Islamabad’s top dogs

The most popular breeds this side of the Margallas.

ISLAMABAD:

Nothing warms the heart more than that key scene in Lady and the Tramp when the canine paramours touch snouts over a long strand of pasta. As a parable, the movie pays homage to the proverbial pooch and its age-old relationship with mankind and the human psyche. The two species go a long way back.

In the giant suburb that is Islamabad, dogs have it good. There’s nearly one or two (sometimes more, depending on how fanatical the owners are about the animals) per household. The dog is a companion, guard, object of adoration and status symbol - from miniscule and beady-eyed Chihuahuas to sleek Dobermans, the full spectrum of canine-kind spans the federal capital.

Some masters go as far as ascribing their pets with very human qualities the animals are otherwise unaware of. Meet Rabia Amir, 21, owner of a Labrador and Dachshund pair: “My Dachshund is so perceptive. He stares at you so meaningfully with those deep eyes of his. It’s like he knows.”

Clearly, ‘Pringles’ occupies a special place in Amir’s heart; the same can be said about many dog owners in the city, who gush endlessly about the joys, trials and tribulations of being dog owners.

So it’s high time we fleshed out exactly what sort of breed dominates in Islamabad, which are the most popular, which breeds rake in the most profits for breeders, what are their personalities like and what do they say about their owners?

Rare and exotic breeds are a rising trend in the city, especially with military personnel and generals who are passionate about dogs, import them and then breed them locally. “I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback imported from South Africa,” commented Asad Raza, a banker and soon-to-be breeder. “He’s got a very distinctive and slightly arrogant personality. The breed is known to hunt lions. They’re big,” said Raza whose Ridgeback can sell for Rs100,000 to 125,000. The breeding business can be very lucrative, he explained, and it’s not exactly “hush-hush”, people in the city do it openly.

Local veterinarian Dr Faisal’s professional opinion differs: “It’s only lucrative for local breeders who can make profits here and there. For breeding imported dogs, so much of the cost goes into the import itself and then maintaining the dogs.”

Abbass Mustafa, 33, a banker and ex-breeder, referred to another breed with increasing popularity: imported Rottweilers. They have a fear factor, which makes them great attack/guard dogs. A lot of landowners on the outskirts of cities import and breed Rots to protect their lands. Again, these can sell for a lot. The spike in Rottweiler imports reflects the insecurity of a lot of Islamabad residents, who live in a city with an increasingly deteriorating security situation. They are ranked, alongside the versatile German Shepherd, as the second most popular breeds.

But the prize is unanimously awarded to Labradors - these are the hallmark greeting card puppies you can’t help but get misty-eyed over.

Top of the line labs also fetch a good price for breeders. “Back when I had my first Lab litter, in 1992, a good pup went for Rs5000. Now they can go for anywhere between Rs150,000 to 200,000. They are the preferred dogs in Islamabad,” said Mustafa.

It’s the breed’s-friendly disposition that earns it brownie points. Highly energetic Labs are perfect to keep around children. They have soft teeth and are highly intelligent and make for great sniffer dogs, which is why you’ll find the most adorable police-Lab on duty at the Marriott barricade.

Dr Faisal confirms: “Without a doubt, Labrador, in all colours, is the most popular dog in Islamabad.” This is our winner.





Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2011.