What pet parents don't (often) tell you

A little peek into the naughty side of that mushy face!

There’s no doubt Pippi brightens up our days with his antics. Chasing a squirrel, sniffing out a rat, snoring to no end, or just goofing around — all of these spark joy in us. I am sure other pet parents will vouch for how much these fur balls add meaning to our lives and make them bearable. But, there are times when they also drive us to our wit’s end and make us pull out whatever is left of our hair! I won’t complain, but here’s a little peek into the often-not-told-but-true side of pet parenting my dogs have shown me over the years. Which of these do your pets tick?

The grooming drama

Nothing tests our resilience, patience, stamina and intelligence like bathing our dogs! After the rains, Pippi enjoys putting his paws in muddy puddles. While standing under the bathroom shower, however, a completely different story unfolds. His ears perk up at a mere mention of the word ‘snāna’ (bath), and once he sees us pick up his towel, he curls up under the bed and refuses to move! Belli and Rinky, the dogs that we had a few years ago, would do the same once they saw us ready a bucket and a mug. No amount of coaxing and luring help. When we finally make it to the bathroom and get done with the ordeal and pat them dry, they all love to bask in the sun and show off their glow. We, on the other hand, are left to recuperate from the herculean task!

Another weird thing that we pet parents do in the guise of petting our pets is to run our hands on their fur to look for ticks and fleas — tiny but pesky parasites that lurk in their coat. They find their way to our pets in many ways — from the garden, during their walk, from other pets, at the vets’, or from a boarding place. A slight oversight on our part in getting hold of them — and our homes are at the risk of a massive infestation! It is an anxiety-ridden task to remove the occasional tick and hope that our fur babies are not at the risk of contracting tick fever! Add to this trimming the nails with a nail clipper. Thankfully, pet spas give some of us a much-needed respite from these necessary but tiring chores.

The walking ragas

The morning walk is one thing that all our dogs look forward to. If cats rule your house, you are spared! A walk is our dogs’ only opportunity to explore the outside world — their natural home. Pippi seems to have a precision atomic clock in his body that alerts him when the clock hits 7 in the morning or 5 in the evening. He wakes up from his slumber, comes to us and starts rubbing his wet nose on our hands. Then, he scratches with his paws to remind us. Once we show some signs of acknowledgement, the raga starts. Until we get out of the door, a high-pitched hum is switched on while he struts around dancing in joy! I have seen some dogs bark, some howl and some go crazy with zoomies — all excited to go on their walk!

There are days when a meeting is lined up or an appointment scheduled, and you want to get this precious walk done as soon as possible. But, of course, our pooches have a totally different plan! On that exact day, every tree, every twig and every blade of grass appears to be so exciting and they have to sniff it all! No matter how much you hurry, the pee and the poop seem to be stuck and they take their own sweet time to get this done. (Wo)man proposes, dog disposes!

Fetching freebies

Ask any pet parent and they will fish out a list of the most unlikely gifts they have received —not from jilted lovers, but from our dear furballs. A dead mouse, an injured pigeon, a discarded bone, a dismembered toy — all of these! My uncle’s cat used to bring home all her bounties — dead and maimed — and put them on his table! Each time, it was a grotesque clean-up. Many a time, Pippi’s sharp nose detects a mouse that he then artfully digs up and kills. While he does not eat his hunt or bring it inside, there are dogs that do. Worse, some rub their bodies against the carcass! Eww, right? Well, that calls for another round of the grooming drama!

Tailspin is your monthly column on everything that’s heartwarming and annoying about pet parenting.

The writer is a science communicator and mom to Pippi, a four-year-old rescued Indie, who is behind her drive to understand dogs better. She tweets @RamanSpoorthy