Mr. D knows when bags are being packed, that someone is traveling. The closing of the zip of the bags or trolleys gets him really excited and he will pace up and down the house. This morning was no exception :-). He knew someone was traveling and did he know if he was going with them? One question to which only he knows the answer to.

Before stepping out of the house when we are traveling with him, he is taken out on a biological break so that he is comfortable during the travel. Since he was taken early for this break, he thought that his all-time favorite and one he considers his ‘everything’ – my older son, was travelling somewhere without him. He had apparently shown hesitation all thru the time he was taken for his break; and kept looking back to see if his all-time favorite was coming behind. When Mr. D returned from his short ‘break walk’ and found his ‘everything’ ready in the car and waiting at the gate, his happiness was unbounded and as always, a treat to watch.

Today’s travel was on a nature walk conducted by Karthik Ramasubramanian, a Canine behaviorist (and as I always say ‘the third boy of our house’). According to Karthik, nature walks are conducted by him every Sunday morning. The path the walk would take depends on various factors to name a couple of them – the people accompanying the dogs (pet parents as they are called) and the nature of the pets (quiet / reactive / aggressive / anxious etc). The required permissions taken, people in the area befriended with, for any need or requirement. Amazing to hear the planning that happens behind these nature walks.

Our nature walk today with Mr. D and the  other Mr’s and Ms’s was a lovely trail that culminated in water body. It was slightly chill when we started and as time passed by, the sun was boring down on us. Chill or no chill, sun or no sun, heat or no heat – it was such a treat to watch the pets and the pet parents (His all-time favorite is Mr.D’s pet parent).

There were a few stops on the way, for the pet parents to engage in play with their pets and opportunities for the pets to walk around, smellingly explore. Each pet and pet parent being at quite a distance from the other pets and pet parents; just them to themselves. Karthik peppering each stop with his tips and suggestions. So much of time and opportunity for the canine training and parental training to happen. I could not but admire Karthik’s growth over the years of being in this line of life, and just watch with pride the passion he displays towards what he does.

      

As we walked past houses in the area, we could hear the barking of the dogs in those houses, at the ones we were walking with. Well!! we were in their territory and they were showing who was the boss there :-). We also met some people who were doing their cycling trips. I could not but smile at the agog look on some of their faces – they must have been wondering what this pack of dogs and the group of individuals were doing, walking one behind the other, on a trail that they were cycling in :-).

            

Pet caretaking is a load of work, especially when they are taken out, in a trail or a walk – carry food, treats, play stuff, extra leash, collar / harness, poop scooper, newspaper, water and any other stuff unique to the pet’s needs. Then comes the watching of their reaction to any animal, sound, bark, smell that they sense in the environment. This requires some addressing of the pet’s emotions, as needed. Mr.D’s hair was all raised especially near his tail, when he met a Rotweiller on the road. Apparently that happens when he encounters what he thinks is a threat. I was like, “Oops, I haven’t seen this before!!”. They then went “grrrr” “brrr” at each other. Mr. D was moved away from the vicinity of the Rotweiller and the Rotweiller’s caretaker had come by then and taken him / her away.

It was interesting to experience what a long walk can do to Mr.D’s appetite – when we give him his dog food, we just put a few pellets of the food first. Sometimes he smells it and walks away, giving that “I am not interested look”. If he is interested, he will smell it, make a dance around it by shoving it away with his leg (as though to see if it is moving) or sometimes take the pellet in his mouth, throw it up in the air, catch it and spit it out. He would then go after it and eat it. Today, the moment the box containing his food was opened, he gobbled it up in no time at all. Poor boy, must have been really hungry!! When he saw another pet being fed something by the pet parent, he went close to get something from them as well :-). He had to be tugged away. How much food attracts!!

By the time we winded up on the nature walk, the sun was all out spreading the heat and one could feel the thought of “Ok, now time to go home and give a bath to Mr. D; and take some rest as well.” Just then a flock of sheep came walking with their sheperd. Mr. D saw them and he stopped. Seeing him standing rooted to a spot and looking at them, the entire flock of sheep stopped in their tracks. Mr. D can let out a noisy bark which can be scary to the person hearing it. His charging at them can be even more so. When he did the noisy bark and charging to the sheep, the entire flock of sheep turned back and started to flee. The sheperd’s call to them made them to stop fleeing. Seeing Mr. D walk away from them, they turned around and started to walk forward.

It was a wonderful experiential morning with quite some take aways –

  • Listen to the person who is leading the walk (the Canine behaviorist / trainer) and diligently follow the instructions given
  • Avoid showing anxiety to your pet, it picks it up; their reactions to the anxiety can be different when they are in an environment unfamiliar to them
  • Stay away from getting too close in proximity to the dogs (be it yours or those of the others), especially in an environment that is new to you and to them; your friendliness can be extended by being a step away. They feel threatened when you get into their space and what they do after that is anybody’s guess.

Can’t but wait to go on more such walks and on different trails, with different pets and pet parents. Since I didn’t have to walk Mr. D or take care of him (that was the first condition I laid out, when we adopted Mr. D when he was 45 days old – I will not walk him), I was enjoying my time with myself and nature; and also mentally writing this blog 🙂

This nature walk is also open for people like me or people who do not have pets but would like to explore nature thru a walk with Karthik, with pets and their pet parents.

        

You can reach out to this number to understand more of these walks and join also (pet parent or non-pet parent) –  +91 9148684006 (Arjun would be the person who would receive your calls / messages).