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.

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.

Back to School!

We had our orientation on Saturday for Odie's next class at Pet Centrics, Basic Obedience - Intermediate. Basic Obedience graduates usually continue formal training through private lessons. This time around, however, Doc Marose asked us if we wanted to continue as a group so we could all still train together, which of course, I couldn't say no to. Like I mentioned in a previous entry, part of the reason I look forward to going to class is the chance for Odie to have real play time with other puppies (and dog, in Bernard's case), off leash, in a big space, and with supervision. It's the perfect set up for a paranoid human!

Over the break, Doc gave us a list of things to work on, and told us to take videos so she can more or less track our progress. As a human who loves rewards as much as the next dog, I made a video to show off how Odie has NOT mastered the sit-down-sit-stand-down-stand sequence, to get a discount on the class rate, and most of all, for some treats. Treats for Odie is always a welcome thing.

Here's what we got, and I know, we still need lots of work!

Back to Square One

It's officially our sem break after completing Basic Obedience class and moving on to Intermediate Obedience. I didn't set any alarms, but still woke up at 7:30am on a Saturday morning (I think my body has gotten used to it). I told Doc Marose on Friday night that Odie and I are willing volunteers if the Puppy Class still needed puppies. She said we could go if we're not busy, and I obviously wasn't, so off we went to the next village!

We got there and saw Royce, the chocolate lab, his handler, and Doc Marose. I really wanted to play with him and Tala, but after waiting a while, Tala didn't arrive so teacher introduced Odie to Royce for some play time. Royce is bigger than Odie even at only 4 months old (Odie is turning 7 months on Tuesday!) so I expected that the two puppies would hit it off pretty well compared to Odie's batchmate goldens who are a lot bigger than he is.

NOPE!

After sniffing each other, Odie did a play bow and started chasing Royce all around! There was even a time I saw Odie run under Royce, who was all new to this puppy play time thing, which prompted teacher to break the two apart and just begin an informal discussion. Oh no, we have a bully! Or maybe he was just encouraging the new puppy to play but he was still a bit nervous about it.

Doc discussed cradling and had Royce's human cradle his own puppy. Royce was very good! The moment he was cradled, he just lay there as if the human was a sofa! I cradled Odie and he didn't take it very well. He kept fidgeting and trying to get away from me like it was his first time to be cradled! Doc helped me like we were the newbies and I kept trying again. I usually cradle Odie at home but we only successfully do it when he's tired or about to sleep. Sigh. Gotta keep working on it still, especially now that going to the vet means being checked on these things as well. When that was over, I reminded Odie about mediocrity and behavior. He just looked at me innocently.

I also got to cradle Royce (I think Doc Marose let Royce's human skip on cradling Odie for obvious reasons) and he turned me into a sofa as well! I'm sure his groomer and vet are more than happy to handle him. It was a relief from all of Odie's energy, it felt so... zen. The only thing missing was green tea. I was half expecting it to fall from the sky. For a labrador retriever, Royce is a very chill puppy. He even sleeps when it's not his turn to do stuff! His outlook in life must be amazing.

Odie and I were able to do a good demo of collar tugging and name recognition (I'm hoping my pep talk helped). Royce got the hang of responding to his name really well! After that, Doc entertained questions and wrapped up the session.

We still had a bit of time to spare, so Doc gladly gave Odie a review of the things we learned at Basic Obedience. We did sit/down/stand and a few times of recall. Odie still needs to work on his stand because he still can't stand with just a verbal cue. I discovered that he can already turn with just the verbal cue though. Priorities. Oops! As for recall, he really gets all worked up when I run which is always a good thing. He also tends to bark when I'm running and he gets left behind, so I have to wait for that brief pause to tell him to come and he zoooooms towards me like he hasn't seen me in ages!

I also talked to teacher for a bit of consultation. I've observed that Odie gives a gentle tail wag when teacher is the one telling him to do sits and downs, but there's absolutely no tail wagging with me. I was worried that Odie might be a bit afraid of me, or maybe too focused with the things he's expected to do. I totally feel the tiger mom vibe when I notice that and I hope I can change it. Teacher told me that it helps to keep talking to Odie with a happy tone to keep the environment positive and encouraging. She also said that having dogs happily interact with her comes with experience, which I definitely don't have yet. Do the two of them have better rapport? I don't know. I guess I just have to keep working on establishing a happier relationship with my baby boy.

Doc also taught me to get Odie in his crate without forcing him in with just one treat. I learned that I should randomize to keep him clueless about when I'm actually closing the crate door because she has a point - it's sad that going inside the crate after an outdoor adventure means going home. I'll have to keep showering treats and telling him to go in and out of the crate even if it would take a while. Teacher also recommended her Fun With Crates class for Odie so that we have an avenue to let all his energy out. I'm still looking for a classmate or two though. While it's fun to get private lessons, I still want Odie to play with puppies as much as he can.

I hope more people would enroll their puppies in Puppy Class. It's still in danger of being dissolved, but it's not too late to turn that around just yet. The trouble with us is that we don't really see the need for puppy training and we just search online for resources on teaching the dog to sit, and that's all they know. When big problems arise and when our furniture's all broken, that's the only time we seek professional help, or try to employ what we see on a TV show that magically scares dogs into following every command. Calm-assertive? Please. Just give the puppies the early education that they need and save yourself from having to buy new pieces of furniture and new plants.

As for us, it's mega cradling time!

Back in Business

So our family got back to Manila on Tuesday at the stroke of midnight, and finally home on Wednesday morning at 2AM. Just seeing Odie breathing gave me a huge sigh of relief. When the gate was opened, he got restless in his crate and cried loudly when I chose to put my things down first. After getting settled, I let him out of the crate and was given the BEST welcome home gift ever!

I received a huge pounce, a few humps, and a bazillion hugs and kisses. As I mentioned in the previous entry, it's the longest time I've ever been away from Odie. The days that led up to our departure were filled with a panicking me and the horror stories I suddenly recalled. A friend's dog passed away when he went on vacation (I don't know how it happened exactly though). My uncle's dog looked stick thin and was very depressed when they took a two-week vacation, in spite of entrusting the dog to a friend (according to the one who cared for her, Windy refused all her meals and just kept moping around). So even if I was away, I kept Odie in my thoughts the entire time. I really don't know what to do without him, and he's the reason I looked forward to going home.

Day after my return, Odie and I went to Pet Centrics to catch up on the class that he missed last Saturday. I'm panicking internally because of ALL the things he has to learn, and all the videos we have to shoot. It was our first ever makeup class so I was pretty excited to go in spite of having only two hours of sleep and a slight hangover. It was just me, Odie, and Doc Marose using quite a big venue. Odie hasn't had such a big space all to himself ever! We booked a 10AM class which lasted for only an hour, but we learned quite a lot.

Doc Marose mentioned that Odie has grown (he really has, and I still can't deal with it), and asked about the present state of his allergies before proceeding with the lesson proper. Odie may have been excited to be with teacher and aimed straight for her treat container, shoving his face in it even if it was empty. We did well when we reviewed the things from last session. I also admitted to having a bit of difficulty doing impulse control on the floor and blamed it on my reflexes. Odie has stolen treats from the floor more times that I've been able to cover the treat with my hand. Doc Marose tried it out for herself a couple of times before admitting defeat. Odie is officially faster than human reflexes. Frustrating! She thought of a way to modify the exercise to suit human limitations, so now, Odie's floor impulse control (the one that lasts more than 2 seconds) is done with a treat on the floor, and another treat on my hand. I make him look at the treat on the floor without removing my hand entirely, just enough for him to take a peek. Then I deliver the other treat straight to him using my other hand. Well, that's gonna be hard to get on video.

We also reviewed transitions. Odie literally springs up when we do down-sit, which Doc Marose found quite amusing, she had to pause for a bit so she could laugh it all out. I guess Odie really is a bouncy puppy! Check out our Transitions video to know what it's all about.

While doing durations, Odie stopped for a while, tilted his head from side to side, and was looking at the gate with his tail straight up, looking very alert. A garbage truck was collecting... well... garbage. The truck had a pretty loud engine, and an equally loud horn. Worst part was the way it was there for what seemed like five entire minutes! Of course, being a beagle, the truck upstaged both humans in the court and kept looking at the truck until it left.

I'm very happy that we're doing quite well with durations in spite of Odie's breed being susceptible to distractions. We still haven't done 10-second durations successfully, but I'm confident that we'll get there. Before calling it a day, we let Odie run around freely in the court. He enjoyed it so much except he would come back to either teacher or me, perhaps wanting to get some treats. When he was off leash, teacher taught me how to be all excited so that Odie would run back to me on command. I really get to learn a lot from Doc Marose just from observing how she interacts with Odie. They seem to be very sweet to each other and I do admit to getting jealous sometimes, but I keep looking at it as an opportunity to learn how to just happily be with my puppy. I also like observing how people respond to Odie's presence - when I see him interact with people, I really see how their stress goes away through the changes in their faces. Seeing Odie making people happy is also my source of happiness.

Today, we're enjoying the day just reviewing the things from yesterday, because we have regular class again tomorrow! I'll make sure to get LOTS of homework done by tomorrow afternoon. CRUNCH TIME!

On Vacation

Our family will be going on our annual trip tomorrow until Tuesday. This usually happens this time of the year, and it's going to be the longest I'll ever be away from Odie. We have no choice but to miss class tomorrow so I've already scheduled a one-on-one makeup session to catch up on the lessons that will be discussed tomorrow.

It's been quite stressful for me, the idea of entrusting Odie to the house help. I fear that the monster helper who fed him bread and took him on walks so she could flirt with boys will go near him again in spite of the ban I imposed. I'm glad that April and Ronnie are home though so they can take care of Odie while we're gone.

I left a loooooong list of rules and reminders to the house help to keep Odie happy and healthy while we're gone. These include:

• Odie's feeding schedule
• His dose of Heartgard to be given at 10am tomorrow
• Applying Canisep to his allergies
• His daily dose of Megaderm to be mixed with his dinner
• Watching over Odie when there are other people (a new helper is set to come tomorrow) who would like to interact with him so that he doesn't get fed any other food aside from kibble and treats
• Not giving him treats when he is jumpy
• A reminder that he cannot go potty in his crate
• The contact number of Doc Marose in case (God forbid) Odie would need medical attention
• The contact number of Pendragon Veterinary Clinic if (and I hope this will NOT happen) it's a late night medical emergency

My sister (Moxie and Theo's human) brought Moxie to Bahay ni Bantay, a boarding home for dogs whose humans would be away for a while. It seems like a good facility. It's a legit house, owned by a veterinarian. I believe all you have to do is make a reservation, present the dog's medical records, provide food for the days the dog will board, apart from other personal instructions. Not sure about their rates, but there seems to be a good number of dogs checking in which is always a good sign.

We're leaving for the airport around three hours from now and I hope all goes well with my little one. My uncle's dog was left to a friend for two weeks before, and they came back to a very thin poodle because she refused all her meals. I'm confident though that Odie will still have a big appetite because he's used to the company of April. I know it's 4 days away, but I can't wait to see a very excited and bouncy baby boy when we get back!

I was telling Odie this afternoon that we will be away for a couple of days. I also told him to be a good boy while we're gone, and that I will bring him pasalubong. I don't think he likes the idea because this was what he looked like the whole time...

More homework uploads (and video shoots) as soon as we get back!

How We Welcomed 2013

I've been meaning to write about how we dealt with New Year's Eve, but I've been busy with family gatherings even after the holidays, like most Filipinos tend to be.

During our last session before Christmas break, the class spent quite a lot of time asking questions about safe and unsafe holiday food for dogs. We were also given a chance to be informed of ways to approach our dogs in preparation for the New Year festivities and the firecrackers that come with it. I kept reading and rereading Vet Reflections' guidelines days before NYE just to make sure that I am fully equipped to execute everything on the list.

I walked Odie around the village from 2-4PM. I would randomly run and let him catch up just so that he can use up lots of his energy. By 4:30, I already fed him his dinner in hopes that he would go potty early. We walked around again at 5PM and met some of the neighbors and their dogs, perhaps also wanting to tire their dogs out in preparation for the firecrackers. Odie was throwing a tantrum by the time we ended. I guess he got real tired from walking and playing with other dogs.

There were already random firecrackers going off from nearby areas at 8PM. Occasionally, there were also some blasts coming from our next-door neighbors. Odie was VERY quiet. I was preparing to move him from his wire crate to his travel crate when we heard a really loud blast! He kept pacing, tried to look for a comfortable spot, and stayed right next to me with his head buried on one side of my dress.

Scaredy Boy

I finally got him to go inside his travel crate, and moved him to the back of the garage as the sound should be a bit muffled there. Odie was very sweet and very quiet all night! He just kept pacing whenever he heard firecrackers. I just left him in his crate and hoped that he would fall asleep. When midnight was nearing, I moved him inside and put him in the kitchen to avoid inhaling lots of smoke. He still didn't fall asleep, and just stayed seated at the far end of his crate. He seemed really scared that it was difficult to not think about how he's doing, and it was very tempting to just coddle him and hug him really tight!

When the firecrackers subsided and the smoke cleared a bit, I let him out of his crate, greeted him a Happy New Year, congratulated him for having endured his first New Year's Eve, and hugged him real tight! I didn't know there would still be an occasional kwitis and when that happened a bunch of times, I felt like I had the sweetest baby boy ever! He kept on hugging me and hiding himself in my dress, and I took advantage of the situation by petting him and hugging him as much as I could. After massaging his head for a while, he began drifting off to sleep.

He must have been so sleepy :(

I told him to go inside his wire crate so he could sleep properly. The moment he got inside, he curled up and slept like a baby. He must have been so sleepy, having been awake from 2PM until around 3AM.

I hope the coming New Year's Eve celebrations would be easier on him. I'm quite thankful, actually, that the firecrackers this year weren't as many compared to the previous years. It was just crazy though that when midnight struck, I heard several households playing the Gangnam song, and around three houses weren't done with karaoke at 3AM! 

He woke up later than usual in the morning, and barked for the first time when I asked him to "say please". I had to ask for it because I was scared he would stop barking altogether. He did bounce back from his dazed state after two days though. Now, he's back to being really hyper!

Again, from the star of this blog and from the ones who make it work, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Keep your dogs happy and healthy this 2013!

BRING IT ON, SECOND SEMESTER!

Odie is officially back in school! We enrolled him in Pet Centrics' Basic Obedience class which started this morning, and I'm happy with what we've learned in just one day! We reviewed some of the things we learned in puppy class, then learned two games and a very useful skill.

I'm sure Odie loved playing the games! His face was beaming, and he was hopping from time to time. Odie and I showed the class how excited he gets when he hears his name, and Doc Marose called him to come to the front for the chasing game and the impulse control. His energy in class today was really good, and his focus was spot on! When Doc called him for impulse control, I got a bit nervous because I knew it would take a while for him to give up. And hell yeah, it took long for him to get it today! Whenever I tried doing that exercise at home, Odie would end up humping my arm, that's why I was SO THANKFUL that he didn't hump his teacher's arm. Good boy!

Right after class, we went to the Philippine Animal Lovers' Society (PALS) Christmas party because Bea, Moxie&Theo's human (yes, she ended up mothering Theo!) invited us as her plus one. Odie was very fidgety at first, and he kept on pestering humans who were eating. I just decided to give him his lunch kibble for him to feel a sense of belonging. After a while, Odie became anti-social because nature called, and because we came from class which tired us both.

We then left and went to Pendragon Veterinary Clinic to claim the treats we won, and to get veterinary advice. It was Doc Mayem's first time to meet Odie (Doc Thea was the one who implanted his microchip) and she was very accommodating! They have complete animal hospital facilities, as well as a mobile clinic that goes to various areas on different days of the week. They also have a 24/7 animal emergency response, and is working closely with the Mandaluyong Animal Shelter (MAS) by treating the dogs that they rescue. Seems legit? Well, it is. And I digress. So I asked the same questions I asked Doc Marose and she gave the same answers. I think we really need to reconsider our options with regards to Odie's health.

Apart from play time with classmates, me, Moxie, and Theo, Odie also met Nori at Pendragon today and they hit it off pretty well. They were playing really rough (I think Nori was doing me a favor by finishing off Odie's pent up energy. After a while, I noticed that there were red stains on the floor, Nori's white coat had red stains, Odie's white fur also had red stains, and his gums were really really red! Doc Mayem pointed to a little white spot on the floor, I immediately picked it up and put it in my bag.

Souvenir!

I was right! Odie's baby teeth are growing out! I suspected it this morning when we brushed his teeth and he took a bath. He bit his bath towel and there was blood, which April thought was because his toothbrush had hard bristles. During the tugging exercise in class, the tug toy that Doc Marose gave Odie was a pink and purple fleece toy, and I saw loooots of fresh blood stains mid-play. I apologized to Doc Marose and Doc Mayem for the bloodshed, and felt so embarrassed for soiling their stuff. I should have offered to wash the tug toy, but maybe Doc Marose has a special method of washing tug toys thoroughly. She also told me that we should encourage biting to make all the baby teeth fall out. Yikes!

When we got home, Odie went straight to his wire crate and was knocked out from the day's activities! I went straight to my room and was knocked out as well, except I didn't quite make it to the bed. I fell asleep on the floor, a foot away from the bed, and woke up an hour later. I checked on Odie and tried doing his homework (OH, IT'S ON!!!), but he's really too tired to get his brain working, so we'll resume tomorrow. I did however, manage to get a round of the impulse control exercise. We were able to successfully do it thrice, and ended with the chasing game.

Take it!

I love how Odie really looks so focused every time we have exercises like this one. He also looks at the treats very intently during the pull-to-stop exercise! A while ago, Bernard (a new student) was being taught that exercise, and they used hotdogs as treats. When class was over, Odie was roaming around the court, and sat right in front of a hotdog that Bernard wasn't able to take! He had this same super focused face and stance, and wouldn't budge even when I lured him with my liver treats. Took a while for us to get out of there all because of a hotdog slice :|

Right now I'm really happy that Odie has learned a lot about focus, and is generally more chill now compared to how he was prior to puppy class. Pet Centrics is proving to be a really good training center, and Doc Marose's methods work for Odie really well. I hope to take LOTS of videos for homework (THE GAME IS ON. IT'S SO ON!!!) for a chance to get a prize that I'm sure we're going to like. I guess Doc Marose's methods also work for me!

In Control

I think Odie may be teething again, this time, replacing his baby teeth with the (thankfully) less sharp permanent teeth that I've been waiting for.

A Little at a Time

I've developed this habit of going to the pet supplies/hardware/grocery stores whenever my feet would land in a mall. I know, it's bad, and I would almost always go out of the store with a purchase, which makes things worse. I think the only place where I came out empty handed was Bow&Wow in Greenbelt 5, because I'm not THAT crazy. That store is like heaven though, if only I could afford anything :)) I also went to Hobbes & Landes at Bonifacio High Street. They have great stuff! Wasn't able to look around that much though because Odie kept on sniffing. He even peed on the floor :| Maybe it was the air conditioning. They have lots of Kong Stuff'n selling for P500-700 a pack. For treats? Hmm... I'd rather bake my own for now.

So far, my favorite go-to places are Pet Express (SM North Wing, SM Cubao, and Corinthian Hills) and True Value (Shangri-la Plaza, Trinoma). I go to Pet Express mostly for the treats and to lust on everything, because they do have a wide selection. True Value, I frequent for Canine Carry Outs, and for leads and collars.

I noticed that the prices of the same leads and collars at True Value are significantly cheaper than the ones in Pet Express. I've yet to invest in a collar and lead from Hobbes & Landes because I'm maarte like that, and because Boo & Bon's human keeps mentioning those Lupines that look pretty. Ezydog is also a great brand, but I like the Lupine designs and general aesthetic more. They look sleek and discreet. Ezydog is like the Otter Box for the iPhone, rough and rugged. I also accidentally saw a QR code collar online (US$29) and OMG LUST.

I might just end up ordering stuff on Amazon and my friend's gonna get surprise packages at her place, but not for her dog! Heehee :D

So here's what I bought over the last couple of days:

Spray Away citronella pet cologne (50ml, P100, Pendragon Veterinary Clinic) I was actually planning to buy Frontline, but I didn't know what Odie's weight was so they suggested this one first as a flea and tick preventative. Moxie uses this and so far, so good. But my mom also gave us a bigger bottle of...

GIGA Pet Organics Flea Away (100ml, P125, VMall Greenhills and various locations). It's the same brand as the mosquito repellent that we use at home. It even has the same sweet smell! I'm just careful to not switch the pet cologne with our mosquito spray because I'm still human somehow.

GD Goodies treats in four flavors (P75, Pet Express). I chose this because the texture looks nice and smooth and pretty. I know, I'm so rational. Note that the green sticks are Chlorophyll! Perfect for Odie who loves to chew on leaves. Anyway, I also tried Odie's valuing system by arranging all four flavors in a line, in different orders. Whenever I gave him the signal, he just ate them from right to left. I'm doomed.

Virbac CET Enzymatic Toothpaste (P280, Pet Express). I was looking for the Virbac ear cleaning solution that Doc Marose recommended, but they didn't have it in stock, so the next best thing to get was... toothpaste. The vet there was kind enough though to suggest a homemade ear cleaner using water with 10% hydrogen peroxide. I'm still scared to personally clean Odie's ears though. Leaving it to groomers!

Forgot what brand this lead is, but I got it in True Value for around P130. I'm making this his going out lead while his old lead is used for here at home and walking in the village, because it has so many bites already. Can't wait to learn how to control this behavior in Pet Centrics' Basic Obedience Class!

I also bought fleece cloth from an online seller  for P85 a piece because I plan to sew a wire crate cover. I know, right? Arts and crafts much! But I figured it's getting cold as December approaches so I should make something to keep Odie warm and toasty at night. If Odie chews on it, I'll cry.  

My mom is going to SM North Edsa tomorrow for the Uniqlo opening, which means I could side trip to Pet Express again! Or maybe I'll settle for the supermarket to get graham crackers and parsley, because we're out of liver bits. In fairness, there are still liver bits in the freezer from the first batch that I made, and it's been over a week since I baked that.

I wish Odie were like a trust fund baby so I can spend all the money I want on his toys and treats and everything!

The Happy Camper!

Odie and I went to the National Geographic-Pedigree Doggy Day Camp on Sunday at the Bonifacio High Street Central. We went with my sister Bea and her fostered rescue dog, Theo. It was also Theo's despedida of sorts, as he already went to his permanent home today.

Preparing for Odie's farthest trip ever was stressful for me, only because I kept thinking about it. I was worried because he was so hyper and snarky during the Doggie Trick or Treat at Circulo Verde, and my sister couldn't make it to the Doggy Day Camp so it was just me and Odie in the car (the travel crate is VERY helpful) until we picked up Bea and Theo.

I originally planned on buying a doggie diaper to keep the car safe from accidents, but upon consultation with a veterinarian who sells dog supplies, I was told that they stopped selling diapers because they didn't want to fool their clients. Doggie diapers are sold for around 40 bucks a pop for the smallest size, but it's basically a regular baby diaper with a hole for the tail. So they just tell dog owners to buy a baby diaper and cut a slit where the tail should go. April got a diaper in our neighborhood sari-sari store for P12.

The trip was long so I just moved the passenger seat forward and told Bea to stay in the back seat with Theo. That way, Odie won't be left alone at the back, and he and Theo could mingle with Bea's supervision, and I could drive in peace. Everybody wins.

Join the PACK! Photo from Pedigree Philippines' Facebook page

The venue was so full when we got there! The event organizers allowed 500 online registrants, who claimed their scarf and dog tag quickly in one tent, and there was also another tent with a long line for on-site registration! I've seen the BGC Central a couple of times, and it's definitely not a place where you could fit more than 500 dogs and around a thousand humans. I could only imagine the excitement of some dogs, and the stress of others.

I saw two dogs walking off leash, even if camp rules said that all dogs should be leashed. Due to the limited space and I guess some overwhelmed dog owners, a lot of dogs and dog owners ended up fighting because the dogs could easily interact with one another. Doc Marose emphasized in class that dogs should be out of leash range to avoid unwanted interactions. However, I saw some dog owners minding their own business, not seeing that their dogs are already all over the others, which I found pretty irresponsible. Worst was at the photo booth when the owner of this black chow chow kept going too near because she wasn't even minding her dog, and the dog slobbered saliva on Odie's body! Gross! I was so frustrated, I ended up just carrying Odie.

Inside, there were NGC loot bags being distributed which lots of people lined up for (we skipped that because it was too crowded, went back in the evening and they ran out. pfft), there was also a booth selling dog accessories and offering training courses, a stage, a Pedigree photo booth, an agility course, and tents which housed The Dog Spa and Pendragon Veterinary Clinic.

Odie is chipped!

I went with Bea to Pendragon the day before, so I got to acquaint myself with their place and their vets. Their services are amazing! They assist and confine rescue dogs, do lab tests, and even respond to emergency situations. They seem very warm and they looked like they loved what they were doing, so it was easy to trust them. Their clinic is along Kalayaan Ave. in Quezon City, but they have a mobile clinic that goes to our area on Mondays. Moxie and Theo are regulars at Pendragon, and I know that Bea takes care of them well, so I took Odie to their booth to check out what they had. OH WHAT JOY! They offered a 60% discount on microchipping! I only paid P280 instead of P700, which is a great steal! I finally had Odie microchipped, which I have been thinking about for quite a while now. He was really fidgety when we were there, and cried when the needle went in. Such a baby. They're also offering a 60% discount on microchipping at their clinic for any transactions that reach P1000. Don't know until when the promo is so it's best to head over to their place!

Too much fun!

After microchipping, we decided to ditch the event and went to Cupcakes by Sonja because Jamba Juice was also filled to the brim. Odie and Theo got to know each other more while we were there. Oooh, my boy met someone who could match his energy! He and Theo hit it off pretty well. Boys will be boys, I guess. We walked around the Serendra-High Street area some more and went to different stores, and stopped from time to time to because I guess Odie is such an upstager. We were looking for a place to chill when Bea took interest in letting the dogs try the escalator. It was Theo's first time and he lay flat on the floor! Odie, on the other hand, declined the offer, even if I already put a treat on the step. Gotta try it again next time. I'm discovering Odie's fears one by one. He did pretty well on loose leash walking, but still bit his leash a couple of times.

NGC dog tag and Pedigree loot. Dog scarf was too
dirty from rough play, I had to exclude it!

We got a bit tired so I had two beers at a nearby restaurant. Odie and Theo also gave up and slept on the floor. We checked out the Day Camp again at around 7:30, and most of the booths were closed even if they said they were closing at 9pm. We just had our photo taken, and a little loot bag, and headed back to the north. Upon getting in the car, Odie rushed to his crate and slept like a baby.

We went for dinner in UP Technohub for some peace and quiet, except we didn't quite get that. There was one little boy and one little girl who said they just got a female beagle. The little boy was about six or seven years old, I guess. He kept asking me so many questions about how I train Odie, what tricks he knows, what food he eats, what treats I give him, grabe, almost everything under the sun! Their parents kept telling the kids to go back inside and let me eat the food that I ordered, that I would be paying for, and that had gone cold, but they kept going back out. Hayayayyyy... Parents told me they had their beagle for only a week, so the kids were still very excited. They also asked me where I enrolled Odie, and I'm hoping they would attend Pet Centrics as well. We finally decided to call it a night when I finally had the chance to finish my dinner. Bea baked some peanut butter and bacon treats the day before, and gave some for Odie to take home, which he loved! I'm also happy that Theo loved the liver bits I made.

Peanut butter and bacon treats from Moxie's Kitchen!

I'm sure Odie was knocked out from the day's activities, as he slept in his crate the entire way home, and even refused to move from his travel crate to his wire crate when we got home! I carried him to his wire crate and said good night. The next day, he felt like doing absolutely nothing! We both slept all day. Whenever I opened the door of his crate, he would just stretch and find a way to go out while lying on his side. I've never seen such a lazy dog HAHA! I hope he had a fun day though. I would love to take Odie out more often, and let him meet my friends!

Wormies and Fears

Odie's vet gave three pills last week and told us to mix it with kibble for three dinners. I pounded the pills til they were powdered, put peanut butter, then mixed it with his kibble. In fairness, he happily finished his dinner each time. Success!

He had the zoomies at 3am last night and went potty in his crate twice at that time. My sister got so frustrated, she called me for help just when I was finally falling asleep. She should imagine the shit I have to go through whenever I make Odie go potty!!! Argh! Anyway, I guess the pills have already caused a revolution in Odie's tummy. This morning, he threw up after breakfast, and there was pink stuff when he went potty. Gross! I'm hoping that's the last of it. I have only one pet, and he shouldn't have pets of his own.

I don't know why it took a while for Odie to finish his food tonight, though. Maybe he got used to getting kibble mixed with peanut butter for dinner? SPOILED BOY! I noticed he wasn't eating anymore and there was still a quarter of a serving on his dish. Mini heart attack because he's really matakaw, so I tossed a piece of baked liver which looked like his kibble. He wasn't fooled! He only ate the liver and still left the kibble. So we played some games to make meal time interesting, and I successfully made him finish his food. Whew! I felt like an adult feeding veggies to a child using airplane sound effects!

He went potty outside of his crate (during/after which I showered him with praise and gave jackpot treats), we played for a bit, then I tucked him in bed. I discovered something very peculiar about his behavior though. See, I turned on a flashlight and pointed it toward the wall so it wasn't directly at him. When I did that, Odie stood up and kept walking around his crate, then stayed at the farthest end from where the light was pointed at. He was just looking at the wall, and seemed to have compressed himself at the far end. He was scared of his shadow!!! It's the first time I've ever seen the little boy showing signs of fear, and it's because of his own shadow?

Scaredy Dog?

He was also awfully quiet which doesn't happen a lot. I tried to prove that that was it by turning the flashlight off. He was back to normal with the light off, but when I turned it back on and he saw his shadow again, he immediately got up and walked around and stayed again at the far end of his crate. For a dog who I thought feared nothing, it came as a shock that he showed fear for the first time. I mean, he humps bigger dogs and chases butterflies and birds that pass by, so I don't know how he became afraid of a shadow. I've yet to think of something to help him overcome it. Suggestions? :)

As for me, I was about to train him for a bit before sleepy time, so I brought out his baked liver treats and sliced up a piece of Canine Carry Outs. I also hoped to test which he would prefer between the two treats. However, the moment I started doing such, I saw a big cockroach walking in the area, and it started to flap its wings!!! It was my turn to experience fear!!! So I quickly gave Odie both treats and said good night. He looked at me weirdly and I just ran for help :D

It Takes a Village...

Disclaimer: this might end up being a rant.

When we had a family meeting after Godzilla passed on, we talked about what we did wrong in raising him, so that we could make improvements upon getting a new puppy. 

What are the "improvements" so far?

Odie's First Full Day Out

...which is also his first blog entry! The videos from past trainings and homework are still being edited by Idea Orchard Media, and I'm still working on the blog entries to accompany the homework photos and videos. We have a truckload of photos and videos of Odie, but a lot of them are just fun tricks that were not taught in school. So yeah, a lot of stuff to finish before he graduates from Puppy Foundations Class at Pet Centrics! Reminds me of finals week back in college, or maybe thesis documentation.

And major digression right there. My train of thought shows that I have become a Beagle myself.

So we went to Circulo Verde on Sunday, October 28, to participate in their Doggie Trick or Treat. It was a free event with lots of food for dogs and humans, and a parade of sorts for dog fashionistas to strut their stuff, and for dog owners to try making their dogs wear clothes.