Like? Please! I LOVE LOVE LOVE them!
Just to prove to everyone that I don’t merely like dogs and that I love them, here is a set of photos collected over time. I like to click photos with every dog I meet. Each one of these furry people is special, and I like to preserve the memory.
Since the pandemic began, many friends adopted dogs which meant more of these adorable animals for me to visit. Lest I forget or get confused, I actually spend time rehearsing the names of dogs and dog owners and maintain a ‘match the following’ table in my head.
Of course, clicking a pic with such hyperactive beings is a challenge. It usually takes at least ten clicks before I can get one in which the dog and I and not blurred due to movement.
In no particular order, then, feast on these cuddly cuddly doggos.
Met this darling fella at an eatery somewhere on the Mysore-Bangalore highway. He attached himself to me the whole time we were there. Who am I to complain? Bought him a packet of biscuits and reluctantly left him behind after our breakfast!
Met this lovely mommy at another eatery on, well, the Mysore-Bangalore highway. You’d think we had nothing better to do than zip along highways, stop at eateries, and click dog pics. That would be a good life, yes.
She took one look at me and decided she could use a head-scratcher. Maybe I have a neon sign saying ‘head and neck scratcher for hire.’ She refused to budge. Even her little pup struggling to reach her milk-supply parts did not deter her from getting her head scratched. Gosh, I love her! See her happy expression!
Zola is an absolutely adorable bundle of joy. I went to meet my friend, and Zola refused to let us talk. She wanted all the attention, and I was more than happy to give her that. My friend was a little miffed that I kept forgetting to talk to her. Finally, she sent Zola into a room so we could chat. Darn! 🙂
My daughter got off her autorickshaw and called me urgently to the gate one day. I wondered what could be so urgent. Guess what was waiting for me? This tiny brown indie! My daughter was totally taken in by the scrawny fellow. He dutifully allowed us to pet him for a while. I guess everyone who passes by pets him. He seemed almost resigned to it. When we were done, he scrambled into some bushes by the gate and was not found again. The security folk at the gate told us he lives there. My daughter sees him often and reports his progress. Apparently, he has grown since the last time I saw him.
Toddy — he had me at the name! What a cute and hypervigilant fella he is. It was love at first sight! Borrowed him once so I could spend quality time with him! Such perky ears and alert eyes. With his sharp features, Toddy always looks like he is about to say something. I won’t be surprised if he starts talking one day!
Bruno is my bestie’s super handsome German Shepherd. When I first met him, he was a tiny teething furball and couldn’t stop biting whatever he could lay teeth on. He is a grown-up boy now and looks so majestic. Handsome would be an understatement!
Lulu! Gosh. She stole a huge chunk of my heart as soon as I saw her in the pic her owner posted on our WhatsApp group. I had to go visit her. What a lovely time I had. She is so cuddlorable! She enjoys cuddling and licking and tumbling and generally getting all the attention possible. The last time I saw her, she was cheerfully draped on the dashboard of her owner’s car. How cute is that!! <No, they weren’t driving with her on the dashboard.>
The first time I laid eyes on Cobi in a pic shared by the owner, he was a tiny black ball of wool. By the time I went to meet him, he was a wolf! So utterly handsome and so unbelievably gentle. I had to tear myself away from him and leave for my home. Had so much fun playing fetch with him.
The high point of my career as a ‘taker of photos with random dogs’ — a Tibetan Mastiff!! We met this bear-sized guy and 5–6 of his relatives — there were brothers, sisters, parents, and grandparents in the mix — at a homestay near Bangalore. This guy was the friendliest. Look at him staring into the camera. Maybe he is used to the paparazzi since he is such a showstopper! I had to hold on to the gate for balance when he jumped up on me. What a massive guy!
I’ve been seeing this sweet chap for a few years now. Pink-nosed, with white hair, he is the epitome of gentleness. He lives near my cousin’s home and apparates from under parked cars when my cousin whistles for him.
Met Vanilla when I visited my friend’s farm. He adopted us immediately. When my friends and I went on a walk, he joined us and made sure he kept an eye on us the whole time. We might have been lost if not for his vigil 🙂
I’ve been watching Loki, another bestie’s dog, from the time he was a tiny bundle to his current handsome self. He clearly likes me, considering he is trying to take a chunk out of me 🙂 My favorite story about Loki is the time I showed up outside his door without his knowledge. He came out, saw me, and had such a shocked expression. If he could speak, he’d have said, “What the heck, lady! How did you get here so quietly?”
Of all the dogs in this article, Kaiser’s story is the best. As a puppy, Kaiser lived next to a friend’s friend’s home. Let’s call the friend’s friend, Uma to help you keep up. Kaiser’s parents suddenly decided to move countries and gave up Kaiser for adoption. Uma was so attached to Kaiser and very concerned that he should go to a good home.
He finally found new parents on a farm near Shringeri town. Uma was not sure. She wanted to go meet Kaiser and make sure he was happy. Uma, my friend, and I booked a train and made a two-day trip to Shimoga and Shringeri to check on Kaiser. You can see in the pic that he seems to be at home. We verified Kaiser’s happiness, received a tour of his beautiful farm, and gorged on amazing fresh farm-home-cooked food. Such a fun trip that was!
If you are wondering whether I have a dog or two of my own — no, I don’t. I would love to. I think my husband lives in terror that I’ll bring home a dog someday. He is not an animal person. He has told me that it will be him or the dog. I suspect he is not sure I will choose him if it comes to that. He has nothing to fear, though!
I had the unconditional love of a dog called Vicky all through my childhood. I am so grateful for that. But now, I think the emotion of having a dog, dealing with sickness, if any, and the short life span will be too much for me. I recently lost my hamster, Bushy, and am still not over his passing.
Anu Anniah Writes 