Have you ever wondered how the dogs in televised shows perform tricks like jumping through hoops or following commands? From a theoretical point-of-view, many people might be aware of the classical conditioning that Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov demonstrated on his dog.
However, a few individuals struggle to train their pooches. Realising the dearth of trainers and proper schools for dogs, Adnan Khan (29), a professional dog trainer, decided to merge his passion for canines and his business degree to start the K9 School at Chhatarpur in 2016.
At his facility, Khan conducts one-on-one training along with a monthly 'Dog Trainer's Course' for those interested in obedience training their pet. He also boards dogs from all over India.
The three-day training course for dog handlers that began on Friday will continue over the weekend. Divided into informative talks and practical classes, the course entails an array of topics including how a dog thinks and behaves, the use of obedience commands, and how to socialise one's dog.
When we visited the school to join in on the first day of the course on the first day, we witnessed a number of dogs roaming freely and interacting with the participants in one of the parks where Khan was taking his class.
Along with theoretical inputs, Khan had also prepared practical lessons. Demonstrating obedience commands, Khan taught the dogs commands like 'yes' and 'sit'. Later, the attendees practised it.
The participants were encouraged not to bring their own dogs. This, Khan mentioned, was so that they are not distracted by their pets. "People tend to have a very linear perspective about their dogs. This course is a more generalised understanding of dog training," said Khan.
Training with 15 to 20 dogs - ranging from puppies, male dogs and female dogs to different kinds of breeds, both big and small, from the school - Khan lends a fresh perspective to dog training. Friday's practical training also involved a demonstration on how to train puppies in bottle pits.
Two puppies, let loose in an open box filled with plastic bottles, were instructed to find kibble in it. Khan shared that this is the first stage of training dogs to become immune to noise. "Once the dogs get used to the noise of plastic bottles, we increase the sound levels by banging metal till they become so used to the noise. This way, even if you burst a firecracker near them, they won't get affected," he said.
Despite being a course primarily for pet owners, Khan mentioned that anyone who wants to start a career in dog training can attend it. Therefore, it is also open to people who own pet centres, rescue shelters, and vet clinics. "I have also had students from schools who want to take up dog training as a vocation," Khan said.
This course is also an attempt to build an inclusive dog trainers' community. Many students from Khan's previous courses have exchanged notes with each other so as to learn about dogs and training them as well as look out for job opportunities or to volunteer as dog trainers. "This three-day training is just the beginning of the journey," Khan concluded.