Falling in love with a whole new world of pets and paws
My children had been insisting on having a pet dog at home, but I clearly told them that they were barking up the wrong tree. For I had a thing or two with these furry little creatures, and the last thing I wanted, was one in my proximity.
The dogged pursuit of the children found a staunch supporter in my better half. He had fallen hook, line and sinker to the fact that a dog is man’s best friend. So one day, his paternal instinct got the better of him, and he brought home not one but two alsatian pups! Anticipating my discomfort, he was quick to explain, that he had picked up the second one because his legs seemed weak, and that he did not have the heart to leave him behind.
Thus, began the cat and mouse game at home, with me curling up on the sofa whenever they came close. My squealing was louder than their whimpers and I dare say, it was a scene straight out of a sitcom. They merrily ran around the house, and I was the terror-stricken soul, stealthily checking every corner, before entering a room. My escapades had my family in splits, and before the funny stories made it to the world outside, I decided to hold my nerve and make peace with them.
My heart went aflutter as soon as I held them in my arms and looked into their eyes. The warmth of their puppy faces was there to stay. My world has changed ever since. Our bundles of joy quickly outgrew the single basket in which they had come.
Congratulatory messages and good wishes poured in for the new arrivals. I suddenly found myself eligible for the Pooch and Poodle Club, which frankly I had no idea actually existed. They had seminars and deliberations on all aspects of canine life. They ensured that every dog had his day, a picnic out in the sun. Whoever said that a dog’s life was loathsome, had to come here and eat his words.
Suddenly, my children had become responsible and caring. The maturity with which they handled the teething blues and upset stomachs of the puppies, showed how lovable the pets were.
Hunting for a name for the naughty duo was no mean exercise, as numerous options on the internet, had us at our wits’ end. An interesting pattern that came up showed that we in India, had a preference for English names. I wonder if it had something to do with our erstwhile rulers being shown their place. Probably, they were not fond of dogs, as I vividly remember, coming across an old rusted tin board in Shimla saying, “Dogs and Indians not allowed on the Mall.” Keeping the historical aberrations aside, my children chose Thunder and Buster.
When it was time for their training, the Punjabi-speaking trainer insisted that they be given instructions in English. As true as steel, my dogs would not react if I called them in Hindi or any other language, besides that of the British Raj. They did not budge when my house help asked them to ‘seat’, probably waiting for the right diction. Realising that their phonetic skills were better honed than hers, she would often give up. By then, I had become a protective mother who had started loving those who loved my dogs. As the majestic ones sat beside me, enjoying the winter sun, I thanked my children for introducing me to a totally new world.
ONE DAY, HIS PATERNAL INSTINCT GOT THE BETTER OF HIM, AND HE BROUGHT HOME NOT ONE BUT TWO ALSATIAN PUPS!