Odie Beagle Boy, BS Basic Obedience 2014

Oops! I haven't posted Odie's last set of homework videos! My baby boy graduated from Pet Centrics' Basic Obedience - Advanced Level on March 8. He's one of the only two dogs who have officially completed Pet Centrics' Basic Obedience series (the other one is his classmate Beagle the beagle). To put this is human school terms, I'm not sure if he's a senior high or a college graduate, but I'd like to think it's college because of the work involved.

Since our pace was a bit behind, teacher decided to change our homework and scrap the ones that were too advanced for us. I guess I know where we went wrong. Beagle did really good with the mat exercises but not so much with perch work. Odie was the complete opposite, nailed the perch work, lagged behind with the mat.

Here's why we didn't get to practice much with the mat.

It happened during class. He was tasked to run toward the mat, which he did, and then he picked it up and ran all around the training venue. When he finally stopped, he shook his head while carrying the mat, which resulted in breaking it apart. I'm lucky he didn't eat parts of it! It took a while for me to find a substitute because the options were just too few. I ended up buying replacements in Eastwood. Bye, moneys.

We did what we could though, homework-wise. Here are our final requirements which we submitted the night before graduation.

04 Send to Mat from Pauline Gaerlan on Vimeo.

05 Recall to Mat from Pauline Gaerlan on Vimeo.

Right now we're getting much better with the send to mat exercise. While filming the homework though he had sooooo many episodes of biting the mat, picking it up and playing with it, and trying to eat parts of it. He was able to tear off some of the thread so I put some duct tape to hold the damaged area in place. Take note, these were the newer mats so seeing one damaged kinda hurt. As for recalling to the mat, he's still a bit late in dropping to a down when I increase distance, so that needs a lot more work.

06 Heel in a Circle from Pauline Gaerlan on Vimeo.

07 Recall with Heel from Pauline Gaerlan on Vimeo.

Odie is doing a lot better with the heel, most of the time even offering the behavior when he sees me holding treats. This is the desired end result of the perch work, if I understood our lessons correctly. 

08 Lily Pad Stay from Pauline Gaerlan on Vimeo.

Lily Pad Stay was one of the games we had in class. Basically the dog just has to stay on one mat as the human moves the other mat to a different spot. It's a great test of focus, mostly because picking up, walking, and putting the mat somewhere else are more than enough distractions for a hyper beagle. He kept breaking to look at me doing what I was supposed to do. Pretty good watch dog, I must say. Or not!

Unfortunately, we weren't able to complete our homework tally sheet because of an accident that happened while we were filming homework outside of our house.

We were working on Recall with Heel outdoors that day so I clipped our long leash. I lured Odie to his starting spot, and when I turned around to walk 10 feet away, I saw a slim, white cat across the street. I immediately looked at Odie and saw him already fixated at the cat. Within a split second, he took off running toward the cat! I don't know what came over me. I stepped on the long leash for a while (which was what we're supposed to do anyway) but I felt that I was going to fall so I grabbed on to the leash with my hand. I suffered a couple of burns from the intense friction between my hand and the thin leash being pulled by a running dog. Was it painful? A bazillion times YES! But of course I still had to bring Odie back home and in his crate, bring my camera, treats, mats and perch inside the house, and then attend to my injured hand. I dressed my hand temporarily and drove to the drug store to get medicine and more bandages.

A broken mat, a broken hand, and a broken dog (Odie got gastroenteritis the day after graduation) were the challenges we had to get through in order to graduate. A week later, Odie graduated from his illness, and two weeks following the accident, my hand is bandage-free. I was also informed just recently of Odie's homework points and the prizes we can get with what he worked for. I think the real reward here though is the fact that I now have more options for Odie to release his energy! Having a hyper dog is NOT EASY. That's why I decided to take classes and really make time for Odie and I to learn how to not be enemies. I think we're handling it well so far.

Oh and okay, I forgive the cat for appearing out of nowhere.

Wake Up!

Aaaaaand we're back to making homework videos!

Odie is currently enrolled in Pet Centrics' Advanced Basic Obedience class. The last time we submitted homework videos was sometime in April, I think, when we were in Intermediate class and I have to admit, the stress is getting to me. It wasn't very easy to cover outdoor locations this time around. I thought of just staying in our neighborhood and in the surrounding area of our training venue but it took a while for me to get that done. There are just too many free-roaming dogs! Same problem as before, stubborn owners who open their homes' gates in the morning, when it's cool enough to actually STAY outside. My only consolation is that it feels extra good to accomplish something because of the perpetual challenge.

There are only two dog students in the advanced class right now. No competition, right? WRONG. The exercises are tougher, I find myself going over the handouts more than thrice, I'm still given the same amount of time to do home training, and that time is just not enough considering the other things I need to write and my very erratic sleeping pattern. I've resorted to boiling/grilling meat instead of baking treats to save time. I seriously need to refocus.

Here are our submissions for session 1. I won't be submitting session 2 yet because we haven't covered six locations yet. Keeping my fingers crossed that we finish session 2 videos by Tuesday. May there be zero free roaming dogs this week if not forever.

01 Go to Mat from Pauline Gaerlan on Vimeo.

02 LLW/Heel 1: Perch Work from Pauline Gaerlan on Vimeo.

03 Front Recall with Sit from Pauline Gaerlan on Vimeo.

Odie and Beagle are lagging behind on the lessons so our teacher is adjusting to the dogs' and the humans' learning curve (read: taking out some lessons, aka fewer stuff to learn). The epiphany happened when I saw Odie doing really well on the perch and kept making mistakes on the mat. Beagle, however, did a splendid job on the mat but was having trouble with the perch. One thing's for sure, the humans are focusing on just one lesson instead of getting a good grip on both exercises. Perhaps Odie's old mat which he tore into pieces played a role in this.

This isn't the first time I got frustrated about homework. But then it does feel very different when you're competing only with yourself (there are still homework points, but there's obviously no ranking involved). At first I thought the urgency isn't there, except it kinda punched me on the face. Then again I'm also learning a lot from all the stress so there's no use dodging the punches. In spite of everything though, I'm still proud of whatever Odie has accomplished. Not a lot of dogs are given the chance to get a good education, and I couldn't imagine what life would be like if we didn't immerse ourselves in training.

I'll take his breakthroughs as a sign. This week, we'll be much better. I'm claiming it!

A Day in University

Oops, looks like this entry is way overdue!

Photo courtesy of Pedigree Philippines

On November 24, 2013, my siblings and I brought Odie to his second Pedigree event: Pedigree University. The event was originally scheduled on November 10, but was postponed due to the wrath of Typhoon Haiyan. I woke up early on the 24th to make sure we're ready for a long (but fun) day out. I gave him a bath, packed his going out things (collapsible bowl, water bottle, waste bags, toilet paper, two meals' worth of kibble, and DentaStix) then made some freshly baked liver treats to last us the whole day. Registration was at 10am but he might get too tired so we decided to go after lunch.

We are NOT the Only Victims

It's been a little over a week since Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda hit the central region of the Philippines. The death toll is rising, some people are still missing, and while help is slowly getting to all the areas in need, it's going to take years to recover, rehabilitate, and rise again. It's crazy how long the cleanup would be as it only took a few hours for the mega-typhoon to make such a huge mess. I watched the news day in and day out (sometimes mindlessly) on the day of the disaster and in the days that followed. At least, I got the chance to do so when electricity was stable. I shed tears countless times, and still continue to do so when I watch or read the many stories of distress as well as the rare stories of hope.

Seeing a photo of several dogs that perished in the storm was more than enough for me to get moving. I realized, albeit a bit late, that the humans are not the only victims of the calamity! And perhaps a lot of people realized this even later than I did! I then asked a few pet-parent friends if any donation drives accepted dog food. Sad thing was, none of them knew of any leads and I had to constantly search that night and was forced to turn in disappointed.

Odie's teacher and veterinarian put up a blog post the following day and gave many options to help the animal survivors. Why I didn't think of asking her during my unproductive search, I'll never know. Seeing her post was the only time I learned about international animal welfare organizations that dedicate their time and energy to helping animals in disaster-stricken areas. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has teamed up with the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and headed to Tacloban, the worst hit location, to help the animals in need of food, water, and medical care. World Vets has also sent their teams to do the same. There are also other veterinarians abroad who are setting up donation drives for the typhoon-affected animals. Right now I'm keeping a close watch on these rescue missions. I'm grateful that they have already reached out to the animal survivors, and I hope that they could cover more locations in the coming days.

Image taken from the PAWS Facebook Page

I can't emphasize enough that just like humans, the displaced animals need help. It's also a bit disconcerting to see comments online (the Internet has a really big share of idiots, after all) questioning the need to rescue and rehabilitate animals when the humans haven't all been accounted for. I presume these remarks come from those who don't have animals as part of their family and I can't help but feel sorry for them. I'm sorry that for them, animals whose love and loyalty even surpasses those of humans' are just an afterthought. I'm sorry that they don't know how sweet it is to have cuddle time with a dog, or how sweetly dysfunctional it must feel to be owned by a cat. I guess I just really find it unacceptable to focus only on saving the humans when they're not the only ones in distress.

I even think that saving the animals at the same time as the humans would be beneficial for both parties! Hungry, stressed, and/or sick animals can be aggressive and may hurt humans and other animals in the process of trying to survive. I don't know how many or how few of the animals in Tacloban or in other affected areas are rabid so that exponentially increases the danger for everyone. Some lost animals may be looking desperately for their humans, and some humans may be clinging on to the hope that their pets are still alive. They're part of the family, too, and it's unimaginable to lose even just one family member, be it human or animal. Animal victims are also not limited to dogs and cats. Some humans may have had pigs, cows, water buffaloes, goats, ducks, and other animals that they may have depended on for livelihood. If your main source of income is goat's milk, for example, and you've lost everything in the storm surge, you would want to at least have the animal/s survive so that it may be at least a bit easier to start again. I saw a photo of a little girl carrying her dog and holding her mother's hand, her mother holding just a small backpack. A friend saw a video of a man in Tacloban happily playing with his dog after the storm. Having a dog by your side during the worst of times may be more emotionally uplifting than we all think.

All the animal welfare groups have already deployed their teams by now, but we can't stop helping just yet. Here's where you can donate:
World Vets
Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
Compassion And Responsibility for Animals (CARA) Welfare Philippines
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

You may note in your donations that the amount you gave is for the benefit of Yolanda animal victims. You may also donate any amount, anytime, for them to save for another rainy day. You may also check their respective Facebook Pages for updates on their Typhoon Yolanda rescue missions. I sincerely hope that (universe forbid) disasters come our way in the future, the local animal welfare groups would be able to immediately respond to the animal victims.

The One-Hour Vaccine

Odie: THIS IS A PROTEST!!!

It was the first time yesterday for Odie to be vaccinated by our current vet. When we made the switch, his shots were already complete so the only time we paid the new clinic a visit was in January of this year to ask for assistance regarding a skin problem. Odie's booster shots were actually due on Wednesday last week but since I didn't want him to miss class, I was given the option to either schedule it during the weekend or today. I settled for Sunday afternoon because my sister used the car Saturday afternoon, and I have work today. It was the most convenient option... or so I thought.

There was another dog in the training venue when we got there. I brought my sister along (well, more like forced her to come!) because Doc Marose did suggest that I bring someone when I informed her about our needle fears. We did a bit of training exercises to get Odie used to being pinched at the vaccination spot. That went pretty well! Doc also explained to me that there are some shots she won't be giving for fear of over-vaccination. See, our previous vet also gave a couple of shots that were supposedly due for boosters in two weeks. Doc went on to specifics of the two vaccines she would give, and when that was all clear, it was game time.

I seriously don't know HOW doc immediately felt that I was tensing up! I tried my best to shake it off but I don't think that was a success. Sucks how dogs know how their humans feel so all the fake courage just won't work. How many acting classes did I take again?

Our first attempt involved putting Odie on the table and giving him treats while the shot was being administered. He was okay until the actual syringe made the slightest contact with his body. BAM! He yelped and tried to make a run for it, and doc was forced to change the needle. She even pricked herself because of Odie's crazy contortions! It's good to be protected against parvo or distemper, except we're not dogs. Seriously though, I hope it's not dangerous.

Next attempt, doc instructed me to hug Odie a certain way so she could discreetly put the needle in. I did exactly what I was told to do, but Odie had other plans. When he felt the needle again, he climbed on my shoulder like a parrot (A 22-POUND PARROT!) and continued climbing until for some reason, we ended up with me in flat back position as the beagle just stood there! I didn't know Odie was pep squad material! Doc then tried to handle Odie on her own. Odie just stopped, sat, and received the first shot without us having to do anything at all. Totally weird, but hey, mission accomplished! It also confirmed doc's theory that Odie wasn't feeling any pain from the needle, he's just overreacting.

The second shot was even crazier! By then, I've already lost count of how many needle replacements we needed. Odie was getting very stressed, I was getting really worried, and I'm guessing Doc Marose also needed a breather which she couldn't get until we were done. Odie resisted and was almost impossible to control so we had to tether him. After some tries, my sister and I were told to stay far from Odie, until we were asked to step out so that he and doc could battle it out. True enough, it took just a short while (and help from an unknown surprise assistant) to get the second shot done.

It took a total of one hour, X needles, and two shots to finally call it a day. I don't know why, but Doc Marose apologized for taking longer than expected. HELLO. We should be the ones apologizing because our dog is crazy and very dramatic! She's been in the venue for three hours, working on a Sunday. If I went home really exhausted when all I had to do was try to help out, I could only imagine the physical and mental stress involved in restraining a hyper beagle. Doc suggested that Odie be taken in for shots in the clinic next time instead of the training venue. I'm gonna take that as a non-negotiable!

At the end of it all, I'm just very, very, VERY thankful that Doc Marose, even after realizing that giving Odie shots is a pain in the ass, mentioned "next time," which I assume means that she's willing to go through it with Odie again. Other vets might just give up and tell us to get shots elsewhere. I'm also thankful to have been given great advice on booster shots. Last year, I was just told what shots Odie was gonna get, zero explanations involved. I know I've said it over and over, but I really think that Odie is now getting the bestest best medical care. "Care" being the operative word. From training during puppyhood, to late night emergency concerns, and now to intense booster shot antics, I'm just so happy that there's someone who understands the crazies that Odie and I seem to have been born with.

Oh, and I was pinching him last night to "simulate" the vaccination process. He wasn't even reacting to it at all! Ugh.

Lessons to Learn and Lessons Learned

We have been given the privilege to join Pet Centrics' Basic Obedience (Intermediate) Class and are now halfway through with the course. The six-session class is currently offered exclusively to graduates of the Basic Obedience (Beginners) Class for humans and their dogs to keep the ball rolling. See, the beginners class tackles the most important things such as recall, polishing sits and downs, durations, and minor distractions. The intermediate class is scheduled almost immediately after graduation so that humans and dogs don't experience an abrupt shop just when they are gaining momentum.

Odie already graduated from the intermediate level in April of this year. He even placed first in the homework submissions "competition" (well, we took it upon ourselves to be tiger parents and submit all the videos that we could) and breezed through his final exam. Yes, I'm a proud parent. I actually am just amazed that although Odie is a very rowdy boy, his focus when training is impeccable. This time around, however, Odie goes from demo dog to being a regular student because there are so many changes in this batch's syllabi! Their beginners class involved recall drills with agility equipment, and they haven't discussed distance yet. The intermediate class now makes use of the crate and the place bed. We never discussed nor practiced crate exercises before.

I'm actually pretty excited to get an introduction to crate games because Odie has a love-hate relationship with his travel crate. I taught him to get inside the crate overnight when we went to the Circulo Verde Trick or Treat event last year and he got it in a snap! Later on though, he developed the habit of going inside and then just turning to go out. He also had the habit of going out without being told to do so.

We went to Pet Centrics this weekend and did some recall games before proceeding to the crate lessons. Odie absolutely enjoys recall exercises so we didn't have a problem with that. When the humans were given a lecture on crate games, I was surprised that Odie kept quiet for about 95% of the lecture. He kept looking at me because I was about five meters away and I tried my best to give a reassuring smile whenever I checked on him.

The first exercises involved opening and closing the crate door while keeping the dog inside the crate. Whenever a dog attempted to get out (well, in my case, SUCCEEDED. TWICE), we had to close the door. It was hard to get by because my hands are small, so frequently opening the crate door made my hand hurt. I mean, I could barely reach an octave on the piano. That slowed me down so Doc Marose did a demo with Odie to give everyone an idea of how quick we should be with opening and closing the door. It was heartbreaking to see how fast she closed the door on Odie whenever he made an error. I teared up a bit when I saw it  -- Odie taking a step forward while wearing his sweet smile, only to have the door closed on him and with no treats to boot. It took a lot of effort for me to control my emotions because I felt really sorry for him. But then I had to buck up because feelings would hinder us from having him learn the lesson.

We got our much awaited break to run and play because the lesson was quite stressful. We were playing push-back-and-run while Doc attended to another student. Horror of horrors, Odie suddenly ran in a different direction and headed toward a beagle with aggression issues. See, that beagle used to take private lessons because of his aggression and is being introduced to group classes so that he could get used to being around other dogs and people. He's sensitive about hyper dogs and prefers that he would be the one to approach and make friends. That is the exact opposite of Odie, being a very hyper and playful dog who gets a good sniff and launches into puppy wrestling. Odie approached Beagle and started to sniff and play, and I did see him on the verge of humping. Beagle panicked and started growling so I was about to try to break them apart. Beagle's owner told me to step back as he also gets sensitive around other people. So yeah, I just watched the whole thing unfold and couldn't do anything about it.

They showered treats in the area in hopes that Odie would decide to go after the food, which he thankfully did. I guess it turns out that Odie chooses food over getting a new playmate. Doc intervened and suggested that Beagle step outside first so that he could recover. When he got back inside, he was responding to verbal cues and accepting treats. He was okay, but we were told that Odie should maintain a safe distance because Beagle remembers such incidents.

I seriously couldn't believe what happened and went home still in shock. I apologized to Doc Marose, and she told me that she was more worried for Odie because he could have been hurt. I also can't hold anything against Beagle because he needs the socialization to get over his aggression issues. He's not going to learn that it's okay unless he joins a group class. He's been making a lot of progress and I'm happy that he's no longer as timid as when we first met him.

At the end of it all, I was reminded that Odie is FAST so I really have to be able to read his every move to avoid potentially dangerous incidents. I had to learn it the hard way, but hey, at least I'm sure it's gonna stick. I'm also thankful for our classmates and for Doc Marose for handling the situation really well. The best part? Nobody got hurt, and we all went home feeling relieved and ready to do homework.

The First Year

A year ago, our lives took a turn and went straight to happy land!

On September 6, 2012, I landed in Tiendesitas and bought all the essentials for the puppy that we're getting that same afternoon. I spent quite a lot on a large wire crate (I thought he was gonna grow real big), 5 kg of food (which I was stupid enough to think would only last for a month), a clicker (which later on proved to be useless), three toys (all of which are now broken), a huge retractable leash (which I massacred when we needed a long line in school, and it's a lot more useful now), a huge collar (I was stupid enough to think we were getting a big dog, not a little puppy, so we had to buy a smaller leash and harness the day after), soap, shampoo, and a comb. My brother and I were interviewed by the breeder the night of September 5, and the day after that, we went to Ortigas with our driver to finally meet the puppy who endured the trip from Laguna.

Odie was inside a crate which carried two other puppies who also went to their new families. Since we had no travel crate yet, we put the precious little puppy in an eco bag as we made our way to the car. We unleashed him inside the car to get a good whiff of his new humans. He was really shy, took tentative baby steps, and was mostly asleep on the drive home.

One of Odie's first photos. Poker face!

Sleeping 8-week old Odie

Food Heaven!

As part of Dental Care Month in May, Odie and I (well, mostly I) joined the Pedigree Philippines' Doggy DentaDash game on their Facebook Page. It's an app wherein we had to answer two questions each week, and were given corresponding points for each correct answer. The promo ran for eight weeks with new questions every Wednesday.

Odie was able to get a perfect score of 32000 points because I'm a tiger parent. I wasn't sure how the winners were selected (and I'm guessing lots of dogs got perfect scores as well), but a few days later, I got a call from a Pedigree Philippines representative saying that Odie and I were among the 20 winners of the game! We were notified mid-July and were told that we would receive the prize in 6-8 weeks.

While waiting for the real prize, those who got 12000 points and above were given 15 pieces of DentaStix to munch on. Yum! Well, yum for Odie, I guess! The last time we were given a free sample of DentaStix, it was literally just a free sample. As in, ONE piece which came with a cover letter, which their delivery guys struggled to achieve. We received it on August 19, and Odie's trying to finish what's left of it. I don't know any dog who doesn't like DentaStix. From what I know, its X-shaped structure guarantees to prevent plaque, and that it tastes really good. I'm usually on the receiving end of jumps (leading to bruises) when I open a pack. Some say this is crack for dogs. I'm gonna have to agree.

Yesterday morning, a truck arrived at our house. The house help called me and said that there was a package for me. Unfortunately for me, it was for my dog. But hey, I gotta admit I waited for it, too! The delivery man unloaded a huge bin from the truck, which had my name on it!

Storage bin with all the goodies!

I thought we were just gonna unload the bin so I was happy to know that we get to keep it, too! Odie's belongings used to be in two containers that were already deteriorating so now they're all here, neatly arranged. I was told to sign some paperwork and had my photo taken as proof that the package was delivered to my home. Sadly, the delivery guy also asked me for Php100 because our village has a toll fee when trucks enter. Ugh.


There was an envelope taped to the bin containing a cover letter from Pedigree Philippines. It was a thank you letter of sorts for joining their contest, and an instruction to take a photo of Odie and the prizes, upload it, and tag Pedigree Philippines on Facebook. Craziest minutes of the day.

Little sniffer performing an inspection. Wannabe police dog!

April and I arranged the products neatly for the photo. It was Php5000 worth of Pedigree products! The package contains seven 3kg bags of Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition, six 400ml cans of Pedigree Home Style in chicken flavor, two 80g packs of Pedigree Meat Jerky, two 175g packs of Pedigree Tasty Bone, and one box containing 36 individually wrapped Pedigree DentaStix. 

Upon letting Odie out of his crate, I had a treat with me in hopes of having him keep his attention on me. I failed miserably as he took his time sniffing through the goodies that he received, and even knocked the cans down, grabbed a Tasty Bone pack and took it to the far end of the yard, and he just kept stuffing his face in between the bags of food! The photo below was the best we could do.

We didn't have time to rearrange the cans because I know he would start inspecting his new treats if I didn't stop taking photos. But yay! We finally got him to "look at the camera" and strike his signature poster-boy pose!

I haven't really tried feeding Odie Pedigree dry food (I usually buy pouches of wet food) so I sought the opinion of our veterinarian about switching to Pedigree. I learned that the most obvious manifestation of the dog's reaction to the food is through his skin and coat. Obviously, good food results in good skin. I opened one bag and am trying to transition him to it, hoping the results would be favorable. We filled 1/4 of his dish with Pedigree and 3/4 Holistic Recipe. He sniffed the foreign-infused food for a few seconds before devouring it like he does with all the food we give (and all the objects he manages to eat). We're also going to donate some of the food to a local shelter because it's pretty overwhelming to have so much, we might as well share.

All in all, the 8-week wait was worth it. We have food and treats to last us quite a while and the best part is that it was given to us for free! Thank you, Pedigree! I'm a happy parent with a really happy dog!

Commencement Exercises

Odie and I spent the last month sitting in at Pet Centrics' Basic Obedience for Beginners class. All the alumni of the class are given the privilege to attend the same class over and over, as a refresher course of sorts, to do demonstrations of the skills being taught, and for me and my dog to learn even more. See, just like in human school, learning never stops. As we meet different sets of dogs, I get to learn different training techniques, common behaviors of humans attending training class for the first time, and the importance of timing when marking new behaviors. Pretty amazing stuff!

Odie poses for the camera as he presents the
tunnel, chute, and adjustable bar jump.

This module of Basic Obedience is quite fast-paced. I was surprised that what our batch did in six sessions, they achieved in three. We learned the place exercise in the intermediate class, but it was introduced to this class on their fifth session. Even more exciting is the use of different agility equipment like the tunnel with and without the chute, an adjustable bar jump, a tire jump, and a six-pole weave. We didn't have those, not even in intermediate class!

As usual, Odie is doing all sorts of demonstrations prior to having the other students try the activities. There are times when we'd take a while before he performs (he's been marking a lot in school lately, and sometimes he's really busy sniffing). When I do have his full attention though, he just struts like a complete show-off. He consistently impresses the other humans who keep complimenting him for his "unbelievable intelligence" when they, too, can achieve the same results if they consistently train. I mean, they should see Odie's batchmates!

The Saturday class is graduating in a few hours. I hope that they're getting the hang of training, and that they would sit in and also do demos when they officially become alumni. Oh, and I hope they submitted homework videos so they could get nice toys!!!

Fauxcolate cookies on the kitchen scale

I went on a baking spree this week and decided to let the graduating class be the judge of the fauxcolate cookies I made. I like calling it fauxcolate because I'm really sad that dogs can't have chocolate and I can't have a photo of me and Odie happily sharing a tub of Nutella. I love Nutella. I love chocolate. I mean, we can share peanut butter, but it's just not the same. Is cookie butter safe for dogs? Maybe we can work with that!

Anyway, yeah, I'm using carob which is like chocolate for vegans and is safe for dogs. It doesn't contain theobromine, a caffeine-like molecule found in chocolate that makes it dog poison. I still have a lot of carob powder from Singapore (it expires in 2014) and it's taking up space in the fridge. I didn't know what to bring to training so I whipped up a batch of cookies. The batch I did after the one in the photo has a nice marble effect because I split the dough in two, one part plain, one part with carob. Today I finished baking and put the cookies in little packs I found at home, and made sure that each one weighed 25 grams. The scent of cinnamon filled our humble home while I baked and packed. It was amazing.

I hope that the graduates like it so I can develop the product more and maybe start legit baking for dogs. No cakes because I have a loooong way to go in terms of frosting, but maybe little muffins could work!  I'm really getting into cooking and baking for dogs (maybe because my taste tester is too kind). Plus my cousin has an industrial kitchen that he hasn't been using recently, and it has complete equipment, and my aunt said I could whip something up in there if I want to! Exciting times.

Pet Centrics is holding a FREE orientation on September 14 for Puppy Class! Wow, time flies. Odie's puppy class orientation was on October 6 of last year. This means he's been training for nearly a year! I don't know if any human would aspire for his/her dog to be as crazy as Odie, but to get you started, sign up for orientation here! Gotta admit, I never imagined myself training a dog, but here we are.

Odie Birthday Boy

My little boy is no longer a little boy. This puppy is now officially a dog.

Full-grown Odie at one year old

Odie turned one-year old on July 12 and it's just beyond belief! Time flies, really. He's been living in our home for ten months now and I've seen him grow from a wee little puppy to an adult dog. A few days prior to his big day, I can't help but look at photos and videos from months past. He sure looked like a rat and his howl sounded like a cat. Now his looks really tell he's a beagle, and his bay, bark, and howl all sound so rich and deep and beautiful (he's a baritone). Well, he's actually pretty small for his breed, but I have no problems with that. Honestly, I find it good because our front yard is just the right size for his play area. Plus his little trick that involves him jumping and me catching him? I don't think we can manage if he grows any bigger.

We had a simple celebration at home. I got back in Manila three days prior to his birthday so I sourced for ingredients the 10th, baked his cake on the 11th, and spent a happy, chill day on the 12th. I didn't make any adventurous going out plans because I figured that quality time with Odie would be most effective when nobody got stressed. We just did our usual walk around the village, had a candle-blowing ceremony, gave some cake to neighbor dogs, and fed Odie periodically which I think was enough for him to figure out that it was his special day.

Candle-blowing ceremony

ALL IN MY BELLY!

I asked my sister to take photos of him blowing the birthday candle. I was careful to not let him have full access to the whole cake for fear that he would finish it in one sitting because god knows his mouth and tummy know no limits. Just like the parent of any one-year old birthday celebrant (be it human or dog), I carried Odie to blow his birthday candle which of course, he was totally clueless about, so I blew it on his behalf. By the look on his face, he seemed weirded out by a gigantic treat with fire on top, so I brought the cake back to the kitchen to slice him a manageable piece. I also brought out some frozen yogurt treats to pair with the cake and arranged it on his dish. Right after giving him the signal to eat, the cake just VANISHED. And one by one, the yogurt treats also disappeared. He ended up having a goofy smile on his face, played for a bit, and happily took a long nap.

We also sent some cupcakes to Ollie and Tramp who live 10 minutes away. I know they're also always hungry, but I wasn't sure if they appreciated fruit-based treats (because Doc always brings chicken liver or liver bits to share with students). I received a photo response from them that same day.

Ollie and Tramp's birthday greeting! Photo by Doc Marose

The feedback I received from Odie, Ollie, Tramp, and our neighbors' dogs were more than enough to make my heart swell. As you can see, the cupcakes and the cake both look rustic (aka messy) because like I said in the previous entry, I'm a first-time baker and I had no idea what I was doing. Whatever. The dogs love it and that's what matters.

For dinner, Odie had chunks of beef alternating with a beef leg bone that I bought from the supermarket. I consulted our vet before prepping the bone after reading horror stories about dogs swallowing shattered bones and damaging their bodies. I didn't want to serve it raw either because I've never fed Odie raw food out of fear (e-coli, salmonella, whatever else he could get). Doc instructed me to dunk the bone in boiling water for 20 seconds to get rid of surface bacteria without making the bone brittle.

Give a dog a bone!

Odie zoomed in excitement when he saw his first ever bone! I took advantage by letting him do a run-down of his tricks and finally gave my go signal to dig in. Dig in, he did! He chewed on the bone for a little over an hour, although I did have him trade the bone for beef on certain occasions, because the bone is a very high value treat which he might guard if not taught to release early. He growled a couple of times when he saw me getting near the bone. He even growled then barked which bothered me a bit. Thankfully, he figured a slice of beef was a good thing and tolerated having me take the bone away from him. I let him work in peace after a while. I just watched him have the best day ever.

Celebrating Odie's birthday made me feel very grateful that I'm not raising him alone. Sure, I do provide for most of his needs (ie. food, medical expenses, toys, cleaning supplies), but I'm very thankful for the help that other people are giving me. It's very rewarding for Arkei, the breeder from whom I got Odie, to tell me that I'm raising Odie well. I'm also thankful that although she was away for around a month, April takes Odie on walks when I can't, and gives his meals when I'm still asleep, and bathes him when he stinks or is dirty. She even reads the handouts from classes and shares with me what she's gathered from said handouts. She also told our nearby neighbors to keep their dogs on a leash when letting them out so that everyone can walk in our street peacefully. It's such a big help, especially for me, and for those who have been bitten (I once saw a woman walking fast, covering a wound on her arm).

I'm very grateful for getting to know such good classmates and humans in Pet Centrics. The PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) of the PCAA (Pet Centrics Alumni Association) are the pioneers of tiger parenting and healthy competition for dogs. Funny how I saw the recent handouts for Basic Obedience class and the guidelines say there's no need for fancy editing of homework videos. That may have been my fault because my sister and I are maarte like that. We also still share recipes, videos, and behavior matters with one another and I'm thankful that I'm really learning a lot from them, seeing that I'm pretty new at being a hands-on human.

I'm also so happy to have found Pendragon Animal Health Group for microchipping Odie, and for giving me assistance when Odie needed medical attention past midnight. They're also a good source for Frontline (!!!), and they have all these promos and product auctions from time to time. I hear they're now a legit animal hospital, renovations and expansion and all.

Of course, Odie and I are thankful for the gem that is Doc Marose, for giving Odie the best care and training, for answering all my questions, for alleviating my fears, and for going the extra mile. From teaching us tricks not found in the handouts, to letting Odie meet Ollie and Tramp, to letting us sit in and enjoy her training classes, among other things. Although Odie is crazy enough to show off all his tricks and make all these noises when you're discussing, thank you for not banishing us to the park :D

Although my sister no longer makes Odie's videos and no longer goes to training with us, I really appreciate how she is also trying to raise Odie by trying her hand at the new things we're learning, and by going to the drama prince beagle when she gets home (and before he starts crying). I couldn't imagine life if I were the lone absorber of the dog's craziness because it's just too much!

And to you, who visit our little corner in the world wide web, thank you for taking the time to read our entries. I sure hope people are learning from our experiences and are giving their own dogs the best possible lives they can provide. I've learned so many things and have gone through so much since we had Odie. I'm totally looking forward to more play dates, more adventures, and more good times with this baby beagle who is no longer a baby.

Eight Days to Go!

By this time next week, I would be frosting Odie's birthday cake. The recipe I got is pretty big so I'll most likely distribute to neighbors and friends. I'm not sure if I can get carob chips. Maybe I can substitute sweet potato instead. I also intend to use recipe 5 for the frosting. As for the letters, maybe mashed carrots? I think bright orange is gonna be a pretty good contrast. Hmmm... whatever I end up using, I hope the cake turns out great.

I've reposted the needs and wants entry to act as a wish list of sorts. I don't think we'd be opening lots of presents on his birthday, and some of those things are impossible to get on time (most of them are available only in the US haha). Some are impossible, period. But of course, even if I'm working towards getting a good number of those material things, his health and happiness would still be top priority.

Can't believe it's going to be his first birthday real soon! His other classmates celebrated their birthdays on the 1st of this month and did their own festivities. It's crazy! The first time I met Odie, he was a few days shy of being two months old. He was only about to turn 3 months when he first met teacher and his classmates. The goldens were so small back then, and Odie was small enough to pick up with one hand. Sigh. Time flies and I sound like a mother.

Odie's first day at home

We got Odie on a rainy September day. He was a tiny puppy that fit in a small shopping bag. I bought him a large-sized crate in anticipation of his full size, and he looked like an infant in a mansion. On the first two nights, he kept crying at the oddest hours, maybe missing his mommy and his litter mates. After all, he was still on unfamiliar ground. He also kept eating the plants (he kind of shaved an entire patch of soil), would run away from me, and would eat his meals while lying on his belly.

I started training him on his third day at home. I went on YouTube and taught him how to do "sit" and "down" just so I could feel like I knew how to train. On day four, he finally got a leash and harness (the leash and collar we bought for him turned out to be too big haha). He would lie on his belly and completely refused to move whenever his harness was on, but the moment we removed it, he ran around like normal. Weirdo!

I looked for training facilities in Manila just for fun, but then I saw that one of them was really near our house! I initially thought it would be ridiculous for me to become one of those pet parents who would send the dog to school. WELL, we all know how that turned out! I kept going back to the page and saw that there was a Puppy Class the following month. It was a time when Odie was learning to misbehave - he chewed on the plants, bit me to the point of having lots of scratches on my arms, and was causing a riot no one knew how to control. My sister and I went halfsies and went to Puppy Class for the first time ever. When Basic Obedience Class came, she became pretty busy so I took it upon myself to keep Odie in school.

3-month old Odie at the Puppy Class graduation day.
Note how small he was, and how small his treat container was!
Photo from the Pet Centrics Facebook Page

He's still a crazy boy, but I could only imagine how things would have turned out if we didn't give him and ourselves proper education. Odie has finished three courses so far and could use another couple courses, really. He went on to become a "demo dog" for other Basic Obedience students, and for a TV spot! He's not perfect, he's far from perfect, but he's definitely a better boy than most dogs, thanks to Doc Marose and Pet Centrics. Going to training has been a big part of Odie's growth, having done so since he was a little over two months old. I didn't know that even for a dog, education is the best thing that we could give. Next to food, of course.

Odie has schooled me a couple of times as well! So much has happened in the span of 10 months that Odie has lived here at home. He's eaten strange things like a cigarette butt which caused him to throw up (he was three months old then and I couldn't be more thankful that he survived), a big twig which made my sister and I panic, a dishwashing sponge which worried his yaya April, among other things. He taught me that he's a lot stronger than I think. He's also teaching me how to let go and how to get dirty. When he picks up a dead frog during a walk, I would pick his mouth with my bare hands and throw the damn frog away. This has happened thrice already and it doesn't get any less disgusting. Also, prior to knowing Odie, I never imagined myself cleaning up after a pee/poop machine. I never thought that I would be picking up puppy poop in Eastwood or High Street. Posh places? Haha, dogs do NOT care where you are. If he has to go, he has to go. If it means wiping the floor clean at a high-end mall, there's no choice but to do it.

It's also going to be Godzilla's first death anniversary on July 16. During our walks, Odie and I still visit his resting place from time to time. I also still cry over his passing. I miss him, and to some extent, I take care of Odie this way because I regret not being as educated when we had Godzilla. But then, as it says in one of the comic strips in Marshall's Law, "you always end up with the dog you're meant to be with." I hope that as he looks down from dog heaven, he's happy that I'm doing this partly for him. And the fact that the day of his death is four days after Odie's birthday, I'd like to think (oh, here goes the lump in my throat) that he has picked Odie for us, he just wasn't so sure about it yet on the day that Odie was born.

Odie Bubble Boy

A puppy's overall health could easily be seen through his coat. I know that I'm doing my job well and feeding Odie good food because when I get the chance to stroke his fur, it feels soft and smooth even without professional grooming. I used to supplement this by using Bearing shampoo which smelled like typical shampoo, but then my sister brought home a different bottle last month and told me to try it out. When I saw that it's by Human Nature, I was sold, and I'm never going back.

Human Nature has been our go-to source for natural products. It's a relatively new company by the same family behind Gawad Kalinga, a nation-building movement that has given homes and jobs to the less fortunate (which was brought up in almost every Christmas Homily by Fr. Ben when I was in college, haha). Their products are all-natural which is pretty evident in the mild scents of their products such as soaps, shampoos, deodorants, dishwashing liquid, bug sprays, etc.

Furry Kind Natural Cocomutt Shampoo is their first ever product dedicated to pet care. It was launched just this March as a collaborative effort between Human Nature and their global ambassador, Rachel Grant (yes, the Bond girl). The shampoo comes in a 500ml pump bottle, is 96.4% natural, and 100% safe.

Pre-bath happiness.
Furry Kind Natural Cocomutt Shampoo (P349.75, Human Nature)

We opened the bottle that night to take a whiff of the tangerine scent and the moment we did so, a sleepy Odie suddenly stood up, looking so excited and alert. He must have loved the smell as much as we did! I thought he was going to actually want to take a bath!

I gave the shampoo a test run at a time when Odie's nanny was on vacation. It was a hot summer day and I didn't get to buy a kiddie pool. I wanted him to try taking a swim though so I brought out the biggest basin I could find at home. I filled it up, took Odie out, then tried applying the shaping exercise we learned from our classes at Pet Centrics. He managed to get all four paws in the basin, but would exit right after receiving his treat. Darn! Gotta work on durations in water. Remind me to buy a kiddie pool!

Mid-bath. This puppy doesn't look too pleased.

When I started pumping the shampoo onto my palm, he kept jumping to reach for my hand. Maybe the orangey smell made him think it was a treat? Although he does eat everything so I couldn't be too sure. It was a bit hard for me to see the shampoo lathering up. This is usually the case with natural/organic products - lather means chemicals, I guess. It did work its way through Odie's coat after some scrubbing. While he likes to run around and away when it's rinsing time, he absolutely LOVES being scrubbed and would stay still for a good massage.

It was rinsing time so I encouraged him to get back to the basin for another swimming attempt. He went in and soaked himself in the water for a few seconds. Upon getting out, he started drinking the water which already contained a good amount of shampoo! I ditched the swimming idea and just started rinsing so we could finish the bath.

I left a message on Furry Kind's Facebook Page and got a reply later on, from none other than Rachel Grant herself! I asked if there are any signs of discomfort I should watch out for because Odie liked licking his coat and the shampoo-filled bath water. Fortunately, since it's 100% safe, I had nothing to worry about. Although of course, that doesn't give Odie the license to keep drinking the shampoo!

Post-bath exhaustion. He went in his crate and
slept like a baby right after this photo.

More than a month later, there's still quite a good amount of shampoo left. His skin now hardly has any pink spots (he had contact dermatitis when we were still using his old shampoo), his coat is very soft and even has a bit of a shine to it. Hugging Odie after a bath is something he hates but something I love. He smells so good and orangey! I want to bite him!

I hope that Furry Kind would release more products within the year. I'm a freak for natural pet products. I bake most of Odie's treats and I could go as far as making dog shampoo from scratch, but Furry Kind already does the job. Plus points for being a lot cheaper than most dog shampoos as well. Maybe they can make a soap version for those who'd prefer it. Maybe they can make treats! Or maybe other herbal treatments like in dog spas. Or other shampoo scents like lavender to calm down a very active puppy like Odie. Well, whatever they come up with, I'm sure we're going to try it out!

This post is not sponsored by Human Nature! I just really support their products and their cause. Check out their site for a list of stores and dealers that carry their brand. I know their products are also available in Rustan's, Shopwise, Robinsons, and Landmark supermarkets. We're just so lucky their flagship store is quite near our village :D

11th Month Play Date!

I have a month to prepare for Odie's birthday. Yikes.

Yesterday, Odie turned 11 months. That means he's in his last month of puppyhood and is on his way to becoming an adult dog. Come next month, all succeeding posts will refer to him as "dog" and no longer "puppy," it's crazy. I can't deal!

11-month old Odie wasn't smiling when I took photos. He just woke up from a nap.

We spent his 11th month just chilling, with the usual afternoon walk and at-home training. See, we already had a big activity the day before.

After weeks of conflicting schedules, Doc Marose and I finally introduced Odie, Ollie, and Tramp to one another! It was a pretty early morning for Odie and me. We went to the training venue at 8AM, an hour earlier than usual. We first met Tramp, a terrier mix who doesn't tolerate boisterous behavior. He has a tendency to get mad when meeting other dogs that are leashed so I had to take Odie's leash out before taking Tramp in. I was a bit nervous about how he would deal with Odie because HELLO, my little boy is hardly ever relaxed, he could very well qualify as teacher's rowdiest student!

True enough, after the obligatory butt-sniffing, Odie started to go all over his new friend. Well, at least he tried to. Tramp completely flipped out and it surprised Odie, he started running away real fast! It's Odie's first time to receive an intense correction from another dog. Usually, when his classmates are starting to get mad, the humans would intervene and take them apart. Doc said such interaction was beneficial for Odie. He's the only child in our home which might have made him very confident. Too confident that he would keep interacting with other dogs very excitedly which we all know is a faux pas.

It's unfortunate that I wasn't able to take photos of and with Tramp. I kept a close eye on Odie the entire time, observing his responses and worrying that further interaction would scare him. He learned to adjust after a while and maintained a certain distance when asked to take treats near Tramp. The two obviously didn't get to play.

Tramp went home and we did recall exercises in the court while waiting. Tramp was replaced by Ollie the lab. From a strict and reactive terrier, I was so shocked to see a super friendly, super tolerant lab. Odie must have felt so relieved to meet someone he could push around.

Ollie, Odie, and Doc Marose

Ollie came in panting heavily and sitting in front of me, waiting for treats. He's a really big dog who wouldn't lose weight in spite of all the daily walks. I was quite surprised and impressed that some of Ollie's verbal cues are in Filipino! I heard Doc saying "pasok" which was a cue to go through an open gate. Not so sure if I heard "inom" when we gave a water break, and I've seen his video doing "ikot" which is to turn. Odie only knows English (I mean, I didn't think of using Filipino verbal cues) and for some reason, I only talk to Odie in English. Maybe for succeeding cues, I should use Filipino. Or maybe Japanese! That would be so cute! "Odie-san, mizu o nomimasu! Hai! Yo shi Yo shi!" Okay I'm having fun.

Sadly, I was able to take only one photo and it's not even decent. Odie's friendliness was on overdrive, he kept on giving celebratory humps to Ollie so we had to keep breaking the two apart. Ollie didn't seem to mind being humped by a very rambunctious puppy. Odie was literally humping in all directions! He kept on going for Ollie's back, his side, his other side, there was even a time Odie humped with his tail on Ollie's face (yes, face. I was going to use "head" but I know it would take things way out of context HAHA). The two of them kept playing with each other while taking treats from the humans. Needless to say, they had a grand time.

When the boys got tired, we called it a session and started packing up. Actually, Ollie was the only one who showed he was tired, Doc had to calm Odie down because he was having the crazies. We agreed that there will be a next time so that Tramp could get used to Odie and for the three dogs to establish a good relationship. I can't wait for the succeeding play dates! It sure was a great way to spend Odie's 11th month a day ahead. Yesterday we kept it simple - our daily walk, play time, cuddle time, and some food adventures that I'll save for another entry.

Happy 11th month, Odie the Beagle Boy! You keep growing and growing but you're still my baby!

One Month Later...

We haven't blogged in a month!!! See, the past few weeks have been really busy for me since I had to spend early mornings til late nights attending to Odie's needs. I'm just happy that April is finally back from vacation so I'm not the only one doing the feeding, bathing, playing, walking, and training. I've also become more thankful that work for that entire month was home-based. Imagine if I still worked in Makati! I would have brought him in the office or checked him in a boarding facility and even then I'd keep worrying. Imagine as well if/when we move to a different country with zero house help. Well, at least I was given a sneak peek into that kind of life. And I guess it was good that we were left to our own devices for a while - it was an opportunity to grow.

Over the past month, Odie turned 10 months old! In five days, he'll be eleven, then it's his first birthday in July!!! I can't believe it!

10-month old Odie, photo taken at Pet Centrics

I vow to spend the 12th of June until the 11th of July making plans and preparations for the birthday boy. I've actually started some research on baking a cake for dogs. Let's see how that turns out. I'm also going to formulate a wish list (well, there's already one here, I'll just organize it) for posting on Facebook to see who among the family, friends, and godparents would be nice enough to gift. Yes, I'm excited.

We spent the past month sitting in at Pet Centrics' Basic Obedience class for beginners. I originally envisioned it as having us do just a bit of the exercises and mostly helping out the other students. When we went there the first time, Odie ended up doing the exercises along with the others so I thought we couldn't do our part efficiently if I kept bringing Odie because how could that be of help? I should have enrolled as well! Turns out, Doc Marose wanted Odie to be there and be demo dog. Guess they didn't need ME! Haha, I kid. But yeah, we had fun, and Doc taught us a new trick!

Odie Learns to Fly from Pauline Gaerlan on Vimeo.

I've already attached the "fly" cue so that's what we're practicing now. I first saw this trick when I watched Legally Blonde: The Musical so when we were presented with the opportunity to learn it, I spent no idle time! In the show though, the actors were chihuahuas and mini pinschers so that would have been a lot easier to work with. It's quite difficult to have 20+ lbs of dog flying towards me, expecting to be caught. It's a really enjoyable trick nonetheless. So enjoyable, that during discussions at the class in which we were sit-ins, Odie would suddenly hop towards my lap, get off, then hop on again, while waiting for the humans to finish talking. Just like before, the puppy made sure that each session we attended would have an "Odie Moment," in which he would do something to stop the discussion and get everyone's attention, milking his audience for laughs. Sigh. Drama King!

The other students in the Basic Obedience class were actually quite good! Some exercises went really smoothly, some sessions ended earlier than expected. The only down side was that play time only happened after graduation, and the setup was very controlled. Apart from having varying sizes of dogs, some of them lacked socialization during puppyhood so it was a bit difficult to introduce the dogs and see who might be good friends. The advantage of our class is that 3 out of the 5 dogs were classmates since puppy class, and 3 are littermates so we had play sessions early on. Bernard also quickly caught on and became good friends with Odie (at least I'd like to think they're good friends, haha). What I liked about the other Basic Obedience class though is that the parents were very focused on getting their dogs to follow verbal cues in class, and they had really good equipment. I guess that's why they weren't too keen on submitting homework videos :D They still got prizes for being very good in class, and Odie also got treats for being very active as a sit-in.

Petz Woofery Peanut Butter treats!
For inquiries, contact 932-3078, 0915-8795253,
or email petzwoofery@gmail.com

The Puppy Class is currently ongoing and sadly, we can't sit in. Odie is quite the bully when there are new puppies around. His confidence might be a bit too intimidating to the babies. The past few Saturdays have been pretty boring as we're limited to taking walks outside and occasional home training. 

Odie during one of the recall drills we did at home.
I love how he looks so fierce here, flapping ears and all.

I'm really looking forward to the advanced course or informal training we might take with Boo, Bon, Brix, Buzz, and Bernard. I hope that happens! If not, I hope we could also sit in at the Basic Obedience class in July! Enrollment has just opened and since the turnout of Puppy Class is pretty good, I'm positive that the turnout for Basic Obedience would be even better!

Catch Up!

I haven't blogged in more than a week! I've been doing quite a lot of work for sustenance, and I've been a lot more hands-on (yes, it's possible) with Odie because our house help is on vacation for the election period and we're left with house help that I don't trust. I'm lucky to have made time tonight because Odie has already gone potty for the night so he went to bed early and I have time to write. Finally!

For more than a week now, I've managed to wake up before 7AM everyday to give Odie his breakfast, make him go potty, clean his area and sneak in some play time. It's pretty tiring! So far I've also given him some baths, cleaned his ears, and did the cooking/baking days. It's fun to bathe Odie because in spite of his VERY crazy disposition during baths, there's a sense of accomplishment in finally finishing after what seems like a lifetime of soaping and scrubbing and having him try to swim.

I still bring him to Pet Centrics on weekends in spite of having graduated more than a month ago. Doc allowed us to sit in, do a couple of demos, and help the current students in her Basic Obedience (Beginners) class. We're not required to attend every Saturday, but we've done so for the most part because I really want to tire him out like that at least once a week. It also gives Odie and I something to look forward to every weekend. It's just a bit sad that the current class isn't as competitive as our class was in terms of video submissions. I guess they have the funds to spend on Kong toys. HAHAHA! Their homework is also really easy! If I didn't put the tripod back in the attic, we'd be doing their homework on top of going to their classes! But seriously, I hope they take the time to train everyday even without the videos. I also hope that the Puppy Class this June happens!

The other night, Odie swallowed another foreign object and gave my sister and I the best time to panic! We saw him approach one of the plants in the front yard and he suddenly started coughing and had a hard time swallowing! It must have been a big twig. He was gagging and there was a weird sound whenever he swallowed, so we tried giving him cotton balls cut into little pieces for him to ingest. I read online that cotton helps envelope a swallowed foreign object so that it would easily pass through the digestive system. We were shocked when he regurgitated the cotton and a piece of peanut butter treat, so we decided it was time to call for help. I thought he was choking! It was midnight then so I was a bit hesitant to call Doc Marose. I would usually just SMS her when something comes up but it looked like Odie needed immediate help so I called her and didn't get an answer. Turns out, it was one of the rare occasions when people drift from routine and turn in early. Next, I called Pendragon Veterinary Clinic as I know they're open 24/7. Doc Thea was the one who answered which gave me a bit of relief as she's the one who microchipped Odie. She gave me the option to observe Odie myself or to rush to their clinic for an x-ray. I discussed the matter with my sister and while we were doing so, Odie ate the cotton, drank lots of water, and even stole and swallowed a treat! We then called it a night as he seemed fine. 30 hours later, a big twig wrapped in cotton made a graceful exit when Odie went potty. Huge sigh of relief.

Gotta admit, I'm pretty exhausted doing all the puppy duties, but Odie seems to be very appreciative of everything I do so it's worth it. It's just unsettling that the house help isn't reliable so it's really hard for me to leave the house while April is on vacation. Last week, I had work from noon til midnight and the whole family also had their own thing. I was so worried that Odie would be fed strange things so I asked Doc if there's any boarding service where I can leave Odie and pick him up at midnight. Most boarding services tell you to pick up the puppy the following day so it was a bit of an absurd need, but I don't think Odie is ready for a sleepover at some dog hotel. I hope someone provides that service soon enough for moms who have work til late.

Oh, and as promised (I think), the TV feature on positive dog training aired on TV5 some weeks ago. I'm embedding the video from Doc Marose because it looks better. Just look at Odie, Buzz, and Doc doing their thing, being awesome and all.