Pet-à-Tête

Tell us a short story about Grace and how she made her presence in your life?

Grace is a rescue that I adopted a year back. I got a call from a friend in Animal Welfare & she asked me to foster Grace. I was meant to take care of her just for the weekend (three days) but somehow the fostering never ended. I think it all started with her trying to steal my socks and then looking very content doing it. I was scared and unsure (for about three months) since she was just a pup & I didn’t think I’d have the time or patience to do it. But this sweet, absolutely crazy, lovable, weird puppy made me fall in love with her. I have a whole highlight on fostering & adopting on my Instagram (@ex.libris.x) for anyone unsure or worried about how to go about it. Getting a pet isn’t an easy decision but it has been one of the most rewarding decisions I ever made.

What’s a day in your life with her?

Our day starts relatively early with a collar being thrown at my face, followed by paws landing on me shortly after. Then it’s a simultaneous breakfast prep while I get ready for work. As I get ready, Grace insists on sticking right by my feet the whole time (lest I have to leave without walking/feeding her). Then it’s time for walkies. Grace then picks her victims at home, while I’m at work (they could be art supplies, a few toys, the bin bag, if accessible, etc.). She also re-decorates the house a bit, moving pillows from the room to the living room, among other things. Once I’m back and we’ve discussed the new home decor, we get ready for play and walk followed by dinner. We then settle down to watch a few dog videos together and some Netflix before sleep.

How often do you visit the Permit Room with Grace?

Grace came with her name. I don’t know how or why they named her that. She is the exact opposite of ‘Grace’ & I love that about her. I did try changing it, but ‘Grace’ just stuck.

Do you go outdoors? If yes, where is your favourite place to go together?

We spend a lot of time outdoors. A couple of places we love are Cubbon Park, a field near Yelahanka, Permit Room & our friend’s places.

What is the hardest and most rewarding thing about having a pet?

Choosing to adopt wasn’t an easy decision & with Grace, she came with a host of issues, from no toilet training to food anxiety, not understanding cues or reading behaviour, hyperactivity, etc. As a first-time pet parent, I had a lot of questions about whether I was actually ready for all this. But somewhere down the line, I realized this was the first time we were both doing this and we would never actually be prepared. It took patience, trust and time. Grace learned the commands where I learned to be calmer. I feel I’ve gained a lot more from adopting Grace & Pixie than they have from me. Toughest would be that there is no handbook to tell you what to do. Some days can be exhausting because you don’t speak the same language. Neither of you can tell what the other actually wants. Most Rewarding: Everything including the toughest days. You walk into a house filled with immense happiness and positivity. Life is just immeasurably better with pets. They teach you everything from discipline to patience. They also have no qualms and introduce you to other pets. They get new fur friends and you find yourself meeting so many other amazing pet parents.

Have you ever taught her any tricks? If so, what?

She’s trained me well 😛 Jokes aside, she does know a couple of cool tricks apart from her basics. The flip, we place cookies on her snout & she’ll flip it into her mouth. She also knows the double down where she’ll lie flat on the floor which is a weak attempt at trying to have her stay calm.