Cultural Transformation

The frequent instances of dacoities, hold ups and armed robberies – some broad daylight -  in Westridge, Rawalpindi Cantt. area warranted that we augment our security system with a watch dog as well. A dog lover friend obliged  with a pair of one month old jet black beautiful German Shepard pups, named Simba and Elsa. The carton they arrived in  contained a bottle of shampoo, a tin of anti lice powder and an exquisitely colourful bag bedecked with pictures and instructions of Dog Food that cost Rs. 800/ and lasted for about a week only.  Obviously additional boarders with such expensive habits were beyond the meager means of a retired army officer. On the top of it all the son and the daughter of the bitch expected us to communicate with them in English and responded to Come, Go, Sit and Don’t only. Soon I found that most other pet dogs in the area too understood only English! Well – well that was enough to jolt my  patriotism  and I ordered only crumbs of dry loaves splattered  with a very little leftover curry and a few bones be given to them to eat or not, along with some milk at one time. For a day or two they sniffed the bowl and walked away but from the third day onwards they scramble head over tail when they see the food coming. They are growing rapidly, have put on weight, their coats are shining and healthy and above all they have undergone a cultural transformation too.  They are probably the only German Shepards in the South Asia sub continent who understand Urdu and Punjabi!!  

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)

30, Westridge-1

Rawalpindi 46000

Tel: 546 3344