The Woofy Playmate: To get or not to get?

Cute, aren’t they? I see the six odd little puppies every afternoon when I go for lunch and they make me return to a long pending dilemma. This is one of the longest pending questions in my mind, and though the years have been moving, I have been unable to arrive at an answer.

Why I Crave for Doggie Company:

* My stuffed dog Timmy has been with me ever since I learnt to read Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and considering I have been a fairly normal kid, that implies A Long Time.

* Much as I adore my feline family, I sometimes spot indications hinting at the Cats are Selfish hypothesis. For instance, one particular white cat always manages to sense when I am angry/upset and not only cuts down on the ruckus but also sends an occasional whimper or lick my way. But sometimes I get the feeling it has to do with how her dinner is getting delayed or how she is unable to reach her sleeping basket with me obstructing the passageway.

* Mom often narrates tales of Gunda, the German Shepherd she had in college. Needless to say, my heart does somersaults each time I am told about the sweetheart.

* There is something irreplaceable about stroking and cuddling a dog when you’re low. That kind of unconditional love is something we humans can only aspire to bestow. (and receive, for the most part)

What Stops Me from Buying That Packet of Dog Food:

* I used to think I am a great dog lover (and to be honest, I still maintain that I am) until my ex-room mate got home this puppy from an animal care centre. Excited “Aww he is SO cute!” in the plural were all very well till I had to come back to a littered pad. Every day, day after day. The affection fell out of the window. Maybe I don’t have a dog-training gene in my body. (I am trying though; I am reading literature. Flibbertigibbet gives sound advice on walking a dog here. )

* I am not sure if the responsibility of taking care of a full-time dog isn’t all-containing. Who will take him out for an evening walk when I am stuck with lines of code at work? What about his food in the afternoon and more importantly, what about company? What is he supposed to do all day?

* My roommate keeps fish and with the number fast depleting, first due to an intra-habitat feud and later due to some dietary illness, I am not sure she will feel a dog is secure. My landlady is also sure to pose a series of problems. “I am sure a 1000 Rs/- hike is perfectly reasonable. No kennel will give you less, you can ask around…”

What do I do people? Maybe I will keep my thinking cap aside for a while and re-analyze the situation when I am not living alone per se.

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