Simon and I have a dog named Oliver, who we think is a corgi/chihuahua mix.
He is around 11 years old and weighs 18 pounds. I adopted Oliver from an animal shelter in my hometown in North Carolina in July of 2011 when he was 4 years old. Oliver and I became bonded quickly, and he has moved with me to five different apartments in three different cities. He doesn’t seem to care where we are, as long as we’re together. Now Oliver is like that with Simon, too.
By the time I met Simon in graduate school, I had had Oliver for almost two years. Even after Simon moved in with me, Oliver was not too keen to listen to him or have Simon take care of him. Fast forward five years, and now Oliver loves going on walks with Simon, and they live in harmony together.
Oliver is quite the diva. He is particular about what kind of treats he will accept (not once has he eaten a Milk Bone; sometimes he won’t even accept certain people foods). He hates getting wet, especially his feet, and it took a long time to get him to go on walks in the rain. When we moved to our most recent apartment, we had to buy extra dog beds and blankets because the main living area has hardwood floors, and Oliver hates them.
Oliver values safety above all else. On walks, he barks and chases anyone who is doing more than standing or casually strolling (e.g., running, cycling, skateboarding, etc.) because he wants them to slow down and stay safe. Oliver has a really loud bark, so sometimes he can scare people when they come to the door. It’s just a warning; he loves people, but he wants to be sure visitors come in peace.
Oliver subtly and passively guards us; even when he is snoozing, he is aware of where we are and what we’re doing. He stays wherever his people are in the house and stays in the hallway to our bedroom until we have settled in and are falling asleep before he gets in his own bed. After safety, Oliver probably values sleep the most.
We are proud of Oliver and glad to have him in our family!
(Editor’s note: Our Pet of the Week feature is now concluded for the year, but don’t forget you can still spend time with animals at the Carlos Museum’s “Divine Felines” exhibition. It remains on view through November 11: http://carlos.emory.edu/content/divine-felines-cats-ancient-egypt.)
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