“When I was young, I had a dog named Skippy who died from a snake bite. When she passed, it was very difficult for me,” Chan told FMT Lifestyle.
One day, her husband, Herbie Tan, surprised her as he knew how much she loves dogs. “He told me he’d already put a deposit for a Golden Retriever puppy.”
But Chan hesitated. Her mother had recently passed away and she wasn’t sure she was ready to open her heart again. She also knew that if she met the puppy, she wouldn’t be able to resist taking it home.
Her hunch was right – she was instantly smitten. “She walked over like a princess,” Chan recalled fondly. The couple brought her home and named her Skippy, after Chan’s former dog.
However, things didn’t go smoothly once the pup was home.
Chan, already unwell from a trip to Croatia, had her asthma triggered by Skippy’s fur. With a heavy heart, she returned Skippy to the woman she had bought the puppy from.
“But I said, ‘if no one takes her after I have recovered, that means she belongs to me and it is fated’,” she said.
About a month later, she recovered and was thrilled that Skippy was still available. Their heartwarming reunion is etched in Chan’s memory. Despite only being with the couple for about two weeks, the puppy instantly recognised them.
“She ran to me and bowed at my feet,” Chan recalled.
This time, the couple started by keeping Skippy outside and gradually brought her indoors so Chan could adjust. “Now, she sleeps with us!” revealed Chan with a smile.
Today, Skippy, who is seven years old, has embraced her role as the princess of her home. “She thinks she’s human. When she sees other dogs, she doesn’t play with them. She’s probably thinking, ‘Who are you? I’m not a dog’,” Chan shared with a laugh, describing Skippy as their “baby”.
True to her royal demeanour, Skippy doesn’t like wet or dirty places and can’t stand the heat, preferring air-conditioned rooms.
Chan personally prepares meals for Skippy every day. This pampered pooch also enjoys a daily serving of yoghurt. Skippy also loves fruits, with Australian peaches and Korean pears among her favourites!
Despite her luxurious lifestyle, Chan shared that Skippy is calm and obedient. “When we serve her food, we have trained her to wait until we say ‘okay’. Similarly, if the door is open, she doesn’t go out until we allow her to.”
Skippy also inspired her furparents to start Pawsome Brewery, a business serving a variety of non-alcoholic “beverages”. Skippy’s favourite, Chan shared, is “Dog Pérignon”, which is made from fish broth and vegetables.
She also described Skippy as having an “built-in alarm clock”. “She knows that we take her for car rides at 5pm. When it’s time, she will come to us, as though reminding us, ‘hello, it’s time to go out’,” Chan said with a chuckle.
Reflecting on her time with Skippy, Chan concluded: “She has brought healing and happiness to my life.”
Learn more about Pawsome Brewery on Instagram.