Linda Nguyen, HR Employment Specialist in Administrative Services, and her Chihuahua mix, Henry, are this month’s Pets Corner honorees.
When Henry was about a year old, Linda’s brother rescued him from a shelter. Five years later, caught up in school, work, and an internship, Linda’s brother realized he could no longer give Henry the attention he deserved. Despite her initial reservations, Linda couldn’t bear to see Henry go elsewhere. She adopted him from her brother. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of her life. Henry’s brought immeasurable joy, love, and a daily dose of silliness to her life and has helped her hit her 10,000 steps a day goal.
Initially, Henry was a whirlwind of excitement, running circles and jumping around. He is now a sprightly 11-year-old. While he’s mellowed out a bit over the years, he is still as playful, curious, and ready for fun as ever. Linda loves Henry’s friendly nature and unique quirks.
Although Henry has many toys, his absolute favorite for the past three years — and the only one he hasn’t completely demolished — is a squid plushie Linda affectionately named Mr. Calamari.
Henry “squeaks” when he hears Linda or her husband at the door, then eagerly accepts their pets before dashing off to reunite with his beloved and long-suffering Mr. Calamari for some soothing chew time.
Henry’s idea of heaven on earth is the Huntington Dog Beach. He zooms around, explores new smells and greets every dog he meets. He also enjoys outings to Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley and different neighborhoods throughout Orange County and Los Angeles.
Henry gets along well with all other dogs except for German Shepherds. Linda suspects that before she adopted him, he had an unfortunate encounter with one.
Kids’ faces nearly always light up when they see him, and he’s remarkably good and patient, even with those who can sometimes be too rough with him.
She finds it endearing that he’s a connoisseur of soft things. If there’s a plushy pillow or blanket within eyesight, he’s on it. And he’s a true California pup. Linda can always find him in the sunniest spot in the backyard. If he had a catchphrase, she thinks it’d be “Catch me outside.”
At a recent backyard BBQ, Henry joined a pack of dogs, enjoyed treats, and unfortunately, ended the night by rolling in poop, running through the crowd to share his new fragrance, and inadvertently spreading the joy on Linda’s friend. Despite the mishap, her friend took it in stride, earning Henry the nickname “the party pooper.”