“Back when I was growing up, I was never taught to love a dog, never ever did anyone tell me to respect one. For the villagers, dogs were filthy animals of no use. There was no awareness. They were thought to carry diseases. But somehow, for some reason, they worshipped them in ‘Kukur Puja’, treated them just that one day. Something that I never understood. When I joined the army and was posted here, I got a chance to get a training to train dogs, which only meant spending a lot of time with my dog. OT. Slowly I started to understand their nature and how everything I was told was a big lie. How dogs were far better than us and how their senses has long served us humans. I gave him basic house training and then special training for search and rescue. Even after 9 years of spending time together, I watch him and see so many qualities that we wish for humans. The purity in him. Look at him. Do you see? I try to emulate him. I don’t know how well I succeed.” (Dipak Paudel with OT, Bhairab Bahan Gulma, Thimi, Bhaktapur)