A Fresh Start

The holidays have come and gone in a flash. Thank goodness! Even though I enjoy the holidays, I also like my routines, and it was difficult to stick to them with the craziness of the holidays. Fortunately, instead of experiencing post holiday blues like some people, I am excited about what's ahead of me. I feel that it's going to be a fantastic year. The reason is silly but I'll share it with you regardless. Okay, every time we have an odd number year like we have now, 2011, the year ends up being great for me in every way. So, when the new year came, and my dogs and I were all in bed (I was reading the night away), I suddenly exclaimed, "It's an odd year! It's going to be awesome!"

My dogs, being my constant companions, didn't react much to my zealous announcement. Ripley offered to open one eye and then quickly closed it to resume sleeping. After all, it was past midnight and she is somewhat elderly. Elektra popped her head up to look at me. When she assessed that there was nothing seriously happening to me, she plopped her head back down and continued her slumber. Morpheus, however, awoken, got himself up from his down position and gave me an expression that said, "Do I get a treat?" I gave him an apologetic smile and said, "No sweetie. Go back to sleep."

So, here we are with a new year and already in the middle of January. The beginning of the year is all about resolutions and expectations for what's ahead. Because of that, I found myself asking people these two questions: "Do you have any resolutions?" and "How do you think this year will be for you?" I was curious to find out who still made resolutions since I no longer did. For the second question, I was interested to see how optimistic people were with their expectations. Also, I had wondered if there was anyone else who shared my "odd" number year belief.

A common resolution for the new year seems to be the desire to lose weight or begin an exercise program. I'm sure gyms get a lot of new members this time of year for those reasons. I think the time between Halloween and New Year's Eve many people indulge themselves with cookies, candies, etc. By the time the new year comes they have expanded past the comfort of their clothes, and have experienced the sluggishness that comes with weight gain. Unless you dislike sugar or are allergic to it or are extremely disciplined to stay away from it, it's understandable to succumb to the temptation of sweets that seem to be everywhere during that period.

I know I had my share of sugar, and therefore, I am ready to get rid of all the chocolate and other goodies that are still residing in my refrigerator. They had been calling my name during the holidays but I've reached that point where I've stopped listening because the thought of having another piece of chocolate down my throat makes me nauseous. Reluctantly I admit that every time I snacked on sweets, I also gave my dogs a treat. I didn't want them to feel left out.

Unfortunately, Morpheus, more than Ripley or Elektra, started to expect a treat for no reason at all. He would just walk to the pantry where I stored their treats and bark. During the holidays, I would automatically say, "Oh, you want a treat? Okay," and he, Ripley and Elektra would get one. I swear Ripley would put him up to it the majority of the time since she's become so food oriented in her later years. Now when Morpheus barks at the pantry door, I would say, "No more. The holidays are over." I'm sure it's very confusing for him because he doesn't know when the holidays ended. So, he would tilt his head and give me a look that said, "What, no treats? What happened? I got treats before when I'd bark at this door."

The last thing I want is for my dogs to get fat. I've seen too many dogs who are overweight from over feeding and/or lack of exercise. The extra weight creates too much stress on their joints as well as their heart. If my dogs were to get fat, it would be my fault since they don't have disposable thumbs to cook their meal or open the pantry door to help themselves with treats. Fortunately, even with all the treats they got during the holidays, they remain lean and healthy.

There was a time when Morpheus was fat, and neither Augustine nor I was to blame. Morpheus was a little over a year old when Augustine and I went on vacation for ten days. My mom was going to take care of Ripley and Morpheus so we dropped them off at her house. We didn't have Elektra yet. I instructed my mom on when and how much to feed the two of them. "Yes, anak," my mom had said. (Anak means child in Tagalog, one of the dialects in the Philippines) Great, I thought, she knew what to do. Pertinent to this story is knowing Morpheus' breed. He's a handsome Pit Bull mixed with Lab. So, when we dropped Morpheus off at my mom's, he was a svelte, muscular looking Pit Bull. You couldn't even see the Lab in him.

Eleven days later, we were back at my mom's house to pick up our dogs. We saw Ripley immediately since she was in the living room. She looked the same as the day we dropped her off. Morpheus wasn't present so I asked my mom, "Where's Morpheus?"

"Oh, he's in the back yard playing with the other dogs." My mom disappeared into the kitchen and we heard her calling Morpheus' name. Within seconds Morpheus ran from the kitchen to the living room sensing that Augustine and I were there.

Augustine and I were astonished and aghast. Running towards us with excitement was a Lab that looked like a stuffed sausage with four legs and a tail. Yikes, Morpheus had turned into a porker!!!

"Morphie!" I said happily, even though in my mind I was thinking, what the heck happened to my muscular boy?!!

After hugging and kissing Morpheus, I asked my mom, "How many times did you feed Morpheus?"

"Twice, just like you said," answered my mom in her thick Filipino accent.

Hmmm..."Well, how much food did you give him?" I asked.

"What you told me to give him," she replied.

"Are you sure?" I asked dubiously. There was no way Morpheus could have gained so much weight in ten days if my mom had followed my feeding instructions. "Then, why does he look so fat?" I finally asked.

"I don't know," she said. "I gave him some treats but that's it."

Okay, the truth comes out, I thought. "Well, how often did you give him treats?" I asked slowly.

"I don't know. He kept asking for a treat so I gave it to him," said my mom. She acted as if there was nothing wrong with Morpheus' size.

Oiy...I was mentally shaking my head. Judging from his now rotund size, Morpheus must have been asking for a treat every hour and my mom was gladly giving him one each time. I bit my tongue and held back what I wanted to say. I understood. Even though I was a little annoyed, I realized that my mom was just being a typical grandmother to her granddog. She couldn't deny Morpheus of what he wanted. How could she? You look at his face and you melt from the cuteness he exudes. Upon examining Morpheus, it made me think of that old commercial about the Ball Park Franks hot dog with their slogan, "They plump when you cook them!" which was exactly what happened to Morpheus. Thank god nothing like that happened to Ripley.

As we drove home from my mom's house, Augustine had said so solemnly, "I think your mom lost Morpheus and didn't know how she would tell us. So, she found this dog and tried to pass him off for Morpheus. We're going home with a different dog. Our dog is gone." I could only laugh in response. Poor Augustine. He was still in shock with Morpheus' transformation.

Truly, the physical change that occurred with Morpheus was dramatic. His body structure and face no longer resembled a Pit Bull. He was all Lab, and a fat one at that. To this day, I still cannot believe how different Morpheus looked before and after my mom's house. Needless to say, that was the last time my mom took care of Morpheus. I don't remember how long it took for us to help Morpheus slim down but I do know that a lot of hiking was involved.

How can you tell if your dog is overweight? Well, if you can't see a rib near his waistline, then most likely your dog needs to lose weight. A dog is totally dependent on their human parents for food and exercise. Unfortunately, some owners think that they don't need to walk their dogs just because they have a big back yard. Hello!!! A dog will NOT exercise on their own just because the back yard is big. Unless there are a lot of critters running around all the time teasing your dog to catch them, chances are the dog will just sit there and sun tan. My back yard is spacious with plenty of trees and I know of two squirrels that taunt Morpheus and Elektra into action. The squirrels run or jump from tree to tree which sends Morpheus and Elektra into motion. However, that activity is not enough to consider it exercise because most of the time they are sitting and waiting for the squirrels to make their move. Thus, Morpheus, Elektra and Ripley get their daily walk for exercise.

Love your dog. If you don't have one, adopt or save one. Then, if your new year's resolution is to lose weight, start an exercise regimen or want to eat better and you have a dog who's also overweight, make it a priority to do the same for your dog. Dogs truly need exercise and nutritious foods just like we do to keep them trim and healthy. Walking your dog allows you and your beloved dog the daily exercise you both need as well as strengthen the bond you have between you. Regular exercise is a factor for longevity. So, if you love yourself and your dog, include exercise in your routine. At least, do it for your dog, and the new year is a wonderful time to make a fresh start. Finally, may this "odd" year be as magnificent for you and your dog as I anticipate mine to be.

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