Welcome to The Teacher’s Pet, the PAWesome news column about our teachers’ furry, feathered, and finned friends. For our first edition, I asked Mr. DiGioia about his rescue dogs, Missy and Russell. 

 Q: When did you adopt your pets?

A:Russell will be 11 in January. Russell was rescued from a rescue organization in Tennessee. Missy is around 5-6 years old. We rescued Missy 3 years ago from a great rescue program in CT called “Murphy’s Paw Rescue.” Check them out on Instagram!  

Q: What is your favorite memory with your pets?

A: My favorite memories will be the miles and miles of walks my wife and I have done with both of them. One particular memory that stands out from the rest was a moment early on with Missy. My parents, who live three blocks away, ended up dog sitting for us on a day when we were out running errands. My father opened the front door and Missy ended up jetting out their front door, and ran all the way to our house, a quarter mile away! My neighbor’s RING captured Missy running back to our house at full speed. At the time, this story was certainly not amusing, and Missy could have been seriously hurt since she crossed a major intersection. However, now we can look back at this moment and appreciate how much progress she’s made since she was rescued. 

Q: Do your pets have a favorite treat? If yes, what is it?

A: Both dogs LOVE a good pupsicle. 

Q: Can your pets do tricks? If yes, please list what tricks they can do:

A: Not necessarily a trick, but Russell loves to watch TV. He can recognize every single commercial featuring another dog or animal. Even if he’s in the next room over, he can tell what commercial is on by the music. He can even tell when a TV show or a football game is about to go to commercial break. It’s crazy!