We have met Rambo, the cute tawny labrador with friendly eyes, who came into Mr. S's family as an one year old pup. Male pups generally are boisterous. Rambo was no different, his unruliness getting out of hand when he was taken for a walk. He would pull forcefully at his leash, worse try to break free with a violent jerk, while excitedly sniffing some unknown smell. Labradors are great sniffer dogs and are used for smelling and tracking down their targets. Most mornings, there would be this curious sight of Mr S. walking a Rambo, who would be trotting by his side in a zig-zag manner, sniffing and trying to dart here and there. It was a typical Catch 22 situation; both of them eager for a walk but feeling stressed and exhausted at the end of it. " There has to be a better way of walking a dog," thought Mr. S. " This is becoming more and more tiresome by the day." So he and Vivek shopped and brought home an accessory called a "Body Harness."
The Body harness, as the very name suggests was a tool to restrict an animal's movements while walking, and gradually guide him to a steady and sedate walking gait and pace. It was wrapped around a dog"s body and clipped onto the leash: thereby preventing the dog from pulling forcefully and causing physical harm to his master. Next morning, Mr S and Vivek , in preparation for a long, vigorous walk, set about fastening the harness onto a slightly bewildered Rambo. He eyed it suspiciously, guessing astutely that this was some new means to outwit him. He wiggled this way and that and generally tried his best to get rid of the thing. But, of course he did not succeed in his attempts and was very resentful and rebellious at the end of it all. " Come on, Rambo," said Mr S, clicking his fingers. "Let"s go for a Walkie Walk, shall we? We have a new outfit to show everybody." But was Rambo happy and proud? No! He was most resentful. " Walkie Walk indeed," thought Rambo in disgust. " This is more like a Hospital patient walking cautiously and tentatively with the help of a nurse and a stick. I can't smell and explore to my heart's content and I definitely don't like it, no sir."
So Rambo with his back up in rebellion against the new contraption, pulled and pushed with all his might. He did not succeed as much as he would have liked to, but gave many sore moments to both Mr. S and Vivek, who took turns to walk him.
Suddenly Rambo noticed a rat near an overflowing garbage bin on the side of the road and in his excitement, almost toppled Mr. S with his sudden rough and violent lunge towards the bin. Mr. S grimaced. " Serves him right," Rambo thought triumphantly. "Tit for tat. He has no business to restrain me from my right to explore and enjoy. I am going to give him a dose of his own medicine".
" Will you?", said a voice very suddenly and loudly. It also sounded very stern, startling Rambo so much that he almost jumped out of his skin. He looked around to see if Vivek or Mr. S were shouting at him to come to heel but no it was not them, In fact, they were talking to each other. Also, how could they know what he was thinking- his own, bad, wicked thoughts.
Apparently he was imagining things. " No, you are not", said the voice again, very loudly and very close to him and for added effect , Rambo got a smart rap on his head.
By now, Rambo was totally bewildered and frightened too. He couldn't see or smell anyone, yet he was hearing things and being physically knocked. Who, in heavens, was this person or creature scolding and punishing him? " Am I going nuts? he thought. Have I lost my hearing and sense of smell, for which we Labradors are rightly famous for."
"" No, you are not," said the unseen voice again. " But soon you will go nuts, going by your past and present record. As if to enhance the effect of these words, Rambo was roughly pushed to the ground, and he fell in a shivering, trembling heap. Rambo was beside himself now in confusion and fear. Who was this unseen, unknown person who could read his thoughts and curb his rebellious and restless nature? Did that stupid Harness have anything to do with all this? Of course, he was Rambo the Rebel.... his BODY MAY BE IN CHAINS...... BUT HIS SPIRIT WAS FREE AND BELONGED TO NONE. That being so, he still had to deal with the baffling problem of this hidden enemy.
Rambo pulled himself together and tried to get up from the ground on which he had fallen. But suddenly a stick appeared from nowhere, giving him another smart tap on the head." Who are you, Sir?", croaked Rambo in a quivering voice, by now reduced to a mass of jelly. "Why are you after me? Please show yourself." "I am Canon Canine, the king of DogWorld," boomed the terrible voice suddenly and stridently, "All dogs in the world of Humans, both stray and pet are my subjects and have to obey my rules or else......" The threat in the voice was unmistakeable. "But I have done no wrong. Why are you attacking me ?", whined Rambo petulantly.
" Ah, ah ", said Canon Canine. " An interesting question deserving a proper answer, "Rambo, see I even know your name. Of course you are a domestic dog, and pet dogs are generally obedient and gentle because their families take good care of them. But you, Rebel Rambo are not one of them. You are rebellious and that is why", emphasized Canon Canine, " you need a helping { or is it, hurting) hand", guffawed Canon Canine". Here Rambo interrupted this tirade with a protesting, "That's not a fair judgment. I am good and gentle." "Is that so?, roared Canon Canine mightily. I don't see it, going by your behaviour. You are giving your master, a gentle, kind person like Mr. S a lot of trouble. He looks after you with so much affection and you don't deserve his goodness". " Of course not", said a miffed Rambo." How dare you accuse me of such bad things? I am obedient and good". " Well, if you want to show me that you obey your master, prove it by learning to walk properly on a leash", said Canon Canine. "Like this", and suddenly a big, tawny Labrador appeared at Rambo's side, striding beside him in firm and steady lopes. Rambo stared open-mouthed at Canon Canine for that was who the big labrador was ! "Do you know", said Canon. "You cause pain and discomfort to your master, Mr. S during your walks His hand pains when you pull suddenly and unexpectedly; yet he does not let go for fear that you might get lost or meet with an accident in the congested Bangalore roads. Have you ever realised that you are the cause of such a big problem, you DimWit?".
Rambo felt very small and humble. He realised that he had been thoughtless and uncaring. He felt contrite and immediately wanted to make amends. But first he had to get this terrifying and dominating Dog King off his back. "I am sorry, Mr. Canon. I feel terrible at how stupid and careless I have been. I promise that starting today, I will walk quietly and steadily at my master's heels. So please don't threaten or frighten me." "Good dog, do just that and won't I step out of your life" said Canon , extending his paw in a friendly gesture. Rambo took it in trepidation but Canon shook paws in a firm and warm grip.
" Goody, goody dogs are not
In the nature of my business;
They are sissies, more is the fun with the
Saucy and cocky; the rebellious and headstrong;
Tra la la... Look out, I wander high and low in DogWorld
to catch the unruly dog, the knave master and to
Set the record straight of both man and Dog.
All is well, I go my way.
Something is not, I have my say,"
sang Canon in a high pitched voice and with a short bark, vanished into thin air, as suddenly as he had appeared.
And do you know Rambo is behaving so well these days that Mr. S sometimes removes his leash and sets him loose to romp freely but carefully in certain "safe" stretches. Rambo has also built a rapport with his master while walking and both have come to enjoy their walks,
" I smell the raw, wet earth,
the goodness of grass, of flowers;
of living creatures, big and small,
good and bad.
Spaces I span, Distances we fly,
My master and I, our body and soul
Harnessed to achieve greater goals.
Off with you, Body Harness.
We have no use for the likes of you.
Here we zip into the very Zing of Existence",
sang Rambo, as he walked the streets of Bangalore in a smart clip. And do you know Canon Canine came to look up his protege just only once and so pleased was he with Rambo's behaviour that he awarded him the title of " Loyal Rambo".
Now wasn't that a nice and interesting way to learn doggy values! If only more dogs were like Rambo, wouldn't Canon Canine be put out of business?
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