For men may come and men may go but doggie love is forever.
By: Sidharthan Kannan
Sometimes someone comes into your life and the world is never the same again. And when that someone is a tiny six month old four-leggedfluffball, you know your littleslice of the world just got way better. Mowgli, the eponymous jungle hero, swung into lives three years ago when we adopted him from a friend who was running a pet-stay service. He had been rescued off the streets with a dangerous skin condition and was now recovered and ready for his permanent home. We were nervous, but years of unfulfilled yearnings backed by the solid commitment we felt nudged us along as we welcomed our new family member.
Mowgli and me!
Reluctant poser Mowgli and his friend Rose Mary (background) running in to join the picture
And Mowgli has been nothing but that. Our little kid who always wants to go out for a walk and a run, our strong father who wants to protect us from the evil water-can delivery guy, our lazy brother who refuses to get off the couch – he is all this and much more; his inherent dog-ness transcending any definition of human relationships. After all, which human could match the utter cuteness that dogs personify? Who could sustain the child-like innocence they retain for the whole of their too-short lives?
Mowgli was a shy thing to begin with. Having been on the streets early on, he’d been through some trauma that had left him scarred. He had been the only survivor from his litter - one of his siblings lay dead besides him having been run over by a vehicle when he was found, said the blessed soul who rescued him. Mowgli dreaded anything new and going out was a stressful and very often panic-inducing event. Constant love and the feeling of family can change things around, the dog-experts told us. We did the best we could. Aroutine of walks, play, training and meal times that did not waver much. Open hearts that couldn’t help but love and cherish this thing of beauty. It was slow to start with but soon enough the changebegan and the little modest mouse became the boisterous young boy he is today. We were able to witness the transformative power of love first-hand and we got back in exponents the simple things we gave – guileless love and endless joy. Surely the best investment anyone could ever make!
At the end of any day, good or bad, the thought that as soon as we go back home Mowgli will be there tail a-wagging and with a joyful, playful bark just makes the day better. And that sums up best why adopting a dog is the best thing you could do. In this inconstant world of increasingly disparate people, we could all do with some unconditional, judgement-free love.Love that comes bounding up to you any time you open the door, no less! So open your doors and open your hearts and just let that dog inalready:)