At the best of times, having pets can rejuvenate your life. They shine a light in the darkness and are your trusty companions. Therefore, giving them the right attention and proper nutrition is imperative. While they may be cute and cuddly, they could turn into Wolfman if not fed properly. I notice odd behaviour by dogs here in Sydney. They don’t bark as much as our dogs overseas. I deduce that this is from a lack of a balanced diet.

Case in point

Last year, my friend and I bought subway sandwiches. We then hung out at the park to eat these. I had already finished my sandwich, but my friend had only gotten one bite. Around this time, a guy was walking his dog. The canine made a dash at us. Sensing trouble, my pal hid their unfinished sandwich behind them on the seat. The brown labradoodle made a beeline for the sandwich and finished it in a few big bites.

Afterward, the owner was apologetic. He concurred that he has been teaching his canine, but that – at two years old – she is still a puppy. He admitted that ‘my dog loves sandwiches.’ He told us that he can buy my pal a new sandwich. My friend said he didn’t need to go through the trouble. My bud refused to accept the guy’s money, but he left the ten-dollar note on the chair. I observed that this kind of pouncing didn’t happen as much in the Philippines.

Another example

One time, I was hanging out at another park. I bought some McDonald’s with me. As I munched on my chips, this Pomeranian was hanging nearby. She kept staring at my grub. Was this normal dog behaviour? I did not flick her a chip as there were other dogs around and I did not want to tempt fate. Compared to humans, dogs have a heightened sense of smell. There has been a plethora of depictions in the media about this. This only serves to foreground canines as ‘man’s best friend.’

Feisty felines

This time, we take a detour from dogs. I hung out at Darling Harbour (in Sydney’s CBD) together with two mates. We had barely sat when this Indian chick took a bite from her pork roll. Suddenly, a pack of underfed cats converged on her late lunch and clawed at the sumptuous roll. The woman tried to laugh it off, but it was a good cautionary tale on the perils of flashing your lunch.

I’m sure some of you have heard about the boar incident. A German man was sunbathing on this beach when the boar stole his laptop. He chased the hog around – buck naked. Some of the beachgoers captured the moment. With his permission, the file was uploaded and became a viral hit.

The secret is out

In spite of these proclivities, most pets could give you pure joy. Dogs are incredibly intelligent and loyal animals. Given the right diet, healthy exercise, and tender loving care, these pets will flourish. Humans have long grasped these attributes, making canines ubiquitous companions. They catch saucers in the park. They guide the blind. They detect anomalies in airports. They rescue people on the beach. They act alongside stars in movies and on telly. Indeed, even Hagrid -with his quaint cottage – has Fang (a bloodhound). They’re the sidekick par excellence – for all seasons.

Invaluable

True empathy for your critters holds no dollar value. Whether they’re adorable lap dogs, border collies, or Saint Bernard’s, you will treat them as another member of your family. You ought to treat them right. I recall this exam for Good Morals in grade one. Part of it was multiple choice. There were a few illustrations, and you would pick the right one. In one question, there was a picture of a dog being spanked. Another choice had the dog being patted. Such an existentialist dilemma, ay? For a moment, I wonder who would’ve picked the dog spanking as their response. My naughty classmates?

• 

• 

• 

Though they’ve been around for millennia, we are just beginning to tap into the tremendous potential of these furry creatures. For instance, the chihuahua can trace its beginnings back to ancient Mexico. Incidentally, one of my peers have found the chihuahua quite annoying, with their high-pitched bark. Shame, since they could fit in your bag and are thus quite handy. Indeed, dogs have supposedly been evolved from wolves. Times have changed and technology has evolved, but dogs remain a large part of human culture. The landline and pager have gone out of vogue. The video store has long left. The typewriter is dead. Instead, the humble canine has outlasted them all.