His name is Skipper. A 9 month old Cocker Spaniel who is enriching our lives. Named so by cricket buffs- he is actually leading us and showing us the small pleasures of life.

Unconditional love and trust. In those brown, melting eyes. In the way he scampers around the house to keep us company. If someone coughs or sneezes he approaches with a concerned look. He senses that we are about to go out when he sees one of us dressed up. Then, the mild whimpering and fussing around. He has to be petted and reassured. The delighted welcome when we are back, jumping all over and expressing his joy. During these long months of Covid lockdown the puppy has brought in warmth and fun. And heightened our empathy and understanding.

Living in the moment. It is common to brood over the disappointments of the past or worry about the uncertain future. Especially with all the negativity which seems to shroud us in today’s times. Skipper’s coming has been a blessing. Nudging us towards a positive outlook. Most importantly, living in the present. We are enjoying sitting with him in the balcony and simply watching the kids playing in the society or the birds settling in the trees. After quite some time the smell and flavour of the monsoons have entered our home.

Skipper has also little time for the loungers and the social media addicts. He demands attention after a reasonable stretch of time. One has to get up and throw the ball or the ring or play tug-tug. He deflects attention from the binge-worthy stuff on Prime or Netfilx or being glued to the phone. These time-outs are not only opportunities to stretch out but also a welcome break from the Work Form Home routine.

Then there is the animal instinct of time. At 5am in the morning he is up for his morning trot and politely waits for me to get up. At around 8.30 pm in the evening he gets a bit restless and cranky if we are not having our dinner. Many a times he comes up and paws and licks us to the table. By around 10.00 pm he is asleep. 15 minutes later he is on his back with all fours in the air. A truly relaxing and resting spectacle.

In the frantic pace of life, we have come to take our meals for granted. Pan the camera on Skipper. Before meal time he will be reminding us of the event through looks or licks and taps on our hands. Once the bowl and ingredients are on the table he bounds onto the nearby sofa to get a closer look and sniff what’s in store. Oft times, he actually sees and smells his food being mixed. Then the smacking and gobbling sounds are the back-track for the next 10-15 mins. Our spaniel has hit the pause button on the rush-rush routines. We now savour whatever is on the plate, talk over small daily stuff and give ourselves more time.

Then there is the actual tail between the legs and not the proverbial one. On our morning walks, Skipper still gets rattled by the motor-cycle which rumbles through the Society at 5.30 am each morning. A couple of larger dogs intimidate him and he scurries to the other side. But the scooters of the early morning vendors no longer bother him. Nor do the cats which dart across. Every day, he is adjusting, learning and growing in confidence.

He is a dogged doggie. Does not give in in a tug of war over a piece of cloth or a furry toy. There have been occasions when he has mis-judged a jump to catch a ball and fallen on the wrong side. Briefly shaken, but quickly back in action for the next catch.

His cute mannerisms and antics often have us in splits. His stand-up jumping is a sight to behold. When he squats on his hind legs, with his long ears and furry head and soulful eyes he looks like a philosopher. In another moment, when he has had enough of jumping and running he becomes mischievous and hides the ball. When it’s time to wipe or wash his face and mouth after food he avoids looking into the mirror. Inevitably, after the wash or when the room freshener is sprayed Skipper slithers and gyrates on the floor rubbing his nose and face to the floor or the wall. Akin to a ‘Nagin’ dance.  At times he irritates us by not finishing his food or biting the mat or digging into a newspaper. He gets smacked and goes quietly to the corner with his head down. The next minute he is back to make amends, wagging his tail and butt and entreating us with those incredible eyes.

Skipper is family. He also makes friends easily and is a favourite with family- friends. He has taken a liking to two security guards in our society, and they to him. These two petting stops have become part of the early morning schedule. He welcomes both our house-helps and they happily take out time to play with him. It is a pleasure to watch. Such innocence and energy have in a sense recharged our lives. Our pup has also introduced us to some professionals- the Dog breeder in Mumbai and a team of Vets near home- whose passion for what they do goes well beyond commerce and business.

As I come to the end of this doggie tale, I look at him. He is stretched out near my chair. Those melting eyes look up and the tail wags gently. He stands up, stretches and bends elegantly. Then the fervent shaking of the head and flapping of those drooping ears. It’s  Skipper time.

Photo Credits: Sunita Rao