Shubhechha Subedi:

I am not talking about those slothful dogs, not even about the street dogs or the professional ones on job. I’m talking about the much pampered, cuddled and apprehended dogs, our so called pets! And from the pets too, I’m throwing light on the ones which are often taken for a morning walk.

Summer has arrived with a bang and with that the number of people going out for a morning walk has dramatically risen. I see a lot more than I used to, few with and others without their pets. While they’re on foot, I’m down there picking up my copy of the morning paper or running to catch the conveyance for college. Well, ‘dog’ I hope I can use this word, at least, when I’m writing because few people don’t like their dogs being called a ‘dog.’ Well, a dog is a dog is a dog for me, until I’m emotionally attached to it. So, basically your dog has minimal chances of not being called ‘a dog’ by others. No point in being sceptical, please! My friend has Whiskey and Bubbles; I call them by their names. Shrestha Uncle has ‘Blackie’ with whom he goes on a morning walk day in and day out. I had ‘Tommy.” There you catch me, these dogs were never really dogs, and all of them have had a moniker to call with. Seems like everyone has a name!

I think I’m off the track, I was writing about ‘the hero dogs’. Well, I see them, but on the road, I don’t know their names in order to not call them ‘dogs’. They’re the fine looking arrogant mutts who know what they are and how they look.

Those are the blessed dogs taken out for a walk every morning, who sniff around and greet other dogs, notwithstanding their masters full strength in trying to draw them to the other side by towing them in a mere chain. For the masters it must be a tough job, but for a pedestrian it’s nothing much but a good pastime! People say, “Dogs are men’s best friends.” That means my eyes must have seen two friends that morning — a man with his dog! Let me correct it here, a dog with a man! He was an Alsatian, a young angry looking one, with a man in his mid thirties.

I was running down the street because I was late already. But I couldn’t overlook those two creations of God on the opposite side of the road. I looked at the man first, he looked perfect. The dog then, he looked perfect too! But in spite of two prefect creations, the walk looked bizarre and the man looked more in control of the dog! No wonder why dogs and men make good friends? Because when together they think they’re better than the other!