Size Matters?

After reading Scuba's post about size mattering, I decided I want to grow up big and huge and tall and stout and gigantic and.... and.... stuff like that....

So my M decided to track my growth progress before I get too huge.

When I arrived, at 12 weeks old, I was about 9kg.

As of today, at 18 weeks old, I am 13.1kg, 17.5" tall (from shoulder to floor) and 21" long (from butt to chest).

Vital stats!


But I hear my litter brother Casper is gonna be 16kg soon! I better try to catch up fast fast! Maybe if I grow into Rosco size, I can eat sweep the food off the table with my tail as well!

Pee Report... and others

As of this morning, we have a very clean kitchen, because my M was mopping it at 5am, thanks to Helios who decided that the kicthen is the toilet instead of the toilet is the toilet.

He pee-ed about 5 times in the kitchen, and once on the carpet in ths study room. My M can't catch him before he squat down and by the time she scooped him up in mid pee, he'd already emptied his bladder or the pee all went back in. So when she deposited him on the papers, he just sat there wagging his tail looking jolly happy.

So my M let him out, and 2 seconds later he pee-ed another puddle on the kitchen floor again. I tell you, he sure has a lot of pee for a small dog!

And while in the crate last night, he was fidgeting, turning around, thumping his tail and I can't get a good night's sleep. Doesn't help that the crate took up a huge portion of the floor which used to be MY sleeping area too. So my M woke up at 4am because she was afraid he'll wet his bed, and because of all the thumping.

Well, after all the excitement and early wake up call, I'm glad to say that Mr Helios is finally resting.

On site news report! And pictures added!

Helios has arrived, with his brother Casper this evening at 7pm. This is the latest news report fresh from the oven!

To add on: Latest pictures!

Helios is a very active little boy, and very hungry too! He wolfed down all his dinner, not leaving even a single kibble behind. And he kept wanting to play as well. So far he seems to be adapting well. Here's some pictures for now...



Chewing on a new toy, with a resigned me


Playing with my MM's hairy leg

Babygate

In anticipation of the arrival of Helios and the chaos (read: destroyed home) that would follow, my M went to the departmental store and bought a babygate that was on promotion. She was thinking that Helios can be kept away in the kitchen if she has to run out for errands, thus minimising any potential damage.

Babygate


Something funny happened after my M bought the gate and was on the way home. A lady ran up to my M and asked if the gate is for dogs and where did my M get it and the price. Of course my M shared the information with her, but not without wondering why the lady naturally assumed that it'll be for dogs and not babies. And she's not the only one who made this assumption, as I shall explain further later.

Anyway, back to the gate. I don't know if my M was dumb, (she'd rather put the blame on the manufacturer's instructions), but she can't get the gate to stay put. She thought that it might be a lousy gate since it's on promotion, so she took it back to the store again for an exchange.

The very nice salesgirl there told my M that it's impossible that the gate would be so flimsy as they have tested it before, and proceeded to show my M how to fix it. It turned out that my lousy M had tried to fix it the wrong way all this while. AND the salesgirl also asked if the gate is for dogs. Why didn't anyone think that my M may have a baby at home?? (M: Ahem, because I look too young to be a mother? Hiak hiak hiak...)

Oh Puh-leeeze!

Anyway, my M insisted that it's not her fault. She followed the instructions and this is what it said:

Instructions


Note point 2, which said while holding the gate with the locking bar toward you, lift the locking bar and slide the locking pin into the slot that matches the opening size.

This is what the locking bar and pin looks like:



So this is what my M did, not too sure if you can see it clearly in the video.



She 'lifted' the locking bar, slide the pin into the slot and with just a push, the whole thing toppled.

When in fact she should be doing this:



Which is to totally unclasp and lift the wooden bar up.

In the end, because of her stupidity, I mean the manufacturer's stupidity, she had to make a wasted trip to the store and make a fool out of herself. And the cost of the babygate, which was $29.90, is now $45 after including the return cab fares for the 2 trips.

My only wish now is that if the babygate is made to keep Helios in the kitchen, then I want to be locked in there with him.

I'm separated from all those food!


Will someone please let me into the kitchen?

Flight Delay

Sad to say, that Helios will not be coming on 23 March as expected. Apparently the flight that he was supposed to be taking will now be transporting dry ice on 23 March, and because dry ice is toxic to animals (it gives out carbon dioxide), the airplane can't transport animals. So it'll be another 4 more days before he can fly over.

My M is now hoping that something will happen to the dry ice so that the airline need not transport it anymore.

Can someone make it melt?

New bowls!

Well, with the impending arrival of Helios, my M had to get a new bowl for him, and she decided to upgrade my current bowl to a bigger sized one as well! I guess bigger sized means more food! (M: Fat hope! Bigger sized means you won't be sloshing your soup all over the mat)


Darn! Anyway, she decided to paint our bowls. I think my bowl is nicer than Helios. :þ

So here's the bowls... and don't think my M drew this on her own. She copied the picture of the dog from some comin books and did some background changes, like added the bed and the bones, the house, the ball.... the 'easier' things to draw.

Mine.... dreaming of food...




Helios... she can't decide if he loves food or toys




Which bowl do you think is nicer?

Counting Down

It'll be another 10 days or so before Helios arrives. It seems that my baby brother is quite a character. May I quote the breeder:

"Yes he is a thinker, always thinking of what mischief he can get up to!!! He loves food and toys "

Now what else can I do that's fun?


"The pups have been have a training session each day. Sometimes it is lead training and other times it is grooming. Mr Helios can throw an bit of a tantrum if he doesn't want to do something and sulks! He is getting better. All the puppies are doing with the lead training sessions is learning to walk on the lead without jumping up and down and squealing (which sometimes Helios still does!!). "

Pouty boy


"They were VERY naughty last night :) Helios was the first one caught but the other three were naughtier! We planted a lemon tree in the dog yard a few months ago and to protect it while it is young it has four steel posts and wire around it. Last night when I went over to put them away for the night there was Helios sitting inside the wire and the other three running around teasing him. I got him out and told him he was naughty and went into the shed to wash their dishes and get thier bedtime biscuit. When I came out Helios was sitting by the shed door being a good boy and the other three had got under the wire and were setting about destroying the tree. They were told off and put to bed."

The trouble makers...


Looking for more trouble?


Actually, the humans have been saying that Helios look like Tommy when he's looking serious.
This is the closest 'serious' picture I have of Tommy:





Do they look alike?

The humans have already started making fun of me by saying that the next time we go out together, strangers are going to think that Tommy is the Dad, I'm the Mum and Helios is the baby. Grrr....

Year of the Oink

It's the first day of the Lunar New Year today, and I'm a little sad, because my year, which is the Year of the Dog has just ended. It's the Year of the Pig starting from today, and my M told me it's all right because I'm a pig disguised as a dog, so it'll still be my year this year.

Anyway, I'll be going visiting later, so there may not be time for updates. I hope I get lots of treats!!

To keep you occupied, here's some updated pictures of very cute (but not as cute as me) Helios.

Helios at 7 weeks






He sure looks like an innocent and serious looking little chap, doesn't he? But do not be fooled by his exterior, he's actually a cunning little one. The breeder updated my M to say that he is the first escape artist of the litter!

These are her EXACT words:
"Just to let you know your little boy has become the first to escape the puppy yard!! In the mornings I let them out from the kennels and they all go out on the grass or dirt and do what puppies do and then go on out to the puppy yard and stay out there until mid-morning. This morning I heard the puppies creating a bit of noise and there was the escapist trotting up and down in front of the big dogs as proud as could be! I have no idea how or where he got out from so might have to go on a 'stake out' when they go back out this afternoon :) He is such a darling little boy and he looked so pleased with himself :)"

I'm sure she'll be mighty glad to get rid of Helios to my M. My M is gonna be in for a little hard work I think... hiak hiak hiak.

Now, if only I can get him to open the treats cupboard above the sink.....

Sun... what??

After my last post about what Helios is, the breeder recently sent more pictures. Helios finally opened his eyes, not that it helped to determine his breed.

That's him and his brother, and most likely his brother will be coming to Singapore to live with a friend of my M.

Squished


Look at those squished up face and raisin eyes, and the huge furrow between the brows! It boggles the mind what kind of dogs they might be.

Anyway, because Helios (the real god, not the dog) is the greek god of the SUN, the breeder came up with some suggestions on the pedigree name: Sun Legend, Sun Dragon, Sun Catcher and Sun Dancer. My M was deciding between Sun Dragon and Sun Catcher, but decided in the end to choose Sun Dragon, because both M and MM are Dragons.

Uncle J said that Sun Dragon sounds very 'beng'. I hope he don't grow up to be a little beng.

What is Helios?

I'm not sure if my M is really getting another golden retriever. The photos I've seen, Helios don't look like a golden at all.

Aunty V said he looks like a shar-pei.

Who needs wrinkle cream!


I think he looks like a pug.

Baby Boo Boo?


So, what really is Helios?