A TWIST TO THE INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAM...WITH MY FURRY PET

• Getting my furry pet, merely 20 days old, a lovely female labrador, a bundle of  joy, overflowing with energy meant adding an extra dose of happiness to our already happy family.
  
• She is really a bright spark. Within no time she grasped all the basic commands we taught her. Thanks to the training given by a brilliant dog trainer.
• 
• At the drop of the hat, she follows the basic commands of SIT, LIE DOWN, UP, STOP, STAY, NO, COME, DROP IT, FETCH, SHAKE HAND, LEASH WALKING.
• But one aspect that needed attention was the behaviour in respect of pee training. 
•   
• On the very first day of her arrival, being just twenty days old puppy, we had trained her to use a mat that lay at the door of washroom to relieve herself, fearing that if she is allowed to go inside, she would harm herself being a tiny tot and also due to puppy excitement fiddling with the things.
• 
  
• Alas! we made a mistake!! Yes, we made a big mistake!!! The responsibility of solving any behavioral problem in puppies /dogs solely lies on its owner. The experts and the trainers guide us to solve it. But applying proper obedience training at an early stage is very essential. Had we allowed her to step inside the washroom, there would not have been any mess.
• A puppy is just like a newborn human baby who needs to relieve almost ten times in a day which gradually reduces as it grows. So with that rate, it became increasingly difficult for me to wash/dispose off the soiled mats. 
•   
• All my efforts to cajole her with treats  to go inside the washroom and not at its entrance to perform the desired act went pear shaped. She was determined to follow what she was taught initially. 
• 
  
• TREATS. 
  

• They are powerful training tools like rewards given to reinforce any behaviour in dogs. If the desired behaviour is achieved, dogs are given their favourite treats with lavish praises. 
• It is like stepping in the shoes of the corporate world of incentive reward programme. 
• No amount of tempting treats to lure my brat to go inside the washroom was helping.
• 
• My furry pooch religiously used the space at the entrance of the washroom to relieve herself though we started keeping the mat inside the washroom. 
• Reading almost every Web page about  how to bring a change in the behaviour pattern of a dog, implementing them did not yield the desired change.
• In my search for the solution,
•    I decided to put the cart before the horse, by giving a twist to the
•  INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAMME knowing that I was grasping at straw. 
• Yes I started giving rewards before the act. The moment I sensed my puppy rushing towards the washroom door I use to give her some treat.
•  VOILA!!!!! 
• The desired performance was achieved. 
• Eventually, my pooch started stepping inside the washroom to relieve herself only after a treat. 
• I knew I was taking a risk of encouraging a wrong behaviour in my pooch as the reward preceded the act,  but in any case I was glad that there were no more soiled mats.
•   
• Reversing the programme worked
• Yes, it did. 
• Each dog is unique. There are exceptions to the rule as well.
• 
  
• In a matter of few days.. However... To my surprise....My super intelligent brat soon  learnt the tricks of the trade. I think she knew that she had to set the incentive reward programme right.
• 
  
• At last,..
• She eventually learnt that she should not be asking a treat beforehand!!
• HOORAY!!!! 
• Finally me and my furry succeeded. Joint Effort indeed.
  
• EVERY VISIT OF MY POOCH TO THE WASHROOM MEANT PERFORMING THE DESIRED ACT INSIDE THE WASHROOM THEN RUNNING TOWARDS ME AFTER THE PERFORMANCE WITH THAT TARGET ACHIEVED TWINKLE IN EYES WITH DROOL FOR A REWARD!!!!! 
  
• No more worries of giving the rewards before hand. We were back to the normal incentive reward programme!!!
• I have realised that, to bring a positive change in the behaviour of a pooch is not a piece of cake.
•  A lot of patience, perseverance and my furry's trait of grasping things finally cut the mustard.
•   
• A LITTLE TWIST TO THE INCENTIVE REWARD PROGRAM WORKED, 
• 
  
•     IT WAS THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD!!!!! 
•     I can't believe I ever worked without it. 

•  As of today, my puppy has grown into a disciplined, lovely female dog, who does not require any treats to use the washroom. 
• On that note that I would say...... 
• All Pet lovers and pet parents, you all will agree with me that our furry pets are one of the biggest blessings in our life and they have the capacity for the kind of unconditional love that is seen otherwise only between a human and it's offsprings.
• 
  

TALEGAON, MY SECOND HOME.

• It was a Saturday evening of June month, with the first rains after a dry spell,
• the smell of fresh powerfully evocative mud, 
• the rain droplets turning into an endless music of droplets,  
• we were enjoying the rains sipping some steaming tea,
• 
• an idea of having a SECOND HOME amidst the nature's lap, flashed through our minds to enjoy the rains many times more. 
•   
• The Search for the property then became our favourite weekend pastime. Till one Sunday morning, we chanced upon an advertisement on "Second Home" page of a newspaper.  
•   
• The property was decided at TALEGAON DABHADE, a historic place, 120 kms from Mumbai and 35 kms from Pune, situated on a highest altitude between the two metros.
• We fell in love with the place instantly and the next one year we were caught up in buying it and  interiordesigning it. Talegaon has a very pleasant climate, surrounded by mountains and  it's vast green areas  with awesome rains. 
• 
• It also has many lakes and hence it is called Talegaon (Laketown).
  
• Every vacation sometimes weekend also we hit the BOMBAY PUNE road with the kids and stayed at least for two days. 
•   
• Slowly our favourite books, 
• kitchenwares,
• family games, 
• our cycles, 
• full set of clothes 
• was up at the home, we only needed to drive to another home
• 
  
• The Expresshighway was under construction then but we really didn't mind the four hours drive.
•   
• After the construction of Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which is India's first six lanes concrete high speed express road, we could reach in less than two hours.
  
• On the other side, our home was taking a good shape. We had done it with cane furniture, 
• with the blow-up pictures of my kids on the walls,
• with our favourite cane swing in the balcony where we could sit for hours enjoying the beautiful landscapes. 
  
• with the entire family enjoying the cycle rides.
  
• with ofcourse the RAINS!!!!
• We had never missed our visit in the first week of June, the onset of Monsoon, with my kids jumping in the poodles,
• 
  snugging into the swing looking at rains and listening to its music, terrific but beautiful lightening and deafening thunders.
• 
  We had a blast of our lives in my second home for nearly twenty long years for every vacation well spent!! 
• 
  
• For us, our home at Talegaon always remained as a family space, 
• For my relatives and my closknit friends, this house was the best option, in fact, I can bet that each one of them has lasting memories of their stay. 
• We always looked forward to get our dear ones with us and the place really gathered more beauty with their company.
•   
• Memories of a famous Garden restaurant  "THANDA MAMLA" at the entrance of Talegaon, located on the top of a hill with THANDA THANDA COOL COOL breeze and delicious food will never fade away. 
  
•   
• Due to Expressway's best and fast connectivity, slowly and steadily Talegaon and it's nearby places gained momentum. 
•  
• Places like Chakan, Hinjewadi, Wakad became new IT HUBS.
• Economic growth created new job opportunities leading to urbanisation.
  
  Agriculture was an important factor of these places, but the town's industrial development and  emergence of software companies led and is leading to its quick urbanization. 
• For many, now Talegaon is their first home.
• With so many multistorey apartments coming up in and around the town, the place is loosing it's quietness, though it is still the land of beauty, serenity and divinity being on an altitude of  2200ft above sealevel.
•    
• Inspite of its quick urbanisation, Being a Eco city, it is still attracting real estate developers to promote the area for property investment and it is still the SECOND HOME for many giving the joy of being close to the nature with the bestest amenities and facilities of a cityhome.
• 
  
• Eventually though, our regular visits  started reducing, owing to our kids  getting engrossed in their higher studies,
• rising urbanization, 
• we getting use to the new pace of life. 
• 
  
• Gradually our visits stopped completely. We did return a couple of times, But;
• Somewhere deep down we knew that....
• the coming up of  many  highrise  apartments opposite our place blocking the entire landscapes, giving a feel of more of a citylife,
• the changing tastes of our growing kids contributed in small ways towards our dwindling interest. 
•   
• We have now sold off  the property, 
• but,..
• 
  
• On some odd Saturday evening, there is that slightly tug at the heart when we miss the vacation times well spent with the loved ones,
• those moments of simple family bonding and carefree times, TALEGAON will always remain a part of us.
•   
• Whenever we  take the Expresshighway, we take a deliberate halt at The Cool Cool Thanda Thanda... "THANDA MAMLA" and relive the moments.
• 
  
• So on that note I would say 
•   
• TALEGAON  WILL  ALWAYS  BE  ONE  OF  THE  BEST  THINGS  IN  MY  LIFE, 
• WITH  THE  EVERLASTING  MEMORIES MADE  WITH  MY  LOVED  ONES  ALONG THE  WAY!!!