On a rainy day in Bangalore, Shirin Merchant is busy training a motley group of dog lovers on the rooftop of Cessna’s facility in Domlur. Vader the Great Dane sits at her feet, his floppy ears drooping and his eager face resting. Shirin looks unmindful of him and Vader too looks disinterested, apparently enjoying a nap after a morning of hard training.
“So, after nearly 300 repetitions, Vader will know that if he doesn’t respond the first time, he won’t get his bowl of food,” says Shirin. The seemingly asleep dog lets out a resentful cry and the humans enjoy a little laugh. Vader settles back into pretend slumber, but remains Shirin’s favourite pick for a “bad doggie” example. Meanwhile Abby, Zeena, Lucky, Pixie, and Chipkoo, oblivious to the exchange, are snoring peacefully next to their respective humans. Except for Mojo, who greets me with the affection of a long-lost friend, but is soon whisked away lest he disturb the others.
In Bangalore for a five-day canine behaviourist training program, Shirin Merchant works hard with the group of pet parents and animal welfare workers. A pioneer in the field of dog training and behaviour in India, she is one of the country’s few, if only, qualified practising canine behaviour counsellors. Shirin turned to the world of canine behaviour when she met animal behaviourist John Rogerson in 1995. He soon became her mentor and she went on to train and help dogs in England, India and Sri Lanka. Fifteen years and over three thousand dogs later, Shirin is a world-renowned dog trainer and the first Indian to conduct dog training and canine behaviourist courses for pet owners and dog lovers.
“Training a dog is all about communicating with the dog. A dog looks to an effective communicator to lead,” says Shirin.
“Don’t anthropomorphise or attribute human sentiments to your dog. The dog is the descendant of the wolf and his behaviour is rooted in his ancestry,” she says.
One of the most important aspects of understanding canine behaviour is awareness of the pack structure.
“Like wolves, for any powerful animal to live in a group together, they require pack order. Every pack has a leader dog or alpha dog. This alpha dog is not the physically strongest dog of the group, but the most communicative member. The alpha male is backed by the alpha female and doesn’t act without her approval. Within a pack, every dog will have its own place and if any two dogs fight, they will resolve it on their own. An unhappy pack member will express itself with body posturing, a stare or look, growl or tightening the body,” reveals Shirin.
Dogs as pets seek pack order within their home too. They look to the strongest communicator to lead them and thrive when the family is united.
“A dog that is higher than his human in the pack will show signs of aggression. A dog at the bottom of the pack, not only enjoys this position, but is also obedient,” she says.
One to practise the latest canine behaviour theories, Shirin’s dog training is carried out using reward-based methods. “Basic control training, where a dog is walked up and down, told to sit down and rewarded each time, helps a dog become obedient. This should be practised for two-three minutes every day,” she says. “The old adage said: ignore the behaviour and it will go. But I say, ignore it and it will grow.”
“For a dog training means freedom – the freedom to walk without his leash. They enjoy training and it gives them something to do, developing a feeling of self-worth. Taking that away from them is cruel,” she says. “The three basics that every dog should know are: his name, a control command like sit or stay, and the ‘no’ command.”
“But, don’t get a dog if you don’t have the time,” advices Shirin. “And, if you are to get one, don’t pick one for its exotic or cuteness factor. Beagles need tons of exercise and mental stimulation.
Comparatively, cockers and labs don’t offer too many issues. Exotic breeds are not the right choice for the Indian climate and there needs to be more awareness about this. Indian dogs are smart, but don’t always do well with first-time dog owners. We need to be a little more selective when offering Indian dogs for adoption. The dog has to match the family.”
