I have had dogs since I was three days old, but Tuka was unique. He was a one-of-a-kind brilliant, funny and loving constant companion. The time came that I needed to say good-bye to Scooter, a New Orleans Street dog “foster” that I had for 17 years. My partner thought we might take a break from having a dog so that we could travel. He suggested 18 months. I work at a beautiful animal refuge and went to a county shelter to transport some dogs to the refuge who were at the end of their “allotted time.” 

I walked into the shelter and came face to face with a bouncing bearded collie, who had 2 hours left before he was to be put down. Our eyes locked and it was love at first sight. I asked if he had been tested to see if he was ok with cats. They replied no, but I could take him into the cat area and see. I put him on a leash, walked into a room filled to the brim with cats in cages. There was lots of meowing and hissing. He looked up at me. I could tell he did not know commands but I pointed to the ground. He instantly squatted down and I placed my hands gently on his chest and shoulders. This is a calming hold in Jin Shin Jyutsu, a harmonizing Art I practice with animals. I felt his breath deepen and felt him sigh. I knew at that moment he was not going anywhere but home with me! I did make it 18 hours, not 18 months but it seemed plenty long to me!

He was turned in to the shelter because the previous owners said he was “rough with toddlers”… (he was an 18 month old herding dog who should have never been left unattended with toddlers). He had not been taught much of anything and although he was a wild child, he was so eager to learn. I decided to give him a name based on the Gandhi quote, “Be the change you wish to see”. So I named him “Saint Tukaram the Gentle, Jr.”, after a beloved Indian poet who lived in the 1600’s. He grew into his name!

He loved to ride in the car. At red lights, he would lean out the passenger window and make eye-contact with the people in other cars. Nothing delighted him more than if they waved or honked at him, as his crazy hair blew in the wind. He loved to learn an endless number of tricks each of which he would master in a day or two. Then when someone arrived at the house, he would instantly jump into action, preforming all of his tricks one after another as quickly as possible so he could receive a bite of a sliced carrot. He could sit up on his hind legs, lie down and roll over, close doors, open doors, spin in a circle, fetch and bring things back. Anything for a bite of carrot! One time when we were having friends over, I made him a sign that read, “ Will work for vegetables”. He was up to the task! He swam every day in the lake or the pool… or a mud puddle if need be. 

He was not overly excited about other dogs. I always got the idea he did not think he had much in common with them. But he adored my Arab mare, and she loved him right back. She was even willing to share her beloved carrots with him. He liked to stand directly under her when she got treats just in case any baby carrots should drop. The three of us went out on long trail rides where Tuka ran ahead like a scout and picked the best paths to take and we always followed his choices. Once we were riding with my beloved, Blaine and a horse he loved named Chance. Suddenly Blaine’s old stirrup broke. Blaine instantly decided to jump off, instead of pulling Chance down. He did his best to allow the horse to regain his balance and not break his own bones. But Chance was frightened and took off at a clip. Blaine called out, “Tuka, go get the horse.”  They were both out of sight but in a matter of moments, Tuka returned, with a calm and uninjured horse following him. To celebrate, he jumped in the horse trough for a dip when we got back to the stable.

Tuka’s other favorite being was our once-feral cat, Giannina Mia. She was found with a litter of her kittens under an abandoned house. Someone took all of them to our local vet where the kittens were easily placed in homes. The vet told her staff to be patient… that it often took a long time to place feral adult cats. But Tuka came in momentarily for an appointment, walked up to the cage, sat up on his hind legs and the two actually touched noses through the bars. That was how long their introduction took! She was a bit skittish in the house at first. But my partner is a wonderful singer and that, along with Tuka’s guidance, made for a smooth transition. On the second day she was there, Blaine was singing an old song from an operetta and she came running. Thus, she was named for the romantic lead in this song and got a name as unique as her brother’s! They played together, and even slept together. He taught her to do some of his tricks, like sitting up. He did this for carrots… she did it for tuna.

The world changed for me forever after his untimely passing. I am deeply blessed to have 2 wonderful dogs and that same cat now, as well as a beautiful horse. But I felt I did not have my own private insightful teacher by my side. … till he came to me vividly during a mediation. Several years after his passing, I suddenly heard his sweet and precise “voice” in my head/heart. He told me he “was always with me and I could know that for certain every time I saw moving water.” I finished the meditation, feeling very much at peace but unsure of what my brilliant boy meant. I walked to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. As I turned on the clear glass electric kettle, I saw the water gently start to bubble. I then filled our water filter … and watched as water ran from the faucet. I gazed out the window and saw the gentle breeze moving the water on the lake… and realized that even the tears now streaming down my face were moving water. Since then, I rejoice in the gifts and love that I know my boy surrounds me with every day.

I have had dogs since I was three days old, but “Saint Tukaram the Gentle, Jr.”(named after a beloved Indian poet) was unique. He was a bearded collie mix that I got from a county shelter 2 hours before he was to be put down. I walked in, our eyes met and I knew he was not going anywhere but home with me! We were inseparable till his untimely passing 6 years later. He loved to ride in the car, learn tricks and swim in the lake but his favorite times were spent running with my sweet Arab mare and playing with his once-feral kitty cat.

The world changed for me forever after his passing. I am deeply blessed to have 2 wonderful dogs and that same cat now, as well as a beautiful horse. But I felt I did not have my own private brilliant teacher by my side. … till he came to me vividly during a mediation. Several years after his passing, I suddenly heard his sweet and precise “voice” in my head/heart. He told me he “was always with me and I could know that for certain every time I saw moving water.” I finished the meditation, feeling very much at peace but unsure of what my brilliant boy meant. I walked to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. As I turned on the clear glass electric kettle, I saw the water gently start to bubble. I then filled our water filter … and watched as water ran from the faucet. I gazed out the window and saw the gentle breeze moving the water on the lake… and realized that even the tears now streaming down my face were moving water. Since then I rejoice in the gifts and love that I know my boy surrounds me with every day.