This would be the second-last post here. It has ceased to be a 'Kiya-and-Louie' blog, because Kiya passed away in the afternoon on Thursday, 7 March 2013. She was given a sedative, and then a drug to have her sleep peacefully into death.

Fifa's father, Mr Rahim, and Fifa's sister, were there, together with Simon and me. We all said our goodbyes to Kiya.

I patted Kiya on the head while she slipped away from us. I whispered to her that I love her, my baby girl, my Kiya-ko, and that I am very sorry. I am sorry for not having loved her more in the last few weeks of her life.

Kiya was diagnosed with cancer. Hemangiosarcoma, a cancer that began in the spleen and spread to the liver. It had grown so large that it had pushed her liver aside, and it was not functioning as it should. She was jaundiced, and anemic.

I don't know how much she suffered. This is what still gets me, eats away at my heart.

Kiya has never been a healthy dog. First she came to us still on heartworm treatment, flushing out the dead heartworms from her system. Then it was a callous on her hind left thigh that became infected, and had to be surgically removed. And then it was her eye stye that grew too large and also became infected, and she had to have yet another surgery. She had hip problems - arthritis - and could never run for long, nor for long walks. She had recurring yeast infection in her ears, sometimes mites, that warranted her taken to the vet. She had skin issues that would flare up every several months. And not just three months ago, it was yet another skin infection on her left neck, which she scratched raw, and it was another trip to the vet, this time with a cone around her neck that had to stay.

So, when she began to be more lethargic, walking more slowly, out of breath, I thought she was simply ageing. If she was approximately 4 years old when she was rescued by Fifa and Mr Rahim, then she must be at least 8 years old now.

I admit that we were afraid that sending her to the vet for symptoms like walking more slowly and lethargy would only mean more tests. Tests that would be expensive and inconclusive, and would need even more tests. Tests that would show she was simply ageing, and nothing to be done about it, in any case.

Just a weekend ago, Kiya still howled with happiness when Simon and I came home with Mika after a brunch outing. She was still eating, though not as much as before. On Sunday, when we took the dogs for their evening stroll, she couldn't go further after she peed at her usual grassy spot. She simply sat down. We turned back then. On Tuesday, she rejected her raw food. I fed her the extra-yummy Orijen fish kibble - I offered her a mound of it - she ate most of it, but that wasn't Kiya. Not the Kiya I knew. She would have breathed it all down, and then lick my fingers for crumbs. She had a bully stick from Simon that night. But she ate it slowly. She refused all food on Wednesday.

Simon and Pauline, our helper, took Kiya to the vet on Thursday afternoon. I thought, maybe it is lyme's disease or something that caused to her have anemia, something that can be fixed, or that she is simply ageing. And the news came, and my heart was in my throat.

My heart broke when I saw her at the vet. How could I have missed her losing so much weight? Her ribs were showing. Her hair was dry. It used to gleam. Her coat used to be so beautiful, it shimmered. Her eyes were yellow, and so were her gums. But I did check them a few days ago, and they were merely pale. Was I so caught up with work and the baby that I was blind to these? This lovely, beautiful, sweet-natured dog, who only had love for people, and who loved me? That I could not even spend some time to pat her more on the head? Was it any excuse, to have a baby in my arms, a load of bags, an exhausting day of work, lack of sleep - to not give her a pat on the head, even if she was listless, and lying quietly by the door?


If I had known she was ill, even if a week earlier, I would have stroked her more. I would take her for a ride out in the car, with the top down, so she could stick her tongue out to loll in the wind. I would have taken her to the sea, just one last time, to have her paddle, if she still had the strength to. I would let her meet other dogs, especially small dogs - how she loved them! I would have fed her liver, tripe, strong-smelling fish kibble, duck, grass-fed beef. I would have given her more hugs.

I cry because I'd like her back, even for just a day, just a day more. So I could do all that with her, before I let her go. I had no illusions of detecting the cancer early. But I just wish I could have shown her a little more love, just before she passed on.


Adopting Kiya was Simon's decision. I remember clearly meeting Kiya for the first time. My heart was still heavy with grief for Moonshine. I was not at all taken by Kiya. While Kiya was generally friendly with people, it took her a long time to truly bond with a person. But she was sweet, and so pitiful, and so easy. An easy dog. She was good with people, and with other dogs. She was not a high-maintenance dog. She did not require much exercise (her hips). How could we not take her in, after having fostered her for months?

There were many happy memories. Just Kiya and I at the small Novena park, where I'd play fetch with her (not with a bouncy ball, but a plastic rubbery deflated ball). Meeting Louie for the first time in June 2009. Louie was terrified, Kiya, delighted. They chased each other at the park. Kiya discovering the joy of raw food. Rides in the cars - of my parents', of Angel's, Sam's, and then finally our car. Kiya was the dog, who brought my engagement ring. I was cooking pasta for dinner, and through the glass doors I saw her sitting and looking up at me, a pink ribbon tied around her neck, a diamond ring weighing it slightly down. At Novena, we'd go for walks to the mall, have a coffee at TCC or Baker's Inn or even at Harry's while the dogs watched the world go by, or to the larger dog park of Novena where Louie would sprint off-leash, and Kiya pottering about, watching Louie run about. Kiya also met Dennis, the cigar-guy who'd have a cigar at the park (ha), while Louie sprinted about and Kiya would sit by his bench. My memory of those nights were: cool nights, very quiet, puffs of smoke by the pale fluorescent light, the pelting sounds of Louie on the leaves and pavement, Kiya - just there. Happy, I believe, to be with us. Moving from Novena to our current house in March 2010. The cat incident in the yard and then later another beach trip to Sentosa with Sam, this time with Lou looking like a camel-goat (his infected skin on his neck hanging loose), Kiya swimming in the sea like a black mandarin duck. Paddling, her body buoyant and her legs painless. The dog hash with Denson and Simon and Louie, that, on hindsight, was stupid. She nearly collapsed with heat exhaustion. She recovered, and I hoped, happy with that afternoon of excitement of being part of a dog hash, with many new happy dogs and people. House parties, from Novena to our current house, of new people and friends. Visits from Denvy, usually with bully sticks. We took her to others' too, like Sus' and Nick's apartment, or to Laura's and Ding's. She loved it. The decision to put her at my dad's for about a year was mine, and that I did not regret, though with hesitation, but she was constantly with people. A full-time helper, students about. She finally came back and joined us in late-August 2012 when we finally had a helper. Shaving Kiya's hair with the Braun. Cleaning her ears and trimming her nails always a chore because she hated it. And then we were a family with the arrival of the baby.

To me and Simon, Kiya was very special: "My contract is with the child".

I told the baby about Kiya. How she would be a wonderful dog. How she would have protected and loved her with all her heart. She really would. Kiya was that sort of dog.



While I grieve, I do want to turn this into something positive. That Kiya would be a reminder to me not to have any regrets with the people I love. That I would not waste time on matters, that in the very end, do not matter. That I would love more, and treasure whatever time I have left with loved ones. To live a life, yes - as cliche as it is - without regrets.

Kiya - you are no more, but you will always, always be in my heart, and in my memories. I love you, my Kiya-ko. 

Louie: The Great Escape(s)

Much as I like curling up on my bed upstairs, just outside Persons S and D's room, I like my freedom. I like to run.

So, one day, sometime in January this year, I was left in the yard with Kiya. Stupidly, Person D left the window to the house open! Well yes, granted, there were (solid iron) grilles on the windows. Still!
I eyed it beadily...



Several hours later, Person D, S, and S' family came home, only to find Kiya greeting them happily. Person S cried out in alarm, "Where's Louie?", and Person D was still walking up to the gate slowly, and replied "He should be in the yard...". Person S was by now very panicky; I could hear it in his voice. "He's not in the yard!" And I think at this point, Person D almost cried. She later told me that her heart leapt to her throat, and after glancing in the yard with only Kiya smiling at them, she ran out to the streets, calling out for me, "Louieeeee! Louiiiiieeeee!" and that she started crying.

Person S, the smart one, opened the front door anyway, and let Kiya in, only to find me looking up at him excitedly. I was happy Person S and his family were home, and I could hear Person D, my favourite person in the world. "Where is she?" I wagged my tail, and jumped up, placing my paws on Person S, who... strangely, looked like he was going to throttle me. He called Person D back, "Louie's inside! He's here!" and she came running back.

I greeted her happily, but was confused with all the emotions, and so I bowed my head, tucked my tail between my legs and looked as guilty as possible. She hugged me fiercely, and then, with Person S investigating the dining table right by the window, she started to scold me. I did not understand why she did that. As it happened, I was bored being kept in the yard, and I wanted to go back to my bed upstairs, so I climbed through the windows, in between the grilles. Yes I was skinny enough to do so, but not without difficulty, and I had to scratch my way inside, hence the evidence of my scratches on the dining table.

Person D and S then started laughing, and from then on, they always kept the window shut when they keep us in the yard. Damn!


***

Two weeks ago, Person S and D took Kiya and I out for a walk. Person D was holding my leash (oh how I hate it!), when suddenly, I saw a cat not two meters from me. Instinctively, I leapt at it, and jumped up and down and to the side at the end of the leash, trying to.. reach... kill.. that cat. It were my genes talking. Suddenly, I felt no resistance on my neck! I was free! I immediately pounced on the cat, but Person D, yelled at me and so I ran away, towards the river, where some people were fishing. One of them caught a strange creature.. a turtle! I tried to lunge at it - I really had to hunt for something, my blood was boiling with excitement! - but they yelled at me so I ran away.

I could hear, in the background, Person S calling out to me frantically, and Person D trying to tell him to sound more gentle, as I would ignore him otherwise (she was right). I truly did not understand why they were being so frantic and worried. I ran to a grass patch and started to take a dump. Person S came running to me and grabbed hold of my collar so suddenly and forcefully, I could only scowl at him. Then Person D came over and hugged me fiercely again. Hm. Whenever she does that, I know she will scold me a minute later. Sure enough, they both did.

Now they are in discussion in getting me some reinforced leash or something. Apparently, the metal clip of the old leash broke! Person S was furious that the metal portion of the leash could break like that. Sigh. They don't understand that I am not running away from them. I just want to run, hunt, kill dogs, cats, turtles, birds. Why can't they understand that?

Kiya: Shiny red car

So, life has been idyllic. In December 2010, Persons D and S disappeared for almost two weeks! They put me in a car and ferried me to a strange, but bustling apartment, and I was also separated from Louie. Though I was initially happy to get some respite from a pesky dog stepping all over me when I sleep, I soon missed Louie, and my persons, a lot.

However, very shortly I was again reunited with my family, and when I saw Louie I went crazy with happiness! We also went home, finally, and this time there were many more people in the house - they all smell somewhat like Person S. Louie did not like these extra people in the house, but much to his relief, they soon left. So it was just back to the four of us again, and Louie and I continued to go for our early morning walks with Person D, left home alone after Person S leaves, we sleep and bark at cats walking outside our house, and greet our persons happily when they return.



I like to nap in the sun, which makes Persons D and S very confused, and I can hear them whispering frantically and pointing at me and frowning. They even tried to chase me back into the house but I'd walk back into the sun again. What's wrong with sunbathing?!





A month ago, our lives changed. I sniffed Person S and detected the smell of new leather on him.. That evening, they put something weird on me, called a 'harness', all padded and covered with mock sheep wool. I didn't care about it much, though it did make me look like I was going for schutzhund practice! And then.. the surprise! Oh!



A brand new, shiny red car, without a roof! I was in doggie heaven! I couldn't wait to get onto the car. I immediately occupied one seat and hung my head out. Louie had to be coaxed into the car as he really did not like car rides, but I suppose he dislikes being left home alone more. So he complied.





When the car moves, I could smell a hundred thousand things at one time.. my nose couldn't stop twitching! I love it. Person S also likes it and always put the roof down, much to the annoyance of Person D. I could tell she doesn't like it, or at least she just wants to hide herself by wearing scarves over her hair and large sunglasses. Weird, like Louie.


We now take joy rides in the car when Person D gets her Starbucks. Sometimes we go to the beach for walks. Sometimes we return to the fenced park at Novena, where Louie gets to run like the wind again. I just like being in the car, enjoying the sunshine, the wind in my ears, a thousand different scents running through my nose.

Louie's Fever: A very stupid stray cat

It was arranged during last weekend's (very delicious) dim sum brunch at Royal China, that Cousin S would take us all to Sentosa today, including the dogs. I was looking forward to it..

However, two days ago, on Tuesday, one of the neighbourhood's many stray cats stupidly jumped into my yard, when both Kiya and Louie are pottering about. Huh!?! It's one thing to use the yard when my dogs are kept in the kitchen, or at night when the dogs are kept indoors, but when you see two large dogs in my garden and you're this tiny cat, you DO NOT come jumping into the yard, you stupid cat! So when I got home, I let the dogs run freely in the house and yard of course, and after several minutes in the kitchen gutting and chopping up some meat for the dogs' dinner, I heard snarls, whines, growls and groans - I ran out and saw, to my horror, both Kiya and Louie biting something furry by the front gate. I yelled at them both, thunderously, and that gave the cat enough time to jump up and over the fence to safety.

I was furious, of course, at both the dogs and the cat. I was very worried that the cat was one of the neighbour's, but I recognised the cat to be a stray (I later found the cat, all OK and napping, round the corner outside my house). Louie looked fine, and Kiya suffered an obvious cut on her muzzle, which I promptly put antiseptic cream on, but not before washing both Kiya's and Louie's heads, faces and necks, as they both reek of cat's piss - I don't blame the cat for pissing in fright. I thought nothing more of this incident, though I was (am) very annoyed with cats in general. Cats are stupid.

However, on Wednesday, I noticed something dangling below Louie's chin - like a fluid-filled sac, or very swollen lymph nodes. He was also more listless than usual, though he ate his dinner and was otherwise OK. Oh, and he whined the house down when S or I tried to remove his martingale collar - it seemed to hurt his left ear and neck area (but no, I could not find any wounds). This morning, though, I could tell he was definitely in some sort of pain or else feeling very poorly, so I asked Cousin S to take us to the vet before heading to the beach.

Here is Kiya, healthy and very happy to be in a car, period.




Louie, meek, listless and obedient.






So there. As I suspected, Louie suffered a bacterial infection from the cat's scratches or bites (but no obvious puncture wound, unlike Kiya's, which bled and helped flush the wound of bacteria) and he was given antibiotics. In a very twisted way, it made handling Louie much easier - he is usually so full of energy at the beach that he'd jump and skip-hop into the water, but today, he merely plodded into the water and barely swam.





Kiya could not wait to get into the water and dragged all of us into the sea.







Again, Kiya was fascinated with anything or anybody floating in the water.




When Person DS swam freely in the sea, Kiya immediately took off -




Kiya was very speedy in the water! Still, she must have been quite scary-looking, given how intent she was when she swam after somebody in the water.



Do you see Louie's 'lump' under his chin?




It makes him look even more strange - like a camel-goat-dog or something, ha ha!




Kiya didn't even care about her brother. She was in her element.







And she whined a lot when she saw other people in the sea. She wanted to join them desperately, but I know most people would misunderstand a "Rottie" swimming intently after them in the open sea. Like a black furry shark.





I had to take this picture cos it almost seemed like as if we were somewhere on a beach in the Middle East, ha ha.




Time to go home.. and Kiya's still very happy! Why? Because she gets another car ride!





I hope that even if Lou could not enjoy the beach fully, he did have something to distract him from his fever!

Dream of Louie

Last night, I was woken up by Kiya's toe nails clicking against the bedroom door. I don't know why both Louie and Kiya choose to sleep just outside our bedroom in the landing on the second level, instead of sleeping downstairs on the cool cement floor with the ceiling fan turned on for them. Perhaps they want to be as close to us as possible, or more likely (and less sentimentally) - Kiya probably chooses to sleep right outside our bedroom because the air-conditioned air can be felt near the bedroom door! Ha.

Anyway. Louie would usually sleep against the walls on the landing, but Kiya - she chooses to sleep as close to the door as possible. All too often, she ends up lying down with her legs against the door, and when she dreams, she twitches her legs, like a puppet, and her toe nails would click on the door loudly - loud enough to wake me..

So last night, I got up and pushed her away from the door, and went back to bed, but could only sleep fitfully. When I finally dozed off, I dreamt vividly of both S, Kiya and Louie. We were all in a country house of sorts, with a large garden. It was perched on a cliff top, and the fence of the compound bordered the cliff itself. A dog barked somewhere far away, down in the canyon or valley at the bottom of the cliff, and both dogs ran to the edge and barked. And, to my utter horror, Louie did not stop there. He jumped. He jumped off the cliff.

Sometimes, I really wonder why we dream. Some dreams are so horrifying, so gut-wrenching, they tear at my heart, and I wake to a wet pillow, my cheeks streaked with tears! This time, all I knew was that my heart sank - and I was so, so sad, and I managed to cry Louie's name out, and ran down the hill to the valley. And when I finally got to the bottom of the valley, I found Louie lying on his side. His neck was broken. But when I neared him, he pitifully tried to lift his head, and his tail.. his tail still wagged a little. Like how he would sometimes be lying on the floor at home and I'd sing-song his name "Louie!" and he wouldn't move a muscle, except his tail, which would be beating up and down. I sank on my knees and cradled him.


I know it is only a dream.. I shouted out loud in my sleep and woke S, and I was glad to wake because it was only a dream, and I knew both my dogs were just outside the bedroom, probably sleeping soundly, dreaming of chasing cats and having duck for dinner. It's just that I love them both so much, I wouldn't know how I would, could- cope with the loss of the both of them. The loss of Moonshine still smarts - I do think about him, and I can't help but feel sad. However, I did try to rationalise it, and this fear I have is one of  losing Kiya and Louie before their time is up. And that is, at least another 5 or 6 years for Kiya, and another 11 years for Louie. If I have these years with them, then I would not grieve like I did for Moonshine. And I would be grateful and content, to have these years with them

I have two dogs -- both are called "Kiya"

This is the original Kiya: the sweet "Rottweiler".



[Here she looks slightly menacing, but it's only because her name is getting hijacked]


What's Kiya eating?



A leaf..?!




Just a dried pig's ear Person S bought for her.




She's clearly very happy.



Now, Louie is no more. His name is now also "Kiya". It's not like as if we re-named him. On the contrary, I call him Louie-lou and sing his name while I hug him. But when I call for Kiya, Louie would be the first to pelt to me! When I call "Louie!", he either takes his time to come to me, or ignores my call. Like, seriously, wth.




I suppose both dogs are jealous of the other for affection from me or Person S. Louie's tail would actually wag a lot when I call out Kiya's name and pat her. So I suppose when I call out Kiya's name, he would come running to me because he wants attention too.

It has come to a point that Person S, when he wants Louie to go to him, needs only call out "Kiya!", and he'll get both dogs. ha ha!

Some pictures of my Louie-Kiya.











Ears cocked when he hears something unusual - he looks like a mad dog, haha!





Confused what his true name is..




Louie looking spooked.. He looks hilarious when he is scared of something -




hahahaha

Kiya: Person V's visit

It's been three months since we moved into this big house and Louie and I have settled in well. Just last week, we had a visitor - it's Person V from Hong Kong, bringing with her smells of a faraway desert, a white mutt and.. a beagle but this beagle smells of a lot of food, hmm.

To my great delight, Person V exclaimed that I am very skinny! The more she went on about how she could feel my ribs and my spine, the more I sucked in my stomach and doe-eyed my person. Person S also rubbed it in, using his Dogmanitarian trump card again. Person D finally relented and said she would start giving me bigger dinners from now on. Yes! Score!

Here I am, trying to do a Louie on the stairs landing.



Unfortunately, Person D just laughed at me :(



Oh and of course, Louie has been his irritating self as usual. Sometimes, he'd vacate his bed and growl at something in the garden and I'd immediately take his bed. Ha! But sometimes that little nit would squeeze in with me. I couldn't snap at him as Person D was around..






And Person D finds it cute that we share a bed, jeez.



Here's a picture to end of my little note. Louie has crimped hair, HA HA!! How sissy is that!



Apparently Person D gave him a bath, and his hair on his ears naturally crimps after drying off from a shower, but I don't quite believe that. I think he did it to get some attention.

Louie's 'naughty' streak

I think I have been making Person D very angry many times the last few weeks. I don't understand why she gets angry with me - I have a reason for everything I do.

For example, when Person D takes Kiya and I for walks, I usually strut around with my head held high. This is because I am a hunting dog, and not just any hunting dog like my cousin Lemondrop, but a sight hound - I hunt by sight! So whenever I see another four-legged creature, I always perk up, huff and puff through my nose, and if we are close enough to the prey, I get very excited and will run around in circles (leashed, unfortunately). But Person D will get very upset and give me 'leash corrections'. Sometimes she raises her voice. So to avoid upsetting her more, I calm down. But I can't help getting excited in the first place.


Then there was yesterday morning, when both Persons D and S got up. Person D found a large puddle of pee on the first landing of the staircase, and guessed correctly it was my pee. She was so angry! I could tell, even though she did not say anything to me - she promptly got the mop out and mopped the spot five times. I am a good boy - I don't pee in our house, but I really couldn't hold the pee any longer..


Three times, Person D came home to find shredded paper towels all over the kitchen floor - "like snow" I heard her tell Person S. She wasn't happy. She finally figured that I was so bored being kept at home with Kiya (who sleeeeeeeps all day), that I took a roll of kitchen paper towel from the box in the pantry every day she left us at home. She thought I had jumped on the kitchen counter to get the roll! Ha ha. How silly. Hm, but now she has removed the box of paper towels so I can no longer vent my boredom tearing tissue up anymore..


This last month, I have stolen a Daim caramel cake from Person S' plate (hmm!) on the coffee table, and a small piece of chocolate cake from Person D when she was in the garden watering the plants. I don't understand why they were angry and worried. I love cake - why can't dogs love cake?


Oh, and I love to chew on their silicone ear plugs. Sometimes, on special weekend mornings, Person D let us into their bedroom. I like it there because it is so cold, sometimes too cold for me but Kiya loves it. And when I'm in there, I go straight for their ear plugs. Hm, so chewy!

Once, Persons D and S slept in for so long in the cold room that I could not take the cold anymore, and their white fluffy bed looked so inviting, I stepped onto their bed. Person S first noticed me and shouted 'No, Louie!', and I was expecting Person D to chase me off the bed, but she laughed and said something about changing the sheets later that afternoon anyway, and invited me on it! I snuggled between Person D and S, and felt very loved.

Most of the time, though, I'll just sleep next to Person D or S, whenever we are allowed into their room. I'm a good dog.. I hope they understand things from my point of view.

Kiya's shaved hair

One hot day, Person S remarked that my hair was getting too thick and long for the weather. So he whipped out the dreaded Braun, and shaved me in the garden! Oh, the shame!




I was not happy, evidently.




Person D was amused. She took a picture of my shaved hair..




It was quite a botched job as some of my hair was cut right at the skin and some not. It was irregular. But after that, I love it! It IS much cooler..

Moving on: our new house

It has been almost two months since we moved to our new house. I have been very busy, of course, every weekend (and many weekday afternoons and evenings) spent on doing something for the house, one way or another.





A summary is required:

1. Kiya took to the house like fish to water. Louie growled and barked several times the first night and we slept poorly for days.

2. Kiya sprawls about anywhere on the cement screed floor downstairs for her naps. Louie has found his favourite spots - upstairs on stairs landing, or under the dining table downstairs.

3. Louie has stolen S' slice of Daim cake - and ate it all. Eh? Louie? Caramel cake??

4. There is a scenic jogging route along the river just across the road. A loop is approximately 3km. Both Louie and I love it.

5. The bao/pau (bun) shop down the road sells delicious char siew pao. Because we walk by it so often with the dogs, the staff members there now know us, and they adore Kiya (especially after I told Kiya to 'shake hands' and 'high five!'). One of the young men there likes to give Kiya char siew bao - hm, I'm not too happy with that, but Kiya is over the moon.

6. There is a brindled mastiff two doors down from us. Oh, he is a poor doggie - he barks every night for his food, I have never seen him taken for walks, and yet he is the sweetest and most gentle dog ever. He lumbers to me when I call him over 'Mr Mastiff!' (he responds!). Maybe one day I can get him to be friends with Kiya and Louie and he can come over to our place and play with the dogs.

7. Kiya and Louie have acquired a taste for feline blood since we moved. Sigh.

8. Kiya is strange. Sometimes, when I throw open the door to the garden, she will trot out, and sits herself under the direct sunlight - for minutes! And when I call her in and touch her, her black hair is baking hot! It's like as if she wants to sun tan, despite her thick black coat. She must truly have some German blood in her, ha ha.

9. I had to go away for work for a few days, and I (most unwillingly) placed them both in a boarding kennel. Oh I missed them so. I watched the van that picked them up driving away and the lonesome sillhouette of both Kiya and Louie nearly made me... hm. Anyway, I'm happy to get them back, but Louie! Oh Louie has lost so much weight! I have to fatten him up again.

10. There was an evening when I fed Kiya thawed chicken which she promptly breathed down (instead of chewing), and 15 minutes later threw up all over the stairs. We fasted her for the night. The next morning, she was so hungry that when S let the dogs into the garden, Kiya foraged between the reedy plants, found a mushroom, and ate it! !!!

11. The joy of having a front and backyard - tossing a frozen chunk of raw meaty bones on the floor for Kiya to eat, without having to bother about cleaning up. Louie - I still have to feed on newspapers and cloth as his food is thawed and he eats messily.

12. There was a choked drain upstairs on the balcony - with the result of a flood! When I got home and let the dogs out, they were bleary-eyed, gingerly stepping over puddles of water, but dry. Clever dogs.

13. One of our neighbours call our dogs 'horses'.





14. One afternoon, I walked both dogs to the dog park. But by the time we got there, they were both exhausted, and Louie (very disappointingly) merely trotted around sniffing, and peeing over other dogs' pee. I'll stick to running with Louie.