Being asked to write about your pet and the relationship you share with them is exciting and “easy” you would think, but if you actually get down to it, you will realize.. you don’t know where to start! You don’t know what to write and what to leave out, to go into detail about something or not, what if you over exaggerate or what if you don’t say enough while trying not to exaggerate? Well, here I go.
Two and a half years ago, we brought home a little rescued kitty from Mr Anand Siva and named him Kito. I am and have always been a dog person more than a cat person, but we went for a kitten because we knew we wouldn’t be able to handle the responsibilities of having a dog.
Kito grew up to be a loner cat who didn’t mingle or mix with anyone except our family - be it human or animal. He would hide under/above/behind furniture when we had guests over, and would snarl and hiss at a stranger puppy or kitten if I ever brought home any.
July 23rd 2012.
Aditi called me and said, “Come over, Scooby’s here and things are getting out of hand!” I get there, grinning all the way (not at the things getting out of hand, obviously) but because I was FINALLY GOING TO GET HOME A DOG! Yeah yeah, even if just for two weeks of fostering till he finds a forever home, I couldn’t be happier to finally have a dog living in my house!
[Scooby is a Tibetan terrier cross who was found wandering the streets of Hiranandani Estate, wounded and bruised.]
I didn’t have to convince my parents much about letting me foster Scooby, my love for dogs comes mainly from them, and they too were secretly looking forward to it even if they didn’t look like it, because they know if they did, I would shove all the responsibility onto them.
Kito grew up to be a loner cat who didn’t mingle or mix with anyone except our family - be it human or animal. He would hide under/above/behind furniture when we had guests over, and would snarl and hiss at a stranger puppy or kitten if I ever brought home any.
He was the king of our house when nobody strange was around.
Aditi called me and said, “Come over, Scooby’s here and things are getting out of hand!” I get there, grinning all the way (not at the things getting out of hand, obviously) but because I was FINALLY GOING TO GET HOME A DOG! Yeah yeah, even if just for two weeks of fostering till he finds a forever home, I couldn’t be happier to finally have a dog living in my house!
[Scooby is a Tibetan terrier cross who was found wandering the streets of Hiranandani Estate, wounded and bruised.]
I didn’t have to convince my parents much about letting me foster Scooby, my love for dogs comes mainly from them, and they too were secretly looking forward to it even if they didn’t look like it, because they know if they did, I would shove all the responsibility onto them.
I enter Aditi’s house, and as soon as I do, Scooby walks out of the bedroom and wags his tail and greets me so very happily. I am mesmerized by his beauty..his long grey fur, cute curled wagging tail, shiny brown eyes, smiling face.. The most beautiful dog I had seen. He followed me around the house and I enjoyed it!
He was intimidated by Scooby’s enormity..as also the entry of a stranger animal that was dividing the attention that only he received before. Scooby saw Kito from a distance, Kito saw him. No sooner than I could stop Scooby, he made a go for it! He chased Kito and Kito ran at lightning speed, jumped over the cupboard and sat there, hidden behind suitcases and boxes, scared out of his life! My heart skipped several beats as I had never encountered such a situation before. Kito had never really met a huge, stranger dog before. Thank gosh cats are that swift, or I don’t know what Scooby would have done with him.
THEY SAID YES!!!!!!!!!!!
I was over the moon!
I HAD A DOG NOW! WHOOPIE!!
It was almost surreal. Ever since I was a kid, I wished for a pet dog, and now I finally had one. One of the most beautiful ones I had ever seen, too.
There were a few problems we had to deal with in the beginning. He would pee and poop on the beds very often. But as I had promised, I cleaned everything without making a fuss. The second problem was, he wouldn’t go out for walks. He would walk till the gate and pull us back..and then do his business at home instead.
How unfair I had been to him, by not considering his feelings and needs before bringing in Scooby forever. If only I knew, that wouldn’t last long.
It’s been 9 months now since Scooby has been part of our family. All the problems have vanished, in fact they have been replaced by the delights and pleasures of having pets. Scooby no longer pees or poops in the house, he has learnt his self control well. He willingly comes out on walks, though not for long ones because of his weight and because he’s lazy. People are always staring at him and giggle at him from their scooters and cars.
Little children point out to him and tell their parents, see that doggie! Of course, I feel proud to have such a different dog, I feel prouder that I don’t just have him, I saved him. Many a time, people stop their vehicles to click pics with him and ask me which breed he is. Once someone even asked me where they could “buy” this dog.
What I feel like saying at such times is, he’s a rescue..and that is one unique breed you will never find in any pet shop. :)
This 9 month journey has taught me so many things, and this is basically what I wanted to bring out by writing this post, I got carried away exaggerating the rest (I warned you!).
I know why Scooby is so friendly to every stranger he comes across. At least I think I do. Somewhere, deep down in his mind, he still thinks he will be moved to a new home. He thinks it best to please everyone who comes his way, so that someone some day, eventually will take him and keep him forever. Not discard him again. Probably every time he was sent to a new house, he questioned himself.
“But what did I do wrong? Did I not wag my tail enough? Did I not tap to ask for attention enough? Why does nobody want me? Why does everyone get bored of me? Am I not fun? When will I stop moving houses?”
“So when are you going to move me? Aren’t you bored of me already?”
It’s like he’s thinking,
“Aditi, please take me to a forever home this time.. I’ll be as good as I can, please don’t shift me again.”
Scooby is so friendly, that my mom and I joke that he would even welcome a thief into our house. The building dog Lolly is a female stray who sometimes accompanies me on his walks and we assume is Scooby’s girlfriend. I tell Scooby sometimes, if anyone comes to attack me on our walks, I know you might welcome him, but Lolly will protect me.
I under estimated him. I was out on a walk with him today at 11pm and the street was quite deserted. Just as Scooby got comfortable to poop, a drunk man came walking towards us, walking very unsteadily.
Before I could do anything, Scooby started barking very loudly at him, and it sounded louder at that time of night. The man walked away, while my heart continued to beat fast out of fear. He forgot about pooping and we went back. Tears welled up in my eyes and I apologized to Scooby for never believing he would protect me. He is very friendly, but as a grown dog, he knows whom to be friendly with and with whom not to. I will never under estimate him again.
Secondly, I know why Scooby used to poop and pee after coming back from his previous home. (He didn’t do this before coming to Aditi’s place just before I could take him). He was rebelling. And why shouldn’t he? We have been moving him around, family to family, city to city, not being able to give him a say about whether HE wants to move.
He probably thought, “I’m sick of being a good, neat boy all the time. They still throw me away and move me around. I’m going to rebel and be a bad boy now, they can throw me out again, I have almost gotten used to this!” There’s one thing I have to say to all newly-become or to-be pet owners - HAVE PATIENCE. Your pet has entered a completely new environment, with total strangers, and none of his own kind. Give him time, give him space. Give him love and accept him before you get fed up of him. He needs a chance to show you, he can be the best pet you can ever have. He is a child, no matter how old he is, and you must care for him in sickness and health, in childhood and in old age. Within a few weeks, Scooby stopped that habit. He hasn’t dirtied the house in months, I don’t even remember the last time he did. At first, we took him for three walks, so that he adjusts better, but now he works fine with two.
He probably thought, “I’m sick of being a good, neat boy all the time. They still throw me away and move me around. I’m going to rebel and be a bad boy now, they can throw me out again, I have almost gotten used to this!” There’s one thing I have to say to all newly-become or to-be pet owners - HAVE PATIENCE. Your pet has entered a completely new environment, with total strangers, and none of his own kind. Give him time, give him space. Give him love and accept him before you get fed up of him. He needs a chance to show you, he can be the best pet you can ever have. He is a child, no matter how old he is, and you must care for him in sickness and health, in childhood and in old age. Within a few weeks, Scooby stopped that habit. He hasn’t dirtied the house in months, I don’t even remember the last time he did. At first, we took him for three walks, so that he adjusts better, but now he works fine with two.
The third big change, rather the third big accomplishment that was achieved, was a cat-dog bond. Kito was a scaredy cat and Scooby an alpha dog who wouldn’t tolerate any other animal around him.
The change this journey has brought about in the lives of them both, and that too for the better, is by far the best thing to have come out of this experience.
They both are nothing like they were before they met each other. They get along well, I won’t say fantastically. They tolerate each other and live in harmony.
No more chasing or hiding. I feel amused thinking of the earlier days now. Kito brushes himself against Scooby the way cats do it against a persons legs, isn’t that adorable!? He sometimes even tries to play catch-me-if-you-can with Scooby, by jumping at his face and then running away, as if challenging him to catch him.
Scooby is wise and proud enough to not actually pay any heed to the little fellow’s challenges. They both get a little jealous when we pet only one of them at a time, and that’s natural.
They will try to sneak into each others bowls if they think the others is tastier, but still they both know whose food is whose. They will sniff each others noses from time to time and no matter how many times I see it, it will still be the cutest thing ever.
All this was possible only because of patience and determination. Both from our side as well as theirs. If we had given up earlier, and sent Scooby to another home… I don’t even want to think about it! Or if they had taken a stand to hate each other for as long as they lived, what would have happened? But they opened their hearts to each other, and here we are today!
I come across a LOT of people telling me they want to adopt puppies, not older dogs. On asking why, they say, “but older dogs won’t listen to us na? they must be used to other people. Plus they are not as cute as puppies, and they won’t be attached to us as they have already been with other people before”.
I cannot tell you how wrong you are..and how sadly funny that sounds to a dog lover. Dogs are faithful, loyal and grateful to those who do good for them, unlike humans, who would search for an ulterior motive before lending a hand.
Dogs are capable of being loyal to multiple masters and grateful to many people, all for nothing in return. They are selfless and self-sacrificing, no matter their age. I believe I was lucky to come across an older dog.
Scooby must be 5 or 6 years old, and I have absolutely no issues with that. Pets, like fine wine, improve with age. There’s no chewing of shoes, tearing of rugs, breaking of glasses and waking up at three a.m. Since they are older, they are wiser. Yes, they may be slower and calmer, but they are less likely to drive you crazy.
Less likely for you to then assign a dog walker and a dog trainer and then he’s confused about who’s his master, whom to obey and why his family doesn’t want to make time for him. He is ready to sit with you on the couch for long movies, or just let you rest on his back. He will go out on long, peaceful walks with you and knows when you’re depressed, and knows when all he should do is sit there and listen to you, let you hug him. I am so proud of having Scooby, and feel really very fortunate that I came across him and not any other dog, though I’m sure they would be great too.
I cannot tell you how wrong you are..and how sadly funny that sounds to a dog lover. Dogs are faithful, loyal and grateful to those who do good for them, unlike humans, who would search for an ulterior motive before lending a hand.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man,” said Mark Twain.
Scooby must be 5 or 6 years old, and I have absolutely no issues with that. Pets, like fine wine, improve with age. There’s no chewing of shoes, tearing of rugs, breaking of glasses and waking up at three a.m. Since they are older, they are wiser. Yes, they may be slower and calmer, but they are less likely to drive you crazy.
Less likely for you to then assign a dog walker and a dog trainer and then he’s confused about who’s his master, whom to obey and why his family doesn’t want to make time for him. He is ready to sit with you on the couch for long movies, or just let you rest on his back. He will go out on long, peaceful walks with you and knows when you’re depressed, and knows when all he should do is sit there and listen to you, let you hug him. I am so proud of having Scooby, and feel really very fortunate that I came across him and not any other dog, though I’m sure they would be great too.
Old dogs and cats have a lot of love to give, will you give them a chance?
The article is written by Eden Dias, a core member of Pet Owners and Animal Lovers. She is a dedicated animal lover and a young animal activist.The pictures used in this article are clicked by Eden and other members of PAL.
