Don’t ever make the mistake of venturing into the Tata Steel or Tata Motors plants uninvited. You’ll lose any illusions you have about the dog being a man’s best friend if you make that mistake. Yes, the country’s largest business group also owns dogs, and the canine pack is responsible for maintaining security at the two companies’ plants.

Tata Motors and Tata Steel have eight dogs each patrolling their plants and townships, protecting them against theft and dacoity. A N Singh, deputy MD of Tata Steel, says, “Our kennel, which started in 1968, currently has eight dogs – four patrolling our 80-acre bearings division in kharagpur and four at the Jamshedpur plant.” The dogs include a German Shepherd,a Doberman, and a Rottweiler.” The Tatas have only rule when it comes to their dogs – every one of them has to have a name beginning with T, apparently as a mark of respect for the group. The legendary J.R.D. Tata was reputedly very fond of dogs. Ratan Tata, the current chairman of the group, is also an ardent dog lover. Mr. Tata had a dog named Tango, which died of old age a few years back. Today, Tango’s place has been taken by Tito.

Major Shinde Patil, head of security at Tata Motors’s Pune plant, said that the Tata dog-squad helped the police crack several cases of crime and dacoity. He cited one incident: “One of our Alsatians gave a vital clue on a vehicle used by robbers at Hadapsur, near the plant, which helped in apprehending them.

Tata Steel runs a veterinary hospital to care of its dogs, and, in addition, has a veterinarian flown in every week from Kolkata. The dogs have earned laurels at various competitions. Last year one of Tata Steel’s Dobermans was awarded the ‘Most Obedient Dog’ award at the Eastern India dog show held at Jamshedpur.