Singing I-Dog

Have you ever wanted to own a pet dog but, due to unavoidable circumstances, couldn’t? It could be asthma or allergy, or maybe just a hectic lifestyle that having a dog is totally out of the question. Well, there’s still hope.

Gorby’s "mom" Kathy happened to pass by the store recently and fell in love at first sight with the perfect "pet" for those who can’t afford to own real, live ones. Called the I-Dog, this ingenious piece of invention can be a great companion for a lonely human living in a unit that discriminates against pets. It’s the ideal pet doggie — it’s small, therefore easy to manage, not messy at all. And you won’t have to spend on those expensive dog food. Just feed it music — lots of it — and you’ll have a contented puppy, happily yapping away in a corner and dancing to the beat.

The I-Dog fits in the palm of your hand and doesn’t pee or poo. It growls especially when you tap its tail to calm it down, but we promise you this doggie won’t ever bite. Apart from being a virtual pet, this Sega Toys Co. robotic pooch has other functions. Play any music on any player — CD player, stereo, iPod, computer, video game system — and the I-Dog’s ears would start twitching periodically to the beat of the music. You can also hook it up to any musical device and it will gladly play the role of a portable speaker and continue to dance to the music. Its face — actually a smooth surface with seven multi-colored LED lights — will also start to flash. The colors, depending on the light patterns, will reflect its various moods. Give it a lotta love by giving it enough love and attention (read: lots of music), and you’ll have an ecstatic, excited and happy I-Dog. If you forget to feed it music, or you neglect to pet its head once in a while, it will give a series of flashes telling you he’s dying of boredom. If you still ignore it or leave it alone for too long, it will "cry" and play some sad notes.

If you’re the one who needs some peace and quiet, just tap its tail switch and it’ll sit still, at least for the next five minutes. To wake it up, press its stubby nose. If you want to put it to sleep — the harmless kind, that is — just press and hold down its nose for at least five seconds. If you completely ignore it for an hour or so, it will get the message and turn itself off automatically. If left in a dark and quiet room, it will feel "sleepy" and promptly drift off to never-neverland in five minutes. Does the I-Dog react to other loud noise or sounds? Well then, place it beside the TV set when your favorite primetime news anchor starts reciting his spiel and see what happen. Or you could hold it in front of your nagger of a partner, or even a baby’s non-stop bawling.

Don’t worry if the I-Dog freezes up at times; all you need is to press the reset button. Live pet dogs that start to behave erratically could spell trouble, not to mention danger in some cases. Not with the I-Dog though. If it begins acting psycho, just change the batteries.

The I-Dog is a versatile pet. While it may be difficult to cuddle, it’s nevertheless a good musical companion. Oh, and by the way, it doesn’t shed.

(The iDog is available at Rustan’s Department Store at P1,999 a piece.)

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Calling all small dogs! The Philippine Animal Welfare Society’s "Great Dog Dash" will be held tomorrow, Nov. 27, 4 p.m. at the Eastwood Central Plaza. Registration starts at 3 p.m. Registration fee is P100 per dog. The first 50 registrants will get goody bags from Pedigree and Cesar. Its sponsors are STAR Pet Life, Globe 1, Pedigree, Cesar, Innove Communication, Heartgard and Eastwood City. Call PARC at 475-1688 for details.