Bestfriends Forever
Last month, on Tuesday, August 2, I lost one of my bestfriends. Sadly, I found out about it only this week.

Tiger was a very loyal, loving, cheerful, and affectionate friend. He always made me laugh, and put a smile on my face whenever we were together. He was sometimes annoying, especially when he was only doing his job, but he was one dedicated worker. He didn't like me putting my arm around him, but wanted nothing more than having me stroke his head and caress his face. Tiger was a Doberman Pinscher.

I have many beautiful memories of Tiger of our short seven years together.


Day One
Out of fear and anxiety, little Tiger made a lot of mess all over our front garden when we brought him home.


Growing Up
He would make me furious, leaping on my chest and hurt me unknowingly with his heavy paws. Of course, let's not forget how he would dirty my clothes with mud, in the process. My then-boyfriend, Joey, loved to have Tiger leap on his chest and back.

Tiger chewed on everybody's shoes and slippers, and attacked clothes hanging outside on the clothesline. Our household help, Victoria, almost burst into tears when Tiger chewed on her blue jeans.

For his 1st birthday, Joey and I ordered take-out pizza and bottles of Coke from Shakey's in Katipunan, then went on a picnic at the college campus of the University of the Philippines. Tiger enjoyed his pizza, but only if Joey would handfeed him! He was spoiled by his male master. No wonder he loved Joey so much.

Tiger was so loyal that when I would come home very late at night everyday, he would surely run up to the kitchen window and stand on two legs like a human (which he actually thought he was!), peeking and trying to get a glimpse of me. Awwww. I often ended up creeping into the kitchen without turning on the lights, putting my lunch box on the sink counter, and continue walking like a duck, just so he wouldn't see me. But when he did catch me standing, I would freeze in my position and wait until he got tired of watching. He usually tired me out.

Tiger liked fruits and would eat all the mangoes that fell from our mango tree in the backyard. I enjoyed giving him leftover watermelon.

Tiger loved to run around a lot, going from the backyard all the way to our frontyard. He would go round and round that, with his constant running, he developed strong and very fast legs. I always thought he ran like a horse. He outran Joey whenever they went jogging and running around the house.


Puppy No More
When he was tall enough, Tiger would, again, stand on his hind legs like a human. This time, he would take a peek at the window of the study room's bathroom, and patiently wait for Joey to finish his business. *wink wink* I loved how Tiger would "accompany" us to the study room's bathroom by running over to the window and just standing there until we came out. He was so darn loyal.

At another post-birthday celebration, Joey and I had a burgers-and-fries picnic with Tiger, also at the University of the Philippines college campus. Right before we called it a day, Joey finally handed over the leash to me so that I could walk Tiger a bit. Before I knew what was happening, Tiger broke free from his chain collar and charged onto a martial-arts demontrating showoff of a man, and his woman companion. I broke into a run and quickly apprehended my scary big black dog, who had no desire to be restrained. When Joey followed a minute later, he called out to Tiger. The ferocious dog just turned around, left the scene, and went back to his master, as if nothing happened! Aargh, crazy dog!

Whenever I went to my parents' home and parked my car in the garage or along the driveway, he would welcome me. He would run around my car and circle it until he reached the door of the driver side, all ready to greet me hello when I open the car door. Regardless of my parking position (forward or in reverse), he knew which side and door to go to. Tiger was very intelligent, and yes, very loyal and loving.

Tiger loved being caressed. He lived for loving strokes on his head and face, and if you stop patting his head and take away your hand, he would search for it, put his head under your hand, and make you continue patting him. Sometimes, I would tease him and keep my hand far from reach.

Oh, how he hated cats! He always went crazy whenever there were cats perched on the backyard fence, separating our house from the neighborhood seminary. And he had such an extra-keen sense of smell. One late night, he kept barking in the backyard. From the second floor bedroom, Joey would try to make him quiet by calling out to him and forbidding him from barking. Tiger would look up, then keep quiet. Later, Joey noticed something -- tricky Tiger would bark, then look up to see if Joey was peering through the window. Bark, then look up. Bark, then look up. He did this a couple of times. It was like he was just testing Joey to see if he would automatically come to the window everytime he barked. Really smart and funny.

When Mom left for the States in 2003, we took it as an opportunity to let Tiger into the house (off limits area). He would go straight into the kitchen, and we would let him sit next to us after dinner. He once watched the idiot box with Joey, but ended up barking at the character on television.

He was a great athlete, too -- he was a skillful football player, kicking his yellow basketball and outwitting his opponents (me, Joey, or our other household helper, Bebeng). He never tired of playing. Late at night, we would even hear him playing ball, all by himself, practicing for the following day's battle with the humans. He beat us all the time.


The Journey Home
Up to this moment, I have no clue as to the cause of Tiger's death. He had diarrhea, but only for a day. Victoria said that Tiger was not as lively, and didn't eat as much. She thinks he may have missed us badly -- on the day before his demise, Tiger kept tugging on the shirt I left behind, the sweat-drenched shirt which smelled of me, on my last day in the Philippines. At 12noon on August 2, Tiger was running around the house, playing with the maids. By 3PM, he had already gone to doggie heaven.

Coincidentally, Joey and I passed by a PetsMart store last Saturday. As usual, we checked out their pet supplies and accessories, and took a look at some of the dogs booked at their PetsHotel. At the leash and collar aisle, I chanced upon a really cute small dog collar. How small was it? It fit my wrist (must be for a Chihuahua or some ultra-tiny breed! "For the petite dog", so the tag said). I told Joey that I would get one someday soon, and wear it on my wrist as a symbol of my bond with Tiger. Tiger need not have the same collar just for us to have a his-and-hers, I said. There was none his size, anyway.

On Tuesday at lunchtime, a few hours after I found out about Tiger's passing, I went to PetsMart and bought the small dog collar. Two days later, I had a gold-plated bone dog tag engraved with his name and years of existence . It is very beautiful, and I love it. I attached it to the small dog collar, and now proudly and lovingly wear this on my wrist. He and I are bonded until the end of time.

I am very much distraught about Tiger's passing. He didn't even wait for me to come home for Christmas next year. I cannot comprehend what happened, and do blame myself for whatever caused this. As written on one of the stone slabs/grave markers for sale at PetsMart, "If tears could build a stairway, and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again." All my tears and memories are more than enough to build passageways to bring my Tiger back to his earthly home. I do believe that dogs have souls and go to heaven.

While I come to grips with Tiger's passing and try to understand this tragedy, I am relieved to know that he was buried in our backyard with his favorite things -- my pillow and Joey's pillow (which we laid our heads on until our last night in Manila); my sweat-drenched white t-shirt (blackened by Tiger's dragging this all over his house) and Joey's football jersey; and his favorite toy, the dirtied yellow basketball. He is buried next to my other angels, Baron and Jaja.

I so love dogs. Those who know me know that I have a special fondness for dogs more than babies/children ... but that's another topic. While my adoration of dogs has always been in my blood, I don't think I can ever own another dog again. Not anymore. Tiger was the third dog to die on me in my adult years, and the pain I experience is never bearable. Besides, silly or not, I would like to honor Tiger by not getting another dog to love. He deserves to be my last love, dog-wise.

Tiger was very special to me. He always brought a smile to my face. He breathed his last, with a smile on his.

This one's for you. Tiger, you will always be my bestfriend. Forever. I love you.