A Paw-some start

Yes, it has finally started! I prayed to God to give her strength to bear the highest intensity of agony for my pet was now experiencing labour ache. As she wreathed in pain, clueless about why all this was happening to her, I witnessed the miraculous dog-birth sitting right next to her. It was so divine to see a small living being giving birth to four new lives. I was reminded of a line in a poem by Tagore “Each new birth is a signal that God is yet not discouraged of earthly beings.”

My pet had been carrying the pups for two long months now and was extremely restless for the last three nights. She kept tossing left to right as if something was troubling her internally. Actually, it were the pups kicking their mother from inside; eager to see the colourful world outside! 

My internet-read-knowledge said that when the pup is completely out of the mother’s body, the mother dog cuts the umbilical cord herself and licks the pup to initiate the first cry. However, Koffy on the other hand, cut the cord with her teeth and rushed to another room, groaning in pain. I gradually opened up each of the membranes and wiped the pups with a soft towel. Even though I was scared and nervous about Koffy’s delivery, God gave me the strength to caress the pups and clean their bodies which were smeared in blood. My pet’s delivery was surely an uncommon one. After reading snippets on pet-care blogs, I found out that dogs who are extremely attached to their owners don’t like their pups and consider them as their own rivals.

Take 1: Mother versus the kids

After the delivery of the four pups, we thought Koffy would recognize her offsprings as her pain wouldn’t be there anymore. However, our ex-ante expectations didn’t quite match the ex-post outcome. Koffy wouldn’t even go in the room where the pups were kept in a soft cardboard box. She would bark and run helter-skelter when any of us would touch her pups. Our conclusion was that the attention she always received from us was now being divided; and this was not something she was able to tolerate. There is no doubt that Koffy is pampered a lot by all of us. The perfect cuddling pillow for my father, an ideal daughter for my mother, a toddling toy for my sister and the ever-so-energetic running companion for me! 

She hesitated to touch them, snuffed as and when she heard them squeal and hid herself in anger behind pots when we tended to the pups. We had to force her to feed the pups so that the pups don’t die of cold or weakness. Amusingly, she would carry all her belongings like her winter coats, her snack packets and comb in my mother’s almirah so that the pups don’t take them away. But the poor pups hadn’t even opened their eyes yet. All her actions expressed her deep anguish for these new members in our family.

Disturbed by her indifference, Mom and I would often talk to the pups saying, “Oh!, you are our darling Koffy’s pups! You sure are adorable but not more than our Koffy”. So, the strategy was that we will give a lot of exclusive attention to Koffy especially when the pups are in the same room. Gradually, Koffy understood that her place in our home was unparalleled and she started to sniff the puppies’ box. The next morning, we saw her sleeping on the carpet next to the pups.

My mom and I exchanged a sigh of relief for the mother’s love was finally showing up.

Take 2: Mother and kids versus everyone else

She guards the room where the pups are sleeping. She makes sure that she has fed the pups once before having her own meal. She nudges us to let them out of the box whenever they begin to cry for milk. She licks each of them while milking so as to stop their sobbing. As anyone would have noticed, the pups love this gesture and cuddle up even closer to their mother’s body.  Even after they had their share of ilk, she continues to sit with them as if enjoying their company. She hates to go out of the house for 10 minutes also because she feels that the pups may need her. When there is a guest at our place, she makes sure that she doesn’t let them enter the puppy room. So, touching/seeing the pups is a strict ‘no’ for all newcomers.

Having seen this whole role-reversal, I realized that once you feel secure about the love you receive, it is a lot easier to give love to others. Soon, attachment grows with time and we are able to spread more happiness. We have noticed that she stays a lot more preoccupied and happy the whole day.

I learnt another valuable lesson; which is that everybody who is close to you wishes to feel indispensable for you. Nobody wants to be ‘replaceable’ and so we must respect each of our loved ones for being in our lives.

I was amazed to see how mute animals can say so much without talking. We, humans, are blessed with speech to express our heart-felt emotions; yet we either keep them locked inside or use the wrong ways. And then it may be too late to fill the void we created on our own.  

Last but not the least, I understood that the more you give love, the more it comes back to you. Who starts the cycle of love is immaterial but who keeps the wheel moving is all that matters.

Whilst the tender pups grow into handsome dogs and gorgeous bitches, I wish a fulfilling and satisfying motherhood for my lovable pet, Koffy.