The Creed

“I believe and honor the unconditional love, immense craziness, divine purity and vibrant energy within you, because you bring out the best in me.”

Amita Ivy Satur

I’ve had dogs since I was 8. I belong to the 4th generation providing love and care for dogs. “Saturs- The Genetic Dog Parents”- is what I call my entire clan. So, everything in this blog is written from pure experience. It has been 24 years being a dog parent and I believe, there are wet and sloppy kisses, animated tails, butt sniffers and trouble makers still waiting out there for me. I embrace adoption and encourage the same.

Dogs have helped us evolve into better versions of ourselves. In many ways, they make our life healthier and happier. Pets, especially dogs, can reduce stress, anxiety and depression, ease loneliness, and encourage exercise and playfulness. “One! Two! Threeee! Catch-a-ball. Good gurrrl!” [Power-Play time for Selfie]

Various studies have proven the effects dogs have on our health and well-being. Did you know that growing up with a dog can actually benefit a child’s physical and psychological development? Yes! It’s true. Caring for a pet helps children grow up with an active lifestyle and better self-esteem. Dogs also provide valuable companionship for older adults.

The Story

“Namaste” means – “I bow to you.” And that’s exactly the kind of respect and love mi familia gives to dogs. Surprised? Don’t be! This quality came genetically to the ‘Satur’ folks from my grampee (that’s what we called my maternal grandfather) who was a natural at bonding with dogs. Grampee was undoubtedly a saint for dogs, then on earth and now in heaven. I have heard stories about dogs following him back home after work just because they sensed the love within him. He used to say- “It was love at first sight.” All the dogs that followed him back home, the ones he rescued and adopted, made him the best dog parent I know, whom I aspire to be.

The Family

Boxer

Boxer was an angel-bright Indian Spitz who was in need of a foster home. Even though grampee was visually impaired, he adopted Boxer without further ado. I had decided to adopt Boxer the moment I saw grampee and Boxer needed help. Thereafter, Boxer and I visited our grampee every single day, both morning and evening. There were days when I got late while returning from my music class, so, Boxer used to pay a visit to grampee all by himself, running to grampee’s house, sitting on his lap and kissing him all over his face. “Slurp! Slurp! Slurp!” I can still picture Boxer on grampee’s lap kissing him, I swear. The pure love that once touched me, has just grown stronger since then

Dollie Girl

My alma mater had a church in its campus. A priest from our parish got transferred quite far and was unable to take his dear Dollie with him due to travel issues. I was studying in 6^th Grade when I first met Dollie. We bonded in a jiffy. She was an old girl with very few teeth left, nevertheless beautiful. I narrated the entire story to my muma and we adopted Dollie Girl who was a real darling to all of us at home, except my daddy. Lol! One night, daddy returned from a business trip many days after Dollie’s arrival. She misunderstood him to be a burglar, grabbed his leg and hung on the pant until she lost a tooth again. What an encounter! She was the perfect addition to our jovial family.

Floss & Sandy

What’s better than a dog? Two dogs! I hit the jackpot with these two while I was in my teens. Floss was a female and Sandy was a male Indian Spitz. They were also adopted on a random day when a family shifted from one state to another. Floss was quite bossy and sophisticated, on the other hand, Sandy was extremely playful and energetic. I had the best times with these two freaks.

Tuffy

Handsome? Huh! Damn handsome. This dashing guy was the best birthday gift I’ve ever received. He was like a fur-ball rolling out of a box. Out of all the pets I’ve ever had, Tuffy is the most pampered one. He indulges in chasing birds and eating a lot of chocolates. No wonder, a chocolaty boy. (Whistle! Whistle!) Tuffy is 12 right now and is aging gracefully, like a bottle of wine. (Wink!) 

Selfie

“No Selfie! No Selfie! …………Noooooooo! There goes another plant. Fossil!

Selfie is an attention seeker; very naughty but equally affectionate. She is a 3-year old Indian Pariah with unlimited energy and enthusiasm. But this was a secret for quite a while. In November 2017, there was this little brown angel peeping from an abandoned lane. I found out that she was all alone with no one to care for. I decided to take her in, but since she was too timid and scared, I had to be very careful. I kept feeding her and gave her time to get along. At nights, she would slip in through the main gate and take shelter in the grotto built in my front courtyard. We spent a lot of time together, eating, playing, running on the terrace and finally one day she said ‘yes’ to my proposal of being my baby girl. Selfie is the joy of our family. She’s the happiest dog I’ve ever met. “Who’s the naughtiest girl in the world? My desi girl. My desi girl.”