LEO: A friend, A protector & A family member

German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) are a strong, courageous breed of dog. But a little negligence can take your pooch away from you. The moment your dog is detected with anything take due care and keep a check on the treatment she is availing.
 
GSDs are preferred for search and rescue purposes, service dogs and prove themselves as efficient police, guard and military dogs. Known for their intelligence and have an ability to learn things
Sudipta Dass
 
quickly, they grasp things quite easily which make them interpret the commands and instructions easily. GSDs are highly active and need a lot of workout to stay healthy. They also prove a great pet but are also known for their ‘one man dog trait’.
 
LEO – A dog’s tale
To let you get into the insight of this breed and why I say GSDs are ‘a one man dog’ let’s go through a small tale of a dog named Leo. She was barely 28 days old when she found her home with 14 years old girl. Being the most impish among the other pups the little girl picked her up to her fantasy. The moment they saw each other the girl realised she is the one she has been looking for and the pup realised she has got a home only with her. The girl bought her home, the black little female GSD pup. They shared a special bond since the pup arrived home. She named her Leo. They became best friends within no time. Rest of the family loved Leo; she loved them back but Leo knew she has a very special fondness for that little girl she came home with.
 
The growing years
Time passed, the bond grew stronger and they loved each other. Leo used to drop her till the school bus and used to wait for her to come back home every day. The routine never changed. Leo grew up into a strong, intelligent, elegant GSD and yet very sophisticated. Leo was a guard to that little girl, a protector. They shared memories playing together, sleeping together. She understood everything conveyed to her. She indeed became a ‘one man dog’, that little girl’s dog. They saw each other growing. The reason why I say Leo was highly intelligent was the things she did and the way she understood. She never underwent any training but say it’s in the breed. Yes, she was self trained. Teaching her the basics was all that it took.
 
World with each other
She was one obedient dog. It was an amusing thing to witness how she took permission to enter into the room when she saw the little girl studying. Asking her to leave disheartened Leo, when asked to come inside delighted Leo would jump into the lap of her little friend. Playing hide and seek as one remarkable thing to be noticed. Yes, a proper hide and seek game where she would wait for her friend to hide on the count of 10 and then finding her. She had played this game only with her. No one could convince Leo to play that game with them; they both had found a different world with each other. They had a very blissful bond which grew over the years. Leo was loved by all and she gave her family all the love she had, but not to forget she was her friends’
Leo.
 
Bidding goodbye
Years passed, Leo was seven and a half years old, yet so energetic, yet so playful and still going strong. She was a healthy dog weighed around 35 kg. Then the less likely happened, Leo was detected with Pyometra. For all who are not aware what this disease is about, Pyometra is an uterine disease, which is deadly, found in female dogs whether bred or not. Leo was still suffering from the disease. She was struggling to stay with her family. She went through all the treatments required without resistance which showed how much she was willing to stay. Even the doctors were amused to see her willingness and how strong she was, physically as well as mentally.
 
They conveyed to the family that the stage she was in any dog in her place would have been collapsed but she was a strong one. One month she suffered; all the treatments were given to her, every possible thing but the condition worsened. Her friend took Leo into her hands, and slowly Leo left them peacefully. I guess she was just alive for her best friend to bid her goodbye.
 
She died due to multiple organ failure. There was a grief in the family for the unbearable loss they had. Leo was taken for her funeral. The girl remembered the day she brought Leo home. I can relate to this story and can feel the emotion from the core of my heart because I was that 14 years old girl and Leo was my dog.