It all started during the pandemic, when my younger son asked for a pet,” says Subimal Ganguli. The family had never had a dog before, but given how upset Aman was with the pandemic, his parents agreed. “He wanted a Siberian Husky as they were beautiful and intelligent. We brought home Zozo, and everything changed.”

Not only did the house become more cheerful, but Aman was also able to focus on his studies better. “Within months, he cleared his exams and left for the States,” says Ganguli, a surgeon. Zozo, however, struggled with separation anxiety, and it took several days — and many video calls — before he could come to terms with Aman’s absence. “My wife Rupa Sharan Ganguli and I then started tending to all of Zozo’s needs. And in our complex, I went from being ‘doctor uncle’ to ‘dog uncle’!”

The family’s most memorable incident with Zozo is what they fondly call “his wedding”. “A family from Chakdah approached us to mate their female Husky with Zozo. We told them ours was an exceptionally handsome boy and asked to see pictures of the prospective bride. Rosie turned out to be a darling too, and they mated,” he recalls.

When Rosie delivered six puppies, the Gangulis went to see them in an episode he jokingly refers to as “Zozo chala sasural”. “It was one of the most heart-warming experiences of my life. Zozo met Rosie after months but recognised her instantly — and even seemed to understand that the puppies were his. He spent every minute licking and caressing them and when we left, Zozo was so upset he didn’t eat for 24 hours.”

When the puppies were two months old, the Gangulis were given the pick of the litter — Simba. The two now share a beautiful father-son bond. Simba is respectful of his father, and Zozo has taught him the ways of the world.

Being younger, Simba is more energetic. “When I go cycling, he runs alongside. Once, while I was on the treadmill, I casually asked if he wanted to try it and he nimbly jumped on the conveyor belt. Now he walks on the treadmill for about 10 minutes every day,” Ganguli smiles. Both dogs love swimming in pet pools and have visited beaches of Digha and Mandarmani too.

Both the Gangulis are doctors with busy schedules, but they plan their time such that one of them is home every few hours. “The dogs must go for walks four times a day, and so even if we feel lethargic about waking up at 5.30am, we remind ourselves that they are working dogs and need the exercise,” Ganguli says. “So not only have they made us stress-free, but also disciplined.”