チョーヤは3歳です!

Choya turned three over the weekend. Didn't do any sort of celebrations for her. We simply took her out to the parks to play, and went for long walks. Even the food wasn't that special. Hellooo, I ain't asking for trouble by giving her new stuff and then she gets the runs. She gets her usual delicious items, rotated according to the food schedule. 

We've reached an equilibrium in the two plus one home life, and found a balance in our schedules. There is peace at home because the dog knows what type of behavior is expected at home. 2020 is a horrible year, but I think for the dogs, it's been awesome. Dunno how the cats feel. (Ermm, thank you Covid-19 lockdowns...) I had plans to take her to church to receive blessings on St. Francis Day. But pandemic restrictions meant this event went online. St. Mary of the Angels did it via Zoom. Heh. Too cute. 

I would like a second dog at some point. Not a puppy though. I almost said yes to a home trial for a cute 5 y.o Shiba-ken boy. He's spunky, a bit wild, and has fear-aggression. But he will learn to trust if the human earns it with patience and love. He'll need a lot of work. I can do it, but at this juncture, I don't want to. Adopting a second dog now would be foolhardy. Choya is a dream to train, compared to any second dog. I'm enjoying the peace at home so much that I don't want to upset it. 

Has being a dog-mom made me a better person? Nope. I am still me, with quirks and a temper and all. Every other week is a test of my patience. And I'm not a patient woman. The dog seems to have learnt what my triggers are. To avoid being scolded, she knows not to lick or chomp on her paws for too long. I can stop her from doing that now with clicks of the tongue. Teehehehe. Shiba-ken aren’t that difficult to train at any age, but they do require a peculiar bond with their owners. If the dogs trust you, they can be trained, at any age. 

The dog looks to us for different things. She goes to Daddy for cuddles and rubs. She comes to the both of us to play, and whoever available (especially at night) for comfort and to soothe her anxiety. She only looks for me when she's hungry though. Hahaha. She also likes to randomly follow me around the flat. The man has determined that she's Momma's girl and not Daddy's girl. Okaaaay, whatever. Choya is not my child. She's my dog. I've no interest in raising children or even puppies. I'm a dog-mom, not a crazy dog-mom.

I’ve come to accept my full responsibilities as a pawrent to this fur-baby. A dog of my own (that isn't a family dog) means that there isn't additional help available at all times. Beyond swopping duties with the man, imposing on the BFF's schedule, and hiring sitters, it means that I sacrifice my social life and meeting friends frequently so that the dog wouldn't feel abandoned. Thank goodness that at this age, the friends also have a lot of stuff on their plates, and won't be too pissed at me for doing this. :P 

Happy Three, my little shadow. There's nothing more I wish for you than to be happy every day. To be safe and secure. To have your waking hours pass without fear or sadness. And for you to eat well, poop well, sleep deeply, and hold joy in your heart.