Farewell, my friend.

Duke, my 5-month old Siberian Husky.

If there would be just one word to describe him, it’d be “perky”. He was hyperactive! He loves running, digging.. and staring at people.

We don’t let him stay inside the house by the way, I would love to but I’m not the boss, my parents are. Duke sneaks in when he gets the chance. He would just excrete crap (most of the time on the carpet) then immediately go outside. It was really annoying.. and funny. Cause we would really look for his shit around the house through the sense of smell. Haha!

Also, due to teething, he tends to bite on everything. Papers, plastics, stones, shoes and other stuff at home! I bought him a toy but I guess he didn’t like it that’s why he didn’t play with it that much. His definition of playing was jumping off people, biting, digging and hitting on Matty. I get frightened each time Matty decides to get near Duke, inaattack sya eh! Nappraning ako!

My father (unluckily) was not pleased by Duke’s behavior so he got him a cage. (I was not in favor of  it, really. I got sad and irritated.. but I got nothing to do with it.) It all happened when tatay saw Duke’s crap on two of our carpets. He was mad, raging, screaming and all. I was afraid to check on him that time because I am dead sure he would scold me to hell. Nababaliw yon pag nagagalit. I was also afraid for Duke as well, I’m afraid that tatay might do something bad to him.

Duke is a dog, and dogs need to be understood basically because their mindset aren’t the same with humans. You can’t just simply tell them to do this and not this. And most especially, you cannot just punish them for not being able to do what you asked them to. Patience and understanding are much needed in owning a dog. They need to be trained first. Training them is a long process, it would be hard.

Harder for my part because I am still a student, I don’t get to be with my dogs 24/7. I go to school five times a week. My class starts in the morning and ends in the evening. I travel for one and a half to two hours everyday. I have to wake up and leave early, minsan nalalate pa dahil ang tagal ko kumilos. Then I reach home late na, 9pm 10pm-ish. I eat dinner, I clean myself up, I do school stuff and anything else.
Honestly, I don’t really get to spend time with my dogs. Especially with Duke cause his cage is located near the garden. Unlike Matty, who is just staying and roaming around the kitchen (Duke used to stay there too!) The only time I get to bond with my dogs are on weekends. Last Sunday, I went biking around the subdivision with Duke. I was with our helper and some other kids (kapitbahays).  Then there’s this one kid who told me “May husky din yung tita ko. Sa air-conditioned room sya nagsstay kasi mamamatay yan kapag hindi.” and I was like my husky been staying outside for two months already and we are in a tropical country yet he is doing perfectly fine. (I am aware that they should stay in cold places though)

Four days later.. It was a Friday morning. I was on my way to school when my brother called “Patay na si Duke. Na heat stoke.” I did not believe in him. Minsan lang ako maniwala sakanya cause he’s a bad prankster. He jokes all the friggin time. Bad jokes pa most of the time kaya I thought that he was just making fun of me. Got chills already but I just ignored it.

It was already time for class. I was worried and bothered about Duke so I texted Pepe (our cousin/helper/second nanay)

Such a heartbreaking moment.. really.
I couldn’t help but cry. Pasimple pa cause the professor’s going on with the lesson. I was slowly wiping the tears on my cheeks. I don’t know how to tell my college best friends about what happened. (They were the ones who gave Duke to me, remember?) Especially to AJ and Maryse cause they love Duke so much. The easiest way is to text them, so I did, told them what happened, said sorry and all.
I feel bad about what happened. And I feel bad about myself as well. I feel like it was my fault. I feel like my friends were very disappointed in me. (sorry again guys 🙁 )

He was the first thought I had this morning. When I got home earlier, I gazed at his cage.. and poof! no Duke. Oh baby, wish I was with you the time you kicked the bucket. Hindi manlang kita nakita..