CHENNAI: Remember the huge fluffy dog in the movie Beethoven (1992)? Any dog lover is sure to have wanted to cuddle that ball of fur. Likewise, many would have teared-up after watching Eight Below (2006), as those six Siberian Huskies and two Alaskan Malamutes, try to escape the heavy storm in a freezing Mount Melbourne.
While breeds like Huskies and St Bernards are cuddly in their warm fluffy coats, and feisty eyes, these are breeds that survive in only cooler climates. But today, you will find several of these furries here in Chennai, the city known for its hot and humid weather.
So how do they survive in this heat? Prem Anand, a city-based businessman who imported his Husky from the UK two years ago, says that he had everything prepared before he got her down to the city. “I have a huge house, and it is fully air-conditioned. Since she came from the UK when she was 60 days old, it was difficult for her to adapt to the climate easily. But we keep her in the AC all the time” explains Prem.
On the other hand, Vinodh Allen, a city-based designer who owns four huskies and got the first two when they were just 35 days old, says that they can adapt to the heat if they’re raised like that. “Both my dogs are two years old and their pups are now two months. We got them from a friend in Bengaluru. Since the time they came home, we have not put them in an AC room and so they have adapted to this climate,” he explains.
Most exotic breed owners claim to do a lot of research before getting their dogs and even consult their vets. “My vet said it should be okay and that he has seen a lot of other people with St Bernards. My four-year old St Bernard is really okay with the climate and mostly prefers to stay indoors. We have air-conditioned the house,” says Aravind Sivasekar, a medical student.
While dog owners are happy with the way they have been raising these pups, animal welfare activists believe otherwise. “Today, having a dog is like owning a car, it is like a product. Regardless of whatever breed it is, before you get any dog, you should know what kind of dog it is, understand its exercise regimes, climate it thrives in and other aspects,” points out Shravan Krishnan, animal rights activist and founder, Hotel for Dogs.
Agreeing with Shravan is Jennifer Jacob Murali Anand, founder, Chennai Adoption Drive, who adds: “Most people are enamoured by the cuteness factor. You can’t just lock up a dog in an AC room all the time; it is like locking up a prisoner and saying that you are giving him biryani. What is the point?”
They further suggest it is most important that you keep these dogs active all the time, by taking them for a run to exercise and tone their muscles, keep them hydrated all the time and also ensure they don’t go out during extremely hot hours of the day.
Meant for colder weather only!
Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, Akita, Bernese Mountain Dog, St Bernard, Keeshond, Tibetan Mastiff