One Incredible Creature

If a Dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience

I cannot believe it's already more than an year since I wrote this blog. I guess I had an excuse; I was busy :-)

Alice turned 6 years old on Oct 25^th 2013 and I feel so proud to be a Mom of a lovely Dog and a beautiful Girl who turned 4 on April 6^th 2014. Surprisingly Alice is so gentle with Eesha that it feels insulting to call her a Dog sometimes. 

Being such a high energy Dog I don't understand from where she gets that maturity to be so calm when she is around kids. Alice and Eesha are so friendly now, almost inseparable. It's so amazing how that transition happened suddenly. There were days when she was scared of Alice and won’t go to the basement without us but one day to our surprise, my Dad gave her a Magic spell and it worked and she became comfortable overnight and the funny part is we still don't know what it is :-)

Whatever I say to appreciate Alice would be less. I chose this day to write this blog because it’s a special day for me and she is a special person in our lives.

We recently relocated to New Jersey from Atlanta. Yes, you heard it right. People give me all kinds of looks when they hear this. But circumstances made us take the decision and we are pretty happy and settled as far as our work/home life is concerned. There is a little more work with Alice as she just arrived from Atlanta on April 20^thand may take some more time to settle but she is almost there. It’s been 3 weeks now for us.

I am writing this blog to appreciate that saintly creature that drove with us in a Car for almost 17 hours, all the way from Atlanta to New Jersey without a single trouble. It wouldn’t be fair to not mention that she behaved even better than Eesha, not that Eesha is troublesome in long drives but behaving better than a kid on a long drive is something to be appreciated.

Our move started sometime around 1^st week of April and she being a dog, there was no way we could have made her understand as what is going on. She seemed very anxious with all the stuff being moved around and people visiting too often, taking away furniture, we being away from home once in a while overnight and then for 2 weeks and so many such small things. But every time I got a minute, I will go console her and tell her “There is nothing to worry. We are just moving to a different city. We won’t have this home anymore for some time. We will take you with us but you have to wait until we come back to get you in 2-3 weeks.”  The day I came back from New York, she was so excited and it looked like she was confident that we are not going to leave her and go this time. The next night she slept in the Garage because we had the home cleaned up and didn't want it messed up again by her hair.

Next morning, she was ready to leave with us at 5:00AM. We made a bed for her in the car. Even though it looked very cozy and comfortable, the one who was supposed to use it was not someone who can express that comfort in words so I was closely watching her throughout the trip to ensure she is relaxed and not stressed. So, not sure how actually it was but she adjusted very well. Initially she was standing for the first 20 minutes of the drive, and then she sat down and relaxed like this.

After a couple of breaks we made in between, she kind of understood the pattern so as soon as we slowed down the car, she will get up. Raj and I took turns and stayed with her while the other freshens up or eats lunch etc. However, how much ever thirsty or hungry she is she will not drink or eat anything in that break until the other person refreshes and comes back to car. We figured out, it was a kind of insecurity she has that one of us is going away. She will constantly keep looking in the direction until we are back. Once we are back she will be relieved.

Around Virginia, we faced terrible traffic conditions and started getting frustrated and I bet she was the most well behaved and calmest creature ever seen in traffic. She was lying on her bed in the car and didn't make a single noise until we reached the apartment.

Now comes the funny part, she has never ever seen herself in the mirror, the first time she got into the elevator, she was shit scared. One, she was seeing a dog in front of her, which was doing the exact same things that she was doing, another she was seeing someone who was looking just like Amma but she could not reach her. It was so funny to see her reaction. So restless as if saying “Where the hell did you bring me?” Soon we were out and she was less stressed.

Now she lives with us in a smaller home with no backyard, people around her all the time and I can see she likes it. She loves to be around us. She goes plays in the park with other Dogs. She plays with Eesha at home. She feels more comfortable, happier and less stressed.

Eesha  is very sensitive about us dealing with Alice more than ever. If we scold Alice or talk to her rudely, Eesha would start crying and be very upset. She will clearly say "Amma, Alice se jor se baat mat karo...", "Amma, Appa Alice ko scold kiye...", "Amma, Alice sad ho gayi...", "Amma Alice se rudely baat karungi to Chikki sad ho jaegi...". It's hilarious but it's extremely serious for her. And Vice versa when we scold Eesha and she starts crying, Alice will follow her until Eesha stops crying or Eesha goes and pats her after the crying drama ends.

We have come to realize that if you stay in a smaller home, tons of situations and conversations can happen due to smaller space hence creating more interactions, which clearly everyone likes.

So far we all seem to be having fun...

Down the Memory Lane

 Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring-it was peace.

Alice Alice Alice...The three words I have for you is I love you

Day before yesterday my husband sent me an email in my Office ID attaching a 5 year old picture of 1 week old Alice. That picture was nothing great as "just a picture" but when I look back at it as a memory, that is one of the most adorable pictures of my scrapbook. Here you go with that picture...

I immediately made it my Desktop Background and couldn't stop myself from going down the memory lane every time I looked at it. That doesn't happen when I put Eesha's picture on my desktop. I just look at it, smile and get back to work. Coming back to Alice, Oh My God, she was so adorable. After sometime, someone came by my desk, saw that picture and asked me "Is that a Bear?" I couldn't stop laughing and told them "No, 'it's a German Shepard DOG for heaven's sake". Still laughing, anyway that's not where I am getting to...

Imagining how big she has become now, forced me to realize how old she has become at the same time. She is almost 5 years old. Reminded me of the movie "Marley and Me". She has probably completed 35 percent of her life span which is so painful to digest. She is the most "love giving" person at home. I cannot compare her devotion to anyone. Like I said once in my blog "The later you come home, the more upset your spouse is, but the later you come home, the happier your dog is to see you!" That's such an unconditional love...

Monday I work remotely from home and use my Husband's office room since he goes to office that day. This is in the basement around Alice's living area. She is not allowed to come inside the office room but she can come close to the room's door and she refuses to go away from there till I am in that office. As soon as I get up and go upstairs, let's say to drink water or for lunch, she will follow me till the stairs and will come sit in the staircase area. My husband told me that but I thought it's just with him but for him she does a little more. If he comes up she will start barking. basically calling him down. She doesn't care what he does after he comes down, but as long as he is in front of him she is cool.

We plan to get another Dog, the search is on, not sure how long that's going to take. We think she needs a friend who will stay with her all day long. I will keep you all updated on that one too :) It's going to be the same exercise of housebreaking/potty training//basic discipline all over once again!!!