By: Kana Ogawa

This pet belongs to Ziyu Chen

How did you decide on the name of your pet?

“The name Nuomi means sticky white rice in Chinese. The funny reason why he was named that is because my brother’s friend has a dog called Heimi, which means sticky black rice in Chinese. Since the dogs are best friends, the name Nuomi fits perfectly.”

When did you get your pet?

“Three and a half years ago.”

What’s the story behind getting your pet?

“I’ve really wanted a dog since I was young. But I used to be scared of dogs, because when I was living in China, a dog was always chasing me. This changed when I came here, because everyone had a dog and I realized I wanted a dog too. So when my dad went back to China my brother and I secretly decided to get a dog and my parents later had to accept it.”

Would you consider your dog Chinese or Canadian?

“I think he is a mixture of Chinese and Canadian because he understands Chinese and also English.”

Does your pet have any skills/tricks?

“He can shake hands. Also, if you put food on top of his head, he will wait until I give him a command to eat it. He listens to me a lot.”

How has your pet changed your life in anyway?

“I feel so happy everyday. When I feel stressed and I pet Nuomi, I realize that he is my world. It’s so nice because when all of my family members are sleeping and when I’m doing my homework alone at midnight, he looks at me and sleeps with me which gives me comfort.”