Dogged millennials

Eesha Duggal

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Not long ago, the unusualness of unmarried at 30 was second only to 30 and having no kids. Over time, such quintessential expectations of society, to a slight extent, have lowered. From seeing the disintegration of joint families to growing up in nuclear ones and then finally landing somewhere away from home all by themselves, many millennials have started looking for companionship beyond the conventional bonds of marriage and children. An emerging breed of these millennial ‘parents’ is adopting an alternative lifestyle by bringing home dogs to fulfil their need for love and having a family.

The pooch family

The transience of romance and the growing view that marriage is becoming an obsolete institution is making many young urban men and women invest their love in a four-legged companion that guarantees total acceptance and no judgement. And those who do find the courage to overcome this mindset and opt for matrimony, many of these millennial couples are eschewing parenthood by being the full-time caretakers of easy-on-the patience tail-waggers.

Dogs are a perennial source of love, comedy, joy, and loyalty. They possess the power to uplift our moods and alleviate our sorrows. If being a dog parent has its delights, there are many challenges as well.    

Shehzada Sodhi, who belongs to Chandigarh,  works in a PR firm in Noida. He is true-blue canine lover, “I feel better with my dogs than I do with people.” Shehzada has been living in Noida for 11 years. Away from home, his new family consists of seven dogs, who he has adopted over a period of three years.

“I have had to shift houses frequently because everywhere I go, neighbours feel inconvenienced. But it’s okay. I don’t mind that I have to spend most of my salary on them, that not many people visit me and that I can’t go anywhere, not even home. All I care for are my pooches and I am committed to taking care of them. There’s no joy like being with them. Who else can have your back like that?” asks the 37-year-old with utmost sincerity. “All my seven kids — Aunty, Leo, Bhim, Naughty, Rodo, Didi and Daddy — are vaccinated and neutered,” he says.

The woofie tots

In addition to the unconditional love that they shower on us, dogs have been leading by example by offering many qualities to learn from. “Every day I come across obstacles and difficult people. When that happens, I always think of how my dogs deal with stress. They bark, they growl, and eventually they just go play. I always take time in my life to go play and experience nature’s beauty,” says Tina Nieri, who’s sharing her house and heart with her four beloved dogs. Originally from the US, Tina has been staying in Chandigarh for a year and has started Peedu’s People, an organisation that helps street dogs.

“Love is not specific to a species. Because I am vegan, I see all creatures as the same. I am a self-sufficient woman. Early in life, my dad taught me that I need to know how to change a car tyre, that I must find a way to do things on my own and that no one is stronger or better than me just because he’s a man. I followed that advice and have lived happily since. My dogs trust me for taking care of them. My own pets and many street dogs are my responsibility. I get to love and mother them just like my children,” says Tina.

Doggysitters

Since many dog parents are professionals and stay out for hours, restless pets, home alone, unleash their energy on tearing socks, digging holes in the backyard, madly sprinting around the house or just sitting sad and waiting for their ‘parents’ return. Realising that pets are like little  kids that need attention at all times, pet care centres and boardings have opened up in big cities.

Alfa 11 is a pet care centre in Gurugram that has been training and boarding dogs in the NCR for 25 years. “We always have a minimum of 20 dogs at the centre. Every morning, we pick up pets from their homes and drop them in the evening. We have a grooming centre, swimming pool, agility ground and equipment centre. There’s also a facility for cage-free home boarding. Alfa 11 has full-time dog behaviourists, caretakers, walkers and groomers to make dogs feel at home,” says Rakesh Purohit, manager, Alfa 11.

With many animal enthusiasts choosing this line of work, pet owners can spend guiltless hours at work without having to worry about their significant other.

Moody canines 

Even when they make our world better and fill the vacuum of our solo lives, pets are sometimes, unfortunately, left to fend for themselves. Common reasons behind the step can be behavioural problems such as biting and aggression, or that the parents are shifting.

Forsaken and out on the streets all by themselves, the once-domesticated dogs are not only subject to hostility of people, attack by other animals and road accidents, but also loneliness and an inconceivable sense of loss. Scared and depressed, they search for their family everywhere, stop eating and worst, die a lonely death. In more humane partings, pets are left to the care of other people. In both circumstances, dogs undergo intense separation anxiety.

Inder Sandhu, honorary animal welfare officer from the Animal Welfare Board of India, says such behavioural problems can be corrected. “Biting and aggression can be corrected by spaying and neutering, excessive barking by exercise and shock collars and inappropriate elimination by crate training,” he explains.

For all the times they have been caught red-pawed filling our lives with absolute abundance, our furry children qualify for not just extreme care, but perhaps our last name too. How about a nameplate?

Let’s paws 

As pets replace conventional family, animal lovers do not have to cut down on their social activities or family outings. Many like-minded people and various companies are offering a variety of facilities and services that you can enjoy with your four-legged kids     

Pet cafes

Cafe Joshua in Pune and PuppyChino Cafe in New Delhi, among a few others in the country, let pet parents and their kids do the munching under one public roof.  

Corporate care

Start-ups like Chumbak and Pagalguy have in-house animal staff, whose work profile consists of taking hugs and snoozing under the desks. The firms also allow employees to bring their pets to work. CollarFolk, a start-up, facilitates people plan and book holidays with pets. It also gives 10 days’ leave to its employees when they adopt a pet. Digital marketing firm Gozoop gives a special annual pet allowance to employees for various things like vet visit, training, grooming, vaccinations or even pet sitting. Employees at tea retail chain Chaayos can work from home or take leave in case their pets are sick. Heads Up For Tails, an online shopping portal for dog products, has introduced up to two days' pet sick leave annually for all its employees. Bengaluru-based Timeforpet, an online pet shop, gives up to seven days of 'pawternity' leave to its employees, who have submitted their pet documents

Appy world

PetPhone, a mobile app, enables owners of more than one pet to create profile of each animal and feed in information like their weight, medication, vet appointments etc. Pet First Aid guides owners through articles and videos about what to do in case of medical emergencies.

'Baraati' with tail

Online pet products portal Heads Up For Tails has recently launched 'baraati' collection, which includes sherwanis, kurtas etc, for poochs to ensure they also feel special during weddings.