QUEEN’S ROAD: Mumbai-based canine behaviourist Shirin Merchant is a popular name among animal lovers in Bengaluru. Known for her workshops and demonstrations in pet training, she has recently been recognised as one of the best dog trainers in the world by The Kennel Club, UK.
At Crufts 2015, the annual festival organised by the club earlier this month, Shirin was conferred the Trainer of the Year Award under The Kennel Club Accredited Instructor Scheme (KCAI).
With over two decades of experience in dog training, Shirin has worked with more than 6,000 dogs so far.
She says, “When I first started working in this field, most people thought that only men could train dogs, that choke chains were necessary and hitting dogs was part of training. I had to work hard to break a lot of those myths and show by example that reward-based training was better for both the dog and the owner.”
Now, there are more women dog trainers and behaviourists in India than ever before, she adds.
How have things changed in all these years? People have become more aware of the need to understand their pets, Shirin says.
“There was a time when people thought that trainers used some kind of telepathy to communicate with dogs. But now they have realised that the work is based in scientific research. The trainer studies the patterns in the animal’s behaviour in relation to the environmental factors involved,” she explains.
While it is great that having pets is becoming common in Indian households, people should do their research before adopting foreign breeds, Shirin feels.
“Unfortunately, too many people prefer to get pedigree dogs because they are considered a status symbol. They must think about the lifestyle of the breed too."
“For instance, breeds like Huskies, Dalmatians, hounds and Shepherds require plenty of daily exercise. Getting these dogs and then restricting them to two walks on a leash every day is cruelty,” she says.
Adopting Indian stray dogs or Indogs is the best thing to do, she suggests. “They are easy to train, very loyal, have few health issues and are used to our climate.”
However, they also deserve to be treated with respect, Shirin adds. “Most people think they are doing the stray dog a favour by bringing it home. Indogs have needs just like the pedigree ones, and they also deserve lots of love and a happy home,” she explains.
Having dealt with dogs for so many years, how many times has she been bitten, we ask. “Just once...in 1997,” she says with a chuckle.