Summer was a stray roaming the streets of Bangsar when Reena spotted her in distress one day, with her leg caught in a fence.
Rushing to help free the dog, Reena noticed that her leg was bleeding. The injured dog also looked hungry.
“She was so happy eating the kibbles I fed her and my heart went out to her. I decided to foster her – get her spayed and help find her a home,” Reena tells FMT.
However, these plans went out the window the moment Summer met D’Lion, Reena’s dog. In just one day, the two became firm friends and Reena knew in her heart that she had to adopt Summer.
Reena says Summer is a real beach bum.
“She loves chilling by the beach under a shady spot. She also gets a thrill chasing after crabs – she never succeeds in catching one though! Her main past time is to get in as much sleep as she can.”
Summer is also very particular about her bedtime, Reena says. She turns in at precisely 10pm every day and wakes up at 8am like clockwork, regardless of whether she’s on holiday or at home.
“She’ll give me a look before she sets off to bed. I believe she’s saying ‘good night’. If I wake up later than 8am, once I open my eyes, I’ll see this dog seated right next to me, ‘talking’ non-stop,” Reena says, laughing.
“On weekends, I try not to make eye-contact with her if ever I wake up late. If I so much as take a quick peek at her, I’ll find Summer looking me straight in the eye, and ‘talking’ non-stop.”
Despite her strict sleeping schedule, Summer has very sharp ears and if she so much as hears the rustling of a packet of treats, she’ll materialise right in front of me even if it’s one in the morning, Reena says.
Summer is also a creature of habit and when out walking, the little pooch insists on taking the same path every single day. “If we take a different route, you can count on her wearing a sulky face the entire walk.”
Once home, Summer is particular about having her paws washed. “If I forget for any reason, she’ll wait for me in the bathroom, making loud noises to show her displeasure,” Reena says.
“And I cannot touch her bed or disturb her when she’s sleeping. If I do, she’ll flash her teeth at me and make angry noises. Even her sister D’Lion, is afraid of disturbing her.”
Quirky behaviour aside, Summer is a sweet dog but is afraid of people. “She won’t allow anyone to pet her besides me. I think she may have been abused by a human before.”
When alone with Reena, Summer is very relaxed and calm. “What I love about her the most is how she follows me everywhere and has always been by my side from the first day I rescued her.”
Summer is also rather intelligent. Reena recalls how she once scolded Summer for losing her bandana while they were on a hike together.
“I nagged her about how expensive it was and that I didn’t have the budget to buy her a new one. I kept asking her to show me where exactly she lost it.
“Amazingly on the hike back, Summer actually ran off-trail to show me where the bandana was located! I was really impressed that she knew the exact spot!”
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.