At Home with Sunday - Emily Thiang and Pearl
Please introduce yourself Emily, and what you do
I’m Emily Thiang, a Brisbane based freelance graphic designer predominantly working in the publication industry, specifically books and magazines. I am a new mum, so that has consumed most of my time of late.
You can check out Emily's work and art at @emilythiang and emilythiang.com
Introduce your best fur-riend!
Pearl is my much-loved and spoilt 6-year-old Australian Bulldog.
Pearl looking so sweet in her Sunday patchwork pet jumper.
How did you meet Pearl?
I have always been obsessed with bulldogs. Like, it might seem strange to some people how obsessed I am. The stars aligned, and my husband and I thought we were in the perfect living situation to introduce a dog to our family. We found a local breeder with a litter of 11 pups for sale. As soon as I saw a photo of Pearl, with one black ear and one white ear, I knew she was the one. The breeders were truly lovely with a passion for Aussie bulldogs.
Is there something that drew you towards this particular breed?
Australian bulldogs, in particular, have been bred to better handle the hot Australian climate. The British bulldog is the predominant breed, but it’s mixed with boxers, staffies and a few others. I just adore the face structure and loving temperament of the breed.
Describe your routine on a typical day
Every day I try to walk Pearl with the baby in tow. Pearl sleeps most of the day but she will always want to play in the afternoon. Every night she has a beauty routine which includes wrinkles wiped, bum wiped and any ointment added to concerned areas.
Does Pearl have a favourite human in the family?
Pearl honestly loves everyone. When anyone visits our house, she just loves it and goes a bit crazy. It’s the highlight of her day.
Having a pet is immensely rewarding and is also challenging. Tell me, what are some of the best parts about your relationship with Pearl?
She has so much love to give. Always up for a cuddle, and she helps me get out of the house.
And what do you find challenging?
Being a bully, Pearl has quite a few health concerns. I always have to keep an eye on allergic reactions or other ailments. Our vet knows us very very well.
Now that we have a baby in the house, the dynamic has changed quite a lot for Pearl. Most of the time, Pearl loves the baby, but I am sure there are times she wishes she were the only baby. I always keep an eye on both of them just to be safe.
What are your favourite things about Pearl?
- She snores so sweetly.
- If there is wet grass, she dives straight into it and rolls around. She gets so much joy from doing it.
- When I spend time in my hobby studio, she always joins me, sitting by the door watching the trees sway in the breeze.
It’s the weekend, and you have the whole day to spend with Pearl and the family.
We love going to the beach. There is a dog beach we frequent, and Pearl is always on her best behaviour there, never leaving our side. She even joins us when we take a dip. At the end of the day, we get fish and chips and she happily enjoys any freebies.
Last question, do you have a core memory of Pearl that would like to share?
A few years ago, we spent 3 months in America, and my parents looked after Pearl while we were gone. When we came back, Pearl got such a huge fright, then it quickly turned into abundant, ecstatic joy.