Dogs are the real deal

 The dog who changed my life - Nemo ??, a true gentleman

How many times do you look at a ferocious animal & use the word 'Gentleman' for it? I had one such surreal & life changing experience the day I was introduced to Nemo.

So here is a quick note, my wife Ashwini used to absolutely be terrified of dogs due to lot of dog chase incidents in the childhood. I,on the other hand am a complete dog lover & was always hopeful that she will come around to like dogs.

I being a thorough dog lover will not leave a chance to pet it. I do not care whether it is a stray or a pet, if there is floof ball in the periphery I will pet it. Dogs are ever so loving, unbiased, joyful & believe in 'carpe diem'. When you come to know dogs you realize they are such pure & honest creations. I strongly believe that there is no greater joy than being in a roomful of people & a dog chooses to play with you over others.

So, gradually over the years I have tried getting Ashwini to understand & pet dogs while we used to go on leisurely strolls. I got lucky when a stray decided to give birth to her litter on our society premises. She found it exciting to feed the dogs & play with them while the little but nimble footed young puppies chased her around. However she was still fearful of larger dogs & seldom got close to them.

When she had to pack her bags to move to France last year, we had to look for an accommodation & decided to search for cohabitation options with French families as it would help her with polishing her language skills & also getting abreast with French culture & lifestyle. As she was to move to a petite town in the South of France, there were limited option available & we zeroed in on a rental arrangement with a French family. We wanted to know how the room was?, how the house was?, what facilities they had to offer? & how far was it to her workplace? etc. We were equally curious to understand the family members in the house. The landlady (Mme Laurence) was very kind to share a glimpse of the place & as we scanned the photographs we stumbled upon the picture of a large dog next to Laurence. I still remember Ashwini shrieking loudly ' Nope! I am not staying here, that is a very big dog'.

This was indeed the first time we saw Nemo. A handsome and charming dog adorned by a black coat with brown & white patches. Nemo is a Beauceron - Australian shepherd mix breed dog & lived in a rescue home before moving to his forever home. Here are a few facts about the breed.

- The Beauceron is a large sheepdog with a commanding presence. They get their name from the La Beauce region surrounding Paris, France. 

- Well-muscled and strongly built, the Beauceron is not bulky in any way, but instead presents a balanced and proportioned appearance. This type of dog carries its head proudly, and its tail is carried down forming a "J" except as it runs, when the tail is almost straight out from the dog's body.

- This breed's most distinctive feature is its hind double dewclaws, forming a pair of independent "thumbs" on the rear legs. (This one is important, you see this reference in the next few paragraphs)

- The Beauceron has long served farms in France herding sheep and cattle. During the world wars, Beauceron's were used by the French army, especially as messengers due to their ability to follow commands.

While we grappled with the thought of Ashwini's discomfort around a big dog, we were left with little choice (which turned out to be boon for us, as Laurence & her entire family were very warm & welcoming). So, Ashwini stayed with them & somehow managed around the dog (albeit not without shouts & shrieks). I, on the other hand, was happy & looked forward to catching a glimpse of Nemo during my video calls & chats with Ashwini. While these were my first few interactions with Nemo, I am pretty sure dogs do not get to really know you until they have sniffed you. After a few months, I packed my bags & traveled to meet Ashwini & tour around Europe. While meeting Ashwini was my main intention, I secretly was looking forward to meeting & befriending Nemo.

The day I reached their home (after long sets of flights with layovers & long bus rides & car rides), Nemo was away with Laurence at a friends house & I could not meet him. Disappointed, I decided to lap up some sleep early that night with the anticipation of possibly meeting Nemo the next day. 

Next morning as I lazed around, I heard Ashwini shout out, 'Come down quickly, Nemo is here'. I ran down the steps & behold the landlady & Nemo were both there, he leaped at me & barked once. I decided to let him sniff me & then, to everyone's surprise, he lied down & let me give him a belly rub. Belly rubs are loved by dogs & it is sign of accepting you as a part of the pack & finding you non-threatening. I was ecstatic, the photo below was clicked just then & captures the essence of our first meet, I was overjoyed & he too was happy accepting me in his home. 

Getting Nemo to pose & smile for a picture.

Over the next few days, while the house dwellers went out to work, Nemo & I bonded over some zealous 'fetch' sessions & sprinting around the garden. The mornings began like this - Nemo & I would say hello to each other, I would have my coffee & then as soon as I opened the door leading to the garden, Nemo would excitedly run out of the door & pick up his favorite toy. Over the next few hours we played & goofed around, we would then sit quietly regaining our breath & soaking the beautiful Mediterranean climate.

Gentlemanly Nemo relaxing after a good 'fetch' game in the garden

When we traveled across Europe for over half a month or so & returned back to home, Nemo ran to welcome us & couldn't control the gleeful joy to see us back. By now, this angel dog had also managed to melt my wife heart & overcome her fear of dogs. He is a thorough gentleman, he listens to commands, barks only when necessary & most of all protects the women of the house. Whenever a stranger approached the house, he would stand between the person & the women folk to protect them. Religiously barking & passively warning the visitor to stay away, however once he gauged that the person was not a threat, he would immediately turn into Mr. Cool & become the loving dog again.

Guess Ashwini has a New Friend

As Covid-19 ravaged across Europe & countries closed borders, we were stuck in France for almost 4 months, we saw Nemo grow fonder of us & accompanied us on swimming pool dips (he kept an eye on us that we do not drown & barked when we fooled around too much - I could hear his barks going - Hey guys no goofing around, stay safe!). I even found Nemo had a tickle spot between his paws on his hind legs, Nemo would playfully kick me as I troubled him with tickles.Thanks to Nemo & Laurence, Ashwini loves dogs now & if I am lucky enough someday she might let me have a dog.

As time came to move back to India, we knew that we are going to miss Nemo immensely. His goofiness, derpyness kept us sane & his honest, unconditional love & protection made us realize that this ferocious beast was the real gentleman that we had met on our trip. I still fondly remember the last time I hugged & kissed Nemo, tears swelled up in my eyes. 

Nemo - being Mr. Lazy, belly rubs & chills

Nemo with his cute eyes!

I understand now, that looks can be deceiving & with honest, unconditional love fear can be dissolved. I have tried to learn from Nemo to live a day at a time (one woof a day!) & enjoy the company of loved ones. I have just added a video below just to give you a glimpse of how innocent he is & it is bound to make you smile. Je t'aime Nemo!

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