BREAKING NEWS: LOCAL ZOO USES FAKE ANIMALS

Local Zoo Uses Fake Animals

How Kids Should Approach Dogs

Can we adopt Dennis?

The Furry Tales was at Tiong Bahru Bakery a couple weeks ago and we met the loveliest little boy ever. We were nibbling our croissant, sipping our coffee and not talking about the latest advances in aeronautical engineering when we heard a soft and gentle voice say, “Sister, may I pet your dog?” We turned around to find a 9-year-old Dennis with big eager eyes waiting for our response. We were so surprised and thrilled to meet a kid like Dennis. Often, kids run up and scare our dogs without any warning and we always have to watch them like hawks. Their parents do not stop them and assume that it is fine to touch our dogs. While most of our dogs are fine with kids, running up to them and touching them abruptly will frighten them.

Dennis was gentle and slow when he approached our dogs. His mom, Caroline had instructed him to speak softly and approach slowly when he wants to meet stranger’s dog. When Dennis and Caroline were walking pass our dogs, Caroline told him to lower his volume when he talked so as not to scare the dogs. WOW! If only more parents and kids were like that. We were so impressed by how polite and sensible Dennis was.

Children make up a large percentage of dog bite victims. It is therefore important to teach your kids how to meet an unfamiliar dog. The very first step is to ask the dog owner if the dog is friendly. Do not assume that all dogs are comfortable around kids. It’s prudent to let your child meet only dogs that are friendly. You do not want to let your child have a bad experience with a dog.

He said he be make me lunch but it be all sand.

Some dogs are extremely friendly and will let you approach any way you like. However, if you do not know the dog, it is good to tell your kids (and friends, and yourselves, and humans in general) the following:

1) Ask the owner if the dog is friendly. If the answer is “No”, it is obvious you should stay clear. Some dogs can do no wrong in their owners’ eyes. Even if the owner say that their dog is friendly, you should observe the dog to see if it is uncomfortable with your kid approaching it. If it looks uneasy, it’s probably not a good idea to let your kid touch the dog.

2) Be calm and quiet around the dog. Never scream at or run at/from a dog.

3) Relax and stand with your side facing the dog. Facing them and bending over the dog can look menacing, and squatting in front of an unfamiliar dogs is a bad idea.

4) Let the dog approach you. You may allow the dog to sniff your hand, but hold out your hand slowly and don’t thrust it into the dog’s face. Move in a slow, fluid manner. Freezing, or thrusting your hand out quickly and abruptly may startle the dog.

5) Know where to pet the dog. In general, dogs do not like being patted on the head. A good place to pet them would be under their ears, their necks, and shoulders. You may also ask the owner where the dog likes to be petted. Pet the dog gently and slowly.

Hahaha! He be a shortie!

More, more, more please!

I has many massage therapists.

Kafka and Lulu have always been friendly with kids, and even babies and toddlers. They let kids approach them and pet them with no problems. Owner Vivien rewards their friendliness with petting, verbal praise or treats whenever Kafka and Lulu allow kids to touch them. Some kids do get rough with them and Vivien reassures them that everything is fine. They have even performed at a kid’s party.

Lucy giving Valeriya her paw in exchange for a treat.

Thanks for the treat!

Lucy allowing calm Artyom to rub her tummy

Lucy did not start out being wary of kids but after many unfortunate incidences with rowdy and misbehaved kids (throwing a toy truck at her and chasing her from behind), she is now nervous around them and jumps easily at small movements they make. Sisi is helping her overcome her fear by enlisting the help of kids who know how to approach dogs and understand that they should not scream or run.

Lucy’s favorite little (human) friend is Elyse. In fact, Elyse was one of the first few babies that Lucy had met. For awhile, whenever Lucy saw a pram, she would think Elyse was in it and try to get close to have a better look. Elyse (now two years old) understands when Sisi tells her she cannot scream or run about near Lucy because it will scare her. When Elyse touches Lucy from behind, she still flinches and jumps up. Elyse’s mom will then explain to Elyse that she needs to sit beside her and approach gently, and never from behind. Lucy gets very excited each time she sees Elyse and has to be reminded not to jump on her. But Elyse has now also learnt now to tell Lucy “No!”.

Elyse: No Lucy! Do not lick me!

When we are outside and kids run up to our table wanting to touch Lucy, Sisi always uses the “click and treat” method. Once Lucy makes eye contact with the kid without reacting, she is given a treat. Hopefully in time she will realize that being around kids means she gets rewarded with lots of treats!

Not all dogs are good with kids. Just as kids need to learn how to approach dogs, some dogs need to learn to be friendly towards children.

I be have no kids because I be want to focus on my career.

Olive is wary of strangers and kids. The “No Touch, No Talk, No Eye Contact” approach works well with her. We are now teaching her to accept people and kids coming up to her. If you see Olive, please do us a favor by:
1) getting a piece of treat from us,
2) call out Olive’s name, and
3) toss the treat on the floor just at Olive’s feet.

Do not let your kid approach Olive, but let them stand about two meters away. Do not crouch or stare at her for too long. We want to take baby steps. We will be very grateful!

Muddy and his girlfriends.

Shy Muddy is generally better with kids than with adults. Although loud kids that run towards him do give him quite a fright, that’s generally true for every dog. Tanya has been working hard with Muddy and the children they meet on walks. It’s always best when they approach him slowly and calmly to his side then kneel and avoid direct eye contact. He likes a good scratch under the chin, by his ears and especially along his body towards his bottoms. He gets scared if the kids try to pet him on top of his head.

Tanya is always watchful and gets involved with the interaction, praising Muddy for any positive reaction while informing the kids on what to do and not to do. Muddy is doing really well but it is also the responsibility of the parents and the kids to understand this and be respectful. This will create an enjoyable experience for both! You can approach Muddy the same way as Olive but instead of throwing the treat on the ground, you may give Muddy the treat in his mouth.

Well, parents, we hope this gives you a better idea of how to let your kids interact with strangers’ dogs. See you around!

Birds Flock, and So Do We

Birds of a feather flock together. One of the biggest reasons why we have been good friends is that we are all somewhat crazy. For one of our crazy friend’s birthday, we flocked to Flock Cafe at Moh Guan Terrace, in Tiong Bahru. We’ve been to Flock many times and they have always been very friendly to us and our dogs. Because we had a relatively large breakfast party this time, we made reservations in advance.

Here we are, all smiles after our birthday girl arrived. (L-R: Vivien, Sisi, Vicky, birthday girl Maggie, Tanya, Alan and Charissa)

Flock is a cosy cafe. They have a few tables in their alfresco section, and one that could accommodate our group of seven. When we called, we were told that only the outermost tables for two along the pathway allowed dogs. However, they were kind enough to make an exception so long as our dogs stayed clear of the entrance doors. They even let us decorate the wall behind our table with small pom poms. Another plus point.

Maggie’s basket of human treats!

Flock Cafe serves breakfast food and other items like sandwiches and pasta after 11am. Their french toast with bananas was awesome. Warm, thick slices of french toast that went so perfectly with the sweet banana vs salty bacon!

French Toast with sliced banana, maple syrup and bacon.

Croissant with bacon and scrambled eggs.

The croissant with bacon and scrambled eggs were divine. Nestled in a crisp and buttery crescent-shaped pastry were  perfectly scrambled eggs and some bacon. Every time you put bacon in something, you are cheating. Vivien likes her breakfast sweet and savoury so she stole some maple syrup from owner of the french toast and drizzled it on her croissant. The cucumber and tomato exists to make you feel like you are eating a healthy breakfast. Vivien ate a few pieces and left the remaining ones on the plate to maintain that visual effect. This meal is so hearty and filling that it kept Vivien running the whole day till dinner time. Wait, that’s not true. She does not really run. She mostly walks or drives.

Scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.

Eggs and toast set.

Parking at Moh Guan Terrace is usually not a problem on weekdays. The HDB carparks at the Kim Tian area is within walking distance from Flock. If you’re coming here on a weekend, it is probably best to call ahead and make a reservation so that you and your pooch will be guaranteed a spot. You may also request the bigger tables if you are going with more than one dog.

Flock Café: 78 Moh Guan Terrace #01-25. Opening hours: 8.00am-6.00pm, Monday to Sunday.

The More the Merrier?

One of the perks of having a crazy dog group is having the assurance that your dog is well-taken care of when you go for a holiday. Dog sitting can be a lot of work, but it can also be really fun. The Furry Tales dogs often have sleepovers at each others’ houses, and because we have a bigger circle of (dog crazy) friends outside of The Furry Tales, there is usually someone overseas at any one point who will need help with their dogs.

Twinkle the Golden Retriever went to stay with Sisi and Lucy recently. Lucy is quite intimidated by dogs that are significantly bigger than her and won’t play with them. But she loves Twinkle. So when Twinkle had her sleepover, Lucy was ready with her best toys and PJs. Some days, Lucy’s neighbor, a cocker spaniel named Mochi, also joined in the sleepover…which meant that Sisi had no space to sleep on her bed.

Having an extra dog in the house can be pretty chaotic if you do not set strict boundaries. Especially if the house is small and the dog is big. Twinkle and Lucy can play 24/7 if they are allowed. But for the human’s sanity, they are not.

Two blondes and a Lucy.

Olive and Leto resting

Here are some things we like to know before we take care of another dog, and tips we’ve all compiled to get through a week or more of dogs taking over your house (and life).

BEFORE BOARDING

1) Do the dogs get along?
We avoid taking care of dogs that do not get along with others. It can be stressful for the dogs as well as for the humans.

Excuse me, you’re interrupting our HTHT.

Olive loves Kafka

2) Is the dog toilet-trained?
The first thing we ask is if the dog is toilet trained. It’s no fun to have to mop and clean up after a dog that pees and poos around the house. When a dog is not toilet trained, we have to make the extra effort to take it out every few hours. It will also need to be confined in a smaller section of the apartment, e.g. the kitchen, and be supervised during all of its free time.

Beau poops where he’s supposed to poop

3) Does the dog chew up things?
The second thing we want to know is if the dog chews up things while the humans are out. To save our furniture and belongings from being destroyed, again, the dog has to be either confined in a room or a crate. Crate training is essential if we were to put the dog in the crate. Vivien teaches the dogs that board at her home to go into the crate and relax in there if they are puppies or known to exercise its mouth indiscriminately.

         Olive shows us what not to do

4) Does the dog have separation anxiety?
If the dog barks excessively, the neighbours will not be happy. We will have to teach the dog to be quiet when it is alone. Usually, the visiting dog will have a companion and that helps to reduce the anxiety. Again, crate training helps to deal with separation anxiety. Giving your dog food only in the crate or when you are not around teaches it to like being in the crate.

Want to come in for tea?

5) Does the dog have any special dietary requirements?
Occasionally, the dog may have to take medication or supplements. To help with the process of giving your dog medication, provide soft treats like cheese to coat the tablet with.

Hi! It’s time for my vitamins please!

DURING BOARDING

1) Tire them out with walks.
Twinkle is a big dog and Sisi lives in a small apartment, so the dogs don’t actually have a lot of space to play in without knocking something over. When you want well-behaved dogs at home, they need to be tired so they’ll be more likely to rest or play with lower energy at home. Bring them on a long walk or let them run off leash in a park so they’ll expend their energy before you take them home. Recently, Tanya boarded a young Beagle named Watson, who was raring to go 24/7 and full of curiosity and excitement. Her own dog, Muddy, on the other hand, is quite the opposite – super calm with low energy levels. Exercising them on walks helps significantly if you encounter such a situation.

    Watson says “Calm? What’s that?”

Watson, far right, learns to relax and have a coffee at Toby’s Estate

2) Dogs pick up bad/good habits from each other.
We should always be mindful of what the dogs do so we can encourage good behavior and discourage the bad. Twinkle has an adorable habit of getting super excited when she greets you at the door. She will grab whatever she sees around her in her mouth and walk around the house with it, butt shaking and tail wagging with excitement. After a couple of days, Lucy started doing that too. So Sisi would come home to two excited dogs at the door, greeting her with shoes and socks in their mouths!  Lucy also used to have a mild issue of resource guarding. She couldn’t share a water bowl with other dogs and would growl if they came near. Eating together with Twinkle (who has a mild and even temperament) gave her confidence that her food wouldn’t be stolen, and she now doesn’t have any problems drinking or eating with other dogs.

Twinkle and Lucy greeting Sisi with toys in their mouths

3) Have a time-out area.
Our dogs can play non-stop if you let them, and it can sometimes get rowdy. When it does, it can help to separate them for a little while. Even if they are not going overboard with the play, it is also good to separate them so they can get some rest. Just like children, dogs sometimes need to be told when to stop and take a break.

We’ll be good.. we promise

4) Get to your bed first!
Sisi is one of those owners that let dogs sleep on their bed. If you’re like her, and you’re pet sitting a BIG dog, it is best to strategize and get to your bed first! There was one particular night, Sisi’s boyfriend got to bed late, and he found his usual spot taken. So he slept on the couch. Of course, the other crazy dog ladies do not have this issue because their dogs are not allowed onto the bed.

No space for humans on the bed

5) Be strict and set boundaries.
Your dog will obviously be very aware of the boundaries you would have set for him/her since puppyhood. But your furry guest won’t be. As mentioned, dogs learn from each other and you don’t want your own dog to start forgetting your rules. So we choose to impose the same boundaries and limitations on the other dog(s).

One of the rules all of us practice is that during mealtime, dogs are not allowed to be excited. The calmest dog gets to eat first. Same goes for not rushing out of/into open doors – calmest dog gets to leave and enter the house first.

Another useful tip is to establish that the dog that lives there is the leader. For Tanya, Muddy’s bed was off limits to Watson and when Muddy gave warning signals that the guest dog was invading his space, he was allowed to do so. Although at the end of the day, you are the leader and you have the right to determine what is allowed in the house.

Having more than one dog in the house is definitely more work, but it can be double the joy and fun as well. It will also build your confidence and skill as a dog owner (especially as you figure out how to scoop poop with one hand and hold two or more dogs with the other hand, and prevent them from playing!).

Olive and Leto fell asleep while respecting boundaries

Vanilla chocolate side by side.

6) Get the dogs to help with chores.

Having an extra dog in the house can mean more housework. Get your dog to help you load or fold the laundry!

       Lucy’s laundromat

I was trying to fold this blanket but it ended up on my head

Let us know if you have more tips for dog sitting and how your experience has been!

How High Can You Jump?

The Furry Tales love to end our informal obedience training sessions with some fun hurdles exercises. The dogs (and humans) enjoy it and it’s a great high-energy reward for their hard work. We also do it because it improves the communication and bonding between us and our dogs, and the fact that it’s good exercise for all of us!

It doesn’t cost much to make your own hurdles. These were constructed by Vivien for below S$20, and they are so much cheaper than buying them ready-made at the store. All it takes is some PVC pipes and pipe connectors. She even made it possible to have a few different heights, for the various dog sizes. Great job, Vivien! *treat*

The dogs love to queue for this fun ride: hurdles! Olive jumping high.

To get your dog started, make the hurdles very low such that they only have to walk across. For dogs with high motivation for food or that can sit and stay, a leash is not necessary. However, some dogs have a fear of jumping over the hurdle so a leash can help to guide them. With your dog on a leash, stand at a short distance away from the hurdle. Then, run with your dog and lead it over the hurdle. Reward profusely when you dog makes it across. After a few jumps, you can add the verbal cue like “Over” just before you are making the jump. Eventually, you can ask your dog to jump over on command.

Bunny hopping.

Once your dog can jump over the hurdle with ease, place your dog on one side of the hurdle and call it from the opposite side. When your dog crosses over the horizontal bar, mark that behaviour and reward it when it comes to you. Repeat this step until your dog understands that it has to cross over the hurdle. Next, over the course of a few more repetitions, move your body gradually to the side of the hurdle and ask your dog to jump. This tells your dog that it is supposed to jump over even when you are not standing directly in front of it.

When your dog understands the activity, you may start raise the height of the bar and increasing the number of hurdles. As you continue to increase the height of the hurdle, you may need to add an intervening bar between the top hurdle and the ground, so that your dog doesn’t simply walk under the hurdle instead of jumping over. After a particularly difficult jump, make the reward event particularly exciting by either giving extra treats, tossing it on the ground away from your dog so that it has to chase it or run a few steps with your dog.

Olive shows off how high she can jump.

Make sure you do not over-exert your dog if they have hip or joint problems, or do the jumping on grass instead of pavement. You should also refrain from making puppies jump too much because it is stressful on the joints.

Sisi with Lucy: jumping over some chain barriers at Robertson Quay.

Another informal option for agility training your dog is to just use whatever you have around you – chain barriers, traffic cones, even our own the dogs! If you are creative, even broomsticks can be hurdles and toilet plungers can be agility weave poles. When we didn’t have Vivien’s hurdles yet, we had to be innovative, so when we discovered chain barriers along Robertson Quay, we tried teaching the dogs to jump over those. Even though to us, “over” means “over”, different hurdles to dogs can be challenging. There were two chains linked together for the chain barriers so for small dogs like Lucy, she had to be taught not to go in between.

Even dogs can be hurdles – be creative! (P.S. Muddy was super cool about Olive jumping over him, he didn’t even budge.)

If your dog is okay with other dogs jumping over it, you can get them to jump over each other. For a shortie like Lucy, we got Kafka to lie down for her to jump over.

We’ve found it useful to intersperse obedience training (like heeling, sit-stay, stand-stay) with higher-energy exercises like jumping over hurdles, to keep the dogs interested in interacting with us. Before they start to lose focus or get tired, take a break! And it’s always fun to end the training session with some jumps as well – always remember to end on a good note!

More budget hurdles: traffic cones we found along the road, with our leashes forming the hurdles.

Let us know if you have any more ideas on how we can be creative with free equipment or low cost equipment! And stay tuned for more updates on jumper training as we progress.

Kanga-Lu.

Jumping can sometimes change your breed. Lucy is now a westie.

Muddy the triple hurdler.

Lucy’s wings work!

eM by the River

Note: eM will be closing on 28 October 2014 for renovations, so make sure you drop by before then. They did not give us a date for reopening, but guessed it would be at least six months!

eM by the River is a lovely spot along Robertson Quay as it is one of the few cafes you can sit at during the day and not have to sweat buckets. The outdoor section is well shaded with trees and the area is kept breezy by the many fans that blow in every direction. You can almost pretend you’re in someone’s garden having brunch.

The decor is a charming blend of rustic and modern. The wooden bench, though not great for your silk dress, is a unique piece of furniture that is almost art.

This café is frequented on weekends by many other dog owners. You can easily see at least five dogs at eM relaxing under the tables on both Saturdays and Sundays. Lucy gets a bowl of water and ice every time she’s there. Because there is ample space, the dogs don’t get in one another’s faces. It makes for a relaxing morning even if your dog is usually nervous about going out.

Mama, can I have some juice?

Before 11am, the menu is limited to breakfast items that almost always involve eggs. The Eggs Benedict (S$17) are good and filling, though a tad sour. For a hearty breakfast, order the eM Breakfast (S$22 for two eggs, sausages, baked beans, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes and toast, plus a small glass of juice and regular coffee). It is big enough to feed two crazy dog ladies. Breakfast is available from 9am – 3pm.

Eggs Benedict – a tad sour.

eM’s Breakfast is generous.

After 11am, the menu gets a little more exciting. Our favourite item is the Rosti (S$16, we added S$6 for Sausage and S$2 for Bacon). It was crispy with strings of fried onions on top, and sausage on the side which you can opt not to have as well. The Burgers with fries ($21) and Bacon & Scrambled Eggs in Toast Cups (S$17) were not as good as the Rosti. Other lunch/dinner items we’ve yet to try include Aglio Olio with Prawns (S$18) and the Triple Decker Club Sandwich (S$20).

Burgers and fries and Egg Toast Cups for brunch.

The one thing that eM fail at is their service (to people) – we’ve had to remind them of forgotten orders, mixed up our bill payments (and had to reverse credit card charges) and they are either short staffed or simply ‘too busy’ to realize you need their service until you wave several times. Maybe because they don’t charge for GST or service so none is expected! That being said, they are friendly enough and don’t mind our dogs.

While we don’t rave about the food or service, the major draw for us is the ambience and being able to sit and enjoy a meal with our dogs. Lucy has been enjoying mornings laying at Sisi’s feet and dog-watching there ever since she was a puppy.

These cutie pies at eM for their first ever group sit-stay for a photo! (L-R: Olive, Lucy, Julius and Leto ranging from three to four months old.)

So if you’re looking for somewhere peaceful to chill on a scorching afternoon with your furry friend and don’t feel like having to order iced coffee when you really want a hot latte, you can consider Em by the River. Order a cup of coffee, sit at the table closest to the river and enjoy people watching.

Mamas, it’s too hot. We want to stop for a drink.

eM also does dinner and drinks. Saturday nights (9pm – 11pm) see a 1-for-1 happy hour on Mojitos. It can get crowded in the evenings so maybe your dogs won’t enjoy it as much as you will with a cocktail in hand and jazz playing in the background.

Vivien with Lulu – lots of greens here.

eM by the River is located at the back of Gallery Hotel, along Robertson Quay. Address: 1 Nanson Road #01-05 of Gallery Hotel.  Tel: 6836 9691. Operating hours are Mon to Thurs 9am – 2am, Fri & Eve of PH 9am – 3am, Sat 8am – 3am, Sun 8am – 2am.

Crazy dog ladies (L-R: Vicky & Olive – she loves to sneak in kisses, Vivien, Sisi & Lucy).

Party Like An Animal!

Who doesn’t love a good house party? We definitely do! Our dogs love it even more – they are such party animals and can always stay up longer than we humans.

We have thrown several successful birthday parties this year. The most recent one was for Sisi two weeks ago, complete with Hello Kitty balloons, Hello Kitty plates and cups, Hello Kitty snacks, Hello Kitty fluff balls, pink straws and cutlery…you get the idea! It was Hello Kitty madness (and makes us wonder why there isn’t a Hello Doggie…?).

Why is there no Hello Doggie? (L-R: Olive, Lulu, Lucy, Muddy, Kafka)

Our first puppy party: obviously Olive was protesting something! (L-R: Sisi &Lucy, Masha & Leto, Vicky & Olive, Charissa & Lady-Mae).

Our dogs have improved tremendously within the last year at behaving at house parties. The very first doggie gathering (picture at left) at Vicky’s house involved several scuffles among our puppies and we had to be watchful and observant all the time. Lucy, Olive and Leto were around eight to nine months old then. They could not share, turn-take or speak in “indoor voices.”

They have had lots of practice at behaving in an enclosed space since then (and also grew up a bit), and we have seen such a vast and noticeable improvement. We can now have home gatherings regularly without much stress or vigilance, and even get the dogs to sit pretty with party hats. They have become experts at home parties. Soon, they will be having tea parties on their own without us.

Humans not allowed. Can we just get on with our tea?

Here are our ten tips for having a scuffle-free party:
1) Think about the space you have. If you do not have a large home, it can still work if you are willing to move around your furniture a little or squeeze on the couch together. Limit the number of dogs to what is manageable.

Alright, everybody, squeeze! (This was a movie afternoon.)

2) Have a time-out or crate area. One overly excited dog can affect all the other dogs. Being able to pull out the offender and put it in temporary confinement can keep the peace quiet in the community.

We waz just checking to see if the bear had stuffing. It did.

3) Prepare dog treats to encourage calm behavior. They should be rewarded for being calm. Treats are the social lubricant for dogs. They also come in exceedingly handy as distraction when things are started to get rough or when you need them to be models for a photo op.

Calmness rules at this Scrabble party for nerds.

4) Make sure they are not exceedingly energetic or excited that day. If they have not been out for a walk all day, they are going to be extra active at a party. You want them to hang out with each other like they are grown-ups at a nice bar making small talk over whiskey about current affairs and their last vacation and other grown-up things that grown-ups talk about; not like a crazy drunk teenager at Zouk Out who has had 14 beers and is on the verge of getting thrown out. (It is however, acceptable for the humans to behave like the latter.)

NOT like this teenager.

5) Supervise play and intervene when things get too rowdy. Sometimes, even one fight can leave a lasting impression on dogs. Ensure that you are there to encourage them to kiss and make up. Some people believe in letting the dogs “sort it out” themselves. We believe in managing the situation such that the dogs entrust their safety in your hands and look to you for guidance in a situation where there is conflict.

Olive: I’m sorry you made me hit you.

6) Feed your dog at home before going to the party if you know they are not good with eating around other dogs. They may also be more irritable with other dogs if they running around on an empty stomach. Feeding your dog beforehand may also discourage begging.

Pack eating: calmest dog eats first.

7. If the host’s dog is territorial, it can help to meet outside of the house first. If they are resource guarders, it can also help to pack up their toys so as to prevent unnecessary fights from breaking out. Unlike her friends, Lucy does not destroy her toys. Sisi makes it a point to put Lucy’s toys away to avoid her precious collection from being decimated. All her favourite ones are kept on high shelves to protect them from her “stuffing-thirsty” friends.

MAMA! I think my ball is missing!

8. If you want your dogs to pose for pictures nicely, you must learn the art of screeching and howling. Which is Sisi’s specialty. In fact, she is the only one who does that. The rest of us do not. We are quite normal people. Get your dogs in position, whip out your camera and then HOWL. It is a guaranteed way to get all the dogs looking at you. Even if just for a second. Alternatively, you may teach them to “watch” a target such a target stick or your hands.

HOWLLLLLL!

9. Not all dogs will be comfortable with hats on their heads. It may be best to practice with them beforehand the party. If they are experiencing it for the first time, it will be unlikely that they will allow you to keep the hat on. We find the commands “Leave it” and “Wait” to be most useful in getting our dogs to leave the hats on their heads and wait while we snap one or ten photos.

We don’t know what we’re doing.

10. Practice makes perfect! After countless parties, they have all mastered the art of posing pretty. (Note that there are a lot of treats, screeching and howling going on behind the scenes of these awesome group photos!)

Picture perfect!

Full house.

Here’s a little story of progress: Lady Mae never used to be able to let a hat be put on her head. In March this year, we had a doggie birthday party and no amount of coaxing and treats could get her to wear a hat, even for two seconds, to her own party. Fast forward six months to the Hello Kitty party and she did an awesome job of posing with hat on her head! Hats off (get it??) to Charissa for her patience and perseverance in working with Lady Mae towards that. Practice makes perfect.

What progress!

Swimming at U-Petgamart

Do you know who’s the pool dork?

Do your dogs love to swim? One of our favourite haunts is U Petgamart along West Coast Highway. Because, it’s FREE!!! For a small two-year membership fee of S$38, you get to use the pool for FREE! Did we say FREE? Kafka, Lulu and Lucy love the pool. Among all our dogs, they are the ones most excited about going to U-Petgamart. Kafka and Lucy have a strong instinct to swim and retrieve. They will jump in and retrieve for hours if you let them. Kafka’s favourite item is his orange foam ball. Without it, he would not know what to do and might be very lost.

She’s behind me, isn’t she?

Kafka wants to keep both his balls.

Lucy fetching for the 100th time.

The pool is about 6m long, 3m wide and 1m deep by our estimates. By the way, our estimation abilities are as good as our driving, map reading, wood work and plumbing skills. We really like the pool because it is usually clean. Wednesdays are the best day to visit as it is closed on Tuesdays for cleaning. Lucy is content with the size of the pool but it is like a bathtub for Kafka. We really appreciate having a pool to take our dogs to. However, there are a few things that could be improved on. We find the area around the pool quite slippery and we always worry about our dogs getting hurt. The slopes in the pool are also too slippery for Kafka to get out on his own. If you want your dog to fetch in the pool, we suggest you ask them to get in the pool before you throw the toy. This prevents them from running and slipping while they dash for the toy. But hey, it’s FREE!!! There are tables and benches in a separate corner of the pool area for humans to put their things or have a snack. There is also a shower area with two hoses for you to wash the chlorine off your dogs after their dip in the pool.

Lulu and Kafka need a little help getting out.

Lulu is not pleased.

For Lucy, not drowning is more important than looking cool.

Muddy and Olive on the other hand, are land creatures! These Singapore Specials don’t like to swim, period. Tanya has tried a few times with different tactics – having other excited ‘water dogs’ around, forcing him in by just blind dragging, tricking him to fall into the pool and even coaxing him with treats and herself into the water. It still isn’t a pleasant experience for Muddy, but what always works are having other dogs around and, if it’s only his mama Tanya, PATIENCE is the way to go. Giving him time to sit by the deck, slowly moving closer while giving affection and treats. He generally warms up well enough to go half way in – for him, that’s an achievement. So hopefully one day he will be willing to go in half way without so much work and start to enjoy the experience.

Olive has been in the pool with a life vest on. Frankly, she would prefer sitting on a cactus. Like Muddy, Olive will take a few steps into the pool if you bribe her with chicken. It will take her a long time to appreciate the cold wetness of the water. Vicky has pretty much resigned herself to the fact that Olive is not going to be part of the swim team.

Olive is not joining the swim team.

Muddy is REALLY not pleased at having been tricked into the water

Olive: Get outta the way Lucy! I want to get OUT!

After waiting on our dogs hand and foot under the hot sun, we like to have some food and enjoy the A/C. U Petgamart provides a breakfast and brunch menu up to 1pm for humans and a small selection of snacks for dogs. A few months back, they had Chinese and Indian food on the menu. The Indian food was very good; the Chinese food was not as good as we hoped it would be. When we went back a few weeks ago, Indian food had been replaced by Western style brunch and we did not get to order anything because the food service stopped at 1m. That was really unfortunate because we usually go at 11am and feel hungry by 1pm. It would be nice to have the full experience of swimming, dining and shopping all at one location. If you are someone that gets “hangry”, hungry and angry, you can consider packing some lunch and sitting at the benches at the pool area. It can be a nice wrap-up to your dog’s swimming session.

Apart from FREE swimming, you get a discount of up to 20% on many of the already reasonably priced accessories (not applicable for special offer items). U Petgamart’s retail store has a large selection of pet products, food, treats and accessories. We really enjoy our fortnightly visits to U Petgamart. No other place offers so many activities in one location and does not burn a hole in your pocket. Only members get to use the pool so we highly recommend you take that S$38 out of your wallet and hand it over to U Petgamart ASAP.

We want our drinks, thanks.

Lucy : Mama, Hyper took my float. I be drown now?

My mama said I’m a pool dork!

This is life – my beer, my Lucy and my Mama.

And how could I forget, my ball!

U Petgamart is located at 27 West Coast Highway. They are open everyday from 11am – 8pm and they are contactable at (65)6583-7858. The pool is closed on Tuesdays for cleaning.

Pupcation: Regent Hotel

Contributed by Sisi Soh
Most hotels in Singapore don’t permit dogs. And frankly, when you’re as attached to your dog as I am, even one night away from her is difficult. So I was thrilled when i discovered that Regent Hotel allows dogs under 7kg. Lucy just about makes the cut. Here she is at check-in looking a little bit nervous because she knows that her untamed fur makes her look heavier than 7kg.

Think thin, look thin!

After completing all the necessary paper work at check-in, we were escorted to our room and were so happy to find that Lucy was given not just a doggy bed but also a bowl! And instead of a ‘Do not Disturb’ sign to hang on our door, we were given a ‘Pet in the Room’ sign. It was awesome (ah, the kicks dog owners get over these details).

Unfortunately, the hotel preferred us not to walk Lucy around in the hotel premises in case we disturbed other guests (we were told to ‘walk quickly and discreetly’ out of the hotel should we need to take her to potty.) So we decided to spend most of our stay indoors and ordered room service for our meals!

“Mama, my leopard preens bed is nice…”

“…but yours is so much better! Mmmm…”

Lucy loved her dog bed. It was soft and cushy. But she loved our bed even more! Can you tell?

It was really nice to be able to enjoy a staycation and not have to worry about her being carted off somewhere, crying or missing us. Lucy ate with us, slept with us and to make up for not being able to walk anywhere, we played hide and seek with her in the room. At home, she’s familiar with all our usual hiding spots so she finds us pretty quickly. But because it was her first time to Regent, it was a lot more fun for all involved. We made her sit and stay in one spot with her back turned, then we ran and hid behind curtains, in the bath tub and under the covers.

We also brought along some of Lucy’s toys so she was plenty occupied. She was exhausted running around after all the excitement and slept soundly the rest of the night. All that was missing was a swimming pool for her to swim in!

“MAMAaaa, let’s play let’s play let’s play let’s play!”

I can’t wait to try out some of the other dog-friendly hotels in Singapore. At Four Seasons Hotel, one dog under 7kg is allowed in a standard room, with an S$80 cleaning fee, while two pets are allowed in a bigger room. Capella Hotel allows one dog per room under 6kg, and do not permit the dog to walk around its premises. Conrad Centennial Hotel allows one dog per room up to 37kg, with a S$120 cleaning fee. Hilton Hotel allows dogs under 35kg, with a maximum of two per room and a non-refundable deposit (in other words, a cleaning fee) of S$50. Another pupcation coming right up! *excited tail wags*

*Note that all the info and prices are subject to change, but it is what we were told by each hotel when we called up to check. The prices are before tax.

Puppies: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Contributed by Vivien Chin
Puppies are cute, cuddly, lovable and the first few weeks after bringing one home you wonder what possessed you to do that. However, after those first few weeks of hell, everything will start to fall in place and they suddenly become cute and wonderful again. I remember picking up Kafka from the Dallas airport in Texas. He had traveled all the way from Belgium to the USA. Only a tiny 7-week old puppy, he had peed in his crate during the long transatlantic journey. When I opened the door of the crate, he came running out and crawled right into my lap. That frightened and whining puppy is now my protection sport dog. Kafka’s first night in his new home was tough. He was jet-lagged and he told the whole world about it. He slept in his crate early in the evening and whined at 4am in the morning. He also had some separation anxiety. He could not be left alone in the nice big playpen I had bought him, or outside in the yard, or in another room, or more than 6 feet away from me. Did not want to be outside in the yard?! I thought there was something wrong with him. The first couple of weeks were a series of frustrations and sleepless nights but now, I can leave Kafka at home or at a friend’s place and I’m confident that he will be well-behaved and their homes will be intact. He is toilet-trained and settles down comfortably in anybody’s home without complaining.  

Kafka getting his 18 hours of sleep.

I probably forgot how much work puppies are when I decided to foster one. Olive was one of the puppies part of a dramatic rescue at Bukit Batok. When animal control raided the forest near the MRT station, many people were mobilised to save as many dogs as they could. The puppies looked somewhat like German Shepherd puppies. Because I have a soft spot for German Shepherds, I succumbed to their cuteness and volunteered to foster one. Olive had gone through many different homes before she found us. One of the people fostering her had done such a great job toilet training her that I did not have to do much more. My task was to crate-train her and to teach her the rules of apartment living. Because she’s such a greedy pig, it was easy for her to like the crate and sleep in there.  

Olive having a drought of mischievous ideas.

My memory is not great so I had forgotten, again, what it was like to wake up 2-3 times a night, mop up pee and having a screaming banshee at home. During that memory lapse, I found myself opening up my home to two puppies from SOSD. They were then called Pickles and Jester. Now, Jester is known as Cole and is part of Bryan Wong’s family. I am really happy that Bryan appreciates the hard work that was put in. He keeps telling me how well-trained and easy Cole was. Don’t tell Bryan, but Jester/Cole was a massive headache when he first arrived! You can read more about Cole’s adventures with his new family at The Wong Dogs.

Jester/Cole has a secret to tell Lulu.

Pickles, now known as Summer, is Cole’s sister. I fostered her for a few days before deciding that the two puppies had to be separated. They were teaching each other how to fight and swear, and if they had stayed together any longer, they would have be joining gangs and painting the town red. I had to make the decision of sending Pickles/Summer to another foster home. For those of you who are thinking about adopting or buying more than one puppy, Patricia McConnell strongly advises against adopting puppies from the same litter.  

Pickles/Summer learning to stand on a foot pad.

Pickles/Summer was the first in her litter to be adopted. Unfortunately, she was recently given up by her owners because she liked to tell the other dogs what she really thought of them and was honing her gardening skills. She is now being fostered by my friend, Charissa, who is one of the most patient people I know. Charissa is documenting her time with Summer on a blog http://60-daysofsummer.blogspot.sg/ We hope to find a good home for her.

Snowy in her crate. Chilling out in the crate is important for all puppies.

A number of puppies have gone through boot camp since then. The latest is Snowy a Japanese Spitz. She’s in the board and train program while her owners are away on their honeymoon. I must say that she is the type of lady who will scream her lungs out if she’s unhappy or excited. Hell hath no fury like a Snowy left alone. Among many things, Miss Eliza Dolittle has learned to do her business on grass and on the pee tray, walk without pulling on the leash, appreciate the crate, wait at the door before going out and recite “The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain” in perfect upper-class style. Getting a puppy to adjust to your household is not a walk in the park. I have fallen ill because of the demands of bringing up a puppy right. If you drink lots of water, take some aspirin, know what to do and have the perseverance to live through the first few weeks, you’ll see the joy in having a dog.

If you want more tips on what to do when you first bring that puppy home, check out Rao Canine.

Kafka’s first night in Texas.

Crate Training
Crate training is one of the first things I teach a puppy. From the very first day it steps into my home, a puppy starts learning to go into the crate. It facilitates house breaking or toilet training, helps prevent separation anxiety, and gives the puppy a place to rest, relax and feel safe. It prevents the dog from picking up bad habits like chewing up furniture. It can used in the car when you chauffeur your dog around and it can be used as a confinement area when your dog needs to convalesce after an illness or injury. If you ever want to travel on a holiday with your dog or need to move to a new location, your dog has to travel in a crate.

Kafka’s play pen.

Apart from the crate, I also use a play pen for puppies to relax in and stay out of trouble. In the half-a-minute your eyeballs breaks visual contact with your puppy, it can pee on the carpet, tip over the trash can and eat your mouldy chocolate cake, rip your blinds off windows, redecorate your room and tear up this month’s issue of that $19.95 magazine you’ve not read. Putting your puppy in a play pen helps to give your eyes a rest and helps you from going insane. This video shows you a “high drive” working dog puppy doing its thing in a play pen.

Impulse control
Waiting for permission to do something is also an important behavior any puppy needs to learn. Waiting for food helps to keep meal times orderly and peaceful. Waiting for permission to go out the door makes walks more pleasant and prevents catastrophic accidents especially if you live along a busy street.

Discipline
Your puppy should understand which behaviours are acceptable and which are unacceptable. E.g. mouthing your hands, biting your clothes, jumping up on you, growling at you because they want to protect their food or treats are not allowed. It is most effective to address such potential behavioural issues right at the beginning rather than waiting for your puppy to grow up and for it to become a serious problem.

Socialisation
Introducing your puppy to as many people, dogs, different environments and stimuli as early as possible in its life will help it grow to become a stable and confident dog. If you have a mongrel or a “Singapore Special”, this is especially important because they tend to be more fearful and wary of strangers. Ian Dunbar recommends letting your puppy meet 100 people before the age of 12 weeks. After 13 weeks of age, socialisation becomes less effective.

Conditioning your dog to touch
If you have a puppy that is a fervent grower of hair, you will find yourself sending your pooch to the groomer’s fairly often. In order to make the experience more pleasant for both the groomer and your dog, you need to teach your dog to like being handled. You will definitely make a visit to the vet at some point in your puppy’s life when you will find the same training useful.

Basic commands
When you sign up for a basic obedience class, what you will learn is usually how to teach your dog basic commands. Learning commands is very useful but not the priority when I first bring a puppy home. I teach Sit in the first week, but may wait up to a month before teaching the puppy other commands like Down or Stay.

These are the foundations for a good house dog. Check back with The Furry Tales to learn how to crate train your dog, teach impulse control and perform other training exercises.