PRETTY AND THE PAWS

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The scene of this week's 'Muse' cover was possibly the most heart-warming photo session we have ever taken. Affection was radiating from our interview subject as her four-legged best friends obediently, and almost miraculously, posed for the photo shoot as she told them to.

The way Nisakarn Chadbandit spoke to these furry friends was affirmative yet loving, authoritative yet endearing. With just one simple command, the dogs would sit, play dead and even dance without any sign of reluctance or hesitation.

It could have been magic, but no, it was in fact a deep bond and understanding they had developed together over the years.

Nisakarn has been a dog trainer for as long as she can remember, but it only has become her profession about 10 years ago.

Growing up, she has always had a soft spot for dogs, especially her own. ''My first dog was a spitz named Nong Mee. I personally trained her from the very first day, and before long, she could help me carry things when I asked her to.''

Amazed by her dog's ability, from that moment on, she believed that dogs have many hidden capabilities waiting to be discovered. She became mesmerized by the art of dog training, so she began studying it by reading books and taking courses in Belgium and Italy.

Initially, before she set up Dog Sport Club, Nisakarn trained dogs for her friends, and the success prompted her to start a school for dogs about 10 years ago. Now she is working full-time at Dog Sport Club, founded in 2004. She said with a fresh smile that although she could not remember her last holiday since she had been working seven days a week for many years, she does not feel the least bit tired.

''I do not feel like I am working because I enjoy it so much ... it is almost like a hobby. I love dogs and I feel relaxed spending time with them. If you love what you are doing, the happiness overcomes the tiredness. I would not wish for a better work!''

Dog training might be far from what the communications graduate studied in university, but she found that it is where her real passion lies. Nisakarn pursued this career right after graduation and never looked back, or in any other direction.

As fun as this job might seem, it is not easy at all. Some dogs are naturally fierce and unfriendly. To train them, Nisakarn must wear a 30-kg safety outfit that is bite-proof, protecting her from even the fiercest, most aggressive and dangerous dogs such as a Rottweiler.

But fierce dogs are not as much a challenge as quiet dogs, she said. ''Quiet dogs are usually stubborn and not motivated to do things in favour of a reward. As a result, it takes longer to train them. Dogs that enjoy eating are easier to train because they crave for food more and are more tempted by treats.''

Dog training is suitable for dogs aged four months and up. They need to be in good health and have good hygiene as well. Health check-ups such as a blood test is required before joining the training course. Each course takes approximately three months, and similar to sending children to boarding school, the owner should come visit whenever they can.

There are many courses to choose from, and not all dogs are suitable for every course. Nisakarn said that the breed of dog as well as its character greatly determines how well it will respond to the training, and which kind of training would be best. The courses offered here include an obedience course, special show course for would-be celebrity dogs, guard dog training and a sports training course.

Once accepted, the students will be taught the basics including potty training, socialising skills with other dogs, general manners and listening to the owners commands. The training is done one on one in order to ensure maximum attention.

The training uses the reward method and there is no physical punishment involved during the course. ''When a dog behaves badly, make a loud noise to get its attention ... we refrain from giving treats to let it know that what it did was not good,'' she said.

The experienced dog trainer said that dogs do not respond to what we say, but to how we say it. While dogs are able to understand some words, their language comprehension ability is limited. ''The tone of voice is more important. If you want your dog to stop, use affirmative tone. You cannot just whimper 'no' in a small voice and expect your dog to stop.''

 

One example is when one of the dog owners paid a compliment to his dog in a loud and aggressive voice and his dog was scared.

''The words that we say to our dogs cannot get our message across to them and therefore is not proper training. Dogs respond better to facial expressions and tone of voice. However, if we speak in a sweet voice with a smile on our face, they can feel our affection and attention.''

Nisakarn's fondest dog training experience was when she was invited to join The Record, a TV game show searching for champions in different fields. She was titled, ''The Records Dog Training Champion'', for successfully training a stray dog in just 26 days.

''I was assigned to pick a homeless dog and train it. The moment I saw Record

[the name given to the dog after the show] I felt that he was smart enough. I obviously made the right choice!''

The path to championship was not easy, as stray dogs are not used to discipline. She had never trained a stray dog before, but she was up for the challenge and dropped everything to dedicate time for this opportunity to prove herself. Record is still with Nisakarn today.

Her two other favourite students are Tom Yum and Bay Bay, who were the stars in the TV comedy Rak Kam Rua (''Love Across the Fence''). The French bulldog and the Labrador starlets are only some of her celebrity students. Nisakarn has trained over 1,000 dogs to date, and many of them have become presenters in various advertisements, movies as well as television shows.

Nisakarn has written three books on dog training, and another one is scheduled to be published sometime later this year. She has also been invited as a guest speaker for the Police K-9 training sessions. And in her spare time, Nisakarn writes columns for pet magazines. When it comes to dogs, her passion is endless, and she could spend all day every day with dogs without feeling bored.

''Dogs are the best bodyguard a person can have. Human bodyguards might be scared of guns or other weapons, but dogs are not. They will fight for you until you tell them to stop. They only have one boss, and stay loyal to their boss as long as they live. They are not afraid to sacrifice their life for their beloved owner.''

To prove her words, let us tell you that her best friends never left her side for even a second throughout the lengthy interview _ the ultimate proof that dogs really are a man's, or in this case a woman's, best and most faithful friend.

Relate Search: Nisakarn Chadbandit, Dog Sport Club