Trinity Feast Day @ Church

Dear All

Today (Sun, 30 May) is our Church's Feast Day of the Holy Trinity. Bert and I went down with Jo to borrow the 2 games from her friend on Vesak Day (Fri) morning. We waited 1h (in the car but under the sun) for her friend. Since it's free of charge and for a good cause (fund-raising for the church) we didn't complain but took it in our stride.

So this morning, Bert woke up at 6am to bring the game equipment to church and helped set up the games stall with the PRE people.

We all went down to church at 9.30am as Feli is performing in the choir. I had called Steven about Snowy and he was true to his word...he would accept Snowy back. I called him this morning just before Feli's performance at 10am and he told me to send Snowy back to him at 11:30am.

We thought to leave the girls in church while we send Snowy back, but Tiff says she hasn't taken pictures with Snowy yet. So we took lots of shots and video of her with Snowy, and 2 shots of Snowy with me. He seem to know he's not going 'kai-kai' when we asked him to enter the carrier cage and growled at us, refusing to enter. We had to trick him by putting his fav can food inside his carrier. At first he refused to enter, then he went in but stuck his butt out! So smart! We had to push his butt and hind legs in and quickly closed the cage door (our door is not the hinge type but the kind when you have to slot it into the 2 holes at the top and 2 holes at the bottom.)

When we reached Steve's place and brought Snowy in, he looked dejected when out the cage. I explained to Steve the medication he had to take and which ones to complete and which ones to be placed in the fridge. We gave Snowy his new dog dish, muzzle, all the vet's medi, a can of his fav food and dry dog food, his treats and chewable hide (to clean his teeth). Tiff gave him a last pat. He peed and did some on his carrier cage. We took back our cage. We also gave the fence barrier to Steve for the next adopted fam to use, so that they have lock-stock-and-barrel to help Snowy settle in as quickly as possible.

Steve was pleasantly surprised actually that we were doing so much to try to make the adoption work as he admitted that Snowy is one very difficult dog who also bit him in the past when he rescued it from being tied to the tree. However, he has a way with dogs, having brought up and lived with them since he was a little boy, whereas we had never taken care of dogs before except when I was little and my mother had been taking care of dogs before. Before we left, I told Steven this dog now has a name, and he is Snowy.

We returned to the fun fair. Feli thankfully couldn't come along as last minute, her choir had a 2nd performance request at 12:30pm plus the children were given ice-cream treats and churros each! I was so afraid she will cry when we leave the dog with Steve. We bought lunch from the fair and returned home after the fair ended at 1:30pm

It was an extremely turbulent 10 days with Snowy. A lot of things happened during those 10 days. I think the girls, at least the older one, had a better understanding of what it really means to own and take care of a dog. It's not all play. It can be difficult if the dog doesn't cooperate whether he is sick or not, like not wanting to enter the carrier.

We had a good sleep in the afternoon.

Tiffy misses Snowy. Feli seems OK. Bert is relieved as he's actually afraid of dogs, having been chased and bitten twice in the past. For me, I am really relieved. I had spent so much time and mental agony and sweat (literally) to outwit Snowy in everything, from feeding him tablets and liquid medicine, to coaxing him to eat (for 4 days he flat refused to eat!), then getting the cone collar on him whenever we need to take it off. At the end, I was surprised he jumped on my knees when I sat on the sofa today for the last time, for me to carry him onto my lap to love and pat him. I admired his growing fur and healthy skin and the little extra meat he had put on! He's such intelligent and inquisitive eyes but it's a pity he's such a stubborn and strong-willed dog. He's a toughfy, a fighter. It's a real pity he didn't cooperate with us. We wish him all the best in finding the right owner who can handle him much better than us.

If you ask me if I miss Snowy, the answer is yes, I do somewhat. When I look at the space where he used to occupy, I wonder what is he doing now. However, the sense of relieve is even stronger. At least I know he's in better hands.

Love Theresa

Snowy's New Problem

Dear All

Since Snowy was bitten by another small dog on Friday afternoon's walk, he also has wet ears. I tried to dry it using the cotton wool, but he didn't like it after 2 daps. Now he wants to bite me if I touch his ear!!

He snapped at me twice and bit me on my fingers twice. I am really mad with him for snapping at me without any good reason that I lost my cool and shouted at him twice today for the 2 times he had snapped at me. He was angry with me and laid down with his back towards me. Normally when a dog is scolded for doing anything wrong, he will go to you and lick your hand to say he is sorry. Not so for Snowy. He expects you to pacify him. I did so the first time, but I wouldn't do so tonight (Sat night).

Bert and I had gone to the petshop to get him a muzzle so that he won't bite us when we put medication/cleaning solution from the vet into his ear. We had to get the cone collar off first before we could put on the muzzle. As I was angry with Snowy for snapping at me just for approaching him, I left it to Bert and Tiff to handle him. They struggled with getting the cone collar off him and then to get the muzzle on him. They managed to get the muzzle on and then Snowy managed to get it off. They got it on the second time and Tiff held him while I tried to approach him with the bottle. He growled at me. I continued to try to approach him and he jerked his head so violently backwards that his head hit Tiff very hard on her left cheek/chin.

We don't know for sure if his ear has an infection or it is just ear wax. If it's infection, we don't mind paying the vet to treat him. However if it is just ear wax, I can't imagine how we are going to put cleaning solution into his ears every other day when we can't even get a single drop in these past 2 days!!

I really give up! I don't think I can care for this dog. I am so afraid he'll get ear infection or skin infection (after the cone collar is off) and it'll be so bad he may be put to sleep. As it is, no one else in the family knows how to put the cone collar back on him and have to rely on me for this task. And it is not easy to put it on this dog! It is easy for everyone to say but doing it is an entirely different problem. Bert told me no one is saying it is easy to do what I am doing. I told Bert I really am at my wits end to do things to help this dog but I am already bitten 3x and snapped by at least 4x just over 9 days! If the dog is not traumatised, I am now traumatized by him. From loving him, I am beginning to feel like staying away from him.

We figured out this dog's temperament is rather short and hot tempered. He's quite proud too and not afraid of the dog which bit him...still growls at him, ready to fight. Guess he is truly a chilli-padi...small but hot! He still barks and growls at people - man, women, children, and other dogs too.

We had a family meeting to discuss Snowy. Tiff was half hearted about giving up Snowy. She asked if we could get a different dog. Feli cried as she wanted a pet dog. But she's afraid of being bitten by Snowy. I told her I am afraid of being bitten by Snowy and so do the rest of the family members, but who is the one getting all the bites? Not her for sure!

I told her taking care of an animal is a responsibility. She wants to go for her best friends birthday party. It lasts from 3 - 8pm, and may end later. I told her Snowy eats between 6.30 to 7.20pm. We need to leave the party at 6pm to get home in time to feed and walk him. Like tonight, we came home late at almost 8pm and Snowy was famish. He ate his dinner in 2min 22sec flat! Then he whined to go do his business, so off we all went to walk him and run with him. He later on mistook Feli as a stranger at the playground and growled at her when she came skipping back to us, that she stopped and remarked why he growled at her and then decided to better go back to play at the playground!

Taking care of a dog or any animal is a great responsibility. We have to readjust our schedule around the dog's eating and walking time (usually 9 - 10am and 7+pm). Just when I thought he was on the road to full recovery, we now have to attend to his ear problem. If it is just earwax, I don't think I can clean it every 2 - 3 days! It's just too stressful for both him and me!

Though Snowy has grown a fuller coat and his raw legs and patches are mostly healed with fur growing on them (like baby fur) and his tail is now covered with fur with it's bald tips sprouting baby fur, I think it's best for Snowy to be with another adopted family as I don't think I am capable to always think of new ways to attend to his multi psychological or physical issues. The feeling is like taking home your very 1st new born from hospital. At the hospital, the nurses make it seem so easy to care for your baby. But when you bring it home, there's no one to help you solve the daily problems that crop up with your new born, plus you are so inexperienced. No guide, no one to help and you just don't know what to do. And the baby (and the dog) can't tell you where they hurt or what they want. But at least, the baby doesn't bite you :)

Love Theresa

On the way to Recovery - Our little Snowy

Dear All

We have at last made a true breakthrough with our little Snowy! From advice from our dog-lover friends and the rescuer (who called me on Tue concerned about how we are taking to the dog) we have reduced our can food to 1 large tablespoon plus his usual dry dog food. I think the dry food reduces Snowy urge to go to the toilet. He did so 3 x on Tue. But after we reduced his intake of can food to just 1 - 2 tablespoons, he needs to go for his walks 2x. You should see his urgency on Tue! Early in the morning, he was whining to go. Then when I came back with Tiff from school at 3.30pm, he was whining and going in circles and almost pee on my door! We quickly took him downstairs to do his business.

Now we have more or less established a routine for him quite similar to his rescuer's.

Snowy's quite a smart dog. He can eat his food and leave out his itchy tablet! So I now pinch a lump of can food and wrap the meat around his tiny tablet and place it on my flat palm for him to eat just before he has his dinner. We then squirt his liquid antibotics on his can food and then mix his dry food very thoroughly with the can food so that every piece of dry food is covered with can food. He would eat EVERYTHING off his dish now!

With his 2x daily medicine of itchy tablet and antibotics plus his daily jojoba oil massage and daily grooming of his coat and occasional rash powder, I am proud to say his coat is growing back little by little. He still wears his cone collar otherwise he will bite his itchy parts like his tail and 2 hind paws.

Today, we gave him his first bath since seeing the vet. The vet said our daily bath with hairdrying make his skin too dry. We have now changed to the vet's shampoo (with steroids) and are supposed to bathe him once to at most 2x at week and only towel dry...no hairdryer allowed.

The lysine stain (which is yellow in colour) on his ears and around his mouth and now gone with his bath. He now lives up to his name of Snowy again! We discovered that his 4 legs fur may have tinges of dark fur rather than white. He is starting to have some baby fur growing on the tips of his formally bare tail. We can now see a glimpse of what a handsome dog he used to be. He has a bushy tail in the past and some appearance of it is slowly coming back. His tuft of curly fur on his head shows that he may have some poodle blood in him. We strongly suspect he could be a mix between a poodle and a maltese. He still is a chilli-padi....small (5.9kg) and fierce, taking on bigger dogs and humans alike!

He hardly drinks water, so we resort to having him run along the carpark or grass patches with us during his walks, especially in the evening when there's lesser people and the air is cooler. We don't think he's a young dog nor is he an old dog. He loves the run and is very curious, but tires easily.

At home, when he hears noises downstairs, he would stand and try to peek over the window. So I carry him up so that he could see the workman clearing the dustbins and recycle bins. Yes, he is THAT kaypoh!!

When we return home, he would wag his tail and stand up and lick our hands from his enclosure. We have temporarily ceased letting him out in the hall since his coat is covered with jojoba oil...when he lies down, he leaves lots of oil patches on the floor. The rescuer recommends we restrict his movement to his enclosure otherwise it'll be lots of work for us. He also recommends only 2 daily walks otherwise we can't do anything else!

So far, Snowy and us have fallen more or less into a routine. I guess we are now more relaxed in handling Snowy now that he is eating well and taking his medicine regularly. The pride comes when we see Snowy improving physically...he's less skinny (in fact he's getting a little tummy now!) and his fur seems to be growing too!!

He's such a delightful dog. He poos outside the house, doesn't bark and goes to sleep by himself in the dark. Don't know why the previous owner abandon him. Well, his lost is our gain.

Love Theresa

Breakthrough - I hope - with Snowy

Dear All

I feel so stressed out...Snowy is not eating and hence not taking his medicines. It's so frustrating! Makes me wonder what I had gotten myself into...taking care of a physically abused dog who obviously has psycho issues too!

Feli and I walked Snowy this morning. We met 3 dog lovers. One of them (named El) who stay just 1 floor below us, was so sweet...she gave us some rash powder from her army son for Snowy. Another lady who is visiting her relative was leaving today (24 May, Mon) but so happened volunteers at the HongKong dog rescue. She told me to write in to their CEO Sally for questions on how to feed our dog medicine. Our new friend El told me she feeds her dog liquid medicine by putting the syringe between its teeth and cheek. They all agreed though that since Snowy was so cruelly abused, we need to be very very patient with him.

Last night, I prayed with Feli that Snowy would start to eat and take his medicine.

This morning, Bert fed Snowy banana with dry dog food hidden inside plus his itchy pill. He ate it up. Bert put it on his dish, but he picked it up and placed it on the floor to eat. At least it's an improvement. Last time he flat refused to touch food placed on the dish.

The breakthrough was at 5pm today. I noticed Snowy licking his lips. It wasn't time for his dinner yet, but I tried putting some dry food pellet into his dish. He wasn't interested. So I tried putting them on my palm and offered him. Snowy ate it up!! I then placed some on his dish again. This time he ate it from the dish!

Bert suggested trying can food. He had been reading up alot about dogs and some recommended trying can food. So we quickly walked down to the nearest supermarket to get it. We bought Pedigree Beef (700g) and Caesar Lamb (50g).

Later at 7+pm Bert gave Snowy 2 spoons of Beef with the itchy pill on the dish. Snowy licked everything up till the dish was squeaky clean! We quickly scooped in till 1/4 of the can, mixed in the 2ml antibotics and balance of the dry food and mixed it up coarsely and guess what? Snowy ate EVERYTHING off the dish!! What a breakthrough! He ate food, his medicine was taken, and it was taken from his dish!! I said a thank you prayer tonight with Feli for His quick answer to our prayers. At least Snowy can get his skin condition healed faster and have less itch.

We have to take each day at a time. Taking care of a dog is like having another baby all over again. We have lesser freedom as we need to work our schedule around Snowy now. He needs his meals, his walks, his playtime and pet hugs everyday! We need to make quite a bit of adjustment to accommodate him. Not sure if we made the right decision to adopt him. Feli told me not to always look on the negative side. The positive was at least now I've befriended 3 people whereas in the past, we don't know anyone in this new neighbourhood. Bless her little soul, she is right. Bert too told me pets are not all just give from our part. They are also great stress-relievers and good for human's well being. At the moment I have mental stress rather than mental relief.

Love Theresa

3rd Day with Snowy

Dear All

We got Snowy on Thurs, 20 May 10. His skin has patches of exposed skin and he started to scratch his ears and bit his raw hind paws especially after his walks in the garden downstairs.

I feel so bad...I had called the rescuer twice, once on Thur and another on Fri. On Fri, the rescuer's ad friend called to check on how the dog was taking to my hubby. So far, Snowy likes all of us and vice versa. I made an appointment with the vet this afternoon at 3pm. Diagnosis - cell test of dry skin - good news, no mites. Most likely no homonal issue was the rescuer says his coat has grown. It seems I have been bathing him too often (once a day)....so only at most twice a week and no hair drying his fur. (But boy, does this dog sting!).

Snowy got a sterioa jab. He was injected on his back. He almost snapped at the vet and pulled his tummy downwards away from the needle. The needle came out, so I had to hold up his tummy for the vet to jab again.

The medication included 2 liquids and 1 tablet..you tell me, how am I to get these into the dog when he has teeth!! Bert and I had to do this together. I grabbed the dog (mind you, he is wearing a collar to prevent him from gnawing his raw legs and scratching himself) and forced his teeth open while Bert dropped the pill into his mouth. He spat it out thrice!! We gave up and tried squeezing the syrings into his mouth. Most of the antibiotics and lysine (to improve his appetite..he has not eaten till this evening) landed on my hands and on me. I got nicked by Snowy twice today....once at the vet on my right cheek, for accidentally touching him on his injection spot...luckily he was wearing the collar and the collar saved me! The other was when he nicked my left hand when he shook himself free from the spyrings of medicine. We are supposed to feed him twice a day!! Don't know how to do this with all that teeth!!

We followed the nurse advice on the tablet since the vet's advice of putting it right inside his throat and massaging his throat was like a suicide request to get your fingers bitten off!! We crushed the tablet and stuck it to honey and traced in onto his lips. He licked it off. That give me an idea....perhaps I should try mixing the 2 liquid medicine with honey and traced it on his lips too. Hopefully it'll work however I have 2 - 3 ml of liquid to get into his tummy twice a day!! Snowy's gona be a fat dog soon!!! Boy, never realised how tough it is to care for a sick dog!

Love Theresa

Our New member of the Family - 20 May 2010

Dear All

It was nerve-wrecking last night. We 3 girls were anxious about our new member of the family. We were going to meet him this morning. We don't know how he will be like nor will we like him, or even if he'll like us?

Who are we talking about, you may ask...it's someone the girls had been hankering for some years back, but I didn't want it then....the kids were too small, no else can help me. It's something that I had when I was just a little 10 year old like them now. It's a doggie!

As you know, we like in an apartment, so small dogs are best. However, toy dogs are so ridiculously priced! So the next best thing (other than begging friends) was to look to SPCA.

I saw the ad and the pix of Moodle (a mixed breed poodle). He's an abused dog who mistrust humans and fierce to man and animal alike, however, we were told he doesn't bite.

The lady called me, checked my background and arranged for me to view the dog. I had missed 2 opportunities before (1 a 4 yr 10 mth mini schnauzer - someone had already arranged a viewing and obviously adopted it and another a 8 mth old chihuahua - the advertiser didn't get back to me). This time, I know Moodle was a problem dog, so it took me some time to consider, but decided that I think our family could give him all the love that he can handle. I got the girls to give me 3 reasons why they want a dog:

1) Dogs are great companions and devoted animals

2) They felt great compassion for the dog and wanted to shower it love and care

3) They believe taking care of a dog would make them more responsible people with greater compassion for each other (the girls), family and animals

Wow, the last one just blew me away (actually all these coming from the younger 9 year old Feli!); I was impressed and knew then that the girls were ready for a pet.

Feli and I went down today to view the dog. We were so lucky Moodle was rescued by a dog groomer, so he was handsome though his white fur was growing out in patches. There were patches of baldness but the groomer reassured us it's not skin disease but due to being exposed to the elements of sun and rain whilst tied to a tree for almost a week!! So sad right?

Bert was saying he'll leave the decision to me as I am the only one with dog experience. Also, since I will be home most of the time, I need to have a chemistry with the dog. He's only criteria were it must be small, don't bark at night and free of disease and below 3 years old. Well, Moodle just made the age limit...he's 3 years, but the groomer says from checking his teeth and the brightness of his eyes, he's less than 3 years.

Moodle came to greet us like duck to water, like he was expecting us and hoping we will like him and take him home. The groomer was pleasantly surprised that Moodle didn't bark at us. He wagged his tail and came to lick my hands and sniff my trousers and feet. He did so to Feli too. We loved him immediately. He didn't look at all like a poodle! He was more like a Westie mixed Maltese or Silky Terrier! His coat was soft like candy floss and smooth like silk. He has long slighty wavy coat, unlike the tighter curly coats we would expect from a poodle. However, he has a poodle crop on top of his head but it's soft like wool.

When Tiffy came home from school in the afternoon, the dog took to her immediately too. Like an old friend.

When Bert came home in the evening, Feli and I were at the pool and the dog was in the cage. Bert said the dog didn't bark nor made a sound. I let his out of the cage and he didn't bark at Bert. Instead, he wagged his tail and went to lick Bert on his hands and arms and jumped onto his legs with such friendliness. I told the groomer and he was so pleased as he says the dog usually barks at strangers.

He didn't eat his dinner tonight, but he enjoyed his evening walk with Bert, Feli and me. We took turns holding his leash. He was aggressive to strangers that a lady commented in a friendly smiling way that for a small dog, he's very fierce! He even approached a bigger dog (a small breed with floppy ears) quite aggressively too. They sniffed each other till the bigger dog yapped when Moodle sniffed his body. By the way, we decided to rename him Snowy cos he looked like Tin Tin's dog from the cartoon show.

We ran Snowy up and stairs. He's fast. But he's a bit frightened on the coming down of the stairs.

So far, we have taught Snowy to sit. It also seems he may not be paper trained. So far, as I am writing this, he has not barked and is currently sleeping in complete darkness in his cage in our backyard.

Keep our fingers crossed that he'll soon eat tomorrow. He stinks very fast (he had a bath only today)...I hope it's just because of our Singapore hot weather now.

Love Theresa

LC Sharing Session @ JJ House (15 May 2010)

Sharing question posed by Hosts:

"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Cor 13:4-7.

Reflect on how you have or want to live your life in light of the above verses in the context of your spousal and parent-child relationships.

Bomb Scare at my girl's school - my reflections

Dear All

Today, my elder daughter's exams were interrupted as there was a bomb threat. All students in both primary and secondary schools were immediately evacuated. There were lots of commotion in the background when my daughter called me, and her voice was high pitched with excitement and confusion. "There's police in my school. There's also some police cars! Don't know what's happening but we were told to go home".

I called the school to find out about the rescheduling of her orals and asked why there were police in school this morning. I was told the school received a call that a bomb was planted in the secondary school so the children were all evacuated as a precaution.

It was so scary to hear that! Terrorism is so real and near, in fact in my girl's school.

I realised so deeply tonight as I prayed with Tiffy before she slept that I love her so very much. I cried as I thanked the Lord for protecting my little girl today and everyday. I really do not know what life would be like without her. Just last night, Bert and I had to impose a new rule of no handphone and ipod in the house. Tiffy was of course not so pleased about this as they are her main source of entertainment. That was precisely the problem. We wanted her to interact more with us rather than her gadgets! I can't imagine how guilty I would feel if this tension between us is still there and she's gone....I would not have the chance to reassure her that what we do is out of love and concern for her well-being and her studies, and that we do still love her, that it was not a punishment. Tiffy asked if I was crying during our prayer and when I told her I was, she asked me why. I told her that that's because I love her so, and would be devastated if she was gone just like that. I prayed fervently tonight for the Lord to continue to "keep us safe from harm in body and soul always".

It sometimes take shocks like this to wake up in us how much we truly care for and love our loved ones. We mustn't forget to tell the ones we love how much we love them, to give them a kiss or a hug.

Love Theresa

Happy Mother's Day - A celebration of Love

Dear All

Today is Mother's Day (9 May 10). Mum's table fan is spoilt for at least a month. She asked me to help her buy one, a slightly more expensive one, so that it was last long. We bought one quite expensive (for a table type) and decided to give it to her as a surprise present for Mother's Day. On the way to her home, we also bought a cake for we both mothers to cut and share. We were so lucky that there's one perfect cake left and it was on offer. The girls immediately said "That's the one!" It's heart shaped, in pink, had 3 roses, 2 daisies, 2 tiny dark pink hearts and a masipan edible banner saying "I love you" as decos on top of the 1kg cake. I guess you can say it was love at first sight!

No one else came to visit her tonight. Only my bro called today. We cut the cake after dinner and took lots of pictures. Mum playfully placed her head next to mine and said "we are like siamese twins!"

As I wished her good night and gave her a hug, her eyes appeared a bit teary. She was so very happy tonight. She loved our present and the huge cake. She was happy she had given me a present in return...her brandnew kua-li which she had bought ages ago but never got to use it. Bert said mum said since our new home now has a storeroom, she can pass down all of her unused brandnew non-stick pots and pans, since she's too old to cook now.

As I stood next to her, I noticed that she has shrink even more short. I can't help feel a tinge of sadness. She and dad won't be with us long, and yet why do my siblings not even visit them even on Mother's Day? Last time they say the children are so busy and so are they in fetching them around. Now their youngest is already Sec 4, the 2 elders overseas studying I really don't know what had happened. Anyway, it's good that my bro called her.

Mum said dad's memory is fading. He had asked the maid what is his wife's name and he sees her everyday! I told mum not to feel sad as he's going to be 94 next week...it's just old age.

As I hugged my dad to say good bye, he can hardly hear me. Even though he is old, he still trys to sit up on his bed to see us as all 4 of us troop into his room to say good night to him. He seldom smiles nowadays, so we try to joke with him to make him laugh. Sometimes we succeed, and when we do, we feel so elated as when he smiles, my mum smiles too.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mums! May the Good Lord and His Blessed Mother watch over you and your loved one always!

Love Theresa