Bout of Tick Fever

Brandi, Tubby and Dexter especially have been looking quite pale and lethargic lately.  From hyper pups they're looking like they've ran out of steam ... Tubby usually bounding ahead is for once trailing tiredly behind.  Which is unsual.  Dexter on the other hand looks like he's about to keel over if he were to take another step!  Brandi has been sleeping more than usual. 

Judging from their warmer than warm bodies, pale tongues and gums, I figured they must have the fever.  I suspect they got it from the ticks they picked up after one mad dash outside a couple weeks ago.  I thought I got rid off all of them but I guess the damage has already been done.  They've been bitten.   

Anyway, the good news is the Furkids are on the mend.  The Vet came and gave the three of them a shot of antibiotics.  Another to be repeated in three days time.  Additionally, they're also on a course of antibiotics ... Though am not certain if it's a good thing in the long run to douse them with so much antibiotics but since the doctor have started them on it, the only thing to do is to get them to finish them. 

Their appetite has gradually returning.  Dexter is actually eating something after refusing food for a couple of days.    Out of the three sick pups Dexter's got it the worst. He was actually drooling when the Vet came to give him his shots.   With him not eating , I had him swollowing liquid vitamins instead - to boost up his immune system.  Needless to say, Dexter is looking a little skinnier and longer than usual. 

As for Brandi and Tubby,  I suspect may have gotten off mildly mainly because they've been exposed to what bad things ticks bring being out and about more.  It so happen that on that evening a couple weeks back, Dexter decided to follow suit (usually he's quite happy yapping from the inside of Dog Woods alerting us that his delinquent siblings are out where they are not supposed to). 

Thankfully, Wally's spared from the fever.  He's the only pup out of the four that stays within the boundary fences - with his mom.  So we're keeping them - the sick and health separated for a while.  Have taken tick prevention measures - bathe the entire nine canines (it's a good thing they're rather fond of showers) and fumigated the lot!  

Hopefully with them being on the mend, Brandi, Dexter and Tubby will learn (like their brother Wally) that it pays to stay inside the spaciousness of Dog Woods and not try to make a mad dash outside.  They've actually been fairly good after that long outing a couple weeks ago.  With hindsight, maybe they were already not really feeling so well after their 'adventures'.  Tubby - the usual ring leader who leads the mad dash out has been as good as gold since.    I hope he's finally learnt some self control!  I've observed, being pack animals, once there's no a ring leader with a bent on going outside, the rest are quite contented to do their own thing and stay within the grounds of Dog Woods.

Fur Kids

Three brothers ((from Left to Right) : Dexter, Wally (note his bendy legs) and Tubby

I do agree, the Fur kids were adorably cute!  Had I been less realistic I would have kept all nine!  Having to decide which to give away was possibly the most agonizing of experiences.  You can't help but love them all and each of them had furry unique characters of their own. 

Dexter for example, I wanted to call him Wombles (from the English cartoon character 'Wombles family') because for some reason as a wee pup his front legs would wobble after playing about with his siblings.  But it was difficult getting the others to learn his name ... so I picked a more common name, Dexter - whom some at Dog Woods have taken to calling him 'Gangsta' instead!  So Dexter the Gangsta it is ... but unlike his macho tough name, out of the four residing Fur Kids, he's the sweetest of the lot.  Though he does have a tendency to wander off on his own.  I'd like to think of it as an independent streak. 

The other three are more pack oriented.  Wally for example, is a true  Momma's boy.  Where you see Anna, you'd see Wally close by.  Needless to say, he being Momma's favourite he's deemed the Alpha Fur Kid whom the others let him get first priority with toys and meals or suffer the repercussions.  True to my previous description, althoug he looks like his dad, Tuffy he's really quite a Doberman in behaviour.  There's a certain proud gait about him inspite of being born bold legged.  For a while as he was growing up I was worried he would be lame - he did hobble quite a fair bit with his bend-y looking legs - rather like a ballerina in perpetual plie (minus the grace of a dancer).                                                                      Wally

Tubby

Tubby being the chip off the ol' block is the most mischevious of the lot.  If you've read the previous postings of his 'adventures and mishaps' - he got me worried sick for awhile.  Since he was such a pro at finding ways and means of getting out of Dog Woods,  I took to confining him a pen for all our sakes.  His safety, my sanity, the rest of the fearful non-dog lovers outside - though I know he's really quite harmless.  Just, the reaction of most non-dog lovers (in my part of the world) whom for religious and cultural reasons perceive dogs as an 'untouchable' seem to react almost hysterically even when confronted by a cute shih-tzu. 

Then there's Brandi who's the shy-est of the lot.   Being theonly girl she tends to be a little more subservient to the boys. But once she trusts you she's possibly the most affectionate of the four.  I remember as a wee pup she'd insist on clambering onto my lap and happily sat there for as long as I let her.  Now that she's grown and can no longer fit into my lap she'd stand on her hindlegs and give you a hug instead.  'Brandi's Hug' that's what I started referring to her affectionate returns. 

Having said that, she's also a co-ring leader to the FurKids escapades outside of Dog Woods - being Tubby's faithful sidekick they would disappear for hours - and I'd always end up fearing the worst.  But almost always (thank God), they'd appear rather sheepishly outside the gates - after worn out from their grand adventures outside, waiting to be let back in.

While it's always a relief to know that they know their way back home, their unsupervised escapades outside isn't something am thrilled about. The Furkids clearly know it is unbecoming behaviour and they usually get verbally reprimanded.  Yet they do it regardless and look sheepish soon after.  It's interesting to note how sensitive dogs are to our tone of the voice. A more gruff tone and they sheepishly know they've done something wrong ...

I'm quite glad that all my efforts of fixing fences and looking for naughy puppies wandering outside are paying off.  The Fur Kids lately have been quite good - they no longer make a mad dash outside even when the gates are open. I suppose the the novelty of the great unknown outside of Dog Woods has run its course.  They're finally learning to appreciate that there is no place like home!

Furkids Nine

Proud daddy and some of his pups

Baby Dexter and Brandi in the background

Once not a long time ago, there were nine cutest little furkids whom Anna and the rest of us at Dog Woods both four and legged doted on them. Because they were born with Anna's Doberman black and brown Doberman markings nobody quite believed me when I said Tuffy was the father!

Yes, Anna and Tuffy were an odd couple. And yes they did produce some pretty cute puppies - 3 females and 6 males. Most who first saw the pups said it was Joe that did the job - since he too was black and brown ... but Joe was 'fixed' and there were no other whole male in the vicinity except for Tuffy...

Before the pups were born, I couldn't help but curiously speculate how they would turn out. A larger more solid version of a sausage dog? A miniature hound? - i.e. Tuffy look alikes with Anna's long legs? Or a dog in between - something like a beagle - hound looking, not quite as tall as a Doberman nor as short as a Basset. I wasn't really far off from my guesses - since they all turned out somewhere within those three guesses.

The nine pups - three had more of the basset looks - broad, short and long whom we named Tubby (being truly chip off the ol' block), Buddy and Pinto. The next three that had most of Anna's markings but were built like their father (the sausages) which we named Dexter, Baxter and Eva. The next batch had their father's markings but were slimmer and taller (though not quite as tall like their mom) whom we christened Zsa-Zsa, Wally and Brandi. Interestingly, the older they grew the lighter they became. Today, they are not quite as black furred as they were when they were wee puppies.

The Furkids that remained with us at Dog Woods are Tubby (chip of the ol' block - escape artist extraordinaire and leader of puppy mischief, Dexter - who looks most like Anna but behaves like Tuffy, Wally who's colouring is like Tuffy but behaves like Anna and Brandi - the only girl who looks like a miniature hound.

From left to right: Tubby, Wally, Dexter and Brandi

Anna's Arrival

Like the lull between present pack of Joe, Snoopy, Tuffy and Trixie - Anna only arrived at Dog Woods about a year and a half later. She was the only adult dog that came to stay at Dog Woods. We were told she was about two years old - but without proper documentation you can never tell for sure. But she was possibly the sleekest looking dog i've seen - dark and elegant. What struck me most what how sharp she looked - from the shape of her nose to her pointedly cropped ears.

Naturally, she was of unsure of herself when she first arrived. But after taking her for a walk about Dog Woods she soon relaxed - sniffing out her new home and leaving her own scent - a ritual, I believe for dogs (whether male or female0 in making the area theirs.

The bassets - Snoopy and Tuffy took to her almost instantly. Tuffy was the more curious of the two. Being male he simply had to make sure that the new dog would not be a potential threat to his already precarious underdog status (Joe was alpha male then and would occassional give Tuffy a hard time). Little did we nor Tuffy know then that Anna would be instrumental to his rise to TOP DOG of Dog Woods.

Joe and Trixie being the bigger and rougher of the then Dog Woods pack were gradually introduced to Anna. Joe would the bully of an Alpha Dog then was constantly surprised by Anna's tenacity. She would not have him shoving her about and being slimmer and longer than Joe was she had an advantage of nipping him in spots where he couldn't get back - like holding on to his forehead while he snapped into the air. For once, I worried about Joe than for the new comer!

There were some initial posturing when it come to introducing Anna to Trixie but Anna being the newcomer smartly realised that it would be wise to tow the line. And towed the line she did until she become a mother to Tuffy's puppies. Now that the puppies are grown, they - the remaining four automatically form Anna's pack which possibly explains the fights between Trixie and Anna.

Two perceived alpha females trying to usurp each other for TOP DOG (female category) spot. Truth be told the real alpha female is actually Snoopy. Being being a basset she prefers to sit back and relax rather than competitively gallop about chasing down all manner of bugs, creatures and strangers. Although she may be a basset of few barks but when she does, every pup, Joe, Anna and Trixie included obliges!

Anna's pregnancy was really an accident. Since all the female dogs had been fixed, Anna's going into heat a couple months after she arrived went on undetected until of course Tuffy started baying and was constatly at her heel since she never really allowed him to catch up with her! We thought then that he was merely 'infatuated' ... all a passing phase. Looking beyond all his noisy wailings, we thought that it was a good thing he was finally getting himself some serious exercise. We were right about the love sick passing phase - just we hadn't planned on the puppy part.

It was a month later - noticing Anna's increasing girth and appetite that we begun to suspect. Was she or was she not pregnant? If she was who can the father be? (Not Joe, he's fixed too!) - we didn't think Tuffy was capable of the job - being much shorter and slower than she was. It was only after the good vet's visit (Joe's best friend other than us) that confirmed that Anna is indeed pregnant and she was due soon judging by her size - which made us panick a little. I for one had no clue about whelping puppies. Although once upon a time ago, my dog did have puppies but I was but a child then.

But the puppies arrived one moon-less Saturday night. All nine of 'em. And Anna was the best mommy ever who fed, cleaned and didn't leave their side (except for when she need to do her business) until they were waddling chubby 3 weeks old.

So that was how Anna came to stay - which made the pack of five and along came the Furkids and for a while there were fourteen canines tearing about Dog Woods. But five have since found loving homes of their own and we decided to keep the four - which makes up the present Dog WOods Pack of nine.

Trixie the Pixie

With now Joe, Snoopy and Tuffy - the pack felt a little incomplete. There was Snoopy and Tuffy who got on well and played at basset's pace and Joe who sometimes wanted to join in the fray didn't quite get on as well as we hoped ... the Bassets felt he was too rambuctious and would loudly protest - esp. Snoopy. Although low, she had the loudest protest when Joe did something she didn't agree (like mischeviously sitting on her) and surprisingly he'd back off. He would however pick on Tuffy - and Tuffy for a while was terrified of Joe - not daring to move a twitch when Joe was up and about.

So Joe needed a playmate - as robust and rambuctious as he ... and along came Trixie - who's first deed was to nip us all in the butt (Joe included) when she first arrive. She was a wee little thing then but oh so much spirit ... too much infact! Which explains why today most cuts, bruises and grazes are Trixie inflicted :p (Joe and Anna getting the brunt of it all).

She's the only dog at Dogwoods that came with formal papers. Registered as the masculine Rohan Jupiter ... from the Land Under the Winds (yes, there is such a state next to us), the breeders that her to us claimed she came from a lineage of champion Malinois. But since we're not into showdogs nor breeding, she's since been fixed (too bad) and spents hier time guarding Dog Woods and wrestling Joe out of his favourite toy.

"Tic-tic" or 'Tiiiiiiiiicccccc!!' - is what we call her at Dog Woods who thankfully have outgrown her nipping habits - at least when it comes to us humans. But when it comes to her canine buddies, in a frenzy of competitiveness, she sometimes forgets and nips to get ahead (which explains Joe and Anna's wounds). Trixie, as I've already mentioned has loads of spirit. She simply must win - at everything ... even at running. Must always outrun the pack! If they do one length, she'd do two!Pe rhaps it's part of her Sheepie lineage, her herding instincts, Trixie likes circling the Furkids or Joe and I while we're playing the game of 'fetch'.


There were also a few other of her bad habits which we're glad she's outgrown, one of which is her 'flying hug' which would never fail to knock the wind out of anyone (that's if we're prepared) ... on some occassions she'd come from behind and well, someone usually goes off balance :P

With the exception of Trixie, the Dog WOods Pack are home-schooled (at least in the obedience sector). Trixie on the other hand needed some extra firmer help ... So Saturday mornings, Trixie's 'teacher' would come to visit and teach Trixie and yours truly a thing or two about handling a wilful Malinois. Trixie seemed honestly awed by him and would do anything he'd tell her to while she'd pause whenever yours truly tried. Her teacher said something about my being too soft spoken need to sound meaner so the dog would understand this human mean business!

Out of all the dogs put together, Trixie is possibly the fastest, fearless and most determined. It's a good thing she keeps her chasing within the perimeter fences of Dog Woods. We've seen her chase an intruder right up to the top of his van once ... bet he since learn to leave Dog Woods out of break-in list! ;)


The only thing that Tic is afraid of are firecrackers. You'd see her scrambling for cover - even climbing the house grill just to get inside house to cower next to yours truly begging that I stop all that dreadful noise ... not that I can help it. It's part of the festive culture (which happens more than twice a hear) in our neck of the woods. I don't suppose ear plugs work on dogs ...

Tuffy trails

When Tuffy arrived at Dog Woods, he was barely a few weeks old ... the size of a grown guinea pig! Tiny, compared to what he is now. Poo-pee girl who was a couple months older than, was at least a few times his size. And Joe who always treated Tuffy as the underdog until his Furkids came along could swallow the basset in one gulp, if he wanted to! I won't be surprise if the Vet told us he was heavier than Joe. The furboy is short and compact - heavy enough to totter anyone unprepared by his bulk over.

Tuffy, 'Tub" or "Tubby" - short of Tubular soon became his nickname. Mainly because he reminded us of an overstuffed bolster with legs or the midget Jersey Cow. Unlike Snoopy who's always sniffing for opportunites for treats in between meals - Tuffy spends his time in between meals snoozing - preferring his Zzz to treats!

In between Zzzs and a meal, Tuffy assumed the role of Dog Woods ambassador using his furry looks and charm to his advantage where he soon grew to be the favourite amongst visitors to Dog Woods. He'd greet them with his extended paw - his version of a pawshake and a greeting of "how do you do?" He'd trail visitors everywhere - even to the top of the dreaded stairs and then insist that his humans help him down! He's even one the friendliest terms with the Vet - Yes, even after all his share of poking and prodding! This nosey basset always insisting on poking his nose into the good doctor's bag, sniffing out all the great medicines inside until he's pulled aside.

Another activity that our Tub (of lard) does with relish is to remarking his territory - esp. the all the lamp posts out side of Dog Woods. He's not allowed outside unsupervised since the ol' boy, inspite of his cuteness can be quite an intimidating force. Imagine short furry bulky dog with flapping ears running towards you, growling menacingly ... it's really all fake bravado (since he does that to Joe and his Fur kids all the time!) But it's enough to set any stranger running - which makes him want to give chase even more!

Tuffy boy is known not only as being the father of our ( fortunate accidental) Basset-Dobie furkids but also for his baying! A typical characteristic of hounds, so I was told. He has a special bark for joggers, a growling bay for intruders, a bay to complain that Joe has been pushing him around (yet again!), a bay that dinner's late, a welcoming bay when we get home, a complaining bay that he's not getting enough attention, a bay that he should be the centre of attention and NOT Snoopy or the Furkids, that it's too hot, or too wet ... the list goes on. Tuffy being most verbal of the dogs in Dog Woods has even lost his bark once or twice after his over enthusiastic non-stop bayings when one of the furgirls went in heat. (Thankfully, we no longer have to deal with that since all the furgirls all been fixed! I don't think we nor the neighbours can stomach another non-stop episode of love-sick bayings!)

Interestingly enough, having Furkids and expanding his Basset gene pool has given Tuffy a leg up over Joe's tenacious brains and brawn. The change is evident. Tuffy is now TOP DOG and Joe no longer pushes him about like he used to!

This blog, "Tuffy's Tales" began mainly because of him. An underdog who once trailed after Snoopy and got pushed around by Joe the Rottweiller, is now reigning TOP DOG of Dog Woods - with Furkids on tow!

And then came Po-pee ...

... which is actually Snoopy. She was nicknamed Poo-Pee Girl because her countless 'Poo-Pee-ing' accidents. It didn't help that she liked her food alot and was perpetually manipulating for more with her soulful basset looks and her special 'Please can I have some more' bark.

So as the laws of nature goes:- what goes in must come out ... and Snoopy had no qualms about 'going' any where, any time without giving much indication to her humans.

Snoopy, who also goes by 'Sch-noops' or 'Poops' has now grown into a prim and proper Basset Furgirl who's now wonderfully house trained. However, the nickname's stuck. It's now affectionately 'Poops-ies' and no longer the exclaimatory 'Poooop-Peeee!!'

Apart from her ' accidents' Snoopy's possibly one of the better behaved pups while growing up - not in a sense that she was devoid of mischief (that would be real odd of a puppy). Snoopy simply had impeccable timing ... her misdeeds - chewing corner of chairs, table, shoes, flip-flops etc. committed only behind our backs and the crime is not discovered until much later ... by then, it's all guess work i.e. 'Whhhoooo did this??!!! Poo-Pee?! Joe?! Tuffy??!' And Snoopy and her (fairly clueless) fall-dogs would look equally guilty, while the real culprit is up to more mischiefs.

Unlike energetic Joe who's always game for 'Fetch', Snoopy likes to be pampered and massaged - like a proper little princess. In her more enthusiastic moments, she'd actually 'indicate' to you (by swinging her head from side to side, pointing her snooters at her tail) that she wants a back scratched and rubbed! Showers however, is one of her least of her 'pampering' activities ... though she's always keen to be towel dried

She once had beautiful velvety ears however, due to her allergies and skin problems that demanded many a shots and pills, the poor girl is now bald bottom ears down. It's because of those traumatic poking and prodding reasons, Snoopy with hackles raised, hates the good doctor or anything related or smells remotely of the VET, vehicles included. Thankfully, she's no longer suffering from angry red itchy rashes. Somehow our hot and humid weather don't quite agree with many imported dog breeds - some, who are more susceptible end up with chronic skin ailments like the nieghbour's absolutely bald dog - which i swear was once a Rottweiller!

It's not surprise then, other than her angry protest at Vet and strangers, most of Snoopy's barking expressions have got to do with food and the timing of meal service. There'll be special barks to indicate that she's hungry, or to complain that service is slow, requesting a tasty treat and some more please! :)