**Part 2: Where it became personal** When I decided to enroll in Shirin’s course, I wanted to prepare seriously. So I shadowed trainers in Gurgaon — professionals I had followed and admired on Instagram for years. They were generous with their time and honest about the realities of the work. But the real shift happened at Friendicoes. I began volunteering at the shelter thinking I was going there to refine my training skills and observe behaviour. Friendicoes houses nearly 100 dogs — different ages, breeds, histories, temperaments. It’s not controlled. It’s not curated. It’s real. What started as observation slowly became involvement. Weekend 6 km trail walks. Reaching out to cafés to organise adoption events. Volunteering at those events. Helping in whatever way was needed. Even after the course ended, I kept going back. I went there believing the dogs needed me. Somewhere along the way, I realised I needed them. At the shelter, I could practise. Make mistakes. Take videos. Work on my timing. Be patient. Be uncomfortable. Try again. Nothing was polished. Nothing was predictable. The dogs have my heart. And that time — messy, exhausting, emotional — is something I will always carry with me.
Your love and passion for dogs and how you immersed yourself into reading books and understanding dog behaviour when you first got Barfi has been inspiring !! Your walks at Gurgaon with Barfi were highlights for me!!