Strategy

Out on a morning walk with Mac.

One would think that a daily dog walk would add to their fitness but definitely not a walk with my dog Mac. 

During a Mac walk...
I can photograph dragonflies
stop to admire butterflies
type poetry on my phone
text friends
talk on phone with family and friends
because...
Mac hardly walks!  

His walk consists of few steps forward and several stops of sniffing, topped up with a few drops of piddling at every stop, ensued by some sniffing again. At this speed he can compete with a Slug and one can still wonder who could be the winner! 

A Mac walk is always a Tug of walk. 

With the leash being our sole connect, he tugs and I tug. 
Tug buddies we are in no uncertain terms. 

Both of us tug equally in diametrically opposite directions. And as per the laws of physics, when 2 forces tug in equal and opposite direction, both will remain motionless. 

So most of the time, we are motionless through the walk.    

The only time when Mac gets excited during his walk is when a tractor or another dog passes by. 

He hates them both. 

The presence of any alerts him in full strength, vigour and anger. He will pull and tug the leash with greater force and try to wriggle his head out of his out of his collar, to bark and challenge these irritable things.

Now this is the time I get my exercise. 

With his sudden bark and jerk, the morning serenity and my photography session goes for a toss as he jerks the phone-camera out of my hand which flies up into the blue sky and crashes many feet away.

I sprint after him and as soon as I level up with him, I stop abruptly  to perform a dead lift of the angry, barking, squirming, over weight dog. (No wonder dead lifts are now considered harmful in the weightlifting world). 

A cracked or smashed phone screen is what I have earned on most Mac walks. 

So, as I said... I was out on a Mac walk. 

It was early morning. 
The colony streets were empty, peaceful and green. 

It was just Mac n me. 
He sniffed in peace 
while I clicked some butterflies fluttering in the greens.

On the opposite side of the street, 2 big dogs (alsatian and doberman) were being taken for a walk by a care taker. 

Delhiites love to keep dogs as pets. But the owners never take their dogs for a walk. They seldom look at their dogs. 

Food, love and care for their pet is managed by the house helper, and so are the visits to the vet.
But nevertheless Delhi-ites do love their dogs. 

Mac was engrossed in his sniffing and hence they passed by peacefully. 

After a couple of minutes, as I was busy in butterfly photography, and Mac was sniffing at all the earthy smells possible, I heard some distress cries in the distance. 

I looked around and spotted the caretaker waving his arms, calling out to us and then I saw the doberman charging full speed towards us.

The doberman had slipped out of his leash and this big dog was now angrily sprinting towards us.
I froze. 
Mac lifted his nose off the ground to check why I froze. 

We had no time. Mac and I had milli seconds to decide a strategy to save ourselves. 

The doberman was getting closer. He looked strong, tall, graceful and fearful. His long strides got him to us faster than we could out run him. 

I realised the only thing I could do for Mac was a dead lift... i.e. lift  him up in my arms and try out some random flying kicks in all directions to shoo the doberman away from us. 
But even if Mac was up in my arms, the doberman would rise above my head if he stood up on his hind legs.  
We were no match for him. 
He was sure to clench one of us between his teeth. It would be a clincher for him.

    

The doberman was inching closer at dramatic speed. He was dark brown. Tongue hanging out. 

I held Mac's leash tight. 

The doberman was too close now, barely a few feet away,

As I braced for the dead lift and tensed my leg muscles for random kicks, I had one last good look at the dog and it suddenly struck me that he was not yet a complete adult. He seemed a pup. 

I decided to change my strategy, not out of love but because of lack of choice.  

I went low on my haunches, hid Mac behind me and I started blowing flying kisses to the doberman.
I lured him with affection and called him with all the possible love names. 

Suddenly the behaviour of the doberman went into a wagging mode. 

His fierceness melted into a waggle, 
wagging from the tail, 
rippling to his hips, 
to his abdomen, ears and lips.

He seemed such a happy pup.

The doberman pushed himself on to me for more love.  

The helper came running from behind and held his dog. 

  

Phew ! we had been saved.
A change in strategy saved the day.  

An eye for an eye would have been a painful way

But as they often say Love Conquers All!

And, it quite went that way.

Mac behind me was still confused. 
Mac walks were seldom so exciting, for one and all.