November 2018. We were sitting on the steps waiting for a cab. Suddenly, a cute dog came. We pet the dog and thought of naming it. Denise? Chloe? Goldie? How about… Jackie?
At the start, she was just a stray dog which we fed and took into the covered patio when it was raining, which is protected from sun and rain, and there’s a water tank for hydration. But we got more attached to her over time, and we started to keep her more as a pet than a stray, after a little while, she became our full-time pet.
We were on the balcony having snacks and playing with Jackie. We looked down, and saw a cute dog with a big smile. We named her “Papdi” because we found her while eating Papdi. Papdi was just a stray dog which we fed and took into the covered patio when it was raining.
In late 2020, she was pregnant. Then we left for USA.
When we were in USA, in December 2020, Papdi gave birth to three puppies. We had to name them. We named them Terry, Cherry, Perry.
Terry & Perry are the boys, and Cherry’s the girl. We came back to India, and found out that Cherry had passed away. Terry’s calm, but Perry’s very naughty.
Jackie’s pretty naughty. A few days ago, I found her sleeping in a cardboard box. She can eat your favorite comic book (I know from experience) as a form of gratitude. It’s impossible to be mad at her, though.
My experience with dogs has made me healthier, happier and a better person. Feeding them, petting them, taking care of them, it’s all been a great experience. I definitely love hanging out with dogs.
Maitreya Chaturvedi
Grade 7
