Thursday May 5, 2011

New kid on the block

Newcomer Zhar amuses the family with his antics.

I’VE become a father once again and this time, it’s to an energetic three-month-old Doberman pup named Zhar.

Not only do his first two names Dobe Ace say it all about the latest canine member to join my team of four service and therapy dogs, but the cuddly black-and-rust coloured pooch comes from a lineage of winners.

Zhar was given to me by Dr S.R. Dev, a general practitioner who has been breeding champion Dobes which have won numerous titles in international and local competitions.

Striving to serve: Zhar displays traits that will make him an indispensable companion for the elderly or disabled.

It was no surprise that Dr Dev and I hit it off when we first met at a canine event last October.

With our shared passion for dogs, we decided to work together as a team and explore the aptitude of a Doberman to see how well the breed would perform as a service, therapy and companion dog for the disabled and the elderly.

Despite the bad reputation that Dobermans have among people who are ignorant and prejudiced against the breed, they really are second to none, especially in performing their role as assistance dogs to the handicapped in overseas countries.

Dr Dev fully agrees with the popular quote by Dobe experts: “Anything any dog can do, the Doberman can also do, except that it often does it better!”

Here are some of the extracts from the diary that I’ve been keeping since Zhar came to live with me a week ago:

> Dobes and driving: My biggest worry was how to transport a feisty puppy to my home. Would he allow me to do the driving or would he end up behind the steering wheel?

The answer was to put him in a pet carrier in the back seat to limit his mobility. He didn’t like it one bit but it did the trick.

He protested several times by whining but I kept talking to him constantly in a calm voice. He settled down immediately. It was a great way to get acquainted.

Negative side: He threw up in his crate at the end of the journey although I drove slowly and carefully.

> Next: How would a soon-to-be giant-sized Dobie relate to his newfound equally large furry mates?

Soo, my 12-year-old Golden Retriever, was absolutely delighted and greeted Zhar as if the pup were his long-lost pal.

Biman, the eight-year German Shepherd was less enthusiastic initially about sharing his home with another dog. However, he has since changed his mind after realising that the young Dobe is a great source of daily entertainment with his clownish antics.

He’s a riot when he dashes off with some of the items in my room such as my toothbrush, sarung or wallet with me in hot pursuit on all four wheels!

On the positive side, picking up such diverse objects makes him an excellent candidate to retrieve important objects for the wheelchair-bound.

Reba the Sheltie who daily helps check my body for sores, had no objections whatsoever because she had found the perfect barking partner in Zhar though he sometimes plays a bit too rough with her.

Last but not least, the youngest at three years old is perhaps the most gracious of all. Zeus the German Shepherd actually helps me watch over the newcomer. He doesn’t seem to mind that he is no longer the “baby” of the family. Zeus would run over to check what is wrong at the slightest whimper or whine from Zhar.

> Winner in the making: In just seven days, I have observed some amazing characteristics in Zhar that indicate that he’s the stuff that dreams are made of when it comes to being an indispensible companion for a disabled or elderly person.

He’s delightfully playful but at the same time, he is very focused on getting what he wants. There are literally no obstacles before him: he will stand on his hind legs to get to hard-to-reach places, pick up virtually any object, and get around any barrier to get to his destination.

But no matter what he does, there is always time for generous licks from a canine who will be king one day.