Hello
So I took the plunge. I got a dog. Her name is Sambuka, and I love her to bits. She has taken over my whole life, and apartment, but also loves being by herself after a couple of minutes of romping around.
I don’t regret getting her. BUT there are minutes when I get little terror attacks about what I got myself into. I have almost no responsibility, and all of a sudden I have this little heart I need to keep happy and healthy. And I need to be home at least once every 8 hours…
The fact that she is sick makes it difficult too. I look at other mommies walking their dogs, running around like mad cows, but I need to watch my kiddie…who still almost passes out after 15 minutes of walking.
She has such an amazing personality, and I’m sure everyones animals have amazing personalities. Do you guys ever feel a bit overwhelmed? Or scared of what will happen when you return home? Or is it just me?
That’s just a sign of being a caring and responsible person.
I still do it. I start to sweat if I’m late going home, or if I don’t have time for a long walk with them. This morning I almost left work because I couldn’t remember if I’d secured the door so they couldn’t get out.
It does pass as time goes on and you realise that you can make some pretty big mistakes and forget some pretty important things and still they’re OK, smiling and wagging their tails, just happy to see you.
If I forget to buy food, it’s a fasting day! It’s good for them. If I get home too late for a long walk in the evening, we go for a long one in the morning. There’s always a way to make the most of the situation or make up for something. The worst one was Foxie’s medicine, whic she had to have every 12 hours. If I forgot to buy more, that was a panic. I ended up keeping a spare supply in the drawer, for those times when I forget.
Anyway, you’re normal, or better than normal, and Sambuka is lucky to have you fretting over her. :bravo:
Battery9, I want to commend you for taking on this responsibility! There are so many strays in Taiwan who need someone to do so, and so few people big-hearted or brave enough to do it!
I understand what you mean about the fear of this responsibility. I was reluctant to adopt a stray for quite a while, and every time I even think about having kids, I get a panicky feeling for the very same reason. But dogs and cats are a bit more resilient and independent than human infants, and even if you do arrive home late, the worst you’ll encounter is a mess on the floor. They’ll be happy to see you, even if you’re late.
As time goes on, I think you’ll get used to it, as Stray Dog says. So, RELAX, be the best mom you can, but don’t let it get you stressed, either. You’ve already done more than most folks would!
I used to be worried sick when I went travelling that my neighbours would forget about feeding Tuesday, and I’d find a dried-up miserable little bundle coming home. Thank goodness she’d usually hear me open the door downstairs and start meowing so that by the time I got to my apartment, I could be sure that she was ok. I once watched a dog getting hit by a car (he was ok, the owner was close, and the whole thing happened in front of an animal hospital) and had a bout of Asthma just thinking that the same might happen to her (mind you, we once had four cats run over in 1.5 years, back in my parents village, and I had to watch the two youngest ones, kittens still, being run over and dying in my arms). Taking her to Germany with me two weeks ago, I bothered every flight attendant and ground staff I came across to make sure my baby was ok. I start panicking when my husband suggests that sooner or later she should be allowed to go outside (we have a big park right behind our apartment, so she’d have loads of space with no cars to roam). I keep being totally overwhelmed looking at the perfect cat. Quote my husband last week: “It’s not easy to know that if she had to choose, one’s wife would prefer the cat.” :s And I’m convinced that having her has kept me sane during all the job, life and leaving crises I had in the past two years.
The other day I saw a woman on Oprah who gave birth to quadruplets and is trying to raise them by herself. She doesn’t have a job, and goes through 50 diapers a day.
So yeah, having a dog is NOT as freaky as having kids who you can’t keep at home by themselves. There is this one guy that always walk around in Hsimending with 4 great Danes. I need to move in a couple of months…do people in Taiwan care about animals in homes? Has anyone had problems with finding a place to stay?
You should meet her Stray, she is such a sweeeeetie.
I have two monsters to worry about and I do, all the time. I find that most of the things I worried about were caused by me not putting in the time and energy to properly train them from the beginning, mind you I was trying to hide two dogs in a bachelors appartment and that is a lot of work. Anyway my biggest suggestion would be to train your dog properly now and realise that somedays you do need time for yourself or you will be overwhelmed. Take that time and don’t feel guilty, your not hurting your animal, they are not going to die if for one day you don’t pay them their usual amount of attention. As for raising a sick dog, give it time and the day you see it get the puppy crazies is awsome. When I first got my second dog it could barely move it was so diseased, the day I watched this clumsy nasty looking puppy leaping around the roof of my apartment building I almost cried I was so happy. All the work, worry time and effort is well worth it, and when they no longer need medicating and cleaning everytime you turn around take some time for yourself and feel good about it, not guilty.
I have become one of those irritating new mommies who can’t stop talking about my dog. She is the cutest and sweetest and most photogenic and smartest. I can’t stop looking at her, even when I’m hanging with my friends. One even compares herself with the dog, and complains that she is being neglected now!
I was extremely worried about finding a place to move to , that will allow dogs, but having spoken to a couple of people it seems that here in Taiwan they don’t care so much.
It’s good for them. If I get home too late for a long walk in the evening, we go for a long one in the morning. There’s always a way to make the most of the situation or make up for something. The worst one was Foxie’s medicine, whic she 
There are so many strays in Taiwan who need someone to do so, and so few people big-hearted or brave enough to do it!
