Apr 23 2015.
views 1753A ‘gift’ with dogs..
23 year old Melissa Stephen calls herself a dog psychologist. “Being a dog psychologist is different to being a dog trainer. I don’t teach the sit, come, down, heel, stay stuff. I am there to help people who have issues with their dog,” she elaborates.
Having seen some success stories on social media with relation to Melissa’s methods with our canine pals, I got in touch with her to find out more.
Born in Sri Lanka but having grown up in Singapore and Australia, she describes herself first and foremost as an artiste; a rapper to be more specific. Apart from this musical road which she hopes to pursue for the rest of her life, Melissa has a “gift”, as she puts it, with dogs. “I have grown up with dogs all my life and have simply been fascinated by them. As I got older I studied what I could about dogs but mainly just learnt through experience by being around them. I simply have experience. Lots of it and I crave more. Dogs are my teachers I learn from them.”
Melissa currently runs Dog Time, a pet training service with a mission to help people reconnect with their dogs.
Here are some excerpts off the chat with her.
You call yourself a dog psychologist – care to elaborate?
Whether it’s an insecure dog who is afraid of everything or an extremely aggressive dog, I go after the mind of the dog. A lot of people love dogs but don’t understand them, they try to use human psychology on dogs. But it doesn’t work that way. I am here to teach people how a dog’s mind works, and how to understand them through their energy and body language. A simple thing like the positioning of the ears and tail, tell a whole lot about how the dog is feeling in that moment. I don’t believe a dog should ever be euthanised due to a behaviour issue. For me it’s an opportunity to rehabilitate. I always tell my clients it’s not the dog but how you handle the dog. If you raise a dog right you will have a true friend for the rest of your life. Dogs are not born aggressive we make them aggressive.
How did Dog Time start?
I have recently moved back to Sri Lanka. But while I was in Australia I worked as a dog walker, and would walk from 4 dogs to 8 dogs at any given time off leash at off leash dog parks. I have experience with many dogs and many behaviour issues. When I moved back here, I wanted to help people in Sri Lanka through educating them on how to communicate with dogs properly. I know Sri Lanka has a few dog trainers, but I didn’t hear much about dog behaviourists and dog psychologists. So my goal is to educate people and help dogs. That is how Dog Time started. I am called to people’s homes and help them in their home on whatever the dog behaviour issue might be.
The most challenging part of your job?
People hire me to fix their dogs, but most of the time it is how the owner is handling the dog that is doing the damage. So making people aware that it is their energy and handling skills that need to be worked on is a challenge. People get defensive, because no one likes being told they are doing something in a wrong way. But my intention is never to fault the person but simply make them aware of the truth of the situation. Because the process of rehabilitation can only start when they become aware.
How important are dog owners in the training process?
They are the most important part. If they are not willing to help the dog and give the dog what is needed, progress will never be made. At the end of the day it is the owner and dog, so it is my job to show the owner what the issue is and create a rehabilitation plan for both dog and owner.
What are some of the most common issues you see with dog owners and their pets?
Most common issues would be, jumping, eating everything and anything and destructive behaviour.
The most challenging project you’ve worked on?
Every project I work on is always a challenge. Every dog I have met has a different set of issues. But most probably when I had to deal with an aggressive dog who was only 8 months and he was going after the youngest child who lived in the house. He wasn’t really aggressive, he was a dominant fellow, who was never given instructions and never exercised, which led to him developing aggressive signs out of frustration and pent up energy. Aggression is always the result of an issue. And in this case the dog did not have an outlet to release his energy. He needed lots of exercise and proper leadership.
Do you own a pet?
Yes I do. I have a dog, he is an English Staffordshire Bull Terrier. When I moved to Sri Lanka from Australia he came with me. He is my personal assistant. He still has a lot to learn when it comes to dealing with different dogs and behaviour. He still, for the most part, gets quite excited when he meets a new dog. But taking him to consultations gives me a chance to show him how to interact with other dogs safely as well as to help the dog that I have been asked to come and meet.
Lots of pet owners think loving their pets means spoiling them. Your thoughts on this?
Loving does not mean spoiling. It’s funny because spoiling means to ruin something. For me loving a dog means fulfilling their needs. Their needs are having an outlet for exercise everyday other than the backyard. I suggest long walks. Then giving them rules and direction inside the house and outside. And finally giving them affection. To me that is love.
Your top tips to dog owners?
A dog is never too young or too old to start learning something new. Always spay and neuter your pets unless you are a professional dog breeder. Spaying and neutering has many benefits. It is not a negative thing. And exercise your dogs every day. I cannot stress this enough. Dogs are predators. For them it is instinct to travel. So when we put them behind four walls and expect them to stay at home all day, it is unfair. They need to be taken out and exercised every day. It’s the natural way of being for them. Would you like it if you were forced to stay behind four walls and never leave for the rest of your life? I don’t think so.
Future plans?
Eventually I would like to open up a centre for dogs in Colombo. Where people can drop their dogs off to exercise and their dogs have a chance to be around other dogs and learn to socialise in a safe and monitored environment with other dogs. It would almost be a day care centre for dogs, where dogs have the freedom to exercise off leash and just enjoy being dogs.
Contact: https://www.facebook.com/DogTimeSL
Email: [email protected]
By Jennifer Rodrigo
0 Comments
The cool guy says:
Apr 23, 2015 at 12:00 amLoving foreign dogs is just a fashion these days. Real dog lovers/ animal lovers should care for strays