The nippy November air is just beginning to set in as I tightly grip the handle of a leash. At the end of the leash is a little chigi (chihuahua corgi mix, for those of you unfamiliar with dog speak) wearing a purple puffer jacket and happily trotting along, seemingly oblivious to the cold. Her name is Luna. Nina, a student currently studying Journalism at the University of Utah, is walking briskly next to me. She’s holding a box of warm cookies. We’re behind schedule because we had decided, unanimously, to take a detour to buy the said box of warm cookies. No regrets. Luna doesn’t seem to mind. We certainly don’t mind. So with the leash in one hand and a sugar cookie in the other, I start off the interview by asking Nina about the day she and Luna met.
How did you meet Luna? What made you decide to adopt a dog?
Adopting Luna was a very spontaneous decision. We were at King’s Buffet for my grandpa’s birthday in 2016. After lunch, my brother and I saw a PetSmart nearby, so we went to look at chinchillas. Turns out they were having an adoption day. There were so many cute fur babies, but it was love at first sight when I saw Luna.
How did you know Luna was “the one”?
She was sharing a kennel with a small chihuahua and looked very solemn while the other one was barking his head off. I asked one of the employees if I could hold her. I could tell she was very nervous, but she handled it very professionally by staying calm in my arms. She was so cute that other people were coming up to coo at her. As cheesy as it sounds, I had a feeling I would regret it if I did not adopt her that day.
Does she have any quirks?
When Luna gets excited, she will zoom around the house. However, with our hardwood floors, she has a hard time slowing down and will often run into the stairs, a chair, or the wall. It’s very adorable but quite pitiful to watch your dog do that to herself.
Anything else you’d like to share about Luna?
Luna may have Napoleon complex, but all she wants is meat and belly rubs.
How has she changed you?
She has definitely taught me to be more patient. Training a dog is HARD, but training a rescue is slightly more challenging because it’s hard to uncover any problems that they might have had in their previous household. It’s been two years since we adopted her and even though she loves both my grandma and mom more than me, she has shown me unwavering love and friendship.
Special thanks to Nina Yu for allowing me to play with her dog for the entire evening. Oh, and for participating in this interview. Check out Nina’s HerCampus articles here! You can keep up with Luna’s adventures on Instagram at @lunathescallop.
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