Here a dog, there a dog...

Dogs are said to be the species with maximum variation in physical appearance. Even in their behaviour too, I feel dogs are the ones that cover the entire spectrum of temperament ranging from dullard to uncontrollable. Without getting into the nature-nurture debate, we can safely say that a Rajapalayam breed is not likely to be as a friendly as, say a Great Dane. On the other hand, say a tiger is the very same captivating and dangerous animal, be it in the icy areas of Siberia or the evergreen forests of the hilly Mundanthurai. Talking of Danes, I was exposed to Baasha (Tamil/Suresh Krissna/1995) much earlier than I got a chance to know Scooby Doo. So, I had always associated Danes with terror, power and aggression. But nothing can be far removed from the reality. These lovable giants are child-like and social by nature. These fellows do not consider themselves to be dogs - instead they truly feel like a member of the family that keeps them. I have come across three of them in my life. Whisky and Gundu are the Danes I had got to play with recently. Both these fellows are not even a year-old, but they are already half as tall as me. Whisky boy has a shiny, jet-black coat; the other little giant is brown with the typical black nose. Quite contrary to our expectations, these gigantic dogs are quite comfortable living in apartments. They do not need any imposing bungalows situated at the centre of a vast ranch. And, if my memory serves right that seemingly deadly dog that comes charging at Saktivel in the end scenes of Thevar Magan (Tamil/Bharathan/1992) is also our affable giant. I guess the Danes need a thorough image makeover in Tamil Nadu. But yes, I am happy that I did not know about the real nature of the Danes before Baasha. Else it would have been quite embarrassing to see the superstar posing as a tough underworld don - but with a cutie dog next to him.

Talking of deceiving appearances, I cannot afford to miss Husky. These dogs that can be easily mistaken for wild wolves, were originally created to pull sledge in the tundra areas. Huskies love to run around and in most cases they pull load not just because they do not have any option but to obey their masters - but mainly because their motto is "Work is fun!" Sometimes I wish I were a Husky somewhere in Alaska. Ice and snow; tall trees with needle-leaves; fresh fish; and loads of fun with friends! I got a chance to be around with a Husky for a day. I am not able to remember the fellow's name; but just like any other Husky this boy too was sociable. But if you were to go only by his looks - for sure this wolfish beast will send a chill down your spine. Strangely, till the end of the day I did not hear the fellow bark even once. Though occasionally he tried to make some sort of noise. I was curious. Then, it was surprising to know from the owner that Huskies do not bark like our normal domestic dogs. Instead, they prefer to howl. Given that I am pretty sure people in our country will try to avoid this breed. For us, if a dog howls it is bad omen; for dogs have the power to see spirits or ghosts and - dogs howl when they see one! Even otherwise, I am not comfortable with the idea of keeping someone who was born in the ice-capped areas in the tropical areas of our country where it is difficult even to differentiate between the summer and winter. Then you may say, going by that logic - as many of the famous breeds have come from Europe or the Central Asian regions, they are not suited for our land, more specifically the Southern parts of our country - we should not go for any foreign breed. True in many ways. But life should not be seen in black and white.

Talking of black, on a couple of recent nights I got to meet this gentleman with Blaze- the Rottweiler. The well-built boy with perfect black and brown coat is really intimidating. The clipped tail adds to his violent image though it is not required to chop off a pup's tail anymore. Rotts are supposed to be one-master dogs. And forget patting or playing -  I do not have the guts to go even within 5-6 feet of the master-dog duo. The gentleman master also cautions you against proximity. With a Rott around please respect the concept of personal space. Do not show your affection by a hug. Well, that might end up to be your last hug ever! Blaze comes with a thick leash, solid collar, strong limbs and mighty bite-power. I do not find it convincing to buy the fact that these dogs were developed for herding cattle and sheep. I strongly feel, the early Rott litters as a whole have conspired against humans and made us believe they were in deed good at herding - while they were actually merrily devouring the best livestock every night. You see, it is difficult to keep track of the number of sheep in a big herd on a daily basis. The job gets further complicated as there will be natural deaths and frequent birth of lambs! Coming to the fiery Blaze, the master says he is such a lovely boy, who enjoys to hang out with close friends. But all said and done, I am not ready to break in the 5-feet circle. There is another episode of a Rottweiler that always keeps running in the back of my mind. During my days in Goa, I had a chance to have a chat with a dog trainer. He was in a lush green unused football ground giving basic lessons on discipline to a friendly GSD pup. Then the trainer also had a Rottweiler back at home. And that bulky fellow was quite attached to the trainer's little son. He says, it is not easy for even him to go near his kid unannounced or show impromptu acts of kindness. Before he can lift his kid, the trainer has to necessarily cool down the strong Rottweiler, or else...

This Rott is getting ready for a show:

As a species, we humans have been inflicting the worst possible damage to this planet. We have been and are still ruthlessly wiping out many other species from the face of earth. This is a collective shame on us; unforgivable cruelty by us. But if there is one single thing that we can be proud of - it is the number of breeds of dogs we have developed. Be it the Mongrel or the Ovcharka - our lives cannot be complete without these best buddies.