We were originally going to name her “Gobi”, which means cauliflower in Hindi. However Maa vetoed that idea: she refuses to call the dog anything so silly. Which I’ll admit Gobi is – but it’s also pretty cute. So instead the pup gets the slightly more dignified unisex Hindi name of Kajol, which means kohl. Kohl is the heavy black eyeliner favored by many Indians, Arabs, emo kids, and Jack Sparrow. And, of course, our Kajol, whose eye markings I’ll be studying next time the eyeliner goes on.

We adopted her from the Virginia German Shepherd Rescue, and, folks, they do some amazing work there. Kajol was rescued from a pretty bad county shelter, where she’d developed kennel cough and gathered a zoo of parasites. She came to us perfectly healthy and well-socialized, though she has the slight separation anxiety you’d expect from a dog that has had so many changes in her life. She’s a real sweetie, though, eager to please and smart as a whip. We’re slowly learning more about each other – for instance, I’ve learned how she signals that she needs to use the outdoor facilities, and she’s learned that jumping onto our bed then starting to pee on it will get her a quick escort to the backyard. *grin* It’s all part of owning a dog – but the good here certainly outweighs the bad!

Aditya’s family has always had German Shepherd Dogs in India, and he’s even shown them in the ring, so he’s very comfortable working with Kajol. I’ve never had my own personal dog, but my family has had dogs (currently a massive golden lab named Bear), so I’m also pretty at ease with Kajol. Despite learning about dog ownership in such disparate cultures, we’ve come to a quick agreement about how to handle our pup. Actually, our knowledge bases are quite complementary: Aditya knows more about the age & breed-specific behaviors that Kajol exhibits (mouthiness and quickly figuring out our training tactics), while I can inform him about American-specific training techniques and pet supplies (crating, dog seatbelt harnesses, and Kong toys). We’ll be taking her to an obedience class later this summer once she’s become comfortable with our household and routines.

I’m sure you’ll be hearing plenty more about Kajol in the future, but it’s time for us to head to bed. I’ve got a sleeping dog who will be wanting her morning meal and walk bright & early tomorrow morning.