The sight of a beautiful purebred Shiba Inu in her house was the last thing Terry Wee expected when she came back from work one day.
“A friend of ours was travelling, and my housemate agreed to keep the dog with us for one week,” the 34-year-old told FMT.
But the temporary stay extended into a permanent one for the six-year-old canine. “I was fascinated by him because he was so silent and well-behaved,” she recalled.
Within days, she couldn’t bear to return him, so she asked her friend if she could adopt him. Her friend said yes, and an elated Wee named her new pet Domi.
“He was actually called Tommy, but my friend suggested I give him a new name since he was getting a new owner and home.”
Three years on, both human and canine have forged a special relationship. Domi has learnt when Wee gets home from work, and will wait by the door for her.
“If I am late, he barks at me as though reprimanding me for being tardy,” she said with an affectionate laugh.
When she is at home, the devoted dog is always trailing behind her. “It’s only when I settle down to watch a movie that he relaxes.”
Wee spends a lot of time with him by taking him for walks, and indulges him with trips to dog cafés.
He gets excited whenever he sees Wee holding his leash, but when he is out and about, he demonstrates a little quirk: “He just doesn’t like water. If he sees a puddle, he walks around it!”
Not surprisingly, Domi doesn’t like to take baths. Wee gets around this by sending him to the groomer – but even then, he goes reluctantly, she shared with a laugh.
Domi likes eating “anything”, although his main diet consists of a combination of dog biscuits, rice, meat, and vegetables.
Wee described her pet as intelligent but cheeky. “At home, he won’t necessarily come to me when I call him, although he does if I have a treat in my hand.”
She also recalls a harrowing incident last year when Domi went missing: she had left him at a friend’s house while she travelled out of state, and Domi ended up running out of the gate.
Thankfully, her post about her missing canine on Facebook worked, and he was found hours later.
Domi is Wee’s first dog after many years. “He teaches me about kindness and how to treat people,” she said. “For example, whenever he is with children, he is very gentle with them.”
And she revealed a poignant fact about their bond: “He is special to me because he came into my life shortly after my father passed away.
“In many ways, his character reminds me of my late father, who was also the silent type. So, having Domi in my life is a great source of comfort to me.”
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PET: FMT Lifestyle readers are invited to send in pictures (landscape format) and a short video (if any) of their furry, scaly or feathery friends to [email protected]. Don’t forget to include details like your pet’s name, age, breed and a short story about them.