In the brief period between the first and second waves of Covid, when things had begun to normalise, a pet show was hosted at AB-AC Park. This would be the ninth and 10th shows for

Bidhannagar New Town Rajarhat Dog Lovers’ Association, along with a hound specialty show.

“It was a challenge holding a meet like this amidst a pandemic but then we got more participants than usual – nearly 100 dogs,” said secretary Subhankar Basu. “One reason could be that pointed dog shows were all cancelled this year and so dog owners got their pets here to keep them in practice.”

Sanghita Ghosh’s Dobermann took home the best in show prize in both the rings but there were many more canines to look out for —

Name game

Not Pasta, not Pesto, this adorable Beagle answered to the call of Posto! “My sister had wanted to name him Pesto derived from her favourite food Pasta, but our grandma would have none of that,” smiled college student Satwik Sen. “Since he belongs to a Bengali family, she said our dog would be called Posto, Bengali for poppy.”

Posto is a pandemic puppy and though naughty, his family is glad they have been home to pet and pamper him this last one year.

All in the eyes

First, visitors got transfixed seeing two beautiful Siberian Huskies – Zara and Jojo. Then upon a closer look, they got transfixed seeing Jojo’s two eyes. His right eye was a shade of brown that matched his coat and his left eye was the colour of the clear blue sky. Owner Madhumita Sengupta said the dogs were not just magnificent but also mischievous. “So mischievous that they even have to be trained separately,” she laughed. “The dogs love people and so enjoy coming to shows.”

Tiny terror

Choco may look as cute as a button but give him a chance and he’ll reveal the Doberman inside him. “We had got a Miniature Pinscher as we needed a guard dog to watch over my mom and grandmom. But his size would have to be compact enough for the ladies to take on walks,” said Agniva Gupta, a PhD student who also has a female Miniature Pinscher at home.

Indian legacy

Few could guess that Rangabati was a Caravan Hound but owner Sukanta Thakur gladly educated everyone about the breed. “These dogs were originally companions of gypsies in the Maharashtra region. They are used to running miles in the heat and hence prefer summer to winter. Which other breed can be better suited for India?” asked the resident of Konnagar.

“Today foreigners are beginning to take interest in Indian hounds but sadly these dogs are mostly bred by farmers along with cows and buffaloes and they aren’t savvy enough to market them in the dog circuit,” said Thakur, who is looking for a mate for Rangabati.

Big guy

The largest dog at the show, perhaps, was James, a year-old Great Dane who had made the journey all the way from Asansol. “We have huge space there and 26 dogs, who run and play to their heart’s content,” said Aparup Acharya.

Kids dared one another to go close to James or click selfies with him. James calmly obliged everyone and even posed for awe-struck visitors by resting his front legs on his Acharya’s shoulders to display his height and might.

Love bites

CJ was a handsome Golden Retriever of AC Block who went to everyone who called out to him. “Don’t worry, he’s friendly,” said owner Rahul Chopra. “He only bites me!” CJ was a name decided by Chopra’s son but ever since the young man left for Dubai, Chopra and the Retriever give each other company. “He takes great care of me, but play-bites me a lot,” Chopra laughed, showing scars on his hands.

Fond and familiar

Another dog that had everyone guessing his breed was Cassius. The two-year-old bundle

of energy was a Jack Russell Terrier, rare in Calcutta but familiar to all. It is dogs of this breed we have seen on the HMV logo, playing the role of Jim Carrey’s pet Milo in The Mask and walking the red carpet at the Oscars for the 2011 film The Artist.

For Manoj Kamath, however, it’s not celebrity status but nature that mattered.

“I got a female Jack Russell Terrier as a gift some time back. She is so loving and lovable that I got a male next — Cassius.”