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You’ve heard of Xena, the warrior princess from the hit 90’s TV series, now meet this Carolina-mix who shares the same name.
Estimated to be about three years old, Xena has lit up her adopted parents’ life since the day she stepped into their home.
She earned her name because of her many “princess” traits, one of them being her need to constantly be the centre of attraction.
“She likes to take her toys to my other dog Kratos and pretend to play with it, just to rile him up or distract him so that she can have all the attention to herself,” Jacqueline Benita told FMT Lifestyle.
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She is also known to shamelessly initiate playtime herself when her fur parents are playing with Kratos, just so they look at her. A cheeky one, for sure.
Mornings are when she’s happiest and she makes this known by verbalising her thoughts in short, distinctive barks or howls the moment the sun comes up, urging her fur parents to take her for her walk.
She’s also known to howl in an annoyed tone if Jacqueline takes too long getting out of bed. Clearly, she’s one whose needs must be met on the spot!
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The beautiful Xena also has a talent for picking up tricks quickly. This ranges from playing dead, reversing using her hind legs, wiping her own feet and even leaping to an impressive height to catch a treat or toy.
“A crowd favourite is ‘Selfie’, where she’ll jump onto my shoulders for a picture,” Jacqueline said, laughing.
Apparently, Xena’s so good at this trick that she even did it with Kratos during Jacqueline’s pre-wedding photo shoot.
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Speaking of Kratos, Xena loves her brother a lot, but you won’t see her giving him affection the way she does with her human parents. While she can look tough on the outside, she’s a softie at heart.
This softie is also fearful of thunder and fireworks on a level unlike any other dog that Jacqueline has known. When her fear gets the better of her, she tries to squeeze herself into the tiniest, most sound-proof space she can find.
Luckily, her condition is now under control after an animal communicator taught her parents how to manage her fears better. Stay brave, kiddo!
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Jacqueline also recalled how she came to adopt Xena a few years ago. The doggo was found hiding beneath a car during a storm and was discovered by a rescuer from an NGO.
Having wolfish facial features and an 18kg stature didn’t help Xena in getting adopted, but she took a liking to Jacqueline and her husband, being more affectionate with them compared to others who came to see her.
Hence, the once-lost doggo found her forever home.
“Xena and I are on a mission to show that Malaysian mix dogs can be incredible, too!” Jacqueline said, smiling.
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