Four children. Four siblings. Add to this a German Shepherd pup with fur of reddish hue that would later have passersby in Germany question whether her ancestry included foxes. But for now, she and the four children were in Kolkata.
Unpredictably fierce, with a special mistrust of the postman whom she finally managed to bite so that he fled with blood streaming down his hand to the sound of the raucous laughter of the children. Judy, the German Shepherd was scolded and so were the children for showing so little compassion and fellow feeling.
Her snappy behaviour continued, she bit the youngest child who needed anti rabies injections in the stomach. Judy was punished with silent reproach – nobody was allowed to speak to her. The siblings who hadn’t been bitten were annoyed with the wounded child for causing their beloved Judy trouble.
When the family planned to immigrate to Germany a plane ticket was purchased for Judy and a sturdy wooden crate with slats assembled. Friends and relatives questioned the wisdom of migrating into uncertainty with the added responsibility of a dog. But the family was adamant, Judy could not be left behind or passed on to relatives. She flew to Germany where she was quite a sensation with her pretty fur and her (by now) more mellow nature.
What would you do with your dog if you had to move cities or countries?
- Kalpana Misra