My First Dog Ever: Apple's Story Part 2

I had Apple for more than 8 years. And within those 8 years, the most memorable moment I had of her was during a rainy day where she'd been moaning and whining. My mom had her tied to a coconut tree with adequate shelter. She had given birth to a litter of puppies a week before.

Since an old belief about mother dogs states that they're prone to biting anyone due to their protectiveness, she had her tied again. Apple's bed is a large slab of stone with clothing placed on top. She'd been whimpering for 5 minutes already and the rain was getting stronger. I looked and tried to decipher her sense of alarm. Little did I know that one of her puppies was stuck under the rock and she was trying to get him out.

I saw the water flowing into the hole under the rock. She was desperately digging it. I approached her, against the objection of our helper, and peered through the hole slowly filling with muddy water. I found the little blind thing crying out. I took him out and placed him on top of the rock with his litter. Apple stopped whining and secured the tiny one in place. It felt really good to help that day. To cover the hole, I took a rock nearby and covered the darn thing so it won't trap anymore puppies in the future. 

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My First Ever Dog: Apple's Story Part 1

It's not that we treat dogs harshly but I'm sure some people think otherwise. Dogs born in the Philippines are generally mongrels or mixes. Although it's not so rare to find someone owning a dog with breed, most of them are usually bought for dog shows or are owned by rich families who can afford them. Since I belong in a middle class household, my dogs are usually of "street" nature.

The first time I had a dog was when I was just 7. My mom had gotten her from the neighbors. She was short and black and extremely cute (in a puppy kind of way). At that time, I had not known dog breeds existed yet. And generally, my mom chained her because of their less domestic nature. Ninety percent (90%) of dogs here can survive independently without having masters to feed them.

I named that dog Apple. As a child, I felt cruel that my mom felt the need to chain a dog. But since she does not allow pets inside the house, she was scared someone would pour hot water on Apple's back if she got caught outside eating from someone else's garbage. 

I took Apple for walks but eventually stopped because she always overpowered me. I did, however, love spending time with her, patting and loving her. Sometimes, I would even stop by the grocery and buy her some Pedigree food from my allowance. Had I known a simple tug technique can make a large difference, I would've used it.  The internet wasn't readily available yet so I had to rely on books to learn about them.

Apple was very brave. One time, she got into a fight with a Rottweiler more than twice her size. After a battle that I thought would never end, the Rott squealed and ran scampering while Apple stood steadfast protecting her territory.

Most small dogs are too dominant for their own size. Apple was one of them. Her size was that of a Corgi. But the similarity between them ends there. 

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