By Marjorie Gorospe

DOGS are man’s best friend. But for Sergio Redolosa these loyal creatures are his partners in life.

It has been five years since Redolosa started training and taking care of his dogs. His dogs are named “Bagwis,” “Habagat” and “Amihan.”

Habagat became part of the “Enteng Kabisote” movie and “Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang” series in local television. Habagat apparently knows how to add and subtract and say “I love you.”

Redolosa is not a professional trainer. His pets are also not of imported breed. But he has trained his pets because they are his partners in street shows.

Currently the breadwinner of his family (his wife left him and his children), he has trained his pets very well enough to draw crowds as they perform in the streets.

Redolosa understands that some pro-animals might frown upon what he is doing. However, he makes sure that his pets don’t get sick.

“Pinapagamot ko pa nga sila sa ospital, parang anak na ang turing ko sa mga yan [They are like my kids that I have to buy them medicine whenever they get sick],” he says.

He says people who hurt their pets for no reason should be reprimanded.

Redolosa and his dogs perform regularly in the streets of Morayta for 20 minutes during the morning and another 20 minutes in the afternoon. During weekends, you can find them near SM Manila or along Quezon Avenue. After performances, they go home in Baseco, Manila.

Before I left them to perform before another crowd, he reminded me the importance of treating his pets as family. “If they feel they are loved, they’ll love you back,” Redolosa says.

Perhaps his pets share the same sentiment, as they deliver great performances everyday for their loving master.