Youth Talk

From a young age my deepest desire was to own a dog. Perhaps fuelled by my obsession with Enid Blyton novels, and admittedly the Air Bud film franchise, my love for man’s greatest friend was unmatched by anyone else I knew.

For as far as back as I can remember, I begged my parents every birthday to buy me a dog. Their response was understandably reluctant, they feared my very young age would prevent me from taking any responsibility for said dog’s actions.

I didn’t let that deter me. If I couldn’t have a dog I’d have to pursue the next best alternative. For my sixth birthday I requested a massive encyclopedia on everything canine. For the next year or so, all I would ever talk about was the difference between various breeds or why dogs howled.

In school, I remember lecturing my friends about the correct way to groom a dog. I even dressed up as a dog for our school’s character day. Definitely not unhealthily obsessed, right?

It appears I had demonstrated enough commitment as my wish was finally fulfilled on my ninth birthday. After years and years of wishful thinking, we finally went and bought our very own pet dog, a golden Cocker Spaniel puppy we named Ginger, below.

What can I say about Ginger? She recently turned nine and with every passing year she continues to surprise us with her slightly unconventional behaviour.

Contrary to the common stereotype of the friendly dog, Ginger refuses to go anywhere near complete strangers.

We’ve even nicknamed her the ‘family security guard’, as a result of her paranoid sniffing every time someone visits our house. She salivates at the smell of boiled potatoes and every Friday expects an omelette for breakfast.

Ginger also happens to be obsessed with my dad. Indeed, I have never seen such a strong bond of devotion between dog and master. She follows him everywhere and expects him to sit with her while she eats all her meals.

Whenever he returns from business trips she spends a good 20 minutes jumping all over him, with joy written all over her face. It’s quite the sight to see.

Having spent nine years with us, there is no denying Ginger has become a member of our family. And this is why it shocks me to hear about so many cases of animal abuse in Bahrain.

A quick drive across Saar will expose you to the horrors of former pets, abandoned and forced to group together in packs. I will never be able to comprehend how someone could so easily disregard such loving creatures. They can’t be human. As simple as that.