Gizmo is a Pomeranian, a little git. Gizmo was born on the 15th of October 2009. His first owner took him in for a while and then left him in a pet shop for sale - he spent just about 9 months in a cage. Then, finally, he met his previous owner, one of Adrian's South African colleagues. The family was going back to South Africa and would not bring him with them. Poor sod was going to end up in a pet shop again. we took him in, as we took the apartment over. He was their toy. I don't doubt their love for him but the poor sod was only walked once or twice a fortnight....
We first met on the 27th of January this year when we came and looked at this apartment. We moved into this apartment on the 28th of February. And that was the day we first officially lived together.
At slightly more than 2 years of age, he wasn't the fittest dog in the world. We taught him how to sit and wait to be fed. How to run, how to climb up and down the stairs and how not to worry about the manhole covers. We walked him at least twice a day, slightly more than an hour a day in total, sometimes more. He looked so happy and he looked forward to each and every single walk. I would walk him every morning, and night if Adrian couldn't do it. Boy, did we enjoyed our walks.
Every time we walked through that door, he would be there greeting us. Every morning when we woke, he would be greeting us promptly as well. he loved the little biscuit snacks, the sofa, sushi rice, pasta, dumplings, fruits and everything else that we ate in the house. He would demand for hugs and cuddles by scratching our arms non-stop as if he was saying, "hey, hug, hey, hug hug... hey...", well he'd only stop when he got the cuddle and he would kiss us back affectionately.
We also brought him to the park and the beaches, although he didn't like the water. We even bought him with us to Stanley when Adrian paddled in the Dragon Boat race. There we met the biggest dog we've ever met - a Great Dan called Harley. It was so wonderful. How our little git was behaving among people and other dogs. We were so proud. As if our child has graduated from university or something. Aside from the fact the he still ate his own shit occasionally and pissed in the house at least once a day.
Not too long after we got him, we realised that the little sod had weak tracheal rings in his windpipe. Sometimes he would breathe as if he had asthma or something but would get better soon after. Besides that, the common problem that the breed would have, he had - Luxating Patella, and we were planning to get that fixed by the end of the year. Before all that, our little git had developed mange at the elbows of the fore legs after just about 6 weeks we had him. And so the medication and solutions started. We also needed to wipe his eyes, give him shower, take him to the groomer, etc. Exactly like taking care of a kid. The only difference is he didn't know how to talk and they do not grow up and become independent. He slowly got better, the mange was gone and he was into his last week of medication and he would be spayed straight after he's off the medications.
And then, things got wrong. he was struggling to breathe a little bit the night we got back from Stanley. The next day, I sent him to the vet but they couldn't do much and then I had to send him to a 24-hour animal hospital. They couldn't do much about that because whatever they do, they will have to give him anesthetic and he could stop breathing because of that. What do we do? It was a tough choice. And the vet was going on holiday. Great.
It was the 28th of June, 2012. I was seriously doubting the hospital. And straight after the noon visiting time. I spent a couple of hours trying to make arrangement to get him to another hospital. At 4pm in the afternoon, he passed. They couldn't revive him. Maybe it was his time. We could never have known. Bottom line is, he's gone. And he was cremated today. We said proper goodbyes to our little git. Brought his ashes back to the apartment. Where he spent the happiest times of his life. Where we gave him all the love we could.
Walks down the roads in the area, lift rides in the building, coming back to the house, the kitchen, the bathroom, the dining and living area, the balcony, the parks, Stanley, Repulse Bay, bus & train & taxi rides, will never be the same, ever. And we don't even need to leave a light on for him at night anymore... Losing him also reminded me of Lei Lei, our first family dog. How their departure would leave a void in our hearts.
Rest in Peace, Gizmo. You're missed dearly.
