grapes ~ sour no more

i took you on a longish walk yesterday... we needed fruit, you needed a walk and so we set off.... at the fruit stall, you sat and looked around... i was buying oranges, then apples...suddenly the shop guy said something... i only heard "khaa raha hai" translated to "is eating"...i turned around to find you busily chomping a bunch of grapes with great delight...not greedily...not badly....just like a dog that has eaten grapes off a bunch his whole life! i was terribly embarrassed and i apologised immediately, pulled you back and offered to pay for what you ate. the guy brushed it off saying you were very cute and that it was ok. he also asked the relevant how old is he, where did you get him etc etc questions... i answered with a nice smile.... cashed in on the goodwill and left....

Am Rethinking your name

am wondering if we should have called you "trooper" instead of Sage Sizzler.... you came to us with gluten and lactose intolerance that took us about 4 weeks to figure out. In retrospect, i want to kiss your paws for obliging and being a playful puppy when you were the sickest because of the food we didnt know was making you so sick. Also that blasted commercial pet food which didnt suit you. Yet you played and nibbled and were generally such a darling and endeared yourself to everyone even while you kept teaching us what not to feed you and how to make you better.

you swallowed a plastic frog motif from my slippers and made it through that... also one day with a tummy full of pebbles. I dont know how you managed to wow the houseguests we had that weekend when you were trying to digest 200 gms of stones! *respect

on sunday we had a party for 10. early morning you showed signs of teething with one of your canines breaking and getting bloodied. i was worried, but you reassured me by nipping and lunging at me that you would be fine. by the time i had finished cooking and wanted to catch a quick nap, you decided you would have none of it and started to get cranky. you wanted to sit on my tummy while i lay down and wanted all sorts of things that i couldnt figure. i offered you a toy, food and water.... K then made you play vigourously to tire you out when all of a sudden i realised you had a mouthfull of blood. it stopped me in my tracks and made me rush to give you some ice cubes. half the tooth had broken off and the other half, hanging vicariously was very painful, because for the first time in 3 months, you winced in pain several times (something you have never done) and tried to get into my lap. so i allowed you to sit and chew my arm, then you got up and got yourself a profusion of really hard stuff to chew...the fake bone, an empty plastic bottle, a really thick stick.....then finally back to my arm again. that's when i realised you were trying to break that tooth off. all the while sitting on my lap. so i offered you your favourite red toy - scooby. and in a matter of a few minutes, the tooth was off....you licked me a lot. in the midst of all of this, lunch guest arrived, fawned all over you and we gave you 1/2 a cup of beer to drink which you lapped up. I was hoping you'd fall asleep. But a lot of teasing and rough play was in store... and even tho i didnt like some of it, i waited and watched hoping as always, you would set your own pace.

by the time we were done with lunch it was 5 p.m and when i took notice of you again, you were burning with fever and were really tired but still not giving up on the activity. by this time, you had not eaten one full meal, slept your usual 3 hours and so i was so worked up about you but i still had my guests at home and so couldnt focus on you. I took you for a walk and you just flopped down listlessly on the sand pile. you didnt want to dig, or play or do anything. just sat there and i knew you were in so much discomfort that i couldnt even focus on making tea let alone drinking it.

by the time the last of the giuests left it was 7.30, your temperature was high, tongue burning hot and you had a salt patch on your nose. I called Dr. Saikia and gave you crocin on her advise. The three of us went to bed by 9.30, me holding you in my arms, but you as usual wanted to sleep on the floor. After a long time i prayed you would feel better.

i woke up with a start at 4 a.m somehow the tiredness blanked out everything after i hit the pillow. but at 4, i suddenly remembered you were running temperature the previous night. i found you near the clothes hamper, on your back with your legs in the air, rollicking away. when i switched on the light, you had a look of shock at being caught in the act!

i was so relieved that i laughed so hard K woke up. We went for a super early, super long walk to celebrate. and you just proved once more how easily you will work towards bouncing back. to take everything in your stride and work through it...to never show how much pain you are in.....you are truly what we should have named you "trooper"

Who is teaching you this stuff?

I have a feeling K is clandestinely teaching you stuff that annoyed him about me... you've picked up some annoying behaviour off late.

• you hate the camera and cant sit still, unless you are sleeping, just like K. when i aim the camera at you, you just lunge forward for it.
• you hate my talking on the phone or using the laptop. you try to pry the phone out of my hands, or jump at me for a bit if i am at the laptop. 

Its getting a little chill in the mornings, so i got out my favourite powder blue shawl to cover up for our morning walks. but you have decided, you need it more than me, either to chew on or to make a pile and sit on. here is a picture of you in action

you also claim anything i need as your own, my towel before i head for a bath or like my slipper that had to be your headrest....

Getting ticked off

Yesterday was a milestone i'd rather not remember. the day went off as always, with you following me, giving me model behaviour through the day and the evening. K was in bangalore and was to return later in the evening. Around 8 p.m after we'd both had our dinner, we went down for a potty break and a walk. you were already very excited cos there was dropped yogurt in the lift you wanted to lick and i didn't let you...a few other's got into the lift (they - building secretary, were terrified for no reason - pet hating assholes)...so why couldnt they wait for us to go down and use the lift later? they insisted on climbing in and i had to use all my strength to restrain you... you are used to being petted and so couldn't understand the hostility.  

with the excitement and i think the urgency to pee, you peed in the corridor, in full view of the building association secretary and treasurer. I went to get the cloth i keep handy to clean up after you, in a fraction of a second, you escaped from my grip and ran toward the badminton court where a family was playing. every evening there is a group of kids who play with you at the badminton court, and for you this was no different.  the kid of this family is a cantankerous one. she threw a shuttle cock at you and began to run, shrieking all the time in a high pitched voice. you thought it was fun and games and started to run behind her. i was chasing behind the both of you, asking both of you to stop. Kids being kids, they are more agile than 30 yr olds... and you being you, obliged. soon there was yelling and screaming and shrieking and about 10 odd poeple who were around in the parking lot/ badminton court/ lift area were all trying to catch you and you were delighted that so many people wanted to play. but quickly realised they were pissed off with you and not wanting to play. i think it broke your heart in that moment, and you lay down near the lift.

i apologised to the family whose kid you chased. there were 12 people pointing fingers at you and me and accusing me of letting loose on them a dangerous dog. i didnt want you or me to go thru any more than necessary nonsense, usually a quick and sincere apology is all that matters, so they got one...then i hugged you and told you i love you and that we should go walk....

It doesnt matter that she provoked you and threw stuff at you and then ran. it matters that you are a dog and a dog has to be well behaved, disciplined and trained at all times. no matter if you are just a baby, you still are a huge threat to anyone who even sets eyes upon you. have you noticed the number of people who shrink away when you are on a walk? even if you are paying no attention to them? or the number of people i have heard telling their kids "dont go there, that dog will bite" instantly instilling a morbid fear in the mind of the little child, who will grow up to be a stone throwing ass.

we went on our walk, you knew something was terribly off and were so subdued. when we returned i left you with the security guard to go and check if the kid was ok. I told the father that you'd escaped in a flash of a second from my hands, seeing that someone was playing as there are kids in the building who play with you everyday. that i wasnt making an excuse, but that it wasnt intentional and that you wouldnt hurt anyone. he brushed it off sdaying it was ok and that his daughter herself was wanting a dog. i also asked him to apologise to his wife on my behalf as she was (understandably) agitated and told me to keep the dog chained or locked up.  i walked a few steps and encountered the lady in question. i told her the same thing, about the kids and the flash of a second reflex action. she then asked why you werent well trained. i wanted to ask her how trained her kids were at 5 months, but i held myself, explaining that you were still a puppy. she then said she was afraid you would bite. i empathised and said i knew just how terrifying it would be to be chased by a dog, and that you are docile and would not bite. i had to hear the snide comment of "all dog owners say that their dogs dont bite". i didnt want to argue or reason with someone who thinks that the mere sight of a dog is dangerous. i simply said i agreed with her and walked away with you.

you came back upstairs and wanted to sit in my lap. i knew you were upset....we comforted each other, as i was also roughed up a bit. i wish this would not have happened, but it was inevitable i guess.

i know its traumatic and terrifying to have a dog run after you. i am not denying that. i feel very guilty that my reflexes were not sharp enough to catch you. i've made a resolve to have you on a tighter leash and not try to make you make friends with hostile people.

I narrated this story to K when he got back from bangalore. he was furious at the people who thought you were dangerous....saying that some of the kids in the building are a bigger nuisance than you are! typical K, blinded by his love for you...but at the end of the day, i think we all needed that. 

Resisting Sleep

Its 9.12 a.m as i write this. I am in the study and you have possessively taken the aqua cushion that you think is your property and are tossing it around. I have been trying to get you to sleep for the last hour...you are doing everything you can not to....i miss those days when i was able to con you, all i had to do was carry you into the bedroom, put you on the cushion and close the curtains or turn off the lights to darken the room and lie down. in less than a minute, you would be asleep. now you have a mind of your own, and its getting quite stubborn.

first i thought you waited for K to wake up and give you time, then for him to get dressed and leave for office...now what? the house is silent but for the sound of me typing on the keypad...its pretty chill for a november morning ... and you are refusing to sleep....i have been ignoring you the last one hour... doesnt seem to work....

So for a pup that woke up around 5 a.m, had two rounds of food and milk, three walks and 20 minutes of play time, you are just holding up on willpower...i have just one thing to say to you - "go the hell to sleep!"

what kind of a dog are you?

Seriously? i am tempted to ask of you as we wrap up Diwali. For a puppy that ran to the next room when the TV was switched on in the first few weeks you were brought home out of fright from the sounds....to standing next to a flower pot and wanting to eat it...barking at lakshmi bombs and flopping down to sleep a midst hydrogen bombs....i really wondered over the last few days if you were deaf.

it was business as usual tho and you were the only dog that stood a few feet away from K as he lit the crackers (we got mostly the aerial stuff) and were most annoyed that i didnt take you along while i lit a few rockets. the deafening sounds around you hardly bothered you and for that i am eternally grateful. i know cindy made amma's life miserable and Happy had such a tough time with the noisy crackers. so i am really saluting you here.

I started the festive season by giving away all the diyas, cos knowing you, i was sure you would try to lick the oil and eat the flames of the lamps. i also knew i would not have to do the rangoli and risk you having multicoloured potty the next day not to mention maybe poisonous rangoli powders.

we were ready to head out to the IL's place when you decided you wanted to pee and then sit on it...i yelled at you cos i had just bathed and then took you in for a bath and had another one myself.... we reached the IL's place and you have now settled into a nice routine where you know what not to do and where not (read pooja room) not to venture....

the whole day you refused to eat your thayir sadam cos you knew there was better stuff such as ribbon pakodi, mysore pak, laddu and balushahi. you settled down with some pappadaam and gulped a few hot crisp dosas, but refused thaiyr sadam. you are thoroughly spoilt there. there are about 4-5 kids in your fan club, ably managed by Pooja and they wait for you to come down to play although most of them are scared stiff....you oblige them with licks, patiently sitting while they pet you and offer you food in the palms of their hands....

after the Il's we got back home. K was really unwell and you were tired, we thought we'd skip B&J's house. but we bucked up, picked you up from your sleep and drove over. you behaved for an hour, made two trips downstairs...and then suddenly decided that you'd had enough and ensured we drove you back home, ending our evening quite abruptly.

the next few days till the carpet of scrap paper that came out of all the crackers was what delighted you and you chased after the piles, chewed on large mouthfuls of it and generally had a ball of a diwali.

I know how tough it can be to have a pet during diwali. i have seen all of mine shiver and suffer with the blasted noise. one reason why i have always hated crackers has been this....so i am grateful that you chose to take it all in your stride.... many ummas for that my chammathu.

sand crazy dog

since the last few days, i have realised you go absolutely bonkers in sand. you furiously dig a tunnel and then burrow your face in it... sometimes you roll over and over and when the sand cascades down, you try to stop it with your paws! it is one of the most incredible sights ever. and i feel like i want to always remember that... i wish i had pictures, but that hardly will do any justice!

its amazing how your personality is developing.. you are quite an obstinate little bugger. and if you think its too hot for your walk, you just stay put and refuse to move till sometimes i forcibly carry you out, or give up and turn back. am sure that you hide a smirk somewhere in that jowl of yours!

give him to me

boy have you grown big! i cant carry you anymore! i keep saying that i know... but now, i truly cant. and the days that i do try, my body feels battered!

we've begun practice walking without the leash. at first i allowed you to do the last 5-10 feet into the house, inside the corridor without the leash. we moved onto you walking to the lift without it.... then the last leg before we entered the gate, and today we did the whole walk without the leash. when the roads are empty and you are not distracted by anything else, you obey and look only for me... so its pretty easy and safe! like mary's little lamb, always a couple of steps behind me... when you spot someone you know, a few steps ahead... if you think i am not around, you immediately stop in your tracks and sit rooted to the spot till you or i find each other. am amused and proud! but i do need to get K to walk you at times, cos you are refusing to go with him!

the sandpile! there is construction going on in our lane and a full lorry load of sand was delivered a few days ago. i took you to it to watch your reaction. as always i wish i'd filmed it! you approached the sand mountain gingerly, then fingered it with your paws, when the sand gave way, you dug furiously and joyously and made a small tunnel to bury your head into. snout, face and feet all coated with fine sand! after doing that a couple of times, you got bored of it (yes you have the attention span of a wasp!). so then you decide to roll....over on your back and back again onto your front, gleefully enjoying the sand in your face and mouth and other orifaces! i havent the heart to tell you to stop.

So this spectacle continues for a few times each day and today, one construction worker stopped to talk to me. most of them just stand around and watch and when you know people are watching you play to the galleries. So this guy asks how old you are, etc and then says "madam, give him to me no....i will bring him up and keep him well. he's a nice dog" i said, yeah sure why not ...see if he will go with you and handed him the leash. he takes a few steps, till the leash permits, then turns around. you are rooted to the ground, sitting tight on a spot and looking at me desperately. he tries to whistle and cajole you and you dont budge an inch. he tries some more... then finally gives up and hands me back the leash. you jump up and start licking my hands and whatever other body part you can reach. he tells me "madam this dog doesnt want to leave you, not even one step he took without you". i say "yes i know" but inside i am ecstatic and choking at the same time. Choking for how much loyalty you have or love or that i am your alpha pack leader or whatever it is that made you stay rooted to the ground and not budge an inch. you delighted me beyond what i can explain  that day....

stopped counting

We got you on a saturday, the 13 of august and it was raksha bandhan/ avani avittam that day. ever since, i count each saturday to see how many weeks we've had you. yesterday i didnt. does this mean something? because it feels like we always had you now.

K texted what has to be the most beautiful message he's ever written (and that is saying something!). it included you and he has forbidden me from writing it here on a public forum. am just making an entry so i dont forget. and every time i complain of how much my arms ache cos you pull on the leash, i hope to remember this message.

its sunday today and i woke up as usual at 5.45 a.m. we've gone on our walk and i am onto my second cup of coffee. you've had your milk and breakfast. K is asleep with the a/c on and the room is so chill, yet you want to sit at my feet in the study where even the fan isnt on, although you love the a/c... my little lamb.

you are making it a practice to pick up fallen flowers on our walks and slink off as though you have a rabbit or partridge in your mouth. its hilarious to see a half grown dog with large pink flower in his mouth. did i say that you are adorable? or is it just my blinding love?

oh yeah and the fanbase is increasing! there are some 'hot chicks' as K likes to call them. they come and call you by name and tell us which apt they live in and how much they talk about you and they fall all over you to pet you. you love it.... but i think K loves it more! he also said how old it makes him feel!

btw, random boys are coming up to speak with me! i have so far met parag, chetan and amit... they all appear to be terrified of even touching you but they pretend to be dog lovers and ask my name in between asking yours, how old and what breed! totally random and very amusing!

updates and milestones

you lost your baby teeth.... and got new ones... two on the upper jaw and two on the lower. this meant that for 3 days you were dull and clingy and only wanted to sit in my lap. i was feeling so bad for you but couldnt help it.

you also met baby shayaan. you tried to chew on his socked foot and wondered why he started crying. you chewed on and swallowed a large part of a wooden spoon i gave him to play. i waited 12 hours to see it safely exit!

you ate a lot of pebbles last saturday and were in deep pain. refusing food and water for more than 14 hours. it freaked the hell out of K and me... thankfully they exited after 24 hours. 

K and I moved up to a cot, you still prefer to sleep on the floor. but the cot/ bed is still your play area. anything that needs to be chewed or time that needs to be spent waiting for us to wake up in the morning is on the cot.

my brother was here on a personal trip. he was disgusted to see you eat thair sadam and went out and got you some real meat and bones. he made a soup of it and fed it to you with rice. the way you sat and gnawed on that  bone like there was no tomorrow was both endearing and sad. sad that you are no longer my little iyer boy! you are going K's way! when you were naughty, he sat you down and had a man to man talk with you. i dont think you liked it much.

am enjoying your mischievous antics! yesterday you snatched a milk packet out of the hands of a bewildered milk boy. when your sharp teeth cut thru the packet and it started to leak like a shower, you were terrified and ran towards me! how can anyone be angry with you? 

you still sleep the same way as you did when you were 6 weeks old.

offers to babysit

today marks 6 weeks since we got you. i cant believe its only 6, feels like a lifetime. I woke up with no alarm on a satur(freaking)day to take you out and i didnt hate you or my life one bit!

yesterday a car stopped in the middle of the colony street where we walk, out popped two very attractive young (early 20's.... yeah ... i know!) girls who asked permission to touch you. they rubbed and petted you and you rolled over for a belly rub. they baby talked and behaved like they knew you forever. then they looked up at me, asked how old you were, if we had moved in recently and told me where they lived. they said they wanted me to know that they would be very willing to look after you if i had to step out for a few hours/days. I thanked them for the generosity of their offer. you are very cute right now i agree, but i am still shocked at how generous people are with their show of affection. ever since we got you, friends have offered to take you in if needed. you have atleast 3 official godmothers... and now random strangers too....

just when i was becoming cynical and generally grouchy, you come and thru you i learn a whole new side of the story.....

milestone

Sage stood on his back legs and lunged for my phone on the writing desk yesterday. till now he wasnt able to reach it, or level. yesterday he was at eye level.

he also sat in his corner and played for an hour after the lights were out with a toy. he usually used to sleep immediately after light out. he walked up to his basket, picked out a toy all by himself.... sigh!

1 year old sienna came down from mathur uncle's (i know!) first floor house to meet Sage and pet him today. i have not seen a more eager and fearless child. Sage behaved, sat down and waited to be petted with tiny hands.

here's a baby pic of us... all cos my friend A put one of her and you on her fb profile and i am jealous i dont have a single glamour shot with you when you were small and now you are almost half grown.

Handsome!

Day three of taking you out on your walk. i have met more people, been stopped and spoken to and invited home in the past two days than i have been in my entire 7 years in this apartment. One entire family came onto their balcony to see you. they called you handsome and i was brimming over with pride.

Was also accosted by one young girl who was so besotted with you that she wouldnt let me go, or you do your business and i was beginning to get irritated. she wanted to play with you but was a little scared. she also wanted to hold you by your leash and pet you.

you are looking forward to your walks my darling. and have had accidents at home only twice, that too because i delayed taking you out. usually overnight is a nightmare. and the bedroom ends up smelling like a sulabh complex. last night, it was smelling like a daisy. you didnt even pee the customary once! am so proud of you my darling boy.

the walks are also tiring you out pleasantly. you come back home, lash at your enemy - the leash, after all attempts to maul it are futile, you drink a gallon of water and flop down at my side to sleep the next couple of hours. all the hyperactivity has ceased. touchwood.

this is you, sleeping after your latest jaunt.

Taking you outside!

Today was the first day i took you outside for a walk/ potty trip. you had no idea how to react to the leash that pulled at your neck. but being a smart boy and a quick learner, you realised pulling at it would make your neck ache and so you trotted with me. I wish i was not so paranoid about juggling the leash and the iphone along with giving you instructions! i wanted to take a million pictures to capture how excited you were to see cars, school vans and bikes whizz past. you also are at that stage where people find you incredibly cute! ask K he cant seem to get enough of you....and so a couple of strangers stopped by to ask your name and pet you and you were quite the study of a good dog. showing your excitement at meeting new people, but also knowing that unless you sat down and behaved, no one would pet you.

the biggest relief to me today has been that you realised you needed to potty on these walks. i was rewarded suitably by you!

My legs are aching from the five trips we made today my darling. but just seeing how much you love going out and watching everything, also swallowing a few stones when i wasnt looking has made me so happy.

We also made our first solo car trip. It was always K and me, with you either at my feet, or in my lap or on the dashboard. Today i had to step out and i had nowhere to leave you. I also wanted to check to see if i could manage you and the car on my own. So i leashed you, put the loop around the headrest, you jumped onto the passenger seat, then sat on the floor, tried to climb up on the dashboard but couldnt. then finally jumped back onto the seat and sat the whole 7 km drive. We went to K's parent's home for a visit. they were suitably impressed by your behaviour too! and then we came back home... here's a picture so i never forget how you slept after you chewed my hand on the gearstick.