Kess is 13 and it shows...

Kess turned 13 last month. See how she has aged. In her earlier photos, her brown and black coat is distinct, and her muscles are strong and defined. Now, her coat has turned whiter, her neck sags and her hind legs muscles have turned soft.

But you know what hasn't changed in her thirteen years? Kess' nature is still as sweet as ever. She is still our shadow, trailing us around the house as we go about our chores and she still loves to EAT, scavenging for food on the kitchen floor, on our walks, in the garden... Typical beagle!

Following birthday tradition in our household, Kess got a special treat on her birthday. This year Kess and Mia got roasted meatballs and bread served on a bed of regular kibbles.

But that's not all, grandpa had sent some money for treats for his two favorite beagles, so as result, the birthday celebration extended beyond the actual day with some yummy venison treats. Kess wasn't happy that she had to wait whilst her photo was taken with the treat so close yet so far...

But she was one happy beagle when she finally got her venison tendon treat!

To top off the awesome celebration, Aunty E was visiting us and decided to make a treat for the hot summer days - frozen yoghurt, peanut butter and bananas doggie ice cream. Needless to say, Kess and Mia thought it was Christmas and birthday rolled into one! All it took Kess was one gulp to gobble the icy treat.

After that, it was time for play as Mia and her went for a round of doggie sumo wrestling. Happy Birthday my sweet girl!

 

Kess & Her Mama

From the desk of Kess' Mama:



"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am."
~Author Unknown

A Pet's Ten Commandments

I know this beagle has been MIA for 5 weeks... As always it's my human's fault. She claims it can't be helped because of work commitments...that's what the humans always say. Anyway, my human received this in her email and thought that it was worth posting to remind all humans to treat us right.



A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS.........
1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.
7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.
8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.
9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.
10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.


~Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them.
Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's creatures.

Puppy love

From the desk of Kess' mama:

"And they called it puppy love,
Oh I guess they'll never know,
How a young heart really feels,
And why I love her so"

How many of you remember the song "Puppy Love", written by Paul Anka in 1960 and later revived by Donny Osmond in 1972? OK, I know that this was a long, long time ago, but hey, some songs are classics right?

Today, Kess & I celebrate our first year anniversary of our blog "It's a dog's life". Honestly, this blog would not have been if it weren't for my beloved little beagle, Kess. I still call her little girl, even though she'll be 49 doggie years cum April, not so little anymore. I remember vividly the day J & I brought this puppy beagle home in a box. It was such an eventful drive home because a tanker had overturned on the highway turning what would have been a 30 minute drive home to a harrowing 2 hour journey! We were so stressed. Kess fussed a little, but for most parts, slept through the entire journey. Phew!

We had fallen in love with this fur ball from the start and have never fallen out of love since. Contrary to the definition of puppy love - "a crush, informal term for feelings of love, particularly between young people, so-called for its resemblance to the adoring, worshipful affection that may be felt by a puppy. The term is often used in a derogatory fashion, describing emotions which are shallow and transient in comparison to other forms of love such as romantic love." our love for this beagle puppy never faded. In fact, it has grown stronger over the years, a bond that only dog lovers can understand.

This love has survived moments of terror of having lost her (she is a master escape artist), sleepless nights, (that little rascal banged on the door a few times 2 nights back), a garden full of holes,, chewed up shoes (which she outgrew when she grew up...thankfully), torn curtains, stolen food (Yes, Kathryn, I know exactly how you feel when Ari decides to swipe the food for herself - classic dog antic!) ...and the list goes on...

Today, I celebrate the anniversary of Kess' blog "It's a dog's life" with a series of photos of Kess when she was a puppy. Back then, I didn't have a digital camera so I don't have as many photos of her when she was a wee pup. But the ones I have have never fail to bring a smile to my face. I scanned these ones for today's post.

Kess's love affair with car rides started at a very young age

We love playing with her floppy years (and she lets us)

Another habit she picked up at a very young age - chomping on carrots

We gave her a kong toy with high hopes that she'll stop chewing on my high heels. It didn't work...


Kess enjoying a play session with Sweetie, her daschund friend. When Kess grew bigger, she outgrew Sweetie in size!


I guess Paul Anka knew what he was talking about when he wrote:

"And they called it puppy love
Oh I guess they'll never know
How a young heart really feels
And why I love her so"

I love you Kess!

Dog logic

Mum received this in her email box a few weeks back. It's great logic so we thought that we'll share it with you. Enjoy!

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
-Anonymous


There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
-Ben Williams


A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.
-Josh Billings


The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.
-Andy Rooney


Dogs love their friends & bite their enemies, quite unlike people, who are incapable of pure love & always have to mix love & hate.
-Anonymous


Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
-Franklin P. Jones


If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise
-Unknown


If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
-Mark Twain


Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras


If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret

For the love of a dog

In the midst of tragic news of hurricanes, floods, tainted milk and collapse of giant financial institutions, it is heartening to read some good news. The Star, a local Malaysian paper, published this article "Meet spunky Snoopy, the handicapped dog in a wheelchair" yesterday on the third page (I suppose the editors thought we all needed to be cheered up).

Snoopy, a terrier mix was injured in an accident when he was a puppy and was brought to a vet. He was still able to walk but had a stiff hind leg. Snoopy stayed at the vet clinic for 4 years before Marjan Sipsma adopted him. Marjan, a dog lover has four other dogs.

Spinal complications later resulted in Snoopy being unable to walk. Marjan was determined to give Snoopy a chance to live life fully. She ordered a squad car wheelchair (RM1500, approximately USD500) and shoes (RM150, approximately USD50) from America for Snoopy . The plucky dog is now able to walk with aid of the wheelchair, thanks to his human who loved him unconditionally. In fact, he even charged at another dog who started charging at Snoopy and his siblings. (read about this amusing tale in the article). Marjan said "I don’t quite know how dogs think, but to Snoopy, I think he believes he’s still alpha male. I don’t think he knows he’s paralysed,”

What an encouraging story. A little dog who overcomes his limitations, with help from his human who refused to give up!

It All Started With One Brave Dog Named Rex

We were inspired by Oorvi's post on Pawlee - A Pup Prodigy to share this Malaysian news article with you. But first, let us provide some cultural background. In Malaysia, there is a general belief that Muslims are not allowed to touch dogs (or is it just wet dogs? We don't have exact details.) As a result, a large population of Muslims do not like dogs, with some even fearing dogs, which explains why dogs here don't enjoy the same access to public places as our counterparts in US and other parts of the world.

That's why this article entitled "A rare breed in society" which was published in the New Straits Times yesterday is so heartening. The article features Datin Nariza, a Muslim who loves dogs. In the Q&A for the article she recounts how she was saved from a python by her mum's alsatian. "When I was a baby, my parents were living in a rubber plantation. My mum had an alsatian named Rex. One day, my mum and dad were outside the house and when mom stepped back inside, her dog's face was stained with blood.My mum ran frantically to my room and found me still asleep, but there was a dead python near my bed. The dog saved my life! But unfortunately, the following year, a cobra bit him and he died. My mother vowed never to take another dog again because she felt no dog or cat could replace him."

Now, Datin Nariza is a lobbyist for the SPCA. And it all started with one brave dog, named Rex.

Why Dogs Don't Live As Long As Humans

Mum's friend e-mailed this story. We both thought it was really sweet and wanted to share this with you.

A Dog's Purpose

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, andthey were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and 'wag' your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!!

Heroic Dog Rescues Owner

Dogs form a very strong bond with their humans and will go to great lengths to protect them. The Star published an article yesterday about how a dog saved its elderly owner from drowning during the flash floods that struck Kampung Ulu Temiang the day before. This loyal dog refused to leave the elderly lady who was stuck in her wooden home. Finally, the dog's frantic barking drew the attention of a team of fire and rescue personnel, who managed to rescue the woman in the nick of time - she could barely keep her head above water. Only then did the dog swim to safety.

What an inspiring story!

Underdog

"There's no need to fear, Underdog is here"

Watched Disney's "Underdog" movie with my humans last week. It's about a beagle called Shoe Shine who failed miserably in his job as a bomb-detector dog. Instead of detecting bombs, he detects a huge piece of ham instead (he's my kind of dog - between bomb and ham, I pick food anytime)! After his major boo-boo, he gets laughed off the bomb detection squad by the Alsatians. Ejected, rejected and dejected, he stumbles off and gets caught by the bumbling side-kick of a mad scientist. After an accident at the lab, Shoe Shine discovers he can talk (surprise, surprise) and has extraordinary powers (you know, the kind that superheroes have - fly like a bird, run like the wind, etc, etc). However, despite his new-found super abilities, all this lonely beagle wants is to have a human to love and a home.

The rest of the plot is pretty typical - superhero finds a human boy who loves him and gives him a name and a home, falls in love (with Polly Purebred, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel)and rescues the city from the clutches of the mad scientist. Anyway, while the movie was so, so, it did trigger some thoughts on the term "underdog".

Wikipedia defines underdog as a participant in a fight, conflict, or game who is not expected to win.

I don't know about you but personally, I like to root for the underdog. My human mum feels the same. Back in the days when my human dad was a basketball fan (he has since turned his attention to mountain biking), my mum would always cheer for whichever team that was playing against the Bulls. This was during the era of Michael "Air" Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were on a winning streak. Of course, the underdogs don't always win (duh!)- The Bulls won six of the eight championships from 1991-98.

Notwithstanding the odds, there is something about the David and Goliath factor that makes me want to cheer the Davids of this world (which is probably why American Idol finalist, 17-year old David Archuleta is so popular). Back to the David of old, the little shepherd boy went against a 9-feet giant Philistine warrior. Whilst Goliath, a seasoned warrior was armed to the hilt with state-of-the-art (for those days anyway) bronze coat, helmet, armour, javelin and spear, David, a young boy was armed only with 5 stones and a sling (this was also because he had never used an armour before and couldn't walk in the heavy outfit).

Now, if I were a betting dog, I would say that the odds were definitely against David. During the confrontation, Goliath calls David a stick and threatens to feed him to the birds and beasts. David's response to the insults and threats was "... all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's and He will give you into our hands" And so, using a sling and a stone, David kills Goliath with a direct hit on his forehead. What a twist to the story, the underdog had a top dog (definition: person in charge, dominant position, highest authority) backing him. Now, that changes the odds entirely. How about that?

Faith In Adversity

Came across an article on StarTwo (original story from the Washington Post) on Faith, a chow mix, who was born without front legs and has learned to walk upright. Faith now travels around the US to spread the message of hope. Her owner, Jude Stringfellow said "I want people to understand that you can be imperfect physically and still be perfect through your soul, through your spirit". Do take some time to read the article and view the pictures and video.

This is such an incredible story of triumphing over adversity. I was so blessed by her story. Faith has also reminded me to count my blessings and be thankful for all God has given me.