Pet project is changing views on dogs in Palestine

RAMALLAH－Munzer al-Jaabari, a young Palestinian, has been busy posting short videos on TikTok on how he trains his German shepherd Lucy, and changing attitudes to dogs in the process.

The Hebron resident has attracted more than 30,000 followers, with his videos picking up more than 3.2 million likes over the past two years.

"I feel that I am on the right way to achieving my primary goal of changing the negative view in my society toward dogs and pet owners," the 32-year-old blogger said.

Al-Jaabari came up with the idea in late 2020 when he noticed some residents thought that dog breeders were "violating customs and traditions", and they considered dogs "unclean and should not be approached". He also became concerned about abuse directed at stray animals.

"Animals, in particular dogs, are intelligent, and humans can develop their skills for benefit," he said. With this in mind, al-Jaabari began filming dozens of videos that show him both playing with Lucy and training her, in a bid to change attitudes.

"Being patient and giving positive reinforcement are the best ways to train dogs," he said. "Offer them a reward as soon as they accomplish your order. But if they do not do well, the punishment should not be in a harsh manner."

After two years of training, Lucy can deliver water to him and even bring back items from a grocery store, al-Jaabari said.

The blogger's videos encouraged Maha Ahmed, a young woman in Ramallah, who has taken in a stray dog that was beaten by children.

Initially, she disliked dogs, but her thoughts changed as she became more aware of the benefits of adopting stray animals. "Al-Jaabari encouraged me to take care of the animals, mainly the stray dogs," the 36-year-old doctor said.

Xinhua