Man's best friend

If you happen to pass by our street in Quezon City one day and see a fairly big Labrador half breed menacingly looking at you, don’t worry and cheerfully call out… Brownie!

Actually, while our dog might have a natural rowdy side to him, this 5 year old (or is it six?) canine is quite faithful and generally friendly to people who cross his way. He does have a loud and solid bark that will beat the heck out of any would be prowler or super- villain for that matter. In the past, my wife has tried to convince me to give him away several times due to a number of misadventures which included tearing up clothes, “dog” handling some people including one small kitten (who eventually died). It would seem that what might appear to some as actions of an angry dog are actually playful expressions of a hyper active Labrador. I remember bringing Junior our eldest child to the hospital for a series of anti-rabies shots that ran through several months just to play safe after he showed what appeared to be either a small bite wound or scratch from Brownie’s claws. Based on Junior’s account, this apparently happened after he gave the dog a kick for not listening to his command. Basic lesson to be learned: don’t hurt animals -especially big ones who can hurt you back!

Brownie during his formative years

Brownie seemed to have “mellowed” through the years….but he still roams around Daffodils St., probably looking for his one true love…still greets us with his intense playful pouncing movements when we arrive at home…still the loyal pet that has deservingly received the culture-transcending accolade ---“man’s best friend”.