CANINE EVANGELIST

Dog behaviourist Shirin Merchant says that pet parents need to be trained first

- OSHIN GRACE DANIELL

Dogs don’t look at appearances, they look for kindness,” says canine behaviourist and trainer Shirin Merchant. “Dogs communicate so much without a word being spoken. What pet owners need to do is to learn to listen to the unspoken language.” Shirin is the first person in Asia and one of only nine people in the world to gain accreditation in Companion Dog Training and Behavioural Training from the KCAI Kennel Club of England. “I applied and passed a stringent exam by the Kennel Club of England's Accreditation Scheme for dog trainers and behaviourists. In doing so, I also got qualified by the city and guilds,” she says. “The exam included practical training sessions and a rigorous theory exam. The Kennel Club sent a representative from England to assess me. I am the only person outside of Europe to have achieved the accreditation till date.”