Sisilia Eteuati extended me the warmest welcome to meet Luko.
Says Sisilia: we are a very small Samoan aiga of 8 (Luko being the 8th) - an intergenerational and extended family where Luko exasperates everyone and gets away with it. We live in Onehunga, where Maungakiekie and the Manukau Harbour meet.
How did you come into each other’s lives? Luko is a lockdown puppy... we adopted him when he was 3 months old from the RSPCA. But adopting him was not a sudden decision. He had been wanted desperately for at least 8 years. Lagi longed for a dog from when he was very little. Back then 10 years old seemed a long way away so I made a rash promise. "When you're 10 years old and responsible we'll think about it". I thought he would forget.
Dear readers, Lagi did not forget.
He remembered exactly and campaigned hard every year, reminding me of my promise and asking for ongoing performance ratings on how responsible he was 😂. So when lockdown happened and Lagi had been responsible in countless ways including dog sitting friends dogs, we started looking for a puppy and we didn't want a designer dog, we wanted to adopt a dog as unique as we each are.
How did you decide on his name? Luko is the Samoan word for wolf. We love Samoan names and we love acknowledging ancestors so we liked Luko as a name that acknowledged his.
What is Luko like? Luko is a destroyer of all things. He is still a puppy and he loves to steal away with precious items and to chew. Particularly if they are not toys which have actually been purchased for that purpose. He is very clever and uses this cleverness to constantly outwit us all.
What makes him the goodest boy? Luko loves snuggles and attention and is very affectionate. It's a tough competition but he is even more motivated by hugs than food.
What is his favourite walk? Luko loves pack walks.... we suspect this is because it is on those pack walks that he is able to jump all over other dogs.
Where does Luko sleep? Luko sleeps on the couch... there was a very brief period where we tried to convince him couches were not for dogs but he has convinced us that they in fact are.
What are his most loved noms? Luko loves all food which is not for him. Of course he enjoys dog food as well... but really it's all about variety.
Darling Luko. So nice to meet you.
Says Sisilia: we are a very small Samoan aiga of 8 (Luko being the 8th) - an intergenerational and extended family where Luko exasperates everyone and gets away with it. We live in Onehunga, where Maungakiekie and the Manukau Harbour meet.
How did you come into each other’s lives? Luko is a lockdown puppy... we adopted him when he was 3 months old from the RSPCA. But adopting him was not a sudden decision. He had been wanted desperately for at least 8 years. Lagi longed for a dog from when he was very little. Back then 10 years old seemed a long way away so I made a rash promise. "When you're 10 years old and responsible we'll think about it". I thought he would forget.
Dear readers, Lagi did not forget.
He remembered exactly and campaigned hard every year, reminding me of my promise and asking for ongoing performance ratings on how responsible he was 😂. So when lockdown happened and Lagi had been responsible in countless ways including dog sitting friends dogs, we started looking for a puppy and we didn't want a designer dog, we wanted to adopt a dog as unique as we each are.
How did you decide on his name? Luko is the Samoan word for wolf. We love Samoan names and we love acknowledging ancestors so we liked Luko as a name that acknowledged his.
What is Luko like? Luko is a destroyer of all things. He is still a puppy and he loves to steal away with precious items and to chew. Particularly if they are not toys which have actually been purchased for that purpose. He is very clever and uses this cleverness to constantly outwit us all.
What makes him the goodest boy? Luko loves snuggles and attention and is very affectionate. It's a tough competition but he is even more motivated by hugs than food.
What is his favourite walk? Luko loves pack walks.... we suspect this is because it is on those pack walks that he is able to jump all over other dogs.
Where does Luko sleep? Luko sleeps on the couch... there was a very brief period where we tried to convince him couches were not for dogs but he has convinced us that they in fact are.
What are his most loved noms? Luko loves all food which is not for him. Of course he enjoys dog food as well... but really it's all about variety.
Darling Luko. So nice to meet you.