The various breeds of Dog Lovers!

I wanted to have my own dog when i was around 6. I demanded and cribbed but nothing came of it. I still wanted it when i was 12 and so i demanded and cribbed but nothing came of it even then. I wanted it when i was 16 but alas it was not to be!

More so, I could not fathom how my parents could be so stone hearted as to not want our very own dog. How could they be so unwarm to not want the bouncy ball of fur wagging its tail and smiling the lip less, selfless smile at us all the time? I would especially feel perplexed when they made it seem like bringing home a dog would be some demanding chore and thus unmanageable.

I thus remained grim on that front until i discovered out of observation that like the dogs even the dog lovers happen to belong to different breeds! It was this discovery that made me understand my parents’ point of view and made me understand why i could not have had a dog and more importantly why some people too should not have them.

Broadly speaking there are four breeds of dog lovers, those-

1) who love dogs- LOVERS,

2) who care for dogs- CARERS,

3) who own dogs- OWNERS, and

4) who do all of the above- NURTURERS.

LOVERS:- I claim to love dogs, for i really do, but i only have to meet the “Nurturers” to know what true love requires you to do and i doubt whether i am in a position to do all of that thus bringing a dog home simply on the basis of what i feel would be unreasonable and unfair to the dog. Hence, to get a dog home you need to ask not what you feel but what can you do to take care of him or her. Its like bringing up a child. Your love soon takes the form of duties and responsibilities and if you cannot do them your love can only be damaging to the one you claim to love!

CARERS:- ‘Care’ like ‘Love’ has always been a very relative concept! You can claim to care but the questions is- Do you? Giving dogs left over food or even “Parle-G” biscuits on your morning walks or whiling waiting at the bus stop is more convenience than care. But yes cancelling that meeting or an outing for your beloved pet would be care. Its the lifestyle changes you incorporate for the sake of your dog that defines your care. Not everyone can do that thus not everyone can claim to belong to this breed!

OWNERS:- This breed is the most amusing. They ‘own’ dogs but are never around to love, care or nurture their cherished ‘purchases’! They continue with their selfish life style without a bone of concern or guilt. They will not take the dogs for walks, give them food, take them for baths or to the doctors but yes they are the only one’s to be credited for all good that the dogs do! You can only guess then why they own dogs! The unfortunate part is that their so called love can harm the very creatures they boast of loving. In the absence of people (maids, family members etc.) who end up looking after their ‘owners’ indulgences, the dogs risk to suffer from neglect and ill health. It goes without saying that the owners are too indulgent to even acknowledge the effort of these people who end up taking care of the dogs. This breed thus is most lethal.

NURTURERS:- The Nurturers are a truly deserving breed. They genuinely love and care for their pets and it shows. The changes they make to their lifestyle in order to suit their beloved darlings is at times too touching and humbling. I know of a couple who has all the access to a high flying life but prefer the environs of a secluded get away outside the city amidst nature for it suits their pets. I know of a girl whose life selflessly and thanklessly circles around that of her darlings babies.

The nurturers thus exhibit love as it should be and unless you qualify to be of their breed dont get home a pet... until then belong to the breed my parents forced me to!! Bow wow!