MARGAO: In a bid to prevent incidents of children getting bitten by dogs, a collaborative team of canine behaviour experts have begun to hold interactive workshops at schools and colleges to teach people how to co-exist with ‘man’s best friends’, who are unfortunately getting quite a bad reputation in Goa lately. Supported by veterinarians and animal welfare workers, Give Goa Dogs’ (GGD) ‘Kindness, Love and Care Education Programme’ was first conducted for a group of eight-year-olds at the St Joseph Institute in Vasco.
The trained professionals who helped conduct the workshop are Mastaan, a massive Rottweiler and Ruby, a Mudhol Hound. “They are trained therapy dogs and are very good at their job,” says Shivani Mathur of GGD, who, along with Shaun Moitra, a canine behaviour expert and trainer who runs Dogspeed in Vasco, hope to reduce human- dog conflict through education and training.
“We began with small groups of students, and kept the session very simple and fun, teaching the kids the basics of interacting with dogs. Several children were extremely afraid, there was even a child who was crying out of fear at the beginning of the workshop- and at the end of it, she had gained enough confidence to pat Mastaan,” recalls Shivani, asserting that both the adult dogs employed at the sessions are trained, and such workshops should not be attempted by anyone but professionals.Shaun says that often, children, and even adults, fail to obtain the dog’s consent before approaching it, or touching it.
“Every dog is different- it has an individual personality, its own likes and dislikes. Children need to be educated from a young age to get over their fear of dogs, but also taught that dogs are not toys, you cannot go up and touch them straight away” says Shivani.
We also teach the children about the importance of waste management- we tell them to finish their food and never to waste doof, as it ends up in the dumpsters or in landfills, and how it adds to the problem of overpopulation in community dogs.
The vet covers aspects like rabies and educates them about the vaccinations and treatment,
The group also held a similar workshop for students of Chowgule College, with Ruby and Mastaan happily interacting with the youth, helping them understand the intricacies of canine behaviour.
‘There are no bad dogs – only bad breeders and irresponsible owners’
Shaun stresses the need for people to educate themselves and prepare to bear the responsibility before adopting a dog, or choosing to bring a dog of a certain breed into their family. “If you do not know how to drive, would you choose to buy a Ferrari?” asks Shaun, who rues that many dog breeds that are meant to be working dogs- those that need mental and physical stimulation, plenty of exercise and socialisation- are often kept tied, or confined to the house or small yard. This may cause the dog to get frustrated and act out- they end up destroying furniture and belongings and even showing aggression. “Goa is a haven for dogs, most cafes and restaurants are pet-friendly- dog owners need to be willing to put in the work. Socialise your dog from a young age, take it out to meet people and other dogs, and approach a trainer if you are facing problems. Together, we can ensure that both animals and humans are safe and live in harmony,” says Shaun.
