Changed by love

Thirty years ago, when I stepped into my in-laws' house, the dogs there sent shivers down my spine. 

My in-laws and husband were dog lovers and had a German Shepherd and Dachshund.

A decade later, we moved into our new house. My husband and daughter persuaded me to allow Arco, our first dog, to join the family in 2006. However, Arco's calm and composed temperament and loving nature made me a complete dog lover in no time.

Then arrived Arco's son Ingx in 2009. To us, Arco is our son and Ingx the grandson. Both of them are free to move around the house. There is never a dull moment at home when they are playing. They are very unhappy if they are separated even for a brief period.

Returning after a hard day's work is easier as the atmosphere is instantly transformed into a relaxed and cheerful mood. They sit by my side silently when I am sad.

Their birthdays are always celebrated every year in a special way with a customised cake.

Their staple diet is Pedigree twice a day, chicken or mutton soup and a small bone. Special treats include canned food and chewies from the USA selected with lots of love and care by my daughter, son-in-law and us.

Weekends and public holidays are days they are extremely happy because we are at home and they are around us.  I think their greatest fear is when we leave them behind during our vacation.

They are looked after by my maid who loves them as much as we do.  On a rainy day, when they come into the house, they have been taught to sit on the doormat first and then enter.

They enjoy each other's company and understand our lingo quite well. If we admonish them, they give us looks that melt our hearts. The rare outings in the car are something they enjoy the most.

Ingx loves to look out through the window while Arco sits down quietly.  Being shy and timid by nature, Arco always gives in to his son.

Every fortnight they have a bath in warm water which ends with a good brushing of the teeth.

Hats off to my husband who patiently does all this for these boys.

In case they fall sick, Arco's medication is purely homoeopathic and he loves to swallow the tiny granules from our palm.

Homoeopathic medicines have given very good results in his case.  It is true when we say our pets love us more than they love themselves.

Our loving Dachshunds are little boys with big hearts and are much more amazing than what we imagined them to be.

Sitavi  Yathiender