My first Publication CC May Edition for Web | Page 27

issues in the dog as well. Most behavior
correction techniques are implemented to
sort aggression in dogs, usually towards
other animals or humans or help them get
over destructive habits such as chewing
furniture.
Dog training usually comprises of
obedience training for domestic animals
with the primary focus on helping dogs
get accustomed to living with humans
centering on commands such as sit, stay ,
eat, no and heel.
At any point of time if you notice the
trainer being abusive or violent towards
the dog you must dismiss him immediately.
Sherawat says, “Such behavior is
detrimental for the psyche of the dog and
can cause aggression issues later in life.”
As a dog owner, it is your duty to ensure
that the dog is in safe hands and you must
insist that your pet gets trained in your
presence. Alistair feels that in the end it all
boils down to the willingness of the dog to
learn and the eff orts put in by the owners
as the dog spends maximum time with his
human parents and not the trainer.
Dog training – tips and techniques
Th ere are various dog training tips and
techniques that can be used to train
your fur buddies. Diff erent dogs respond
diff erently to training and mustn’t be
pushed beyond a certain limit. Dog
training mostly comprises of obedience
training but many a times trainers are
required to work on various behavior
Sherawat, who advocates the ‘non-force
method’ of training says, “Here the dog is
neither punished by force nor is rewarded
for following commands. Th e only tools
that are used are facial expressions,
repetition of words and praise and
aff ection.”
He believes that the right amount of
discipline and love is all it takes to ensure
that your canine companion showcases his
best behavior.
Dog training as a mini-industry:
Th e pet industry on the whole is witnessing
a revolution with more and more people
adopting pets. Considering the pros and
cons of this, Alistair refl ects, “While it is
amazing to see that a larger number of
individuals are coming forward to adopt
pets, it also has its downside. Buying
pets without suffi cient research about the
breed, and responsibilities associated with
dog ownership can trigger a plethora of
behavior problems and unwanted issues
for both the pet as well as the owners.”
Alistair has made it a mission to
educate prospective pet owners about
As a global player, India is still lagging behind
when it comes to the proper implementation of
animal laws and rights
taking responsibility by reading up and
conducting optimum research on the
dog before bringing it home. He says,
“Individuals need to understand what to
expect from a puppy of a specifi c breed
before bringing it home as the energy
levels of the little ones are very high.
On numerous occasions, pet owners get
impatient and lose it on the dog or end
up looking for NGOs to take it in or
abandon it.”
In recent years, many individuals have left
their stable jobs to pursue their interests
as dog trainers. Alistair insists, “It is one
thing to be interested in training a dog
and another to be qualifi ed to carry out
the task. Doing it the right way makes all
the diff erence, which is only possible if an
individual is professionally qualifi ed to
take the challenge head on.”
No government dog training institute or
course is available in India which propels
owners to turn to a select few trainers.
Most of these trainers are retired Army,
Police or BSF dog trainers and are known
to use counter-productive or aversive
training methods which are not suitable
for dogs.
As a global player, India is still lagging
behind when it comes to the proper
implementation of animal laws and rights.
Unlike foreign countries, there is no
regulation to determine that all domestic
dogs are trained by a certifi ed trainer. In
earlier times, individuals only associated
dog training with security or detection
dogs. Th is however has changed and pet
owners are realizing the importance of
obedience training.
While training a dog is the norm in
western society, India still has a long
way to go in terms of governing bodies,
implementation of rules and regulations
and inculcation of civic sense among
people.
May 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 5 • Noida
27
| Creature Companion