Interview with South of the Clouds PanHu

Today Panhu agreed to answer my questions in an interview and to tell us about his personal life.

Thank you Panhu for wanting to answer a few questions. I keep getting asked about your name and what it means. Can you tell us something about that?

My old master in China told me it is a great name. You told me you can not translate it.

That's correct, what do you know about the history of the name?

Many, many dog lives ago there was a dog by the name of PanHu. Apparently he had great fur, like me. There was a king who had an enemy he could not conquer. And a good dog does what a good dog does. This PanHu killed the enemy. I don't like the story part because I am a pacifist and against all violence. But you always say that times were very different back then. But further, this king was probably very grateful and gave the dog his daughter as a wife. PanHu and his wife then moved to southern China, where they had 12 children.

These children formed their own clans, known today as ethnic Chinese minorities. That is why PanHu is still worshiped as a dog god and regarded as the ancestor by some of these minorities. What I like best is that because of this PanHu, eating dog meat is still taboo among these ethnic minorities to this day. Because I don't like it when anyone wants to eat my canine friends!

That's exactly what I like about your name. You know what else I like about your name?

That you can't translate it and whenever you do that with your cell phone, very funny things come out of it. These are probably all the other names I have…. Basin pot, basin pan, pan pot... But I do like it when you call me „Töpfchen“ (potty) sometimes.

Thanks. Like Diting, you are from China. Do you still remember your life there?

Yes, but my life there was very different than it is here with you. I like it here very much, but I always get a little sad when I hear the voice of my old master in China. Then I think he is here and I start looking for him. You always apologize and tell me it is just his voice on your phone.

In China I had many more dog friends than here. But my start in life was not easy like the old master always told me. When I was very young, my mother Jing Jie died very suddenly. And I was all alone with my siblings. The master was very sad because my mother was his favorite dog. That's why he tried even harder and raised us all by himself.

My master liked me best, he said. And whenever he had visitors, everyone wanted to see me. I don't know why only me, but I liked it. Because everyone played with me and petted me. When I was a bit older, my master took me everywhere. We were at a big show where there were a lot of dogs and people. And I was on TV too. And in a lot of restaurants, that's what I liked best, because the master often had food fall off the table.

Then one day my master was very sad. He told me I would move. I didn't know what that was supposed to mean. He told me that the next day I was going to fly far away on a plane and then he would not be able to see me anymore. And since then my life has been very different.

And then all of a sudden you were with us in Switzerland.

Yes. And now I really like it here.

What do you like best here?

The cheese.

I was asked to ask how it is for you to live with so many female dogs.

Sometimes that is very tiring. Especially outside. Whenever they pee somewhere, I have to pee there too. I do not even know why I am doing this. I also do not know why I sometimes think I have to watch out for the ladies. From time to time we meet a specific male dog outside, I do not trust him. I think he wants to steal my friends. That's why I have told him my opinion about him many times.

It is very nice at home with the three ladies. I especially love my daughter. I can play with her just fine. I also really like Maya, she is always calm and we never had a fight. I had a fight with Diting at the very beginning, I can not remember why. But I was pretty angry. You then told me that you do not like it when we fight. And since I do not want you to be disappointed in me, we never fought again.

Is there anything you do not like at all?

Yes, if you want me to go outside when it rains. I do not like it at all. Sometimes it is so wet that I have to touch water with my paws. That is really bad. Or if you want us to walk across a wet meadow. I do not understand why the other dogs just go along with it.

PanHu, you also live with your daughter. Do you like being a father?

Yes. I really like being a father. My daughter and I have a very good relationship. I hope that does not change when she hits puberty. She was not my first puppy, I already had a little experience with very small dogs.

In China I had a female dog friend with whom I had puppies. My old master kept one of my sons who lives with him now and lives the same way as I used to. I am also a bit proud of him. He looks very much like me and is called PanLong. My old master gave him the name because my name is PanHu.

Do you want to have more children?

Yes, but I believe in the freedom of choice of the female world and it is their choice whether they want to have children with me or not.

If you could wish for one thing, what would it be?

A little cat of my own to play with!

Thank you Panhu for this interview

Gladly, can I get the promised cookies now?