Black Dogs are Special

~ Pacco, our Black Angel ~

On the 25 th April 2006, the day before my sister birthday, I adopted a black mongrel from a forum member, Rebecca Cham. She’s been so happy that I agree to adopt the unwanted litter and volunteer to bring over the puppy to my house. Pacco, I named her, a puppy that was being refer to as ‘black princess’ by Rebecca. She’s a fury little puppy and on the first day at the new home, she’s just like a baby being only one and a half month old, born on 3 rd of March 2006.

~ Pacco first outing during when she is 2 months old ~

Pacco was adopted as a substituted to my lost mongrel, Kinki. Kinki spent 2 years with me after I rescued her from being abandoned by a woman near Selayang market place. I used to be a girl who only like white fury toy breed dog. But through Kinki, she taught me to appreciate mongrels and learnt what dog ownership is all about. That’s the main reason why I choose to adopt another mongrel instead of buying a pedigree dog, as what my dad offer me when I was so depressed about my loss dog.

I must said that Pacco is definitely a hyperactive mutt. She whines and yelps during the night throughout her first week on her new home and attempt to jump out from her pen every single day. My family could hardly have a good night sleep. When she reached approximately 5 months old, my uncle happen to present my grandpa with a Boxer. So I had finally get Pacco spayed earlier than planned. After being spayed, her weight loss dramatically, she turned into a slim dog and sometimes even claimed to be underweight by her vet. But anyway, I just love her new figure, she able to leap higher when she did her trademark move, the ‘horizontal leap’!

~ Pacco enjoying a run with Hero ~

Life as an outdoor dog might be not that fun afterall. Pacco mostly spend her time during the afternoon sleeping in her cage. While when evening comes, she’ll had the chance to be at the front porch. But whenever my grandparents are not around, I’ll sneak Pacco into the living room illegally. She loves being an indoor dog so much that she’s always refuse to go out when I ask her to.

 

~ Being an indoor dog for the day ~

I hardly let her play with Hero, the Boxer because Pacco’s fur will get all soak up with his saliva. Daily walk had already turned to be a weekly walk ever since my semester break ends. However, Pacco will still able to enjoy her weekly jungle trekking at Gasing Hill every Saturday together with her mate, Yen Yen, a mixed Golden Retriever.

~ Spa treatment during jungle trekking session ~

When comes to training, Pacco quickly learn the idea of jumping around and fetch her toys to exchange for her favourite treats. As she become mature enough, I start teaching her some simple tricks. Her first impressive trick was weaving around my legs, which I learned from Groovy, a JRT. Many of my friends were really impress on how I manage to teach Pacco to do it. Then later we proceed to do some obedience, like those boring ‘sit stay’ and heelwork. I’ve been doing this for the past 2 years with my first dog, Kinki. So to make it more interesting, we treat it like a game. But the outcome was not as I had expected, Pacco heelwork looks rather weird and unnatural.

~ Having agility champ as friends made Pacco eager to improve herself ~

I just love to participate in dog events and games with my Pacco. Showing off the tricks that she had learned without enrolling in any formal class really made me proud of myself.

~ Pacco learned how to jump over the hurdles ~

 

~ She learned to be obedient ~

~ She also learned how to performed tricks ~

Some would advise me to get a pedigree in future if I really want to own an obedient dog that would be easier to train. But I would say ‘Love’ comes first before everything else. I will never forget what my beloved mongrels had taught me. I shall never deviate from my aim of dog ownership.

‘Loves need no Pedigree’

Amanda Lee, M’sia.

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Okay, so Flossy doesn’t look very ‘black’ here cos she’s really black and tan. I teared when I read about Flossy’s life before she found her forever home. Flossy was beaten and rejected for being too ‘big’ ! Click the pic to read more about Flossy.

 But I am inspired by how Flossy’s guardians have opened their hearts and home to her. Flossy was a ‘death row’ dog, only a day away death when she was saved! If only more people could adopt homeless dogs and give them a chance before turning to the breeders and pet shops.

Flossy, we love ya and think you’re a beauty!

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D.O.B: 12 October 2005 Weight: 22kg Height: 50cm On the 23 November, James and his litter mates were found dumped in Primrose Sands, a shack/holiday town outside of Hobart. The litter was picked up by the local ranger and taken to the Hobart Dogs Home. On arrival all puppies were weighed, our tiny James weighed in at just 2.1kg. We adopted James the very day that he was released into the adoption pens, he and his identical brother Gus were penned together and were the last of the litter left to be adopted. Their lighter coloured littermates were snapped up first. A week later on the 17 December James moved into our home to join me, my husband, our cat Boonie and our dog Ricky. James was an absolute terror when he arrived! He pulled things off the coffee table, destroyed things, jumped up to pull his food on top of him while I was putting down his food bowl. He was just the naughtiest puppy I have ever met. So training began straight away. By Sunday night James knew all the basic commands. He would sit, drop and wait for his food. By the end of the week he also learned how to roll over and shake hands. But he was still a long way off perfect! James was a difficult little man in his first month with us, he reduced me to tears more than once. But my hard work has paid off. James is now nearing his 1st birthday, he is a very polite and well mannered BIG man now. A few weeks ago he graduated from grade 1 obedience, top of the class with a near perfect score of 99/100. His winners sash has been displayed with pride and he continues to get better and better. After only two lessons in grade 2 we approach the grading this Sunday 27 August. Fingers and paws crossed that James flies over the line and impresses the judges and is certified as graduating from grade 2!

 

 

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We received an email from the founders of BLACK DOG SYNDROME and they were happy to see our little tribute and continuation of the cause. We are happy that in our own little way, we will continue to

” advocate for black dogs everywhere to find their forever people and to be adopted from the heart as well as the eye.”

(quote from the founders’ email) Keep your pics and stories coming!  

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Inspired by the Black Dog Syndrome site, I came up with my own little tribute to beautful big (and small) black dogs.

“Black dogs are commonly the last, if at all, to be adopted.  Destined for death in many shelters they are passed up for whatever the reason: Harmful Superstitions, Negative Labels, Fear, Just too ordinary and Over heat quicker in outdoor sport competitions.”

“Black dogs are doomed when they are brought to a pound because black dogs, particularly black labs or lab mixes, are euthanized at a horrifying rate at many pounds & shelters because people pass them up for lighter colored dogs.”

Visit Black Dogs are Special, we are always adding new friends.

  

(l-r) Fei, Singapore-Japan
Zhu, Singapore
Daisy, Adelaide, Australia.

 

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