Saturday, July 28, 2007

A SCARY EPISODE

WEDNESDAY




Barn2:
It had been a scary few days for me. Ko Ko Trax (above) didn’t seem to want to play with me since last week and he kept wanting to go to sleep whenever he can. Mummy laughed at the ‘good baby’ who curled up in one of his many beds (he has one bed downstairs, two beds upstairs. This is not to mention Mummy’s bed as well….!) at 9.30pm. Ko Ko doesn’t sleep that early on normal days. We all thought that he was just getting old.

On Wednesday night, Mummy was on the handphone and was trying to get Ko Ko to do his night pee-ing before herding us upstairs to sleep. Ko Ko was not very keen on moving- so Mummy used the choke chain on him.

Actually Ko Ko likes the choke chain. It is a signal that he is going to go for ‘kai kai’ (walkies). The mere clink of it would get him excited. This night was different. Ko Ko was not keen on moving. At one point- when I was trying to chomp his backside (whenever Mummy gives him undue attention, I would try to chomp his behind to remind him that I’m still around), Mummy pulled him towards the gate (where unfairly- he would get a free walk outside the gate.I am not allowed to go out there just in case I get into the habit of rushing out onto the road by myself…). Ko Ko collapsed. Well, he kinda sat down and laid down. Refused to get up. So Mummy and I thought.

Mummy:
Actually he couldn’t walk any more. I was horrified. Thought I had caused him to get a slipped disc or something.

Barn2: As Mummy carried him back to the house- I kept trying to jump up to bite his backside….and Mummy kept moving him out of my teeth’s reach.

Mummy: I carried Trax upstairs and tried to check on him. His back legs were responsive to tickling of his chest…They still thumped. But he was lethargic and limp. It was getting quite serious. I called the 24 hour vet clinic at 1am and made appointment with the nurse to bring him down the next day at 1030am. Placed him on his bed next to my computer and sat up with him till 4am. Did a lot of work on the computer even as I kept a close eye on him.

THURSDAY
Barn2: Mummy took Ko Ko to the vet. I was left at home. It wasn’t funny. I got a feeling that things were’t quite right only at breakfast time. Ko Ko wouldn’t respond to my pawing at his face. Usually we would play after our meals but he wasn’t interested. He also looked very tired. I was uneasy…more so when Mummy took him out and left me behind.

Mummy: Dr Jean Paul Ly, Trax’s vet, did several tests. Then he came to me and in his most pastoral manner, laid his hand on my shoulder and said, “ I am really sorry. This isn’t your day. Trax has tick fever. His red blood count is 15%. Very low. His urea is 82 (normal is 7 to 26)and his creatin. is 2.4 ( normal is 0.30 to 1.40). He needs a blood transfusion. We tested for his blood type. He has a rare blood type. 1.1 Negative. Bring Marky over for testing as a possible blood donor….If he doesn’t have that type, we have to find it somewhere somehow. There isn’t a canine blood bank in Singapore….”.

I have known Dr Ly for the past 16 years or more. He had been my dogs’ main vet all the while and he is a personal friend. We used to go fishing on his boat with a few of our friends years ago. He's the one who invented the ADDICTION pet foods( http://www.addictionfoods.com/resources/Addiction_BusinessTimes.pdf).


“Here is where you really need to get your intercessors to pray….We need a miracle,” he said. I sms-ed (text-ed) our church’s chief intercessor Mrs Lim, several staff members and friends. Phoned my dad to pray as well. :Rushed to get tick spray before returning home. When I reached home, I bathed Barn2, fumigated the rooms and washed/sprayed beddings. Put Marky in the car and went to the clinic…

Barn2: At first I was upset that Mummy had left me at home. Dada (Granddad) wasn’t around either (he goes to church to pray daily) so I was a bit frightened…Usually Ko Ko Trax would be with me. If she ever takes him out without me, at least Dada would be there.

After a while, Dada came back. I could tell that he was worried about something. He kept trying to comfort me. I didn’t know why. Is Ko Ko Trax ok? When Mummy came back,I looked for Ko Ko Trax. But he wasn’t there! Where could he be?? I didn’t have much time to think because Mummy bundled me upstairs for a quick bath . Then she sprayed some horrible stuff on me. Yuk. Before I knew it, she had gone off with Ko Ko Marky.

Marky: I don’t usually get to go out. My spoilt corgi brothers go out more often than I. A part of me didn’t mind that. I am nervous about new places and I love being in the backyard most of the time. Even when Mummy and Dada lets me out to the front porch to run, I don’t feel uncomfortable. Am scared of strangers coming to beat me up. Maybe that’s got to do with my background as a stray pup many years ago. That was long before Mummy got me rescued, fostered and then adopted me. This day, Mummy rushed me up the car and drove me to this strange place. They took some blood from me. About half an hour later, they took me upstairs to this room and several people suddenly hoisted me onto a steel table. They held me down as I struggled to get up. Mummy was holding my legs and she kept calling my name and trying to calm me down. A man came and gave me a quick jab. It felt like an ant bite. Soon the world seemed to be quite blurry and nothing seems to worry me….I kinda dozed off…..I could hear them talking but I wasn’t exactly awake.

Mummy: Dr Ly came to me with a funny smile on his face. “ Wow. You all must have been praying hard….Marky’s blood is the same as Trax’s! We have a donor…”
Praise the Lord! How ironic. Trax couldn’t get along with Marky. Four years ago, they had three major fights. Trax’s ears were redesigned by Marky as a result.






But the fault was Trax’s. He started all the fights. As a result, we had to put Marky at the back of the house, separated from the other dogs. Barn2 was all right with Marky when Barn2 was a pup. When he reached puberty, he started acting ‘ya-ya’ (rudely/ not keeping his place) with Marky. So he isn’t allowed to meet up with Marky except through the door grills. Marky lost the chance of living inside of the house with all of us.We have always felt sad about that.

Now Marky is giving Trax his blood…saving him in the process.

Another twist to the story: When Marky first came to us, he was a hit and run accident victim. The head of his femur bone was totally crushed. Dr Ly operated on him. To make sure that Marky had enough blood for the major operation, Dr Ly had a dog on standby to give Marky blood. (Surprisingly, Marky’s blood type was not listed in the records. We checked). Now that we know that Marky is 1.1 Negative blood type, Dr Ly has recruited him to be a canine blood donor. Where Marky had been the recipient of help…now, he has turned to be a giver of help to those who are in need. In my eyes, Marky my boy has ‘grown up’.



The blood transfusion on Trax would last for the whole night. I took Marky home after he contributed his share. He was still a bit groggy. Washed and sprayed him before leaving him to have his dinner. He was given extra liver for supper.

Barn2: Thursday night was the most difficult night for me. Ko Ko Trax wasn’t around. I sensed the Dada and Mummy were worried but I didn’t know what it was about. Ko Ko Marky looked like he is drunk. I buried my head on Mummy’s pillow and sought comfort in her arms


FRIDAY

Mummy: Trax’s transfusion ended at around 630am. I had a meeting till 1pm so I collected him at 1.30pm. When the nurse carried him downstairs, he looked lost. There was no recognition in his eyes. She placed him on his pram. As I was paying the bill, he sat up, looked around….heard me calling his name…and then I saw this sudden ‘switching on of the light’. He realized where he was and who I am. Then it was ‘ bark.Bark. BARK!!!! BARK!! BARK !!! BARK!!!’. He had started scolding me! He must be feeling well enough to do it. PTL. Took him home, fed him and let him rest. Barn2 was a bit unsure of what was happening- kept his distance for a while. Vet report said his blood count had gone up to 35%. His urea is now 55 and his Creatin is 1.50. He is improving. Thank God.



SATURDAY

Barn2: Well, Ko Ko Trax is back. He was a bit under the weather yesterday…but today- he seems to be his grouchy self. Growled and barked at me when I disturbed him. I will give him some space. He does look a bit tired although he looked much better than when I last saw him. Things seem to be getting back to normal. Ko Ko Marky is still bullied by the mynah birds who steal his food, swim in his water bowl, poo on his head. Mummy has taken to shooting the birds (or in their direction) with a water pistol.

Ko Ko Trax is still growling off and on and giving Mummy the run-around re: his meals. He would make her try different ways of getting his pills into him. He is a clever one.

I have just had my dinner and I will take a snooze
now….So much for excitement!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Godparents!

I am awake!!!(So is Mummy so she now has to slave at this computer for us...hee hee)
Today I want to bark about Godparents.
Very useful to have.I have three. Marky Ko Ko has one.
Ko Ko Trax hasnt any....yet. (Any volunteers?)

Godparents are great because
1. They sneak food to us (and we know that corgis are always starving...)
2 They give us gifts - toys, hugs and stuff
3 They inquire about us (in case our human parents forget that we are around...) and best of all...
4 They give good advice (sometimes!) to our human parents regarding what is good for them and for us....


I wouldnt have been adopted if it hadnt been for Godma Wen. She was the one who went into my enclosure at Ericcson Dog Farm and persuaded my (now) Mummy to adopt me.Mummy was looking for a tricoloured GIRL (can you beat that? g.i.r.l. Humpph!).She thought I was too 'kuai' (well behaved) to be her furkid. Well, I proved her wrong. Godma pointed to my BIG paws and said, "Look at these big paws! Isnt he cute? Can you resist him?" And I turned on my charm. I know a good deal ( a bully-able Mummy who has a great soft spot for furkids) when I see one. Can smell that a mile away....
Hee hee. Was adopted.

Then came the naming part. Mummy was thinking aloud. "How would you like to be called Barnabas Ju-Ern?". Godpa Eric spoke to Mummy on the handphone while she was driving...."How about 'Barney'? Great minds think alike. (OK, fools seldom differ too...). I can live with the name.

Then Godma Wen said- "How about Barnabas Josephus (surname) Ju-Ern?"
EEEKKSSS!!
Josephus? Sissy name.
Thank God Mummy said no to 'Josephus'. "Its a name of a historian who was a turncoat to his own people...." she said. So I remained "Barnabas Ju-Ern..."
Whew.



My other godpa is a HUGE human with my name. Godpa Barnabas. He's so big, I can hide behind him if anyone tries to bully me. Hee hee.The first time we met, he gave me some treats. And hugs.
Yup.
He knows how to get to a corgi's heart.
Sometimes people mistake me for him! Haha....(only in conversations.). Once, when someone (Uncle Jon) asked Mummy on the phone what she was doing at the moment he called, she innocently said, "I am in bed, tickling Barnabas' stomach...". Uncle Jon was shocked. It took him a few minutes to realise that Mummy was talking about me- not about my Godpa! It almost caused a scandal. Haha.)
Oh...did I mention?
Two of my three godparents also wear dog collars.
Haha.





Ko Ko Marky has his Fairy Godma Leng. (She is with another stray dog in this picture. Ko Ko Marky's photo the one below. Must say he is handsome...)She sends him things- nice collars, a new leash, doggy bowls and plates and treats!She has seen him only a few times. He is still a bit shy but he likes her because she hugs him. Mummy gets advice from Godma Leng on how to care for Ko Ko Marky. Maybe one day she can ask Godma Leng how to get Ko Ko Marky to accept the fact that despite my height and age, I am a higher ranking dog than him....That would be nice.

Ko Ko Trax. Hmmm. Mummy hasnt found him a Godpa or Godma yet. Wonder why.
Maybe I should advertise for him.Ko Ko Trax loves squeaky toys. Any thing that makes noise- gets his attention. He loves hugs. Anyone out there want to be his Kai Pa or Kai Ma?




Oh...I forgot. He doesnt like to swim. Hee hee.Dont bother with treats. He has just turned vegetarian (about two months already, I think). Dr Jean Paul Ly (our vet)'s orders. Thats because Ko Ko has skin problems.So he cant take any more rawhide bones (Ko Ko Marky and I inherit them now!) nor greenies....Poor Ko Ko Trax.

Time for me to get my beauty nap. I think Mummy is tired. It was about 5 this morning when she got to bed . And we woke her up at about 10 this morning. Better let her off before she types in the wrong stuff..... I need her to create a special website for me at some point....so I better not push it now.





(Mummy: Barn2 is planning world domination. Mantra is :"Corgis Rule". Dream on, kid. As they say in Hokkien: "tan ku ku..." . Literal translation- ' wait long long'.)



A SLEEPY NOTE


In case you are wondering why there's so many links on this blog....it is because Mummy started several weblinks (videos, dogster, webpages) for us in the past. It will take some time for her to get all of them into one system. In any case, I am trying to sleep and Mummy's room light is keeping me awake. Its past my bedtime...and it is also way past her bedtime. I think the Coke she drank might have something to do with it. When you folks get up tomorrow (ahem! its TODAY), she will still be sleeping. No problem. She's on leave today. So be patient. She will post our thoughts another time. Good night!

OUR FUR- SIBLINGS



1.Meet our brother Marky the Clown




He is the second child in the family. Younger than Trax Ko Ko, older than I. Here's his Dogster link
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/206655

Here's his Story
http://www.asdsingapore.com/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=475&Itemid=72
http://www.asdsingapore.com/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=475&Itemid=72&limit=1&limitstart=1 http://www.asdsingapore.com/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=91&Itemid=55
Here's his Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5mpsy51cZg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FByS5eVfk7Q

Ko Ko Trax and Ko Ko Marky don't seem to get along. Mummy says I am 'ya-ya' ( disrespectful) towards Ko Ko Marky. But I am the one who gets to sleep on Mummy's bed and on Dada (my Grandpa)'s bed....depending on who's airconditioner is colder at that time of the night. Ko Ko Trax just gets to sleep on Mummy's bed because he can't climb up to Dada's bed! Does that not say I am a top dog (not yet 'the top dog' but can be that in time...)?

(Mummy: Barn2, you are not top dog. You are baby dog. You are the baby of the family)

Barn2: ...Grumble...grumble...ggrrruumbble...blah to Mummy....


2. Our brother Dexter the Iron-Tongue


Mummy's 'kai chai' (godson). He is the furkid of Aunty R and Uncle M. Together they form the MARSHIES family. http://dexteryew.blogspot.com/
He is very young. I am quite ok with him. I think Ko Ko Trax likes him a lot.


3. Our friend Benny Ben-Hur




http://www.bennyxobile.blogspot.com/
Ko Ko Trax likes him too. Dunno why Ko Ko Trax likes these youngsters. Maybe he feels like a grandfather to them. I prefer to scare him with my Darth Vader looks and growls. Mummy thinks I am a bully but hey, when you are the lowest ranking canine in the house- its nice to have someone else below you in the hierarchy. Aunty Z, Benny's mom seems to have figured me out. I hope she wont give Mummy any ideas about 'training' me to be a nicer boy. I like being naughty!

TIME TO SHOW YOU OUR VIDEOS...


1. LET ME PRAY FOR YOU
When you pray for someone- always keep your eyes open!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJzckIoJ_hM

2. RUDE FURKIDS
We were scolding Mummy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d9tlXLrN40

3. FRAPPING CORGI (me!) IRRITATES BROTHER(Trax Ko Ko)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09IQ2t7sfzE

4. CORGI SIBLINGS PLAYING TOGETHER

I love my Ko Ko Trax!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biDdrTHEw-8

5. OUR SWIMMING EFFORTS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evm2Ky-DQNk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oldGpcd_cYE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTZ1o-F1Fgw

6. KO KO TRAX LEARNS TO CLIMB DOGGY STEPS TO MUMMY'S BED!
see the power of the squeaky toy in getting Ko Ko to move!! Hee hee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6OB3zKc8E0

7. BARN2 ENCOUNTERS MABOK
Mummy thinks these 3 videos are funny. I don’t think so.
This crazy Mabok girl tried to attack me! You can view the evidence….
(Mummy: its soooo funny! My boy boy looks angelic when this ‘cheah-peh’ ie shrewish girl put him in his place! Don’t miss the 2nd and 3rd videos. Ha ha ha)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWwQJe_Pz3s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcW9Gehe00k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMDaXAwu1CA

TRAX'S TURN


TRAX: Now its my turn -view my special page!
http://www.dogster.com/dogs/206640

GET TO KNOW ME














NAME : Barnabas Ju-Ern KHOO
MEANINGS:

  • Barnabas= son of encouragement
  • Ju-Ern= God's grace
BORN : 28 October 2003, Australia
ARRIVAL IN SINGAPORE: 30 January 2004
ADOPTED: 1 February 2004
LITTER MATES IN NEW HOME:


  • Trax the Samseng (Gangster) and
  • Marky the Clown


My first postings:
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney.html http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney2.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney3.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney4.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney5.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney6.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney7.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney8.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney9.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney10.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney11.html
http://sg.geocities.com/e_shepherd2003/barney12.html

DOGSTER ADDRESS:

http://www.dogster.com/dogs/206615

FINALLY! WE HAVE A BLOG.....






Hi everyone.

Mummy just gave in to the temptation of creating a blog for us.
Check out the name:

1. Dogfather - that's me, Trax the Samseng (Gangster)!
I am the sable and white (only one streak of it) 13 year old corgi. I am the Don Corleone of the Singapore corgi world. Human equivalent: Geylang Lorong 18 Samseng Tau (Gangster Chief). The 'Cheng Hu' (govt.authority) of my domain. My favourite word is :"GRRRRR...." (with a curl on my lips, displaying my sharp teeth). Translation: "Don't mess with me."

2. Samsengkia (Gangster kid)- who else? Me (Barnabas Ju-Ern). The 3 year old tricoloured corgi boy. Everything I know about gangsterism, I learnt from my Ko Ko (elder brother) Trax. Mummy thinks I am a spoilt brat, being the youngest.She calls me 'baby boy'.(Yuks).

Actually I have another Ko Ko....Marky the Clown. But he is a GOOD boy so he is not part of this blog. He is also not a corgi but a Singapore Special. I think he would rather talk with the mynahs who share his meals, drink from and swim in his waterbowl....and poo on his head! A regular St Francis of Assisi of the dog world. Sigh.

Our Mummy can read our minds very well. So we got her to do all the secretarial work...since her paws (er...they call it 'hands and fingers') are more suited to the computer than ours.

OK. Sit back and relax as we tell our stories....
Enjoy.