Our paw prints are all over the place, in this charming apartment on the fifteenth floor. We live with our family of four. Each day we also leave our heart prints on them with our tiny, little deeds.

My name is Laila (pronounced at Lie-lah, and not Lai-la or Lay-la). I’m a 4-year-old, toy Shitzu – 28 years in human age. I’m so tiny that people mostly assume I’m a puppy. Well, I’m not complaining. I love being cuddled and smothered with unbridled love. My older sister is Cotton. She is 12 years old; an octogenarian, 84 years in human age!! But, Oh boy!! you got to see how stunning she is. She would put Meryl Streep to shame.

Cotton walks with her head held high when we are outdoors, on our walks. But each time she senses the rain; she goes a little bonkers, and starts shivering uncontrollably. But I notice that she is slowly losing her hearing, and is almost deaf now. Earlier she would lose her shit even if the clouds thundered, or if she heard any loud noises like that of fire-crackers. But believe you me, Cotton is one classy girl. Well, she migrated from Singapore to India. My ancestors are from China, but I was born in this village called Gurgaon. So I think I lack her class. Albeit, I’m cuddly as hell, like a little teddy bear.

 

 

Our family includes Papa who works in Advertising, but dreams of becoming farmer someday. He gets us all playful, after a hard at work. He playfully pulls our whiskers, or gently raps us on our nose, as we go about pretend biting and jumping over him. Cotton loves to rub her back against him, and gallop around like a horse when she gets excited. She sometimes even chases me around, almost threatening to dig her sharp teeth into me. But I guess that’s all a farce. She just likes to boss around a bit; like all older people do.

 

 

Mamma works from home and we follow her all around the house. I heard them say that she is a writer. We sit by her side, each morning when she gets down to tapping that silver squarish box that has a picture of a half eaten apple. In fact, I make myself comfortable on her desk, while Cotton snores close to her feet. She doesn’t let me climb and doze off on the squarish box. Though it looks pretty comfortable to me. Those tiny, hundred odd squares on that box, would be ideal for me to roll on and get a back rub. Mamma loves pampering me. She is always nuzzling up to me, cupping me in her hands like a little toy, or cradling me in the crook of her arm, like a baby. Oh! I so love that. She often plants a kiss on my tiny black lips and nose. And lo and behold! my lips on some day turn orange, sometimes pink and then peach someday. The colour of her lips keeps changing magically everyday, wonder how? Mamma gives Cotton a bath, as Cotton refuses to let Shilpa didi, our housekeeper do the honors. Mamma is the one who brought Cotton home from a shelter. You can read her story here. Though everyone at home insists she loves me more than Cotton, but that’s far from the truth. She loves both of us equally. I can’t help it; I’m just so tiny and furry that I end up getting molly coddled by her most of the time, as opposed to Cotton who is bigger.

 

 

My two older sisters are beautiful too. One goes to the second year of college. She comes home over the weekends, and loves playing with me. In fact she wants me to sleep with her, but I can’t sleep without Mamma and Papa. I have that little cushion next to Mamma’s pillow where I have to curl up and sleep. Our older sister, actually got me as a gift on her fifteenth birthday, from Mamma and Papa. She stayed up endless nights to look after me, when I was a puppy. But you see, I saw Mamma all day, while sis went to school, so I ended up latching on to Mamma more. Sis didn’t like it at all. But then I really do love her. Her heart prints remain adorned in my being, as much as mine are on hers. Cotton loves her a lot. After all she has seen Sis since she was 9 years old. She loves to go sleep in her room when she is around.

Our younger sister goes to school, in Grade Four. When she returns, all hell breaks loose. She and I run around the house and spend time bonding and engaging in some silly play. I enjoy playing with her, but I don’t like it when her friends come over and they want to play with and treat me like a toy. I want to nip them on their nose, when they go “googly woogly moosh” on me. They dare not do any of that to Cotton though. She loves kids. But she snarls at them, if they smother her too much. Cotton and the younger sis go back in time. You would know what I’m saying if you’ve read her story at Precious “Cotton”.

 

 

Winters are around the corner. We are looking forward to toasting our bones in the sun with Mamma, while she writes or eats her lunch in the balcony or terrace. I also can’t wait to cuddle up in Mamma’s lap all the time, and sleep all day. That’s what I like doing best, apart from guarding my little “Baby”. He’s a soft toy. A little puppy, Ronnie Uncle and Rishi gifted me. Oh and did I tell you that the walks will now be more enjoyable and we can steal more tennis balls off the tennis court and bring them home. Though Papa keeps scolding me and telling me that’s not a nice thing to do. Also I think my skin allergy will get better as it gets colder and I will have the permission, hopefully, to eat the same treats as Cotton does. I’m so envious of her for always eating a variety of foods, like; liver, chicken, mutton, bone treats etc. I have to keep eating the same boring fish and rice. Some days when Mamma is feeling generous she gives me some cottage cheese. But what can she possibly do. I break out so badly all over. Also I’m hoping Paiel aunty, my dog Mom will also visit me and bring me to her home this winters. I haven’t seen her for so long. Her work keeps her busy and so does all the travelling, you see. Another great thing about winters is that I get to grow out my hair and look all pretty; with those fancy clips and hair bands and different pony-tail styles.

Okay, I got to go now. It’s time for our grooming. Did Cotton and I manage to leave our paw prints in your hearts? And how about our heart prints? We hope we did and that they will last long enough. As for our family, well our heart prints and paw prints will always stay embedded in their being eternally. That we know of. Woof! Woof!

 

 

 

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I am participating in The Write Tribe Problogger October 2017 Blogging Challenge. Today’s theme is Heart Prints.

 

 

Linking up with the lovely, Corinne.