My doggie wishes for Christmas

I wish for every stray to have a loving home
I wish for peace for all
I wish for people to stop running away from me in fear (even when I am leashed)
I wish people wouldn't judge me by the breed I am
I wish I could run around for a while in a BIG HUGE field of green, smell the flowers, pee in the grass
I wish I had a small little patch of green to call my own. I could bury my bones there and dig a huge hole :)
I wish I could walk around without fear of being caught cos I am an illegally kept doggie. :(

I wish, I wish...

Whats your wish?

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Ow!

See what happened to me? Nothing much compared to some stray doggies but still I got loads of fussing...I can't even see the top of my head and I didn't even know I was bleeding. Neither did Sharon and Jules, they were laughing at my wet spot, chuckling at how messy a doggy I was to drink and splash water all over my head. It was only when that wet spot didn't dry, that they realised it was blood.

I got it running through a recently cut bush. So be careful ok when you walk through bushes.

Also another thing Sharon wants me to write about - never use human medication on a doggie's wound. She used Zambuk on me and it itched like mad! So I scratched like a dog with a million fleas. And the wound was always red and sore. She's all guilty now but I told her I understood and love her anyway.

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Been a Busy Doggie

I have been a really busy doggie. I have been busy looking after Sharon who had her recurring back problem again. I also had to take care of her as she was tired after her operation.

It has been crazy. Jules and Sharon have had no time to clean the house, or wash the clothes and I had to do it all. No wonder my doggy paws are all wrinkly.

Sharon has promised me that she will stop studying after her course is done and devote more time to her health and mine. (That means more walks for me! Yay)

I also went for a walk that day and cut my head on a bush. Now I have a bald patch on my head. But Karen says she will love me no matter what.

All of us are also on "Operation get the lone doggie". You see, we live in a flat and across the flat there is a huge hill and a sorta forest. And in that forest live 6 doggies, including 2 puppies.

There was once 8 puppies but 6 of them have since disappeared. I get teary at this stage of my story...

Sniff. Sniff. And well the 6 doggies live together and we climb up the hill at night (some nights only) to leave food there. Why at night? Well, the people living in our area have complained to the AVA about the poor doggies. And the AVA put up notices at the void decks telling everyone they have exterminated 3 doggies! And not to worry, they will look out for more. My doggy heart broke into a million pieces when Sharon read that to me. Why the intolerance?

So anyway, back to "Operation get the lone doggie". There is a 7th dog, we have been watching him since he was a pup. For some strange reason, the other doggies hate him. They won't even let him near them. When he was a pup, he would sit on the hill looking regal and at peace. As he started growing, we could see his expression change, he was always sad looking, his tail was always between his legs and his ears down. We have never seen him wag his tail. He has no friends and no one at all in this whole wide world. We think it was his family that got caught by the AVA. Sharon says I have to learn to share and that she hopes to bring him home one day.

But he runs away all the time when approached. Ricky from the ASD told us that if we ever caught a doggie, he would sterilise them and then let them loose again. We asked why didn't he wouldn't keep them. He told us it was not that wouldn't but that he really couldn't.

He told us he had his hands full and it was so difficult to find foster homes for these dogs. That is so true. Ricky's family themselves are looking after so many doggies. And I remember when Sharon first got me, Ricky volunteered to look after me for a while.

So we are trying to make friends with that skinny, lonely, sad black doggie. I usually hate other doggies but I know that I will find space in my brown doggie heart to welcome him to our home.

But I know deep down, chances of us getting him home before he gets exterminated is close to nothing.

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Animal Blessing Day 2006: Brownie Gets Her Blessings!

FR. CLIFFORD AUGUSTINE OFM

There were so many animals this year, I hardly had any place to move around! A few doggies got a little too close to me (I'm paranoid about my personal bubble) and I actually growled and snapped when some of them tried to smell my butt. I think it's really rude to do so and it's definitely not appropriate to do so during the Animal Blessing ceremony! It's OK at a social canine gathering, but not when the prayers are being read!

BROWNIE GETS BLESSED BY FR. CLIFFORD!

Anyway, Sharon and Jules were in a hurry as they had to rush back to work and to set their examination papers/ study for their own papers. Fr. Clifford instructed the crowd to form 3 queues (where the Brothers were) and he informed the crowd that the Brothers would bless their pets. Karen caught Fr. Clifford's attention by waving frantically and when he saw us, he was so happy; he immediately gave me a blessing on-the-spot and we did not have to queue up! Yippee!! Jules had a short chat with Fr. Clifford and in less than 10 minutes, we were out of church and on the way home! It was a frantic day as Sharon and Jules were tied up with work, but despite their tight schedules, they still made time to take me to church and I love them so much for all the sacrifices that they make for me! I'm the luckiest doggie in the world and I have the best owners!!

JULES HAVING A CHAT WITH FR. CLIFFORD

Before rushing home, we stopped by at the vet's stall. The vet was around to give free medical check-ups. When she lifted my onto the table, there were so many people staring at me, I was a little shy. But the vet said that I had excellent fur (thick, well-kept and shiny), a little plague and tartar on my teeth (been stealing sweets from Jules) and that I had to lose a little more weight. She complimented Sharon and Jules on doing an excellent job in my health! Wow, I was so relieved to hear that! The vet's so nice, she gave me some samples of Eukanuba and Science Diet to try. If it tastes good and improves my health further, I will get Karen to buy them for me during X'mas.

BROWNIE GETS HER FREE MEDICAL CHECK-UP

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Animal Blessing Day 2006: Brownie Meets The Cow

Time really flies! It's the Animal Blessing Day again at church! It's a very special day to honour all of God's Creatures (big and small) and the Franciscan Friars celebrate this very unique occasion to honour St. Francis of Assisi who happens to be the patron saint of animals and the environment.

I love St. Francis. He's my favourite saint because he loves all of God's creatures and I'm sure that since I've been a good girl for the past year, St. Francis loves me too! Boy, I was so excited about the animal blessing because it's the only day in the year where I get to see all sorts of animals! When Jules opened the boot of the car, I hopped in immediately and it took him and Sharon about 5 minutes to get me out! I refused to leave the car as I feared that they would drive off without me!

BROWNIE IN THE BOOT

Every year, the faithful will bring their pets in for blessing. This year, besides the dogs, cats, birds and fish, someone actually brought in a snake! I'm scared of snakes, so I did not go near it! It was also an eventful day for everyone as there was a pony at church for the kids to ride for a small fee. There was also a cow and a calf that were specially brought in for a cow-milking demonstration. The milking session was in the morning and I missed it. I heard that the kids had a lot of fun milking the cow (but I'm not sure if the cow felt the same way!)

BROWNIE & THE COWS

THE HUGE MOTHER COW

I managed to get up close and personal with the cow and her calf when we went to church later in the evening. It was the first time in my life seeing a real cow (I was thinking of steak!) and truthfully, I was a little scared of her size as she's huge and her horns kinda made me a little weary! I wanted to play with the calf, but the poor fella was scared of me! I think he's been surrounded by too many doggies who were thinking of their dinner!

Anyway, I was soon distracted by the other doggies (of all shapes and sizes) and very soon, I was among the furry canine crowd; I forgot all about the cow and her calf till it was time to go home. I managed to say goodbye to the bovine pair before they boarded the lorry that would take them back to their farm where they belong. Do hope to see the cows again next year!

THE COW GOES HOME!

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The Telephone

I hate it each time the phone rings. Everytime when it starts ringing, Sharon and Jules will get excited and they will have to run to answer it. When it concerns work matters, they are filled with anxiety and I feel quite worried when I sense the tensed anxiety. At other times, when the phone rings, Sharon and Jules have to leave the house immediately because they have to go out and someone is waiting for them at the foot of our block to pick them up in a car and to drive them away to some faraway place. All these phone calls deprive me of my love, attention and my hugs/ cuddles/ kisses. Hence, I associate the ringing of the phone with something negative.

I vowed to get even with the phone one day and I did just that. I observed that in order for the phone to stop ringing, someone had to pick it up. If the handset was off the cradle, it would not ring. So, when Sharon and Jules were at work, I managed to use my nose and push the handset off the cradle. When they came home, they were so exhasuted, they did not even notice my little prank!

One day, Sharon tried to call Jules at home. His mobile phone was switched off as he was trying to get the batteries charged. Sharon called and called but she could not get through as the phone was off the hook. Needless to say, she got upset and told Jules that he should not be so careless and leave the phone off the hook. Jules told her that he did not do it and nevertheless, both were equally puzzled as to why the phone was constantly off the hook (this was even after when they made sure every morning to check that it was on the cradle before setting off to work).

Then, Sharon found out that I was the culprit! She woke up (earlier than usual) one morning to make breakfast and she caught me red-handed (or should I say 'red-nosed' since I used my nose) in the act! The handset was quite heavy and it took me about six attempts to knock it off the cradle with my nose, but I managed. Sharon was so stunned that she did not even scold me. After a while, she realised why I did so and being such a wonderful and forgiving master, she did not reprimand me.

I guess Sharon knows how much I love her and Jules. When she told Jules about it, he was so impressed by my keen canine observation and intelligence that he gave me a huge hug! Needless to say, everyone else who has heard about my little telephone prank is impressed too!

Anyway, the phone is now place on a high table (which I can't reach) :-( and Sharon and Jules have both affirmed me that now when the phone rings, they will promise not to run to it and if they have to leave the house, they will give me a hug and a kiss first before they go. Sounds like a fair deal to me!

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Kendra The Guide Dog

Singapore welcomed her first guide dog in its history! Please say "Hi" and give my new friend, Kendra the labrador retriever, a very warm welcome! I'm extremely impressed by Kendra. She had her overseas training in the USA and I am sure her new owner, Mr. Kua, loves her very much! By the way, Kendra is a special guide dog for the visually impaired folks like Mr. Kua. I am sure he must be very proud of her too! Kendra is considered as a 'working dog' as she has to follow him everywhere he goes. Kendra becomes Mr. Kua's pair of eyes and she actually acts as his guide. She can't hold his hand because she's not as tall as him and she can't grasp his hands with her paws, so Mr. Kua holds Kendra via a harness and Kendra guides him safely through the crowds, through traffic and through all sorts of obstacles. Wow! She is one smart doggie indeed! And a very brave one too!

I want to be a guide dog too, but I would have to leave home and be away from Sharon and Jules and I can't bear with that! I am sure they won't want me to leave home too! Also, this article here states that guide dogs are trained to resist FOOD!!! Jules think I won't make it pass that test as I'd go ballistic the minute I smell food! You should see me when he comes home with bags of grocery shopping. I'd run round the bags, sniff and poke my head into the bags to see what he has inside! Sometimes, I'd succeed in running off with a piece of roasted chicken that he buys from the supermarket counter! Poor Jules has a hard time chasing me round the house and wrestling me to get back his precious piece of chicken dinner! I can't help it; it's an instinct and I guess being a stray doggie in the past, I still have this 'food for survival' instinct in me.

Sharon also mentioned that guide doggies are trained to be calm, to maintain their composure at all times and that they are trained to ignore the distractions of other people. Now, I am sure I would fail that test as I love people too much and I love making new friends! I love giving guests to our home 'million-dollar welcomes'! I'd jump on my two hind legs as high as I can so that I can reach their lips and kiss them! It scares some people off, but most people find it amusing and they love it! If I was a guide dog and out on the street, I'd run amok and try to kiss the lips of everyone I meet! Now, that would definitely spell disaster, chaos and mayhem for the visually impaired person that I am supposed to be guiding! Can't help it; Brown Monster here represents LOVE with a capital "L".

So, I guess a full-time career as a guide dog for the visually impaired is totally out of question. Sharon and Jules think that I am more suitable being a guard dog for the home than a guide dog! So, I'll stick to my day job as full-time K9 security manager. The benefits are excellent. I get food, boarding and most crucially of all, I get lots of LOVE!!

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Focus On Kara

I always get upset when I read or witness acts of cruelty towards animals. It makes me cry sometimes. But recently, an article warmed my heart and made me smile again. Please read the article on Kara, my very special doggie friend. She was left with fatal injuries by a road accident years ago, leaving her paralysed. Poor Kara suffers from urine/ bowel incontinence and she has to wear a diaper as her hind legs don't function anymore. Thank God for the wonderful souls at ASD (Action For Singapore Dogs) as they not only managed to rescue her and take her to a vet, but they also got her adopted!

Kara's owner, Ms. Felicia Choo, is really a maganimous human being with a heart of gold and she loves Kara unconditionally despite Kara's disabilities. It is people like Ms. Choo that keeps doggies like us going and it is people like her who gives us hope that there are still good people around and that has kept our faith in humankind intact. There was a point of time (as a battered stray) when I had lost all hope in humans. Sharon restored my faith back in humankind. I think Kara must be feeling the same way about her owner too! God bless Kara and Ms. Choo! God bless Sharon too!!

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Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene. It is very important, I think. Well, actually I think it is very important because I see Sharon and Jules brushing and flossing their teeth every morning when they wake up and each night before they go to bed.

I used to think that they were eating and licking some creamy foam off the toothbrush and I used to wait at the toilet door; thinking that it was a treat for me. It was only when they had spat out the foam and rinsed their mouths (after seeing it for a few times) did it sink into my doggie mind that they were not consuming that tube of 'thick, white cream'.



I tried to play with their toothbrushes while they went to work but I was not able to grasp hold of them with my paws. Sharon has a battery-operated version and the first time I switched it on, I had a rude shock as it made my entire head vibrate and I had a nasty headache for the entire day. Boy, I wonder how Sharon bears with it; it must be really painful for her! Then, I tried flossing my teeth but that did not work either as I had floss all over the counter, over my paws and all around the floor! I made an entire mess and I had to clean up before they came home!

Then, Karen saw a doggie 'toothbrush' that day at the pet shop. She decided to get it for me. Besides that, she also got me a tube of doggie toothpaste (the brand is St Francis; named after my favourite saint!). The toothpaste happens to be cinnamon-flavoured...yukk! I wished that they had beef, chicken or lamb flavoured toothpaste! That would be yummy!



Anyway, I had my first experience of tooth-brushing the other day. Jules said that I had 'garbage breath' and he said that it was time for me to get my teeth cleaned. So, Karen did the honours and it wasn't a very pleasant experience, but hey, I had beautiful pearlies that shone like ivory after that! So, it was worth the hassle after all! And Jules said that I smelled of cinnamon after that! Sharon said that she loved my new fresh and minty breath! Well, I rewarded Karen with lots of doggie kisses!

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Report: Animal Cruelty On The Rise (UK)

Today, I was really disturbed after reading this report online. It really makes me upset when I read of such cases and it makes me really grateful to know that I have two loving owners and a wonderful family who would never dream of committing such unforgivable acts of atrocities to me or to animals. Please be kind and compassionate to us. We are not able to speak or express ourselves using language like humans. And granted that sometimes we drool, shed fur or poop at the wrong times/ places, such heartless acts of cruelty do not justify our mistakes at all. The 'crime' does not deserve such 'punishment'. We definitely do not deserve such treatment. I have posted the full report below so as to create awareness to all and to plead to my human friends to be kind, patient, compassionate and loving towards their furry friends. No one would dream of inflicting such hurt and pain on their own children, so no one has the right to do this to animals. If someone has a problem with anger management, he/ she has the chance seek counselling with the professionals to deal with their anger and not take it out on innocent beings like us. I'll sign off today with a very heavy heart...please put yourself in the shoes of the animals that are ill-treated; that would allow you to emphatise how we feel. The only difference is that we are not able to speak or fend for ourselves; while humans are able to. Have a heart, please!

Animal cruelty on the rise
Wednesday July 26, 2006

LONDON (Reuters) - A worrying rise in animal cruelty occurred last year with an increase in convictions and cases including a cat boiled to death in a washing machine and an owner sawing off his dog's leg, the RSPCA said on Wednesday.

The animal charity said their inspectors had also seen an alarming increase in neglect and mistreatment of pets.

"2005 will go down as one of the most violent towards animals," said Jackie Bullard, RSPCA director general.

The charity said the number of convictions secured for animal cruelty had risen by 20 percent while there had been a 6 percent rise in the number of cases reported and investigated.

In addition, the number of animals that did not have access to water had increased by 104 percent to 25,784 while almost 35,000 did not receive suitable veterinary treatment, a rise of almost 80 percent.

There are about 13 million pets in the country with just over 50 percent of households owning one.

The RSPCA said neglect was the common cause in most cases and had led to one of their largest ever probes involving 271 animals -- mainly dogs -- kept in a small property in Lancashire.

"Sadly, despite our best efforts, there are those who continue to ignore our messages and treat animals with brute force instead of compassion," Ballard said.

In one of the most horrific cases last year, Holly Thacker, 34, from Norwich was jailed for putting her cat Fluffy into her washing machine on boil wash.

Fluffy lost all her claws trying to escape and would have suffered for up to 10 minutes before dying.

"In the seven years I have been working for the RSPCA I have never come across anything as heartless as this," said inspector Rob Melloy after the case went to court.

In another incident, Griffith Prosser, 36, was banned from owning pets for 10 years after the RSPCA found he had sawn off the front leg of his dog Bumper who had been injured in a car crash.

Other cases included a man jailed for cutting the throats of his two pet dogs, a 17-year-old youth who kicked his puppy to death and a dog hung from a top floor balcony by his back legs because his owner said it would improve his pet's fitness.

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Pillow Pals

JULES IS MY PILLOW PAL!

When I was a stray, sleeping was always a big issue. It was an issue because of safety and it also involved a matter of life and death. If I slept too soundly, I might not hear the footsteps of the dog catcher and if I was caught, I would end up in the pound. In the worst case scenario, I might be put to sleep if I had spent too long a time at the pound because I would cost money, time and resources to the SPCA. So, as a stray doggie, I never had a decent night's sleep. I often slept in some deep storm drains (risking drowning should the flood waters come), at the car parks (risking being run over by cars), near the trash collection area (risking disease). I also slept near some houses a few times, but each time, I got chased away by nasty people. Some threw stones at me, some used sticks to beat me and one particularly nasty guy even threw a bucket of water over me. I caught a nasty cold and almost died from an infection.

As a stray, I used to make my own bed out of grass, old newspapers, discarded old clothes and cardboard boxes. It was nice to have a bed as it kept me warm and dry during those cold and rainy nights. A bed also gave me some soft comfort against the hard, stony and rough asphalt road. Sometimes in my dreams, I would dream of having a nice, decent bed with pillows and cushions. But, when I woke up, I'd always end up crying because I knew that it was only a fantasy and a dream, and that as a stray, it would be impossible. In fact, I was lucky to be alive and to wake up each time I slept because anything could have happened to me while I slept out in the open. Really, sleep was a luxury and having a bed to call my own was a fantasy.

That was until I met Sharon and when Sharon officially took me home and made me her doggie! Sharon's got a heart of gold! When she first found me, I was heavily pregnant and she was so kind, she allowed me to sleep on the sofa at Mummy's living room! Wow! That was like a dream come true! After I had my pups (they were all adopted), Sharon gave me a plastic tub (for doggies) to sleep in. She'd line the tub with a nice, soft towel and I'd snuggle in each night to get my good night's sleep. Soon, I became too big for the tub and I ended up sleeping anywhere that I fancied in Mummy's house. Sometimes, I'd sleep near the door; at other times, I'd sleep in front of Daddy's/ Mummy's room. There were also a couple of times when I sneaked into Sharon's room and slept at the foot of her bed.

Then, Sharon married Jules and I moved in with them. Now, I've got two lovely owners who love me to bits! Guess what? My dream of sleeping on a bed with soft pillows is now a reality because I sleep with Sharon and Jules on their bed with them! It's so nice when I get to snuggle in between them and to smell them! I really feel so secure and it's such a wonderful feeling!

Jules loves me so much; he even shares his pillow with me! Never mind the fact that I drooled into his ears a few times! He's perfectly OK with that! In fact, he says that he likes my dog breath and my doggie smell! I tried to share Sharon's pillow once, but my tongue ended up in her ears and she had a horrid nightmare about some huge, slimy slug crawling into her ears and laying its eggs there! So, I don't share her pillow as I don't want to give her scary nightmares anymore!

And besides a pillow, I also get to be covered by a blanket! Sometimes, I'd play a game of tug of war with Sharon and Jules over the blanket and it's fun! When I feel warm, I'd walk to where their feet are and I'd sleep there. I try to walk on tiptoe, but most of the time, I'd wake Sharon/ Jules up by walking across the middle of the bed past midnight!

I love sleeping with my masters because I get lots of hugs, cuddles and kisses from the both of them! And as a reward for being an extra good doggie, Jules either sings me a lullaby or he allows me to bring my favourite toy to hold in bed! Life can't get any better than this!

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Update On Hannah

Remember my good old friend, Hannah? Well, she's in the headlines again! This time, the press reported about how well she has adapted to her owners and her home. I'm glad to hear that she's doing well despite her disabilities! She's strong and resilient; I guess all stray doggies are! We had it bad, rough and tough for us; so we know how to handle life better. Three cheers to Hannah!

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A Special Visitor

(Notice that I look really blissful when Danny scratches my ears!)

Sharon, Jules and Karen decided to give me a belated birthday celebration over the weekend. Actually, my birthday is in June, but everyone was either down with flu or busy with work/ studies and no one was able to meet up for a gathering. Well, better late than never and I even had a very special visitor who popped by to say "Hi" to me!

I have not seen Danny for 10 months (that's a long time for doggies like me!) and it felt like it was 10 years! I missed him so much and I wanted to show him my new collection of toys, my snacks, etc...Anyway, when Danny walked through the door, I gave him the welcome of a lifetime! Karen and Sharon felt that I went overboard as I refused to leave him alone and I kept jumping up to kiss and lick his face! I would not even leave him alone for a moment when he sat down. When he started to pat me, I leapt up and licked his entire face! I just could not help it and I wanted to show him how much I missed him! Karen feels that I bully and take advantage of him and Sharon thinks that I have bad manners....but hey, I really missed him a lot and I could not help myself! Dogs are naturally very affectionate creatures and this is what happens when they see a long-lost friend or family member again.

(I miss Danny a lot!)

Anyway, Danny was so nice! He bought me a few packs of Cesar (my favourite!) and he kept telling me that I was a good girl! Wow, that really made my day! He even gave me a tummy rub and he said that I was the best doggie in the world!

(My long-lost pal is holding my birthday cake!)

Danny joined in the birthday fun and he took some lovely photos with me! I think both of us looked great! He sang me a birthday song and he helped me to blow out the candles too! I can't blow candles because the last time I tried, I almost burnt my precious whiskers!

I was sorry when Danny had to leave. I really did not want him to go and I wanted him to stay a little longer to keep me company. When he said 'goodbye' to me, I refused to move and I just laid down on the floor with a very sorrowful expression on my face. I don't like goodbyes and I really felt like weeping when he left. But Karen cheered me up and told me that Danny would pop by for a visit again. Once more, a BIG "Thank You" to my special long-lost friend for celebrating my birthday with me! Please come again and see me soon! I promise to be a good girl! I won't chew the house plants, I won't dig up the trash can, etc...I'll be very good; I promise!

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My 4th Birthday Party

(Trying to count the number of candles on my cake)

(I've got so many presents, including a rubber duckie and chocolate bone-shaped biscuits from Italy!)

(Yummy!)

(Karen looks frazzled cos' I am trying to lick her chin!)

(Jules cannot resist giving me a BIG hug!)

I am 4 years old! In human years, I'll be 28 years old! Sharon, Jules and Karen threw me a simple party and my long-lost buddy, Danny, was invited (see previous post)! We had a great time together! Karen and Danny made and decorated my cake. Sharon got me a rubber duckie and Beggin' Strips! Jules gave me lots of hugs and kisses. Sharon also helped to light up the candle on my cake! It was so fun!

After I blew the candles (with help) and ate my cake, all of them also had cake (a coffee walnut cake that was made by Karen). Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to take human food, so I was not able to try out Karen's cake. But I still like my meat-filled cake as it's juicy and yummy!

Judging from the photos, I had a fantastic and smashing time! Actually, with the kind of love I get from Sharon, Jules, Karen, Danny, Mummy and Daddy, everyday IS like a birthday celebration to me! Boy, I really am a lucky doggie to be blessed with a wonderful family/ friends that love, treasure and cherish me!

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The Good Life

I decided to be a good doggie the other day and help Sharon and Jules tidy up the house. They've been so busy working and preparing for their exams; they hardly had any time left for housekeeping. When they were at work, I carried all their heavy textbooks and put them back in the shelves in the study room (my jaws hurt!). I also tried mopping the house with my paws (it was very difficult as I could not control the mop). I dusted the cabinets with a duster and that was tricky as I had to do a balancing act with a step-ladder while holding the duster in my mouth. I almost lost my balance a few times and it was quite scary! I also watered the plants but I ended up flooding part of the living room! Thank God the water puddles dried up by the time they came home!



Anyway, Sharon and Jules were pleasantly surprised when they found that the place was tidied up. Both of them were wondering who did it and till today, they never guessed that it was me! Housekeeping is tough and tiring! By the end of the day, my joints and paws were aching and I found it so hard to sleep! Jules was doing his reading that night and I went up to him and asked for a massage. Boy, it was so relaxing! I fell asleep during the massage! Sharon took this shot of me and she said that I was snoring very loudly! I must have really been drained!

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Rump

Sharon took this unflattering shot of me the other day. I was sitting by the window and watching the traffic below. Jules thinks I look 'cute' and Karen says that I have the qualities to make it to the butcher's shop as rump steak! :-( Oh dear! Now, I'm getting worried....

My doggie snacks have been banned from the house until further notice. Jules is taking me for longer walks these days. *sigh* I wish the fats would just melt away and disappear into thin air!

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Doggie Prayers

Good doggies love their masters, their families and above all, they love God and thank God for their blessings. Good doggies also do not forget their less-fortunate (stray) friends who are out there suffering in the cold and who are without food to eat. Good doggies also remember their sick friends who are at the vet's and their long-departed buddies.

Good doggies always spend a moment or two in prayer everyday. For me, I say my daily prayers, but unfortunately, I can't kneel for long (unlike the doggie in this photo) as I've got painful knees, so I usually say my prayers while I am sitting down. But if my knees are better, I will start to kneel and pray like the doggie in the picture!!

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Dog Meat

Karen is reading this book called "Eat Not This Flesh: Food Avoidances From Prehistory To The Present" by Frederick J. Simoons. The book contains anthropological findings of the human diet from antiquity to modernity. In the book, it explains why people of different cultures and at different times choose to eat or to shun away from the following: pork, beef, chicken and eggs, horse meat, camel meat, fish and dog meat. (Yes! DOG MEAT!!!! *gasp*)

It appears that people either choose to eat or avoid the following due to cultural beliefs, religious beliefs, social class, economic status, geographic locality, psychological background, availability of food; amongst many other factors.

Scarily enough, I found out that dogs were initially domesticated by men for hunting and also for a ready supply of food (yep, the early humans ate dog flesh!). Some people of certain cultures avoid dog meat for their own beliefs. The Muslims and the Bango tribe of the Congo view dogs as dirty as they felt that dogs are filthy scavengers who ate trash from the garbage dump (I shower weekly with fragrant shampoo, so I'm clean!). In Indonesia, despite the strong Muslim presence, the Batak people from the Lake Toba region in Sumatra still consume dog meat to this day. The Bauri of Bengal and the islanders of Nicobar see dogs as sacred animals of worship and are thus forbidden to be eaten as food.

In the Indo-China region, both the Adi tribe and Apa-Tani tribe sacrifice dogs during their religious rituals. The Adi tribe have a very special dog meat delicacy and a well-liked festival dish is puppy stuffed with rice. According to the book, the puppy is first given an abundance of rice to eat; then, when it can eat no more, it is struck on the head, skinned, roasted and finally served along with the rice from its stomach. Yukk!! That's really vile and absolutely disgusting! Eeeeuw....boy, my stomach is turning....*help*....

The Annamese peasants from the Tonkin Delta region preferred red-haired dogs and black-tongued dogs and they often turned those poor canines into dog sausages! (Perhaps that was where the name 'hot dog' came from!). In the Chinese province of Hunan, suckling pups (pups still drinking their mother's milk) and puppy hams are a delicacy. There are also 2 special dishes. The first one is called "Stir-Fried Dog" and it is made by deep-frying chunks of puppy-flesh, then stir-frying them in oil along with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, green onions, bean curd and salted black beans. The second dish is called "Red-Cooked Dog" and it is made with cut-up puppy flesh sauteéd in oil with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, water, sugar and two types of bean curd. When it is nearly ready, rice wine is added and it is served wrapped in lettuce (think 'san choi bao'!).

After reading all those horror stories, I was so scared out of my wits that I avoided the kitchen for weeks! It is usually my favourite place at home! Sharon and Jules found it really strange and for a while, they thought that I was ill and they wanted to take me to the vet. I got really freaked out when I saw Jules sharpening his steak knife and butcher's cleaver with the sharpening steel the other day. He was carving a leg of ham and he wanted to feed me a slice of trimmings, but when he called me, I ran away and hid under the bed till Sharon came back!

With the spread of Westernisation, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam, the consumption of dog meat has been discouraged! Phew!! This is excellent news for me and now that I have overcome my fears, I believe that Karen, Sharon and Jules all love me very much and that they won't eat dog meat (or me)! Man's best friend should be loved and cherished; emotionally and not gastronomically!! To all my nice human friends out there: Please don't eat dog meat, ok?

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Brownie's First Passport

I've got a German passport!! :-) But the authorities got the photos mixed up and I think they used some other doggie's photo instead...well, once the mistake is rectified, I will get to travel soon!! Yippeee!!

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Vital Statistics

Karen measures and weighs me once a year. She's been trying to find me some doggie clothes but to no avail. Karen wants to get me a raincoat so that I will not get wet when I go for my walks during those rainy days. All the doggie clothes that she's seen at the pet shops are too small (for toy dogs). So far, she has not seen clothes catered to big doggies like me, so if anyone knows of any shops that sell clothes for bigger doggies, please let me know, ok?

Anyway, for those who are interested, here are my statistics:

Tip of nose to tip of tail: 119cm/ 47 inches
Tail: 27cm/ 11 inches
Neck: 39cm/ 15 inches
Stomach: 30 inches (I can fit into a pair of jeans!)

Everything appears to be constant, except for the stomach measurement which 'grows' each year! Hmm....I wonder why? :-)

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Places Linked To Brownie

Karen found satellite pictures of my house via Google Earth! Wow! I never knew that the world was such a big place! In where I live with Sharon and Jules, we've got 4 bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, 2 bathrooms and a kitchen! For a doggie like me, my house is a huge place and it is like a palace! But after I saw the photos, I've come to realise that the world is a really gigantic place to live in!! Here are some places associated with me:

MY HOUSE: the best place in the world!!

KAREN'S HOUSE: where I get pampered and treated to a day off for being a good doggie!

CHURCH: where I get my annual Animal Blessings from the wonderful priests at church and by St Francis of Assisi (the patron saint of animals and the environment)


So, those are some places that I hang around at...but most importantly, no place is a complete place without the love of my masters (Sharon and Jules) and my human family!

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I've Been Shedding Whiskers!!

Sharon and Jules are back!!!! Yippeee!!!! Oh boy! I was so happy! When I saw Daddy's car turning into our little cul de sac and when I saw Sharon and Jules walk up to the front door with their luggage, I was overjoyed! When they entered the house, I was so happy, I wanted to bark for joy, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out! Anyway, I shed tears of joy cos' I was really elated to have them back! I really missed them so much! Mummy and Daddy were both nice and accomodating to me, but I still miss Sharon and Jules a lot and there were nights when I could not sleep at 3am and I went to the window to bark for them to come back....Mummy ticked me off for disturbing the neighbours :-(

Anyway, despite being tired after a late night flight, Sharon and Jules insisted on bringing me home (they missed me too!) and Jules gave me a nice hot shower! Sharon dried my fur with a hair dryer and I curled into bed with the both of them! I really missed that! Needless to say, I had a great dream that night!

The next morning, Jules woke up and felt something poking into his tummy and ribs. Guess what? He found 4 of my whiskers on the bed! Haha! It's funny as I have never shed any whiskers before ( I shed a lot of fur)... Sharon and Jules both concluded that it must either be caused by extreme stress (of me missing them) or immense joy (of having them back).

My whiskers are now with Karen. She kept them in a small plastic case and she also took a picture of them! They aren't that long as my longest whiskers are still intact!

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Daddy's House

Sharon and Jules have gone away for a trip. I saw them packing last week and I got kind of worried as I thought that they were going to abandon me and leave me forever! I was on my best behaviour for the past couple of days and I was praying real hard that they would never have to go away.

Oh dear! How would I cope on my own? I need Sharon to make my breakfast and Jules to take me out for my evening walks! Most of all, I need their love cos' I live on that! If love never existed, Brown Monster would be a dead dog! I'd die of a broken brown heart!

Then, Sharon told me not to worry cos' while they are busking under the tropical sun and sipping cocktails in a sunny beach filled with white sand and coconut trees, I would also be going for a short trip! Hooray! Initially, I thought that they were taking me along, but Jules told me that the airlines and hotels do not welcome doggies (how dare they disallow nice doggies like us!)!!! So, instead of running on all fours along a nice stretch of a tropical beach, I am going to Daddy's house for the next week. Yippee! That's also good news as I would get a lot of pampering and it's been a while since I visited my old house. So, I am glad to be able to have this opportunity to live with Daddy and Mummy again for the next few days!

I can re-live my old routine with Daddy and Mummy:
7am: Wake Daddy up by licking his face, jumping on his bed and annoying the hell out of him! (Haha!)
7.10am: Take my morning walk with Daddy
7.30am: Beg Mummy for breakfast
7.45am: Eat breakfast
7.50am: Stand on my hind legs and watch the morning traffic at the window.
8.15am: Bark at the birds, the occasional stray cat and the motorists.
8.25am: Chase the garbage collectors from the front window to the back gate.
8.30am- 6.30pm: My daily duty of guarding the house when Mummy and Daddy are out. (I have my prepared lunch at around 12 noon and I will entertain myself with a ball game at 3pm).
6.45pm: Daddy comes home! (I'll give him a million-dollar welcome!)
7.30pm: Daddy takes me for a walk
8pm: Dinner with Daddy (I'll steal some morsels from his plate when he is not looking!)
8.30pm: Daddy goes to pick Mummy up and bring her home
8.45pm: Give Mummy her million-dollar welcome!
9pm: Annoy and disturb Daddy while he is doing his paperwork.
9.30pm: Sneak into Mummy's room, curl up next to her and watch TV with her.
9.55pm: Say 'goodnight' to Daddy and Mummy.
10pm: Once everyone is in bed, Brown Monster will turn in.

So, that will be my life for the next week or so till Sharon and Jules comes back! Boy, I will miss them! I wished that they never had to go, but they worked so hard to give me a better life; they need a break too! Well, I hope that they'll have a good time and they can be very sure of their trillion-dollar welcome when they come home!

And here's a shot of me trying to steal some orange from Daddy's fruit platter! :-)

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Wrestling Match: Jules vs Brown Monster

Jules is a HUGE wrestling fan! He loves WWE and he's been watching it since he was 14! Sometimes when he watches the matches on TV, I'd sit next to him and see all the interesting wrestling characters battle it out and play their respective roles. Initially, I found it boring, but the more I watched, the more interested I got!

And to give you an idea of how big a fan Jules is, let me tell you something...besides collecting wrestling figurines (he's got more than a hundred!) and going to see the WWE 'live' when they come to town, he also participates in a daily wrestling match! Guess who is his wrestling opponent? Me! Yep, every night after dinner, it will be Jules the Hardcore Wrestling Fan vs Brown Monster. He'd start by chasing me round the house. I'd pounce on the sofa, bed and run circles round the entire house...it's quite a racket and a scene actually to see Man vs. Monster! And when he gets hold of me, he'd grab my paws and start to use all those wrestling techniques on me: ankle lock, cross-face, sharp shooter...Sometimes, to intensify the game further, he would also lift me up in the air and spin me around!

It's great fun actually and I like to struggle out of his grip and try my doggie techniques on him too! Sometimes I have a few tricks up my sleeve that gets him by surprise! Haha! But most of the time, he wins cos' he's got 2 hands with fingers and I've got 4 legs with paws (no fingers)! He's a great deal stronger than me too! And like every match, there is a prize. If I win, Jules has to buy me a special doggie snack. If I lose, I just have to give him a doggie kiss (since I don't know how to use money). Here's a shot of me giving Jules his winning kiss! Well, I will stop here for now as I am going to practise my skills now and I hope that I will win tonight's match!!

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Mystery Of The Missing Ear

When I saw this photo, I had a huge shock! My ear! My precious brown furry ear! What happened to it? Did it fall out? Or did the vet cut it off? *gasp*

My immediate reaction when I saw this shot was to feel my right ear with my paws....thank God it was there! Phew! I was so relieved! If it was missing, I would have to ask Jules to play Sherlock Holmes and help me to track down my missing ear. Either that, or I would have to ask Sharon to take me to the vet for a ear transplant (think canine plastic surgery). And if I was hearing-impaired, I would want Karen to buy me a hearing aid. I tried to learn sign language but I fumbled with my paws :-(

Anyway, it's a false (and mysterious) alarm. My right ear is fully intact and I can hear the sounds of the vehicles in the streets. Thank God!

By the way, for some strange reason, Karen LOVES this photo. She finds it cute and she thinks that I look like a one-eared, fat, brown and furry Easter Bunny....oooh, Easter is around the corner! It's a pity doggies cannot consume human chocolates (a certain chemical compound can cause sudden seizures and blood clots that lead to death!) but I am sure Karen will buy me some doggie chocolates that are made of carob! It's much healthier too! Yippee!!!

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Not To Hurt

Here's a poem from my favourite saint, St Francis of Assisi. He's the patron saint of animals (doggies included) and the environment. St Francis watches over good doggies like me!

Not to Hurt...

Not to hurt our humble brethren (the animals)
Is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough.
We have a higher mission:
To be of service to them whenever they require it.

-St Francis of Assisi

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Pregnant Contemplation

Jules brought me down for a walk that day.We bumped into a man and the man looked kinda excited when he saw me. He came up to Jules and he asked Jules if I was pregnant!! And if I was, could he have one of my pups cos' I am so cute!!?? Oh dear! That really made me upset!

Jules was kinda taken aback too cos' he knows that I am fat and big-boned, but if someone thinks that I am pregnant, then I must be in serious trouble!! I was so upset, I did not walk any further and asked Jules to take me home. I did not sleep the whole night as I felt really lousy...

Then, I browsed thru' Sharon's magazines and saw some articles on yoga and pilates. Here's a solemn shot of me in my Zen-like state of mind, trying very hard to contemplate, focus, breathe deeply and lose weight...actually, I am also trying very hard not to think of that thick, greasy cheeseburger that I saw Jules eating :-(

*Sigh*...life....sacrifices.....

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Pure Fatigue...

That's Jules after running to the toilet for the 17th time! Poor Jules was so worn out; it must have taken him a lot of strength to stagger to the bedroom! I was watching him closely from behind all this while, as I was really very worried about him...The minute he entered the room, he collapsed onto the bed out of sheer exhaustion and fell into a deep slumber. I decided to creep up next to him as I was also dog tired (no pun intended)!

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Loo Love

Jules had a bad tummy that day. He was running in and out of the toilet so many times! Boy, I followed him around as I was kinda worried that he would faint! And if he had fainted, I would have to try out my First Aid skills on him! I know a bit of First Aid as I had seen a few episodes of Baywatch on TV :-)

Anyway, here are some photos to show my doggie loyalty and love. The 12th time Jules went in, I was so worn out by worry and fatigue, I actually slept at his feet! Well, I guess this is love "Brown Monster style"! It means being together with your master, even in the worst places!

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My Long Absence

Hi there, I have been away for a long time as Sharon and Jules have been very busy with work and school. Karen's busy with work and school and she was also diagnosed with some back injuries, so she hasn't seen me for a while...I miss her! So many things have happened, and my sincerest apologies for that...

Sharon's Grandma went to heaven in early February and Karen wrote her a letter from me thanking her for giving me Sharon. It was a sad, sad time for all of us. I'm sure Nanny is in Heaven now. I wished with all my doggie heart that I could have met her. We could have gone for long happy walks together and she would have told me many interesting doggie stories. She loved dogs. I was too "jumpy" a dog to meet her. But you see, I am jumpy only because I am happy! And, I want to lick the face of the person that I am happy to see, so I jump!

Nanny lived a full life and was 99 when God called her home, so I am not supposed to be that sad. But still, it's sad for me when I see Sharon in a sad mood.

I have to go off now, the house is in a mess... and I miss Sharon and Jules, and Karen too :-(

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