PANJIM: The first question Guddi Notandas asks potential clients, who approach her for help with their ‘problem pets’ is, “Why did you get a dog?”
“The intention behind getting a pet is paramount; I’m here for the families who want to enjoy a better relationship with their pet dogs, train them to be good companions to their children, and solve any behavioural issues they may be facing, For me, the only wrong answer is ‘to guard my house’.” says Guddi, who envisions a world where no pet dogs are ever abandoned because their owners are unable to handle them. A single mother, Guddi, adopted her German Shepherd ‘Zeus’ 11 years ago, to be a companion and playmate for her daughter. Little did she know that Zeus would teach her nearly everything she needed to be a professional dog trainer today.
With dogs, it’s all about communication, she says. “Most families who seek my help, simply need to be shown how to pick up on their dog’s cues, respect their boundaries and understand why they behave a certain way. Some families struggle with dogs that chew and destroy things, others show aggression while being fed, run away when they get the chance, or bark and howl continuously when left alone at home. “All these issues can be solved with patience and obedience training, and the earlier the training begins, the better your dog will be able to adapt to his life with humans,” says Guddi.
She believes the main reason dogs become aggressive or develop behaviour issues is because they are separated from the mother too early. “Puppies learn social skills during time spent with their mother and siblings. They learn how to play with each other and how to draw boundaries, because the mother punishes them when they don’t toe the line. We humans, in our haste to take the smallest, cutest puppy home, do not give them the chance to learn how the world works and end up with difficult pets or sickly ones, with poor immunity,” she explains. Dogs that are weaned too young tend to be more nervous or ‘hyper’, sometimes get aggressive even while playing, and often become very possessive of their food or toys- all because they do not know better.
Guddi’s expertise is in high demand, requiring her and Zeus to cover long distances to meet clients. She insists on conducting most of her ‘pawsitive training’ sessions outdoors, in a real-world setting, and has befriended packs of stray dogs in several parts of Goa. “Most of my earnings
from dog-training goes towards feeding my many packs of strays. One day, I believe humans will realise the importance of our misunderstood community dogs, and learn to share this planet with all other species as well,” she says.
