Companions of AUP: Milo Nguyen Son
How did you and Milo meet?
"Milo was born on January 1, 2017 in Clermont-Ferrand, which is a little far away. I got him in March when he was about ten weeks old and it was kind of unreal having this tiny little black ball of fluff in my hand (singular because he was literally hardly larger than a pigeon). It wasn’t until I was on the RER home that I realized I had a puppy—a puppy that was going to grow into a dog and be by my side for the next milestones of my life."
What does your relationship entail?
"I think it’s always difficult to describe your relationship with your dog. My previous dog passed away when I was in my junior year of high school and I had a hard time coming to terms with it. Growing up in an expatriate community, people always come and go, but I’d always had him around since I was a kid. Coming to college after living in such an ever-changing environment, I didn’t think I would be as homesick as I was. On top of the homesickness, I also had a rough first year, emotionally and physically: a bad breakup and a plethora of health issues. Milo has helped me heal, even retroactively. Our days usually consist of a lot of snuggles, plenty of play-fighting, and the occasional stern scolding. I also love seeing his ears pull back when he’s running outside on a sunny day—it’s funny because he’s trying to be aerodynamic but he has so much hair he’s the least aerodynamic thing."
Do you believe the myth that you and your dog start to resemble each other after a period of time?
"I actually do, but I feel like that might be the human mind’s doing. I see it in my friends and their dogs. Not so sure about Milo and I—maybe our eye shapes."
There is a psychological study that says that you and your dog can share similar ways of interaction, do you agree?
"I don’t really see it either. It might be because he’s still so young though. He thinks he’s big and tough (he grew up with German Shepherds), when in reality, he’s the size of a football. But now that I think about it, my previous dog and I did, we were both friendly, easily scared, and also very anxious."
What is special about Milo?
"Since he’s still a puppy, he’s so full of life one minute and knocked out dead asleep the next. His walk is also hilarious—he looks like a marching majorette dancer. Milo loves company but also does appreciate our down time. That said, everyone’s pets are special to them—often for more similar reasons than we’d like to admit—so I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that Milo is special because he is my little baby. He’s also my biggest responsibility yet because my cat, Muffin, is really easygoing, like most cats.
"I haven't traveled with Milo yet. He's set to get his passport this month! So hopefully, after this we'll be globetrotting together."
Image Credit: Instagram/thesleepyspitz
