For the Love of Dogs

Even though it’s mighty redundant, I shall still remind you nonetheless that I have 2 dogs – Ole Kumar (age 9) & Thimpoo Rani (age 6). They are Indian mixed-breeds and I love them more than I love me (which I do, very much). I like to consider myself as NOT their owner, but their caregiver.  Also, like many other dog parents, I know that they are my babies. They are spoilt rotten; they commandeer our bed every night and want to eat everything we do. They are not guard-dogs, in fact, we have to guard them should a situation ever arise. But they are the dollops of Sunshine and the apples of our eyes.

Now what is the point of writing this piece, you may ask in one last attempt to not get bored and close this browser. Well, my dear friend, I write this because quite a few people have asked me how I maintain my dogs and how much time to I spend behind them. These questions mostly arrive when I am walking them.

You see, every week-days we walk them straight without any dilly-dally, however on the weekends, even though they are leashed, I let them walk me for as long as they want to. They have the freedom to smell and explore all good and disgusting things found on the road and the field. Thimpoo has the time of her life playing with her roadside buddies – Chupacabra (The Alpha), Brown doggo, Light brown doggo, Dark brown doggo, and Small-eyed doggo. Since she is a social butterfly, she has many friends –including stray dogs and humans of various age-brackets, while Ole happens to be a snobby-ass Dog, so he looks down upon other dogs, cats, and kids.

As a thumb rule, I have noticed, many other dog owners in the area do not allow their pooches to mingle with the stray dogs and I am not sure why though. In fact, they sort of disapprove of the fact majorly that I do.  Most questions come from such owners, who passive-aggressively want me to feel inadequate in my duties of taking care.  Pfffft to them.

Nonetheless, some of the most common questions happen to be:

• How often do you bathe them?
• Since they play with strays, are they not infested with ticks and fleas?
• Why do I let them walk me on the weekends?
• Why do I pick up their poo?
• And lastly, the most irritating question – Why do I have desi dogs, why not a pure breed? Thimpoo mostly is not subjected to such questions because of how she looks. But my poor Ole is pointed out and asked the question.

So, to answer these questions:

I bathe them once a week and give them a sponge bath in between if the heat is unbearable. We also try to brush their hair every day.

My dogs do not have tick/flea problems because of the Neem and Eucalyptus oil massage before baths. However, during the monsoon, they need the spot-on medicines. I use Fiprofort or Protektor.

To answer the third question, full week we are on a tight schedule which means no time for frolicking when out for their walkies. It is limited to just answering the nature’s calls. But weekends are dedicated to my furry children. Hence, we do whatever makes them happy, which includes walking us.

Apparently, picking up our dog’s poo is not our job, but NMMC should do it. Also, it seems, I am making them look bad, as they leave the excrements behind, while I pick mine. I seriously have no answer to this question because no matter how much money or power they possess, unless some amount of civic etiquettes are embedded, such people still remain a nuisance to society.

Lastly, I have Desi dogs because I am desi and it was love at first sight for me both the times. More importantly, Ole chose me, and I am rather proud of that fact. And Thimpoo chose my husband.

As cliched and sappy as it may sound, these two are the lights of our lives. We cannot imagine any versions of our lives wherein these two are not included. Ole and Thimpoo are two of the best decisions my husband and I have ever made.