How did the idea for The Book of Dog came about?
I love hearing stories about other people’s dogs – and can keep talking about our dogs and their antics and personalities endlessly!
I had briefly toyed with the idea of a collection on dog stories and anecdotes a few years ago, but never really got around to it – till the pandemic struck and we were all at home, trying to make sense of this vastly altered world. And while everything around was changing, and things were so terrifyingly uncertain, some of us derived great comfort from our canine companions (who were of course, thrilled with all the bonus time they were getting with their humans!)
That’s when I went back to the idea of the dogs in our lives and how enriching and joyful the experience of having a canine companion is. They are such a remarkable presence in our lives, an important part of our families, though we don’t always often recognize or appreciate this fact – and I felt all these stories and narratives needed to be put together in one book. And I’m incredibly grateful to our contributors – all 45 of them – who so willingly and happily shared their personal stories and anecdotes for the book, and agreed to donate all royalties to animal welfare charities – so every book that’s bought goes towards helping an animal in need.
You say early in the book that you were never a dog person. How did that change?
{{/usCountry}}You say early in the book that you were never a dog person. How did that change?
{{/usCountry}}Yes, I was actually petrified of dogs while growing up! I mention the circumstances of what happened in the introduction to the book: but to cut a long story short – I was (with great reluctance, at the time) persuaded to bring home little Simba – a small, chubby, cherubic pup – home. And he changed my world. He was completely and utterly adorable - wise and calm, but also playful, and with so much love to give. There was never a dull day with him around. Simba made bad days better – he was therapeutic; you couldn’t help but fall headlong in love with him.
Dogs have the power to capture your heart completely. I can’t believe I spent my early years without a dog in my life.
Ashok Ferrey, in his piece, explains that because it is his wife who’s “bitten” by the dogs, it must therefore fall on her to do all the “dog’s things”. Who takes care of the dogs in your home?
All members our household are now ardent dog lovers – and take care of the dogs by turn. Having said that, dogs do have their own ‘people’ who they tend to hang around with more – so indoors I spend more time with them, while for outdoorsy things its usually my partner or someone else from the house.
In the book, Naomi Barton writes that her dog Melo took HER “on walks where she had been too scared to go alone”, that it “made her go out into the world, every day”. What fears have your conquered with the help of your dogs?
I learn many valuable lessons from dogs every day. I think the most important thing is to allow yourself to let go, and live in the moment. To love more, and judge less. To give the day all you’ve got. To not take yourself ridiculously seriously. I wish I could practise more of that.
There’s a lot of dog lore in the book. Keshava Guha writes about how his Nani’s dog, Shikhari, followed her, getting on and off the bus, to school. Anuja Chauhan writes about Goldie knowing exactly which politicians to bite. Do share some dog lore of your own.
Oh, there are many! There’s this one time when we were with Simba in the hills and I remember two women from the village quietly whispering: Yeh kitna sunder hai, Chinese model hoga. Or the time Simba was christened ‘Million Dollar Baby’ by our very exasperated vet, because he’d swallowed a coin, and every day we were all scrutinizing his poop for signs of the coin to pop out. Or how we realized Simba was quietly being taken in the car to the markets, because all shop owners recognized him and gave a ₹50 discount on vegetables for Simba’s home. There are also many, many other fun stories around our other pups – especially Jack Sparrow, who used to stop traffic in the lane because he’d be sitting for hours under a tree, waiting for a squirrel to come down!
Despite being important and loyal companions to humans since forever, we often hear the label of “dog” used as an insult. What’s your take on this?
Well, that is actually the highest form of praise in our home!
According to my neighbour, stray dogs are “a problem”. How instrumental are organisations like Friendicoes and others in imparting a culture of care when it comes to strays and pets?
I think the problem arises when we view this as an adversarial relationship in the first place. Dogs have as much a right to be in their colonies as humans do – and the idea should always be how to make this coexistence more collaborative. Having said that, there are some things to be addressed – sterilization, feeding areas, vaccinations – and most important, sensitizing residents on making this work, rather than the default reaction of some people who want to throw the dogs out, or make lives difficult for people who feed them. Organisations like Friendicoes, Welfare of Stray Dogs and many others work tirelessly to take care of these issues and I have the utmost respect for them. I also think residents should take it upon themselves to educate each other, and generally promote a space where a culture of care is encouraged.
When Donny, Anuja Chauhan’s Nani’s dog refused to come home after walks, she found a circuitous route which brought them home. With so many dogs in your life, what are some hacks you employ, that others could replicate, to see their dogs’ daily needs are met?
Pet parents basically devise hacks for most things: pills camouflaged in a bit of mithai or cheese (if the dog isn’t diabetic, of course), handmade rope toys made out of cloth in case you’re busy and your dog is getting bored – our biggest challenge has been around dogs and baths (most of our dogs have, for some reason, resisted being bathed). In such cases, one has to use a mix of coaxing and forcing. But each dog is different and has a distinct personality. Manu Bhattathri has a lovely bit in his essay on how they had to coax his dog Yippee to pee when he was ill.
I think another thing we’ve been aware of is to get regular health checkups done for our dogs after a certain age – this can lead to anticipating any issues in their later years.
There’s much research done on this and it’s clear that pets, especially dogs, suffer from separation anxiety when left alone for long periods. This lockdown notwithstanding, many of us have jobs which require us to be away from home for eight to 10 hours a day. What about our dogs then? While getting another dog may seem like a reasonable thing to do, how can we ensure all of their happiness while we are away?
I think it’s important to bear in mind that a dog is a responsibility, and one should get one only if you think you’re able to provide for their needs. Dogs also grow up from the puppy you first brought in to large beings requiring space of their own, and you must factor that in. Don’t just get a dog and tie them on a balcony or keep them outside – they are social by nature and crave attention and love.
Having said that, if you really love dogs and want to get one, there are ways and tips to keep them engaged while you’re away – they are also creatures of routine and settle into one soon – it’s important that you invest time in creating the right environment.
Indian cities don’t have areas for people to take their dogs. Some like Mumbai’s housing societies with their “no pets allowed” signs are actively hostile to pets. Is that culture changing?
There’s still a lot to achieve here. Again, having said that, the responsibility lies both with the organisations to open their hearts and doors, and with pet parents to facilitate responsible interactions. But I do still struggle with spaces to take our dogs to – this is changing, but still hasn’t changed enough.
What are the best memories you’ve had with your dogs?
Too many to list here. Read the book for not just mine, but 45 other contributors who have the most amazing, heartwarming stories to tell. To mention just a few: whether it is Divya Dugar’s dog who knows only two are allowed in a train coupe (she’s the third) so hides every time someone comes to check the ticket; Jai Arjun Singh’s dog who travelled several kilometers on Delhi’s streets to get home; Gulzar saab’s moments with his beloved dog Pali; the absolutely hilarious incident of how Shobhaa De broke the news of bringing a dog home to the unsuspecting Mr De; Ananya Vajpeyi’s anecdote about how one of their dogs was kidnapped and the dramatic chase and recovery; precious moments Rajdeep Sardesai shared with their beautiful Nemo… There are many, many wonderful moments and memories in this anthology.
Many of us give our dogs very English-sounding names. Yours were named Simba, Jack, Carlos, Cooper, Nikki, Junior, Muffin and Custard, Aanchal Malhotra named her dogs Juno and Keats, and Rajdeep Sardesai had Nemo. Is there something at play here?
What’s in a name? A dog by any name is just as sweet. Speaking for myself, most of our dogs have been rescues and came with names of their own, which we didn’t want to change. And as for Jack Sparrow... Well, a dog who looked like a pirate with an eye patch couldn’t be named anything else!
KX Ronnie is an independent journalist.