(This is reproduced from the posting I made on my Facebook Page on 2nd March 2025.)

Recently, I got a Border Collie from a China breeder through a local pet shop. I call it Blue since she has blue eyes, a feature which I’m told is not easy to come by. When Blue became a part of my routine, she was only 4 months old and now she is reaching 8 months, and physically growing rapidly. I read that Border Collies are often touted as the most intelligent dog breed with an IQ of a three to four year old child. And I can see what seems to be a blueish globe in her eyes.

And indeed after sending Blue to a dog trainer for a couple of weeks, I can observe how obedient she is, listening and following the right commands. She likes to snuggle a lot, even when I’m doing work or reading on my sofa in my bedroom. I’m glad I’ve a lot of help looking after her – my residence’s security guards bring her for daily walks at specific times and look after her when I’m traveling, one of the maids feeds her and an assistant takes the dog for her weekly grooming. I’ve the easiest task – play with her when I’m free at home.

Blue does remind me of my childhood when, at age 5, I was chased and bitten by a stray dog in Engkilo Village. I still have a visible scar at the back of my leg. That said, people can see why bringing a dog into the house can be a difficult decision, especially when some family members aren’t dog lovers to begin with. But when I’ve decided to go into the healthcare business, which includes the setting up of a veterinary hospital and numerous satellite pet clinics in a few months’ time, I knew I need to be close to animals to understand them better.

Dogs use their body parts to convey their feelings and needs. If we are observant enough, we can get some insight into their behavioral patterns and understand when they are playful, unhappy or sick. A friend remarked that he was “impressed” by the length I’d go to better understand the technicalities of a new business that I would venture into. It was the same with my presence on this online platform – at that time, I planned to go into the news media business and I started this Page to better understand the algorithm of social media applications. And I’m still at it, creating content, for whatever it’s worth, 12 or 13 years later.

Someone asked me the other day why, of all the different types of dogs, I chose the most intelligent breed. I replied that it’s because I had to suffer human fools gladly sometimes, and my Border Collie might offer me a respite. I meant it as a joke of course. But truthfully, I don’t think we can go wrong adding a dog to our life story, when it gets fully told one day.