Was contemplating to post the pictures up or not..
LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF THE IMAGES!! Sux big-time under low-light condition.. ha~

Thank God i already bought my DSLR. hee~ More pretty twinkle shots will come soon. :P

Labels: mommy talking, pictures

Little updates on twinkle:

- She's FULLY paper-trained. So far, no more accidents anywhere else. *phew* Except sometimes her butt aim-buay-zhun. Her four paws are on the pee-tray but her butt is sticking out. End up she poops on the floor just beside the pee-tray.

- She knows that she has to pee before i take her out of the house, especially if i'm driving her out in my car. So usually lock up in the kitchen with the baby gate. She pees, I praise, We head out of the house. :D

- This little ger is all grown up now. I think she will stay this size. Small and compact. ha~ already 10 mths old!

- She's much stronger now. She can nose her way into my room when my door is close, nt totally shut kind, she can't reach the door-knob. Thank God for that, cause so now i can sleep in my room without worrying that she's stuck outside. (She wasn't able to do that when she just came. The door was too heavy for her)

- Similarly, she knows how to claw my door. Signal me to let her in or out.

- She's quite a jumper.
She jumps onto my sofa, i scold, i push her down.
She run to the other side and jump up again.
I scold, she grr me, i beat, i push her down.
She jump again.

(@&#&*^&*!@(!@
That's my every evening routine, when the entire family is sitted to watch telly.

- She knows that leash + harness = going out. So she gets all jumpy and happy.

- She's super manja. She knows how to put her paw on the sofa, stretched out for you to sayang her. She's even manja out of the house with strangers. As long as anyone squats down, she auto-lockon-target, approaches and manjas her way to getting a pet on the head.

- She's a FOODIE. Anyone has food, she follows. -.-|||

- Her previous recorded weight was 3.9kg. I bet she has put on a lot more weight. Rather heavy to carry with one hand. Her limbs looks thicker, more stronger.

- She's super attached to me. I can't leave my home without her not crying. So every morning routine, i'll stuff the KONG with lotsa food. Throw it into the kitchen and chiong out of the door. She wont cry if she doesnt see me leaving my home.
This does not apply to the rest of my family members. They can leave the home peacefully.

- My mom is a twinkle-fan. EVERYWHERE she goes, she's like "Twinkle, come, mama sayang." "Twinkle, you wan mum-mum?" :D :D

- I love the way she frap (run wildly in the house). The way she chiongs and grr her way.. We always luff when she does that. *I need to video that down next time!*

- I love her cutesy carrot-tail. *wag-wag*

- I love the way she squeezes herself into the slot of the coffee table in my living room. Ha. She can lie in there to watch telly.

- I love the way she welcomes me when i get home. No matter how late, she'll do her little welcome-dance for me.

Labels: about twinkle, mommy talking

Twinkle went for her sterilization operation on Monday. Was super worried as i've heard of horror stories of dogs being allergic to GA and never waking up. O.O

But Thank God, she survived it. Really Thank God for being with her.

Left her at the vet at 12pm. Brought her blankie along as her comfort thingy.
Collected her only at 8pm, that very day.

She was totally nua. And her tear-streaked face. Gosh, the moment i saw her, i wanted to cry as well. Her face were totally wet. :'( She must have cried a lot. Her stitch was done alright. They cleaned up her nicely so no bloody patches or wadever. Just have to wait for abt 2 wks for her wound to completely heal. No baths and rough playing for 2 wks = smelly twinkle.

Had to purchase an e-collar for her to put on, so that she doesn't lick her wound (leading to infection). She was quite ok on it, no immediate contempt against that idea. ha. *phew~*

That very night, she somemore quite ya-ya. Decided to be strong and wanted to walk around even though i laid her nicely in her bed. She STAGGERED along the way. -.- Like a drunken. *Took a vid of that; will put it up when i can find time - haha.. notti mommy*

+++++++++++++++

Weeks before the op, i told my mom to buy some white-fish for her. For her to heal better after operation. Ah-ma loves twinkle so much also... ...

So, the next morn, when twinkle woke up, she had steamed fish! Good life, yay? Steamed fish with kibbles. And boy am i glad that she had a GREAT appetite! My mom says that sick patients with good appetite will usually treat very fast. *smile~* She was still a bit sluggish on the morning, but it completely wore off in the afternoon. PENGZ.. and she went back to her usual antics. She managed to pee and poop without much trouble.

++++++++++++++

Day 3.. Last day of my leave.
(Took 3 days off just to take care of her.. Just in case..)
Completely NORMAL. ha. Took a look at her wound. Seems like there's a little bleeding. Very little. I think it's cause she jumped around quite a bit when my neighbour popped by.

Just want to recover ASAP. So i can bring her out again.

Keeping her in prayers.
I know that God takes care of everyone, even the little pets he placed in our homes.

Labels: mommy talking, sterilizing, vet visit

Many pros and cons issue about sterilization.

Pros:
- No unwanted pregnancies.
- No messy heat (twice per yr)
- No worries abt her playing with other studs
- No urge to want to mate when heat comes, and not being able to (can't imagine her frustration)
- Greatly reduces mammary cancer (almost ~100%)

Cons:
- Taking away their reproductive means
- Messing with their hormones
- No baby twinkle (not that i want her to bred anyway)

More information here.

My main concern would be her well-being. I do not want to subject her to unnecessary pain. And yet, i want the pros of this operation. =/ I have long decided to go with spaying her, even before i got twinkle.

And.. Not only is there are TO / NOT TO decision to make. There's another time frame thing.
To let her go through it before her first heat / after her first heat?

Before her first heat:
- SUPER low chance of mammary cancer
- No swelling / darkening of private part (heard it doesn't go away after the first heat)
- No messy first heat experience
- Pup might be under-developed, more puppy features

After her first heat:
- Also low chance of getting mammary cancer (but not as low as before)
- Puppy is supposedly more well developed
- Better for pups well-being
- Might have swelling / darkening of private part

I've read many personal experiences of dog-owners and vets, both school of thoughts has their supporters, and it seems many state that there's not much of a diff before or after the heat. Just a note that after the 2nd heat, the window period is lowering mammary cancer is over. Even if sterilizing is done, there will not be a great decrease in possibility of getting it.

Just gonna grit my teeth and let her go through this, just this time.

My little one's gonna be going through a sterilization operation this Monday. (08th Sept) Trusting her to Dr Grace Heng, from The Joyous Vet.

Kinda worried for her.. Pray for her ya?

Labels: mommy talking, sterilizing, vet visit

Doggyman carrier (red and cream one) : $40 (fr $65)

Gonna bring her out in this soon!












Pee Tray (small): $25 (fr $40)
My smart ger is a fast learner. She smelt the scent of the newspaper in the pee tray and pee-d there! GOSH! i was SUPER HAPPY!!! no more wet, stinko paws! Thank God!

Very useful must-have!

BUT... she poos on the floor leh... how har??? :/





Flea & Tick Hop A'Way (100ml) : $22 (fr $28)

Spray spray spray...








MI Nail Cutter: $10 (fr $25)

Gonna try cutting her nails this weekend. *Fingers crossed*













Ikea Dog bed: $15


She sort of knows this is hers, cause she would carry her toy/milk-bone into the bed and slowly chew in it. ha. Cute and cheap bed for her. Impulse buy as i saw it in IKEA. :)

She looks really cute in it. hee!~










All the items are pretty much second-hand.. but brand new! haa.. thus the heavily discounted price. HUGE savings!! so i'm happy :D though i'm not spending on myself.

GSS 2008 guess i'll give you a miss for this year. :'(

Labels: mommy talking, shopping list

Finally i brought Twinkle out for her walks! That's what dog owners do, don't they? Bring their lovely pets out for walks!! hee~

Her vaccination is done last sun. Given one week for her immune system to kick in, she should have a super duper HIGH level of antibodies swimming in her blood. (read: healthy ger!) FINALLY, she's ready to go for walks.

i'm PARANOID over fleas and ticks. Hearing all the horror stories abt ticks infesting even their homes, that just freaks the heck of me.

I bought a commercialised natural insect repellent (also made up of essential oils). But it hasnt arrived yet. :( I JUST CAN'T WAIT! So, i decided to make my own anti-flea/ticks spray. A simple purely-natural spray with no chemicals and wadsoever.

Receipe:
1. 8oz. distilled water
2. 4-6 drops of tea tree oil
3. 4-6 drops of lavender oil

Shake and spray away!~

Tea tree oil; smells rather nice. Purchased from guardian/watsons'/unity. Brand: Thursday's plantation. I bought the 100% pure oil one. (10ml - 10.80)

Lavender oil; smells even more nicer! Bought from TBS. Essential oil there is so ex. :'( but i didn't know where else to get it. (5ml - 12.90)

Distilled water; helps that i work in the lab. =p i can make my own distilled water. teehee~

These oils are natural flea/tick-repellents. I'm wondering where to get citronella oil that's a natural mosquito repellent! So if your house has mozzies flying around.. you know what oil to burn. *wink*

Had a DIFFICULT time putting on her harness. That squirmy ger who loves to bite on the harness whilst i'm putting it on. =.= after i'm done with that, i sprayed my spray ALL over her... haha.. till the point where she got kinda soaked-wet. *twinkle give the sian 1/2 face* haha.. prevention is better than cure, ain't it? i doused her with so much of the liquid so she smells absolutely LOVELY!!

Finally, her moment to widen-her-horizon is here!
Scaredy-dog here is afraid of lifts and she doesnt know how to go down stairs! LOL.

I shall NOT teach her to go down stairs NOR take the lift. So even if my hse-door is wide open, she wont be able to run out cos there's a short flight of steps just there. teehee~ Cunning mommy.

Labels: mommy talking, walks

Finally, brought twinkle for her final vaccination at TJV.

3 wks ago weight: 2.1kg
Current weight: 2.5kg
She gained 400grams!! haha.. My little one is growing fine..

Here's her medical card!! Cute aint it? I think it's very sweet of the clinic to have it.
Here's the price-list to share.

Her vaccination yesterday costed me $38.50 (NETT) Heng they dun charge consultation fee as well. *phew~*

Note to self: NEVER GO IN AS A WALK-IN!!!

It was the most horrible way to spend my sundays. A wait of close to 2.5 hours!! GOSH!! i didn't know that there's only one doctor on duty on sundays. My bad, but it's the only day i can afford as i have classes every weekday nights. =.=

I'm really proud of twinkle though.. She sit quietly on my lap the entire time. :D
One auntie with her CUTE-white-pomeranian comment that: she's very guai!~
Even with a jumpy jack russell terrier, twinkle just sat quietly on my lap.

*me VERY proud!*

DEN!! in came a BULLDOG!
Rather big.. SUPER CUTE LAH!!! Fierce-looking.. drooling ALL OVER the floor. Super excited as it keeps panting. "He's not vicious but he just wants to play!" his owner said. The jack rusell jumped a little den sat quietly at the side.

My little ger.. started GROWLING at him. *wa piangz..*

Very gutsy for a small size! haha.. Of course i stopped her. Me and my mom just luffed it off.. Buay fierce, act fierce...

Continued waiting... AND waiting.. AND waiting..

FINALLY!!! it was her turn... She was really really tired by den. I stroked her as i was talking to the vet (Dr Grace Heng - very nice lady!) and she fell ASLP! Too comfy, i guess~ Woke her up for her jab. No whining No barking. Boy am i proud of her..

Doc warned of slight fever and lethargy for the next few days. Ample slp should do just fine for her.

YIPEE~ i can bring her out for her walks already!

*just waitin for my insect repellent thingy to arrive~*

That's her at very night.. Super tired already..


But i still disturb her.. ha!~

Labels: mommy talking, pictures, vet visit

She slpt quietly last night.
without any protest barking.
without me walking around.

*beams*

She knows how to pee on the paper.
although sometimes mis-aim a bit.

*double beams*

She poops on the floor though.
luckily it's healthy poop (easily picked up), nt LS.

=.=

Labels: mommy talking

Mommy has a new toy..











and it makes a sharp *click* sound!
Each time i hear it, i get a TREAT!!!!

I love that new toy!

She would make a weird sound.
i get bored until sian liao, so i sit DEN she clicks and gives me a treat.

now when i see her, i always sit guai guai and wait for her to click and give me a treat!

FUN FUN FUN!!~

**Mommy: I'm giving her clicker training, a positive reinforcement type of training. And i taught her to sit on command. And she seems to be doing very well. The first few times she would sit and den slide her butt to a lie-down position. *lazy pig* But now she knows how to sit for a longer time! She pushes herself up with her paws so she sliding backwards further and further away from me. ha! But i think she really got it! YEAH!~

More information of clicker training can be found here.
http://www.clickerlessons.com/index.htm

Labels: clicker training, mommy talking, twinkle talking

Twinkle.. my timid little girl.

She can't sleep without me near by.
She can't sleep when she's alone in the kitchen.

What do dogs do when they want attention?
They BARK.

Just a couple of days ago, i went out and came back close to 2am in the wee early morning. There's my little ger OUT of her playpen; with the kitchen lights switched ON for her. You might have guess how badly, loudly and LONG she had bark, for my parents to let her roam the entire kitchen with the lights on.

So clever little ME decided to create a separation anxiety solution.
The trick is to let her know that i'm always around, though i'm NT in the kitchen with her.

1. Place her in the playpen, in the kitchen, in the dark.
2. I start walking into the kitchen towards the end of the kitchen, waited a short while and CALMLY walk back to my room. (Totally ignoring her.)
3. The intervals are frequent in the beginning. Just seconds apart. (e.g. 5 secs)
4. Slowly increase the interval. From seconds to minutes. (e.g. 30 secs --> 1 min --> 2 min)
5. Each time just walk as per normal to and fro the kitchen and your room. Totally ignoring her.
6. Repeat this exercise for a period of about 20-30 mins.

This leads her to think that i will be walking there every now and then = i'm not gone far far away but still there with her.

Yes, it takes a lot of effort. But as long as i can get her to slp well and not bark and disturb my family. It's worth it. :)

Labels: mommy talking, night barking, separation anxiety, solution

Frustrating...

Labels: mommy talking, ranting

Quiet night (at last!)...

For past 4 nights, twinkle has been barking during the wee-hours of the morning. *yawn*

Her first night was in my room, so it wasnt that bad as she was able to see me from her playpen.

The next night got worse as she was alone in the kitchen. She started barking at 12mn. -.-||| so i had to sit beside her and just be there with her. Managed to drift back to my room by talking to her in the dark.

Third night *yawn*, barked at 5am. =.= She pooped and stepped on it. (*@(#*)@#@&*# Did a little clean-up and plopped back to bed. Deaf to her barkings.

Fourth night, barked for short intervals thru'out the night.
I was seriously thinking "WHAT HAVE I DONE......."

Finally.. last night.. PEACE thru' the night. :) *hopefully it stays this way.*

She adapting fine. Appetite came back as reports fr my mom tells me that she's eating again. Gave her a little shower on her legs as they are turning BLACK due to the newspaper. My white ger is now a black one. ha! Cleaned out her DIRTY ears as well.

(Twinkle: mommy values sleep more than me. *sulks* )

Labels: mommy talking

A real terror....

Twinkle was left alone for close to 5 hrs in the evening on the first day..

MY MISTAKE.

I came back to...

STINKO STENCH of crap,
shredded newspaper,
dried-up poop on my bedrm floor,
pee everywhere,
pee and poo on twinkle.

*FAINT* big-time...

Super tired already, but still had to clean that ger up.. swipe TONNES of dettol on the floor to get rid of the stench and bacteria (i can imagine, on my floor). Tat silly ger. Grr~ Re-laid the papers and finally get her home clean again.

She slept with me on the first night. Not much crying or whimpering. She managed to slp thru' the night. Growled at the door when my mom came in at 7am. Retarded growl~ haha.. buay fierce act fierce type. Pee-d immediately when she woke up.

My parents were HORRIFIC by that and decided to move her to the kitchen instead. *yeah~* cos' i cannot stand my room being stinko. So the next day, her home is shifted to the kitchen.

Second night was terrible.. I slept rather early and got woken by her barking at abt 12mn. zzz.. Had to talk to her and try to drift back into my room whilst talking to her. Guess she's afraid of being alone in the dark.

Third night.. WORST. she barked like mad at 5am. zzz. Pooped and pee-d. Cleaned her up.. cleaned her place up. Left her there went back to sleep. Again she barked here and there, went to scold her a bit den went back to sleep. When i heard my mom waking up, *BEST* i slpt in peave, cos i know she'll b there scolding twinkle and fussing over her. She was sleeping when i woke up at 9am. WA LAU.. all SALAH timing. =.= *pengz*

Her appetite aint good these days. Been trying to do a switch fr Eukanuba to Canidae L&M. Just hope she starts eating when she's hungry.

She's such a pest at times.. but such a darling as well. :)

Labels: mommy talking, ranting

She's aslp now... afternoon nap.. at last.. That noisy ger..

i have more to rant.. at a later time...

Labels: mommy talking

Went shopping for my ger...
Shopping List:

- Tomlyn Au Lait Milk Shampoo
$22.00 (-5.50)

- PPP Earcleaner
11.90 (-1.19)

- Love'em Beef liver treats (100g)
8.50 (-0.85)

- Puppy Kong
15.10 (-4.50)

- Red Dingo Purple Leash [GORGEOUS PURPLE COLOUR!!]
13.00 (-3.90)

- Red Dingo Purple Harness
15.50 (-4.65)

- #1 Botanical Condition (16oz)
32.90 (-4.90)

- Lawrence Slicker Brush
14.90 (-2.10)

TOTAL DMG: 106 bucks
Total savings: 27.60

I LOVE ANNIE'S PETSHOP!!! haha.. so happy with the savings.. The shop owner uncle is REALLY nice as well. :P

Will try to do a review of the items. ;)

I bought more stuff from Daiso over the weekend. The other essentials and nonsense stuff.. e.g. Stainless steel bowl, Pee pads, Cleaning pads, spray bottles, collars, rubbery combing thingy, flea comb. I spent 30 bucks in a 2-dollar-per-item shop. HA! Hopefully i thot of everything that is needed. :)

I'm broke, but it's a happy kinda broke.

Labels: mommy talking, shopping list