They speak the same language. Use the same familiar terms. Joining the animated conversation in progress, you initially feel quite in sync. But next moment, some remark leaves you completely confused.
Meeting after several weeks, the two friends are busy catching up on recent developments. “My little one can count from one to four,” says Ranjani, with more than a hint of pride.
“How did you manage to teach her to do that?” asks Madhurima, visibly impressed. “But you must come and see our fellow! My husband’s taught him to play the synthesizer,” she adds the next moment.
Comparisons are deplorable, but when prodigies being discussed are of the same age, such things happen unconsciously. What may mystify you however is the realisation that the two whiz kids under discussion have not even completed one year. Unless of course you are tuned to their wavelength and familiar with dogspeak.
People who consider their dogs to be family members are truly a breed apart. Even during brief encounters, news exchanged invariably includes their four-legged wonders. And when they get together—informally or otherwise—the conversation often veers to their favourite topic to the exclusion of everything or everyone else.
When Pragya decided to adopt a pup for the first time, there was no shortage of advice. Not satisfied with merely giving the vet’s reference, helpful suggestions followed. The wisdom of balanced diet with vegetables and fruits was emphasised and reminders to give calcium and multivitamin drops regularly dished out. Not to forget digestive syrup after every meal. But no, straddling the pup across the shoulders for burping wasn’t required!
Though sharing titbits is a big no-no vis-à-vis disciplining, excuses like ‘it’s just this once’ or ‘he’s also entitled to know what it tastes like’ inevitably creep in. My Simba and Lara for example. Both take more interest in my food than their own, and have made their favourites amply clear.
If you think potty-training an infant is tough, try teaching a pup her toileting dos and don’ts. It took me almost a year to teach Lara that going for walks four times a day was not purely for health and exercise. Sniffing around trees and corners, she’d socialise with her canine friends but do nothing. Only to create a puddle the moment she returned home.
All too soon, visits to the vet for cutting nails and maybe even the occasional delousing treatment become necessary. A little more upmarket in her tastes, Shilpa prefers to take her pampered one to a salon for shampoo and ‘pawdicure’.
Earlier, buying a functional coat during winter was the only time one could dress up doggy members. Nowadays, garments available are practically designer stuff. And with the nagging rain during Mumbai monsoons, colourful raincoats have become quite the rage. Ingenious outfits with hood and all!
Being parents to a dog is not easy. Daily routine go through major overhaul, and outings need careful planning. Nannies are not really required but ‘home alone’ scenarios spell problem. It’s a whole lot of responsibilities and a lifetime of commitment.
A dog in the house equals years of faithful love and companionship. A bonding that non-dog lovers can never understand. But think twice before bringing one home because there’s no backtracking when the going gets tough. After all, no dog deserves to be neglected by his family and left to lead a dog’s life!
[This is the unabridged version of my article that appeared in the HT Café in August last year]
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Bijaya,
Its so nice to see you visit my blog after such a long time! The undemanding love a dog gives is something very special... Thanks for your comment :-)
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I never had a dog. But my house-owners dog adopted me. Now I realize a bit the enormous responsibility of being loved by a dog.
Great article.
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Hi Neeraj,
Give yourself a chance and you'll start becoming a doggie fan in no time! Their undemanding company can be truly therapeutic... as Lara and Simba always are for me!
Yes, am sure my duo had a ball barking at you all that day :-))
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Anjana,
I am not particularly dog crazy, but I like the two doggies you have got....Lara and Simba!! It was fun when Simba took turns at barking on the people present.
Enjoyed the article.
Keep Writing,
Neeraj
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Red,
sorry... had a temporary separation with the computer!
No matter what you feel at that point of time, even eccentric pooches are cute! And dont worry... am sure lil Red will grow up into a lovely person... like her mom :-)
Will check your note in a bit...
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she is 3 now :(
she still uses the carpet to piss me off whnevr she feels that she isnt paid enuf attn. Yea i gotsa a pooch jus' like me....she be eccentric too coz she can be all cute and adorable n obedient one min and the nxt shes all like grrr...arrr. woof woof, like a rabied mutt.
sigh, hope lil red grows to be normal !! unlike me n my pup....hey sent u mail chk it out like whnevr ...
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Red,
So so good to see you here (:-p [thats me grinning from ear to ear !!] ...
and your pup sounds totally adorable! and how old is she now? though thankfully lara was never partial to carpets, snoopy, our first doggie always thought that the carpet was around for him to throw up when he needed to do so! never realised it wasn't, bless his doggie soul!
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Anji baby...
my poochie pup is so like lara...err was..err is..neeways. I have to constantly remind her that the half hour walks every 4 hours are to be put to good use still she manages to sniff, hop, chase and bark at every squirrel, bird, bark of a tree and swaying branches and coming home to discover that the carpets have been put to good use already...
. Pehle the kid now my pup....alas my life is doomed. She even ripped the potty training pads that smell like grass to smithereens when she was 3mnths old showing us who was the boss 
kudos on being featured in HT
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Kalyanee,
There have been so many times that I've wanted to complain to the SPCA about owners illtreating their pets... leaving them tied outside the house in the veranda, come rain or shine... locked in the terrace all day... its truly cruel...
Great to read your comment after a long time! Thanks...
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Anjana,
Nice blog. I agree particularly with the last 2-3 sentences. Have seen too many dogs treated like 'dogs' and left to suffer. It is CRUEL.
Kalyanee
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