But, the internet makes shopping convenient for everyone (thank goodness for Paypal)… We were able to buy Shantee a pair of sunglasses online!

The ad I saw on the Dogster newsletter was actually on Doggles—doggy goggles—but I found the dog sunglasses much cuter. Besides, the K9 Optix Sunglasses for Dogs that we bought had matching sunglasses for humans

Now Shantee and I could walk around the village both feeling cool! We actually already did, and our sunglasses really caught the attention of the neighbors we met allow the way. Other owners walking their dogs could not help but ask us where we got them.

Our matching sunglasses are shatter-proof and UV-protected. Perfect for the tropical weather here in the Philippines, where the sun could get really hot and blinding.

I was actually a bit skeptical ordering at first. The shipping cost of a product from the US to the Philippines is sometimes even more than the actual product itself. So to be sure, I emailed Doggles LLC and inquired how much it would cost to have the K9 Optix sunglasses delivered here in the Philippines.

It was a great customer service experience. Doggles LLC are genuinely concerned about their customers, even those who are just inquiring. They referred me to their Australian distributor so the cost of shipping won’t be too high, and Jill of ModPet Australia was ever so helpful. She patiently answered my questions and helped me choose the perfect size for Shantee. She even waived the shipping costs since my being in the Philippines doesn’t require me to pay Australian taxes.

The sunglasses fit Shantee perfectly. We’re training her to feel comfortable wearing it, associating the sunglasses to walks and treats, and she’s slowly beginning to get used to the sunglasses day by day. Good thing too, because my fur-baby will be a dog model for a planned photo shoot at a local park! And of course, she’d be showing off her sunglasses

Ribbons and dog hair clips are nice, but the thing is, they can easily fall off as the dog romps around. I usually keep the pretty ribbons groomers put on Shantee after they fall off, and just put them on her whenever we’re going out on trips to pet-friendly malls and restaurants (or even parties). But for every day use, I knew I had to find an alternative to these fancy dog hair accessories.

I tried the regular rubber band (you know, the one you can buy in boxes at National Bookstore and used as an office supply?), but it didn’t take. The office rubber band is too big for Shantee’s hair.

Then there’s the Goody-branded hair rubber brands we humans use. It’s the perfect solution, but just a tad too expensive for a dog’s every day use. The Goody bands are exactly what I needed for my furbaby, but I needed something cheaper—something that can fall off or snap without me feeling bad about the wasted expensive band.

Luckily, my sister (Joyce) and I found a very cheap alternative:

Joyce saw these cheap bands at our village’s convenience store, and cost us only Php20 (about US$0.50) for six little plastic bunch of these bands. I think these hair rubber bands will cost even cheaper if bought at Divisoria, but I didn’t really have time to go there anymore. A little bunch of rubber bands just isn’t worth the long trip to Divisoria, you know

But for now, these will do!

This little fashion pooch belonged to one of the Boracay locals we saw hanging out with their pets at the beach. I couldn’t remember her name, nor do I know her breed, but this little girl sure knows what it’s like to live in high fashion at the beach!

The flamboyant collar the dog was wearing seemed to be made from a person’s old belt, while her shirt seemed to have been made from an infant’s shirt. The collar itself is a bit too much for my Shantee’s taste (hehe), but the “beach style” makeshift dog shirt just goes perfectly with the dog’s dark fur. The stretchable cloth of the shirt is perfect for the beach—the clingy material would make it easy for the dog if she decided to take dip in the sea, kind of like a bathing suit a human wears.

Ah. The things people come up with to dress up their pooch!

We bought the shell dog necklace Shantee is wearing on the photo above from one of the vendors in Puka Beach. It was actually a bracelet, but the vendor willingly adjusted its length so it fitted Shantee while Marc and I jumped waves in the Puka Beach surf.

The beach itself isn’t really ideal for swimming (but then again, January isn’t really the best time to go to Boracay unlike during the summer), but it was nontheless beautiful. Marc and I even imagined that if Shantee was there, she probably would have been easily swept away by the undercurrent on the seashore.

Shantee’s real proud of her Boracay shells dog necklace!

Aside from providing us with high-quality room accommodations, Microtel also gave us some tokens and freebies. I would have gladly took home one of their chiropractic beds—but you just can’t have everything Anyway, the Microtel giveaway included a pair of simple bead bracelets—which, of course, became additional dog necklaces for Shantee!

Here’s Shantee wearing the Microtel “dog necklace”

She doesn’t seem to feel bad about being left behind and not being invited anymore, does she? Hehe.