This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Hammy, a nearly two-year-old Lhasa Apso/Pomeranian mix, who is a small, but fierce, guard dog.
Here’s what his owner, Jessica, had to say about him:
Hammy is a 14.5 pound Lhasa Apso/Pomeranian mix who will be two in December! He guards the home with a fierce loyalty, a breed characteristic as the Lhasa Apsos were sentinel dogs for Buddhist monasteries in Tibet starting around 800 B.C.. But at the same time he has an incredibly outgoing personality with other dogs (he’s been described as “Mr. Social”) and is a soft snuggly lapdog who loves to wake his 4 year-old human sister with kisses. They are excitedly planning joint Halloween costumes — his sister will be Princess Tiana and Hammy will be the Frog Prince!
Hammy is always ecstatic to run with his Mom and see his dog friends around the High View Park neighborhood. He leaps in the air when he hears his leash come out! He relaxes by watching sports with his Dad, whether it is golf, baseball, or football. We do not know whether he roots for the Washington teams or his Dad’s New York teams! He also loooves the fast food drive through – we think he likes McDonald’s the best, but he is not picky. He doesn’t get such things too often though and also loves healthy homemade treats and pupsicles from his sister and Mom. He is a pretty happy-go-lucky guy except he does not like the groomer’s clippers. Hammy is a great listener and cuddles up for bedtime stories with his sister. This year he’s gone camping twice and visited many dog cousins, and seen the ocean, where he enjoyed watching the wild ponies at Assateague Island and smelling the salt air.
Hammy is non-shedding (which his Mom appreciates), but not entirely hypo-allergenic we are told, which led to us adopting him at one year old from friends and neighbors. He was born in Colorado — literally outside in the snow — to a Lhasa Apso mother and a little Pomeranian father. And how did he get his name? His name was originally “Hammer,” but our neighbor’s daughter did not think that suited him and tried calling him Hamlet, but he would only answer to Hammy. We think “Hammy” fits him well, because he loves eating ham, plus he always “hams it up.”
We are so lucky to have this wonderful little guy as part of our family!
Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner of six consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.
Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.