Spunky – Woof of Fresh Air

by Priya Sreeram

[box]Much as some of us might find it amusing, a significant portion of the world does live in dread of animals. Priya Sreeram is one of them. However, a little four-legged critter made her rethink her fear. Read on to know more about Spunky and how he woofed in some change.[/box]

Life is always full of aspirations and a big bucket list! There is never a dearth of to-dos and the list only gets longer as the rigmaroles of day-to-day living take charge, leading to constant changes in priorities. But deep down, there is always the inner drive to make things happen and to just let go of whatever is holding us back! I am happy to say that I had earnestly put efforts into one must-do in my list –having a pet dog and loving it! Sounds weird, right? Let me explain.

I have never shared a pally relationship with a dog, a cat, or for that matter, any animal. There has always been a vague feeling almost resembling fear running down my spine as soon as I come into contact with an animal. Owning a pet was neither a choice nor an option because both my parents were working. So my equation with animals was restricted to looking at them from a safe distance. As long as they preened from magazines or TV, I was ok. The moment there was eye contact, the heart unleashed a torrent of unsettling emotions and I simply tore away from that place. And this held true for all encounters with stray dogs, cats – any kind of animal, actually. The fear was etched so deeply that as far as possible I even avoided going to any relatives’ or friend’s house that had pets.

This fear started with a rather innocent incident, when I was around eight. At a get-together in my mom’s friend’s place, my joy was short-lived as I spotted their pet. The dog, in its aim to capture my attention, started licking me all over and I rebuked its advances by trying to run away. Let me tell you one thing straight. You have heard this often: “Never run when a dog is around” –it is true! The dog comprehended my running away as playing and when his emotions were not reciprocated he was forced to show his other face (read growls and agitated barks). The dog just overpowered me and gripped my calf. Feeling his teeth over my skin and flesh, I went crazy and the panic that ensued added to his agitation. He released his clutches only after some persistent goading. Those moments of utter vulnerability and helplessness still gives me goose bumps. What resulted was an irrational fear not only of dogs but of all animals. Till date, the very thought of being close to any animal creates a tension akin to a nuclear blast. To cut the long story short, I became scarred for life and vowed never to share the same space with any pet.

They say opposites attract, and it’s true in my case: my husband is an animal lover and it was amusing to him that a person could have such irrational fears as mine. Though I knew that someday, that fear would have to be tamed, the trials and tribulations of our daily affairs had us engrossed and owning a pet was definitely not on the top of our list. One fine day when he told me about a Labrador pup available for adoption, a war raged in my head. Fighting headlong my fear was the thought that it was a baby animal after all; how bad could it get? What finally swung the decision in the pup’s favour was seeing my daughter sporting a long face.  Secretly, I also wanted her to develop a sense of responsibility and more importantly, I did not want my kids to nurture the same fear that I had! So I finally said a half-hearted yes to bringing it home. The pup, barely 45 days old, became the new entrant into our chaotic home, made up of my husband, two children and me.

After a day, “Spunky” – a name suggested by me and accepted wholeheartedly by the family – appeared well-adjusted. My husband and my kids went crazy fawning over him and the pup was basking in all the love. How did I react to his presence? Actually, I slowly fought my fear of bumping over him in all odd places and having him sniff all over me. He was yet to be potty trained and that was a cause of immense irritation. I have to admit that I was unnerved at times and wondered aloud whether I was too quick in deciding on this new addition to the family. My spur of the moment decision could have probably waited a few more months, but then I might never have taken this plunge and procrastination would have reigned supreme.

Friends and family who were dog lovers were thrilled to see me shed my fear, and promised a joy ride. It must be true I thought, because we get to be our true selves around them. There was no need for masks and no need to please. They love us unconditionally and are not judgmental. Having said that, I realised it also meant a whole lot of responsibility and commitment. He was a “baby” and  a really demanding one at that: he constantly needed to be fussed over and expected me to be at his side 24/7. So I took it one day at a time and hoped to become a convert.

However, a few days later, just as I was trying to get used to the presence of a pet, Spunky had to leave. In our enthusiasm to bring the pup home, we had failed to check on the apartment’s policy. The residents had issues with the constant barking of the pup. A few neighbours worried if the pup might actually bite their kids. It amused me greatly, but of course, I am no one to judge, given the fact that I harboured some of their fears too (and well, still do). Also, my son seemed to have inherited my genes and bawled whenever Spunky came anywhere close to him. These, coupled with a few other personal concerns, eventually led to the pup having to find a new home, leaving us in an emotional quagmire. My daughter, who had already forged a bond with the pup, was heartbroken. To her credit, she understood the reasons and hopes to become a proud dog owner in the near future. As for me, I was glad to see him go (at least I’m truthful). I do miss his soulful and indulgent looks – not to mention the showers of welcome barks – but the many demands of the baby were too much to handle when I already had my hands full with a 3-year-old son who is equally demanding. A fully grown dog would probably have required less attention, but then again, I may not have been comfortable around it.

All said and done, Spunky’s brief stay with us made me realise that I could conquer the fear that I have battled for years; more importantly, it has made me look forward to a more enjoyable and better lasting relationship with a pet in the future. And that to me is such a wonderful feeling.

Pic : smerikal – http://www.flickr.com/photos/smerikal/

Priya Sreeram is a stay-at-home mother to two children (whom she calls her dumplings!), with a loving,wonderful and supportive spouse who is her back-bone. A voracious reader and travel enthusiast, her travel footprints and musings find voice in her blog Straight from my Heart !! . Also a passionate foodie, she chronicles her hearth & heart adventures in the food blog BON APPETIT.

[box type=”download”] If you have trouble opening the PDF, please right click on the button and select ‘Save Link As/Save Target As’. This will help save the PDF to your computer. If you still have trouble, drop us a mail at editors@sparkthemagazine.com and we will mail you the PDF straight to your inbox! DON’T MISS THE PDF EXPERIENCE![/box] [button link=”http://www.sparkthemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/spark-may-2012.pdf” newwindow=”yes”] Click here to download the May 2012 issue as a PDF![/button] [button link=”http://issuu.com/sparkeditor/docs/spark-may-2012?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Fcolor%2Flayout.xml&backgroundColor=000000&showFlipBtn=true” color=”green” newwindow=”yes”] Click here to flip and read the May issue like a magazine![/button]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[facebook]Share[/facebook] [retweet]Tweet[/retweet]