The Sparkle of my life

Guess what, just as I am penning down this article, I have these pair of cute, jet black, gleaming eyes, staring at me saying, Hey, I am hungry…don’t you get it?

We added this ‘Sparkle’ to our life 4 years back. And its been quite a roller coaster ride since then. Sparkle has been ‘sparkling’ up our life since he was just a month old. Coming from a crazy dog loving family and having grown up with dogs, I always thought I knew all about them, at least till I met this tiny bundle packed with enormous energy. As the newest member of our household I was extremely curious about everything he did. A fawn colored lab with beautiful kohl lined black eyes, he too seemed equally surprised and inquisitive about his new surroundings. Exploring places that we never thought accessible was his hobby, and watching him do that was ours.

Slowly, as days passed by, many things in our house started changing shapes. The legs of the dining table had been chewed up, our sofa lost a chunk on the side, we couldn’t recognize our own shoes, the newspaper would come home in shreds, the remote was always in pieces. Even after all this, our slightest urge to shout at the culprit would never translate into even a scolding, thanks to those sparkly cute puppy eyes.

On one such crazy day, when Sparkle was playing with my daughter and husband, his specs suddenly fell down and instantly disappeared. Obviously, Sparkle was running around the house with them. When we finally got it back, we realised that one lens was missing. We searched around the house, but didn’t find it. Obviously we freaked out… did Sparkle swallow it? Frantically we called his vet, who assured us. He would show some sign of discomfort if he had indeed swallowed it, but if he does, please bring him immediately, he said. Two days passed by happily, and we were relaxed, assuming that the lens must still be somewhere in the house. On the third day, Mr Sparkle, after making some weird sounds and strange neck gestures, vomited the lens out, as is, without any damage. The funniest part is, he looked just as flabbergasted as us, seeing the strange object fall out of his mouth.

His love for food has been a never-ending affair. Anything and everything seems equally delicious to him. No matter how much he eats, even after a full meal, he gives us that look of ‘ Come on. I am starving since a week, cant you see’. No matter what else changes, I imagine, this look is going to remain a constant.

It’s been 4 & 1/2 years of nonstop entertainment, never a dull moment with Sparkle. He has taught us to enjoy every single moment, be happy with the simple things, carry no grudges, stop judging people, stop stressing out over petty matters, laugh a lot, and above all, spread unconditional love. Stuff that humans should know more about, right?

There were many aspects of his behaviour which had always been a mystery to us, until I came across this amazing pet services company called Anvis, and joined their pet buddy course online. Their online modules and interactive sessions helped me understand Sparkle much better, and communicating with him has become much easier. Especially, in this lock down period, it helped us a lot in challenging him mentally as well as physically, through the games suggested by Anvis. I am sure, along with us, Sparkle is equally grateful to them

I have always believed that dogs are our link to paradise. The first thing that I look forward to when I open the door is the happy jumps, slurpy licks and the heartily wagging tail, all of it makes you feel so welcome, so important and so loved.Gene Hill says “Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he’s owned a dog.” In my case, my sunshine doesn't come from the skies. It comes from the love that's in my dog’s eyes.Suggestions for someone planning to become a pet parent.

• Always research on various breeds and consult experts on which dog suits your family
• Be prepared for a long-term commitment.
• Make sure your entire household is ready for the pet, and think through the space and the amount of exercise that the pet needs.
• Please adopt, dont shop