At the heart of Bellarmine Hall reside the unofficial mascots of Seattle University: two dachshunds named Rolo and Twix. If they’re not cruising in their stroller, you can usually catch them scampering at the feet of their owner and best friend, Deanne Liu. Liu is one of Bellarmine’s Resident Ministers and the Associate Director of the MOSAIC Center. She has lived on campus with the dynamic duo for two years now, but has also lived with other dogs on campus in the past. Liu wanted to bring dogs to Seattle U as a way to cheer up students’ days when they’re bleak and fill the void from missing their own pets back at home.

Initials have been used to indicate the speaker.

AW: When did you first get Rolo? 

DL: I adopted Rolo when he was two, so nine, almost 10 years ago now. He was at the shelter with his brother, and at that point, he was only two, but he had been hopping around a lot of homes. So I think it was like the fifth place that he lived. He was always really nervous. When I met him, he didn’t want to have anything to do with me. Once he came to live with us and we were his only source of food, he was our best friend after that. 

AW: Why did you decide to get a second dog, Twix?

DL: When dachshunds come in twos, they have each other for company, they’re less anxious, so I got another one because Rolo is always anxious without me, and I can’t bring him everywhere. I was really hoping Twix would be the dorm dog, excited to see everyone, wanting to get pets, and instead I got this, nervous, scared of everything. I have to explain to everyone, it’s not you, it’s him. 

AW: What are Rolo and Twix’s personalities?

DL: Rolo is aloof and anxious, constantly anxious. I feel like he should go on Prozac, but we haven’t gone there yet. I know a lot of dogs on Prozac. But he’s driven by his belly. If I have food or if somebody else is eating food, he will be such a good boy next to you. 

Twix is not motivated by anything. Nothing. When we were training, I thought it was his ball or the cheese, or whatever. We did so many different kinds of treats, and he just wouldn’t. He’s indignant. He was very indignant as a baby, and he’s sassy. 

AW: What inspired you to name your dogs after candy?

DL: Rolo, he actually looked so different before. He was all chocolate, this caramel color. So Rolo made total sense. Then, when I adopted Twix, I was like I have to do Twix, because of the candy theme, and I love a good theme. 

AW: What are some fun stories about Rolo or Twix?

DL: Lola, the dog that’s in the maker space, came to visit us one day, and Rolo didn’t know what to do with her. She’s a Frenchie, and she was trying to play with him. He’s so roly-poly, he can’t really get up now, so he got scared and got on his back, and then she just had one paw on him, and he was freaking out. He was screaming like he was gonna die.

AW: Do Rolo and Twix have any fun quirks? 

DL: Rolo always has to be touching me, so if I’m sitting on the couch or lying in bed, he sits close, and then he scooches his little butt over, but he doesn’t like to cuddle. He doesn’t want to be picked up, but he always needs to be touching me. Sometimes he’ll put his paw on me.

AW: What’s Twix and Rolo’s favorite foods?

DL: Mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese from Trader Joe’s. There’s also this thing they love, these little sausages, and they sell them at Mud Bay, and you can cut them up into tiny little pieces, and that’s also one of their favorites.

AW: What are Rolo and Twix’s favorite sweaters to wear around campus?

DL: I think they don’t really like the sweatshirts. I think it’s because it makes their hair itchy. Their favorite probably would be the vests. My favorite are these security ones, because people are annoyed that they bark, and then they’ll see the sweatshirt and they’ll be like, ‘Yeah, that’s totally fine, they’re doing their job.’ They’re really bad at their jobs, but it’s so cute.

AW: Do Rolo and Twix know any tricks?

DL: Rolo only sits. He doesn’t know how to lay down. He doesn’t know other tricks, so that’s the only thing he can do. This is kind of a weird fact. Twix memorizes the pattern. I tell him to sit and then lie down and then, you know, wait. And he’ll just go straight to the end, and he’ll be waiting. Like, I didn’t say to do that. Simon didn’t say that Twix-y. He’s very smart.

AW: You’ve been known to pass out stickers of Twix and Rolo to students. What inspired you to make them?

DL: It’s so hard to get them to sit still for a photo, and they both were sitting so nicely for this photo. I was like, I have to make stickers. This is the only time that’ll ever happen. I also wanted students to have something fun, that was kind of their own thing that no other halls would have.

Rolo and Twix can be found in their stroller, riding around Bellarmine Hall, in Liu’s office on the first floor of the Student Center or exploring campus. The pups might be anxious, but they love a good hello. If you see them trotting around, feel free to introduce yourself to the dogs and Liu.