Bruce is my 5-year-old GSD. I adopted him in Hyderabad when he was 7 months old. He had been abandoned by his first family because he was very hyper and apparently the children were getting distracted from their studies!
We moved to Gurgaon in 2021 – lock, stock, and dog!! Then came Covid and lockdown. Imagine trying to keep a GSD pup indoors and engaged 24/7. It resulted in several escapades of wriggling out of the harness and going for a spin around the complex with us and security guards in pursuit. Alas, it was a lost battle as Bruce is very agile and can run at the speed of light.
We really needed a solution to give him the exercise he needed.
Rock and Pebbles Dog Park and School and Vandana came into our lives as our saviors! I remember the first day we took him to the huge 2-acre property with no cages or boundaries for our fur babies! Bruce was taken off leash immediately and he ran to his heart’s content. This was the only Dog School I know where our fur babies ruled the roost, played, peed and pooed wherever they felt like.
What really stands out about RnP is the fact that each pup has the space to express themselves the way they like – God knows they have minds and personalities of their own! While Bruce was reserved for the first few months of his time at RnP, the team patiently gave him the space he needed but ensured that he was loved and taken care of.
The ‘no-ladai’ chant worked and the doggos learnt to co-exist like good friends and siblings with the occasional sparring.
Bruce stopped wriggling out of his harness on his walks as he started going to RnP regularly. Vandana and team made sure he got adequate exercise, and it was a boon during covid times as we too could enjoy being in the open space along with maintaining social distance.
Bruce started enjoying the swimming pool and would jump the fence and enter the swimming pool enclosure at will. That became his Zen Zone.
Its been 4 years now that Bruce is a regular at RnP. We board him there too whenever we are travelling, secure in the knowledge that he will be looked after just as though he was home.
Bruce continues to be as ‘hyper’ as when he was a puppy. RnP taught him to be a social doggo and also do away with the stigma attached to GSDs. He is known as the CLO – Chief Licking Officer as he will jump up and lick your face and give kisses on demand which was always encouraged by Vandana and team. He enjoys the off-leash treks with boiled eggs and treats especially for the doggos.
RnP has helped Bruce and us develop a sense of community and foster some deep friendships.
- Moushumi, Mom