Ah!! Passing thru the pet hospital very close to home, triggers some bittersweet memories.. This hospital was one that Mr. D was taken to from the time he was born till his last moments..

Every time I pass by the hospital, which is almost every other day, I can’t but take a few second peek. The peek isn’t for more than a few seconds as the “Miss you, D” slips out spontaneously, with a smile; and a few tears aren’t too far away..

My visits to this hospital which has a toy and food section for the pets, has been to pick up his pedigree food and toys. It’s fascinating to see the array of pedigree food having a combination of different vegetables, fruits and meat / fish. One needs to pick it up without a clue of how it would taste; and even more clueless of whether Mr. D would like it. I would be reminded of the cerelac that I would pick up, of different flavors, for my boys. With them if they don’t like the taste, it would be playing with them, distracting them and feeding them the food (food can’t be wasted, you see :-)). With Mr. D, if he plays, he is all stimulated and eating is the last thing on his mind.

I would pick the pack of a different flavor pedigree food for Mr. D. If he doesn’t like it, I would go back and pick another pack of a different flavor. More often than not, this flavor would be one he likes. Both the flavors would be mixed and given. Sometimes he would eat everything and sometimes the smart chap will eat the pellets that he likes and leave out those he doesn’t. How he carefully picks only what he likes, is something only he knows.

Toys – ah!!! I have very very fond memories of the toys that would get picked up for him. Always looking for materials that are safe for him to dig his teeth into. There have been those times when I have picked something squeaky, thinking of what he would do when the toy squeaks when he digs his teeth into it. Oh!! his reaction would be a delight to watch. In general, Mr. D is one who is so adept at moving backwards and with so much ease. Something I have always been in awe of.

When he hears the squeak of the toy, he will move backwards quickly but his curiosity to see what it is all about will make him come forward again. This backward and forward movement of his has always been a treasure to see. There are times when I have spent an hour at the food and toy section, to figure out what needs to be bought for him. If we have decided to raise him, he needs to be raised the way we raise ourselves, ain’t it!!

If there was one thing that was on my list of “I won’t do”, it was taking him to the hospital for his vaccination visits or during the time when he would fall sick. Why? When taking him out on the road, I feel helpless when I see him excited and barking at another dog or crouching for a few minutes only ready to spring all of a sudden at that dog. There are those times when he would sniff another dog’s pee and would want to do it in the same place. Moving him away from there is a hard hard hard ask and needs a lot of strength. Sometimes I wouldn’t know if he is moving me or I am moving him. If this is on the road, in the hospital there would be quite many dogs and my helplessness only intensifies.

The only visit I made alone for a consultation with the doctor at the hospital, was when he had some abrasions in one of his legs – an abrasion that is natural for a hound. He looked so uncomfortable and restless on the examination table that I had to do my rounds of conversation with him, to minimise his restlessless. How I loved these conversations with him that would happen at home, before I apply the ointment and dress his abrasions!!!

Did my conversations minimise his restless? I would like to think it did.

Did these conversations with him help? It certainly did, in making us more comfortable with one another. He would look at me as though he was clued into the conversation and that’s all the conversationalist in me needed :-).. We say dogs can be conditioned. I would like to say that I got conditioned to these conversations!! Habituated conversations that became a daily affair!!

I do miss these conversations!! I miss the way he would look at me as though he is listening. I miss the abrupt stop to the listening when he sees or hears something that caught his attention; he would  let out a bark and run from the place, towards the spot of his attention.

The ever loosu and kirukku who gave so much joy and continues to give much joy, thru’ his memories; though accompanied by a tear or two!!

He gave a legacy of so much of joy and life!! Much to learn from what he gave us!!