Mya Underfoot

Though her cat-like manner makes me think of her other than canine many times, there are things she does that remind me she's canine afterall. One I always see is her denning instinct.  Every morning, she keeps us company at breakfast and after her 2 pieces of scrambled egg, she always settles under the table and sleeps. So I'm pretty sure she's not just waiting for scraps to fall.

She has been given the name "Mya Underfoot" because she is very good at putting herself in the likeliest of places to be accidentally stepped on. But just a slight touch to the fur on her tail can send her jumping up in no time.  And then she's back again! Funny girl!

Pest-Control Services, Begone!

The thing about having a furkid with kidney and allergy issues is that you have to be paranoid about what she ingests and what she sniffs- as these could get into her bloodstream and cause problems.

Last year, I asked our condo pest control service provider to give me a list of all the chemicals they use to fumigate as I wanted to have our veterinarian check if these are safe.  They replied with a letter assuring me that what they use is safe (though they provided no basis, and no list of chemicals) and told me that they only apply it where it can not be reached.  It has been  years since our last fumigation. Why?  Because shibanunu loves to sniff out all nooks and crannies with gusto! 





Drain-sniffing is one of her pastimes.



And so is chewing her foot when I'm not looking

Quirky little nunu!

Warm Blanket and Purple Ears

This is what contentment looks like during a warm summer day.  (AC and soft microfiber blanket required.)

Huggable Peaceful Puppy- NOT!

Today, I actually considered not having her walked as her purple ears may catch too much attention from the neighbors...But who cares?  Not this little girl!



Mya and Her Purple Ears from Using Her Eardrops





Mya's Feathered Visitor

There are some days when life throws something so unexpected.  Today, this surprise came by flying to our living room window.  What a  fearless (and just as clueless) pigeon this was.  He had no idea of the intense prey drive this shiba creature staring from the other side of the window has.  He had no idea that a few months back, we had to pry off a poor maya bird out of Mya's mouth to help it escape from this shiba huntress.  She had captured the maya bird when it mistakenly flew into our living room.

Today, this relatively big and healthy-looking pigeon's visit was a good few seconds of excitement. We were just astounded by its curiosity when it stayed around and even tried to stick its head in.  Mya was just as curious herself.  No barking was involved.  Just that alert curious stance that usually precedes chasing prey.  (usually in the form of leaves flying in the wind or other much smaller birds)

"Hello there! Can you teach me how to dance 'Doing Croo-croo Pigeon'?"



"Yes...closer...that's it...closer until I can grab your neck..."



A Tired Dog is a Happy Dog

So I guess this is a very happy dog!

This is a Dog-tired furkid.  Not surprising after defending her champion status in many weight divisions.

Battle of the Ear-drops

The daycare staff and I lost today.  We had a 3 human grown-ups versus 1 slippery eel of a small canine battle with Mya which lasted 30 minutes.  Then I decided that we will try to put those eardrops in her ear at another time.

When a dog has a traumatic experience from a careless handler, you pay for it for a long long time. 

Mental Note:
If and when I get a new puppy, his ears will have the least possible handling from the vet.  Also, his nails will only be cut by me.

Soft Rugs and Bathroom Mats

One of her favorite sleeping surfaces- our folded bathroom floor towel.

"Now that it has my scent on it, this towel is MINE."



Halloween Party at Pup Culture

After changing my mind three times whether or not Mya should go to the Halloween Party, we finally made it to Pup Culture in her simple home-made costume.  In choosing what her costume will be for the occasion, my top priority was her comfort, not wanting to aggravate any skin irritation.  As expected, she tried to remove it and managed to convince me to keep it off soon after her photo session was over.  Here is Mya in her Halloween costume. 

Her flag came all the way from Mt. Fuji's level 5.



Thanks, Pup Culture, for organizing the party.  Mya had a lot of fun, specially after having won the Longest Stay grand prize. Thank you, Mya, for not letting me down even when there were so many distractions.  Too bad you don't do the same during agility! She would have loved to compete in the grand finals of the Trick and Treat game but "mommy" made her go home right after winning in her 'division'.  Ooh!  Competitive!

Manila's Atopic Shibas

I have read a number of times that one shouldn't let emotions rule when purchasing a puppy, and also, not to buy from a petshop because most likely, you will end up patronizing a puppymill and with your hands full, your emotions drained, and your wallet empty.

Breaking the Rules
I broke rule #1 because getting Mya was an emotional decision for me.  But then again, opening up your family to a new member requires one's heart's involvement too. 

I broke rule #2 because when I got Mya from a petshop, I knew the petshop was the breeder as well. I thought that there was a difference.  I didn't know any better.

The most responsible thing I did before deciding to get her was had her checked by a veterinarian.  The vets said that she had a cough and they found a dead ear mite on her.  When I asked if it was a cause for alarm, she said the cough can be treated with antibiotics (I had no idea what kennel cough was)  and the ear mite was already dead and so it's not a cause for alarm.

I brought Mya home that day with medications I just purchased- my first purchase after getting her.  I didn't know that was the first of countless vet visits and medications for numerous conditions she would have.

The Cost of Breaking the Rules

Kennel Cough- She did not get well from her kennel cough until more than a month from the time she came home.  We had to use 3 different antibiotics on her, and then a bacterial sensitivity test to find the right antibiotics

Reverse Sneezing- A puppy who is reverse sneezing is not a pretty sight.  Check it out on youtube.

Demodex- Upon turning 6 months of age, Mya got demodectic mange.  A hereditary immune system inability to resolve the exposure to demodex mites on its own.  Most dogs already have demodex mites living in their skin even as a puppy, but will not show signs of demodex, unless it is genetically incapable of resisting it.

Hyper-Thyroid-  Mya's Thyroid only normalized when she turned 1 1/2 years old. Apparently, this condition is exteremely rare among dogs- hypo-thyroid being common. 

High Creatinin and BUN-  In blood tests, these are good indications to the overall health of the kidneys. Incidentally, this organ's cells do not regenerate.  So any damage to the kidneys are permanent.  Common in older dogs who are nearing their time, but for a puppy?

Hyper-active, Acidic Stomach- This is not uncommon to dogs who go hungry for prolonged hours, but for a dog to vomit bile and stomach acid every morning, and now needing 4 small meals a day to keep vomiting at bay?  That's special.  (Edit: Oct 15, 2010 Vet suspects Mya to have stomach ulcer from too much acidity.  She vomited acid and blood after refusing to eat breakfast)

Truth in Kibbles
Before bringing her home I asked the care-taker at the shop what they fed Mya, so I could buy her the same type of food and have an easy transition.  He said she ate Eukanuba Lamb and Rice.  They also sent some re-packed kibbles with her which should be good for a few days.  When I bought Eukanuba Lamb and Rice for puppies and compared it with what they sent, it was totally different.  Maybe they were actually feeding her something even cheaper, or they were feeding the 12 week old puppy adult food. 

Reporting Demodex
Upon getting Mya's demodex daignosis, I immediately, and in good faith sent text messages to the care-taker of the shop to tell him that he should inform the breeder that Mya has demodex. This info should have been appreciated because then this would help them identify which sire and dam are not appropriate for their breeding program.  I did not get any response.  Not even "thank you for letting us know". 

Asking About Allergies
When Mya turned one, I tried to contact them again to ask what possible allergies Mya could have based on the allergies of the dam and sire, but I got no answer.  I wasn't surprised anymore.  Because as soon as I brought Mya home, they never answered any of my messages. 

Now that she has Atopic Dermatitis, I have no one to blame but her breeder, and am helpless to know that they are continuing to breed shibas with atopy because they couldn't care less or can not understand the magnitude of this genetic predisposition.  Soon, the Philippines will have many shibas with atopy in their bloodline. Soon many dog owners who love their shibas as much as I love Mya will be going through this predicament.  It's easy to be a breeder, but difficult to be a responsible one.  Don't get me wrong-  I love my furkid, and I have nothing but praise about her temperament, but why did she have to come with so many health problems?

The shiba inu is a Japanese National Treasure and it is sad that people who got their hands on them don't quite give justice to the breed.  Breeding is not simply about conformation or temperament. Health is a major consideration.

How can a dog exhibit these traits when she's so itchy that her tail can't even curl up anymore?

• "spirited boldness" (悍威, kan'i^?)
• "good nature" (良性, ryōsei^?)
• "artlessness" (素朴, soboku^?)

So many people have asked me where I got Mya.  Complete strangers have even found me online to ask where I got her, but I never told them because I don't want them to be supporting a puppymill disguised as a responsible, award-winning breeder.  Let me just leave this long and "angstful" entry with the name of her Sire and Dam.  Before you get a shiba, it's up to you to check and steer clear.

Sire:  Zippy of Ming Dog House FCI (ROC)
Dam:  Jerboa of Ming Dog House FCI (ROC)
Mya:  Lombija's Forest Bright (AKC)

A Time for Simple Joys of Life

There has always been something about the distinct cool evening air of the "ber" months that made me feel nostalgic and happy.  The good memories of past Christmases as a child surely has something to do with it. Not so this year. Soon, it will be one full year from the time I was admitted into the hospital for an emergency C-section.  One full year from the time Quelo and I were supposed to look at each other for the first time after having shared almost 9 months of love and togetherness. One full year from the time I layed down in the recovery room and heard the doctor say to me, "... they are reviving Michael".  One full year since my husband and I came back home with empty arms to a house with a stroller, baby clothes, bottles and gifts from the baby shower.

On Good Days and Dog-Shopping

Tonight, as I breathe the familiar cool evening air of the months close to Christmas, I remind myself how small things used to make me happy.  How simple things can bring so much joy, and how trivial things can all add up to compound into memories of "the good days".  I resolve to make new memories and new good days. 

Tonight I just realized that my current simple joys are composed of, among other things, my online purchases. I have just ordered a few things from Amazon and I am really thankful for my aunt who generously gave me some space in her shipping box from New York. I should be receiving the items before Christmas and I'm embarrassed to admit that all the items I purchased are dog-related.  Yes, all of these are for Mya:

1. Travel Harness


Solvit Travel Harness
This connects the dog to the seatbelt so that
she will not be a trajectory in case of a collision
(not that I intend to be involved in one)

2.  Back Seat Cover


Solvit Seat Cover for Pets
This will protect the car from scratches-
provided the dog can be prevented from laying his paws
on the door and the top part of the backrest 

3.  Training Treat Bag

Guardian Gear Training Treat Bag
Should be very useful during agility training
to keep those yummy treats handy

4.  Tug/ Bumper



Chuckit! Amphibious Bumper

 5.  Fish Oil Supplement (Capsules)



Animal Essentials Fish Oil Plus, Omega 3 Supplement





The Top of My "Simple Joys" List

One of the items at the top of this list is my order of a customized harness for Mya.  It took me so long to finalize my order, and now that it's paid for in full, all I have to do is wait for the shipment to arrive.  I am not used to buying something that I have not seen on the shelf, but more so this time that it will be a unique piece.  I encountered Raw Dog Leather online when a fellow shiba owner from Seattle recommended the Winnie-style harness, which was originally designed for a shiba.  Mixie has been very patient in answering all my questions and takes time to really explain everything. Check out Raw Dog Leather's facebook site and you will agree that Mixie is a gifted and skilfull artisan and business owner.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/RawDogLeather?ref=ts

 Even through e-mails, you can tell that she is a woman with a genuine heart for both people and dogs. :)  Soon, Mya will be sporting one of her creations. I can't wait!