Prince is my pet Labrador. My brother got him home, much against the family wishes. I was neutral at that time. My family wanted him to return Prince back, but seeing my brothers pain, I supported him and Prince got to stay back. The warm reception that he has been giving me every day for the past 9 yrs is not restricted to me only. He extends this to everyone at home. I have my mood swings, sometimes I acknowledge him other time I don't. But Prince is not deterred, whether you acknowledge his gestures or not he does his duty. Is mood swing a human phenomenon? I wonder.
He is cuddly as a bear, he is naughty as a kid, when required he bares his fangs, that is Prince.
At one point of time my mother hated him, but gradually she learned to love him. If my brother has a tiff with my mother, and if my brother shouts at my mother, Prince jumps to her rescue. He takes his position next to her all set to defend her should the need arise.
I think he also knows what we talk. At times when I converse with my mother I have seen him turn attentive when we discuss anything concerning him.
I also think he is capable of reading our thoughts. At times I just have to think that I have to go out and plan logistic in my mind, Prince will spring out of nowhere ready to come with me. He loves outdoors. He loves to play with balls. I have to be careful when I take him out to places where kids play cricket. He takes position to take the next catch!.
I recall an incident. Once around mid night Prince woke me up. I was upset, I pushed him away, but he would not budge. I just went to the other end of the bed so that he could not reach me and then nicely went to sleep. The next morning I realized that my brother had fallen off a bike and injured himself. He came home but did not wake any one up, he was in pain and Prince had come to wake me up. My brother was in so much pain that he slept on the couch, with Prince licking his wounds all night.
He loves to catch birds that come to our balcony. At times my brother helps him and it is really nice to see Prince co-ordinating so neatly in tandem. I think animals are good team players, they know when to allow one to take the lead and when to follow.
During these years he battled two bouts of serious illness. Both the time my brother gave up hope, but Prince held on. He showed amazing will to fight it out. Even when he was gravely ill he never missed to wag his tail and greet any one who visited him.
If you ask me what I most admire in him , then it is self less love , never dying enthusiasm in what we consider as routine and mundane matters. When I am down all I have to do is hug him for the best medicine of life. Get a dog :-)
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