HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO SHOW MAN’S BEST FRIEND ALL OF THE LOVE?
By Alethia Rue
I’ll tell you how far. From poop-carrier bags to fragrances, man’s best friend now has the privilege to smell good in luxury. Dion Chang’s A Pawfect Life is a journey into the lives of pets with paws. These dogs and cats are not treated like dogs and cats- though one cannot know how dogs and cats are treated when you’ve subscribed to giving your paw-baby the absolute best of everything. Baby! That is the best way to describe how these pets are portrayed in the book.
Are they the new babies? In a fast-paced life, pet ownership has risen tremendously over the years especially within the younger generation, while natality has declined. Even so, the relatively older generation spanning Queen Elizabeth II’s time dotes over their furry friends. Queen Elizabeth II displayed what I call Royal Pawfection for her corgis. Having access to royal servants, royal transportation and royal veterinarians is possibly one of the most luxurious lives for a pet to have. The modern-day pet owners treat their pets like actual humans. These pets have a following on Instagram with doting pet lovers following and helping them to establish themselves as brands. Owned by Italian media company Gunther Corporation, a German shepherd named Gunther is said to be the richest pet in the world with a net worth of $500 million. The luxurious life lived by Gunther stems from millions of dollars’ worth of inheritance which have been grown over the years, and would make any pet, and any human jealous. This amount of wealth gives Gunther access to numerous servants, a yacht, a chauffeur- quite the comfortable life. I imagine that as a pet-owner, leaving a trust for your pet comes with an open heart which isn’t concerned with the pet sticking around for your money. I bet these modern-day furry friends know when bacon is burnt. Two barks at breakfast; “Do it again”. Is it absurd treating your furry babies like royalty? Absolutely not. If you have the means for it, why not? Humanizing pets which sit with you, walk with you and absolutely know nothing besides loving you, emptying the bowel and looking to you for food- I call that worth it.
The downside to this beautiful relationship is not knowing what those glossy eyes are saying to you. Don’t you wish you could talk to your furry friend, and that they could talk back? Dion Chang specifically highlights pet body languages for understanding your pet better. Like babies, you teach the pets routine and read their body language. Before you know it, you’ll have become the paw-whisperer. Why do cats hold their tails up high? “You hiding a sword back there or are you just happy to see me?” Quite the spoilt, majestic beings these cats, don’t you think? They communicate using their tails, from wagging to a restless tail. Time enough spend with your furry friends lets you in on subtle cat nuances. These could feature purring, meowing or hissing. Beware the hiss! It is usually accompanied by claws. Dogs have a remarkable ability to read human emotions. Because of this, not only are they able to interact with humans, but they are highly trainable. When you give your dog a command, it becomes accustomed to the tone and pitch of your voice to know what to do. Your body language in different circumstances often leaves an imprint for a familiar situation so the dogs know how to act accordingly. Unlike a baby, you don’t have to tell them twice. Learning the body language of your paw friend may come in handy in dealing with separation anxiety. Yes! Your pet hates seeing you leave, just as much as you hate leaving your best friend’s house after feeling safe for a weekend.
Now, everything that lives must die. One of the most ironic ways to show your fur baby that final act of love is to allow them a deep, permanent sleep. Watching your baby suffer through neurological deterioration and disinterest in life is heart wrenching. So, to say I love you, euthanasia is merciful and painless. As a pet owner, you have to deal with that loss- that gaping hole from losing your furry friend. Dion Chang knows this loss first hand. He knows it just as he knows the joy it brought him being a cat butler. A Pawfect Life is a bit of humour, teaching and insight into being a pet owner.
If you’re an individual who loves dogs nearly as much as I do, and just as much as Dion Chang loved his Billy Bob, then A Pawfect Life is the exact kind of read for keeping up with your paw friends’ latest fashion and culture. For those of us looking for unconditional love, look no further than a friend with paws.
A Pawfect Life by Dion Chang is available for purchase online or in store at Amazon, Exclusive Books, Reader’s Warehouse , Takealot and Wordsworth.
Image sourced from PAN MACMILLAN SOUTH AFRICA
