CHENNAI: Ronnie was only three months old when I first came across him. I found him through a friend who wanted someone to take care of the puppy. Now, he is my six-year-old Labrador who indulges in naps and the one routine he enjoys is to spend time doing spontaneous activities. He shows his love and affection and lifts my spirits as well.
The one thing I most certainly cherish is the way he comes up to greet me every day after a long day at work. But I do hate his habit of being a foodie, which ends up in his efforts to try and grab almost everything I eat. People should keep pets in order to beat the looming loneliness, which also helps one develop a relaxed and caring attitude through their presence.
Ronnie has also changed my attitude towards life and other animals. I did have my fair share of worries before getting a pet with respect to cleanliness, odour and behaviour, but looking back at these worries now, it hardly matters. The biggest challenge with Ronnie, however, was teaching him basic manners and habits, which took a considerable amount of time. The happiest memories with Ronnie are aplenty — from watching TV shows together to him watching me play the piano. —The author is the owner of Brew and Barbeque, Bengaluru