Being a dog owner… wait. What’s that? Fur between my laptop keys? Sounds about right.
Ten months ago, on November 27th, a little springer spaniel was born. I should’ve said goodbye to all my dark coloured clothes and known that very soon, they’d be covered in a soft coat of white.
That’s the first reality of owning a dog. Fur. Everywhere. You think I'm exaggerating? Take a look at my home—you won’t find a single object (or person) that isn’t adorned with at least three strands of white fur.
My dog is a springer spaniel. Let’s break that down. The term Springer comes from the historic hunting role, where the dog would spring birds into the air. So yes—my dog can jump. To you, this may not seem like such an issue but when I’m trying to
carry my dinner plate back to the kitchen, it’s hard not to trip over a walking, barking trampoline.
Here’s the thing about dogs: they each have very different types of barks. While some dogs’ barks have a deep, elegant and powerful element to them, his sounds more like a loud, high pitched squeal. And let me tell you, an 8-month-old puppy barks at everything—from his reflection in the mirror to when it’s a minute past his daily walk time. That’s the third reality. Peace in the house? No more.
My home is decorated beautifully—wooden tables and chairs covered with brightly coloured cushions, warm and welcoming. When my dog looks at these decorations, he fails to see this beauty. Instead, he sees food! The edges of the wooden tables provide him with the perfect teething tool and the cushions, to him, are the perfect way to calm down his raging hormones. To anyone that enters my home, I’d recommend staying away from the cushions.
Clothing covered in fur, constant barking, chewed up furniture—why do I even own a dog?
Kenji / 健次
Healthy, happy second son.
I’ve been an only child my whole life. When my parents brought Kenji home, they thought it would teach me responsibility. Instead, through the bites and licks, they found another member of their family—another baby.
Waking up to him perching his bottom on my face isn’t pleasant—but everything else makes it worth it. From his gentle snores at my feet during online classes to his incessant need to be loved, Kenji is the epitome of everything pure.
If you want someone that will make you laugh when you’re at your lowest, someone who will stare at you with utter adoration and someone who will be there for you for as long as they live—a dog is what you need.
And really, what’s a few strands of fur in your coffee? It simply adds to the taste!
Written by Kaavya Ghoshal
Designed by Nandini Bohra
Images from Unsplash and Kaavya herself.
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