PET BED =D

Yey! Search over.

When we first had Buster, he automatically gravitated towards the three gigantic floor pillows that Sister Pusjing and Bro-in-law G-Genius gave me as either a Christmas gift or as a "housewarming gift" (a misnomer really as I never really had House Pioneer blessed). And so it goes that when we first got Barrioca, he also decided he wanted a piece of the pillows. I figured, no prob. There were three.

What I did not count on was the Alpha-Dog-This-Is-My-Territory-You-Nincompoop struggle between the two (being of almost the same age). One evening, when Buster was (I suppose) particularly pissed at Barrioca, he ran and literally pissed on Barrioca's pillow. Of course he got a good "talking-to" from me and he looked properly apologetic.

There were two pillows left. I thought, still no problem.

And then, the following day, when Barrioca was (I suppose) particularly pissed at Buster, he ran and literally pissed on Buster's pillow! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy......Gr. He, of course, got the same "talking-to" and he, too, looked properly apologetic.

One pillow left. Big problem. I did not want to buy additional floor pillows because, well, I was convinced that they would all just go the way of the two I had to throw.

And so it goes that after Barrioca went on to pet heaven, I took out the one pillow left. After all, there was only Buster again.

And then (!), Banzo came along.

Anticipating Banzo's size when he becomes a full-grown adult, we made sure that while he was still no bigger than a tennis ball, he KNEW who the Alpha-dog in the family was. (It's actually funny to see Banzo now. He can, technically, whip Buster's ass given his size and strength, and yet, he is literally scared when Buster starts barking at him. Big baby. Haha. =))

In any case, the single pillow did not seem to be an issue. When Banzo was small, Buster didn't mind sharing it with him. When he started growing, Banzo would, nonetheless, step aside everytime Buster approached it. So I really don't know what came over Buster one day when (I suppose), in one fit of major insecurity (he's not stupid; he knows Banzo is a lot bigger and taller), he pissed on his own pillow (!) just to officially mark it as his territory. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy....Gr.

Thing is, they've been used to sleeping on floor pillows and not on hard wood floors. And so, it was just a matter of time when they started jumping onto our bed when it's time to sleep! I don't care what you say. A queen-sized bed would never be big enough for me, my giant of a husband, one mini-schnauzer and one Siberian Husky.

And so the search was on. I, unfortunately, couldn't find floor pillows as big as the ones I had to throw (Regalong Pambahay has since phased them out), so I just bought the biggest ones I could find. Buster would fit, and I figured Banzo wouldn't mind just resting a part of himself onto the pillow. Major fail! Buster, of course, took the opportunity to prance around hopping from one pillow to the other, showing Banzo (I suppose) that he was the true master and that he has two beds. Hala! Without a proper bed, Banzo continued to climb up--and while Buster would start the night in his floor pillows, soon enough, he'd be joining the midnight crush on the bed too.

So it was a eureka moment when in the S&R sale last week, I discovered the Kirkland Pet Bed. Definitely big enough with room to spare (because Banzo tosses and turns when he sleeps--in other words, magulo siya matulog!) Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!! Yahoooooooooooooooo!!! I bought. I brought it home. The Hubby got excited, and decided to lay it on Banzo's favorite spot. Success! Bliss! Two floor pillows for Buster. One pet bed for Banzo. For the first time in quite a while, we had the bed to ourselves.

And then! Haaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy....while Banzo was still busy wreaking havoc in the living room, I walked into the bedroom the other night to find this.

"Mommy," he seemed to be saying with his accusing stare, "I don't care if I'm kasya in the floor pillows. I don't care if there are two. I don't want them anymore. Banzo can have them. I want this pet bed! HMP! "

Haaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy.....@_@ Sometimes, I wonder if I would have an easier time raising kids. Then again, likely not. Haha....hay...=D

HAPPINESS IS....=)

Being able to sleep peacefully.....

....next to the people you love. =)

Shhhhhhh.... =)

SUMMER'S HERE! NGYAR......=S

I just know summer's here (in February, really?!) when the breezy, cool noontime walks I didn't mind taking from Boni High all the way to Market! Market! for lunchtime errands is no longer possible. I get out of our office and barely make it to Starbucks (no more than 50 steps away) without melting.

I just know summer's here (in February, really?!) when I have to turn the aircon on much, much earlier at night as opposed to turning it on only right before we sleep. I just know summer's here when the barely there aircon cooling (more for air circulation really, whether real or imagined on my part) gives way to lower and lower temps. It's a vicious cycle I know.....Guilty as charged! Ngyar. ='(

I just know summer's here (in February, really?!) when I couldn't resist having a tall glass of ice-cold Coke Light poured over a tall glass filled with ice. Get that ice-cold Coke just isn't enough? In the office where the aircon blasts on the entire day, I drink coffee. I drink green tea (to aid in my quest to lose 15 lbs. by the time I'm 40!). In House Better, during weekends, nothing else does it for me. Forget the "happiness bit" that they blare out on all their TVC's. It's all about fizz and bubbles going down to soothe a dry, parched throat. *SFX: glug-glug-glug...Aaaaaaaaaaaaah! =D*

I just know summer's here (in February, really?!) when droughts, low water levels and cloud seeding take precedent over presidential campaign buzz and political mud-slinging in the early evening news.

Still, this being Banzo's first summer, I have had a few more reminders. These days, I just know summer's here (in February, really?!) because Banzo has started to shed, his loose furballs rolling all over the place like desert tumbleweeds against the air being blown by the industrial fan. We have started to put bottles and bottles of 1.5L Coke PETs filled with water in the freezer so that Fe-licious can repeatedly replace his water dispenser with ice-cold water throughout the day. (And just like that, he drinks practically half the bottle now everytime he goes, haha.) I have also taken to texting Fe-licious in the middle of the day to check if she kept the industrial fan on as I told her or to direct her to put on the aircon if it's particularly hot (mag-jacket na lang siya, haha).

Finally, I just know summer's here when the resident Siberian Husky who used to curl up blissfully as he sleeps now spreads eagle like an accidental porn star in all those video scandals every time he takes a nap.



Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Welcome to the start of a potentially 40-degree summer.

Heaven help all of us. =S

***************************************

If there's anything that'll help cool things down, it's trees.

I know because there is a world of difference between driving down old acacia-lined McKinley Road on the Forbes side and driving down the same road on the Fort Bonifacio side where the trees are still young (in time, in time...).

I know because there is a world of difference between walking the pups on the street outside and playing with them instead in Mother's House Better garden with the Santol tree covering practically the entire backyard and a gazillion other plants and mini-trees cooling things down.

Sometime last year, I goaded the entire family into a tree-planting activity at the La Mesa watershed. 20 seedlings prepared in honor of the kiddies in the family (including Buster J and, back then, Barrioca, haha). 'Would have to find time (and cash, haha) to do that one again.

In the meantime, I do hope this will inspire you to find some way of planting a tree in your own neighborhoods or your own backyards. Come rainy season, they will help keep the floods away. Come summer, they will help cool us down. Could there be any better deal than that? None. So go! =)

UNWANTED / SEPTEMBER 6,2009 =D

He was not wanted.

Not at all.

I had put my foot down and have pretty much made up my mind that Buster J will be an only pup for now. I've thrown every single excuse at the Hubby. We can't afford a new pup; we're paying for amortization and saving up for all the renovations of the new place....Buster J seems OK being alone for now.....etc., etc. In truth, I really did not want to get a new pup. I was still heartbroken over Barry.

But, as fate would have it, while I was not paying attention, busy chatting up Baby Cousin Rae (who had come home from LA for Dooders' and MJ's wedding), Ko (my eldest cousin on my mom's side) and Hubby Sweet have already hatched a plan. Ko had a breeder friend who's dame recently gave birth to seven pups. All, but one, have been sold. It was easy enough, he said. They come from a champion line--from both sides--their papers multi-colored with red and green marks. (Red marks, I think refer to Philippine Champions; green marks refer to champions in other countries.)

All, except one had been sold, Ko explained, because no one would take him. He was the runt of the litter. The lone aberration from a long line of champions. Two months old, but so small, he could fit in Hubby Sweet's palm. Ko's breeder friend was giving him away for free. He just needed to dispose him off since he wasn't going to earn anything from him anyway.

"Bigay mo na lang sa'kin!" the Hubby declared excitedly, at which point I turned and looked at him.

"Give you.....what....exactly?" I asked, haltingly.

"Uh....." he grinned sheepishly, unable to continue.

"My friend is giving away a Siberian Husky pup for free," Ko jumped in.

"A Siberian Husky.....?" I asked, eyebrows beginning to rise.

"Tweet," Hubby Sweet said, still grinning sheepishly, "it's free."

"It's also going to grow up to be bigger than our house," I countered.

"But, it's bansot! Ko said, they're giving him away for free kase he's two months old and he can fit in my palm! Di lalaki yun!" Hubby Sweet tried to reassure me.

Ko grinned amused at the entire exchange. It may have finally dawned on him that I really did not want a pup. Free or not.

"I'll give it na lang to Papa. Send it to Marinduque. Para may kalaro si Stu," Hubby Sweet continued, referring to his dad and his beagle in his home province. "Imagine, he will be the first Siberian Husky in Marinduque!"

"Yeah, yeah," I said, "Call him."

"Who?" Hubby Sweet asked, dead give-away that he was merely using his dad as an "out".

"Si Papa! Call him if he wants a Siberian Husky," I insisted.

"Why wouldn't he want a Siberian Husky?! Of course he'd want a Siberian Husky!" he continued, hedging.

Delaying tactic detected by the missus.

"Sweet," I insisted, "Call him. If you're going to hit him with a Siberian Husky, he at least has to know, right?"

He called (I insisted within hearing distance). Put down the phone. Put both his hands up.

"I told you he's OK with it!" he beamed.

To cut a long story short, the Siberian Husky never made it to Marinduque. Hay....

I was hoping Ko would forget all about it though--what with all the wedding-related rush--but the day after the wedding, Hubby Sweet and I woke up to an early morning text: Iniwan ko kay Abie yung puppy mo. Pick him up today if you can. Wah. =(

Ko did not forget. Abie was my uncle who lived next to Ko's place.

"You're bringing that pup home to Marinduque next weekend," I muttered, half-asleep, half-awake.

"Of course naman, Tweet," he beamed, unusually cheerful as he is not really a morning person. "I will take him to Marinduque--as soon as we complete all his shots."

GRRRRRRRRRRR. I knew it! Hay! =(

We picked the pup up that afternoon. Ko had left the pup at Abie's place where Tita Doy, Tito Pete and Rae are temporarily staying. Hubby Sweet knew Mother would want to visit them. It was inevitable, I suppose. Even if I wanted to delay it, it wasn't meant to be.

We entered Abie's home to find the pup sleeping in a cardboard box. He looked more like a rodent than a proper 2-month old Siberian pup. So small, he looked like he could curl up and actually fit inside a tabo. Hubby Sweet picked him up and cuddled him. There was an instant connection between the giant-of-a-man that was my husband and this.....this....runt of the litter that no one wanted. The pup looked around. Dazed. Confused. He was roused from his sleep, so I suppose that can be expected.


That's when I looked into his eyes. One brown. One blue. I have never seen a dog with different-colored eyes.

"Is he blind in one eye?" I asked concerned.

"Sabi ng Ko mo, normal daw yan sa Siberian Husky," Abie explained, before continuing, "May pag-asa naman daw na magpareho yung kulay habang lumalaki."

Oh. I thought, probably not.


Hubby Sweet put him down. He teetered on stilt legs that seemed too thin to carry his bulging tummy. He was bald in a lot of spots.

"Why is his tummy so big?" I asked, "Chaka kalbo-kalbo siya, 'no?"

"Busog," Abie explained, "Pinakain ko. Madami nakain."

Oh. Deep inside, I thought it had to be more than just food inside that bloated tummy of his. "Mukha siyang asong lasenggero. No wonder they gave him away for free," I thought.

Apparently, I was right.

After we brought him home to House Better (where we usually stay during weekends), he pooped and instantly I knew (from experience with Barrioca) that he had worms.

'We have to bring him to the vet," I told Hubby Sweet. "I'm sure he has worms. His poop looks like the way Barry's did when we first brought him home from the petshop."

Hubby Sweet, of course, took the chance to declare that the pup would have to stay in Manila until he is all better. After all, we can't send a sick dog to the province, right? Hay.......!

"What should we call him?" Hubby Sweet asked, obviously trying to diffuse the furrow that was beginning to form on my forehead, right smack between my eyebrows. I had suspected all along that he really wanted to keep the pup for himself, but was hoping that he would actually send him home to the province.

"Bansot!" Mother shouted from the background.

"Banzo," Hubby Sweet and I agreed, "Para medyo kunyari sosyal." Haha.

What was it that someone said about bringing home strays? Don't ever give them a name.

We gave Banzo a name. I suppose that meant--at that very moment--that he was ours for life. Hay....=D

Buster J was initially indifferent to Banzo. He was an oddity to him, I suppose. Banzo was too small to amount to anything important. Too fragile to play with--he was not meant for the kind of alpha-games he used to play with Barry. But Banzo wouldn't let up. He kept bugging Buster J. He'd bite his tail. He'd paw at his ears. He'd bug Buster to death. He refused to be ignored.

I was concerned that Buster would snap and just smack him. Me of little faith. Hubby Sweet was much better at it. He knew Buster was an inherently good dog--that he was going to be patient with this new addition to our lives, at least until he figures out what Banzo was good for.

The Hubby was right. Eventually, Banzo won Buster over, and we saw the birth of another Band of Brothers.


It was not easy having Banzo. With Barry, it took only two trips to get him "right". With Banzo....well, let's just say it's good we got him for free because what we paid for in Vet bills, medicines and electrolytes would rack up to possibly MUCH MORE than what we would have paid for if we had gotten a regular pup. Susko! Doc Dennis, vet and Banzo's best friend, explained it well. His mom may have had worms when she got pregnant and Banzo hit the jackpot and got the mother load. That would explain while all his siblings were normal sized, he was not much bigger than a tennis ball at 2-months old.

He had round worms. When we got rid of the round worms, the hook worms showed up (they apparently travel throughout the different organs). Even when we finally got rid of all kinds of worms, he continued to have loose bowels. Perplexed, Hubby Sweet, and I brought him back for one more visit to Doc Dennis during which we confirmed that while Banzo is now free of worms, he had live protozoas circling his tummy. Ayayayayayayayay!!!!!!!!! We probably spent more time at the vet's clinic over the two months after we got Banzo than during our entire span with Buster J! No, let me correct that. Because of Banzo, I have spent more time at the vet's clinic than during my entire lifetime with any of the dogs I've had since I was a child! Naku. We practically had an entire medicine cabinet filled exclusively with Banzo's pills, syrups and electrolytes. And yes, Hubby Sweet and I walked like zombies over that period as our sleep was constantly being interrupted by Banzo's incessant pooping throughout the night (sometimes as much as four times!). We used to kid each other in the middle of the night. Darn it, having Banzo was like having a baby! Except that instead of rolling up soiled Pampers, we were rolling up bunches of Inquirer and Philippine Star. Hahaha. =D

I laugh now, but I knew I was a goner though the day I got teary-eyed in the car after another trip to the vet. I found myself cuddling and whispering to this palm-sized pup, "Sweetheart, naman, get better na...."

I was not going to lose one more. My heart, at that point, would have been irreparably broken.

Thank God, things did start to turn around for Bunch-Bunch (my nickname for him) on the 3rd month. Thing is, all throughout the time his tummy was acting up, he was healthy otherwise. Magulo. Makulit. Maliksi. Malakas kumain. It was something to be thankful for, Doc Dennis said, no matter how perplexing it may be. Otherwise, with the time it took for us to get rid of everything that was wrong inside him (we had to be careful with the strength of the meds because of his small size), he would have otherwise been dead if he had been made of lesser stuff. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he had the blood of champions running through his veins.

These days, he wreaks havoc everywhere he goes. He's the most intelligent among all the dogs I've ever had, but experts will tell you that unlike most dogs who will only do as they are told, Siberian Huskies need to understand why they are being told to do things in the first place. Otherwise, good luck. Haha. Hubby Sweet always says, "Si Banzo, mana sa nanay. Matalino pero pasaway." Haha! =D Still, he gets away with a lot of things basically because he is very sweet and very malambing. Also very sipsip kay Mother--which is probably the only reason he is still allowed to visit House Better, despite the fact that he has ripped the leaves and flowers off some of Mother's favorite garden plants. Nakuuuuuuuu! =D

Who knew I'd end up adoring this pup I initially did not want by thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissss much?! *Arms stretched wide open as far as I can reach =D*

Then again, who knew that this palm-sized, not-much-bigger-than-a-tennis ball unwanted pup who was given away without much of a chance.....

could grow up to look like this..............

.....and then, finally, this!

All within the span of barely four months. =D

Banzo is more than a survivor. He is a walking miracle.

And yes, more than just being wanted, these days, he is loved. =)

*******************************************

P.S. - I had wanted to get Banzo on his own (as I usually do with Buster and did with Barry), but I have to ask Mother to hold Banzo everytime I need to take his picture. He seems to think it's a game everytime I whip out either my cellphone or my camera so he just keeps running around and around and around and around and around......haaaaaaaay......hay! =D