My pets ….My stress busters

Studies after studies the world over have brought out the positive role of pets in the management of human stress.

As far back as as my memory takes me, there was always a pet dog at our home. All my life I have been fond of dogs but understood the real meaning of the role they could play in grooming my personal life quite late. It is only as an adult I realised what all the pets could do for the human friends.

Pets can teach you to be a good parent….

I was a very short-tempered young man. I could lose my temper at small things at the drop of a hat. After I got married, a senior advised me to buy a pet before I thought of starting a family. He had said “The way you respond to the actions of a six-month-old pet will be exactly the way you will behave with your child”. “Dealing with the pet will give you time to learn and help in mending your ways”. But I refused to pay any heed.

Later in in life, after my children had grown up a bit, we got our first pet home. It is then I realised the calming effect the presence of a pet can have on your mind. Now, I can say with conviction that my senior was right. If I had listened to his advice may be my son would have definitely not suffered because of my temper. The pup often threw tantrums, spoilt things, tore socks or refused to listen just the way a child does. Only difference is that the pup does not let the adversities affect his mood for long. A pet lives in the moment and forgives/ forgets your bad behaviour but your child may carry the scars for life.

Pets understand your moods….

My daughter is very fond of dogs. She does not bother about their breed or even if they are from the street. Her love is same for all. It is because of her that we have always had a pet dog at home. She brought one of our present pets, a Labrador, home in 2011 and since then both have been inseparable at home. The bonding is so strong that no one, including me, can even raise their voice while talking to her. He does not take it kindly and shows his displeasures through his growls.

The dogs may not understand the true meaning of what we speak but they definitely can understand from the tone what is being conveyed. The tail only wags when you are polite. They may walk off quietly after being shouted at not because they are scared but maybe because they want to give you an opportunity to change.

A true companion….

Pets, whether dogs or cats, do not have any hidden agenda. They love and care for you selflessly. This I realised more during this COVID enforced lockdown. My two pets, a Labrador and a Beagle have been my only permanent companions last nine months.

My daily routine right from waking up to sleep is set around them. They have never allowed the feeling of being alone to set in. The rousing reception given by them on my return from work diverts the mind of whatever stress I might carry from office. Howsoever may be my mood they know how to get it back to normal in no time. Both make such faces that I cannot help patting and playing with them and the stress evaporates.

They do not demand anything other than love. Both get happy with small gestures/’ actions like sharing a bread in breakfast or feeding snacks to them in the evening.

They are sharp and fiercely loyal; with them around I do not have to worry about any intruding human or animal. Both respond to the slightest of the sound specially at the main gate.

I have never put them through any formal training but they have set their own limits. Come what may they will never get onto my bed or enter the kitchen or the prayer room.

Pets give life lessons….

I wish we humans could learn from the pets the art of selfless love, seeking happiness in small things of life, the loyalty, sharing without expectations, living in the moment, the habit of forgiving and forgetting the wrongs done to them.

Pets are not bothered about caste, creed colour or breed. They just love you irrespective of what or who you are. My two pets are inseparable. Th younger Beagle does not leave the elder Labrador even for a minute. Even at night she creates space between his legs or adjusts on his back to sleep and he also gives her the liberty happily.

As I am typing out this blog both are happily sleeping the other side of the table, contended and least bothered about any virus or what may happen tomorrow.

The world will be so much better place to live in if we humans could imbibe all the goodness from the pets.

Please enjoy this small slide show of my pets in their different moods.

Stress …There are ways to Deal…..