Dolly, the queen of hearts

Our family is fond of pets as they bring in positivity into our lives. Returning home after a hard day's work, the atmosphere instantly transforms into a relaxed and cheerful one if pets are around.

Dolly was the fourth puppy to enter our family. She is a dark brown labrador and has been the queen of the house for the past 11 years.

She behaves as though she is the owner of the house. Though she is loving, warm and overactive, she expects whoever comes to the house to greet her first. She tends to get offended if she is not their first priority and shows her annoyance by barking continuously for hours. She will be upset when we go out without her.

She is brilliant enough to understand our moods. If we are upset or unhealthy, she sits silently and expresses her concern. She expects the same from us too and she knows how to express her feelings very well. We easily understand if she is happy, angry or sad.

She is very strict and selective when it comes to food. She is very fond of non-veg items prepared at home. Her food habits are quite interesting - she does not like milk or rice, but she's fine with curd rice or buttermilk. She loves to eat leaves of amruthaballi and fenugreek seeds. She loves papaya, banana, carrots, peas, groundnuts and dry fruits like almonds and apricots. Her daily diet also includes chappathi, bread, egg, and Pedigree. Whenever she is given a bath, she expects hot coffee/tea.

She becomes furious whenever cows or stray dogs pass by the house or when a stranger comes near the gate. Even though she is quite hefty, she can jump nearly 5 to 6 ft high.

Despite this fierce nature, Dolly gets upset when we scold her. She's quite sensitive. My husband once scolded her for tearing bond papers. She even swallowed steel and nylon scrubbers that were used for cleaning utensils. We noticed this when she vomited it out.

She tells us when she's unwell. She moves around the car, indicating that she wants to head to the doctor. Dolly does not mess up the place as she has taken toilet training seriously.

I could go on and on about my beloved pet. To cut it short, she has brought a lot of happiness and cheer into our lives.