The so-called ideal dog is a happy, cheerful, relaxed, obedient, loves being around people, feels comfortable in all situations, only barks when necessary and is perfectly house trained. S/he always comes back when called, doesn’t eat anything s/he shouldn’t, is relaxed and friendly with all other dogs, doesn’t chew furniture and carpets, doesn’t jump up on people, doesn’t pull on the leash, is good with children and other pets ……….the list can just go on. 
Isn’t it ?

Where does Magic stand in all this ??

Of course he is a really obedient dog……..

being himself

But only when it suits him.

which is hardly ever !!!

In a way he is like us.

Did we ever listen to our parents or teachers ?
The answer is NO,  & we did our own thing &  the more stricter they became the more rebellious we were…. & finally they gave up on us….. isn’t it ?

Even though we know that Karwani’s like Saluki’s have a mind of their own, sometime things can get a tad unpleasant. During our walks, whenever he spots anything with four legs (read another dog/s) his instinct is to run & chase down, add to that he is very playful, add to that he is very dominating by character, add to that he is mighty strong…….so whenever we set out together i’ve a quiet prayer in the hope to have an “incident free” time.Which again is very rare !!

Where does obedience come in all this ? A good obedience response is only possible if the relationship with the us is balanced. I would like to believe that  Magic loves, adores & respects all of us in the same way we love, adore & respect him. Yes, our relationship is based on mutual trust and respect. He basically is a companion to us & just like all of us he also has a mind of his own. 

Do any of us have any physical/mental control over him ??

Absolutely NO & we do not intend to even try. There is nothing that can be done about his genetic disposition, he is born with it. There is no way any one of us will  be able to stop him from chasing. But the fact is that he lives in “our” world, with traffic, with unpredictable/aggressive stray dogs which is not an ideal situation. But if he had a good recall then we would’ve given him more freedom without the leash. 

I guess there is rarely a quick fix to these issues. Time, effort and a lot of nerves need to be invested. On the other side he is so affectionate & full of love for all of us. Sometimes i feel we have two Magic’s with us. Inside the house he is so different (recently a friend after seeing him for a few days commented…. Magic looks like a philosopher !!) & while outside the philosophical robe is thrown away. There is so much more about him that i do not yet know & some of his real persona really comes to the fore when he is on the farm…. and it was on display a few days back. He was happy & completely enjoyed the freedom, but was aware of every movement around him & for the first time he was showing a persona of a guard dog. The bark, the way he positions himself, the place where he chose to rest….it was a completely different Magic.

Its been a eventful last 18 months for us, but the reward of seeing Magic happy & well balanced has been well worth it !