Simply about my dog

My editor here at Republica would always like me to write about something relevant and interesting for the Nepali audience, as opposed to writing too much about issues in America that frankly all of you could give a hoot about.



So, this week, I am writing about my dog. Krypto is a three-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd, that in fact is really a Nepali Shepherd. He was born here in Kathmandu along with his mother, so he is as Nepali as any other dog on the street.



Krypto is also relevant and interesting to every one he meets in K-town, say for example, the pedestrians walking near the Zoo. They all seem to move to the other side of the street when they see him coming and gasp “Ooh!” when surprised from behind by his inquisitive and very large snout touching their hand.



Most kids call him baag and are amazed when I make Krypto stop and say namaste by having him sit on his haunches and put his front paws together in greeting. They also like it when I pull back his lips and expose his 6cm canines and then put my hand in his mouth to tell them tokdaina.



As I have my 60 kg “tiger” always attached to a lead in public, there is no chance of him jumping up on folks and licking their face as he likes to do, but in general, the public at large is still absolutely terrified of Krypto. I find this strange, as in America, a large man walking a large dog on the street is about as common as a small woman carrying a small dog in her purse, and nothing to give even a second thought about.



In America, 99.9 percent of pet dogs on a lead would never think of attacking another human on the street. Pet dogs there are often safer and more law-abiding then their owners. You may get a bark if you are acting crazy, or your lawn may get some fresh fertilizer, but that’s the extent of any pet dog’s damage to the public.



Krypto was given proper training when he was a pup by one of the many young Nepali entrepreneurs who have made dog training their business. A shortlist of these pet-oriented businesspeople can be found at www.animalnepal.org, but flyers abound around town on supermarket billboards. A pet dog that is given basic obedience training is no threat to society, and in my experience, often much better behaved then their owners in public.




But equally important as hiring an outside consultant to train your dog, is the amount of time you spend trying to understand how your pet dog thinks. You have to become a pack leader, as they say, since dogs are pack animals, and when a dog lives in your home or outside in your compound - your family is your dog’s pack. And someone has to lead. If you won’t, the dog will, often with dire consequences.



Having any dog as a pack leader in your compound is a pretty dangerous situation. We have all witnessed this danger whenever we walk by a gate and hear what sounds like a ferocious hyena pummeling the other side of the gate, and see fangs snapping below, trying to tear anything within reach. Often this racket is in reality a tiny 40cm Japanese Spitz, but the dynamics are the same for a large beast like Krypto: These dogs are out of human control and pose a threat to everyone. And you, the owner, are to blame.



These often caged and neglected animals are the pack leaders of their home, and just doing what you would do if you were sitting in their paws as a wild dog guarding the cave. The fix is simple. Spend time with your pet and become the leader of your home pack.



I am fortunate enough to spend all day with my dog. I take him shopping, and when I work outside the home, I try and take him there as well. Interestingly enough, in America, many large corporations allow you to bring your dog to work and even offer pet benefits; Google is one example of a pet-friendly business.



Dada down at the cold store is no longer surprised when I bring Krypto and have him sit patiently while I place my order for eggs and milk. Waiters working in Jawalakhel restaurants will bring Krypto a bowl of water as he lays under the table waiting for dinner scraps, but Samir at New Orleans is always surprised when Krypto gets an entire meal to himself. The folks at Shrestha’s Cold Store even give Krypto a slice of cheese as he waits at the checkout with me. The guard in front of Standard Chartered Bank gets a kick outta holding Krypto’s lead while I am inside making a withdrawal.



In other words, leading your pack outside of your home, whether that be your children or your pets, is as natural as anything that you can do – and I encourage this activity 100 percent for all those in Nepal owning a pet dog.



By spending time like this with your pet dog, you will be setting an example for all in regards to “proper pet ownership”, which sounds highfalutin, but is nothing out of the ordinary for Westerners, and is nothing hard to do at all. But do tell me if you are having a problem with that!



(Writer is quirky kinda expat happily living in the Kathmandu valley with Nepali family, friends, and Krypto the SuperDog – who even has a page on Facebook.)



herojig@gmail.com

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