The return of the Newly Snipped!

Hullo!

Dexter and Wally came home yesterday.  At the very last minute,  I had the doctor take in two instead of one.  Figured at the rate I was already running around pandering to their canine whims, taking care of two post-op
pups (or three) wouldn't make much of a difference. I would have sent in all three, but the Vet-bulance could only accommodate a maximum of two pups. Tubby Jr/ - being the least mischevious,  would only go in next week to get his bits snipped.

They're doing well - Dexter and Wally.  I daresay Dexter's ALOT calmer.  He did look quite cross that his bits were removed. Wally however seemed to have bounce right back - as if he never had the operation! I guess it's because Wally has always been the more quiet and reserved of the two - always the follower and never the leader.  Although not lacking the mischief department ...

Tubby Jr yesterday made a run for it - thinking he now  has his sidekicks in mischief.  For a nice change, they were not game. But that didn't stop Tubby.  I suppose that's his bid of having his 'last hurrah!' - seeing in his brothers what's in store for him in the near future.

So! It was the usual 'run of the mill routine'. Worried hooman slave go 'a-searching'.  Calling out routinely as she anxiously paces the neighbourhood ... This time I found Tubby Jr at the neighbour's across the road - that is home to a canine pack that rivals Dog Woods!

Am just relieved that he was not harmed. The fur inhabitants living on the other side of the road are huge!  Not in terms of quantity but in terms of size.  Even I was wary - given a choice, I'd rather have Tubby come out rather than me go in looking for him! Judging at how quick he scrambled back without having to exit the neighbour's main gates, I now suspect that cunning Furboy has been using the underground monsoon drain that runs across the neighbour's property as a point of entry and exit!

And so, my furry charges are all presently safe at home ... Can't wait for Tubby Jr to be fixed. Mean time, Dexter and Wally are being very cooperative patients.

D-day!

Hullo!

Human Dog Slave here.  Today's THE day.  I've decided to get the Furboys snipped one at the time.  Post surgery care is crucial ... and from experience the Furboys can sometimes be difficult patients.  I don't fancy chasing the three of them around Dog Woods twice a day to clean out their wound and get them to take their meds.  So one at the time, it is.  It's going to take alot longer ... 10 days it seems before the stitches come off.  I've spoke to the good doctor.  One every week.  So each Furkid would get enough care and attention for at least a week.

I've decided that since Dexter's the most mischevious of the lot he's to go in first.  Interestingly, the boy, sensing that something's bad about to happen has gone missing! Think he's hiding somewhere ... must go seek.

So, am going to make this a short entry.  Must go find the pup before the doctor comes by to pick him up.  Honestly, sometimes I think the dogs have psychic abilities ...

Smack-ems'...

Woof!

It's me. Dexter. I'd like to clear my good furry name. Actually, our furry names - Wally, Tubby and me-furry self.  We're not actually as bad as our hooman slave have described us to be.  You can't blame three robust, handsome, healthy Furboys for looking for romance, can you?  After all, it's only a natural thing to do.  Birds do it, bees do it ... and we bets our furry paws, hoomans too!

Anywoos.  We also really like to report that we've been getting a lot of 'smack-ems' lately.  You think old Chief would be thrilled to see us home, but instead we get a smack on the bum-bum ... what a meanie!  But really, it's embarassing! Especially for robust, handsome romancing Furboys.  What will our girlfriends think ?!

Of course, we're very sorry for making the ol' Chief worry - for the moment, at least. Good ol' Chief usually has our dinners waiting no matter how late we come home.  What a good thoughtful hooman!  All that adventuring and romancing usually leaves us ravenous!

We've recently got woof from Daddy Tuffy that the ol' Chief is planning to have our bits  removed. Honestly, we thought she was joking when she told us last week that she'll get our the doctor to cart us to his clinic and get our prized bits snipped if we pulled another disappearing act.   

Nooooo...!!  Surely, she's not going to snip our precious jewels?!  

Me, Dexter ... now feels terribly anxious *whines pitifully*  Me legs have turned to mush -just thinking about it.  Am sure my brothers feel the same.  They're all on their sides. Immobilized by anxiety...  

Helps!! Save our bits!! So good concern readers, if you don't hear from Dexter or my fur-brothers again, report the Chief.  We unnerstand there's a Pack of Hoomans out there that's against prevention of cruelty to animals...

Dexter's got to hide ... 

The Snip-snip ...

Thank you for your feedback. It's been indeed helpful in helping me decide whether or not to snip the Furboys.

Dexter, Wally and Tubby Jr

Yesterday, they had another run-away episode. The workmen were working on the fences and I suppose they decided to take opportunity to make a run for it - yet again.  All three!  Tubby Jr hobbled on home soon after but the other two, Dexter and Wally were gone for hours.  I only found them at about eight in the evening - next door.  The next door neighbours aren't exactly the biggest dog lovers ... because of their cultural and religious beliefs.

Not sure who was more terrified.  The pups or the humans next door.  The quirky thing about the Furkids is when they know they're in trouble - instead of making a run for it, they turn into submissive turtles.  I suppose yesterday was a triple whammy.  First, they knew they were in trouble for being in places that they know I don't approve, they were being cornered - with flash lit unfriendly, strange humans and worst, I had to appear.

And of all places they had to turn turtle was down a steep slope by the common fence of Dog Woods and next door.  Can you imagine the inconvenience and embarassment of having to coax and persuade them to climb out of the ditch like area?!  Fortunately, Wally decided to cooperate.  Dexter on the other hand refused to budge. So I had to do what I had to do, haul Dexter out ... nearly 30 kilos and all.  And all the while, I was mindful not to slip myself.  The neighbour, bless him, was kind enough to help me out of the dark ditch while I manuovered Dexter out.

It's a good thing I've had a lot of practice carrying uncooperative pups who've decided their legs temporarily don't work ... I daresay, it's good strength training ... although usually at the expense of my back *ouch*

So yes!  They are scheduled for a snip.  The good doctor will pick them up next week to get the deed done. Even if it's not an intention of mine to breed them,  I do feel a little sorry, they're having their bits removed.  Hopefully, they'll recover quick and not miss the 'family jewels' too much.

To snip or not to snip ... that is the question.

Hello,

I've been mulling over the question of getting the Fur-boys 'fixed' for the last couple of weeks.  Last Monday Wally and Dexter disappeared for at least 12 hours.  As usual, I was worried sick.   That's the longest time they've gone and i feared the worst.  I swore, if and when they return I'd get the doctor to give them the snip ASAP!

But now that they're all back and behaving (very well too I must add) am wondering whether it's the right thing to do. They're such beautiful dogs ... and *most* of the time are well behaved.  It's just those moments when they do make a run for it and go off pawing the rest of the neighbourhood red, I find myself worry and wondering if the 'snip' would make them better behaved.

Tubby Jr (front with tongue hanging out), Anna and Wally

Every time they come home after an episode of exploring, they're exhausted -which am okay with tick because I know for the next few days they won't be making a dash for the great outdoors whenever the gates open.  But what I am not okay with are the ticks they bring home (eeeuwww), on a couple occasion when they were younger, they would fall sick. Recently, Tubby Jr. came home with a injured paw.  And this is not the first time he's been injured.  The last time he came home with a great gash in his hind leg - spurting a great deal of blood and I had to get the good doctor stitch him up.

The poor pup's sustained a really bad sprain at his joints - which explained why he won't even let me touch his paw.  The doctor reckons from the X-ray he was given, that Tubby either he fell from a high place and landed on his foot or something had hit him.  And for a week Tubby Jr was a good little pup while the two other hooligans Dexter and Wally have been attempting to make mad dashes outside - which is usually thwarted by my yelling 'DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!'  Somehow telling them makes them a little less confident about doing anything they know I don't approve.

Last night however, Tubby Jr decided to make a run for it with his two brothers.  Alas, like small children, good behaviours only last for so long ....  He didn't get quite as far as Dexter and Wally without his paw acting up.

Wally

But the good thing about the Furboys is that they know where home is and they do listen, esp. when I'm hot on their heels. Like last night, Tubby Jr hobbled on alone home when I  told him to. He didn't even try to follow when I ran ahead to find Dexter and Wally.  And when i finally caught up with the other two, they sheepishly, without a fuss trotted home, unleashed.  Making sure I was up front - because they know they're in for a smack in the bum for being naughty.

Dexter

So, to snip or not to snip ... that is the question.  Perhaps then, the Fur-boys would be able to help themselves.

It simply baffles me why they, the Furboys simply have to leave Dog Woods.  There's more than ample space to run and play. There's also more than enough squirrels, birds and creepy crawlies to get 'em entertained ... in addition to all the fussing from their human (slaves) and food to go around.   The Top Dog Tuffy is not snipped and he's doesn't try to make a run for it like they do.  Maybe its because he's had his share of fun - which resulted in the Furkids ...:P

I just bet there's some female dog that's in heat in the neighbourhood somewhere ... which probably explains their need to go out gallavanting and 'sow their wild oats'.  :P  Perhaps I should just get 'em snipped ... we don't want to have unwanted puppies somewhere ...

Yet to intervene and taking away what makes them essentially Fur-boys doesn't quite sit well with me either.  Perhaps this exploring is all a passing phase.  When they get older they'll settle ... somehow ...

What thinks good readers?

Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival at Dog Woods

Yesterday, we decide to something quite unusual at Dog Woods.  Being it the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Mooncake Festival is a popular harvest festival, we had a dozen paper lanterns deck out the trees of Dog Woods.  And the effect of it, was, I daresay, quite rustic.  Except the fact that the candles don't quite burn long enough and paper lanterns somehow seem to disintegrate after a few rounds of lighting ... not forgetting to add, the Furkids somehow got hold of a couple.  


Usually held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar, It is a date that parallels the autumnal equinox of the solar calendar, when the moon is supposedly at its fullest and roundest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties.

Traditionally on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomelos under the moon together. Accompanying the celebration, there are additional cultural or regional customs, such as:

• Carrying brightly lit lanterns, lighting lanterns on towers, floating sky lanterns
• Burning incense in reverence to deities

However, being a non-traditional chinese household, the humans and canines did none of the moon worshiping.  We did however consume mooncakes and for the first time, since I've never done it before, decide to indulge myself in some paper lanterns, with the pack curiously observing ... once they learnt it had nothing to do with treats or anything they could consume they fell into a snooze ....which suited me fine since I was being jostled out trying to light the paper lanterns.

Snoozing Furkids

So here are some photos I took of last nights lanterns hung on the branches of the shrubs and tambusu tree.  Once I ran out of candles to light, the pack thought it was game for them to help me take lanterns down.  Needless to say, some of the lanterns are now in shreds ... 

How bright the moon ...!

Guilty...