You see, Kubrick wasn’t exactly our “running/walking dog.” It was more of Shantee’s thing — the little doggy boy wasn’t comfortable being around a lot of people, let alone other dogs. It was also very hard to take him for a walk without Shantee and their daughter Pixel — he seemed afraid to walk/run if the pack wasn’t with him.

It was a good thing Marc and I started watching Dog Whisperer on National Geographic before the fun run… Kubrick became comfortable enough with “the walk” that he and Marc even placed fourth in It’s a Dog’s Life fun run!

I was so proud of my boys Shantee would have ran too, but she gave birth to puppies a few days before the race.

Training Kubrick to run really did help a lot. Marc’s a pretty fast runner, but in a dog-human tandem race, the overall speed really depends on both dog and human. Though Marc had to slow down so Kubrick’s little legs could keep up, they were able to sustain a pretty comfortable speed that helped them place fourth. If Kubrick had more training, I think I won’t be exaggerating if I said they could have been in the top 3

It really does help a lot to prepare before joining a dog-human race. Aside from having an enjoyable run, it’s going to be safe for both the human and the dog too. I’ve already witnessed untrained dogs collapsing in exhaustion during dog-human races. Dogs don’t talk, they can’t tell us when they’re already too tired — besides, they would always aim to please us — so it’s really best to be really aware of your dog’s capability to keep up during a 1 or 1.5k run. Better yet, train them!

I applied my marathon training to Kubrick during our pre-race preps. No, he didn’t run weekly 10k’s or 15k’s — he didn’t even run a 5k, but I built his endurance by slowly introducing bouts of running during the walk and increasing the distance by a few hundred meters. He jogged/walked with me about two to three times a week, and in the days between we’ll just take 30-minute walks so he’ll have time to recover but still keep fit. It worked!

Try it out! Run with your dog. It’s healthy for both you and your pooch. If you want a more “systematic” training regime, here’s a training program I found on the web: Pooch to 5k. I haven’t tried it yet, but it seems to follow the same concept of slowly building up endurance. Do tell me if it works for you!

Here are a few reminders I came up with so we can all have an enjoyable dog-human running experience…

Bring your dog’s vaccination record. I think this is already a standard for pet owners who frequently go out with their pets. Bringing your dog’s vaccination record is very important in case of accidents. You need to be able to have proof with you that your pet is vaccinated should your pet be involved in an untoward incident with another dog or worse, bite a human.

Make sure your dog is on a leash. This is a requirement for dog fun runs so that all participants will have an enjoyable experience. This will ensure that you will be able to immediately restrain your dog in case fights break out, as well as ensure you don’t lose your pet should he decide to wander about. Even if you think your dog is well-trained and well-behaved off-leash, other owners might feel unsafe around you and your untethered dog, afraid that your dog will snap any moment and attack their pet. So, it’s best for everyone’s welfare and comfort that you keep your dog tethered no matter how disciplined you think he is.

Carry around old newspapers, plastic bags, and/or rags in your bag. It is your responsibility to clean up after your dog. Use old newspapers, plastic bags, or rags to pick up your dog’s poop and dispose of it properly. Be considerate of others. Do not just leave the poop/vomit.

Have hydration for you and your dog ready. Just like in typical road races, it’s best to still bring your own hydration even if this is already provided for by the organizers. Water and carbonated sports drinks don’t sit well with me during a run, so I bring my own sports drink. If you feel your pet has sensitive stomach, or don’t like the idea of him sharing water with other dogs, best to just bring your own. There are portable pet water dispensers that will allow you to conveniently bring water for your dog. Remember, hydration is very important for both you and your dog during a run!

If your dog has a strict schedule for meal times, bring your dog’s food and treats. Just make sure not to feed him too much, especially if you don’t live within the area. A dog with a full stomach and a long car ride don’t usually go well together — unless you’re ok going home in a car smelling like puke

It’s ok to bring your dog’s favorite toy if you think attending the fun run and the car ride will be overwhelming for him. It’s best to have around something that he’s familiar and comfortable with. However, do not play catch with the toy or anything that may cause envy among other dogs because of the toy — that’s a dog fight waiting to happen. You do not know the temperament of the other dogs. Some could be very territorial, possessive, and even dominant — the dog toy could do more harm than good. If you really need to bring the toy to make your dog more comfortable, be sure that it’s out of sight when other dogs are around.

Dress your dog appropriately for the run. Make sure that it’s comfortable enough for your dog to run in. Don’t overdress your dog. A bandana or a scarf is ok already. It’s comfy, but at the same time, you’ll have something to pin on your dog’s race bib.

Do not to feed your dog too much before the car ride going to and from the race venue. Some dogs aren’t used to car rides, and having their stomachs full right before could cause discomfort and may even make them puke in the car. My dogs are used to going on long rides (their farthest trip was probably from our home here in Cainta to Batangas). But I still don’t feed them much when we’re going on the road. Some treats and a bit of water usually does the trick already. Aside from that, we also make sure they’ve already peed and pooped before riding the car. My dogs are typically able to hold their pee when inside the car. They would just whine incessantly (or in Shantee’s case, bark incessantly) until we stop the car for them to pee.

Remember, these are just a few guidelines when joining a doggy fun run that I can think of at the moment. If you have more, please feel free to comment! We’d love to learn more to-do’s and what-not’s so the dog fun runs will as enjoyable for us (both humans and dogs) as possible.

My husband Marc will be running with Kubrick… He didn’t really plan on going initially, so he’d be able to take videos and pictures of me and Shantee while we run. But Kubrick would be so sad and hurt if we left him at home with my sister… So there, he’s going too!

The 1km human and dog tandem race we’ll be joining is quite interesting. It’s not just a run, it’s a run with some obstacles! Kind of like the yearly Men’s Health Urbanathlon, except here, the “urbanathletes” are dogs, not humans

The race kit comes with matching singlet and bandana for both human and doggy participant! The matching race bibs, both have food stubs too. At first I thought they just left a food stub on the dog’s race bib so it’ll be easier to print, but I was wrong. Doggies WILL get free food too, courtesy of Bow Wow. Now, how cool is that?!!

The event is already this coming Sunday, 3 April 2011, but YOU CAN STILL REGISTER! There will be a registration booth on race day, but it’s best to register as early as now so you’ll be sure to have the proper-size singlet (singlet size availability on race day will be on a first come, first served basis). Posted below are the details (including the event program) from the Good Housekeeping Family Fun Run Facebook event page:

Spend a fun-filled day with your kids and dogs this April 3!
Fun booths, freebies, and raffle prizes await you and your family!

Where: Manila Ocean Park
When: April 3, 2011
…Call time: 5:00 am

*All registrants get 20% off on entrance fees to Manila Ocean Park

CATEGORIES
= 100 meter dash – for kids 6 and below
- 1st, 2nd, and prizes for boys c/o Playhouse Disney Magazine
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd prizes for girls c/o Disney’s Princess Magazine
- Special prizes from Sangobion Kids

= 1K run with obstacles – dog and human pairs
*obstacles are simple mini-hurdles and weavers for the dogs
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes for fastest dog and human
- Special prizes from Bow Wow by Handyman

= 3K Family – open to parent and child pairs
*inflatable obstacle along the 3K route for the child to complete
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes for boys c/o KZONE Magazine
- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes for girls c/o Total Girl Magazine
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd prizes for fastest pairs from sponsors

= 5K Run – Open Category
-1st, 2nd, and 3rd prizes from Sangobion, Robinsons Department Store, Sarrangani Bay Bangus, Bow Wow by Handyman

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
6:00 am – 5K
6:15 am – 3K
6:45 am – 1K
7:00 am – 100m dash

FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES:
• Photobooths
• Food Booths
• Mascots
• Balloon twisters
• Giant inflatables
• Art Salon – face painting, glitter tattoo, glimmer sticker, washable hair colour, and washable henna tattoo (water-based and hypoallergenic products)
• Dog feeding station
• Dog Grooming station
• Vet Consultation

REGISTRATION FEES
Registration is per head and is non-refundable

• Php200 per head for all categories
• Children below 3 years old are free
• Pet registration is at Php50 per dog.
* Dog must have vaccination record upon registration

VISIT ANY OF OUR REGISTRATION CENTERS
FROM MARCH 5 UNTIL MARCH 28, 2011 TO SIGN-UP:

R.O.X.
Weekdays and weekends
Bonifacio High Street
B1 ROX Building
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

MANILA OCEAN PARK
March 18 to April 3, 2011
Behind the Quirino Grandstand
Luneta, Manila

SUMMIT MEDIA OFFICE
Weekdays only
7th floor, Robinsons Cybergate Tower 3
Pioneer St. Mandaluyong City
Trunkline: (02) 451-8888 local 1070/1071

SINGLET SIZES:
XXXS
XS
S
M
L
XL

GUIDELINES FOR DOG PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR HUMANS:
• All participating dogs must be properly vaccinated and rabies-free.
• All dogs must be kept on a leash during the entire event
• Female dogs in heat should not participate in the event
• Please be sure to bring the necessary accessories to pick up after your dog’s waste.
• Dogs will have a separate festival area to cater to their needs and interests
• Good Housekeeping will not be liable for any accidents incurred by your dogs during the event
• Good Housekeeping reserves the right to reject any dog participants which may cause disorder during the event

Do you own a spoiled dog? Well, I do. Actually, all of our dogs are spoiled, in my opinion. All of them sleep inside the house. Harry gets a slice of loaf bread whenever he wants one from my sister, and Choknat even has his own Bonsai tree. Shantee has enough dog clothes to merit her own closet. My late Sheero has her own shrine in our garden. But none of them have Designer dog beds (Shantee has a dog pillow though, and all of the other dogs like sleeping on the sofa or on padded chairs).

If you’re a Filipino born in the ‘80s, you’re probably familiar with the TV commercial of Salem bed mattress for humans. There was this elephant in the commercial stomping on the mattress to prove that it’s really sturdy (the Salem elephant passed away already, by the way). Sorry, that was off-topic—but I just couldn’t help but remember that elephant when reviewing the Mammoth dog bed site… It’s like a dog version of that commercial (there’s an elephant on their advertising materials too!) Ah. Don’t mind me!

Well, moving on… Back to the review

I have actually seen a lot of dog beds from grooming salons, but they’re quite expensive. I can honestly say that I can create those myself using my mom’s scrap textiles and foam—kind of like the same way that it’s easy to create a pillow for a human. But the thing is, it won’t be orthopedic and the foam will eventually shrink through time and usage.

Same thing with dog beds. You can make one on your own, or buy a cheap one, but it’s not going to last (I’m actually preparing to make a new pillow for Shantee in case hers shrink and get too worn out). The Designer dog beds that Mammoth sells were made to last from non-balling high memory furniture upholstery fiber fill, which makes sure that the bed bounces back after every use. They also assure that their beds’ covers don’t shrink when washed, which is a good thing since you will eventually have to wash it so it won’t stink

The Designer dog beds sold at pet shops here are very expensive—especially for those large breeds like Coal, Scout and Crunchie who are Labrador Retrievers. The ones that Mammoth offers are actually half the price of those I see at local pet shops for large breeds. You’ll also have the convenience of ordering online, and having the dog bed delivered straight to your doorstep.

But like any other outside-the-Philippines online store, the only thing I have a problem with this is the shipping costs. It really is expensive getting products delivered across the globe. BUT, there’s still a “work-around.” If you got relatives in the US who are visiting the Philippines soon, you can always ask them to receive the delivery for you and just bring it here when they travel. The only risk there is when they have a lot of baggage and adding your dog bed will make them exceed their luggage weight limit.

I’ve slept on an orthopedic bed already (of course, the one I slept on was for humans not dogs!), and I have never slept as comfortably as I did on that bed. If you got some extra cash to spare, why not let your dog experience such comfort too? I would get each and every one of my dogs if only I had a lot of money! For now, all other dogs will have to just sleep on the coach and padded chairs and Shantee on her little home-made golden dog pillow

We had quite some special requirements. For one, we can’t have a two-story house. My mom can’t climb stairs anymore. Most of the brand-new houses we’ve seen had second floors, and out of our budget. So we had to settle for a well-maintained second-hand home. That’s why we brought Shantee along in our trips.

I don’t really know where I heard or read it, but they say that dogs have “sixth sense,” which means they can sense supernatural things that we can’t detect. You may or may not believe in it, but you can’t blame us for making sure After all, we’d be living in that house, and if it’s haunted, I don’t think we’d be able to sleep soundly for the rest of our lives.

We brought Shantee along in every one of our trips. I think we’ve visited more than 20 houses before we made our final choice. And in all those visits, I can honestly say I’ve seen Shantee behave differently in about two or three occasions. And when I say differently, I meant her freaking out and being uneasy. It was like she couldn’t wait to get out of the place, and that’s when we figure there could have been something more in the house that our eyes can’t see.

There are instances when Shantee seemed more relaxed than most, sometimes even peeing and pooping in the gardens I dunno, but I got the feeling that maybe she was feeling “good vibes” there. Anyway, Shantee was thick enough to pee and poop in the garden of the house we bought (so I guess the place is ok hehe).

I’m not really the type to believe in ghosts (I’m a very practical person), nor do I get into the whole “new age” thing, but most often than not, I do follow my gut feeling. Sometimes you feel something just isn’t right in a place, you know? And I suppose dogs, being more sensitive than humans (their sense of smell, hearing and sight are way sensitive than ours), can sense those too. In all my years as a dog owner, my dogs have always found ways to tell me when something isn’t right. Even my parents and sister have learned to trust them too, which is probably the reason why my dad didn’t protest when I asked if Marc and I could bring Shantee along in our trips. I even saw him observing Shantee’s reaction when we went inside the spooky house. As soon as we got inside the car, Dad said “we’re not getting this one.”

I know some people would find this silly. After all, if you don’t really believe in ghosts or bad vibes, it just seems like a simple case of paranoia. But sometimes, there are things that even the most practical person can’t explain.

I suppose it all just boils down to whether or not you trust your dog’s senses. There are just some things that we can’t feel that a dog can (unless, of course, you’re some kind of a psychic), and it’s really up to you whether or not to head their warning.

My dad Marc wanted to go to the Mall of Asia early, he had a meeting with a client, so my mommy Gail decided that I should have my first ever flea bath and grooming session while waiting for him. I nearly threw up during the trip up the carpark (the spiral driveway made me so dizzy), and I really, really hated the man who cleaned my ears and soaked me in the bath! I was already in a bad mood, my mom didn’t make me wear my bling-bling. Good thing she bought me a fashionable denim shirt, or I’d be in a terrible, terrible mood.

My mom picked me up (my dad still in a meeting) with her friend Juned, who told the nice lady at Animal House they don’t have clothes for fishies (he’s a fish-lover), on their way to the Taste Asia party at SM Hypermarket. He also carried Tita Aileen‘s hamsters (it took every inch of my willpower not to nip at them!).

I felt like a real celebrity at the party! I even got a printed name tag, while my mom’s was only handwritten. People even asked for my autograph, can you believe that? I don’t know how to write, so I just gave them fans my paw print instead of signing my name. Tito Mike thinks I’m “so cutie,” while the other Tito Mike kept touching my fur (or was it my tail?). I wanted to play with the kid with Tita Dine, but Tito Chris was holding my leash. I also met Tito Jayvee, who wanted me to meet Hondo, and Tita Sharm. Tita Noemi took my picture (I looked like an evil dog with glowing eyes! Rawr!), and I wanted to nip off Tita Lauren‘s hand again (I smelled cats!).

I spent the rest of the evening eating barbecue (I had an entire barbecue all to myself!), while listening to Tito Eugene, Tita Sasha, Tito Rico and my mom and dad chat about something called blogging, and avoiding that evil, evil Guitarchic‘s clutches (I suspect that she’s a hamster-lover. Grrrr…).

I wanted to take home barbecue, but there were still humans to feed when we left. Taste Asia definitely beats eating dried dog food all day!