Having multiple dogs is fun, but it takes a lot of commitment from
the pet parents, says Richa Singh Choudhuri, who left her cushy
corporate job to look after nine dogs and counting.
New Delhi, September, 19, 2019: Though I loved dogs, but we never had them before my marriage. It’s my husband Piyas, who grew up with dogs and introduced me to them.I always wanted to have two dogs and that became a reality when Blu, a Golden Labrador,and Hazel Sr, a Golden Retriever, who sadly passed away last year when she was just four.These two girls came and changed our lives for good. I was the sole caretaker since Piyas used to travel a lot. Later we adopted more dogs and till now we both have raised 12 dogs together in last five years.
Out of these, three have passed away. I used to work with an MNC and had a regular corporate job, but that left me with very less time to spend with my dogs. We have had really bad experiences with the support staff we hired to look after the dogs in our absence, so that made me leave my cushy job. My friends and families thought I had lost my mind and they kept dropping hints to me and Piyas that I made the wrong decision. Even now I often hear them talking in hushed tones about wasting my life for dogs since we don’t have kids even after five years of marriage.
We have nothing against kids, but we both feel that it’s not something we are prepared for right now.Judging someone’s life decision from afar is too easy, or should I say it’s fun for other people, but even when I give my rescued dogs for adoption, I tell families to think over again about all the pros, cons and unexpected situation sour dear life throws in our direction before getting a dog.Not having kids till now was our own decision and it has nothing to do with our dogs. If we will ever have a human kid, I know my other kids at home will still remain our priority. We have been through worst and best times together, so practically nothing scares us now. We know that our home is incomplete without our dogs and we like the routine they have brought to our lives.After leaving my corporate job, I started my own business and that gave me space to work on my terms at my own time.
Raising a pup or a young dog is difficult, but our senior dogs – Chloe, Duster, Zara and Dexter – keep a balance. Both Piyas and I love our senior dogs as they have brought peace and discipline in our younger ones and in our lives too. People always take a step back when it comes to senior dogs, but they just make the best addition to our pack.
Often I hear from people why so many dogs, how do you manage them, how many walks and so on when they seethe pictures of my dogs on Instagram or Facebook. Well it’s not difficult, that’s the life we choose. I have all big dogs, I live in a penthouse and I strongly believe that if you can’t take your dogs for long walks, just don’t get them. In spite of having nine dogs in our home, all my dogs go forlong walks. The younger ones go for 40-50 minutes’ walk twice a day and the senior ones go for 30 minutes because of their medical issues. Like Zara, who has lot of medicalconditions and on top of that she is a rottweiler.
She is a big dog and she doesn’t know that she is sick 12 months 365 days. She has exercise intolerance, but still she goes out for her 20 minutes’ walk twice a day in early morning and late night. We give our dogs fresh home cooked meals and natural supplements that we make at home. Our days tarts at 6 am and ends at midnight. Because of them we at least step outside of our home twice a day and meet people even though we are a socially awkward couple which is hilarious.We have a big pack of dogs and they all joined us at different ages starting from a 10-month- old to a 12 year sold dogs we have them all. Yes, they do get into arguments but they have never harmed each other. We have had dogs with bad past, but they all look out for each other.Yes, everyone is not everyone’s favorite but they all have their own crime partners. Their mischief when I step out for work is totally amusing. I am actually very proud of.
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