February 20 is 'National Love Your Pet Day' apparently. The aim of this fun (and definitely "NOT MADE UP") holiday is of course to show some love to those wonderful pets who keep reminding us what selfless love really looks like (a moment of silence here for our suffering cat-owner brethren.)
Our family has had pets for over three decades and across two countries with everyone - even the parrot and squirrel - leaving a unique footprint in our hearts as they shared their journey with us. If I had to write on all of them, we would need multiple posts. Instead, I want to talk about three pets in particular.
The two made an amazing hunting team and Ruby was actually a true brat till her mother passed away. Becoming the elder dog seemed to mature her over the years and she become more loving and a true companion for our household, ideal both as a guard dog as well as for just loving everyone in the house.
She even helped us catch an actual thief who was, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, robbing a building a whole 200 meters away in what many in my family consider a true act of God! You can read the article here and judge for yourself whether it was divine intervention or not.
Even in her final hours, when she had not eaten anything for days, she still got up one last time to walk the compound with my mother before finally departing.
The kindest, gentlest doberman who used to just love the time we spent with him so much, making sure our hand was on his head or scratching his belly at all times.
When it was time for him to leave and sleep outside after being inside the house for an hour, he would make a huge show of making us chase him around the sitting room before finally relenting and going out.
What am I saying? This is the 44 kilo doberman who allowed a 2 kilo beagle pup to chase him around when he could have used him for a toothpick, if he wanted!
Popular with everyone both in real life and on social media, it is hard to believe Snoopy the beagle has been at our home for close to 6 years. I still remember the first glimpse I had of him at 44 days of age, nestled inside an orange basket.
And even with a lifetime of canine memories to look back upon, Snoopy still stands apart, just for displaying the unique traits of a beagle including:
He is the life of the house and shows his love for the members of the household in a hundred different ways while also being the worst possible guard dog as he rushes to play with any stranger who steps in the front door.
When I was going through one of the worst phases of my life, every night Snoopy would climb up the stairs and scratch my door at night, coming to sleep beside me and making sure I was not alone. Every single night, including one where he himself was so sick he had not eaten and could barely climb up. But he did climb up and just slept on the floor by my bed, even on that night, waking up early next morning feeling better and nudging me to fill his mug with water at 5 am!
We have definitely come a long way from this...
to this...
and well, eventually this...
I have written about Snoopy on multiple occasions including
While writing this article, I came across the first blog post I wrote about my dogs. It was back in 2006, 13 YEARS AGO and was in a way, a list of traits that dogs in my house have.
And you know what? I realized that the same traits I mentioned back then in 2006 while writing about a young Ruby apply today in 2019 to Snoopy! Right from both dogs being more religious than me and sitting by the prayer room every morning to both taking revenge on the one they are angry with by pulling our clothes out of folded laundry and cleaning the floor with it.
Do you have a pet? Tell me more about how he/she livens up your life.
Our family has had pets for over three decades and across two countries with everyone - even the parrot and squirrel - leaving a unique footprint in our hearts as they shared their journey with us. If I had to write on all of them, we would need multiple posts. Instead, I want to talk about three pets in particular.
Ruby
Ruby was the first dog born in our house. I still remember coming back from Mangalore for a break from studies and her mother, Candy greeting me at the door and taking me to see her newborn babies.The two made an amazing hunting team and Ruby was actually a true brat till her mother passed away. Becoming the elder dog seemed to mature her over the years and she become more loving and a true companion for our household, ideal both as a guard dog as well as for just loving everyone in the house.
She even helped us catch an actual thief who was, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, robbing a building a whole 200 meters away in what many in my family consider a true act of God! You can read the article here and judge for yourself whether it was divine intervention or not.
Even in her final hours, when she had not eaten anything for days, she still got up one last time to walk the compound with my mother before finally departing.
 |
| The last pic I have of me with her... |
Victor
Where Ruby was the brat who became the princess off the house, there was an angel outside our door too. Victor was everything you would not expect when you saw a huge doberman running towards you at full throttle. I always used to say that in training Victor, I had "Roshan'd" him into the politest doberman in Kannur.The kindest, gentlest doberman who used to just love the time we spent with him so much, making sure our hand was on his head or scratching his belly at all times.
 |
| You can actually see the jealousy there, can't you! |
When it was time for him to leave and sleep outside after being inside the house for an hour, he would make a huge show of making us chase him around the sitting room before finally relenting and going out.
What am I saying? This is the 44 kilo doberman who allowed a 2 kilo beagle pup to chase him around when he could have used him for a toothpick, if he wanted!
Snoopy
The present fellow though is the true rockstar.Popular with everyone both in real life and on social media, it is hard to believe Snoopy the beagle has been at our home for close to 6 years. I still remember the first glimpse I had of him at 44 days of age, nestled inside an orange basket.
 |
| The first picture of Snoopy in our house |
And even with a lifetime of canine memories to look back upon, Snoopy still stands apart, just for displaying the unique traits of a beagle including:
adorable playfulness,
a distinct knack of understanding what we are trying to do and then deliberately doing the exact opposite (we were trying to get rid of that bucket, he kept bringing it back),
ownership rights over everything he sees...
amazing sense of smell - this picture is him informing us that a cat was sleeping inside my car!
yes, uncanny knack of falling asleep anywhere.
and yes, the ability to be pose in the most ridiculous manner.
I mean, seriously??!
He is the life of the house and shows his love for the members of the household in a hundred different ways while also being the worst possible guard dog as he rushes to play with any stranger who steps in the front door.
When I was going through one of the worst phases of my life, every night Snoopy would climb up the stairs and scratch my door at night, coming to sleep beside me and making sure I was not alone. Every single night, including one where he himself was so sick he had not eaten and could barely climb up. But he did climb up and just slept on the floor by my bed, even on that night, waking up early next morning feeling better and nudging me to fill his mug with water at 5 am!
 |
| It's okay, boyo. I have my eye on you |
We have definitely come a long way from this...
to this...
and well, eventually this...
 |
| My bed! My blanket! My laptop! |
I have written about Snoopy on multiple occasions including
- Year One of Snoopy
- Failing to make Snoopy into a convincing guard dog
- Snoopy caught while being jealous of Victor
- The viral article Canine's Guide to Nurturing Humanity featuring 30+ pics of Snoopy & Victor
- 16 Times Snoopy was caught Red-handed doing something silly (16 pictures again!)
While writing this article, I came across the first blog post I wrote about my dogs. It was back in 2006, 13 YEARS AGO and was in a way, a list of traits that dogs in my house have.
And you know what? I realized that the same traits I mentioned back then in 2006 while writing about a young Ruby apply today in 2019 to Snoopy! Right from both dogs being more religious than me and sitting by the prayer room every morning to both taking revenge on the one they are angry with by pulling our clothes out of folded laundry and cleaning the floor with it.
Do you have a pet? Tell me more about how he/she livens up your life.
Your beagle is world famous for sure. Melts my heart every time I see him. You had such an adorable bunch of fur babies. It's really hard to overcome their loss though, that's the only sad thing about having pets.
ReplyDeleteAchoooooooooo......!!! Snoopy is the world's cutest little dog!! His puppyhood pictures just steal your heart! What a darling! Loads of hugs and kisses to him. The antics of Victor makes one believe that he was a beagle or a Labrador in his past life..:P And, Ruby--she seems like the quintessential filmy dog, who catches a thief and becomes the community's hero!
ReplyDeleteAren't we so lucky to have had the honour of living with these loving and caring beings? I consider myself blessed to have had Chikoo in my life. He taught me so much, as do my winged babies today. It's said na, that unless you have loved an animal, you don't know what love is all about....SO true, na? LOVED THE POST, Roshan! Thank you....you made my day!!
Such lovely dogs! You are a true animal lover; it shows in your adorable photos and how you write about them. I had dogs most of my life, but now only take care of other peoples' in a professional capacity. Still, I miss having my own and am trying to get my husband to reconsider. Maybe I'll just bring one home. He couldn't possibly say "no". ☺
ReplyDeleteLoved this super cute post, Doc! I've never had pets but seeing these I can tell how close they can get to you and how they always have unique ways to liven up your life. I'm surely going to share these pics with my son who absolutely adores dogs. Thank you for sharing this wonderful post today. Actually, why don't you add your link to our #WordlessWednesday bloghop so more people can stop by the blog and enjoy your lovely post? Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteAdorable pictures of the ones who are our true friends
ReplyDeleteSuch delightful tales of your four legged wonders Roshan. Loved every story. It always warms my heart to see another passionate dog lover. We need more of ur tribe.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post. It really tugged my heart.
What a lovely lovely post! Snoopy is the cutest, really! Melts my heart whenever I see his pic on Instagram .we had a pup, named Pepsi, for a very short while growing up. He was so tiny and we used to be at school, Mum and Dad at work, so had to give him away to my aunt's. And our very first rescue pet, was a squirrel. She vanished as soon as she got better but I remember feeding her milk with a dropper and her beady eyes. Such memories :)
ReplyDeleteSo cute and Snoopy is such a cutie. I have never had pets, Roshan but I will some day. Currently my apartment guard has one and she is all we have. She loves us and we love her.
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