Written & Edited by Disha Ramanan
Whether or not we believe in destiny, sometimes some things are just meant to be. One of those things is the precious, irreplaceable love between a dog and her human parent.
When was that special moment you just knew that your dog was meant to be yours? Was it the first, magical gaze into one another’s eyes, a tender pupper boop on your unsuspecting leg or an unexpected middle-of-the-night cuddle (you know, when you’d decided that there have to be boundaries and the doggo can’t get on the bed with you, but he finds a way into your bed anyway and breaks down all your resolve)?
Here presenting some of the most heart-warming stories of dogs and their human-parents!
Descended from The Stars by @karnikapalwa
“On one of the hottest days in Delhi, summer of 2017, Astral was found in our office braving the heat, on her own, yet strong and playful. From the very minute she came, she owned the office like a boss. We decided to foster her till we could find her a forever home. We also tried hard to look for her littermates and mother, but no luck. It was a tender time for us, as all this happened right around the first departure anniversary of our previous beloved dog. But it was really the moment when the name ‘Astral’ came about. I said it as a temporary name without having any background to the word’s real meaning, only to discover later that it was the registered lineage name of our departed dog, who was a champion (whom we otherwise lovingly called ‘Crazy’). That moment was incredibly special, and we felt there were multiple coincidences in the entire episode, beyond our understanding. We felt Astral chose us. She chose her name to make us realise that she was the one. Nobody knows where she came from. And, for us, she has descended from the stars.”
From Scared to Soulmates by @tanayamisra
“This was the first day I met Ginger and I vividly remember being a little scared because I had never had a dog before. But just a couple of days later, I was the luckiest as she chose me to be her Mom (she was someone else’s). From then on and into eternity, she will be my little baby, my soulmate, an angel in disguise and my best therapist.”
The Eyes Have It by @aparajitafido_diaries
“We’d adopted a Golden Retriever from somebody – my parents and I bonded so well with him; we fell completely in love. We named him Fido. Suddenly, his previous humans came back for him, saying they missed him. We were left completely heartbroken. Shattered, my parents decided that they wouldn’t think of getting any other pets. Unbeknownst to them, I was still looking for dogs we could adopt… and that’s when I saw my new baby Fido. Hesitant of their reaction, I took him to my parents. That was the moment right then – they looked into his adorable puppy eyes and just melted! ‘He’s going to stay with us,’ they said, sealing the deal.”
Wanderlust with Lexi by @shail.bad
“Being scared of dogs to loving them to death, Lexi has taught me the real definition of true, pure companionship. Recently I took her with me for our first adventure trip and I am convinced that I am going to do this often. Just the happiness of travelling with your best bud is a feeling nothing else can come close to. She is a daughter, a friend, a mood lifter and everything else I ever wanted in life!”
Boss Dog Mojo by @dips_1411
“Mojo, my world. When I went to meet him for the very first time to get him home, I knew in the blink of an eye, he was mine. He was and is a saint. I watched from afar as he was simply taking a stroll, happy in his own company and not caring about the pups around him when a Rottweiler pup came and started annoying him. Eventually, Mojo, super pissed, barked at the Rottweiler who then promptly receded and went straight under the bed. That’s when we decided Mojo was ours forever and ever!”
Love at First Sight by @la_la_land_forever
“It was love at first sight with Kiki, when I met her as part of a litter. We gravitated towards each other. Not more than an arm’s length long, a 3-month old pup, she reached out to me and expressed herself affectionately. I knew then that she was the one. I christened her Kiki. She’s been the perfect companion with the perfect balance of independence and love. She’s six years old now and still behaves like a puppy. However old she may get, she’s going to be my puppy forever…”
A Basket of Love by @lylathegolden_
“I’d been asking for a dog ever since I met an adorable one at my cousin’s, probably at the age of 6. Mom always said no as she felt she’d be the one who would end up with most of the responsibility and was generally petrified of dogs, but dad was quite cool with it. Still, I never stopped asking.
Last year we moved cities and I was sorely missing my old friends. One day when I got back from school, I saw a basket that had a ribbon on it. I felt I saw something move inside and when I went closer, I just couldn’t believe my eyes. I saw the most beautiful and cutest, teeny white puppy. That was the happiest moment of my life! As I carefully lifted that shaky little ball of fur out of the basket, and gently hugged her, she stole my heart!
Yes, my mom has most of the responsibility, but the two couldn’t be more in love and are inseparable. Plus, my mom and dad have another daughter in the house, and I’ve got the younger sister I never had – our precious Lyla!
We all feel so blessed to have Lyla in our lives!”
The Way to her Heart was Through her Hair by @abhilasha19.18
“I was there when Brenna’s dog momma delivered her pups in the deserted University campus (AWUV, Karnataka). With a litter of 5 pups, I shifted them and their mum to a safer place as it was the rainy season then. I hadn’t decided on adopting her yet; I felt that the pup had to choose me, not the other way around! Anyway, during their 3rd week of life, this tiny fur ball decided I was a better option to play with than her siblings! She started playing with my hair; that was the moment when she didn’t just pull at my hair, but also at my heart strings. I knew then that she was mine to take home. It was a rough start, but we sailed through; we travelled together, shifted back home and she has grown up to be an amazing girl.”
The Chronicles of Arya & Sansa by @shakkarpaare
“I never understood the obsession people had with their pets until I got one home (two, actually) a year ago. A lot of people I know detest Indies as pets. Because we see so many of them on the streets, they’re perpetually called “strays”. I don’t blame you – that’s the mindset we’ve been raised with right? But if you truly love dogs, go ahead and adopt – I promise you, life will never be the same again! Dear Arya and Sansa, I wish you could read this. I’ve cleaned your poop, watched you chew my favourite sandals, pee on my favourite rug, not let me sleep because you wanted to play and I’ll continue to do this and more, gladly, for years to come… I thank God I decided to adopt you!”
Neo’s Tail by @neotheindie
“A car had run over me, and I couldn’t walk properly anymore so I dragged myself all around the park, while in my cast. I ended up with maggots in my tail 🙁 My hoomans got me home and I was tired after my visit to the vet. I had a drip put into me, a couple of injections and a painful change of cast. I was exhausted and I looked at my dad and then just put my head on his leg and went to sleep. He had my mum lying down on the other leg and he said that was it, that was the moment – we are a family, he could feel it. That was that and they never thought about giving me up since then…”