My sons tell me I have spoilt Luci rotten. Yeah, unlike them with whom I have been a pretty strict parent. Fire-breathing Dragon Mom and all that you know. But with Luci mine has been quite a laid back approach, a puppies-will-be-puppies kind of thing. If she ran amok and broke something I simply picked up the bits with a helpless shrug.

You must remember this is the same person who once warned the human kids for the last time, not to use the dart gun inside the house, and when they went against my orders, broke it in two and threw it away just as I had promised I would do. Yeah, not really proud of it, but that is exactly what I did. I believe in keeping my word. If I said I would break it and throw it, break and throw it I will. Right or wrong, that’s how my philosophy goes.

When Luci walked in through the door (actually she was carried in, in my arms), discipline and obedience went out of the window. Indulgence ruled. It is not that I did not try to be the disciplinarian and teach her a thing or two about obedience. When you have brought up two children and they have finally grown up and flown the nest, you tend to relax and get a lot lazy in the disciplining department. Add to that the fact that I was not keeping good health and not in the best condition to do the stern ‘No!’ that dogs expect from you now and then.

Besides dogs are like forever-two-year-olds and pray, who can discipline a two year old? Not me. Luckily, the pup who was quite Marle-sque in nature, grew up to be a more sober dog on her own. She has her moments. But then would life be as interesting if she merely plonked herself down in one corner and snored? She demands (and gets) attention from both Momma and Dadda, though Dadda is a little grudging at times. Our life for all practical purposes revolves round Luci, and she knows it.

©Shail Mohan 2015