In the middle of this year, a stray adopted Anna Shetty and her family. Being intrinsically snooty, I didn’t approve of this at all. Growing up, stray dogs were called pariahs ( parriers as it was mispronounced) ,pies signifying their mixed ancestry, mutts or street dogs. Today, like all words that are upcycled, and gentrified, these dogs are referred to as ‘Indie’ or ’Rescue’ animals giving them greater acceptability and respectability. In fact owners of such animals are considered noble for saving a poor stray from a certain death by the local government.

But the minute I saw Iti (as she was subsequently christened) her imperial bearing impressed and charmed me. With her head high and looking haughtily with her honey-brown eyes, her camel brown coat and nose speckled with pink, she looked like an aristocratic matron out for a morning walk. It was hard to resist her charm and before I knew it, was appointed her official babysitter when Anna Shetty and her family went out of town.

“She’d be shattered if we leave her in a kennel,” she explained to me, the first time I had to doggie sit. “It’s been barely a month since we’ve adopted her and leaving her in a kennel would make her feel she’s abandoned once more .”

I was a bit sceptical with this argument but agreed to look after her especially as Anna Shetty’s house-help would be staying with us too. We managed pretty well though we went through a leash in two days and a stymied attack on my memory foam pillow.

This time around, I was less hesitant in looking after her because by now, Iti had been through a series of training and counselling sessions and seemed to have dealt with the devils that had haunted her.

Spooked

She walked into my house confidently and showed the same poise when I took her down in the daytime. However, in the evening, the friendly dogs from our building came up to greet her enthusiastically barking their joy. Unfortunately, Iti totally freaked and she managed to wiggle out of the collar over her and bolt! My heart sank. Where would I find her? Would she be at the back or on the main road?

Luckily, a watchman spotted her standing confused and bewildered in the driveway. Frantically, I called out to her. She bounded towards me and leapt into my arms. I had to pacify her with cuddles and words of reassurance while I slipped back the collar and carried her home.

That one incident was enough to spook her and she refused to come down until literally dragged. It was awful pulling her and I couldn’t make the collar any tighter so I got her a harness. Even if I had to pull her, this way I wouldn’t be hurting her neck.

Taking her down became easier but she was still reluctant. So last night I asked Hubby Dear to accompany us for our post-dinner stroll. His presence reassured her and she was once again her confident self as she strutted around with us. When Hubby Dear lagged behind, she waited for him. And when we returned home, she happily went to the bed he had laid out for her. That’s when I realised, she felt secure because HE was around. I was miffed by this very obvious gender discrimination.

But way past midnight, she jumped on top of me and gently barked to indicate her need to go down. I immediately shot out of bed and took her down.

After doing her business, I was expecting to be dragged home but she had other plans. Knowing that the other dogs were fast asleep, she decided midnight was the best time for a walk.

Midnight Walk

Luckily she kept the walk short and we returned home.

Ciao