Recently in Carlos and Gabbie, Mini Schnauzers Category

Dad decided to bathe the two dogs in the bathtub.

Carlos and Gabbie in the bathtub.

Featuring Carlos. Serial newspaper killer.

Carlos.

He pushed out a chair, climbed on top of the table, took the papers down, and shredded them.

Gabbie started menstruating a week back. Carlos, which was sterilized almost a year ago, was still attracted to the smell and tried to hit on Gabbie many times. We were always quick enough to catch him in action, but we soon got sick and tired of having to watch over them.

So we made Gabbie wear pants to prevent any intrusions.

We filmed them trying to mate. As Carlos got more and more aggressive, Michelle tried to seperate them, but failed to do so.

Then we realized that Carlos actually bypassed the pants!

Carlos and Gabbie at the dog show.

166th and 167th Championship Dog Show. PRO PAC Dog Show (168th Championship Dog Show) held on 24 August 2008 at Singapore Expo Hall 6B.

Dad and Michelle brought Carlos and Gabbie along to watch the dog show.

Carlos wore hip hop clothing. Gabbie wore a kimono.

Photo Album : http://www.flickr.com/photos/sukianto/sets/72157606956579998/

The lesson behind this entry is : All dogs are smart. Dogs that are really obedient at home, the ones that dutifully fetch your newspapers every morning, or perhaps ranked as one of the top 10 smartest dog breeds online, may fail an obedience test. The other kind of dog tears your house upside down, bites the trainer and tops the class during the test. All dogs are smart in their own way.

A week ago, on the 22nd of June, it was the 10th lesson of obedience training novice class. For the past 10 weeks we've been waking up early every Sunday, making the long trips up from Outram to Pasir Ris.

Carlos and Gabbie sitting down.

It was a very important day for us and the dogs. It was exam day. I got wasted the night before and was still feeling very nauseous. Even my breath stank of alcohol. I was absolutely in no shape to lead Carlos and Michelle was getting increasingly nervous by the moment.

Nevermind. If they pass, good. If they don't pass, then its still ok, Dad told us in the car. Right Carlos? He gave Carlos a pat on the head.

Carlos was being a real fucking prick for the past few lessons. He got increasingly agitated during training. And the whole class watched in disbelief as he bit the trainer TWICE, and got hung in the air for 10 seconds by the pinch collar. He ended up crying in pain. He didn't follow commands and was totally distracted by i-dont-really-know-what. The trainer told us that we needed to get our act together with a lot of training.

And so, on the morning of the exam, lots were drawn. The test was conducted a distance away, in a training shed. One dog at a time. Two judges present, one giving instructions, one taking down the score. All the rest of the dogs and their owners were to remain in the waiting area, until their names were called.

So we took turns warming up the dogs with a little bit of practice.

Practising while waiting for our turn.

Gabbie was the first to go. Michelle came back with a smile. Things are totally different on the testing grounds, Gabbie followed my instructions, she said. That was a real morale boost for me. Looks like there's a small chance of them passing this test. I brought Carlos towards the testing grounds when his name was called. Halfway though, I made him sit and I told him to behave and follow all my instructions. I remembered telling him to give his best shot. His stared at me with his mouth open. With that, we walked to the starting line.

Carlos never behaved this way before, not even during his daily training sessions. He gave an amazing performance the moment we were given the go ahead. He followed closely, sticking to my left, constantly lifting his head up to look at me. I told him to lie, he went down. I told him to stand, and he stood really still while the judges examined him. I made him stay, walked 20 metres away, yelled for him to come, and he came, stopped in front of me and sat! One wave and heel command, Carlos sprung up, walked round behind me, and sat on my left, waiting for the next command. All these steps were done with and without the leash. I had never felt so proud of him before. Even the judges were happy.

Carlos and Gabbie's scoresheet.

The results were released a short while later. Gabbie got 3rd place with 185/200 points. Carlos and another toy poodle shared the 1st place with 189/200 points. The whole class applauded in disbelief that Carlos and Gabbie, the two troublesome dogs, could actually do that well.

Carlos and Gabbie's certificates.

Graduation photo. Check out their little hats!

And the best photo...

Obedience Training Novice Class Graduation Photo

And so, the two dogs still continue with their usual lifestyle at home. Gabbie still pisses on the floor, and Carlos continues to steal clothing from our rooms. But they are definitely more tame when they're outside.

Photo Album : http://www.flickr.com/photos/sukianto/sets/72157605038511434/

My two dogs just love chasing the red dot around. Footage courtesy of Bernadette.

2-Minute Sit Stay Exercise

And so all the dogs sat and stayed still for 2 minutes until we returned to their sides. With the final test only two weeks away, this was probably an easy exercise everyone could accomplish. Final test requires the dog to :

1) Be in Stand position. Being examined by the trainer, prodded here and there but no movement.
2) Following and obeying commands without the leash on, sticking close to the owner's left. If the dog wanders out of the test area, it will be considered an immediate failure.
3) On command, automatically return to the owner's left side, from the right side.
3) Be in Down position, minimum 4 minutes.
4) Be in Sit position, minimum 2 minutes. Both positions with lots of distractions (eg. tins being kicked around, trolleys being pushed and stuff being dropped near the dog)

It's time to start yanking those pinch collars hard for the next 2 weeks!

Dear Human,

I puked a grand total of eight times from Thursday night till Friday morning. I didn't feel like eating or drinking afterwards. Everyone around me panicked.

They brought me to a place where I sat on a metal tray. The only thing separating my ass from the cold table was a piece of cloth.

Carlos, totally freaked out

I immediately recognized this place because of the strong smell of antiseptic. The last time I came here, I was placed in a tray, in this room with the same smell, and my two precious balls were forcefully removed WITHOUT MY CONSENT. They all started talking and the doctor shook her head.

They took a blood sample. I started crying. Afterwards, they inserted a needle, with a tube leading to a bag containing some transparent liquid and left me there in a cage. I totally freaked out.

And from that distance, I could see Michelle and Chris opening the glass door, about to leave. I yelled and howled. They both paused for a second, looking in my direction. Last chance. I gave a long pitiful wail, hoping that it would change their minds. They both looked down and left.

When will I see them again?

With love,
Carlos

[Update : 110508]

Carlos came back home on a Saturday afternoon, overjoyed to see all of us, and with a $250 bill from the vet. They shaved his left arm so they could put him on the drip.

Shaved.

The vet claimed that Carlos puked due to :

1. Aggressive use of the choke chain.
2. Intoxication. He probably ate something bad.

Then again, vets and trainers never seem to get along. When we asked the trainer about the whole incident, he was certain that the choke chain had nothing to do with the vomiting. After all he has been using this technique for 7 years and no dog ever had a problem. Subsequent research on the internet revealed that people have been using this for years as well, without any problems. Moreover, we continued bringing Carlos to training school as usual, on Sunday. The choke chain was used more frequently compared to other sessions. He didn't puke when he reached home.

I went home, threw away the old uncovered bin in my room and got a new Ikea bin with a cover. I believe he drank some leftover beer from the discarded cans in my bin. Haha!

We signed up for the 10-week Obedience Dog Training Novice Class course at Pet Movers. Cost us $300 per dog. Every Sunday, 10:30AM at Pasir Ris Farmway 2. If you're interested in joining the class, you can call Christopher @ 96748874.

The first lesson was for the owners only. Some theory and demonstration lesson on how to apply the choke chain training method. Our homework was to go back home, train each dog for 1 hour a day. Dog wears the choke chain, and whenever it strays off, we pull.

Choke chain loose

Choke chain tightened

Either the homework wasn't done well, or the two Schnauzers were too damn stubborn.

I turned up for the second lesson last week. The moment we set foot on the training grounds, the two dogs went crazy. They were constantly barking at all the 10 other dogs, trying to break free. They never kept quiet, like all the other dogs did. Even as the trainer was talking, Carlos was constantly barking, trying to drown his words. We were all so embarrassed. Everyone stared at us. Either barking or trying to attack/sniff at other dogs.

Trainer told everyone to take turns bringing their dogs out to show the class how they have been training them. He had some keys in his hands, and used that as a distraction to try and lure the dogs to him. All the other 10 dogs performed relatively well. Then it was our turn, to bring our dogs out. Michelle brought Gabbie out. She was scared, disoriented and Michelle had a hard time controlling her.

Then it was my turn to bring Carlos out. He tripped me over, got me dodging all over the place. He was scampering all around. He didn't go after the trainer waving the keys, which was good, but he went straight for the other dogs. Eventually, the trainer had to take the leash, and he gave Carlos a hell of a time dragging him around and disciplining him. At one point of the lesson, Carlos tried to bite me, so I called the trainer over. He picked up the leash, and with a loud NO! yanked it upwards. Carlos got a shock, and did his best to remain low-profile, but only for a short while.

At the end of the lesson, Michelle and I were discussing about how embarrassing the session was. There was no reason why other dogs, big and small, could remain quiet, but ours couldn't. We realized that we were pretty much the laughing stock of the entire lesson when our dogs went out of control. The dogs' behavior reflects a lot upon the owner's attitude. And we both vowed to train those two every single day till this Sunday.

We won't ever go there again looking like a clown.

Today Carlos still refused to sit after issuing and demonstrating nearly 100 over Sit commands! It's our second day training him. And it worries me, how he is ever going to make it this Sunday.

Dear Human,

What! What the hell? I just can't believe it!

Gabbie trying to hump Carlos

I think Gabbie will do better with a strap-on.

With love,
Carlos

Spending a Saturday night at East Coast Park was more fun than I had expected. Jessie came along, helped Michelle (my sis) and Robert with the two Schnauzers, Carlos and Gabbie, which we brought along.

We managed to get overnight rentals from the bicycle shop next to Beach Cabana. (Directions : From McDonalds, walk out till you are facing the sea, then walk left all the way till you reach this green bicycle shop). Found two bicycles with huge baskets meant for dogs for a flat fee of $8 each. They dumped the dogs inside the baskets while I bladed behind them. It was really fun. Kids were pointing and nudging their parents. And everyone else who went past were all looking at the basket. Some came to talk to us.

We had our dinner at Subway. The two dogs spotted some stray cats and went out of control. And the stray cats just kept on coming back, maintaining a safe distance, staring at the two dogs, before running off and repeating the same whole process over again.

We went on from 9pm to 12 midnight, stopping a few times for them to roam about.

Gabbie quietly observed everything going past, from inside the basket. She even fell asleep.

Carlos, however, kept fidgeting in his basket, and Robert had a hard time trying to control the bicycle.

The two little dogs were so tired they instantly fell asleep once they got into the car.

Not even a sharp turn would wake them up.

The two schnauzers encounter Tickle Me Elmo. The irritating little toy is invincible, protected by the cage.

Doggedness : Persistent determination.

Dear Human,

Hope you all had a Happy Chinese New Year... Dad figured out that it was not really nice to be showing our privates to everyone visiting, so there...

Gabbie

Carlos

Us with Grandma

Haha-Woof-Ha-Woof-Haha-Woof-Woof!

With love,
Carlos and Gabbie

Carlos just sat there. He sat still, except for a few sharp turnings where he lost his balance momentarily. Curious people at Holland Village who got too close to the window got barked at. Otherwise, he's pretty much satisfied just watching the cars and trees go by. At the end of the 20-minute journey, he refused to get out of the car.

Dear Human,

I am one year old today.

With love,
Carlos

Dear Human,

99% of all dogs do not wear seat belts while they are in a moving car. Do you know how dangerous that is? $120 fine and 3 demerit points.

I'm safe. I'm sure. And I get to shit in it as well.

With love,
Gabbie

Dear Human,

Hell hath no fury like a female Schnauzer scorned.

With love,
Gabbie

9-month old Carlos and 6-month old Gabbie

Dear Human,

I pissed in Michelle's room. And in a desperate bid to cover up the pee, I lay "belly down" on the puddle, and pretended that nothing happened.

I was discovered soaking wet and I got spanked.

With love,
Carlos

Dear Human,

Carlos and Gabbie

I suddenly felt "in the mood", and Gabbie was in the cage so... I went to hump Dad's leg.

He gave me a stunned look for a few seconds before chasing me round the house. With my ears tucked back, and body close to the ground, I watch him scold me... laugh, then continued scolding.

Then he reached down and gave my "wee wee" a pinch. 

I think I picked the wrong target this time.

With love,
Carlos

Dear Human,

Ever since Gabbie was introduced late July, you would expect...

FOOD / 2

Instead... it became..

FOOD x 2

Since Gabbie is such a small dog, and we both get equal portions, I get to finish her leftover food. But of course I have the courtesy to ask first. I've put on a lot of weight recently.

Carlos sitting on Jessie's lap.

I like to think of it as "healthy fats". 

Being bigger in size has given me lots of advantages. It's easier for me to protect Gabbie. I just sit down in front of her, and nobody would even know she's there.

Carlos (7 mths old) and Gabbie (4 mths old).

Gabbie does stupid things sometimes. Like falling asleep between Dad's armpits. 

Gabbie in a deep sleep, Dad too.

I'm taking off! See you later!

With love,
Carlos

Dear Human,

Hi. My name is Gabbie. Actually I'm Gabrielle, but you can call me Gabbie. I'm a 3 month old female miniature schnauzer.

I joined the Wong family on 30th July 2007. My birthday is on 18th April 2007.

I'm generally a very calm person dog, taking things one step at a time. I don't make sudden moves, or rather, I prefer lying down and watching everybody go about their daily schedules, just relaxing, enjoying a martini. I'm allergic to chicken by the way, that means I only get to eat scallops, oysters, premium lamb chops and abalone.

Carlos circles my cage now and then, trying to peer into the little box I'm sleeping in.

I think he's attracted to me, but I'm playing hard to get. 

With love,
Gabbie

Dear Human, 

Just keeping in touch with the girl who buys me lots and lots of treats, telling her what to buy next time.

With love,
Carlos
 

Dear Human,

I chewed on Michelle's Ipod till her LCD screen cracked. 

I better start saving up to buy her a new one.

With love,
Carlos

Dear Human,

I had my op last Thursday, during which they put me to sleep. Now my nose is half-shaved and the cat downstairs calls me a "waxed pussy".

It's gonna take a long while for it to grow back. 

Sigh.

With love,
Carlos

Dear Human, 

I visited the vet today for an abscess around my cheek area. He then shaved the area, put this spaceman thingy around my neck. Antiseptic lotion to be put on the abscess daily before I go back for a review next week. I cried a lot today.

I feel like a total freak walking around with that. And my hearing is "tunnel-like" and I'm hearing lots of echos now (e.g. Carlo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-se-se-se-se-se) . Michelle has been taking pictures and I hope that none of them land up on the internet. I don't want the world to see me like this.

Meanwhile, I'll just laze around the house. 

Ok. I smell food. Bye.

With love,
Carlos

Dear Human,

It's raining, but the rain doesn't fall on the old man. I'm the only one getting wet, even though he's standing right next to me. He seems to be able to control the direction and intensity of the rain. After tossing and scratching me for five minutes, the rain stops.

I hate rainy days. I really do.

With love,
Carlos

Dear Human,

My name is Carlos. I'm a Miniature Schnauzer.

I'm the new addition to the Wong family. I was born on 21 JAN 2007, which makes me three months old. I was bought for $1900, but I have yet to receive any money from the sales.

I'm pretty much a quiet dog, thats because I'm new to the surroundings, and its best to remain quiet or else they might give me away.

I'm attracted to everybody's feet. I love the smell. Sometimes I even lick them too, but I'm not sure if they smell really nice, or they stink.

I have met almost everyone, except one person. She's called...er.. Mom? Heard from the rest she's away on a short trip to Penang. I'm afraid she might scream and go crazy when she comes back and sees me lying in front of the door, so I better hide myself when she's back. No, I won't smell or lick at her feet.

I'm going back to sleep. Catch up with you guys later.

With love,
Carlos