A sacred bond exists between every dog and its owner

Dear Friends,

Hope you all are doing good and pray the month of August brings all the happiness and good wishes for you. Yes! we must also not forget we will be celebrating our 70th Independence Day this month.  

So here is wishing you all the best and enjoy your holiday on 15th August 2016.

A sacred bond exists between every dog and its owner

Having a dog is more agreeable than having a family – and in some ways a good deal because dogs don’t answer back and are known to be more faithful than humans.  

When my children were small they insisted on having a dog as a pet.  So both my husband and myself thought why not. After discussing the pros and cons of having a pet in an apartment, we went to a pet dealer and decided on a German Spitz with white fur as this breed is suitable for an apartment. But the best part of it is, you may even think us to be stupid and have a good laugh at us, that when we bought it, we did not realise that it was a she dog.  We did not bother to check because she was looking so sweet and had a sad look in her big shining eyes as if to say "pick me up and take me home”.  Oh! She was too cute.  We just fell in love with her. When I picked her, she started licking my face as if to say a “thank you”.   As we had named her "Rocky" not knowing the gender, but even after realising we continued calling her “Rocky” instead of changing her name.  As we often say “what’s in a name”.  She was with us for about seven years and when we lost her, we all felt that we had lost a very near and dear one.  It was good for her to go in a way as she had developed diabetes and glaucoma.  Though, she was being treated for it, but it did not help much.  We did not want to put her to sleep as we wanted her to go naturally but we really took great care of her medically as she was part of our family.  

Let me describe this breed. It’s tail is curled over the top of the back. The feet are very small while the eyes look too large for the rest of its body. Cheerful, alert and eager, the German Spitz loves human attention, is a great jumper and likes to stand on its hind legs. They love and are possessive and protective of little children in the house and they don’t like visitors to be too close to the children thinking they going to harm them.  This breed is generally healthy and it needs to enjoy at least a daily walk.  We need to brush the coat regularly to prevent matting.

There are ways to tell if you are truly bonded with your dog.  Mutual respect -- the foundation of any great friendship -- is often a key factor in evaluating the bond between a dog and her owner.

Dogs who are closely bonded with their owners tend to keep them in sight. A well-trained dog who adores you might slip out the front door, but will probably poke her head back in to see if you're coming along.  "Bonding With Your Dog: Your dog's level of training and her age can also influence how well she listens and remains aware of your presence. "When a dog is in adolescence or younger, it is prone to be a little more on the exploratory side,” It doesn't necessarily mean your dog is not strongly bonded with you if she tries to go her own way. For example, dogs in full pursuit of a squirrel or other prey might be oblivious to their owners shouts to return, For your dog's safety, however, it's important to train her to return when you call, regardless of whatever else is happening.

Your dog's greeting is another sure sign that she loves you. When you come home from work, she probably wags her tail and does a happy dance by marching in place or circling all around you. Your dog might even get so excited that she leaps into the air or jumps up on you. All of this says "woo hoo!" in dog language. A dog's enthusiasm is endearing, except when she crosses the boundaries of good behavior. Sometimes we unwittingly reinforce our dog's craziness because it looks so cute or funny. Even so, if she cannot control herself, it's time to rein her in. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends ignoring your dog if she jumps on you. In turn, also try praising and petting her when she keeps her paws to herself.

Taking your dog out for a stroll should be fun, not a game of tug-of-war. Dogs who share a close bond with their owners tend to "check in" when they're out for a walk. When your dog looks up at you during the walk, she is confirming that you're an important part of it. For high-energy dogs, it's sometimes difficult to walk politely on a leash. But the energy and obedience factor is sometimes secondary. This is all about your dog acknowledging your presence.

Knowing what interests or motivates your dog is a good way to increase your bond. Some examples are playing catch, engaging in a game of chase or occasionally giving your dog a special treat for good behavior. Things that involve food are very reinforcing for a dog and bring human and dog closer together. Avoid giving them sweets and salties. Keeping a routine is also important and can be very calming for your dog. This includes a fairly set schedule for feeding and playtime. Ultimately, you are the best judge of whether you and your dog share a truly close bond.  If she doesn't always listen, it might simply mean a little more training is in order. When in doubt, seek out a reputable dog trainer for advice.

To look after a dog is to accept a sacred bond that involves hours of walking, even on a freezing cold winter’s morning, regular meal times, the exercise of gentle authority and eye-watering expensive vet’s bills.

It does have its stressful moments. You must all be tested for allergies, because few things are worse than sending back a puppy when your children start to wheeze and sneeze. You must train your dog to come to heel, which is achieved only through bribery and never by shouting. You must be prepared to find at least one pair of shoes and several precious books destroyed during teething. You must get yours micro chipped, wormed, vaccinated every year, and find someone to look after your dog when you go away on holiday.

I can’t understand people who pay others to walk their dogs, because walking one is a huge part of the pleasure of ownership. A walk with a dog makes everything in nature more vivid, including what they have just rolled in and the angry picnickers who have just lost a sandwich. Yes, a dog is for life, and if it is true they are denied a place in Heaven, then I have no hesitation in going to the Other Place.

By its very nature, property cannot have real rights. However, since animals and humans alike have the same interest in not suffering, they should be treated according to the principle of equal consideration in this respect. Therefore, they should not be seen as property.

Parsan Narang

3rd August 2016