In Kerala it is said that a man’s status symbol is certified on three parameters:
1. Son goes to Lawrence School or as commonly called Lovedale.
2. You have an alsatian dog as a pet.
3. And of course you have a Mercedes Benz or Benz
In Hyderabad it could be
1. Rare dog breeds usually walked by watchmen or security guards who can’t make out the difference between a Pariah
or a St Bernard as both sniff around and all dog shit somehow looks the same.
2. Younger daughters are sent to Ivy League Colleges in the US (not the variety found on the outskirts of Hyderabad).
3. And at least a Jaguar or Bentley in the porch.
In the West there are genuine pet walkers: sight of one person with about eight dogs on leashes is common. The person in charge likes animals and it’s a great way of making extra money.
Cut to India; the security guard who is supposed to guard your house somehow lands with extra curricular jobs; one of them includes taking two very dissimilar dogs for a walk. So you see this huge St Bernard and a tiny fellow with short legs always scurrying behind. The guard maybe tipped or may not be after all no one is asking him to work extra hours and so his motivation could be zero. So naturally there’s no brisk walking; after all, the guy himself is tired and sleepy and so he strolls and who cares if the pedigreed animals are sniffing all the filth that one sees on pavements nowadays.
A pet is a pet but if it’s a status symbol you rarely see the animal, it is never allowed inside the house and the only time you go to see it is with a visitor who needs to be impressed that you got this rare breed. It’s the security staff that sees the dog more than you.
For the rest of us dog lovers it’s a never ending source of love. No matter that you saw the dog just a few hours ago the welcome he gives you is that of seeing a beloved person after many years. It’s sometimes a bit embarrassing when dogs like ‘labradors’ show the same affection to absolute strangers as well.
They say they cannot differentiate variety or taste and yet we ponder over whether this month’s pedigree should be chicken or meat. That’s why they are ever so grateful for food, period. One is told that what they really hanker after is fat and so if you were to put a dab of butter or ghee they would really slobber. Experiment and see for yourself.
Though they say the surest thing about a birth is death yet it’s only about pets that we almost count the days or years before they are supposed to pass on. Then it’s like losing a limb; you recount endless stories about how brave or clever or adorable your dog was.
Santha John is the founder, director Coachlife email: santha.john@coachlife.asia
