The past year and a half have not been too good for the pets in the Tan family. This is a tribute to the animals who have entered our lives and enriched it while they were with us.
Raisin....why we called her Raisin (I mean it's a snack not a dog's name) was because when we first bought her, she was tiny, had black, coarse hair and shiny, inquisitive eyes. Btw, the name on her birthcert is HAVAGO GOLD BUTTERFLY.
She was the boss amongst my 3 dogs. Raisin would snap at Mac (my other dog and her doggy husband)when he irritated her or growl at Sasha (her daughter) if she got too near her food bowl. She absolutely hated contractors and would nip at their ankles whenever she could. I've seen her bring big dogs to their knees and they would kowtow to her alpha femaleness. Unbelievable.
Raisin was really TH's baby. He used to spend a long time grooming her and getting her top knot juuust right. Her fur changed and she was gorgeous with her long silky gold and silver coat. She knew she was good looking and loved compliments.
For a tiny dog, she was really the best gauge as to who was at the door.From her bark I would know if it was TH/friend/ stranger at the gate even before the door bell rang. Once, she actually deterred an intruder who had broken into our home by barking furiously . I only thank god he didn't kick her or kill her.
Raisin loved us and was loved for 14 years before leaving us. We have been blessed to have had her for so long and there is a huge space left by this tiny dog who will always be remembered and loved.
Oscar.... Sean's first pet. She was a hamster and yes, she was a girl but Sean didn't care and gave her a boy's name.
She would nip our finger and cling on as she was carried out of the cage. She loved the wheel in her cage. First night, I had a fright when I heard a whirring sound. She was just going for a run.
Sean loved her and I am quite proud of him for cleaning her cage out every week (with some nagging from me).
I wasn't too keen to have a member of the rodent family in our house but grew to love Oscar who definitely had a winning personality.
Muffin...Sean's second hamster. unfortunately, she wasn't as playful nor as good tempered as Oscar. She'd bite and draw blood. So much so that when we had to get her out of the cage, we'd use a kitchen mitt or a fishing net.
She'd run on the wheel morning, noon and night. She'd run so fast that she'll fly out of the wheel and then stumble back on it again! DUH!
Cookie...the soi (stray) dog that wriggled across the road one afternoon on our way home from school and right into our lives. Cookie was paralysed from the back down from a car accident. We found him wondering along the road and took him in.
Poor Cookie had his hind legs almost worn down to the bone from the dragging of his legs on the rough gravel. He had open sores and being a street dog, had a multitude of viruses that needed strong anti biotics.
I had the most memorable car ride when Cookie left the vet's. Let's just say it involved an overflowing doggie diaper, my car seat, gear stick, brand new sandals and not so new Gucci bag....I think it might have been worse if Sean wasn't there to calm him while I was driving.
Cookie was Sean's dog (Sean doesn't consider the other 3 as his dogs cos they were with us before he was born ).
For a street dog, he was a sweet and trusting animal and would actually lick Sean's face! Being a street dog also meant that he wasn't used to being tied or caged up and broke out of the cage the first night and tried to run away.
He was a young dog when he came to us but died when his curiosity got the better of him and chewed on a wire.
Suffice to say, Sean was devastated and took him a long time to get over Cookie.
Cookie showed us that he may have been hurt by humans but he still had a heart big enough to love and trust us.
Last but not least Cupcake... he was a stray cat that decided to take refuge under my car one rainy, rainy day.
I learnt that male cat pee stinks, stinks, stinks (this was when he peed on me as I was carrying him) and that even though he was probably in pain, he let me drag him out from under the car.
It was yet another trip to the vet who discovered that Cupcake had feline AIDS. The most humane thing to do was to put him to sleep. We had no choice but to say goodbye to him.
I always wondered why he chose my house as we have the most number of dogs in the compound. Someone said that he knew we would do the right thing.
All these pets made an impression on our lives in one way or other. As a mum, it heartens me when I see my son feel for them and want to help them. Through them, Sean has had to learn one of life's hard lessons, death. He mourns their deaths and believes that they are in heaven keeping grandma company.
NOTE: The names that denote desserts were chosen by Sean. Don't ask me why.
Raisin....why we called her Raisin (I mean it's a snack not a dog's name) was because when we first bought her, she was tiny, had black, coarse hair and shiny, inquisitive eyes. Btw, the name on her birthcert is HAVAGO GOLD BUTTERFLY.
Raisin was really TH's baby. He used to spend a long time grooming her and getting her top knot juuust right. Her fur changed and she was gorgeous with her long silky gold and silver coat. She knew she was good looking and loved compliments.
For a tiny dog, she was really the best gauge as to who was at the door.From her bark I would know if it was TH/friend/ stranger at the gate even before the door bell rang. Once, she actually deterred an intruder who had broken into our home by barking furiously . I only thank god he didn't kick her or kill her.
Raisin loved us and was loved for 14 years before leaving us. We have been blessed to have had her for so long and there is a huge space left by this tiny dog who will always be remembered and loved.
Oscar.... Sean's first pet. She was a hamster and yes, she was a girl but Sean didn't care and gave her a boy's name.
She would nip our finger and cling on as she was carried out of the cage. She loved the wheel in her cage. First night, I had a fright when I heard a whirring sound. She was just going for a run.
Sean loved her and I am quite proud of him for cleaning her cage out every week (with some nagging from me).
I wasn't too keen to have a member of the rodent family in our house but grew to love Oscar who definitely had a winning personality.
Muffin...Sean's second hamster. unfortunately, she wasn't as playful nor as good tempered as Oscar. She'd bite and draw blood. So much so that when we had to get her out of the cage, we'd use a kitchen mitt or a fishing net.
Cookie...the soi (stray) dog that wriggled across the road one afternoon on our way home from school and right into our lives. Cookie was paralysed from the back down from a car accident. We found him wondering along the road and took him in.
Poor Cookie had his hind legs almost worn down to the bone from the dragging of his legs on the rough gravel. He had open sores and being a street dog, had a multitude of viruses that needed strong anti biotics.
I had the most memorable car ride when Cookie left the vet's. Let's just say it involved an overflowing doggie diaper, my car seat, gear stick, brand new sandals and not so new Gucci bag....I think it might have been worse if Sean wasn't there to calm him while I was driving.
Cookie was Sean's dog (Sean doesn't consider the other 3 as his dogs cos they were with us before he was born ).
For a street dog, he was a sweet and trusting animal and would actually lick Sean's face! Being a street dog also meant that he wasn't used to being tied or caged up and broke out of the cage the first night and tried to run away.
He was a young dog when he came to us but died when his curiosity got the better of him and chewed on a wire.
Suffice to say, Sean was devastated and took him a long time to get over Cookie.
Cookie showed us that he may have been hurt by humans but he still had a heart big enough to love and trust us.
Last but not least Cupcake... he was a stray cat that decided to take refuge under my car one rainy, rainy day.
I learnt that male cat pee stinks, stinks, stinks (this was when he peed on me as I was carrying him) and that even though he was probably in pain, he let me drag him out from under the car.
It was yet another trip to the vet who discovered that Cupcake had feline AIDS. The most humane thing to do was to put him to sleep. We had no choice but to say goodbye to him.
I always wondered why he chose my house as we have the most number of dogs in the compound. Someone said that he knew we would do the right thing.
All these pets made an impression on our lives in one way or other. As a mum, it heartens me when I see my son feel for them and want to help them. Through them, Sean has had to learn one of life's hard lessons, death. He mourns their deaths and believes that they are in heaven keeping grandma company.
NOTE: The names that denote desserts were chosen by Sean. Don't ask me why.
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