logo
ENFRع
#

Latest news with #ShivaniSharma

Yes, stray dogs can be trained. Canine whisperers reveal how
Yes, stray dogs can be trained. Canine whisperers reveal how

India Today

time16 hours ago

  • General
  • India Today

Yes, stray dogs can be trained. Canine whisperers reveal how

When lawyer Amrita Pratap adopted a retired guard dog, a Doberman, in Varanasi, she thought she was offering a second chance to a soul in need. What she didn't anticipate was the reaction of the four-legged residents of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus. The sprawling university campus teems with cats and first time Pratap took her Doberman out for a walk, a pack of stray dogs pounced on them. Both Pratap and her Doberman had to get rabies shots. The encounters didn't stop, and each walk risked a came the advice from canine behaviourist and vet, Ajay Mukherjee. He suggested Pratap loosen the leash on her Doberman, stay calm, and walk straight to her home without reacting. The trick worked then offered to help not just with Pratap's pet, but also with the colony's strays to lower their was then that Pratap and her family first realised that help was available, not just for pets, but also for stray dogs in India are often seen as untrainable, but experts say they can be taught to manage aggression and coexist with people, just like pet consensus from five households and collective funding of Rs 25,000, around six stray dogs in BHU's Jodhpur Colony Lane were trained to reduce their aggression by Mukherjee and his team over the following stressed that aggression management, not tricks, is their main goal while training street dogs. They said the training process for strays requires skilled behaviourists, consistent community involvement, and regular feeding to build behaviourists like Shirin Dhabhar and Shivani Sharma said the methods for training strays are the same as pedigree dogs, and age is no barrier, though younger dogs learn is a powerful tool. Regular, structured feeding not only tames aggression but also desensitises dogs to human presence, the experts continuous community commitment, trained dogs can revert to old behaviours as feral instincts eventually take over, the experts Delhi-based canine behaviourist Aaron Dsilva told India Today that he had personally put some street dogs in Delhi's Safdarjung area on a routine, where they take a walk of around a kilometre and are regularly fed by locals—a practice that has helped reduce their Dsilva said this was possible only with community support, adding, "RWAs don't have the capacity to do this."Even Mumbai-based Sharma succeeded in curbing aggression in community dogs in Juhu and Lokhandwala. Mumbai-based canine behaviourist Shivani Sharma said age is no bar to make dogs unlearn old patterns of behaviour, but younger dogs learn more quickly. (Image: India Today via Shivani Sharma) CAN TRAINING BE PART OF SOLUTION TO STRAY DOG MENACE?Strays in India are mostly Indian Pariah dogs that make fantastic guards if have served in paramilitary forces like the NDRF, CRPF, and also in police departments, proving their intelligence, resilience, and working training alone can't solve the stray dog problem, experts told India Today Digital that it should be part of the solution, combining skilled trainers, resident cooperation, and policy-level investment to make streets safer for both humans and Supreme Court recently ordered the removal of all stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets within eight weeks and their relocation to shelters. It came after a surge in dog bite cases and rabies order sparked a massive outcry and is now being reviewed by a three-judge are divided, but experts are united in their view that training stray dogs on aggression and socialisation can be part of the overall what Pratap successfully did in her BHU DELHI GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES ON STRAY DOG PROBLEMIn fact, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in 2014 had a similar initiative called "May I Help You" in-house home-guards programme to train strays."If these dogs are going to roam the NDMC area, they might as well work," then-NDMC chairman Jalaj Shrivastava told The Hindu."Our plan is to adopt these strays and train them as guard dogs," he plan involved enlisting the services of police dog trainers to train stray dogs and press them into service, according to the trainers India Today Digital spoke to had trained street dogs in their own colonies out of goodwill. But large-scale implementation needs resources and numerous trainers and support said NDMC's 2014 plan was poorly implemented. "I don't remember even one instance where I came across any such (trained) dog in Delhi," Dsilva, a canine behaviourist for 19 years, said. A major cause of aggression in stray dogs is territorial fights triggered when dogs are picked up and relocated to another area. (Image for representation: PTI) CHALLENGES TO TRAINING STREET DOGS: CASH, CONSENSUSTraining dogs at the community level requires patience, money, and most importantly, a consensus among local pet dogs, street dogs cannot be removed from triggering environments, making aggression harder to control. However, aggression can often be availability is another challenge for trainers tasked with training a single dog that is not human- or dog-friendly and has behavioural issues, training may take around four weeks. For dogs with severe behavioural issues requiring rehabilitation, the time extends to six to eight weeks, the experts told India Today pet dogs is costlier, typically Rs 25,000-35,000 a month for basic community dogs, however, trainers said the rates are flexible, as most people in the profession are driven by passion, and are willing to work for the greater good, charging as little as Rs 1,000-1,200 per dog per most communities lack consensus and are unwilling to allocate the necessary should be noted that in this context, "training" refers specifically to aggression management, not full obedience AND QUICK STRAY DOGSIn terms of trainability, Shirin Dhabhar, said, "They are some of the cleverest dogs in the world and very easy to work with. They're smart, they learn quickly, and yes, training is entirely possible even at the community level.""The methods of training are the same as pedigree dogs," said Dhabhar, a President of India awardee in the field of canine behaviourism."If you have a colony with dozens of dogs, you can train them all. It depends on what you want to train them for – whether it's keeping them in certain zones, preventing fights, or stopping them from chasing. It can take a couple of months, but it's doable," said Shivani Sharma, who has been working in the fields of canine behaviourism and rescue since 2014, said age was no bar to making dogs unlearn old patterns of behaviour. However, the younger the dogs are, the better the TO MANAGE STRAY DOGS IN RESIDENTIAL AREASShivani Sharma has helped manage dog aggression in multiple communities in Mumbai, and has also helped societies find common ground during disputes between feeders and non-feeders."Aggression in street dogs can be managed to the point where they are under control," said Sharma, adding a rider."This may not be the case for every stray dog as they live in an exposed environment and they have multiple triggers."The fact that pets can be isolated from triggers is what differentiates them from street dogs when it comes to aggression management."Pet dogs can be removed from a triggering environment, such as constantly moving objects and loud noises; community dogs can't. Repetitive triggers make it harder to control street dogs' exposure to these stressors," Sharma AS A TOOL TO TRAIN AND MANAGE STREET DOGSFeeding is one of the most effective ways to tame aggression in street dogs, trainers and behaviourists told India Today Digital. Most fights or biting incidents happen because of the dearth of food, they said. Another cause is territorial fights triggered when dogs are picked up from one area and relocated to another, something activists have long blamed municipal corporations explained, "I have noticed that, over a long period of regular feeding, some form of desensitisation happens." By this, she means that if food is given regularly by multiple humans, dogs begin to see their association with people as positive and eventually become less reactive. Experts suggest if food is given regularly to a dog by multiple humans, they begin to see their association with humans as a positive one. (Image for representation: PTI) In some societies, she said, dogs displaying mild aggression were also given behavioural modification through structured feeding. "We also asked feeders to alter feeding times, so the dogs don't have to interact with people during busy hours, such as when children are boarding or getting off school buses," said added, "People around must be aware of the dogs' temperament. We have run awareness drives, instructing security guards, shopkeepers, and residents to warn people about certain dogs who don't like too much human interaction."On whether community dogs can be fully trained, she said, "To an extent, yes. You can have a well-managed pack that is desensitised, medically looked after, and fed regularly so they coexist with human activity."PEOPLE AND STREET DOGS: IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO COEXISTMost communities avoid training strays to manage aggression as they believe it is too costly or requires consistent on-ground effort."You can't expect people who don't like dogs to pay for training. Instead of spending money on legal battles, put it into something positive," said Dsilva said, "The key is not just working with the dogs but also with the people living there." Communities that make consistent efforts to care for stray dogs witness significantly less aggression. (Image for representation: PTI) In areas where training and routines were maintained, "dogs became calmer, friendlier, and less reactive", said most trainers India Today Digital spoke to said the problem is multi-layered and cannot be solved through training alone, they agreed it can be part of the solution, especially in areas where animal lovers are ready to take stray dogs isn't just about curbing aggression. It's about creating safer streets for people and giving these animals a chance to coexist peacefully in the spaces they share with humans. From a policy perspective, involving canine behaviourists and allocating budgets for training dogs to manage aggression is one way to address the dog menace across India.- EndsTune InMust Watch advertisement

Residents unhappy with Smart City Mission projects in Ludhiana West constituency.
Residents unhappy with Smart City Mission projects in Ludhiana West constituency.

Time of India

time10-06-2025

  • Politics
  • Time of India

Residents unhappy with Smart City Mission projects in Ludhiana West constituency.

Ludhiana: As the Ludhiana West assembly byelection approaches on June 19, residents are voicing growing frustration over the city's much-touted Smart City mission, claiming key projects have failed to deliver on promises and left persistent problems unresolved. The West constituency, a focal point for Smart City initiatives, was selected early for major upgrades after strong voter turnout in initial polling rounds. Projects such as the Malhar Road beautification, Sarabha Nagar rejuvenation, and the Pakhowal Road railway overbridge (ROB/RUB) were launched with fanfare. However, locals say traffic congestion and poor planning continue to plague the area. "The original concept for Malhar Road was to create a smart road with dedicated bicycle tracks and walkways," said Manjit Singh, a Sarabha Nagar resident. "Instead, officials allowed parking for showroom owners on the road, ignoring residents' suggestions and missing the real issues." Shivani Sharma, from Model Town, echoed the sentiment, saying residents were kept in the dark about project plans. "Had authorities shared project designs publicly, we could have contributed ideas. Faulty designs and poor execution have left us disillusioned with the smart city mission," she said. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Device Made My Power Bill Drop Overnight elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Pre-Order Undo A senior municipal corporation official, speaking on condition of anonymity, blamed political interference for derailing initial plans. He said much of the smart city funding was diverted to other projects, including Buddha Dariya rejuvenation, school construction, and new water supply lines. "If we had stuck to the original plans, the city would look very different today," he said. Meanwhile, political parties are locked in a battle for credit. The BJP highlights the central govt's role, the Shiromani Akali Dal claims credit for Ludhiana's selection, and Congress and Aam Aadmi Party leaders make claims about their roles in executing projects. But none are willing to accept responsibility for the shortcomings, leaving municipal officials to face public criticism. Residents in other parts of Ludhiana have also raised concerns, alleging that the West constituency received preferential treatment under the smart city mission, despite already being relatively well-developed. They point to disparities such as the rapid reconstruction of a bridge at Sidhwan Canal in Sarabha Nagar, completed in two months, compared to a decade-long delay for a similar project over Buddha Nullah in the North constituency. With the bypoll looming, the city's smart city mission has become a flashpoint, highlighting both the promise and pitfalls of urban renewal in one of Punjab's largest cities. MSID:: 121752881 413 |

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store