Dog trainer draws on lessons learned to broaden experience

Experienced dog trainer Du Linjia, 30, usually invites owners to train their animals with him, as he believes they need to communicate effectively with their pets.

"In many cases, pets misbehave because they don't understand the owner's instruction," said Du, who lives in Guangdong province.

"One common form of aggression by a dog is to growl at its owner to protect its food. In such cases, we first need to analyze the animal's thought processes. It may feel that the owner is there to steal its food.

"By giving the dog more tasty food and approaching it slowly one step at a time, the animal begins to believe it will be rewarded if it lets a human come closer. Problem solved."

Du said trainers must have a strong sense of responsibility. No matter how badly a dog is behaving, a trainer must make judgments calmly and never give up on any animal.

Empathy is also important, as a dog's worst behavior is usually due to misleading actions by its owner, he said.

A trainer needs to think from the dog's perspective and notice small changes in the animal's behavior, he added.

Du's business has boomed since China optimized its COVID-19 control policies in January.

"I never imagined the business would go so well this year. Many clients are now requesting training sessions for their dogs," he said.

However, many pet owners are also now busier at work and have less time to be with their animals, which results in problems, he added.

Du, who has been a trainer for 10 years, said more owners now care not only about their pets' health but also about the way in which their animals behave.

The total number of dog and cat owners in urban areas of China reached 68.44 million in 2021, according to the Chinese Pet Industry White Paper for that year.

Du said more dog trainers are now offering their services, but the level of their training and knowledge of the animals they instruct differs widely.

"Many trainers still believe that to make a dog obey them, they should hit it to show the animal who is boss. This is wrong," he said.

"There's always a way to solve a problem, no matter how complicated it seems. Getting upset will only worsen it. For example, if you hit your dog after it soils the floor in your house, it may secretly do its business elsewhere, because it knows that getting caught makes you angry."

"Being a dog trainer has changed the way in which I view things. When faced with a problem, I now focus on how to overcome it, instead of becoming emotional. For example, I probably won't blame and scold my daughter if she fails an exam."

Du added that he would give his daughter more opportunities to learn and practice in such a case, just as he does with the dogs he trains.