keeps up, Danny will be coming home tomorrow!

Danny Had Fits

2011-03-27T16:11:00.004+08:00

I haven't blogged in a while mainly because Danny's been improving and while he is still naughty, nothing he has done recently beats that last two years.

Doing a short blog today because Danny had a fit this morning and we had to rush him to the vet. At first they thought it was a heatstroke, but even after they brought his temp down, he went into another fit, which the vet thought was it. But they managed to bring him back on track. When I left the clinic, he was still twitching to a good extent. The vet said they would put him into an induced coma and see how he is in a few hours. If he is better, he can come home and we can monitor. If he isn't, they propose sending him to the hospital for them to run thorough tests on him. And of course, there is also a possibility of him not making it till morning.

At this point, I really don't know how I'm going to handle losing another dog so soon after Chassard. I really do hope for the best because, even though he is the naughtiest dog I ever had and the most disobedient, I do miss him. It's been a short 2 years, but already he's wormed his way into everyone's hearts in only a way a dog can. Please pray for him.

Danny and the Pull-Up Bar

2011-01-11T12:01:00.004+08:00

Chinese New Year is going to be here in three weeks and I am desperately trying to get my flabby arms in shape so I don't do a double wave at the relatives. I've been doing chair dips which takes care of the underarms but couldn't think of anything at home for my jelly-soft biceps.

So, for the first time ever (which shows my fitness priority), I headed down to the exercise station at the park. And for fun I brought Danny with me.

I chained him to the base of the pull-up bar. He peeked at me rather curiously but let me get on with life. The moment my feet left the ground, however, he started barking like there was no tomorrow. When I came back to earth, he stopped.

I thought maybe being tied 3 feet away was to freaky for him, so I re-tied him right next to me and reminded myself to be careful not to land on him.

It didn't work.

Danny kept barking his head off and even after I stopped, he continued barking right in my face. It was the first time he had ever seen me do pull-ups (as in pull up and hang there) and all the humans he has seen always had two feet firmly planted on the ground. I think he thought I was going to fly off without him or something.

Anyway, it turned out for the best. We were being observed by a team of construction workers, an elderly couple plus the neighbour's dog. And since two (half) sets was all I could manage, I used Danny as an excuse to...hem...cut my "routine" short and left.

I'm bringing him with me the next time.

Ooooh! That Ruffian!

2010-10-04T19:42:00.003+08:00

Quick Danny update.

He was a good dog for a bit and then he reverted back to his naughty ways. I've blogged about the usual stuff so much in the past, it's practically become "normal Danny".

Yesterday, however, he outdid himself. I came back home about 9pm to see Danny scurrying about in the garden. When he saw us, he shot up the stairs and whined like some great injustice had been done.

Me being the gullible owner, thought he had been mercilessly chucked outside sans his dinner. So I pick him up and brought him into the house.

It turned out that he did have his dinner (and more, seeing that parents sneak him tidbits when I'm out), had been brought down to sleep but had escaped into the garden.

Feeling a lot less sorry for him, I held on to him and propped my butt on the armrest of the sofa. Danny, in the mean time, was getting really frustrated at being so close to so many objects but not being able to get at them. He struggled like his life depended on it and I tightened my grip on him. Before I knew it, I fell backwards onto the sofa.

And because he was still wriggling madly, I was pulled off the sofa onto the floor. In my descent, I hit my leg on the coffee table.

I now have a two-inch-by-one-inch swollen black bruise on my thigh curtesy of the dog.

Danny isn't too bothered. I'm the biggest object he's damaged in his one and a half years of life. It's quite an achievement.

PS: Thought of taking a photo of the bruise but didn't want to spoil everyone's dinner.

PPS: Thought also of taking a photo of Danny but didn't want to spoil MY dinner. Maybe another day when I stop being mad at him.

Danny Upgrade - The Novita Experiment

2010-09-04T10:08:00.007+08:00

You know how everyone says that you need to keep upgrading yourself and expand your skill sets? Well, Danny seems to have taken it to heart - unfortunately.

He has been kicking things up a notch around the house. Previously, he used to limit his destruction to newspapers, pens and old slippers. Now he has decided to take it to the next level.

His latest list includes:

Mom's blood pressure machine
Mom's set of paint brushes
My handphone cover (thank God my handphone wasn't in it!)
And the switch of the mosquito zapper in the study room

Of all, the last one caused the biggest headache for me. The blood pressure machine, although it bears the scars of Danny's affections, still works. The zapper, on the other hand, doesn't work without its switch.

As it faces the garden, the study attracts a good share of mossies, and hubby bought the machine to enjoy an itch-free life. He religiously turns it on everyday and takes gleeful pleasure in hearing it spark.

Danny destroyed all that in a matter of minutes. Hubby was already upset with him for a previous rampage of the house, which involved the first three items on the list. If he found out about his precious machine, I'd be feeding Danny through a tube.

So, I dropped everything including my facial appointment which I badly needed, and rushed the machine down to Novita's HQ. The receptionist peered rather strangely at the problem and got a technicial to look into it.

After a 20-minute wait, it came out as good as new. The best thing was, it was free! I was really, really surprised. (And you know how nothing is free unless they have a bigger scam in mind.)

The recep replied that they don't charge for small repairs. And this is even though it was past warranty and they had to replace the entire switch with a brand new one! Talk about good customer service!

She had one question though, "How did the switch get like that?" I spent the next five minutes explaining about the extra large rodent we have at home and she laughed. "Ya, we were just wondering!"

The only problem now is I still have a big fat pimple on my chin and it's all his fault.

Breakfast with Danny

2010-08-14T19:09:00.000+08:00

For some time now, I've been wondering why despite all my scoldings, Danny still jumps and barks at me when I eat.

Meals and snack time with Danny loose in the house is quite an affair. Our friend already has an egg every morning, which is plenty for a little dog. But he still goes after scraps.

It turns out that I've been going about it wrong. It's the parents that need training.

Danny's breakfast routine:

Step 1: Go to mum. Beg and bark.

Step 2: Go to dad. Beg and bark, but don't bark so loud cos dad will kick ass.

Step 3: Eat reward for being a bad dog.

When I told mum she's too soft on him, she shot back, "But he will bark at me!"

To think she speant her life in teaching and retired a vice principal.

Danny's new groom

2010-08-12T13:45:00.000+08:00

I still can't get over how different Danny looks every time he comes back from the groomer. Recently we had to send him again as he was getting that scruffy alley dog look even though it's been less than 3 months since his last cut.

I asked Bryan to give him a schnauzer trim minus the beard and long leg fur - that basically meant everything was cut short. Such a difference! Honestly, I might have taken the wrong dog home and wonder why "Danny" was so well behaved.

But not to worry. My ears are still ringing from him shrieking in the morning and mom shrieking right back, so it's definately him.

He looks so stern and serious with this cut. So doesn't suit his personality.

Holiday without Danny - Flowers, Food and Other Observations

2010-08-10T17:15:00.017+08:00

Okay, final post on my trip and I'll go right back to Danny. I just need to get it out of my system.

One of the things I really like about Canada and the US is that people can do what they like and be respected for it. The following two shots are taken in Vancouver.

In this shot, the guy did these "paintings" on the sidewalk completely in chalk, as in blackboard chalk! (The white bucket is for "contributions". )

In this pic, the guy crouched down is a spray paint artist. He is a degree holder with a full-time job as an IT engineer. (SMRT is you're reading this, I think we should pay him to do up our trains.)

And it's not just Canada.

In Alaska, our bus driver was a Masters student who lectures part-time at the university. He likes being a bus driver as it lets him interact with people which is a nice balance to research and books. Can you imagine someone with a Masters degree doing that here?

Again, on the train, our waitress was a recent uni grad.

I can't imagine any family here allowing their children to taken on jobs for which they are way over qualified. Somehow, it's seen as "beneath" them to do "menial" jobs. Our service sector here doesn't get the respect it deserves and it shows in the attitude of the staff.

Sad.

* * *

Another thing to love - flowers and scenary! The weather allows a vast variety of flowers and plants.

These flowers were in the Butchart Gardens in Canada. Don't ask me what they're called. I just take photos.

The rest were taken in Alaska. I thought this photo was quite nice but hubby doesn't think so. I guess the flag pole could be a bit shorter. Anyway, this was in Denali National Park.

These were taken on a track through a part of the rainforest.

Alaska was just entering Autumn when we went. Obvious, yeah?

It rained a lot in Alaska
This is so Smurf!

* * *

The people we met in Vancouver and Alaska were wonderful! We could be at a street corner studying a map and people would come up and ask if we needed help. Drivers on quiet roads would happily let us cross even though they had right of way (and hubby and I were jaywalking).

And cashiers and waitresses would have a quick chat with you. At no point did we feel like outsiders. It all added to the great time we had there.

The one thing that wasn't so great was the food. It was mostly bland, bland, bland. The burgers and steaks had little or no seasoning, Japanese gyoza was made with chicken, and even this Chinese restaurant that our originally-from-Hong-Kong guide recommended needed more garlic and soy sauce at the very least.

And for the record, I prefer our MacDonald's apple pie to the US MacDonald's.

Oh heck. I even prefer Brewerk's mac & cheese to the one I tried in Alaska. I ended up dumping a fair amount of salt and pepper on it.

My only memorable dish was this lavendar-something-cotta. First time I ever had a dessert that tasted like flowers! So super yums I had it twice!

When we came back, we made a beeline for Crystal Jade and Penang Place. Next stop - Newton.

Holiday without Danny - Fur, Feathers and Fins

2010-08-06T14:53:00.001+08:00

You probably noticed in my previous post that the Alaskan huskies don't look like the Siberian Huskies with grey and white fur. That's because unlike other breeds, Alaskan Huskies are typified by their purpose rather than their looks. This defines them as being highly efficient sled dogs, regardless of ancestry. (Credit: Wikipedia) As a result, a lot of them look like the street dogs we have here.

One of the most famous sled dog races is the Iditarod, or as our guide called it, the Great Puppydog Race. It stretches around 1,100 miles or 1,770km, across 3 mountain ranges. Each team comprises of 12 to 16 dogs and takes anything from 8 to 30 days to complete. To prepare for the race, they are trained from puppyhood and can run 20 miles a day as adults in training.

Oh, and did I mention each dog eats 10,000 calories a day? Our guide likened it to a grown man eating 80 Big Macs every day!

So they may not look it, but these dogs are athletes in their own right.

Getting ready to mush

Taking a drink in an icy river

The other thing Alaska is famous for is Salmon. Hubby and I saw fishermen fishing in a river just outside downtown Anchorage. Hubby was actually super grumpy cos he had a runny nose, wanted to sleep in and was so sure we wouldn't see anything. When I said I'll go on my own, he got out of bed and got dressed.

He was Mr Sourpuss all the way from the hotel to breakfast and on the way to the river. When we reached, a fisherman happened to be reeling in a catch. Thank God! After that, he was the one scurrying around trying to spot salmon.

I spotted a few of them among some rocks and I yelled to hubby. The fishermen heard me and they started casting their lines there. One of the salmon came up with blood running down. Oops.

* * *

I was without Danny, but Alaska wasn't the only place I managed to get my dog fix. Up on Whistler mountain in Canada, we headed to this park by the river. Someone was playing fetch with her German Shepard.

Canada's quite a dog friendly place. We spotted this water fountain just for dogs outside the Buchart Gardens. I think it means dog parking. We also spied a few water coolers for humans with an identical one below for dogs around the city.

Oh, and check out the ENORMOUS chew bones for dogs! I have no idea what animal they're from ... goat, cow, ...dinosaur?

We saw several birds but they were too small or too fast for the camera. However, this seagull and his girlfriend, made themselves quite comfortable on our hotel balcony. They were our wake up call every morning in Vancouver...and he still had the cheek to moon me!

In Stanley Park, I had my first encounter with a black squirrel, which came racing up to me, ...

...and a racoon!

Both of them were heading my way because they thought I was going to feed them. Appearantly people have been doing so cos they think they are cute, but as with our monkeys here, they bite and scratch.

Still, I have these people to thank for me seeing the racoon. They are nocturnal animals and this one only came out during the day hoping to be fed. He is super cute though!

* * *

One of the stranger pets I saw was up on Whistler. From a distance, I saw this lady walking what I assumed was a small dog.

Erm...It's a mongoose.

Funny thing is, no one else thought it was weird!

* * *

Oh and yes, what is Alaska without the reindeer? In case you weren't aware, there are 2 kinds of reindeer. The first come in herds.

The second come in sausage. And they're yummy too!

Holiday without Danny - Canada and Alaska

2010-08-03T12:33:00.018+08:00

Yes, it's been a really long time since my last post, but this time, I have a good reason. I was away touring Vancouver and Alaska. Since Danny's been annoying me (he figured out how to pull off his muzzle and promptly chewed it up), I'll be posting about my trip instead. Hah!

Just before I left, I tried to take a few photos of Danny so I have something to look at when I miss him. The rascal was busy running all over the place, making a mess and wouldn't let me to get a good shot. Eventually, dad managed to catch him in mid dash and hauled him right up to the camera.

For the record, that's a tea towel he pulled off the table.

I think he was wondering what the heck was happening when the flash went off.

Anyway, yes, the trip. Canada has much nicer scenery than Alaska. I think it's because they benefit from longer summers so plants and flowers have a chance to bloom. Though I could be biased cos when I was there, Vancouver's weather was absolutely perfect, while Alaska was raining a lot.

Favourites from Vancouver?

Rocky Mountaineer (FYI, that the name of the train going up the mountain). They serve you breakfast in nice comfy, cushy chairs and free flow of drinks. Way better than taking the coach!

My advice? Sit on the left side going up and the right side coming down. You get a better view!

Whistler Mountain, where I did ziplining for the first time! You're about 7 storeys up in the trees and you zip across the river below. We also went up the gondola to the top of the mountain.

Surprisingly, it wasn't very cold. I just had a long-sleeved top on and I was fine. Some people were a bit mad. They were up there in shorts and slippers, bouncing about in the snow.

Coal Harbour....Luxury yachts and mountains. What's not to like?!

Stanley Park. Okay, to quote my friend, no park is complete without ducks in a pond. Plus, calling it a park is quite misleading to this Singaporean who pictured it to be about the size of Bishan Park. It's more like the size of MacRitchie and the Botanic Gardens put together.

And definately the Butchart Gardens! I know it's manicured and maintained by an army of garderners, but it's absolutely lovely!

As for Alaska, I'll be frank. I travelled halfway around the world just to see huskies in action. And after almost a week in Canada, I finally did!

Dogs at work - Coming back from a run. Since it's summer, they train them using a tractor sans engine.

Dogs at play - after the run. I can't believe a couple even jumped in the river! It was frigid cold! I was on the boat and I couldn't feel my fingers from the cold!

Dogs back at work - with me in the buggy!

AND THEY HAD PUPPIES!!! These little guys are only 3.5 weeks old!

Curiosity snagged the dog

2010-07-10T19:17:00.003+08:00

Danny went poking his nose around the fridge yesterday. He must have smelt something interesting, cos he pushed his paw into the narrow space under the fridge, trying to get at God-knows-what.

With his short attention span, something else caught his eye five seconds later and he turned towards it. In doing so, he shifted the angle of his paw, effectively catching it.

When he realised he was stuck, he panicked and yelped to high heaven. It was so shrill and so piercing that Rhoda came running up from the basement and mom can rushing in from the living room.

They found him flat on the floor with one paw under the fridge and the others waving frantically in an effort to get loose. Mom, as usual, joined him in panicking. Remember how she thought he had sliced off his tongue the last time? Well, this time she thought he had been electrocuted.

Using a combination of chair and broomstick (you're not supposed to touch something with a live current), she tried to manouvre him out from under the fridge. All this time, Danny was madly wriggling away. Between the two, they must have done something right and his paw popped out.

Rhoda was relieved. Mom was relieved. But the happiest camper was Danny. Finally free, he headed straight for the tissue box and ripped it apart.

Spot the Danny

2010-07-02T21:48:00.000+08:00

Can you see where the dog ends and the carpet begins?

The carrot and the stick - Part II

2010-06-30T09:12:00.000+08:00

As magnificent as peanut-butter-stuffed Kong is in keeping him busy and quiet, Danny still bores quite easily. That's where the stick comes in.

No, I'm not talking about the cane. (Although that reminds me, he has chewed up the fifth and final cane and I need to buy some more. Anyone know a wholesaler?) I'm talking about the muzzle.

Yes, I know I have tried the muzzle before but this is a different muzzle. The previous one was a very forgiving cage muzzle which gave him some room to manoeuvre. Our friend figured out how to get it off within a week and promptly chewed it to bits.

He sensed its vulnerability and would look at us with reproachful eyes whenever we put it on (see below). If you look closely at the top of the muzzle, you'll see where we stapled the damaged portion together. A couple of days after this shot, it was bye-bye muzzle.

I didn't bother to replace it, but after a nerve-shattering day of Danny's non-stop high pitched yelps and my neighbours' (so-far) polite comments of his noise, I decided to give the muzzle another try.

This time, I went in search of the one they use at the vet, you know, the one that wraps around the mouth.

Well, it's been a few weeks now, and Dan-boy can't get it off. And trust me he tried. He rubbed it against walls, carpeting, the floor, my leg,....but it didn't even budge. Now, when we put it on, he goes all limp. Place him on the floor and he'll slump down in a corner. You can place him on your lap and pat him as you browse through the paper.

Note: The dog below is fully awake.

It's like his mouth is a generator or something!

Anyway, he seems to be getting the message. When he is overly noisy or destructive, his mouth privileges get revoked. When we remove the muzzle, he becomes the quietest dog ever. If we're lucky, it even lasts the whole day.

So far, so good.

The carrot and the stick - Part I

2010-06-25T15:14:00.009+08:00

Now that the playmate programme (for some reason this sounds kinky) is in the trash, we have resorted to other methods of keeping Danny quiet.

Danny likes toys which fit nicely within his jaws. Roaming around Pet Lovers Centre the other day, I chanced upon a Kong rubber bone.

All Kong toys have a hollow space for you to stuff all sorts of treats with. This one has two! The idea is that your dog will be so occupied trying to get at the treat that he'll forget to be noisy, destructive and a general pain in the *beep*.

...Sorry. When I say "your", I actually mean "my".

The toy itself stinks. It's made of rubber and it smells like rubber. On its own, Danny actually prefers my socks. (Yes, he does really, right out of the laundry basket too.) But smeared with goodies, it's suddenly a wonder toy.

We experimented with a few: bovril, honey,... and the winner is PEANUT BUTTER! Yup, the dog goes quite mad for it. We stuff it and then chuck it into the freezer first to make it more challenging.

Keeps him busy for a couple of hours or until the treat runs out.

Mouth- and paw-stained Danny....Yums!

Adopt a dog this weekend!

2010-06-21T13:31:00.007+08:00

Hey all, Dog Mill Rehomers is having an adoption drive this weekend. Over 80 pedigree dogs were rescued when a dog mill closed its operations. Since then, 42 dogs have been adopted with 36 more needing homes.

The breeds include beagles, terriers, mini schnauzers, golden retrievers and many others.

Details on the adoption drive are as follows:

These dogs were formerly kept for breeding and some do have health problems. Note: no puppies available. More information on the dogs available can be found on their website at http://dogmilllrehomers.blogspot.com/.

So spread the word and help these dogs find a great home!

PS: DANNY POST BELOW!