Sangeeta Chatterjee’s dog Coco loves to go out for walks. “Her favourite word is Cholo. Whenever we say that word she knows she’s going out. “ smiles Sangeeta, a homemaker and resident of Rosedale Garden, New Town.
One day when Sangeeta was chatting with the neighbors and kept the door open by mistake. Soon Sangeeta noticed that Coco was not there and started searching for her dog. “For a moment, I thought I had lost her.”
The neighbours also joined in the search and at last found Coco in the ground floor corridor area outside the lift. “I have never kept the door open since that incident.” says Sangeeta, drawing the brown-coated canine into a warm hug.
She also loves traveling in the car. “However, when we take her to the grooming place, God knows how she senses that and refuses to go out at all. She hates grooming.” says Sangeeta. “She refuses to enter the groomer’s place until I bribe her with treats.”
Sangeeta had a Labrador earlier. She had to give away that dog to her friend when the family decided to move abroad. Being a dog lover, she always longed for another. Finally, after they came back to India and decided to adopt a dog again, they found Coco. “ She was 40 days old when she came to me, and now it’s been six years,” says Sangeeta.
The family did a lottery before deciding on a name. “We picked four names, wrote them down on paper, and let the dog pick one. I was rooting for the name Coco, and that’s what she picked,” laughs Sangeeta.
Coco is also a big foodie. “She loves vanilla-flavoured ice cream, and KFC chicken popcorn.” smiles Sangeeta. “We give her only dog food, but sometimes she’s allowed to have ice cream,” she adds.
She is so fond of sweets that once she licked a mishti doi bhar clean. “Her other favourite food is dog treats. If Coco sees me bringing the treats, she will come running to me.” laughs Sangeeta.
Coco is also quite obedient. She listens and responds to every command of Sangeeta. She can shake hands, do a high-five and even sit when asked. Never displaying hostility or impatience and always wanting to please, she is a well-behaved canine.
“When she was a puppy, she chewed the Internet connection wire once, and that’s the first and last time I scolded her.” adds Sangeeta.
Coco is not only the favourite member in her family but also in the neighbourhood. “ I take her out for walks, and there will be so many people coming and petting her. She likes that attention,” says Sangeeta.
Rosedale being a pet-friendly society, there are many pet owners in the neighbourhood, and Coco has made friends with a few of them. “A Shih Tzu named Kuttu and a German Shepherd named Max are very good friends with Coco,” says Sangeeta.
In her free time, she likes to chase and play with sparrows on the balcony and loves to follow Sangeeta everywhere around the house. “She follows me like a shadow to the kitchen, bathroom and even when I get ready in front of the mirror,” says Sangeeta. “She’s my child. She’s been with us for so long that I can’t imagine life without her.”
If you have a pet you have brought up at home as a family member and which has its eyes only for you, write to us with your contact number at The Telegraph Salt Lake, 6, Prafulla Sarkar Street, Calcutta 700001 or email to saltlake@abp.in