This
is the page where I keep the photos of all the dogs
that
my family and I have
kept since the 1970s. Most of these wonderful pets
have since passed on but we remember
them so clearly, as if
they left
us only yesterday.
My brothers
and I grew up turning our home into a mini zoo. Some days, it looked like
an SPCA where abandoned puppies and kittens
stayed longer than they should have.
As kids and
teenagers, we had a few dogs, a dozen Roller canaries, lots of
Harlequin budgies, a few Peruvian guinea pigs & Angora rabbits,
cages and cages of
hamsters, a tray of terrapins, and far too
many fishes.
(We never kept a cat though!)
As you can tell, our Mom was a very tolerant lady then!
& "Snoopy" (1978 - 1983)
Our first dog was a Standard
Dachshund, Kelly Tan. He came to us as a 6-week
old in 1977. Kelly was a most intelligent little dog! A year later, we
adopted a 5-year old Miniature Dachshund called Snoopy
Tan. Kelly died when he was 11 years old; Snoopy was 10 when she
left us.
They had a really, really full life and were definitely a
part of our family! Some of our best memories are about these two special
dogs.
My first
dog!
Kelly with me in 1977.
Kelly telling us he loves Snoopy. 1978.
I had a gold & white Shih Tzu, Tzuyuan Chang Chee, who was the most reluctant show dog I had ever met. Tzuyuan was very famous for not wanting to walk one step in the ring! Imported from Australia as a two-month old puppy, he never won more than one first prize in Singapore, much less his title! Tzuyuan died when he was 11 years old.
Tzuyuan - first day at home in
February
1983.
Tzuyuan and I at our first show - a Limit Show. First Prize Winner, JoJo with Ameeta Williams, who is today one of my best friends in life! August 1983.
Tzuyuan with a
floor-sweeping
coat even when he was
8 years old!
(1991)
Oli was
sold by his breeder to my brother, Michael, as a pet quality puppy.
But he turned out to be the story of Ugly Duckling and blossomed into
a glorious (black) swan!
He was S'pore Ch.
Limpetsons Black Starling and won the titles of Cocker Spaniel of
the Years 1985, 87, 88 and Gundog of the Year 1987. Unfortunately, he died
of a congenital illness in 1989.
Oli was only 5 years then. I
still remember how hard it was for Michael & I to decide
to put
him down that night.
Oli with all his ribbons and trophies in 1987.
Oli winning under Mr Graham Head (Aust) in 1988.
& "Macy" (1991 - 2003)
I
bought the two Miniature Schnauzers, Major
and Macy in 1990 and 1991, respectively. Major
(S'pore Ch. Galisham Enzo) was Miniature
Schnauzer of the Year 1990 and
passed on in 2001. He was 11 years old.
A
real gentle lady, Macy (S'pore Ch. Holehola Pretty
Woman), passed away peacefully on
25 April 2003. She was 12
years old. When I was hospitalised for chronic asthma in January 1998,
Macy had to go away to live with Lee Meng, Kwai Yew and their daughter Shu
Ying,
who is a veterinary student today.
A simple-minded dog
with a heart of gold, Macy was the perfect
house pet. I cannot thank Shu Ying and her family enough for giving Macy
the best home she (and I) would ever have wanted! Thank you for making her
so much a part of your lives. I know she will always be very, very special
to you ....
she was a very, very lucky
dog.
The very
sweet-natured
Macy in 1997.
Major winning
Reserve Best in Show
at only 10 months in
1991.
S'pore Ch.
Dhulangi Ace o Spades otherwise known as Ego
was imported from Australia and a son of the very famous Aust Ch.
Marsden Th Piper's Son, and a grandson of the even more famous Aust Ch.
Marsden Jack Sprat.
Unfortunately, Ego met with a tragic car
accident the day after he became a Singapore Champion. He was taken away
from me far, far too early in life. He would have been perfect to take
into the Agility Dog Competition Ring - such an outgoing dog, perhaps a
little too outgoing.
Ego wins Best
Puppy in Show
at his first show. 1993.
Ego was a dog who
was almost human!
In sheer size and affection!
1993.
Arnie is
Westpriors Guns N Roses. He was imported in
1994 from renowned Westpriors kennel owned by Mr Graeme and Mrs Jean
Missen in Australia. Arnie won Reserve Best in Show under Mr Richard Baker
(Australia), and was the Puppy Stakes Winner 1994.
Today, Arnie is a grey-faced veteran. At almost 15 years of age, he still
runs away with
everyone's slippers! Some things never
change....
Arnie
with Mrs Jean Missen
on extreme left before coming
to Singapore.
Above winning
Reserve Best in Show under
Mr Richard Baker,
Australia.
1994.
Whippets - "Cosmo" (1999), "Martina" (2000), "Charlie" (2001) & "Vogue" (2006)
Then came the Whippets - Cosmo, Martina, Charlie & Vogue - whose individual pages you can find on this website.
Cosmo
arrived in Singapore in 1999, Martina in 2000, Charlie in 2001 and Vogue
in 2006.
The rest, as they say, is history. Record-breaking history, that
is.