My Mohawk-ed Peanut!

No hair products were used! :D

After what seemed to be forever...

These are photos of all the three dogs after their trip to the grooming parlor about a month ago. It was very hard to take photos at decent angles since all three of them were very hyperactive right after the trip! Mallows had her usual "puppy cut" and an almost bald style for Chloe. I don't know what type of cut Peanut had because I just asked them to copy a certain style that I saw in a magazine. :-) However, I did ask them not to touch Peanut's bangs so that I can still tie it and occasionally leave it as it is or even try to style it into a mohawk!--without the help of any hair products if I may add. :)) Of course, it doesn't stay that way. But it's very amusing, nevertheless!

An Empty Home

Today is the very first time that all three dogs are out and I'm home. :( I'm not used to it at all! Well, it'll actually be only for a few hours; 3 hours, maybe. I dropped off the dogs today at their local groomer, which is at Georgette's closet along Katipunan Avenue. After which, I shortly did some errands around town. I then come home, opened the door and almost instinctively anticipated all three dogs waiting for me by the door. Oh wait, right, they're being groomed now. I walk past the table where Mallows usually chills in under. I once again almost instinctively bend down to check on her. Oh wait, right again, they're being groomed now. The house truly feels empty without them. :( I can't wait to see them--sporting their new do's, too! :D   

A Shout Out to Karol!

Karol with Bruce

KAROL ANN ONG SEE! 

We just want to say Thank You! for all the support and company despite the constant attempts to bully Peanut and Chloe (we understand that you're too sissy to attempt it on Mallows, JK!) We just miss you!!! 

xoxo

Jen, Mallows, Peanut and Chloe

A Sort of Swimming Chloe

As I have mentioned in most of my previous posts, Mallows was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. And one of the vet's suggestions was to make Mallows swim! We don't have a pool and I'm afraid that Mallows is just too big for a baby pool (the portable ones made of plastic) so what he suggested then was that we submerge 3/4 of her body in a deep water container (filled with water, of course :D) while holding onto the remaining upper quarter of her body. The logic behind this suggestion was that Mallows would supposedly be encouraged to move her hind legs. Well, maybe we carry her too much or something... because the logic didn't apply for Mallows' case! 

But I didn't stop there. Curious enough, I took Chloe and dropped her off in the same container. SUCCESS! A swimming dog! :) I wish though she were able to swim farther. Also, I tried the same thing with Peanut but I think she was too young then as she just froze! I had to immediately take her out of the water before she drowned! Oh Peanut! Hehe. She is such a baby! >:D<  

Peanut: "hate. water."

With all the three dogs that I've witnessed grow, I always find myself amazed at how much I almost fail to notice them do so. It's like from being as small as the size of my palm, they suddenly expand into what they are now--overnight! I guess I'm just thankful that often times, I am able to record their puppy days. But really, it seems like I never get to notice or catch their "in between" days when they aren't as small as when we got them but aren't as big as now.

So now I'm actually reminiscing the time when Peanut still had a "puppy" coat. I think that especially for dogs like Yorkies, their coats have a distinct look while they are or were still puppies. Its distinct look never goes back even when we try cutting it short. :) I wonder if I'm the only one who feels this way...

Anyway, so here is a video of Peanut when she was probably around 4 months old. It was one of her first real long bathes! She still wasn't used to being immersed with so much water. Hehe. You can notice it. There's also a few seconds of Mallows and Chloe playing, and you can see how Peanut used to be so scared of it. Now she really is a part of their pack. I love them so so so much! >:D<    

More Peanut

Things I love about Peanut...

1. She's the only dog that I know that sleeps like a baby. A very heavy sleeper, indeed!

2. She likes going up to our beds... but in the process, she struggles, cries and gets really frustrated. She ain't a great jumper. And I find that so cute! ;)

3. She stares at you (just like pictured above.) :) 'nuf said!

4. She sometimes attempts to go incognito in a tiptoe-ish manner. And it works! Thus, either enabling her to pass our radars or simply getting locked in rooms because we don't notice her entering it! 

5. I love it how she doesn't always run for the grassy areas. :) I find it quite mild mannered of her. 

6. Peanut doesn't seem to ever be too shy to get right in your face--literally! She can get really up close and would often sniff our faces; her nose touching our faces literally. Adorable. :)

Puppy Files: Peanut

Milk Bath: It's Not Just for You

It was actually during a recent visit to the vet that I learned of a really good tip for chow chow owners who want to maintain the rich and fluffy coat of their pets. The key lies in MILK BATH! :-) Basically, any kind of milk bath (goat, vegetable, et cetera) should work. I used Autrepart Lait de Bain Au Lait Vegetal after of course, an initial round of soap and water battle with Mallows. (She's not fond of bathes.) Another tip that we've learned from a different vet is the use of Perla, a local detergent, which is also ideal as an initial soap for pet bathes. Perla is milder than the typical commercial detergent, is made with natural ingredients and is even said to contain coconut milk. The latter needs to be confirmed. But if you're concerned with flea or tick problems, Petgard's dog soap is another option. Try it! Whether your dog is a chow chow, a mini pomeranian, a shi tzu or any other type of dog that has a rich coat such as Mallows, I'm confident that their coats will come out to be soft, fluffy, and more importantly, huggable!

*Photo taken from http://shopping.msn.fr    

Product Review: Dancing Paws Joint Maintenance

Mallows has been taking Dancing Paws Joint Maintenance supplements for about 90 days now. Initially, however, Arthrox was prescribed to Mallows by the veterinarian who interpreted her first x-ray that diagnosed her hip condition. During the very first time Mallows took Arthrox, her body reacted by vomiting after only several hours after the ingestion of the supplements. And although this was solved by decreasing the dosage into half as well as giving the supplements after meals, the reaction of Mallows' body signaled the strength and perhaps harshness of the supplements. The thought made me uncomfortable and at the same time, I felt bad that I wasn't able to do something to prevent the anticipated pain that accompanies Mallows' hip dysplasia. Fortunately for me, I was just window shopping at Shangri-La mall when I discovered Bow&wow (separate post here). And it was there that I found, tried and learned to love Dancing Paws Joint Maintenance Supplements (90 chewable wafers priced at Php 959). Its made of the finest ingredients that are natural too. Thus, mild yet effective enough for Mallows. And so good that even our yorkies (Chloe and Peanut) beg for a taste of it! 

*photo taken from http://www.dancingpaws.com/jointmaintenance.html

Yakult is Good!

Peanut has recently experienced some troubles in terms of the consistency of her stool. During the second day of this problem, I decided to take her to the vet to determine its possible cause. And after answering several questions, the vet concluded that it must be due to a type of bacterial infection in her digestive system. The vet who I took Peanut to is actually new to us; Peanut's vet was out that day. Nevertheless, the vet has been very accommodating, helpful and insightful. I appreciate the fact that she didn't immediately rely on medicines or antibiotics. In fact, she recommended that I try Yakult (http://www.yakultusa.com/), which is a probiotic drink. This was to hopefully strengthen Peanut's digestive system. Furthermore, the vet explains to me that giving Peanut antibiotics will only kill BOTH good and bad bacteria. Peanut is already on her second day on Yakult medication and so far so good. :-) 

By the way, Peanut was advised to take 2 mL (approximately 1/2 teaspoon) of Yakult three times a day for 7 days. Her current weight is 6 lbs.

Real Simple Beefy Goodness

Ingredients:

4 parts water

2 parts minced or ground beef

1 part minced cabbage

1 part minced carrots

2 parts cooked rice

Directions:

Boil the beef in water then add the vegetables. Let it simmer for a minute or so. 

Then add the cooked rice. 

Remove the dish from the heat and cool before serving.  

Mallows' Favorite Cheesy Biscuits

Ingredients:

3 cups + approximately 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup oats

1/4 cup powdered milk

1/4 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

1 cup chicken stock (at room temperature)

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (at room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (or 350 degrees Fahrenheit). In a large bowl, mix 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup oats, 1/4 cup powdered milk, 1/4 cheddar cheese, 1 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil and 2 eggs. Add a bit of flour when necessary or until a clay-like dough is formed. 

Using the excess flour, dust a smooth and clean surface with flour. Knead out the dough until it flattens out to only around 1/3 of an inch. Then using any cookie cutter, punch out the dough. Bake the shaped dough pieces on a tray layered with a cookie sheet for 30 minutes or until the surface of the biscuits turn into a golden brown. Cool then store.    

K9 Units in the Philippines

K9 units in the Philippines have sort of already been a staple at public places. Malls that have received several bomb threats have hired at least one K9 unit to constantly do rounds at their area. And frankly, it does give me a sense of security whenever I would see these hard working dogs around me. They also somehow entertain me especially when I see cute and adorable puppies at work. Oh, it's really just the joy that I get from seeing dogs! No matter how big or small they are. :) 

But what I usually regard as a happy experience quickly changed into a more disturbing one as I saw a german shepherd limping his way around the mall. :( My chow chow suffers from hip dysplasia so I have an idea of the pain that dog must have been experiencing. :( I also noticed the lack of grooming. I would have shaved his tummy a bit just to relieve the dog from the normally warm climate of the Philippines (around 30 degrees celsius). His legs also looked so dirty. I do not know much about how these K9 units operate but I do feel that dogs that are in obvious pain such as the one that I saw earlier this morning should not be allowed to work the way that they do. I believe that it would be better for them to retire as pets. But then again, the Philippines have very few animal shelters. I also fret that if such dogs would no longer be allowed to work, what would then happen to them? :(     

Animal Registration in San Juan City, Philippines

Ordinance #72 Section 16: It shall be unlawful for any person to own, keep, or have control of a dog without having obtained a registration for such animal. The primary purpose of which is the control and prevention of animal diseases particularly Rabies. 

WHY REGISTER?

-To enable the city to have a registry of all pets living within the community.

-To remove stray animals and prevent the spread of diseases. 

-Lost pets who are registered have a higher chance of being reunited with their owners.

WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR REGISTRATION?

DOGS and CATS aged three (3) months and above.

WHERE DO WE REGISTER?

The City Veterinary Office (CVO) 

Ground Floor Sanguniang Bayan Bldg. 

N. Domingo St. Brgy. Balong San Juan City

Tel No. 4828406

HOW MUCH IS THE REGISTRATION FEE?

Initial registration fee costs one hundred pesos (P100.oo) as an incentive for registering your pets. Anti-rabies vaccination is FREE!

Renewal fee is seventy five pesos (75.oo) for neutered pets. One Hundred Fifty (150.00) pesos for intact pets.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTRATION?

-(1) 2x2 picture of the owner 

-(2) 4R picture of the pet: 1 full face side of pet; 1 full side view of pet.

-Updated vaccination card of pet

Source: CVO pamphlet

More Mallows at 3 Months Old

Hello all! :-) I just recently bumped into old photos of Mallows taken when she was still 3 months old. I was sorting out one of my old memory cards when I fortunately saw these files that were not synched to my computer. It made me feel a bit nostalgic as part of me missed how she was as a puppy. :-) I hope you enjoy just going through these cute snapshots as much as I do. Enjoy! :D 

 

Mallows

Mallows at three months old

*Note: This is a repost from one of my older blogs. Mallows has actually learned to be more behaved--which I will try to write about soon. :) 

I think that my pet chow chow, named Mallows has the misconception that she is a small dog; as small as Chloe (a yorkie), perhaps. Why? Let's see... First of all, Having Mallows with us is kind of an accident. A fortunate one, nevertheless. I never really planned on having a chow chow as a pet. In fact, I didn't even know what a chow chow was when my brother had suggested to us (me and my sister) to get one as a present for our mother's birthday. Of course, it was only my brother who really wanted a chow chow because as it turned out, our mum doesn't even like big dogs like Mallows; she just wants the smaller more scruffy ones like Chloe and Choco (a shi tzu). Poor Mallows. She was already brought into our place without any real welcoming space (because neither my mum nor my brother wanted Mallows to stay in their rooms--Mallows had tick problems then). But as I noticed how uncomfortable she looked as she was about to be left all alone downstairs, I decided to take her into my own room--and seriously, I didn't know what I had coming. First were the ticks! Aw man. We had to take it out one by one. There were so many that we lost count! Moreover, it took more than a day and even a week to COMPLETELY get rid of each and every tick enjoying the luscious coat of Mallows. After which, I had to maintain it by spraying Frontline (anti-tick spray). And of course, the regular grooming which includes brushing her coat, trimming her nails and cleaning her ears--and I get really OC with those things! Anyway, perhaps it's either because Mallows has always been around smaller dogs or because I tend baby or spoil her so much that she doesn't act the way that a chow chow is stereotyped as. Books and other literature tell me that chow chows are normally lazy (perhaps because of their heavy built); "Non hyper and will always walk well on a lead"--http://www.majestychows.com/chowfacts.htm. However, Mallows loves to play! She plays with Chloe, Choco, her rawhide, and even her treats, et cetera. She'd jump up the couch or beds with or without her treats, sometimes even dropping it on the cushion then suddenly diving into her treat or toy with her nose on lead. She would also try to dig onto beds and basically, any type of cloth lying around; so we had to be wary of clothes, towels or blankets scattered around the house. She also has this tendency of stealing all my hair scrunchies! I've had several occasions of finding hair scrunchies dripping wet from all her drool. She can really be a handful! Furthermore, she doesn't necessarily walk well on a lead. I know it's natural for dogs to stubbornly sniff around. But as we were walking this afternoon around the village, our walk was cut short as Mallows cowardly remained in place (with her tail down) and wouldn't continue walking no matter how hard i pulled her leash! The reason: the gate where the labrador lives was wide open. Mallows is so scared of big dogs--well even of several smaller dogs like pugs, grey toy poodles and et cetera. OMG. Aren't chows supposed to rank high on dominance? Harhar. Hence, I don't have a chow chow. Mallows is a toy chow who enjoys being carried up to avoid having to go all the way up the stairs. Mallows is also a baby who wants to be protected from all the seemingly mean and big dogs. She might not be what a typical chow enthusiast would want or expect but I guess it's those things that she isn't expected to be that makes me love her even more. :) 

R.I.P. Erika (2009-March 24, 2009)

Erika, a stray cat that we took in recently had just past away earlier this morning. I feel bad that I didn't get to take any photos of her. She was a very tiny kitten; almost the size of my palm. She was very distinct because of the green paint that surrounded her body during the day that we took her in. Her white coat was was filled with big orange and black spots. Moreover, Erika had big black eyes that would just pierce through our souls. It longed for care and attention. And it was not very hard to give to a kitten like her. Erika was very sweet and was not afraid of people. She was also very brave and would stand up against Mallows whenever Mallows would try to approach her and sniff her. 

And although we did not have the chance to have a lot of memories, she will always have a special place in our hearts. We love her.  

FREE Anti-Rabies Dog Vaccination for Greenhills Residents

*map taken from http://www.greenhills.com.ph/mallmap.asp

WHAT? Free Anti-Rabies Dog Vaccination for All Greenhills Residents c/o San Juan City Health Office and Barangay Greenhills   

WHEN? March 20, 2009 (Friday)

WHERE? G-Strip, Greenhills, San Juan City

Bow&Wow

*photo courtesy of Anna Castro: http://annashinoda.multiply.com/

Located deep within the hallway leading to the 5th level parking area of Shangri-La mall lies a haven for pet owners who advocate an all-natural and healthy lifestyle. Bow&wow boasts a wide range of pet products for both dogs and cats. Moreover, it carries brands that I have been in search for since my last trip to Canada. It carries Canidae, Instinct, Tiki Dog, ZiwiPeak and Mallows' personal favorite, Merrick. All of which prides itself in providing pet foods with "human grade meals" as well as the absence of fillers, artificial flavors and preservatives. The staff of Bow&wow has always been very courteous and accommodating to me during my visits. Furthermore, not only are they pet-lovers but if I'm not mistaken, they all have vet-related backgrounds. So it proves helpful especially when I shop for Mallows' supplements. They have also been of great help whenever I encounter something new that tickles my curiosity or simply whenever I'm in a rut of what to get Mallows.

Some of the things that Bow&wow carry include all-natural supplements, both canned and dry food, chews, treats, dog and cat beds, grooming tools and toys. I really encourage every pet owner to check it out! :-) 

Bow&wow

Unit 539 Level 5 Shangri-La Mall 

EDSA corner Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City

(632)6383372

http://www.bowandwow.com.ph      

To Rimadyl or Not to Rimadyl?

As I have previously mentioned in this blog, my chow chow is a little bit overweight right now. It is that along with her genetic predisposition to hip dysplasia that has got me really worried for the past few days. It reached a climatic point when Mallows would not eat, got cranky and rarely got up to walk around. Moreover, I found her exaggeratedly limping her left leg whenever she would try to get up from her naps. It was so painful to see her like that so I ended up rushing her to the nearest veterinarian despite everything else that I had scheduled for that day. 

I took Mallows to the Wilson branch of Animal House, a local chain of animal clinics. The staff was very patient with Mallows' crankiness as well as with my barrage of queries and other concerns that I had. And by the end of the consultation with the veterinarian, I was prescribed Rimadyl (generic name: carprofen), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug marketed by Pfizer for dogs like Mallows who suffer from the consequences of hip dysplasia and canine arthritis. I actually expressed my concern to the veterinarian about giving Mallows too much painkillers or any other harsh medicines that might not be very good for her in the long run. Mallows is actually quite on the acidic side; thus, I have to be careful whenever administering to her certain types and dosages of medicine. Otherwise, she would sometimes vomit and experience acid attacks. :( The vet had informed me that Rimadyl is acidic and advised me to administer the drug after meals. So I bought the drug and went home. 

However, I was very surprised because as soon as I got home, I googled Rimadyl. The first few sites that I saw contained traumatic stories about the harmful effects of the drug to many pets; most of which, ended either with a dog dying or struggling with its life. :( The stories that confronted me scared me a lot. I could not seem to find the wisdom to decide with confidence on whether to ease the pain of my pet while risking her health at the same time or to save her from putting her health at risk but at the same time leaving her in pain. It was and still is such a hard decision for me. That day though, I ended up giving her only half a dosage once! I then carefully monitored her stool for the rest of the day or two. I am thankful that everything seems normal now. But I still have a few tablets of Rimadyl left. And up to this moment, I shift with uneasiness in trying to decide when it would be okay for me to administer the drug to Mallows again. It continues to be a scary and threatening situation for me. I really do not know what to do...

*image of Rimadyl taken from http://www.rimadylforpets.com/         

Doggie Date at Serendra

(L-R: Gia, Snowball, Mac, Anna, Burger, Bruce, Karol, Me, Mallows)

*photos c/o Karol See: http://karolsee.multiply.com

My friends and I recently went to Serendra/ Bonifacio High Street for a doggie date. Serendra and Bonifacio High Street are often referred to interchangeably since it's only a cross walk away from each other. Both places offer an ideal setting for dog lovers because of the pet-friendly shops such as Hobbes and Landes, al fresco restaurants and the wide patches of grass uncommon to most commercial establishments located at Manila. 

In attendance was Gia and her well-poised Maltese named Snowball, Mac, Anna and her friendly Lhasa Apso named Burger, Karol and her cranky Shi Tzu named Bruce, and of course, me and Mallows! Mallows seemed to enjoy more of the trip than the date. She obediently walked beside me the whole time and occasionally sniffed her way from one lamp post to another. However, when it comes to her interaction with my friends' pets, well... let's just say that she preferred to go solo. Theoretically speaking, Mallows should have gotten along well with Burger and Bruce since Mallows is female while Burger and Bruce are both male. But as it turned out, Mallows found Burger to be too aggressive and Bruce was too much of a bully to let Mallows get to know him better. And let's not forget the well-poised Snowball who also preferred to go solo by asking my friend Gia to carry her whenever we'd walk around the area. Snowball was also the only one who was well-dressed at the date. She had a beautiful pink tutu that was embellished with small rhinestones. It was so pretty and it perfectly matched her pink carrier, too. 

And since our doggie date is a dinner date, we headed to Polu Kai at Serendra for an al fresco dinner. Polu Kai is a Hawaiian restaurant that boasts several appetizing seafood platters. Their staff is also very accommodating to our as well as our pets needs. When we asked for lukewarm water for our pets, they did not hesitate to bring us two full glasses of it. They also did not mind that our pets sat beside us! :) During dinner and since most of the dishes offered by Polu Kai are seafood, I decided to pack Mallows a can of Cesar to enjoy while we ourselves enjoyed our own set of dinner. Cesar is actually one of the few foolproof brands that my chow connoisseur enjoys. The variant available in the Philippines is actually from Singapore. So if you check the international website of Cesar: http://www.cesar.com, the variants that are commonly available in the Philippines are: Beef, Gourmet Beef, Beef and Liver, Chicken, and Lamb. The price ranges from Php 60-65, depending on where you buy it. Unimart, a supermarket located at Greenhills offers the product at the best value of Php 60.75. But other supermarket chains such as Rustans and Puregold also carry it. And of course, it is also available at pet stores such as Animal House and Doggie Land.

So I think this is it for now! :D The doggie date actually exhausted ALL of us! Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable experience! And although my friend, Anna doesn't seem too ecstatic about having another doggie date because of the 6 poop scooping experiences that she has had, I think that Karol and I might still have a chance to do this again! :)

 

First Entry

(above: Peanut, below: Chloe)

(below: Mallows)

Welcome all! This is my very first entry at this blog and I feel obliged to explain why I created a blog about dogs. First and foremost, this is a product of my great fondness for dogs and love for my pets: Mallows (Chow chow, 3), Chloe (Yorkie, 3) and Peanut (Yorkie, 10 months). Secondly, this is a blog to help other people who share the same concerns that I have about my dogs (sickness, medications, etc.) And thirdly, this is just for fun! I want to share the fun adventures that I have with my dogs whether it be the places that we can enjoy with our dogs or the constant food trips that I indulge Mallows in. :)

To all those who will be reading entries at this blog, I hope that you will enjoy reading this as much as I will probably enjoy blogging here. Chow for now!