Most precious gift ever received!

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.”

Milan Kundera

By Shreya Mehra

These beautiful lines sum up my experience of having Grogu and I am sure every person who has a dog would have similar feelings.

Grogu came to us on Christmas day, two years ago, a corgi puppy with ears bigger than his tiny body. Little did I know he would turn out to be the most precious gift I’ve ever received!

The moment we saw him we knew we would name him Grogu. Mostly because he looks like the child, Grogu from Mandalorian and my brother and I love Star Wars. We had no idea that our Grogu would also be identical in mannerisms to his fictional counterpart, brightening up our lives with his adorable antics.

His first day in the house wasn’t too comfortable. The surroundings including the furniture, sounds etc. were scaring him a lot. He slept through most of the day and did not even eat much. He got comfortable in a few days, so much so that he ditched his own bed and chose to snuggle up in mine. Even to this day, he sleeps in my bed on his own pillow.

His puppyhood was a life-altering experience for me. Some days he got sick, some days he had to be hand fed, and on some, he was learning something new. During the first few days with him, I was up almost every night. The funniest bit I recall from his puppyhood is the way his stomach bloated after a meal, and he couldn’t walk from all the weight.

There are a million things he does each day that make us smile. His love for ice cream, kheer, and car rides are worth mentioning. If someone utters the words “ice cream”, his eyes light up. For ice cream, he can do anything. He eats homemade ice cream almost every day for dessert. His usual diet includes roti, eggs, and boiled chicken.

He loves humans more than other dogs. He is usually shy around fellow puppies but he is playful around humans. Usually, we would find him cuddling up to the pet owner rather than the pet. But he has one best friend, Sibu, a golden lab whom he loves to play with. Grogu also loves going for rides in the car. The moment he sees the car door open, he jumps up to the seat and for some reason, he loves sitting in the driver’s seat.

Grogu has been a wonderful addition to the family. It feels like we have a child in the house. His toys lying all over the place and zoomies around the house is a usual scene in the evenings. He also knows each family member’s timetable around the house and knows when to trouble whom!

His presence makes my life easier. It keeps me going on days I don’t feel like I can.He follows me around the house, everywhere I go, each time. He is our darling and every day with him is nothing short of a blessing. Having a dog teaches you many things. To be happy and to live in the moment, nine out of ten times. Most of all, it teaches you to be kind and loving to everyone around you.


Shreya is an environmental post-grad with a focus on marine ecosystems and a digital artist.

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