Grand Dogs and Grandparents
NewsBharati 18-Jul-2024 14:38:52 PM
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We the Sapiens
'Sapiens', a book by Yuval Noah Harari is an interesting documentation of human evolution. Two important points can be noted- the first one is that we humans are the only wise living beings reflected by the term ‘homo Sapiens’ and the second is that dog was the first animal domesticated by humans almost 15,000 years ago. Let me leave it at this- though there are several aspects to human evolution discussed in the book, like tribes, kingdoms, families and humans working as organized groups larger than hundreds together as an entity which animals lacked.
Humans got so organised that in the last century they have become over organised. For example, Japanese have started working as good as robots- as precise as a clock- not a minute to waste. When the industrial revolution hit them after the second World War there was a mass migration from rural to urban areas- cities became overcrowded and Tokyo had micro living units less than a few hundred square feet for a family. Men and women both had to earn to live a better if not a lavish life. Family life took a toll- a big hit and their population started shrinking.
This became a universal malaise and it impacted life of every ‘homo Sapien’ East to West, North to South. From homo Sapiens we again became plain Sapiens, who could barely think as there was no time to think. Men and Women delayed their marriages and no one wanted children. A child became a problem. Earlier – just five decades ago- couples had three to four kids.
The basic instinct to have someone to love and cuddle could not be suppressed and ‘Sapionology’ at the most basic level became troublesome. Earlier elders were keen to have grandchildren so that three generations lived together- wisdom, youth and innocence coexisted. There were fewer cases of depression and suicide- burnout was not heard of. Now it is a part of our life.
The dog our oldest and best friend of thousands of years came to our rescue again. Instead of having children couples kept pets at home- a dog was again there to help the wise and selfish sapiens. DINKS- double income no kids the fire for power and greed was quickly let into modern lifestyle and spread like wildfire which spiralled out of control. By the way the book Sapiens also tells us that man became the dominant human species because it could control fire and therefore cook, food and manufacture goods. But modern homo –‘humans’ could not control the fire for greed and power.
A dog cannot be as demanding as a child and it gives you unconditional love- more than humans. Today couples proudly declare that they would not raise a family of humans but keep a dog or dogs instead.
Grandparents and granddogs
The elders for generations have been longing for grandchildren and ‘no kids’ for their kids is in their face. So, they make do with ‘Grand dogs’ instead. Imagine a dog getting love from his mom and dad and also four grand ma’s and grand-dad’s. what a dog’s life. So- some sapiens will not mind being born as dogs of sapiens in such families - those who believe in rebirth.
So, you have pampered dogs!
A new business model
Today you have more dog/animal clinics in posh areas and may give a run for money to paediatricians. They have fancy names like ‘Fur and Feather’ or ‘raintree vets for Pets’ ‘pet pals’, ‘pugs and pussy’ etc.
There are pampering classes- doggy massage, manicure for dogs, pet parties, shampoo and bath, toys for dogs, of course, dog shows, playdates et al. There are home services too- you will get spa, shampoo, message at home for your loved one. There are Vans fully equipped so that your home is not dirtied! Dog food is a huge business too.
Cats have also got their share. Dogs come in all shapes and sizes
Prices range from INR 5000 to INR 15,0000 and you need to book in advance for some breeds.
There are many who don’t want to keep dogs at home so they show their love by feeding dogs on the streets. Even lesser hassle.
“When a man’s best friend is his dog, that dog has a problem.” – Edward Abbey
Dog sitting not babysitting
In earlier days parents could leave their children with their grandparents when they went out for dinner/party/movie. Now they leave their dog -a grand dog with his grandparents- how cute.
Grandparents have also gotten used to this and treat the dog as their grandchild. Going for a long weekend holiday too they chip in.
Sometimes your grownup children decide to move abroad- and this happens. Who will lug the dog around it costs a lot and in other countries, they don’t allow pets to move in so easily- no dog visa as yet I think. So again parents are there and come handy. From Washington you can always make a free video call to speak to your dogKID- issi bahane ma baap se bhi baat ho jati hai. How considerate no?
A sword hangs on the head of the grandparents though. I have seen elderly friends who are now dog-bound and rushing out of lunch to ensure they reach home on time to feed their grand dog!
Family dogs
Even dog lovers with children (Sapiens) do not want to keep dogs because it becomes difficult to leave a dog behind if your parents are not with you or they also go along for the holiday. Kennels may not be good enough and expensive too.
A better idea can be to make your dog a family dog. If you have a friend or your relative living in the same town then ensure you take the dog to them once a few days to make him befriend them. This, is a workable idea and the dog can stay back with your friends when you go for a short holiday. That way dogs love dog lovers and adjust easily with known people- they are better than sapiens. Today two sapiens get divorced because they cannot adjust with each other- learn from dogs!!
Dog Weddings
As if it's a dog’s day out. People are moving in different directions, and there are dog weddings that are trending. Chinese are doing this even if they are ageing.
In China spending on furry companions in 2023 rose 3.2% to $38.41 billion (279.3 billion yuan) from a year earlier, industry figures show.
Dog on rent
There can be a service provider who can provide you a friendly dog for a weekend and you can pour your heart out- provided he lets you. Here the dog owner rents a dog after checking your own credentials- you can trust dogs but not the sapiens. This can be a business model too.
Dog walkers- outsourcing-DWO
Like BPO, DWO is another business/employability avenue today. You get paid to take a sahib’s dog for a walk. I am not sure what is today but soon we may have companies providing dog walkers!
We have moved full circle- 15,000 years back dogs accompanied the sapiens- today sapiens give company to dogs- bravo!
'Sapiens', a book by Yuval Noah Harari is an interesting documentation of human evolution. Two important points can be noted- the first one is that we humans are the only wise living beings reflected by the term ‘homo Sapiens’ and the second is that dog was the first animal domesticated by humans almost 15,000 years ago. Let me leave it at this- though there are several aspects to human evolution discussed in the book, like tribes, kingdoms, families and humans working as organized groups larger than hundreds together as an entity which animals lacked.
“You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog.” – Harry S Truman
Humans got so organised that in the last century they have become over organised. For example, Japanese have started working as good as robots- as precise as a clock- not a minute to waste. When the industrial revolution hit them after the second World War there was a mass migration from rural to urban areas- cities became overcrowded and Tokyo had micro living units less than a few hundred square feet for a family. Men and women both had to earn to live a better if not a lavish life. Family life took a toll- a big hit and their population started shrinking.
This became a universal malaise and it impacted life of every ‘homo Sapien’ East to West, North to South. From homo Sapiens we again became plain Sapiens, who could barely think as there was no time to think. Men and Women delayed their marriages and no one wanted children. A child became a problem. Earlier – just five decades ago- couples had three to four kids.
The basic instinct to have someone to love and cuddle could not be suppressed and ‘Sapionology’ at the most basic level became troublesome. Earlier elders were keen to have grandchildren so that three generations lived together- wisdom, youth and innocence coexisted. There were fewer cases of depression and suicide- burnout was not heard of. Now it is a part of our life.
The dog our oldest and best friend of thousands of years came to our rescue again. Instead of having children couples kept pets at home- a dog was again there to help the wise and selfish sapiens. DINKS- double income no kids the fire for power and greed was quickly let into modern lifestyle and spread like wildfire which spiralled out of control. By the way the book Sapiens also tells us that man became the dominant human species because it could control fire and therefore cook, food and manufacture goods. But modern homo –‘humans’ could not control the fire for greed and power.
A dog cannot be as demanding as a child and it gives you unconditional love- more than humans. Today couples proudly declare that they would not raise a family of humans but keep a dog or dogs instead.
Grandparents and granddogs
The elders for generations have been longing for grandchildren and ‘no kids’ for their kids is in their face. So, they make do with ‘Grand dogs’ instead. Imagine a dog getting love from his mom and dad and also four grand ma’s and grand-dad’s. what a dog’s life. So- some sapiens will not mind being born as dogs of sapiens in such families - those who believe in rebirth.
So, you have pampered dogs!
A new business model
Today you have more dog/animal clinics in posh areas and may give a run for money to paediatricians. They have fancy names like ‘Fur and Feather’ or ‘raintree vets for Pets’ ‘pet pals’, ‘pugs and pussy’ etc.
There are pampering classes- doggy massage, manicure for dogs, pet parties, shampoo and bath, toys for dogs, of course, dog shows, playdates et al. There are home services too- you will get spa, shampoo, message at home for your loved one. There are Vans fully equipped so that your home is not dirtied! Dog food is a huge business too.
Cats have also got their share. Dogs come in all shapes and sizes
Prices range from INR 5000 to INR 15,0000 and you need to book in advance for some breeds.
There are many who don’t want to keep dogs at home so they show their love by feeding dogs on the streets. Even lesser hassle.
“When a man’s best friend is his dog, that dog has a problem.” – Edward Abbey
Dog sitting not babysitting
In earlier days parents could leave their children with their grandparents when they went out for dinner/party/movie. Now they leave their dog -a grand dog with his grandparents- how cute.
Grandparents have also gotten used to this and treat the dog as their grandchild. Going for a long weekend holiday too they chip in.
Sometimes your grownup children decide to move abroad- and this happens. Who will lug the dog around it costs a lot and in other countries, they don’t allow pets to move in so easily- no dog visa as yet I think. So again parents are there and come handy. From Washington you can always make a free video call to speak to your dogKID- issi bahane ma baap se bhi baat ho jati hai. How considerate no?
A sword hangs on the head of the grandparents though. I have seen elderly friends who are now dog-bound and rushing out of lunch to ensure they reach home on time to feed their grand dog!
Family dogs
Even dog lovers with children (Sapiens) do not want to keep dogs because it becomes difficult to leave a dog behind if your parents are not with you or they also go along for the holiday. Kennels may not be good enough and expensive too.
A better idea can be to make your dog a family dog. If you have a friend or your relative living in the same town then ensure you take the dog to them once a few days to make him befriend them. This, is a workable idea and the dog can stay back with your friends when you go for a short holiday. That way dogs love dog lovers and adjust easily with known people- they are better than sapiens. Today two sapiens get divorced because they cannot adjust with each other- learn from dogs!!
Dog Weddings
As if it's a dog’s day out. People are moving in different directions, and there are dog weddings that are trending. Chinese are doing this even if they are ageing.
In China spending on furry companions in 2023 rose 3.2% to $38.41 billion (279.3 billion yuan) from a year earlier, industry figures show.
Dog on rent
There can be a service provider who can provide you a friendly dog for a weekend and you can pour your heart out- provided he lets you. Here the dog owner rents a dog after checking your own credentials- you can trust dogs but not the sapiens. This can be a business model too.
Dog walkers- outsourcing-DWO
Like BPO, DWO is another business/employability avenue today. You get paid to take a sahib’s dog for a walk. I am not sure what is today but soon we may have companies providing dog walkers!
We have moved full circle- 15,000 years back dogs accompanied the sapiens- today sapiens give company to dogs- bravo!
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.”
Yet during British Raj all clubs and most restaurants displayed on a prominent board outside ‘Indians and dogs not allowed’. Don’t know what to comment on this?!!
Virender Kapoor
A thinker, educationist and an inspirational guru. Kapoor is an Indian who wears many hats. An educationist of repute, he was the Director of a prestigious management Institute under the Symbiosis umbrella. He has emerged as a leading think tank in human behavior, motivation and success. As a celebrity author, his name appears with the likes of Thomas Friedman and Dale Carnegie. He has authored more than 30 books as of now which are on Amazon worldwide and several of his books are in the pipeline.