My Big Surprise Last Night

Last night, I heard loud talking and laughing in the living room. I got up and went outside, and there I saw my husband, JN, talking to Christian, Prince, and Leah. They were in a hurry. I asked them where they were going, and before JN could answer, Christian "shhhhh-ed" him and told me, "We won't be long. We're just getting something.".


I spent 30 minutes thinking, "What on earth would they get at this hour?". Since Prince and his wife, Leah, were here - then it could be a dog. The common denominator between us five (Me, JN, Christian, Prince, and Leah) is dogs.

Remember Peyton? An American Bully rescued by Christian and Prince last month?

But what's with the "shhhhh-ing"? It might be a Golden Retriever. That could be it since everyone knows that JN and I are GR lovers and owners. But why did it seem like they were trying to surprise me? Could it be one of my dream dogs - a Newfoundland or a Shetland Sheepdog? Nah, these breeds are rare in the Philippines, especially in Tarlac.

RELATED: Meet Mhershey - Our Beautiful and Smart English Cream Golden Retriever

After minutes of pretending to be Sherlock Holmes doing the Science of Deduction, Chris entered the house and asked me to go outside. I immediately saw JN holding a dog leash. When I saw the dog, my heart leaped! I can no longer remember how many times I shouted, "Oh my God!". I used to think that beauty queens were the only ones who could make that tears of joy until I almost had one last night.

It was a Shetland Sheepdog! A Sheltie!


His name is Armor, a 5-year-old Shetland Sheepdog previously owned by one of Prince's friends. Apparently, his previous owner could no longer care for him because of the number of dogs they currently have at home.

This was Armor (now named Frank) before we groomed him.

True enough, there are some tangles and knots in his fur. He's smaller compared to other Shelties I'd seen. His smell indicated that he wasn't bathed for a month or two. His left ear is swollen, which could be a sign of infection.

Mhershey was excited to welcome his new brother.

My husband took Armor to the vet this afternoon. The swollen ear was caused by a hematoma that wasn't treated immediately. He also had a blood test and discovered that Armor is positive for heartworms. The most worrying part is, according to the vet, this particular breed type has a different kind of heartworm management. That specific medicine is currently unavailable here in Tarlac, so she'll call us as soon as she gets one.

Frank, during his grooming session

Since Armor has been given a chance to start over, we're now naming him Frank. He's happy with his new name, his new house, and his new family.

Frank - after being checked and groomed this afternoon.

Thank you, Prince, Leah, and Chris, for giving us Frank and for giving him a chance to a new and better life. 

At the end of the day, it's not the breed that matters anymore. It's about saving a life... in this case, a life of an adult dog who's suffering silently due to these annoying heartworms. And don't forget the untreated hematoma!