Day 17/356 of 2014

Life is Good...



Cause on a cold Friday night, I enjoyed two things on this very cold weather. Hot garlic pork chop with rice and a hot chocolate mug of swiss miss. Yes, I was at home at 5:30 PM on a Friday. Played with my dogs at 6 PM. Ate at 7 PM. Shopped online, read my book and caught up on TV shows at 8 PM and little did I know I was already asleep on or before 9 PM.


I know being a Friday there should be some sort of public celebration in order. I would've been having dinner and drink with friends, watched a movie perhaps or even do something rather than go home. But you know me. As soon as I am reached the comforts of my home, nothing could make me brave the unreasonable Friday night traffic. Home it is for me (most of the time) and life is still good!

Dog Treats that My Dogs Love...ALL THE TIME

sliced cheese and some flavored bone

When you have dogs, especially if you want to train them to do something, there's only a fail safe way to do it. Do it with FOOD!

Before I would buy these branded dog beef jerkies and flavored bones for Harvey and the gang, but it reached to a point when they don't want it anymore. The flavor probably is not sustainable. Plus, it's damn expensive! There were times I resorted to FITA crackers. They'd taste it, sure, but they'll look at me with judging and discriminating eyes. 

When Bruce enrolled in his obedience class, the trainer did some "treat-tests" to see which treat he would greatly respond to. It's an exercise of finding out which food you could bribe him to do something fast! There's no question that Bruce could be bribed with anything edible! But he swiftly responded to CHEESE. It was like seeing him display extreme military focus.

Yes, Cheese, the normal processed cheese you buy in groceries. He could finish a whole regular bar cut into cubes. We tried it with Harvey, Chivas and Papo and they go crazy as well.  I didn't know we could give cheese to dogs or that they really love it! So since that day they've discovered it, hearing the word "cheese" would immediately get their attention. It's like calling their names to salvation. And the funny thing is, they never get tired of it...ever!

I tend to mix up cheese and a piece of bone from time to time as their afternoon treat. I only give it to them after we've played or if they've done something good and funny. I also only give them treats once a day to give them something to look forward to. And it's been really effective. It's been a year now since I've included blocks of cheese in my weekly grocery budget and it's worked wonders (Get Danes and Quezo, they are tastier and much cheaper) And it's something I can definitely share and eat with them!

**Word of caution, the grocery cheese I am talking about is processed. Too much processed food is not good for dogs especially if they are already on a strict diet (like Bruce who suffered from Acute Renal failure). Try to just give them a couple of small cubes proportionate to their weight.

Below are other worthy treats (aside from CHEESE) that dogs really love and never get tired of:

1. Apple with yogurt.

-Dip a slice of apple in yogurt. Bruce, Papo love it to bits. Harvey and Chivas, not so much, but they never say no to it as well. If you're having a hard time making them eat fruits, dip it with yogurt.

2. Boiled liver

- Boil liver (preferably pork/beef) and cut them to strips. Don't put salt anymore. You can dip it in unsalted butter if you want to be generous with the flavor, but that's really not necessary. They love the taste of plain liver. It's also effective if you're having a hard time feeding them their usual meals. Just add liver to their meals to break the monotony.

3. Egg Whites

- Something about this that they love. Hardboiled egg is always the best since it's not oily. It's high in good allowable protein too. Bruce and the rest of the pack enjoy egg whites in their meal once a day.


Fruits (except grape) always work, but preference may vary from dog to dog. Dogs like humans can be very weird and eclectic of their food preference. Bruce might love vegetables, but Harvey hates them. Harvey might love spaghetti noodles, while Chivas doesn't give a damn. Chivas might like tuna, but Bruce just lets it pass. Let your dogs try some treats and see how they respond. Rule of thumb is not anything oily, salty or the "danger" foods for dogs (e.g.: Grapes, chocolate etc.) while everything else is okay in moderation.

What I'm just listing down are foods that works for my dogs ALL the time. There's no harm in trying them out :)

Reading: Picking up the Pace

I started reading Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things last week, but I got bored. I didn't finish it. It was not something that I needed when I was so busy with work with a couple of things I need to juggle at the same time. The book reeks of sense and thought but it just didn't work out for me. So it doesn't make sense making a review about it even though I remember some interesting bits and pieces. I did not even reach the middle part! I promise to read it again this year, hopefully in a better and more relaxed time.

Now, I'm reading The Shining Girls on my IPAD and This is How you Lose her. Yes, I can do simultaneous reading with just at least a strict allotted hour per book each day. It's been a challenge these past couple of days because I am so tired lately from work, but I make sure I read at least a chapter a day. I might finish This is How you lose Her soon though. It's funny, light and insightful. While the Shining Girls is provides an interesting pair up with a serial killer plot with a time traveling twist. I'll have to finish everything this weekend or the week before I go to Baguio. I am excited on which book to read on that trip. I'd probably need my IPAD while reading on the bus and a fallback book to bring with me. Excited!

Day 15-16/365 of 2014

Life is Good...


Day 15 -  Because thank GOD for internet that is accessible, traveling has never been this easy! Can you just imagine the days when you had to call the travel agencies, call the hotel, physically pick up the documents and allot time and effort to pay stuff? Not to mention to have to call your friends, meet up for confirmations and allot days to finalize and discuss when everyone's in the same room cause some people are just fickle? Hey, I was born in 1980's and definitely I still remember the overly manual days. Probably the reason traveling was such a chore back then because before you can actually enjoy the escape, you have to go through days of planning and manual work. But yesterday I was reminded how wonderful technology is, specifically websites and the internet. I was able to book two hotels for my two trips this year from a discounted hotel booking site. I was able to nab discount coupons online from  bargain sites. We were able to book our bus tickets and communicate with people who are involved in the trip. All travel related confirmations were sent via email and since I'm on a data plan, I can access my emails anywhere, anytime through my phone. In one whole day, our bookings were confirmed, our trip is set with just our phone, computers and an internet. It was so fast, so convenient, so rich in information you can't imagine doing it the old way. I'm not really a techie person, but certain advances that aid consumers like me really makes a whole lot of difference in terms of time and money. Technology is really a part of our lives whether we like it or not. Sadly sometimes we just tend to forget it. Since I love to research and travel conveniently, this week reminded me on how good life has become.


Day 16 - I woke up this morning as if I slept the entire night in an air-conditioned room. I was curled up under my blanket. The thing is, my brother and I didn't turn on the air-condition, despite the fact that I do not sleep without it cause I'm really allergic to heat (literally). That just means that yesterday, this whole day in fact, was cold beyond the normally accepted temperature....in Manila...in the Philippines, which is a tropical country. It was so cold I wore a jacket the entire day. It was like being in Tagaytay during the summer. It's lovely and pleasant, a good respite for the city dwellers who never enjoy a temperature below 29 degrees. But sometimes you can't help but think that beyond this pleasantness is an abnormality. Our climate, all over the world, is jacked up. It's skewed and nature can just whip us out anytime that we wouldn't know what hit us. It's abnormal, weird and scary. But life is still good. We're still alive and apparently enjoying a pleasant weather. Excuse the thought for the Atlantic countries who are suffering. Just like this pleasant weather that we are having, it will pass eventually.

I woke up and drove to the office without turning on the air-conditioning system. I left the house at 6 am with 22 Degrees temperature. It was already sunny at 8 am and it was still 23 Degrees. I had lunch and went home wearing my jacket. I love it.

Dog Skin Care that really works!

Waiting for our ride to the vet

Our 1 year old bullmastiff Bruce is the most charming and sweetest of the bunch. He may not look like it in the outside, but he's a genuine softie. Also, he beats the other dogs in the pack with another thing. By far he holds the most number of visits to the vet in his year and six months of existence. 

When he had Acute Renal Failure a few weeks after his 1st year birthday bash, he had two weeks of confinement and tests and we really thought he wouldn't make it. He was so weak that he couldn't move. He lost a lot of weight while I suffered all amounts of stress and depression I never thought I could handle. But thankfully he's alive and well with no relapse. Since then we knew he was a fighter.

But a few months before that horrific episode, Bruce was going to the vet's clinic regularly. He was suffering from a severe skin breakout. He would have bumps all over his body from I-don't-know-what! The actual boils/bumps cannot be seen because they were still covered with hair but the actual silhouette of the bumps were clearly visible. It became really disgusting and you'd really think he was suffering. We thought it was plain dog mange, but we were much worried about the bumps. We tried all the leading anti-mange, anti-fungal and herbal shampoos out in the market, but it wouldn't entirely work. The bumps were still there. Finally we had to take him to the vet.

The Vet did some skin test samples and found that he did have mange and his skin was having a sort of reaction to stress. It also didn't help that bull mastiffs' are known to have highly sensitive skin because of minimal body hair and their genetic make-up. If you have Sharpeis and Pitbulls, you know what I'm talking about. The veterinarian said that it could also be due to his poor immune system because he was still very young and weak. The dog might be stressed sometimes that might have caused breakouts.

So, he was subjected to a medicinal bath at the clinic every 2 weeks. We'd leave him there in the morning and pick him in the afternoon. Whenever we'd pick him up, he smelled like gas. He didn't look sick or anything, but he was just reeking of chemicals. His skin became a little bit smoother though. We were instructed not to bathe him in a week to ensure that the medicine gets absorbed. We also made sure he wouldn't wallow in surprise puddles at the backyard. We did this for 3 months. Each medicinal bath session would cost me 700 pesos.

Within those weeks of treatment, I began my online research. I didn't really like him to be subjected to anymore 'chemical' baths and dips. For one it really smells and second I don't think it was helping much at all. Sure, the bumps became less but we observed that it would multiply again until our next vet appointment. The vet noted some improvements, but he thought that the dog may be stressed or allergic to something. We can't go doing this forever! So I began to read home remedy stuff. Primarily there are oils. Chamomile, Green Tea extracts and lavender. I might need to buy an oil, boil it with water and spread it on the dog's coat. There is also an option of fish oil and fish oil capsules. But there's one herbal aid that always pops up. NEEM. 

I haven't heard of Neem before. It isn't that popular compared to lavender or tea tree oil, but that ingredient always pops up when it comes to skin home remedies. International pet bloggers discovered the power of neem oil in curing their dog's mange or skin disease. Anything inflammatory and fungal, Neem wipes it out. I consulted my vet when it came to herbal treatments and he said that there was nothing wrong with it. He had heard of the neem powers before and gave me a go-signal to try it.

I tried to look for an oil extract but I couldn't fine one in Manila. I was about to order a bottle from Australia where they manufacture Neem oil and and shampoo when I came across this site.

http://neem.ph/

You know the feeling when you find that needle in the haystack? I had that feeling when I came across this site. This online herbal product store is stacked up with different kinds of Neem products from oil, shampoo, tea packs and capsules! They also have their own Pet Products line! This gave me an overall positive response. Discovering that the site had their own pet products line means that there is a significant market and the products are effective! Great! I thought I didn't have to buy oil extracts and experiment making home remedies, all the end-products that I need are already offered by the site.

So I bought packs of Neem Herbal Dog Soap, Neem Herbal powder and Neem Herbal capsules to be added to Bruce's daily meals. Each soap would cost you 85 bucks. A bottle of Neem capsules will cost you 350 pesos and the powder will cost you 75 pesos. Cheap and powerful product. In a week's usage, Bruce's skin bumps are gone! His skin is smooth and back to its healthy glow. Most importantly the soap smells nice on him too! No chemical smell whatsoever.

Neem is indeed a powerful herb and I can attest to that with what happened to Bruce. It is known to cure dry skin, kills parasites and all kinds of fungi with no side effects, stops viral replication and soothes cold sores. And we're just talking about Neem's power on skin. Neem is also a powerful agent to aid in neurological problems, digestive track issues, diabetes and heart disease.

You can visit their online site and have fun shopping. They have multiple products of soaps, creams, shampoos and body products for humans and dogs! Capsules and tea packets are also their best sellers. They also have Tawa-Tawa products for those who are interested. Their online site is very friendly and ordering is a breeze. You just purchase items in the cart, provide your information and call the numbers indicated at their site. They will give you the bank account where you can deposit your payment and your products will be shipped in 2-3 days.

I've been a regular customer since August 2013 cause I get the dogs' bath products from them. Although sometimes you'd really have to order in bulk because the Neem Dog soap really gets sold out very fast. There was a time I had to wait for a month before they could produce my order.

So for those pet owners having the same dilemma, you may try this one instead of the chemically infused medicinal dips or shampoos. Nothing beats natural! It worked for Bruce!

Day 13-14/356

Life is good...


Day 13 -  cause after a hard day's work, I was still able to watch Batman: The Dark Knight Rises and enjoy (read:go gaga) Christian Bale! Seeing him in that clean cut face, angular shots, really nice combed brown hair and excellent physique are just added cherries to his known and renowned acting chops. I've said it in my previous post before (in opinionated banana) that I love him. I've loved him ever since he appeared in the Empire of the Sun. Making me admire him that early makes me think that I have a  significant contribution to his popularity. It's like being able to personally discover  him before he was this big A-lister star. Truth be told, even with his great looks, I just love how he acts and how he transcends into the big screen. AT first I didn't even think he would be perfect for the Batman role, much less apply for it since he's just way too sophisticated with his taste and mainstream box office hits are just not his style. But I guess he proved me and everyone wrong. He can absolutely do anything...beautifully! He has so much character and sense you don't care if he tries to look physically bad in the movie. He can play a playboy, sophisticated, banker-psycho killer. He can play an aristocratic period leading man. He can play an overweight and sleazy hustler, a gay drag queen, a poor but determined boxer, a mentally disturbed machinist, dystopian gun-kata warrior (Neo of the matrix would've watched out), a magician and a superhero. Seeing him in a new movie or even in HBO has always been a treat. You see him really as an actor and not a celebrity, which is something very admirable about him. Yesterday was a bit stressful, but God gave me a reward.

...and please I know the "lisp" may be a little bit distracting, but I don't care. You cannot be
perfect....you just cannot....

His Patrick Bateman look in American Psycho is the best for me. I would probably choose Batman next as his more mature version. He can be scruffy, long-haired or bald but this is definitely his best look! 

Day 14 - I got a venti Asian Dolce Latte in Starbucks! They finally brought it back! Of all the drinks, next to Caramel Macchiato, this is my favorite. It has a strong 4 shot espresso kick and a sweat creamy finish. Those who want that extra bitterness and smooth finish, a schizophrenic when it comes to their coffee, get this. Enough said!

Day 10 -12/365 of 2014

Life is Good


...Cause at least we have weekends for proper rest when we need to. The first work week for 2014 was pretty stressful when everyone who's anyone was back and that translated to more work left and right and all of them were tagged as "urgent." Sometimes it's quite unreasonable and requests stretch you to the limit, but at least I have work and time to recharge.

...Cause life gives us failures to limit our options and show us the path that's right for us. Gunning for so many options is commendable, but in truth you're only after one that's right. Just like Amy March said when her older sister Meg was worried on the scores of suitors she is failing to attract "You only need one; if he's the right one". Didn't we even think that not getting the part, not getting the job, not getting admitted no matter how hard we've tried is nature's way of telling us that this is might not be right for you or there's something better? Any type of failure whether we care to admit it or not hurts at face value. But it's how we see through the heartbreak that keeps us going and eventually makes us better.

...cause being in a tropical country, the weather's weird, but a pleasant surprise. We don't feel searing hotness....yet. City temperatures have reached as low 19 Degrees Celsius which NEVER EVER HAPPENS!! I know that American countries are suffering from extreme polar whiplash right now. I feel bad for them, but this is the climate change effect which we humans did! We just have to suck it up like the tropical countries will suck up the upcoming summer season. Can we just find joy in this moment?