Casper & Me

Presenting one of my greatest loves…

Name: Casper. Nickname: Casperov, Perov

Casper came to our lives one blessed summer day, April 6, 2000. He was 2 months then, and nobody, nobody, wouldn’t think he’s sooo cute. He was so tiny and as white as Casper “the friendly ghost.” His a cross-breed between a Lhasa apso and a Shitzu, and what a beautiful mix he turned out! He rarely barked and liked to stay on corners and under my bed. I was afraid he was sick, but he was just mahiyain then. hehe.

Seeing him for the first time under my bed at the farthest corner, I already fell in love with this cute puppy. I decided I would take care of him hands-on. Good thing it was my first summer vacation during college, and I got to spend every day with him. I guess it was my first time being responsible, and at my own decision.

Taking Care of Little Casper

At night, we slept together in my bed. I was very careful not to wake him up while he sleeps and I mind my movements so as not to accidentally hurt him. I know that little Casper wakes up every 6 a.m. in the morning or earlier to pee (he would not pee on our bed), so I also wake up that early, bring him into the garage or outside the house, wait for him to pee, then we both go back to our room to continue sleeping. hehe.

During the first week or so, he wouldn’t eat his dog food and only drank his milk or water. So I would one by one put it into his mouth, then he would eat the dog food at my palm. One meal took us a long time to finish. Eventually, he started eating on his own. I also trained him to pee at the newspaper sheets I placed at certain parts of the house. So that mom wouldn’t yell at Casper and me, I always make sure to take out the “used” newspapers several times a day.

Growing up, he became hyperactive! He would always tease me to play, and so we would play at our room. I could not just hold him while he sleeps at my tummy because he always wanted to move around. His chewing-everything-he-sees behavior also became a problem. But I never really mind. I just had to throw away “evidences.” Yeah, we are a tag team.

Our Challenges

That summer vacation seemed to end so soon. Casper and I were really having fun. I went to Quezon City to enroll for a few days. When I went back home that weekend, Casper was sick. He wouldn’t eat and rarely moved. Dad said he only tried to move when he saw me. It was really a heart-breaking sight for me. I hugged him and told him that I am already there beside him. I figured he must have missed me a lot when I went away from him for the first time [I feel like crying now]. We brought him to a vet, and the vet said he’d have to observe Casper for days. I would call the vet every morning to ask him how Casper is, visit him every afternoon at the clinic, and come back again at night. The clinic was already close at night, but I can still see Casper through the steel gate of the clinic. I would hold the bars there and look at Casper looking at me and trying to stand at his cage, and I would cry and cry, and someone would have to pull me off the bar to go home.

One day, the vet called my mom. He told her that Casper may not make it through the night and that he do not have the heart to tell me. So mom told me, and I cried myself to sleep inside my room that night, if I slept at all. One of the longest nights of my life. Beautiful memories were flashing back, and I blamed myself for leaving him.

The following day, my prayers were answered. He survived the night and would likely to survive the cruel virus. Since then, every time I leave, I always tell him that I’d leave for while but I’d go back and that Dad would take care of him while I’m away. Dad took over of taking care of Casper for me.

He had a dental operation just a few years back, and we had it on video. Thank goodness he was cooperative to the vets. hehe. He got sick a few times. One time, we were asked to put him on a diet. Apparently he became overweight, I guess for eating rice (he prefers rice now more than dog food).

The Grown-up Casper

I don’t get to spend every day with him for years now. But every time he sees me, he’d frantically call out to me to jump at me and kiss me. When I arrive at our house in the province, I always come to him first. He just wouldn’t stop barking until I approach him. I tell him, “magbibihis lang si Ate ha,” but he would still bark and bark until I come out again. He’s very persistent. By the way, I know all his barks. One is when he sees a cat, when he’s angry, when he’s hungry, and when he’s calling out to me or to Dad.

He’d literally jump through obstacles just to sit at my lap. Normally, he wouldn’t step on people, but he’d do that just to be beside me. We sometimes video him running toward me. Then, I’d rub his stomach, and he’d soon fell asleep. But he’d wake up when I stop hehe. He knows who’s the family and who’s not and bark at every stranger he sees. He’s really a good warning device. hehe.

The children in the family who were born after him call him kuya because I asked them too. I always refer to him as my little brother so it is just rightful that they call him such. hehe. The children also love him and he sometimes play with them, but their connection was not as strong as ours. When I’m in Manila, I call to ask Dad how Casper is doing, and I would hear his bark. I feel that he knows that I’d hear him over the phone.

 These are Casper’s pictures with our family. The center was with Mom and Dad, and the other two were outside the house watching fireworks with my cousins and lola.

On every picture-taking occasion, Casper and I always have picture together. Most were on films, so the pictures here were the more recent ones. I cannot make him pose steadily for the camera, so these are “rare” pictures. hehe.

 front view, side view, sad face, alert face

I love my brother Casper so much, and unconditionally, he loves me so much too. I always brag about how Casper loves me the most. I sometimes call Casper to come to me while Dad was calling me, my idea of a contest. Of course, Casper ALWAYS comes to me first. That’s my boy!

There, the story of Casper and me. :-)