A Bitch for a Bitch
Owning a Dog 101
By Kiki Tan

Raul D. owns a pure bred Japanese Spitz, an all white gift from his father on his, surprise, coming out day.  “Chin-Chin (play on Japanese word for ‘penis’) is my baby,” he says, resting on a bench in a park in Legaspi Village (Makati City) after an afternoon run with the dog, sweat dripping off his skinhead.  “We sort of keep each other company.”  More than the companionship, Chin-Chin actually helps Raul D. get “real” company.  “You should see how (other) gay guys pay attention to dogs.  Chin-Chin’s like a lure.  And I end up as the net to catch them all,” he laughs.

CUTE AS A BUTTON. Yeah, they sure are cute - but getting a dog takes more work than people expect, so extra care must be taken (and a lot of thinking) before getting your own bitch.

But Raul D. is the first to admit that owning Chin-Chin – or any dog, for that matter – is not a joke.  “All this hair, goodness, needs to be brushed and brushed and brushed – she’s used to it, see, and won’t stop bugging me, especially at night, unless I brush it.  And I don’t even have hair of my own!”
Norma Bennett Woolf, author of Defining Common Sense Dog Ownership (canismajor.com), agrees with Raul D. wholeheartedly, what with every decision made on a dog has to be made with the welfare of the family in mind, too – and vice versa.  It is always a mutually affective relationship.

This is why common sense is – despite being uncommon, as the cliché goes – what’s needed.  “The lament is often made that common sense isn't very common these days, but it is still the ticket to dispelling ignorance and solving problems, even dog problems.

The foundation of a good relationship with a dog is the making of a few common sense decisions. Each family that has or wants a dog must determine the position that dog will have in the household and the interaction it will have with family members, neighbors, and strangers.  If people and dogs adapt well to the circumstances set up by those decisions, the relationship works. If they do not adapt well, the relationship may need repair. The decisions, adaptations, and amendments in this relationship serve the same purpose as decisions, adaptations, and amendments in any other relationship — to make it work for the benefit of all concerned,” Woolf says.

First decision: Breed selection.  Obviously, and should actually go without saying, choose a breed that fits the need and/or lifestyle of the one getting a dog.  “The first and perhaps most important decision is to carefully select a breed or mix of dog that is most likely to fit into the family temperament and lifestyle. Fortunately, there are many breeds to choose from, and there is at least one to fit every situation. There are breeds that are predisposed to retrieve, to guard, to pull sleds or carts, to snuggle, and to lie by the hearth. There are active breeds and calm breeds. There are breeds to satisfy the desire to comb long strands of silky hair and breeds that require only an occasional rubdown to keep coats healthy. There are breeds that can withstand cold climates and breeds that can cope with hot, muggy temperatures,” says Woolf, who recommends actually getting feedback on the breeds of dogs [e.g. reading books like Choosing a Dog for Dummies by Chris Walkowicz (2001), Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyers Guide by Michele Welton (2000), and The Complete Dog Book by the American Kennel Club (1997), among others], or by asking breeders (not necessarily where a puppy will be bought) or veterinarians or dog schools, also among others.  Knowing as much about the kind of dog one is getting means preparing oneself to dealing with the demands (and the joys, of course) the breed brings with it.

With the puppy in tow, the next decisions to be made “can all be approached with common sense and made to fit your personal biases, budget, and life circumstances,” says Woolf.

Second decision: Spay or neuter?  Without going into the morality of the issue, focusing instead on the practicality, “sterilization has many advantages: spayed bitches never drop estrus fluids on the carpet or unwanted litters in the closet, don't develop reproductive cancers or uterine infections, and don't require management skills to separate them from male dogs; and castrated male dogs don't get testicular cancer, macho attitudes, or stud dog wanderlust,” Wools says.

This isn’t to say spaying is the way to go, for as long as one who gets a dog understand that to keep a dog intact means exercising “common sense precautions to prevent unwanted litters, and understand the risks of infection and cancer, among others.”  With breeding, by the way, “the determination to bring more puppies into the world should be based on more than wanting the kids to see the miracle of birth or aiming to make a few dollars for the vacation fund.  Puppies are not cars or toasters; they should be thoughtfully produced, thoughtfully raised, and thoughtfully sold.”

Third decision: Food.  One can go premium (can be costly), but the truth is, various breeds have various needs.  Knowing of the breed ensure knowing of what’s best for that breed, too.  But “some dogs will not do well on particular foods, so be prepared to switch if Sassy's coat is dull or she seems to be gaining too much weight or getting too much tartar on her teeth,” Woolf says.

Fourth decision: Vaccination.  Discuss with a veterinarian what’s best for that bitch – meaning, too, that one should find a veterinarian as soon as getting a dog, to ensure someone professional is going to look after the needs of that dog (e.g. flea treatment, dietary concerns, et cetera).

Fifth decision: Training school.  Either spend (these can be costly) on dog schools, or research HOW-TOs in the Net to teach the dog not just tricks, but good manners.  As it is in men, a tamed bitch is always better than an untamed one.

Getting up, immediately starting stationary jogging, Raul D. says having Chin-Chin has changed his life.  “It’s like having a baby,” he says, tapping the dog, which started hopping on two legs, on the head.  “She suits me just fine – I hope I (suit her fine) too.”

And as they jogged off, two other gay men – also jogging with their dogs – crossed their path.  One actually slowed jogging, complimenting Raul D. with “Nice baby you have there.”

“Yours, too,” Raul D. says, accompanied by Chin-Chin’s yelping.