Susan C. is drinking a cup of hot coffee in one of the big malls in Cavite, while her four-legged friends Thunder, a 5-month-old American Spaniel, and Olaf, a one-year-old Shorkie Tzu (a cross between a Yorkie and a Shih Tzu) sit by her side. After a few pleasantries, the proud pet owner readily agrees to be interviewed by this writer.
This mother of two daughters has been a dog lover since her grade school days. Her sweet and sunny disposition, and genuine love for her furry friends are noteworthy. “Actually, I have five other dogs at home: a Labrador, a Siberian husky, a Chow-Chow, a mini-pinscher, and an Aspin,” the dyed-in-the-wool pet lover says. But Olaf and Thunder seem to be her best mall companions that afternoon.
When asked about any memorable experiences she has had with her “babies,” Susan sparks with enthusiasm. With a wide smile, she says, “Olaf is very sensitive and intelligent. Two unforgettable happenings: One time my husband had this nightmarish/ ‘bangungot’ moment. He could not move nor lift a finger nor open his eyes although he was consciously awake, as he claimed. Olaf—sensing something was wrong [due to the] the pained moaning and snoring of my husband—began nudging him…licking him in the face [over and over, and this] brought him to his senses and eventually woke him up, preventing a fatal moment.”
“Another experience [was] a tearjerker of [sorts],” Susan recalls with sentimentality and sorrow. “We were fast asleep one summer night. I woke up to see Olaf was pawing at the bedroom windows as if looking for someone or greeting a visitor. His tail kept wagging like crazy. Then the phone rang. It was an overseas call from my sister-in-law in Hawaii, saying my father-in-law passed away at age 90. He was a US Army war veteran. My husband was curious. Intuitively, we showed a photo of my father-in-law to Olaf and asked him, ‘Did you see Lolo last night?’ After repeating the question a couple of times, we noticed him shedding tears in both eyes! Then Olaf curled up on my husband’s lap. He rested his black furry head on my husband’s chest.
That moment we had a trio hug, no word spoken,” Susan recalls with fond remembrance.
Olaf is highly intelligent, extremely alert, a wonder pup, very smart, and sensitive. He is typical of others like him, an affectionate dog that loves nothing more than spending time with the family. It is an understatement Olaf will make your heart melt as soon as you see him. Nice meeting you, Olaf, and your wonderful ‘mom’.
This appeared in Animal Scene’s October 2016 issue.
