National Puppy Day

Although my Skyler is no longer a puppy, it melts my heart to share with you the first time we met. It was indeed PUPPY LOVE at first sight. This is one of my favorite moments of my entire life so you've probably seen this photo in my other blog posts.

Now that he's all grown, he's an 85-pound answered prayer who makes me laugh when I feel like weeping and cheers me up when I've had a rough day.

You will always be my baby poopy (yep, I spelled it right!), Skyler. 

Anyone diggin' my retainers?

Toodles! :)

Skyler's Black Friday

It may be hard to have this sink into your cranium but... I rarely shop during Black Friday or Thanksgiving weekend. I was in the fashion retail industry for about 8 years and to make the long story short, it just ain't worth it (except for electronics/tech stuff, maybe). Skyler, on the other hand, got himself some great deals and we kinda went nuts at PetSmart. No long lines, no crazy lunatics running across the aisles, no screaming, no scratching each other's eyeballs either.

The Black Friday deal (just for the day) was 50% off on tons of items and luckily, a lot of Sky's favorite treats and toys were on sale!

I bought a couple of things for Bugsy (remember the lion head bunny I rescued?) too but those were mostly just 20% off or regular-priced. Better luck next time, Bugsy!

Here's how much I saved on my purchase! High five, minions!

Now... to hide these treats where this dog-slash-thieving-raccoon can't easily get to.

Toodles! :)

Bugsy

While residing here in California, I've experienced a rather peculiar phenomena---I have been randomly crossing paths with animals that needed to be rescued. To date, I have rescued: A ferret (yes, like those cool creatures in the movie, The Beastmaster), a long-haired Chihuahua, a short-haired Chihuahua and now...a rabbit! On a side note, I've also fed a stray Pit Bull for a couple of months that randomly walked with me and Sky everyday (until the humane society caught her), and I've fed a family of stray dogs that were living in a church parking lot. Imagine if I owned a huge chunk of land, I would house all the animals and have the biggest, most random habitat ever!

Here is Sonic, the ferret.

About five nights ago, I happened to spot two white rabbits hopping around while I was walking with Sky at the park. And after taking a closer look, I noticed that they were the domesticated kind (one was skittish, the other was pretty chill). Unfortunately, I could not find the skittish rabbit after the first night so I quickly decided to rescue the poor bunny that got left behind before Bambi and friends the stray cats or hawks get to it first. Aside from the fact that I totally looked like a looney Asian (oh, the redundancy) crouching and talking to some random bushes for 30 minutes AT THE PARK---AT NIGHT, the rescue was successful.

Anyway, I sought for help and wisdom from my friend named Google and it looks like my new furry friend is a Lionhead Rabbit. Believe me, I was THIS close to calling it MUFASA...THIS close. Nah, let's just call it Bugsy, 'coz it looks like a Bugsy, doesn't it? I was curious to check out the sex of Bugsy too but once I found out that I had to flip over the bunny and tinker around its genitals, I'm gonna have to pass. No thanks, let's just call Bugsy an IT...a he-she. I ain't going near a bunny's genitals, is what I'm sayin'.

MEET BUGSY!

I don't really know anything about taking care of bunnies but I had to at least figure out the essentials, so I went to PetSmart and had an associate help me pick out the basic stuff that I needed for Bugsy.

Cage/Habitat  Rabbits need a good amount of space to hop around, so I got the All Living Things rabbit home to ensure that Bugsy won't feel squished inside his new home. The price was a bit steep at $104.99 but I got a $25 off coupon so it came down to $79.99! Yey! I think it's worth it because the cage is  very spacious, it comes with a food bowl, it's equipped with wheels to easily maneuver the cage and it has a detachable base for easy cleaning.

Hay Always have hay available for bunnies to nibble on, it helps with their digestion and overall health. There are different types of hay but Timothy Hay seems to be popular with rabbit owners, so I got the Kaytee All Natural Timothy Hay.

 Pellets Aside from fresh fruits and vegetables, rabbits also feed on pellets to have a balanced diet. I'm trying out Vitakraft Vita Smart and so far, Bugsy seems to like it. Although with further research, I found out that Oxbow is a really reliable brand for rabbit food too, so I might try 'em out once this bag is finished.

Toys Since rabbits like to chew a lot, they need toys that they could both play with and chew on. If this was about Skyler's toys, I'd be able to pick it out in 5 minutes. But rabbit toys? Uhhhh...Eff it, I just got this pack of veggie wood chew by All Living Things and we'll see how it goes.

There are still things that are missing on this list and I'm working on getting them---like a water bottle (because my stingy hiney wanted to just use a plastic bowl and Bugsy ended up kicking it around), a litter box, and a little bed or mat where Bugsy can comfortably lay on.

Look a those long black eye lashes and impressively styled fringe on Bugsy's head! Andy Warhol, is that you?

Welcome to the family, Bugsy!

Yes I know it's ridiculous to talk about a rabbit while Fashion Week is going on but I think this one is well worth the distraction, ain't it? :)

Toodles!

PetSmart: Skyler's Stash

Most of us know that one of the best things about three-day (holiday) weekends in the U.S. is the fact that merchandisers and retailers lure you in with deep discounts and promos. It doesn't only apply to humans, mind you, but also to our beloved pets as well. I, for one, am not complaining since having a pet costs a lot. 

Here's a fun fact: Buying Skyler's groceries easily costs two times more than mine---Don't even get me started with the grooming and vet bills!

I signed up for PetSmart's free PetPerks membership and e-mail list so they can easily notify me on any great deals. Skyler and I are lucky enough to have two PetSmart locations close by and best of all, he gets to come and shop around with me!

Buy 2, Get 1 Free on all toys. This offer was hard to pass up since they were doing this promo including the clearance toys. I got Skyler two squeaky ones (which he will probably out-squeak in 2 minutes) that were marked down to $2.09 each (one of which ended up free with the promo), and the Snoopy one (which he will probably decapitate in 30 seconds) was marked down from $12.99 to $9.09. 

Thank God I snapped the photo right away 'coz someone was apparently eyeing on Snoopy...

I also stocked up on some of his treats, and all of them were discounted!

From Top Left: Purina Pro Plan Savor Hearty Rewards; Dentley's Rawhide Stuff Rolls; Milk-Bone

If you're going to shop this weekend, check your receipt 'coz I got a lot of great coupons on it including $5 off on any grooming services and they have one that's $5 off when you spend $30, $10 off when you spend $50 and $25 off when you spend $100 on your next purchase!

As you can tell, Sky is very excited. Like, so excited...

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend, America!

Toodles!

Norman the Scooter Dog

Time for some fur ball therapy!

Meet Norman, a Briard dog breed, who probably rides a scooter better than I can. He looks like a cute version of Chewbacca but only smarter, 'coz well... he can ride a scooter (and a bike!). Sorry, Chewy.

Here he is trying to set his record for the Guinness World Record.

And then he learns how to ride a bike, look at those cute fluffy legs pressing on the pedals!

I wonder if I could put a saddle on my dog, Skyler, so he could take me to work.
Zero emissions, zero gas expenses!


Toodles!

The Reluctant Road Tripper: Day 7

Harvard & Boston

It’s another beautiful but severely humid day to explore Harvard! Like what I said on my previous post, Harvard is like a city within a city. All their buildings are spread all throughout the neighborhood. The building that really left me speechless was this one in particular…

I am in awe. Harry Pottah? Ah we in Hogwhots?

 

At first glance, I could've sworn it was either some architectural wonder erected to be used as a museum with rare artifacts or a gigantic gothic cathedral. Well, that’s two strikes out for me because they were neither a museum nor a cathedral. This beautiful pile of bricks is known as the Memorial Hall and you can’t get in there if you’re not a student or staff of Harvard. In other words--Shoo, commoner. Be gone! Haha.

Oh and by the way, you know what goes on inside? They use it as a DINING HALL. Yea, that’s right. They just EAT there. And here I am, thinking that if you get to have McDonald’s served in your school cafeteria, you’re the shiz.

Speaking of a cathedral, they do in fact, have one! We went to hear mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral so I managed to discreetly take pictures inside as well.

The orange thing up on that arch is actually just a mesh. I think they were in the middle of doing some minor repairs.

It’s not only the buildings that make Harvard such a wonderful place to be in, it’s the surrounding area as well. There’s a river called the Charles River that runs between Cambridge and Boston, which gets pretty busy during the summer with people jogging on the pathways and people doing different sorts of water sports such as kayaking, board paddling, regatta, etc.

We only had time to do a quick stop in Boston, so sadly, once again, I wasn’t able to explore the city. Pears, we're only here to get your sister settled in. Yea, party poopers. But you know what I just realized? I actually really love gothic architecture. Not only do they look historical but it just adds a lot of character to a place. It’s like everywhere I look in Cambridge or Boston, there’s always this cool gothic structure that seems to transport me to a different time. Jamie Lannister, where art thou?

Look at that nice building...no, not the boring skyscraper.

Time to cross back on the bridge! Awwwweee. Cambridge totally won me over with all the dogs enjoying their walks around town. Is it safe to assume then that people in Cambridge/Boston love pets just as much as I do? =)

Adorable in different shapes and sizes…

There are so many random things that you can find in every corner around Harvard Square like:

This dude…
Statue of John Harvard. They say that if you rub John Harvard’s left foot, it will bring you luck…But I now regret touching that golden foot, Kiwi says that students pee on it and do weird stuff with that statue. Hey, that's why I always wash my hands.

Or this random wall of art…

Or this building with a face…how adorable! Doesn't it remind you of that old cartoon, The Flying House?

Or this awesome computer by hot nerds…

The Harvard Mark I

"..as a result, many computer pioneers consider that the digital computing age began with the unveiling of Harvard Mark I in August 1944.." Nerds rule. Always.

Or this historical place for folk-rock music that was once called Club 47, one of Bob Dylan’s stepping stones to music greatness.

Or random people doing random things in a random grassy area…Yea, I don't even wanna know.

One last note:  in case you would like to visit around the Cambridge area, don’t forget that they do have a lot of uneven brick sidewalks so you better keep those 4-inch heels at home and opt for some comfy shoes..

Ugh. The sight of that sidewalk makes my Manolo's shudder.

Enough walking, let's talk about the most crucial thing about road trips... Food! And it's gonna be up next on Day 8 so stay tuned!

Toodles!

Happy Halloweenie!

Hey folks! Sky and I just wanted to send our greetings to everyone! Keep safe, don't eat too much candy and don't get chased down naked by a dude with a hockey mask and a machete!

Looks like Jason has let himself go...look at that one-pack.

Photo Credits: Tony Case

Note: No pumpkins were hurt in this photo session.

Skyler wearing the only custome that (barely) fits him...

Is that a pumpkin or a raccoon?

Happy Halloweenie! =)

Toodles! =)

The Fur Will Fly

It was quite a decent evening as I strolled around the outdoor mall to finish some last-minute shopping before my mom and sister went back to the Philippines. While we were about to leave the mall, my brother suggested to pass by the pet store and check out the puppies, so I obliged. As we came into the store, we saw cute furry little things lined up one after another. I remember there were a lot of Chihuahuas available at that time and I thought to myself, I can't have a dog like that. It's too small for me... One day, being the klutz that I am, I'm going to end up stepping on it and that'll be the end of a sad, short story.

Image by www.freedigitalphotos.net

So I kept walking down the aisle until I finally reached the back of the store and looked up at the last two puppies that were displayed in their own separate cages. There he was, second to the last cage... It was a huge puppy which at first glance seemed to look like a Husky or German Shepherd mix but on the label it said BREED: AKITA. I've never seen an Akita before nor have I ever heard about them so I got really curious. Black mask, white boots, pink paws and whoa... his face looked like a mix of a bear and a wolf!

The store had booths where you can interact and play with a puppy, maybe to give you that final push so you can say the magic words, "Swipe that card!" The Akita was still okay to play with, so I said, Hey why not? Let's get him in the booth! Boy were we in for a treat... right when they placed him on the floor inside the booth, he started running around and tugging at my brother's jeans (this was I think one of the reasons why I wanted to have him, so he could annoy the crap outta my brother and tear his designer jeans! Ha!). This Akita puppy just wouldn't hold still... he wanted to play and nibble and run around. He was cute, but so what? Every puppy always looks cute,right? And then it happened... he let me hold him and I placed him on my lap... he didn't move nor fickle around. He just stayed there, perfectly still.

Skyler almost 2 months old at the pet shop

All I remember after that was me telling my mom, I don't think I can leave this store tonight without him. I don't know why but I cannot let him go.  As romantic as it sounded, I did leave the store without him. I could have taken him home right then and there but my siblings and mother convinced me otherwise so I can think it over, at least overnight. They argued that being a large breed dog, it will be very difficult and expensive to maintain it and most especially, we have to check the temperament. I don't want to wake up one day with my pet dog chewing on my thighs with a side of barbecue sauce and have him go murder every other dog we see at the park.

Pretty much most of the common descriptions that I found for the Akita were loyal, highly intelligent, aggressive (especially with food), strong-willed, dominant and stubborn. In short, this cute bear-faced puppy can well be a terrorist if I don't train him properly. But despite all odds, I called back the shop the next day, signed the blank slot for the pet's name as "Skyler" and took this Akita home. Sadly, just two days after we got him from the shop, we found out that Sky had in fact, pneumonia and only had a 50/50 chance of survival. I was stressed out and devastated... so I went under my blanket and cried my eyes out just like this guy... er girl... unknown specie...

Luckily, Sky's vet is awesome and was able to nurse him back into excellent health! The first two years with this dog was the most challenging part as I had to constantly watch over him, get him potty-trained (I think I covered my whole entire apartment with training pads) and made sure he wasn't destroying anything. To date, Skyler almost set the apartment on fire twice (he turned on the stove on two separate occasions), he has dug the carpet, ruined the blinds countless times, chewed on the walls, dug on the floor and the wall, chewed on the door, chewed on my designer shoes (Kate Spade, Guiseppe Zanotti, Stella McCartney R.I.P. *tear*) and sunglasses, chewed on USB cables, chewed on PS3 controllers, you name it... HE CHEWED IT!

My toe is not an exception!

Skyler wearing my sunglasses at 3 years old with his Auntie Kiwi.  He eventually chewed on it too.

Then there's the expenses. *Gulp* Big dog equals big appetite. I have to buy him the biggest bag of dry food available, treats (lots of them), rawhide, toys (he LOVES squeeky toys but none of them could last him longer than a week and he decapitates all his stuffed toys), have him groomed and have his regular clinic visits. One time, he chewed on a bone and it didn't sit well with him so I ended up rushing him to his vet. I left that clinic $350 dollars poorer, to think at that time I only pay $15 for my own doctor's visit. During the summer season, I have to leave the air conditioning on almost 24/7 as well as the TV (preferably HBO) so he doesn't  fry with his double layer of fur.

Bored out of his mind watching HBO

When one has too much time on their hands, one gets bored. And sometimes, Sky has to pay for it. The best part of it all is, he plays along 'coz he somehow knows that I enjoy kidding around.

Sorry Auntie Kiwi, I think we stretched out your headband!

Skyler pretending to be my "lechon" (roasted pig) Yep, he plays dead like that

You know how experts say that dogs can't really understand what humans are saying? Maybe they can't, but they sure can feel how you're feeling. One day, I was feeling down and stressed out and out of nowhere, this big bear of a dog comes to me, reaches out with one of his long arms and lands his huge paw on my lap, as if trying to comfort me. That's the thing about dogs... they never judge you nor hold grudges against you.

Skyler giving me a paw shake

My boyfriend once told me that I saved Skyler because if I didn't take him that day from the shop, he would have surely died from pneumonia. I actually think it's the other way around... I think Skyler saved me. He really taught me to be patient and to know how it's like to care for something invaluable as well as appreciate the small things in life. If you respect animals, they will respect you. Treat animals with care and dignity, as they have feelings just like we do.

Forever paws-in-crime...

My big monster giving me a big kiss

Oh and by the way, mess with me and I'll sick my dog on ya. Just kidding! =)

Toodles!