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Clover the traveling Asong Kalye

I never realized how unusual it was for me to make a pet out of a Asong Kalye (Philippine street dog) until I set out on the journey to bring Clover home. The bus to take from Tabuk City to Manila clearly states "NO PETS", however, I know people who they have allowed to take their little dogs on board. I was sure they would allow me to take Clover on board once they saw how nice mannered she was. On Saturday before I left, I bought the bus tickets, one for Clover and one for me. They were reluctant, but finally agreed to allow her to ride next to me in the back of the bus. On Sunday evening when I started to board the bus, they would NOT consider allowing her on. The conductor took one look at her and exclaimed "She'll bite someone! She must go under the bus!" Clover sat there calm as can be as Georgia and I pleaded our case. But they would not budge one tiny bit, so under the bus Clover went. I even cried, but there was no persuading them. 

Clover and I resting at the bus terminal in Manila

I checked on her at every stop we made and at 4am after 11hrs on the bus we made it to Manila. Since it was so early Clover and I settled down in the bus station for 2 1/2hrs. People walked by us giving curious stares. 

At 6:30am we flagged down a taxi, threatened to get out if he didn't turn his meter on (thankfully he did) and made our way to the vet clinic. The employees at the animal hospital were very kind and were the only people who didn't look surprised that I was taking a "street dog" to America. Getting her health certificate went pretty smoothly besides the hole it left in my wallet. 

Clover comes face to face with CATS at the vet clinic. She did very well for an avid cat chaser.  

From there we made our way to Malate Manila to the guest house we were booked at. They too were surprised to see how big and what type of dog Clover was. "Oh" they exclaimed, "we thought she would be little." Thankfully they did not turn us away after I promised she would not bark at night and have actually warmed up to her :) 

Clover and I have been passing the days walking the streets of Malate. It is a poor part of town, but everyone is nice and give happy smiles. I here whispers as I walk by "oh a asong kalye", people move nervously around Clover expecting her to bite them. Clover of course has no interest in biting anyone. She is busy dodging traffic, stray dogs and checking out the many cats that roam the streets. While both of us are reluctant of cities, we have enjoyed our time here and meeting interesting people along the way. 

Clover was supposed to fly tomorrow but her flight got delayed until Monday. So we will be walking the streets of Malate for four more days. Let the adventure continue! 

Seeing herself in a mirror for the first time - who is that dog? 

Makati Dog and Cat Hospital  

Clover viewing the ocean for the first time at Manila Bay where we walk every day 

Pretty view

I walked by a pizza place and HAD to get some! SO good! Pizza how i've missed you!

The view from my room

Clover discovered if she sat on the bed she could look out the window  

It kept her busy for a little while :)  

Tired pup! 

View from a walk over the road

Along Manila Bay  

It is a popular place to walk, sell your goods, fish, bike and sleep.  

Hanging out :) 

It is pretty, but also dirty. I sat looking over the bay and watched mange covered rats hop across the rocks. Even for an animal lover like myself I was a bit freaked out by them.  

Gotta love street food!  

Not sure what this guy is all about, but I thought it was neat. 

A little bit of nature in the city.  

Cute sleeping kitty along the road :) 

 Remedios Circle at the end of my street. 

Sea food restaurant next to my guest house.  

The guest house that is kind enough to let me stay with Clover

Today

“Write it on your heart

that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day

who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

Finish every day and be done with it.

You have done what you could.

Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.

Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;

begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit

to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

This new day is too dear,

with its hopes and invitations,

to waste a moment on the yesterdays.” 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Email updates

For those of you who are interested, I want to let you know that besides from sharing stories on my blog, I also send out email updates. My email updates are often a bit more personal and have different stories that I don't want to share with all of cyber space. I try to send out an email update every one or two months. I also try and send out a snail mail update twice a year.  If you would like to be added to my email &/or snail mail update list just comment on this blog, let me know who you are, what update list you want to be added to and give me your email/snail mail address :)

Clover

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown

I found Clover one day while walking to the post office. She was among a littler of 8 other puppies and I actually picked out a white one because it reminded me of my beloved dog, Rosie, who I had in Africa. They were only two weeks at the time so I had to wait to bring the puppy home. 

When I returned a month later, I sat on a bench a few feet from the puppies and looked down at them. Then I called them over. Clover was the only puppy of the bunch who boldly stepped forward. I looked at her boldness and decided then and there that, for the first time I would chose the confident puppy of the litter. I paid P300 ($7.50) for her and brought her home.

Clover turned out to be a feisty, playful, difficult, but extremely lovable puppy. She had a love for flip flops that got her in constant trouble - I don't know how many she destroyed!

 Clover has brought me laughter from the day I brought her home. She has one of the funnest personalities I have ever seen in a dog.

 As she grew, she grew in boldness, in silliness and in faithfulness to me. She helps me to smile when I  am having tough times, she helps me to feel needed and find joy no matter what is happening around me.

Clover got the luck of the draw when I picked her that day. In a world where I can do so little, I love that I have done big things in Clovers life. Instead of being flea, lice, mange ridden and on her third litter of puppies, she is happy, healthy and vibrantly full of life. This makes me happy.  

 I can't change the world for every person and every animal, but I can for some and for those it makes a world of difference.

A dog has one aim in life... to bestow his heart.

~ J. R. Ackerley

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog." ~ George Graham

 In all her silliness, Clover has a sensitive side. Some moments she is wild and rambunctious and some moments she just wants a loving pat and a kind word.

 Clover has a fondness for other animals - she likes saying hi to the neighbors water buffalo and cows. She has a love of chasing, cats, goats and chickens (I am trying to break her of this). I am hoping she will get along well with horses and enjoy trail riding. I am confident that she will be a squirrel chaser, and I know she will have a run in with a skunk and porcupine when she gets home.

 "I would rather see the portrait of a dog that I know, than all the allegorical paintings they can show me in the world." -Samuel Johnson

"The average dog has one request to all humankind. Love me." -Helen Exley

 Clover loves to have fun (as I have mentioned before), She loves romping through the rice fields chasing rats, she likes bounding after rocks, or mangos when you throw them into a stream. She chases her own tail, likes to dance, and wrestle :)

 As you can see she can also enjoys a snuggle. 

She is loyal and on occasion will sneak inside looking for me. 

"The dog is the most faithful of animal and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest." -Martin Luther

 She recently left her make in Tabuk, by running across the wet road cement - I might have encouraged her, but to my defense I didn't think it was THAT wet :0/

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog... He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world...When all other friends desert, he remains." - George G. Vest

I am so thankful that God blessed me with Clover. She is truly a gift from Him. I will always miss the faithful friends that have gone before her, but God has given me a heart to love and each one holds a special place in my heart and will never be forgotten or replaced.

Lord willing Clover will be traveling to the USA in late July. I am trying not to worry, but until she is safely home, I think I will a little bit. Please pray that everything goes smooth for getting her home.


A good dog never dies, he always stays, he walks besides you on crisp autumn days when frost is on the fields and winter's drawing near, his head within our hand in his old way."
    - Anonymous