Magic and the mountain

Towering at 6’4" and tipping the scales at 250 pounds, PBA cager Ali Peek is used to, literally, living large: food portions Goliath would appreciate, triple X-sized clothing, shoes the size of a full-grown tabby cat, and privileges to the more spacious exit row seats on airline flights. But when it comes to choosing pets, Ali, whose wide berth earned him the court moniker "Man Mountain," got the short end of the deal. His trusty canine companion is a Basset Hound that can barely stretch up to Ali’s knees standing on its stubby hind legs.

"I saw the Basset Hound puppy in the pet store and he was slipping all over the place and tripping over his ears, and he just had this dumbfounded look on his face. I just knew I had to get him," recalls Ali of his first encounter with the dog he eventually named Magic. That was seven years ago. Magic has since grown into his ears and learned to keep his balance; but he still has Ali stooping really low to pet him.

You’d expect a big guy like you to have an equally big dog. What made you decide to get a Basset Hound?

Ever since I was in college, I would see them on TV, in commercials or on Animal Planet, and they would seem funny too me: big nose, droopy eyes, long ears, long body, and their paws are huge – looks bigger than their bodies, especially when they’re puppies. And every time I’d see my neighbors’ basset hounds when they’d go for walks, it seemed like the only thing these dogs did was sniff the ground – it just seemed like they took forever to go on walks because the dogs would always be sniffing. I thought that was funny.

I also like the sound they make. It’s not a regular bark. They howl, and for a dog their size, they can get pretty loud.

Why’d you name him "Magic"?

I named him after one of my favorite basketball players, Earvin "Magic" Johnson. I thought it’d be great to name him after a legend. And he responded pretty well when I called him Magic.

Is Magic the first dog you’ve had since you came to the Philippines?

Yup. He’s actually my first dog ever. I got him in 1999.

You never had dogs back in the States?

No. My parents wouldn’t allow me to have a dog growing up, but we had a cat when I was about five or six years old. My family called him Shiny.

Do you have nicknames for your dog?

I call him Fat Fat because of his big stomach; Medyas, because he has white legs and they look like socks (and that trips me out); Tap Taps, because every time I come home, he jumps on me and while he’s trying to maintain his balance on his hind legs, his two front legs seem like they’re tapping against mine; and Quick Steps because when he’s walking, he looks like he’s jogging – his feet move so fast. I also call him Aso (that’s my favorite Tagalog word).

My friends call him Six Wheeler because he’s long and his body is so close to the ground.

What do you and Magic like doing together?

He likes to wrestle with my hand. I put a towel around it and he automatically associates that with playing – he starts gnawing at my hand. He also likes fetching bones and balls. Dogs are supposed to give them back to you, but Magic, after he’s got the ball, runs past me. I have to chase him to get my ball back. Of course, taking walks with him is also fun.

How often do you take him for a walk?

I try to take him out every day. He loves it. Basset Hounds are known to be notoriously lazy. But Magic isn’t anything like that. He’s so active, even at eight years old. Even his veterinarian says that Magic is the most energetic basset hound he’s seen.

Does Magic know any tricks?

Not really. Although he knows how to look extra sad, especially when I’m eating and he’s looking up at me from beside the table.

Do you talk to your dog?

Oh, man, that’s something I don’t think I’d want to answer… But yeah, sure, I do sometimes. I think all owners do. There are times when I really believe he does understand what I’m saying. If only dogs could talk, I wonder what Magic would be telling me. He’d probably say, "If I were a bigger dog, I probably wouldn’t listen to you as much," or something like that.

What are his favorite treats?

He loves biscuits. He loves human food. I don’t really feed him human food but sometimes that’s his treat. He likes chicken and he loves pizza. I also give him fruits: apples, oranges; he doesn’t really like bananas.

Difference in size aside, you and Magic have certain similarities…

I get that all the time. They say we have the same lazy look in our eyes and that we both have big noses (although his is more sensitive than mine). He’s got brown fur, I have brown skin; he’s got big paws, I’ve got big feet and hands. It’s one thing when family and friends say that we look alike, but when even your vet tells you the same thing, it’s something to think about.

So, do you think walking your dog is a good way to meet girls? Has any girl tried to pick up on you while you were walking Magic?

Ha-ha-ha. Never. I always think they are more attracted to my dog than they are to me.

* * *

E-mail comments to ana_kalaw@pldtdsl.net. No spam mail, please. I’m vegetarian.