A Dedication to Sydney

I've always loved dogs ever since I could remember. I would spend most of my time playing with them and just be around them. I remembered each of us in the family would have his/her own puppy, but still, I love them all regardless who it belonged to.

In October 2007, my brother brought me to a dog kennel somewhere in Penampang (I forgot what kampung it was) to help him choose which one of the two puppies should we adopt. It was actually a hard call since both puppies were extremely cute and adorable! They were both German Shepherd puppies, one with light brown colour and the other had dark brown colour. We were there for about two hours I believe, just to choose which puppy to take. At last, we took the one with the darker brown coloured puppy.

Which one to choose?? >.<

Look how scared it is, first time in our car, on the way back to its new home..

On the way back we thought of names we want to name it, and we came up with Rain, Drizzle, Rainbow (since it was raining the time we took it), Lola, and some other name I've forgotten what we suggested. Lastly, after many disagreements, my brother said "Since the mother came from Sydney, Australia, why not we name it Sydney?". So, that is how the name Sydney came to be.

Since it was my semester break that time, I spent the whole semester playing with it. I could never get bored of playing with it and I would make sure that the feeding time was on time. But from the beginning, Sydney had a problem with eating, where it will vomit back all the food and sometimes diarrhea. We took it to the vet for several times because of the vomiting and diarrhea and also there were cough-like sound everytime it run. Although with all the medications, Sydney was still having those symptoms. But we continued giving it the medications given.

Sydney, before I went back to college

After my semester break was over, I went back to college, and I was missing Sydney all the while. I keep updates on how Sydney was with my brother and he sent pictures to me and I was surprised how fast it grew! After 5 months away, I finally came back home and I was surprised to see how big it became, but my Sydney still remembers me! Then my routine of playing with it 24-7 resumed.

Sydney, while I was away in college

Sydney with Kenya

After a month at home, I went back to college and again, leaving my Sydney behind. Still keeping updates with my brother, one day he called saying Sydney had given birth! I was so excited that I wanted to go back home, but alas, I can't..

I kept asking how are the puppies and he informed that Sydney gave birth to 7 puppies but 3 of it didn't make it. I was excited to wait for my next semester break to go back home and meet the extended family.

Sydney and her adorable puppies

Then one day, my mother called and told me that Sydney was dead. I was in shocked and I called my brother to ask why. After the phone call I could not stop myself from crying and feeling so down for few days. On my semester break, I went back home and I was so happy to see all four of Sydney's children. they all looked exactly the same as the mother. Although I was really sad not to get to see Sydney there, but I still feel as if it was Sydney I was playing with, cos her children are just like her when she was just a puppy.

And now, I can't wait for my semester break to yet again, be with her children.