My Bestfriend

My pug Rama loves to eat , that’s why I make sure he gets regular exercise. Pugs are prone to obesity and can quickly gain unhealthy weights. I usually take Rama for a walk in the morning before I go to work. The community park is just a couple of blocks away from our place making it an ideal walking destination for Rama. Unlike longer-nosed dog breeds, pugs overheat more easily because of their short snouts. Thus, long walks are not advisable as it can leave them tired and out-of-breath.

At the park, I take the leash off so Rama can run around or play fetch with me for at least 30 minutes. Kids from the nearby playground usually come over to watch Rama play. I let them pet or play with him and the pug really enjoys the attention he gets from the kids. My experience has shown that the more interaction my pet receives, the happier, healthier and more adaptable to his surroundings he is. I always bring bottled water and a portable drinking bowl so Rama could get a drink after running around to help him cool down.

Back to the house, Rama will run to his water bowl to drink some more then retire to his bed to get some rest. During weekends, he would curl up in my lap while I’m watching TV as if asking for a massage, I willingly oblige ( Rama likes to consider himself the boss sometimes). After a few strokes and kneads, i will hear the now too familiar grunting, snorting and snoring sounds that used to annoy me. Now, these noises comfort me. The grunts and snorts mean that my Rama is happily sleeping in his cot, chasing butterflies in his dreams.

Teaching sit is easy if dog owners just follow simple rules. First, the lesson must not be over fifteen minutes. The lesson area must be peaceful at the same time be a fun place to be in. There must be a treat for rewarding the dog each time he gets it right. And each time he gets the instruction right, a hug, a pat or a really sincere congratulations must be delivered out loud. I taught Poochie the sit trick for only 10 minutes and it was a lot of fun! Try it out and tell me what happens!

Christmas is not only for us humans. Our furry little friends should also enjoy the festivities. After all, Jesus was surrounded by animals like donkeys, cows, sheep and camels when He was born thousands of years ago. There are many ways to include them in the celebration. Give your pets special treats to nibble on while you are having Christmas Dinner . Dress them up (as santa, elves, or reindeer) and take pictures. Don’t just let them stare at you while opening your presents, buy them something special, a toy, a new leash, or an outfit, and don’t forget to wrap it too!

Some decorations may pose danger to our pets. Make sure that strings of lights are high enough to be out of their reach as they love to play with hanging and dangling objects. Unplug Christmas tree lights when you are not around to avoid electrocution in case your pet nibbled on the wires. Don’t leave lighted candles unattended. Pets might knock them off while playing.

Think twice before getting Holiday plants for decorations. Holly, mistletoe and poinsettias can be toxic to animals when ingested. Make sure that there are no wrapped boxes of chocolates under the tree . Your pets might munch on them. Chocolates have theobromine which is toxic to many animals. Properly dispose of ribbons and packaging strings as these could pose problems when ingested by pets.

Have yourself and your furry little friends a safe and happy Christmas!

Pets, be it a dog, cat, bird, ferret or fish, are more than just sources of entertainment and amusement. Aside from the unconditional love, loyalty and companionship they give us, they improve our emotional and physical health and teach us invaluable life lessons only animals can give.

Recent studies say that pet owners live longer as compared to non-pet owners. Furthermore, research suggests that petting or even being around a loved pet relieves stress, causing a decrease in blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol levels, and thus, a healthier life.

My parents who are both in their senior years, used to just sit, read or watch TV at home. But with the arrival of our pug, they now have a healthier morning ritual of walking the dog to the park, allowing them to breathe fresh air and exercise. My parents now look forward to the daily morning walks with the dog as these energizes and revitalizes them.

Animals can sense stress and pain. I had a terrible headache one evening and our pug looked at me as if asking “What’s wrong with you?” He then lay on my lap and I started petting him. I felt so relaxed and soon enough, my head is not throbbing anymore.

I am sure you’ve heard many stories about dogs saving their humans. Or pets used in hospitals to help patients recover fast. Truly, pets are more than just friends, they are also instrumental for us humans to live healthier and happier lives.

Cookie is special not because he is a breed dog, actually just a Mongrel I guess, but because of the situation that brought us together, my Dad leaving to work abroad, and that made me long for a dog that I never had before. We bought him for P15o.00 from the original price of P200.00 (that time it’s too much to use such amount of money for a dog) at the Cartimar in Pasay (known for its population of pets-to-be that was a pet lover’s haven before the BioResearch era).

What is even more special with Cookie was an incident I will never forget, it was two years later that our Dad went home without telling anyone that he’ll be coming home intentionally to surprise us. Cookie surprised Dad instead by reacting to him as if he knew him so well. Cookie guards the house when we’re away and he really scares intruders away, but not Dad. He too was surprised with Cookie’s reaction, jumped on him as if my Dad was me coming home. He got scared at first when Cookie approached him but it immediately fade off when he started licking him. And it was their first time seeing each other since Cookie was just a puppy.

Great dog. He knows his master’s master.

We took Rama, our 18-month-old pug, for a weekend outing last Sunday at the Bonifacio High Street (BHS) in Taguig City. BHS is not your conventional boxed-up mall. It’s actually a strip of open-space park bordered by low rise buildings that house high-end retail shops, posh restaurants and office spaces. The sprawling park is peppered with fountains, water features and interactive sculptures. BHS is only one among a very short list of pet-friendly establishments this part of Manila.

Rama enjoyed running and rolling on the grass. He also met and played with new-found canine friends. We can’t stop him from frolicking at the fountains and water features which was a total surprise as we never saw Rama get so excited over splashing water before. He never acted that way before, he usually scamper and hide when we call him for bath time.

It was an exhausting day but we all had a great time. I just hope that more pet-friendly establishments like Bonifacio High Street be created to provide more relaxing venues for pet-lovers and their furry little friends to have fun together.

Have you cherished your pets, espeically your dogs, so much that they actually cherished you back as much or even more?

It was one special moment I had with my childhood dog Cookie. I got him when my Dad had to go to the US to work as somewhat his substitute. One very sad day that I was really so down and out, missed my Dad and I really felt the need to talk to him then, and those were the years when we still don’t have the advances in telecoms that we have today; SMS, Internet chatting, and others, and Cookie is the last creature that is alive that I could talk to, and so I did. Out of desperation, I tried talking to the jolly dog (as he is always jolly and playful when I’m around) about my frustration and to my surprise, he shared my sadness and stopped playing around lay on the floor drooped his eyes as if going to cry, and he was so still seems to understand what I am saying. Attentively it seems Cookie listened to every depressing word I said and that really relieved me knowing that somebody was indeed listening and hearing me in all honesty.

I cried. Knowing that Cookie was sharing my depression I cried, and Cookie there beside me even without the visible tears is showing that he too is crying for me.

My Dad died of cardiac arrest at his work abroad and Cookie died brutally on the hands of some dog hunters (merciless killers).

What would life be if we don’t have this.