Filter Coffee #243
Guest Edition - On the Love of a Dog
Osaka, Japan
Dear readers, FC 242 saw a lot of great comments. I’m sharing some of them below.
Lakshmi Raman says: “I must have dropped a brick with family many a time in my younger days as I was known for being upfront and outspoken. Nowadays, I am more sensitive in my dealings with others. Perhaps it's because many things that mattered in my younger days now cease to matter to me? I have to do another think on this.”
Damandeep says: “What a brick-tacular post! Reminds me of politics and how politicians cannot afford a brick dropping ! A great reminder to not brick under pressure! Don’t be a prick should be replaced with don’t be a brick! Ok too many bad ones! But superb morning read. It reminds us how careful sometimes one has to be in social circles! It also applies to work - you told the employer ‘My kid is unwell. I need a leave.’ and forget about it only to drop the brick telling your colleagues you went to Kidzania that day with your kid (not a true story)!”
Amba Prasad says: “HAPPY UGADI! I had not imagined an explanation about 'dropping of BRICK' can be as multidimensional as a BRICK can be and looks like it can be elaborated more! Got reminded of situations where I experienced such statements made (deliberate or otherwise) in one or another gathering. Wonderful reading indeed, with a coffee! Trust the Bangkok airport is not impacted by the earthquake and there is no disruptions to the flight ops. The city has borne the brunt as such. Have a great trip and enjoy the Season of Cherry Blossom.”
Dear Readers, as I get ready to head home after a flowery encounter with sakura (cherry blossom) trees in Osaka and Kyoto, I am happy to say that Preeta Narain, a reader, has very kindly stood in for me and sent in this very interesting guest post about the many ways dogs touch our lives. Please read and encourage her. Thank you.
🐕 For the Love of a Dog
by Preeta Narain
“All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. For after all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog.”- Charles M. Schulz
This quote by the author of one of the most popular comics, Peanuts, always makes me smile. There is no doubt that dogs were created with the best of intentions and were meant to be friends to humans, give them joy and love. The symbiotic relationship between man and dog was established many hundreds of years ago. Dogs depended on man for food, shelter and care, and men in return were repaid by their loyalty and protection.
Sometime along the way dogs were promoted from watchdog status to beloved pet and that’s where things get interesting. Man, at some point, noticed the undeniable intelligence of these creatures and the love they were ready to lavish on the strange two-legged animals who always gave them food to eat. Love was reciprocated - and dogs were welcomed into homes and hearts.
A well-loved dog can be as intelligent as a well-trained dog, because by just observing the master they pick up all the cues that inform them all they need to know - this I have experienced personally! They know just by our clothes if we are going out or staying in (and whether we’re taking them along or not!), going to the vet or going for a walk, when we have finished our meal and going to rise from the table, and when we are ready to turn in. Sometimes they take it on themselves to tell you it’s time to go to bed! Their vocabulary is completely proportional to what we speak to them. They very quickly learn words like 'come', 'no', 'walk', 'good' etc. There are even people who use gadgets to teach their dogs so many words that the dog can actually converse with them. There is a very interesting documentary on Netflix called ‘Inside the Mind of a Dog’, which illustrates the brilliance of these amazing animals.
They find their own way to communicate too. Easiest for us to understand are the wagging tail and generous licks. But my own dog Bella, will remind me to add her supplement oil to her meal by looking pointedly at the bottle or she will look at the treat box when she wants one.
Shiny eyes, pricked up ears and a wagging tail indicate she wants to play, a side eye glance from her while she is playing with a toy means hands off! If she wants our attention, she will give us quick jabs with her nose! We had an Alsatian called Bruno when I was in high school who would grab me gently by the wris⁹t and lead me to open the front door, when he wanted to go out into the garden.
It is the tendency of their perceiving you as part of their pack that fills them with such love and joy. It gives them the reason to protect and love you unconditionally. They see you eating, and they approach you without hesitation – "Hey where did u get that? Gimme a bite too!" This also makes them highly sensitive to our moods and emotions. Any day you wake up feeling low or under the weather you will find their warm body sitting close to you, the weight of their body grounding you in the best possible way. Hands covering a depressed face will get nosed out of the way as tears get licked off. They will lie next to you if you are sick and not move until you get back on your feet. Someone has rightly said "The best therapist has fur and four legs"!
They have a sense of humour too and can be goofy enough for you to laugh out loud. My dog Loki used to make up rules for games – he would guard an item that he had taken to play with, be it a toy or his ‘blankie’, but if by chance or stealth you got it away from him then he would let go and try to get it back for himself.
Two books which I would like to recommend are The Book of Dog, edited by Hemali Sodhi, and The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. The latter is one of my all-time favourite books in which the narrator is a dog who has this wonderful philosophical take on life.
Going back to Schultz’s quote, yes, it’s true all dogs are almost always good! A dog who is aggressive may have been abused, beaten or teased. They could be hungry, fearful or sick – or maybe a mama dog protecting her babies. They normally give ample warning and rarely attack without reason. This brings me to the ‘menace’ or ‘plight’ of stray dogs - depending on how you want to perceive it.
Mahatma Gandhi famously stated, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated". This is a direct call to citizens to be compassionate, and aware of these creatures who have every right to this planet which is very much theirs as is ours.
Stray dogs in any area have enemies and friends among their daily interaction with humans. The angels among us find compassion and generosity in their hearts to feed, vaccinate, sterilise and care for these creatures from their own pockets. One such angel, an elderly lady who lived in our apartment in Bangalore, could be found regularly feeding the dogs outside, picking up abandoned pups and dropping them off at the shelter and even rushing to get treatment for injured dogs. She became an inspiration to adults and children alike who learned to be compassionate to these dogs whom she looked upon as children.
It is common practice for some security guards and construction workers to keep dogs around. The dogs stay alert at night and bark out their warnings at strangers prowling around. In the building where I lived there was a small brown stray dog that the security guards had named Champa. She was sweet and friendly to the children waiting for their school bus, but never failed to bark her displeasure at visitor’s cars entering the wrong gate or speeding vehicles.
When Champa's leg was broken by a rash driver, all the pet parents in the building contributed towards the surgery and medicines. Compassion can bring together total strangers to do good.
The Supreme Court and High Court have ruled that feeding stray dogs must occur in the areas where they reside, and no one can prevent this activity. This decision also includes the rights of these animals to basic care. The people who feed usually do so in designated areas and, according to the courts, cannot be prevented from feeding the animals and can appeal for police protection against aggressive and non-sympathetic residents. Many feeders have been physically manhandled, abused and threatened while quietly trying to feed the hungry creatures who have been waiting for them all day. Residents complain that dogs bark and chase them when they come home at night. Looking at it from the dog’s perspective they are just guarding their pack and the area. Here I would suggest trying to make friends with them during the day – they are easily won over. It is important that adults and children be educated about how to react and respond to dogs. This can be learned online or discussed with dog owners.
Many beautiful dogs are abandoned by owners who lost interest or found other things to do with their time. These pets are heartbroken being thrown out of the only home they have known and only family they loved. Shelters are full of such loving animals thrown out through no fault of theirs. We had adopted a beautiful cocker spaniel from Charlie's Animal Rescue Centre, an animal shelter based here in Bangalore: 🔗https://charlies-care.com/.
He had been abused and was thin enough for us to be able to see his ribs. He had a few aggressive behaviours because of this, in spite of which, he was ready to be friendly, wagging his tail and doling out licks. Under our love and patience he blossomed into a beautiful boy with no more resentments or aggression. They are that easy to please! He became the darling of all the little children, and would obediently sit down so that they could pet him. Later on, when he was sick and had become thin and weak, the little ones would say “I hope you get well soon Loki!”.
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” - Anatole France
A dog walked into my life and left his paw prints all over my heart and my life was never the same again. They love you without reservation, they don’t judge you, they don’t resent you if you are in a bad mood or yell at them, they wait for your return and celebrate like crazy when you walk through that door. Look into their eyes and see ages of wisdom and love. They are happy to share your life even if you think you have nothing to offer them, they will sleep on the edge of your piece of cardboard if that’s all the bed you have, chew on bits of stale bread if that’s all you can offer and play with a stick if you can’t get them toys – and still love you absolutely. What can be purer than that?
Dear Readers, I hope you loved reading about dogs and how every dog must have every day. See you next week. Take care & be safe. Ciao.
Who is Amar?. THAT was from me. Shahji
Very good one. Remember the dogs I had very fondly.You only had to open the gate, after a long time from home and the dog would run up and down the 36 cents 0f land we had those days wagging it's tail. You could see the dog was happy to see it's master after a very long time.