A home for Dog

The first sight of Dog could have been a scene from the Sherlock Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The first sight of Dog could have been a scene from the Sherlock Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles. Having crested a mountaintop, we heard the two dogs before we saw them. One adult dog with a booming bark, and another, not yet adolescent, bearing down on us from the mists.

But their intent was not serious. Soon they settled down to doze on the grass. Dog 8212; as she was to be christened 8212; was not as playful as other pooches her age. She had a tough task 8212; accompanying a Gaddi shepherd with his 250-strong flock at altitudes that would have your pedigreed hound bounding for Mama.

We tossed Dog and the boss Hound a piece of chikki, and carried on without a backward glance. A few moments later, she was trotting alongside with a determined look. She was with us as we pitched tents on the alpine meadow that evening. We offered her a generous meal that night, and she greeted us as we crept out of our tents in the morning.

Later, we thought she would finally give up on us after we crossed a fast moving mountain stream. She refused to be helped across and we could hear her wailing as we pushed onward. But she was with us within minutes, tail wagging. She enjoyed being on the snow the next day. A red-coloured dog on milk-white snow.

That night, we camped beside another Gaddi8217;s hut. He had a hound as well, a well-fed friendly old lady who soon showed Dog her place. It wasn8217;t as though she was being bullied, the hound was just establishing social order. The next morning, the Gaddi8217;s neighbour dropped in and his pooches too established social order, amid much yelping. 8220;Poor kid 8212; she8217;ll just have to learn to deal with it,8221; we thought.

As we prepared to leave, we noticed someone had tied Dog with a chain. Before her was a massive bowl, filled with food. 8217;She8217;s got good blood. I am keeping her,8217;8217; announced our host Gaddi. Suddenly it dawned on us. Dog was destined to lead her life with this flock of sheep. We merely played the role of courier. Who knows, tramping across the Himalaya a few years hence, a great red hound may burst through the mists again. Would she recognise us? I like to think so.