How Dogs Smell Emotions: Signs, Human Bond & Street Dogs – HUFT | FO399 Raj Shamani

0:00Some people say that I trust my dog with a human. They don't take judgment. They take love and loyalty.

0:11How did a bond start a human and a dog's bond? This bond started 30 ,000 years before. So, they were a little friendly wolves. They said, humans are not so scary. They get a little food. And humans said, this could be good. If there's a threat, I'll get to know. Most intelligent dogs. Indies. To navigate our Indian roads is not a joke Who is good, who is scared, who can we do this? It doesn't seem like a second In today's episode, our guest is Rashi Narang Founder and CEO of Heads Up For Tail India's leading pet care brand Today we have known about small apartments and big houses Who are the best breeds for them?

0:49Why do they abandon such pets? And why do they grow so fast? Are there science docs who tell us that we are sad? Absolutely. What is very difficult to understand is pain. How do they process loss? They may not eat, they'll be really a little bit low, they may stay with the belongings of that person. They definitely grieve. Is it true or no? Is it true or no? I think it's true. And now there's even instances where they have been able to detect cancer in human beings. Dog, they don't cry and howl. Why do they do this?

1:38Before we continue, subscribe to this channel so that we can make a better podcast for you. And this whole show is available on Spotify, where you can follow us. Enjoy the show.

1:56Okay, tell me, let's talk about history and origin a little bit. Okay, right. Humans, like, how did a bond with a human and a dog's bond start? Good question. 20 or 30 ,000 years ago, the bond started. Gray wolves, say, dogs, you know, that's the ancestor. But what was it that when our early human settlements were a little friendly wolves, they would approach those settlement sites, not the very aggressive ones or the very fearful ones. They were a little friendly, they said, okay, humans are not so scary. You get a little scraps, leftovers, you know, a little warmth from the fire, all that. and humans said this could be good if there is a threat I know it will be they help with hunting they really can be helpful for us and that's how that bond actually started and then humans selectively breed that this is so sweet this is so loyal and selectively through generations we created different breeds to serve our purpose Because we are talking about breeds.

3:15Most lethal drugs in terms of strength. Oh Raj, must you ask such difficult questions. Why not? I'll tell you. Okay, so my American pit bull, okay. This guy was, we must enjoy him because we were like, we were mentally stimulated. My brother used to take him to forest for hunting. And there was this activity we would do. where we used to drive a little car neutral and then he used to oh my god he used to love it it was his favorite sport that I would bring the body hardness and then car really and then oh my god and I'll do it but that's dangerous but he would love it so in terms of strength like his whole muscle I'll show you the picture they are strong very strong very very strong lethal muscle yes and then itna bada jaw and then it's like a baby exactly so it was very lethal no no of course some of these dogs are bred for strength you know that was the purpose but now it's not relevant anymore which dog would you say is more strength all of these yeah Rottweilers, Pitbulls all of them have most intelligent dog Indies I'm biased I mean listen Raj to navigate our Indian roads is not a joke it is not a joke we can't do it we can't do it they are able to catch on to who is good who is scared who can do it one second if I catch a dog's eye they'll know that I am somebody who's you know who likes them they'll come up to me wagging one second you know just to say hi they read your body expressions they know who they want to go and give us food I don't know how today just imagine if you were, if you and I were dogs where would we even drink water like where would we find anything that we need for survival and yet they're surviving and some of them have a great time, some of them have lots of people to look after them and this is a very fascinating that they don't belong to anyone and then they have so many of them who keep their knowledge we know so many feeders so many people who will not sleep at night or at 12 o 'clock they will do late night feedings so they don't have harassment or at 4 o 'clock they will eat food their ability to adapt they feel sad looks like everyone is killing the stone.

6:06You'll see so many of them are taking three pairs. But they're managing. I think that they're amazingly resilient, adaptable, they're great for our country, our climate, and they're massively intelligent. And I think that they deserve a spot to be equally considered as any other breed. It's not fair that our own dogs as indians who are shunning or making second class not fair yes now indies are growing people have started adopting a lot of dogs from roads yes which is a great thing absolutely most misunderstood breed oh wow i would say again it's pitbulls rottweilers all of these where there is so much media sensationalization if you were able to if you were able to as a pet parent help them be calm help them understand and see the good of the world of people why would they become dangerous any dog becomes aggressive when they are misunderstood they are trying to communicate with us and we don't understand them every dog gives many signs before they ever bite or attack we don't understand them or we are angry for them like a growl you know when a dog growls, it is called a distance creating signal.

7:31Meaning that please give me a little space. I need space. What you're doing, I feel threatened feeling, I feel scared, or I'm uncomfortable. Even a small dog. Children just pick up, pick them up, they'll squash them, you know, all kinds of things in the name of love and play. But a dog may be like, I don't like this and I want, you know, when they have no other option, first they give a lot of calming signals. then they give distance creating signals that give me a little space if we bite them then next time they growl again or even more they are killing me but growl is a sign of it's a respect that I will cut you next time you have punished him for growling next time he will bite right so he's saying what you're doing I don't feel good we haven't done a slowdown and we've punished that signal interesting what are the signs you said there are many non-verbal signs and many verbal signs so what signs are that you know that dog is happy happy you have to see their whole body like ears are relaxed not alert not scared eyes are relaxed you know if you're seeing side eye veil eye that means they're a little bit scared is the body stiff is the tail wagging relaxed I mean even if they're happy to see you in that moment so you have to see and you know honestly if you tune in you know I mean yes I'm sharing all of this with you but if any of us were to just be present in that moment you can tell that the dog is on high alert is stressed is anxious but what they do is when they get stressed and anxious they give something called calming signals to us so there was this there is this lady from Norway I think I think from Norway her name is Turid Rougas she actually documented everyday signs that we don't understand into as calming signals okay kya are there to she just mentioned that these signals dogs give is for us to calm down or to say that listen I'm not liking it like lip licking you know when a dog just licks their lips and it's not right after a meal or something it's a sign of stress today you go home and put for example if I put my phone right in front of Poppins's face she will turn her head head turning like I don't like this you know or like this is threatening me if you hug a dog you know they will freeze many times because it's like okay calm down calm down please you know hugs that's not anything in the animal kingdom you know that I mean we express affection like that and they have learned to tolerate us or to accept that this is what we do but you will find a sign little bit of stiffness you will find you know if a dog is looking at you from the side of their eye with the white showing that's a calming signal if a dog is submissive turns you know turns for a belly rub that would also of course you have to see the whole picture in general but that's also a sign to say i'm i'm not a threat i'm okay don't worry you know then approaching each other in a curve it's actually beautiful you can see that there was a peacock other peacocks but they approach always in a curve never head-on because when i if i was to walk to you head-on that is that is intimidating it is threatening if somebody walks just straight head-on so in the animal world they always go in a curve that's a calming signal suddenly you know you're supposing you're getting somebody i saw somebody getting angry at their dog they just started sniffing the ground they want to divert the behavior you know that's a calming signal so they are always talking to us and like i said there are these calming signals i'm i'm not liking this i'm i'm stressed, you know, or I'm no threat, don't worry.

11:47You know, it's also that way. And then there are the distance creating signals, like I mentioned, which is your growling, your snarling. Snarling is also like, you know, but not cut. That's also being like now, don't. I can cut. But what did we do? No! Bad doggy! You know, yeah, whatever. Next time, he'll bite. Because, like, and it always comes from a space of fear, not feeling safe, not feeling, you know, comforted enough or threatened, just like it does for humans. And what do you think? I know this is all controversial. And I know that my beliefs are probably not very conventional. But Raj, if you are really upset or angry, do you think I should punish you for it?

12:39Or do you think you need a real hug at that time? like you know like if can we lead this relationship with love versus punishment can we lead with understanding versus fear can we lead with letting them feel that we are their people or you can trust me i will be your champion versus making them feel intimidated threatened not understood you know now you keep it closed how frustrating that must be small balconies in 10-12 hours people keep dogs. How frustrated they must be. Obviously they will be destructive. Like what do I do? I am bored out of my mind. I have nothing to do. I am hot. You know like it's there's so much that we need to change.

13:28Dogs don't punish. I mean it's very much like a parent and child. You know I am the master. You are the dog. I am the parent. You are the child. Right. We do have to parent. Yes. we do have to teach our children the right thing, which is why you gently train. You let them know what is accepted, what is not, what do you like, what do you not. If your dog is, you know, when there are puppies and they're teething you, should you slap them, hit them, hurt them, tie them? Or can you just walk away? Your dog in one second will know, you know what? If I do this, my human is, I've lost. They're not there.

14:04You can come back in a few minutes. But, you know, there are so many ways of doing that. but I don't believe that hurting like disciplining by hurting disciplining by using fear intimidation threat can ever actually lead to a relationship of love and trust it can be a difference from outside take an example take an example people they are doing a lot of stuff now people they are doing a lot of stuff they are taking paper and they are killing it what is this what is this easier what is this yeah should you do it or no absolutely not why do you think that a child they are not trained yet right they do not know that first of all there is a bladder issue if you need to go you need to go the human should be hitting that paper on themselves that I didn't I didn't understand that I had to go out.

15:04Firstly. Secondly, every time that they are performing a very natural function, you are reprimanding them. Imagine the association that they create. That if I create a natural body function, then I have to kill. It can kill. It can lead to so much trauma and behavioral issues. Instead, literally, you should be hitting yourself. being like, shh, I need to learn that every hour as a puppy, I need to take him out or her out to a surface, which is okay. It could be your garden, balcony, whatever that may be. And then if an accident happens, then, and very quickly dogs learn. They learn that this is my surface.

15:49You know, if you're teaching them balcony, terrace, they learn very fast. But if an accident happens, how can you do that for a body function? But someone's habit is become, right? dogs on the human it's never on the dog why because you have not understood it you have not understood it you have walked in three times and you do it do you only ever go to the washroom three times in a day as a human being and three times most people walk that day only twice and the dogs are holding for hours Raj not okay accidents can happen but it's like it's like dogs walk now, suhu, then they'll do it again. That's not typical.

16:38That could be, you know, signs of something else. It could be an infection. It could be them trying to mark territory. It could be many, many things. That's not typical at all. So there's some underlying issue. But the rest of all are the wrongs of humans. Yes. 100%. But instead of punishing and beating and yelling and no, no, no all day. You know, we need to do it differently. That it's a love, a trust relationship, an equality. I don't think it's good when people think that they're superior to their dogs. If you look at training around the world, it's all about I'm a master, how to teach them.

17:19You know, any relationship, it's always, I mean, a relationship is, but can it actually thrive? like you have to see yourself you have to go over the transactions into pure love I don't know that's my belief I know it won't sit with everyone the amount of times you have said love in this body

17:43that's their whole energy are there signs that they tell us that we are sad dogs tell us they tell us that they are sad dogs are depressed you will see in their normal energy maybe slow maybe not eat food some can have even like with us when we are very stressed you will also have things like extra hair fall and all physical manifestations I think it's still easy to see that it's sad which is very difficult to see and understand is pain because in the wild if an animal shows signs of pain they are considered weak predators they become the first prey so dogs do not easily show signs of pain and they can see that it's towards the most extreme so it's also important to see is your dog in pain how did it go after he didn't tell that so small signs again you have to see how they are going is there a little change in standing and sitting you know that extra time is going to be 2-3 seconds you know and eating or not the stairs will struggle to go for a walk because there are many stairs okay they don't know that they are not coming let's go and pull the seat so there are so many nuances that we need to look out for but this is our responsibility as bed parents dogs do many times like they sit and don't walk and people say let's walk do it

19:35my theory is let the dog lead in most cases unless you really think that they are being stubborn in that moment etc like for example sometimes when I am home and we also have a helper at home so when Nadidi comes to take Poppins for a walk she'll hide behind me and she just won't want to go she wants me to take her but you know if sometimes I'm on a call it could be anything and I'm unable to she'll do lots of drama to go for a walk so then I have to really work with that drama to get her out of that door right so I do the same thing that's all but yeah exactly but

20:13you also brought up an important point on gasi towing and I wanted to say I watch so much and And I wanted to say that we all have to wear collar. Every time they pull collar, their oxygen supply stops. Obviously, if I do that to my throat and constrict it, my oxygen supply will also stop. And I don't think that this device is running a lot of years. But I don't think that dogs should be walked on a collar. because like I was saying sniffing is such an important part of their life every time they have some smell they are choked every time they pull they are choked and how can we do that to a family member and there are so many misunderstandings imagine muscle pull how much more there is bone in the throat there is a fracture can be angry, how will they tell you?

21:17Then when they're eating, they're very angry, someone's irritating, because they're having so much pain to eat, or food aggression, around food they get aggressive, because they're in pain, then you're like, bad dog, what's the trainer? Let's do it. But we just imagine where it started from, where it ended, and how we have interpreted it. So there is so much misunderstanding, so I just wanted to say on this podcast please walk on your dog versus a collar yes and if they have pain they don't even tell them because alpha they have traits alpha but just wildlife nature traits we can't be weak otherwise we'll be why do they tell them how do they see some dogs will whine some dogs will you chew they will up but what I'm saying is most dogs you have to see non-vocal signs sometimes you know if you're walking around but most dogs will show that when it's extreme and some will show by vocalization that they're whining or they're crying or they're yelping all of that but I'm just saying that we need to think because they don't see it my dog doesn't show pain it's and we play a lot and play with the time we playickers always sometimes in the diwan orixaight we both are very wild We wanna taste both and then we look together again and look around Then we want to fools someone else inicking they know how to do Uh, you can just see small signs that they can once they can elk them power has little energy whenever they can But then he loses himself in that you know Fun with you, the play with you.

23:11And look, all of us do that a little bit, right? Like sometimes you're like, okay, these aches and pains are part of life. Keep going. But sometimes we also push ourselves way too much. So it's the same. All the things that you're feeling, think about it for your pets. Most homely dog for a small apartment. Small breeds, you know, small breeds are better for small homes. Like Shih Tzu, French Bulldogs and all of these. they're easier because they don't need as much they still need, I'm not saying that they don't but as much as not even necessarily the dhorna but at least a chance to explore play whatever is coming to them whatever they need as individuals yeah and big houses big houses can be a small dog depends if you you know So, I want a companion breed who's not very high on physical activity, mental stimulation, etc.

24:13All dogs need it, but some need it more. Give me more than you need mental stimulation and physical stimulation. I mean, like all your working breeds, like German Shepherds, Retrievers, Beagles, Huskies, all of these were working breeds. So, any working dog needs it a little bit more. even though they have adapted but still you know they're they're meant to be in large open outdoor spaces so I think looking at all those factors and knowing that I mean I can't say that if you have a small home and you bring home a golden retriever or an indie they'll be unhappy but can you give them they may they may thrive you know if you can still understand if you still make time if you still figure out that you know so you say okay I like the personality or like you know whatever you may like about it there are always ways to make it work but if you're committed enough so in my so after Chop died in Dorwale ghar mein my family was anti like a Ken's dog and then they fall in love her ghar ki ghani ab meri us ghar mein six street dogs sote hai roze rath really that makes me so happy so bhai se rath tak at least do tein to maklab ghar mke baar so hi r hai so there's like you open the gate then there's big balcony and there's upper balcony so balcony stairs and up to the top there's 3-6 dogs will be 6 dogs every night and I was like wow but you know that's so nice and we can do so we can do so in a little driveway in a little chair wherever we can give them a little shelter a bowl of fresh water So I'm so happy to hear that.

25:58And thank you to you and your family for doing that. Like it's just the kindness that we need in the world. Thank you to Chop for teaching us all of this. Now we have the best teachers. I agree with that. What is one thing that you've learned from your dogs? Wow. You know one thing which both my dogs taught me. Yeah. Is that the people you love are the people you love. like something yes you get angry and leave both and do laugh and go and go and go 5 minutes 5 minutes 30 seconds but you're back absolutely and that's like you just know that there's nothing there's no ego there's no so that's something that I really adore and second most important thing which helped me a lot yeah that I how my work also My whole day was good, bad, sad, angry, I can't get that mood at home.

27:00Crypto will not allow. And that is so true in every relationship. If I'm coming to my home and my partner or my mom or my dad or my brother, they're waiting for the day. That's true. In the morning, now it will be 2 hours, 1 hour. And I put that in my head that today I lost, today I didn't have any work, I mean, today I goofed up, this and that. What's their fault? That I'm punishing them by bringing such a bad mood. Why can't I just go there? At least first 15 minutes, I can be playful and nice. And then I can share my day. Today we won't play much better. We'll be sitting. But first 10 minutes, at least I'll get love.

27:42And that is one of the best learnings I've had from it. But tell me one thing. Why do people say that I trust my docs for humans? like itna strong bond kise ben jata hai I think ki wo itna love or loyalty leke aate hai itna presence leke aate hai or koji judgment me leke aate toh it's so easy like they are truly connected to the source and then that's true love no judgments, no strings no conditions you as you are you know jaysay bhi ho you feel dog bilgul unconditional I feel, I mean sure they need food, drink, you know, but if you see them outside of that, you know, now the thing is that we are not giving them chance that they go and hunt and get their food.

28:31But if you look at a street dog, they are doing their food, drink, but they are doing their friends with you. They are absolutely unconditional. You are not giving them anything. You may get them a little bit. There are social animals mostly. They are getting companionship. mil raha hai, magar jo presence ho le ki aate hai, matlab fully in the moment, you know, aur jab wo itna hi pure hota hai, ki apko aapse kuch chahi hai nahi, to I think I am also that person who who's animals over people you you trust animals more than humans, I think that they're able to immediately check out your vibe, they're immediately able to read us and mujhe toh wo, they are the purest forms of love on earth for me.

29:18I am that person. How sweet. Okay, we were talking about personality. You said personality depends on a lot of things. That how to take a dog or keep it with you. Right. So, let's do three personalities. One, who doesn't have absolutely time and probably their working life. Right. And they just need companionship that if they go to bed they need somebody. Right. So, like they stay at work they will go home at 10am and then they will sleep for 2 hours that is one personality second personality is large families where 8-10-12 people are living in a joint family that's second third is where there is a small family but there is no one with a dog maybe in a father's house, mother's house, kids' house there is no one with a dog it's not alone there is no one with a dog but okay so it's three one unavailable one available and then one large okay unavailable please don't bring home a pet it's not fair because you know what it's a small part of our life in that case but we are our whole life and it's not fair like at any level it is just not okay that we are you know they are like last preference you know and yes I understand you may be lonely but if you have long working hours that's just it's just not the right thing so I don't recommend because it is a proper commitment and you have to really be committed second large families I think most dogs work very well in large families there is for me Raj I just find it very hard to categorize breeds so specifically because for example you know golden retrievers very sweet gentle friendly dogs doesn't mean that there won't ever be one who will bite attack etc etc so I find it very hard to categorize but what I can say is bringing my personal prejudice and bias into the conversation in both other cases indies are amazing because they are already used to being with lots of people they know how to navigate they're good for our climate you know like they're adaptable resilient they figure a lot of stuff out but still they need mental stimulation they need exercise they're used to that also you know road to how much is happening on the road.

32:01And in addition, I think like, you know, perhaps like avoiding, I would say instead of picking certain breeds, I could say avoiding the exotic breeds because of the same reasons, you know, climate, how they bred, boredom, the destructiveness that comes by not being able to fulfill so many things. But that's just for any dog. So I just, I find it so hard to say that this breed is for this breed. this breed, there are so many factors to consider. I mean, I can't tell you Raj, people bring home dogs, we see so much abandonment when the novelty factor wears out. That, no, this is a lot of work. And go away, open the door, leave it anywhere so far away that they can't find their way back home.

32:53you know, itna sara abandonment and now that dog has never learnt how to be on the streets, they cannot survive, right, the dogs who live in that area the street dogs, they will attack because they are coming in their area it's really a mess, they have never learnt that we will organize where, how so, there is a lot of abandonment at next level you know, shelters are overflowing Raj, we work with so many shelters and the stories we hear what we see, our Haft's foundation there are thousands of people reaching out of like dogs, people come to our stores and abandon dogs, they will take the spa they will never come back to them to raise them obviously they just gone away I can't tell you, at least maybe 70-75 dogs have just been tied outside our store and left never people never come back why do people like that I don't know I know that abandonment is a big thing why do they do it maybe they feel like I can't look after this dog you know I don't know maybe it's a financial issue maybe it's a time commitment issue maybe they're just too overwhelmed themselves to make the commitment because it's a job you do have to walk them you do have to feed them you do have to look after them you do have to brush them and you know take care of them but so that's why not every home deserves a dog and that's the truth of it not everybody deserves one they're two special they're special beings they have to live for their heart and live for their heart you know you have to make a full commitment please don't take it that is so true and people abandon so quickly in yeah now the puppy was very cute like her teething issues started cutting cutting cutting cutting cutting but that's just you know can we understand that's a development phase how we can address how we can explain how we can explain with love you know very misunderstanding there's a special place in hell for you sorry just me being so I I found a lot of I was very close with her and I was the category please yaar keep the dogs and for the first 6 months when I was in my house I was in my house I would make a distance from home I was so scared great, cute, nice I was away from my mate if I was in bed I would sleep below like it's that difference and then it's just today I'm just in love tell me the story of how did it change I don't know chop just changed me what did chop do to change you it's such a nice thing actually a lot of people are in the same camp as you you know so I think you should definitely share that story so my brother wrote it and that was with him so me, mom, dad we were three aunties why what do you do and all dadu, dadi they were like you know joint family two floors yeah right all people and all the big people are going to go to the house he thought he didn't send it he was going to be locked so that kind of environment and on the other hand my brother would sleep with him he would stay full of time and then my brother would go to the UK so when he was going to the UK everybody was like what will happen in his house what will happen in his house what will happen in his house what will happen in his house who will do his own who will do his own all of that and then I was like how did I feel like we can fake it abandon it and then my mom's like we'll figure out something now we're going to do it and my brother went from jail I think 30 days later my mom is eating food and then she slept So because he started sleeping with me.

37:17Yeah. Just born, just gotten deeper and deeper and better. My day at 9am, he was ringing an alarm. Yeah. He was ringing an alarm before 8.59. Like just, they just know. It just came so close. Yeah. So after that, when I lost him, I got, we lost him on blood to blood cancer. Oh no. And very early, three and a half years just left us. Yeah. so I got very close to this like you know my empathy towards pets all of us can do something we can do everything in a bowl of water we can keep everything you know whether it's a squirrel you know dogs, cats you mean fresh water you think that we don't think that much about it I want to understand humans and dogs bond okay so I have heard that pets humans anxiety and depression first detect than even humans why is that is it true or no I think it's true okay like I said they read us very fast energy vibe facial expressions everything they are able to read and now there are many instances where they have been able to detect or smell out even things like cancer in human beings you know yeah you see you see some research around it tell me about it i don't i don't know a lot but there i think that they're able to sniff the changes in your body you know at a very micro level and so they're being used and i think that there's some more work going on around this but there are many cases of like stories around this that how dogs can smell cancer no way yeah yeah i mean i don't have enough knowledge to be able to quote it from a scientific perspective but i have read many stories around it so there is wow yeah yeah it's pretty incredible i mean just two days ago just two days ago there was a landslide up somewhere and i can't remember where but i read this article where this little puppy started howling incessantly to alert his family you know that something is off um he was howling howling howling the pet parent came and you know he saw a huge crack in the wall and you know he felt like tremors and all of that he went he he he knocked on the doors of the entire village all of them moved away massive landslide whole place was buried but not a single casualty because of this cute little pup and then the poor pup also got buried but then they were able to retrieve him and he's alive and safe but they're able to just sense they're so tuned in Raj How did you predict all these things?

40:17I know, I'm telling you they're the most magical creatures on earth, they just know Okay, they don't cry at night why do they do this? Is there a sign that someone has predicted and is telling you? sometimes it's pack behavior that one started you know some one doggy started then all of them will start talking to each other it's not really predictions or anything but it's pack behavior that they're all just you know and sit in the house see they're barking howling all of that is also a way of communication for them what communication can happen we don't know enough but have you seen have you seen 101 Dalmatians cartoon never but you know of course it's a cartoon and it's a little movie but it starts information and then the whole city is you know all the dogs are barking but really they are just barking and howling are just signs of communication for them more verbal communication non-verbal it's very beautiful communication but verbally that is their way of saying anything like my dogs will bark at the door if they want to go out if they are hungry poppins will come and howl in the kitchen you are one minute one minute three seconds late for lunch it could be anything they can bark at each other you know that's just the way that they speak and I think that we punish them way too much for communicating it's so natural imagine if we got you know punished for speaking it's literally their way of that's their vocal language my dog barks he doesn't get attention.

41:59So he's speaking to you. Raj, where are you? Come back to me. That's all. I'm sitting there and if I'm reading a book, I'm going to sleep. Why? What's the book? He wants to play. He wants, you know, something from you. Something from you. It could just be even a conversation. It could be food. It could be a game. There's a trend that is going to be reading. Which is having a pet at home. Yes. Why is this trend?

42:30is it just status many people have done it for their children many people have done it okay I have the time I've always wanted it when I was a child had one then life got busy you know so that pause really made people bring home a pet but now it's very normal it really went to a peak but now it's normalized where when people went back to work also Raj the abandonment was insane after COVID like people were like now what do we do we were given for boredom that's all is it status because I feel people take for status it just makes them feel good about themselves look I have it and I am fancy and I am ready to do it and I am ready to groom it and this is what that product is No, I mean, I'm sure definitely there are some of those folks.

43:28I don't meet them much because I think we cater to a, I think we cater more to the pet parent. But they definitely exist. They definitely exist. They bring home, I mean, see, one is the pet owner. Okay. I, basically, they are the ones who have low, in my definition, they are the ones who have low connection with the pet.

43:57it could even be someone oh my daughter has been annoying me for so many years every year she says for my birthday I want a pet got the pet home but doesn't have a direct connection then you have the pet lovers who love their pets but they are casual about it like in the sense don't really care about what is eating how is living but decent level of connection love the Instagram photos all that then you have the pet parent who are my favorites they truly have the deep connect which is where that word even comes from you're looking at the pet as a true member of your family you care to question things you care to read the back of a label of what you're feeding them you care to do the research you care to get different perspectives to learn how can I help this family member live their best life and honestly for me like the first one you know pet owner which is the most common not just as a relationship but also as a word and an emotion can we own a living being Raj I think it's a wrong word we can own this table and this mic and this room and this office and this light we cannot own a living being yeah a dog especially and cat market is it cat market is growing in late double digits in India much faster than dog market why actually I'm not a cat lover so I had never been never grown up around cats either Raj but last 3-4 years I have had a lot of chance to spend time with them we have one in our office There are a lot of team members.

45:45They bring them to office. Lots of friends have adopted. They are phenomenal. I mean, there are a lot of myths around that they don't love, they're selfish, they're aloof. All rubbish. Like, they are really amazing creatures. Yesterday, I went to our Bandra store. We have four cats who live there. I've never met them before. They don't know me. I don't know them. But we had so much fun playing. Like, I just sat down and all four were like, you know coming loving me and doing all this you know purring I think that it's from millennial younger gen z perspective they're easier maintenance so you don't have to walk them they get litter trained on themselves you don't have to groom them they're very clean creatures you mean that you keep litter box at home they will do their business they will understand themselves you train them a little bit but it's instinctive for them so you don't you just clean the litter box it's very easy to do that so they don't walk they're very clean creatures they're okay to be alone much more than dogs for longer days you know so they're much more independent but they are curious they still need that connection they're great with people and the population is I mean the adoption of cats is just exploding in the country and they're the same like the nana time pass games all of this training or not it doesn't happen it's a little low touch like they get most active at dawn means morning to morning or sunset time on that time they want to really have fun but a lot of the time they're happy to sit on a window look out you know climb so you have to have you obviously have to make your home a little bit cat friendly like you have to net the balconies you will run jump all that you have to make sure that we have food not always will they eat at one time so you have to give more meals in a day water is not good water is not good so you have to make hydration rich meals they prefer flowing water so if you come to a little water fountain versus still water they are in the jungle they don't like still water means not very good things they like flowing water they are actually very fascinating creatures and I've built up so much respect for them in the last 3-4 years that I have been interacting much more closely.

48:17Now I'm very close to bringing one home. I'm just worried how will the dogs and the cats... Don't do that to my dogs. No, but really in our office, we have a cat named Eddie and we have dogs. We have Pinky, Sultan, Elsie, Chelsea. But Elsie, Chelsea are not so friendly with the cat but Pinky and Sultan play with... Eddie has almost become like Pinky and Sultan. Like I'll be feeding Eddie with one hand, Pinky with the other hand. Like they are so cute. Like they coexist amazingly. One of them is killing them. You know how they squat. Like they'll do that. But it's very sweet. Like they are very cool.

48:57Really. I'm sure. You're not convinced yet. You're not convinced yet. But maybe. Maybe. This office needs one. No, no, no. Don't say anything. I was convinced for a dog and it just happened in life because of my brother and then now I can never imagine a life without a dog but now maybe perhaps a cat may enter if I feel like I'm feeling more adventurous I'll have another dog and then another whatever works that's one day when I'm like ultra ultra rich and bored and alone like just alone meaning like just with my family right then I'll have like a massive house and I have like 20 dogs in my house that's my dream too I'm still real safe where someone has no no you're a very famous real yes the gate opens and dogs come and they come and they come and they save that's that's like the vision for the future that's like a final dream ultimate when I'm going to be my estate because I need that space to run around with them absolutely and I'm because all three dogs are like very playful and though crypto is much smaller in size but extremely energetic and playful wow I need like mirroring mirroring just like you are energetic playful just what you are doing restless creatures restless you don't really can't that's your drive is it there some that there is no human emotion in dogs I mean I think that our emotions are so complex you know there's a simpler like firstly they are not always in the future or always in the past we never have been in the present we never have been in the present before or before we are not human beings human doings or human thinking exactly so i think that uh they are not um they are not worrying about the pain of what happened in the past because they're not in the past you know like we will be living that out a thousand times i mean i don't know for sure but this is what i do know that because they're so present it's not like they're worried about the future and not you know it is what it is like if they have pain they have pain that is it they're not like thinking why did it happen then it did it then it will happen then what will happen so I think but how do they process loss they process loss they grieve dogs and cats both grieve and like a dog has a pet parent a family member has a death yeah okay now dog is alone yeah do you understand that the dog will be yes they know all of this stuff how do they understand what process is that okay my person is dead now I mean I don't know but they they just know because they've seen I mean death is such a universal thing and it's such a like every living being goes through it and there is sadness and you'll see that they may not eat they'll be really a little bit low they'll be literally sad you know they may stay with the belongings of that person, meaning where he was sitting or his clothes you know they have to take him so they definitely grieve and I guess but that is that can they be happy again?

52:44they can be happy again which is just amazing because we don't know how many times their trust we don't know how many mistakes but then they'll you know forgive so many stories of second chances third chances where they have openly willingly opened their heart and invited us in again you know I've heard and there are studies around it as well yeah that to recover from break up is very easy when you have a pet with you how true is that I think to recover from any heartbreak is easier when you have a pet with you why because I think that they fill up so many spaces and gaps that we don't even know we have in our life you know they like which they take in that moment when you are with crypto so you know I'm talking about what moment I'm talking about but you don't feel that emptiness as much they bring so much yeah so with them in our life it's just very full you know I was when when I was written then I was reading because I'm a lot of neuroscience I'm a lot of learning that how do the brain rewire happen right there is because there are so many studies that if you have a dog so you are more resilient you are stronger your cognitive abilities you are better age child development is better in social setting child's behavior is better self confidence I am like what happens in this brain and then there are primal chemicals so when you have a dog in your body there are oxytocin release because you hug and touch which is almost like you touching another human being so that touch with you you get a lot of comfort and happiness so that's fun then dopamine when you come to a walk and walk then that dopamine then there are endorphins which make you happy about everything then there's serotonin so as much as you as a loved one as a partner as a human being the emotions or chemicals release they get all dogs in fact you get one level extra because there are no permanent moods so that's why your perpetual state all happy things are high and then low states yes 100 % and it rewires everyday because this is so your brain learns oh this is something new which I need to learn and this is my happy mode and then because of that your brain gets rewired to just make you smarter and better no I'm telling you they make us better human beings at all levels they make us better human beings you can justify it from a spiritual perspective a neuroscience perspective or you know any perspective they just make us better better one behavior that you notice and you're like everybody should know I'll give you one example first time my relatives are zoomies okay that was new for me because my two old dogs didn't have any zoomies right Rottweiler and my pitbull both of them know and then there's this guy who's perpetually in zoomie mode the whole house is like what happened and we joke about which soul came from what is going on yeah no definitely but zoomies I was reading that zoomies are now seen first they were seen mostly they're understood as a sign of like over excitement over stimulation happiness etc But I was reading a recent article where zoomies are not necessarily being seen in the most positive light.

56:47Like it's explaining that the dog is maybe overstimulated, needs to come to be able to regulate themselves. Like we also know extreme behavior or emotion is good or our ability to kind of stay with it is limited. So if we can understand our dogs self-regulation, that extra joy, stress, all of that manage, how do you come to a state of equilibrium and balance, that is the dog that is calm, that is able to navigate difficult situations themselves, that what should I do in this situation. in my mind, what should I do? I am surrounded by three street dogs. What should I do? They are able to think.