Hershey almost gave us all (especially mom) a big scare on one morning a couple of weeks back. Mom fed her breakfast like on any other day and she ate her food with gusto because mom added in some of Hershey's favourite boiled carrots. After that Hershey started behaving oddly, sticking very close to mom and kept up looking up at her. Mom thought that it was rather strange and she knew something was amiss when Hershey rejected her favourite chicken jerky treats. She merely gave them a few sniffs and continued to mope.

In less than 10 minutes after finishing her breakfast, Hershey threw it all back up. She was so weak that she just laid down listlessly next to her vomit. Mom checked her gums and saw that they were deathly pale. That's when she knew something was seriously wrong with her. She even had to carry her into the bathroom with her as she took a quick shower before taking her to the vet because Hershey simply refused to budge from her spot.

When they arrived at the vet, Hershey's color seem to have returned and she was somewhat back to her usual prissy self. For the first time ever, mom didn't tell her off when Hershey growled at another dog (a cute, large English Bulldog was trying to sniff her). The vet checked Hershey's gums and while they were still slightly pale, it was a big improvement from earlier. We spent some anxious moments waiting for the blood test results to be out and fortunately her blood test turned out fine, though we still have no inkling what caused the earlier episode. Since it is the first time this has happened, we were told to monitor her for the next fortnight and to bring her in immediately if it recurs. If it happens again, they'll do an ECG to ensure that her heart function is normal.

After she returned home, she was still a wee bit lethargic, but by that evening, the Miss 'She-Devil on Four Paws' that we know (and fear) was back.

The pics taken in the afternoon when she was still 'off'

Thankfully whatever that plagued her hasn't returned and she's been her usual annoying, hyper, gluttony self though mom is still keeping a close eye on her.

Mom says that it is about time she made an appointment with the groomer because 'someone needs a groom badly' and that 'his fur is too long and in a mess'. I don't think she's referring to me... and I am sure what she really meant was 'Hershey needs a groom badly because HER fur is too long and in a mess'.

"Mom, this is what I think about going to the groomer.. Blehhh!!"

My first post for 2011 and on behalf of my family, I'd like to wish all my dear blogging pals and their families a most wonderful brand new year ahead... May this year be better than the last, and may more friendships be formed!

One of the Christmas presents that mom received was a 2011 calendar... you'd think a calendar is no big deal right? It is a B.I.G deal to me because it is a calendar featuring Border Collies!! Mom has the Border Collie calendar prominently displayed in the house... and Hershey is behaving mighty proud and smug about it. I asked mom for a calendar featuring my breed, but she said - 1) We don't need 2 calendars at home 2) She has yet to come across any calendars featuring my breed, i.e. Maltese X Shih Tzu.

N.O.T F.A.I.R!!!

I have just been released from doggie prison and although I have been released, I am still in deep doggie poop. I don't think my mom is going to forgive me or forget what I tried to do anytime soon. My crime? I almost bit my mom.

The story goes like this: One day mom caught me chewing at my paw and my track records show that I can gnaw at it until it is all sore and bloodied. Hence mom tried to stop me and I gave her several low warning growls as she was approaching me... Let's just say that I am like a posessed dog when I am in the midst of my paw-chewing activity. As she smacked my bum to try and distract/ stop me, I, ummm... in mom's own words 'charged at her with all my crooked teefies bared'. Mom fell backward on her ample bum and at that moment was convinced that she'd get bitten.

As I was charging towards her, she then let out a very loud, blood curdling yell 'Huuuuuuuuskeeeeeeeeeeee' (I am sure people in our neighbouring countries could hear her) and amazingly, it snapped me out of my frenzy. After which I seemed to realize my mistake and I sidled up to her and gave her a few apologetic licks. She was so mad at me that she ignored me for a super looooong time.

Sorry mom... will you please forgive me?

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Huskee's mom here... Actually I am not angry about what happened, he's only a small dog so even if he'd bitten me, the damage wouldn't be significant. I am more hurt by his intention, and it makes me want to cry. I feel so hurt and betrayed because Huskee has always been special to me... my 'little boy', and we have always had a special bond although he doesn't live with me now (he's staying with my parents and sister who live approximately 10 min away from me). He has always been very in tune with my emotions and he had accompanied me through many chapters of my life - university life, graduation, getting my first job, getting married, being pregnant with Lucas and Chloe, losing Lucas and Chloe, etc... To me, I have always regarded us as 'one team', so to see him wanting to bite me was like the ultimate 'betrayal'.

But then my heart almost broke when I saw that his little body was shaking very hard and he was panting very heavily for a long time after the incident... and the way he was trying to make it up to me was so heartwrenching too. However in order to let him know what he did was very wrong, I had to ignore him and all his efforts to try and make it up to me.

Sigh...

Instead of changing in the bathroom, our Mom prefers changing behind the 2 open doors of the wardrobe (our wardrobes are facing each other). Mom claims that it's the closest she can get to having her very own walk-in wardrobe!

So why are we sharing this with you? Well, 'cos this is what Hershey always does when she finds herself on the other side of the doors when mom's changing. The humans seem to think it's pretty cute but I think Hershey's just being needy.

It's been a rather odd time over at our house the past two weeks. A fortnight ago, our mom told us she won't be able to help us blog because of some happy news and she was just too caught up in it. Then late last week, again she told us she may not be able to help us blog, but this time it is because of some pretty bad news. I am puzzled... and even Hershey, who is Miss Know-It-All, is puzzled.

Anyway, mom decided to do something that'd cheer herself up, and she ended up blogging for us!! She says that the 'doggie world' is one that she can always escape into and make her temporarily forget about what's happening in the real world.

We'll be coming to visit your blogs soon!!

Surprisingly, Hershey's cow is still intact after close to 2 weeks!! This is rather usual of because normally, all her stuffies last no more than 1 min before 'exploding' and causing 'snow' all around the house (other than with her favourite toy, Gecko)... The only thing different with the cow is that the 'body') is now brown instead of white, no thanks to Hershey's saliva!

And here's a pic of handsome, albeit somewhat scrawny me, when they brought me out for a walk on one (super) sunny day.

One of mom's friends shared this photo on Facebook, and she liked it so much she wanted to share it on my bloggy... Apparently there is a REALLY good reason why we need to Stop Cutting Down Trees!!

I can't imagine having to wait in line to pee pee...

Ok, if I think my 4 hour glooming (ooops, I meant 'grooming') session is bad, I think Hershey drew the shortest straw. Dad and mom finally had her spayed now that mom is at home full time and can watch over her. Hershey disappeared for an entire day and when they brought her home, I swear they brought back the wrong dog.

The 'new' Hershey is not hyper, does not bark and jump at the television, does not chase the mop and vacumn cleaner... basically all she does is lie there and look sorry for herself.

The night after the surgery

Feeling very sorry for herself...

Even the new toy couldn't cheer her up... she was just uninterested

Day 01 after surgery

Still listless and grumpy (and the cow is still intact!!)

Day 02

I gave her a 'get well soon' toy, but she didn't even sniff at it!!

Fortunately her interest in her favourite treat is still there.

Day 03

The old Hershey is back!!!

(guess the cow won't be around for much longer)

We have not posted for a while because mom was busy travelling for work and then for the last couple of weeks, she was busy sorting out her 'issues'. We are certainly very happy that she's sorted those 'issues' of hers out, and from now on, we will be able to resume with more frequent blogging because MOM HAS QUIT HER JOB!! (Well, it does mean less treats and new toys for us, but for the sake of mom's happiness and sanity, we are glad she took the leap and did what is best for her).

Now that she has all the time in her hands, guess what she did... she decided that I needed to be groomed and promptly sent me over to the groomers!!! I can't believe she did that and I still have not forgiven her entirely.

Take a look at my face... do I look happy? Do I look like I needed to be groomed? (Ok, maybe I do look just a teeny weensy bit untidy.) Anyone noticed my crooked teefies?? Hehehe...

In 4 hours, I was transformed from my cute fluffy, floofy, puffy self...

Into this really nekkid looking, scrawny doggie (I hope this will finally convince them that they need to up my dinner portion)

And of course I now have pawfectly manicured nails and paw pads...

After a 4 hour torture session, the first thing I did upon reaching home is to curl up at my favourite corner and snooze the rest of the day away.

Poor Hershey has been having the runs the whole weekend. Mom's lost count of the number of times Hershey's had to go to the bathroom, and poor dad didn't sleep at all on Saturday night as he was taking care of her (and ensuring that he opens the door for her to go to the bathroom).

They made her fast for one whole day and mom boiled some chicken porridge for her in the evening cos they felt very guilty when they see her begging for food at the dining table. Poor Hershey has been feeling rather sorry for herself, though I think it's more about the lack of food than the 'sploding butt...

Mom went away for a business trip and came bag with pressies for all of us. Hershey's got a new lemon-looking ball has flashing lights when it is moved as well as the rubber duckie tug toy. I have got 2 plush squeakies.. a blue dolpin and a blue elephant!! Mom gave Hershey the rubber duckie first and lo and behold, Miss Evil Teefies destroyed the poor duckie in under 24 hours. Dad didn't fare too badly either cos mom got him a bunch of clothing cos she feels that his wardrobe needs updating.

Hershey: Destroying a toy is hard work... I need a snooze.

Further to our previous post regarding the doggie murderer, we have been checking the news for updates on the case. Unfortunately. nothing has been reported thus far, and we certainly hope that this is not another case that'd 'die a natural death' after some time.

We found out that someone had started a petition and have already done our part and signed our name http://www.petitiononline.com/20082010/petition.html

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On a happier note, our mom finally had one of her 'wishes' fulfilled... She'd been wanting a decent photo of Hershey and I in the same photo. Ok we know it's not the best we can do cos I look like I am struggling to escape (in reality, I really was trying to wriggle out of mom's grasp) and the quality is grainy, but mom's not complaining.

Our mom is SO mad now (it's the angry kind of mad, not the crazy type) because of what she's just read in today's newspapers. There was a photo of a dead Pomeranian lying in a pool of blood after it was reportedly flung onto the ground by a man. (You can read more about it here.) What kind of atrocity is this?? What sicken and upsetted mom more was that apparently there were a number of witnesses who saw the murder happening, but chose to do condone the act and nothing to stop perpetrator.

Perhaps they think that 'it's just a dog'; Perhaps they didn't want to be seen as nosey parkers; Perhaps they didn't want to get in trouble for interferring; Perhaps they just cannot be bothered cos it is not their dog... Perhaps if someone had done something, the poor dog may still be alive.

What could the dog have done to upset the man so much that he had to hurt (and kill) it?

How can those people who witnessed the crime and chose not to do anything go to sleep at night?

Our mom told us that Singapore has always prided herself as a 'developed country'. Sadly, this incident (plus the other recent reports on animal cruelty) proves that Singapore and Singaporeans have a long way more to go before we can truly call ourselves 'developed'.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress

can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

- Mahatma Gandhi

Oh man, oh man.... it's not even my barkday yet and I have already received my very first present and card from Mango (and his brothers Ximui and Chubs)!!! Hershey: Hmmm.. why is Huskee calling himself 'old man'?? We all know he is old (soon to be 11 years to be exact) but does he have to announce it to the world?? Huskee: I said 'OH man, not OLD man!!'

I have no clue how Mango made this watercolor barkday card for me, it is gorgeous and I love the Singapore city skyline in the bckground!

And look at the loot that Mango and his brothers sent us!!! They were so generous to include a gift for everyone in the family!! Mom got a book ('Pet Letters to God'), a gorgeous scarf with doggies printed all over and a blouse that is a bit baggy around the middle... Mango's mama said that she has a vision our mom will need it in future. (Psst Mango, our mom says she can't wait for 'that' time to come...). Dad's got a Texan magnet and a message that says 'hope he will lead his pack to visit Texas someday'!!

Here is the busybody sniffing out MY package. I was not involved in the photo session that took place because I was (thankfully) at Grandma's Day Care.

Hershey: This package is Mine, Mine, Mine... All MINE!! I have got my paw on it!

Hershey: Am I the prettiest bloom you have seen or what??

Huskee: **gagging in progress**

Hershey: Hello Mr Pink Flamingo... wanna play with my teefies??

Hershey: Ummm.. Mom?!! Why is Mr Pink Flamingo sitting on me??

Thank you boys (and your wonderful mom too)!! We love love love all our pressies... **muackssss**.

Today, our mom turns 2,517 years old. When we asked her a few weeks back what she'd like for her birthday present, she said 'Lucas and Chloe'. This was rather tough because Lucas and Chloe are in heaven. Hershey and I put our heads together to try and come up with the next best alternative, and here's what we got for mom (with some help from dad of course.. we had to use the numbers on his little plastic card).

We thought mom will love the gift and be real happy when she sees it, but she cried instead (???). However she claims that those are not tears of sadness, but tears of joy because she is very glad that Lucas and Chloe are part of her birthday celebrations.

Since today is her day, I have made up my mind that I'll (try) and be a good boy. Hershey did better than me this time... she gave mom a 'present' first thing in the morning by almost barfing on the bed. Good thing mom was alerted enough and scooped her off the bed before any of the projectile hit the sheets. Don't think mom would like to spend her special day changing the recently changed sheets and doing laundry!!

I am pleased to anounce that my ear infection has cleared, and I no longer have a stinky, red and infected ear!! Best of all, I don't have to go back to the V.E.T for any more reviews!

Hershey claims that I recovered so quickly because she's been crossing her paws for me. I am not sure if I should believe her words... What do you think?