The festival of sibling love and the ultimate celebration of protecting each other is here. While most hoomans celebrate it with gusto, some lucky ones get to do it with their furry ones too. For a few, theonly sibling that they know of ever are the four-legged ones. And they are not complaining at all! It’s an exciting time for families. Even more so for the paw-some ones.

Says Namrata, a 19-year-old from Mumbai- “I have always had a pet dog since I was a kid. It came naturally to me to tie them the Rakhi as that was a normal practice at home. It was only when other people remarked cutesy things about the rakhi when I grew up, that I realized that everyone doesn’t do it. For me, it was what Rakhi was supposed to be.”

An increasing number of pet families are seeing this trend. The furry babies find their place in every relationship, at every level. For Dia from Ahmedabad, her pet Sam is the only sibling she has known of. “I am a single child or rather was, until Simba came into our lives. He filled the void I didn’t even know I had and honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better sibling,” she quips. She even buys new attire for Simba everyRakhi.

Pets symbolize all that the festival of Rakhi celebrates. Companionship, standing by each other, growing up together, filling joy and loving each other unconditionally. For Shreya from Delhi, the custom of tying rakhi to the pet runs in the family. Her mother tied it to her pet as a young girl and now she does the same. In every way, it is a truly beautiful celebration of the pure, unconditional bond.

If you are planning to celebrate Rakhi with your doggo, here are a few tips- 

  1. Snackers over mithai– Never give sweets to your cuties. Make some space for Snackers on your thali. Your doggo will love it! Besides, sweets are rather bad for their health. 
  1. Keep the thali far– You know how curious the lil doggo is. There is a diya kept on the thali which is very attractive to your doggo. Keep it at a reasonable distance to avoid accidents. 
  1. Choicest rakhi– You know the rakhi that you lovingly tie will be soon chewed onto. Choose threads that do not have many embellishments that can be a choking hazard. 
  1. Chottutikka– It’s not just your hooman bro who prefers a tiny one. The chemicals in the color of the teeka may react badly with some doggos. 

JUSTDOGS  wishes you  and  fam, a HAPPY  RAKSHABANDHAN! Unconditionally yours!

THE LIFE OF A DOG BEHAVIOURIST

 By Rangnath Tamboli* and Saba Poonawala** The life of a dog behaviourist can be quite different. For many, it’s not something that they think of while they grow up. It’s quite unconventional, but this in itself is the beauty of it. It is a field that requires...

Ezra’s  Diary

I can smell it! It’s around the corner. That time of the year when Nikki does all those special things for me and Kabir. I remember, ever since I was a lil pup, Nikki would be sooo excited about this day! They start prepping a week in advance. Nikki looks for the...

Compassion Beyond Words

By Piu Sur*When I first met Maya it was a shock for me. Earlier, I had never seen a puppy suffer so much. She was friendly, wanted to participate in my friend’s birthday get-together but was struggling to do so. Her central nervous system was affected and she could...