Wen Yangcheng Evening News reporter Xie Xiaowan and Yangcheng Evening News reporter Jiang Xueyuan
At the Juxiaomeng Pet Behavioral Psychology Center in Haizhu District, Guangzhou, an Alaskan dog named "Tofu" is in class. It is lying on a camp bed and looking eagerly at its owner who is sitting on the sofa not far away, but this time it is He didn't get out of control and rushed towards the owner as usual - because the dog trainer on the side did not give instructions to act.
According to the "2021 White Paper on China's Pet Industry", the number of people raising dogs and cats in my country will reach 68.44 million in 2021, an increase of 8.7% over 2020. In terms of market size, the dog market will reach 143 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 21.2% .
The increase in the scale of pet owners has spawned waves of pet economies. In various sub-tracks, the development trend of the pet training industry is quite dazzling. Dog trainers have gradually entered the public eye and are highly regarded by pet families.
What exactly is "taming" a dog?
Is the dog trainer training a dog or abusing a dog?
Do dogs need training or do people need lessons more?
We may learn a thing or two from interviews with dog trainers.
The dog trainer said that the training of the dog itself is not the key. "What we do is not only training dogs, but also regulating the relationship between people and pets."
Not only cultivate "dog virtue" but also remind "human virtue"
With the help of the dog trainer, Mr. Su, the owner of the tofu, gave an order, and after receiving the signal, the Alaskan dog, who was receiving "dog moral education", was able to get off the camp bed where he had been lying for a long time, shake his head and trot to the owner's side.
"Tofu is more than two years old this year. After having another puppy at home, its desire for self-protection is getting stronger and stronger. It will attack the puppy and even attack people for no reason. It will not let us approach, which will cause us a lot of trouble." Mr. Su said, "This is the first class we took him to, and we can already see obvious improvements. We have also learned a lot from the dog trainer."
In the age of pets, pets have entered thousands of homes, but the "shit shoveling officers" have to face more than just "shit shoveling". If they happen to have a "rebellious" dog, then How to adjust the relationship between people and pets will become a big problem.
The trouble Mr. Su encountered was just one of them. In addition to being aggressive, overly protective of food, and afraid of being touched by people like Alaskan Tofu, some pet dogs would defecate anywhere, and they would not go out for a long time because of the social environment. Controlled and biting, etc.
"Raising a dog is more than just looking at it cute, just feed it two meals. When you really raise a dog, there are a lot of problems in front of you. The dog will be with you for more than ten years or even a lifetime. How to solve these problems?" Mosquito, founder of Juxiaomeng Pet Behavioral Psychology Center, said that in 2017, he jumped out of the Internet industry and set his sights on dog training, "Not every dog owner is trained, But there is always going to be a solution to these issues, and more and more people will need that help."
Under this trend, the dog training industry is booming.
According to Mosquito, this month, Ju Xiaomeng's offline store is still full of courses, and even many owners are still waiting to schedule.
In Baiyun District, Guangzhou City, He Wei from the Lucky Pet Pet Training Center tasted the sweetness of this business earlier than Mosquito. As early as 2009, he began to contact pet training, and now there are 20-30 pets in the store every month. The dog was sent to class by the owner, and it was also full.
"Actually, the most important thing is to change the concept. In the past, people thought that it was enough to feed the dog. Now more and more people regard the dog as a family member, and they will be more willing to send the dog to study."
He Wei recalled that he once received a pet dog and lived with an elderly man with limited mobility for a long time. He did not go downstairs for five or six years. Later, he did not dare to go out again. train.
"This is actually a change in concept. The dog is afraid of going downstairs. As long as this is not regarded as a problem, it will not have any impact on family life, but its owner hopes that it can live a more comfortable life. Pets for their own entertainment are watching." He Wei said.
In addition to the change in concept, in the crowded real estate of modern cities, pet owners will be more restricted. Pet dogs bark for no reason for a long time, defecate anywhere, and bring their own aggression, which seriously affects the relationship between neighbors. People who keep pets less often send their dogs to class, hoping that they can have good dog ethics after being adjusted by the dog trainer.
The general public's standard for a "good dog" is nothing more than not barking for no reason, barking at people, non-aggressive, preferably showing a friendly look with a smile, mastering several "playing dead", "high five", etc. interactive skills.
But the dog trainers don't seem to like the "dog virtue".
"We are not circus coaches, and our main task is not to teach dogs to master entertainment and interactive movements. Dog trainers are more about correcting and adjusting the behavior of dogs." Mosquito explained: "As for the so-called 'dog ethics', I don't quite agree with this. A dog is an animal that lives in the moment, and it has its own behavior. Most people who hate dogs actually hate people who raise dogs uncivilized, such as walking the dog without a leash or picking up shit. In other words, it is the morals of the people that should be trained, not the morals of the dogs."
The threshold is not high, "comprehension" and "love" are indispensable
On September 21, 2006, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security officially released the seventh batch of 12 new occupations to the society, and pet trainers were among them.
In the "National Occupational Standards for Pet Trainers", according to different levels, pet trainers hold different professional level evaluation certificates, but the 2018 national vocational qualification appraisal reform canceled the pet trainer's professional level evaluation certificate.
Many dog trainers change their careers and become a monk halfway through.
He Wei admitted that the threshold for this industry is not high.
In 2009, He Wei, who just entered the society, worked in various industries such as sales and construction. By chance, he became an apprentice in a pet store and began to really get in touch with pet training.
"My master was the dog trainer of the British army stationed in Hong Kong before the return of Hong Kong. I learned from him, and then I slowly realized it. After three or four years of study, I continued to receive academic knowledge and accumulated it before I dared to open my own shop." He Wei introduced, "But it's really not difficult to enter the industry. Most people can master the basics in half a year. It's just that they can finally break through the qualified line and become an excellent dog trainer. It requires personal understanding."
Mosquitoes, on the other hand, are self-taught, love to observe animals, keep pets, familiarize themselves with habits, and then constantly watch training videos of foreign dog trainers, list the decomposition process of the table, and learn through various channels, "Later, I established my own Knowledge system, seeing those videos, I can really understand what methods dog trainers use in the process of training dogs and why they use these methods." Mosquito said.
It is not difficult to become a qualified dog trainer.
The first is to understand the dog, and master the basic knowledge of the breed characteristics and physical health of the dog; the second is to really understand the dog, and this "understanding" means to truly understand the behavioral basis and psychological state of the dog; the third is to master the communication skills , not only the communication with the dog, but also the communication with the owner. In essence, this also belongs to the service industry for people. Fourth, most of the interviewed dog trainers will mention it, and it is also the most important point that is generally recognized. - Have a sense of love and responsibility.
"Without this love, it would be difficult to derive other qualities necessary for a dog trainer, and it would be difficult to persevere." He Wei showed the reporter the scars of different sizes on his hands, "When I was just starting out, I was caught by a dog. Biting is a common occurrence. Sometimes it takes two or three days to get back to normal after being bitten. If there is no love, on the one hand, it is inevitable to have resentment and will not be responsible for the dog; on the other hand, it is difficult to empathize with the owner and understand the relationship between people and pets. A real problem that needs to be solved.”
The chances of entering the industry are different, but many dog trainers choose this industry, not only because of the good prospects, but also because of the simplicity of the work object.
In their eyes, dogs are well-understood creatures, warm and sincere, and dealing with dogs is a very happy thing, without complicated scheming.
After the pet dog returns to the family after training, the relationship between people and pets is more harmonious, and it really helps the owner to solve the problem, which brings a sense of achievement.
Mosquito once received a message from a customer at 5:00 in the morning. The customer mentioned in the message that after the training of the dog trainer, his pet dog Douding had gotten rid of the problem of barking, but Douding in the middle of the night. Suddenly he barked abnormally, and only when he was woken up did he realize that there was a fire downstairs. Douding's cry saved the whole family's lives.
"We are very happy to see this information. This dog can correct his problems after training, and use his early warning nature through barking correctly to help a family out of danger."
This is the professional significance of the dog trainer.
Instead of training a unified and standardized pet dog according to the "dog virtue" template, it analyzes different problems in a targeted manner. Through psychological adjustment or behavior correction of pet dogs, it can really help pet families solve problems and even help family relationships. harmonious.
"Sometimes it's not the dog that's the problem, but the family itself. For example, in some dog-raising families, some members like dogs and some don't. We have to act as family relationship mediators occasionally." Mosquito joked road.
Different ideas of dog training lead to "sect war"
The reporter observed that the current training for pet dogs on the market is roughly divided into three directions.
The first is to adjust the psychological behavior of pet dogs, such as training for emotionally unstable and aggressive dogs; the second is to correct the behavior of pet dogs, such as rushing, turning over trash cans, urinating, barking, etc.; It is the training of interesting interactive projects, that is, entertainment projects such as "shaking hands", "high fives", "ringing the bell" and "playing dead" favored by many dog breeders.
With the deepening of the interview, the reporter noticed that although the dog trainers are pursuing the same result orientation along these three training directions, in the process, different dog trainers have different dog training concepts and dog training methods. different.
Since there is currently no unified professional qualification certification standard in the country, many dog trainers hold professional certificates from different industry associations at home and abroad, and the training methods they receive are also different.
"Even in a country where the pet industry has developed to its peak, there is no uniform standard for pet training. Pets can't speak, and it is difficult to define who is right and who is wrong. It's like various martial arts schools. There are also mutually exclusive places," Mosquito explained.
Just like the role of a dog trainer, He Wei and Mosquito have different concepts.
He Wei believes that in pet training, the dog trainer is like the "second owner" of the pet dog.
"In the training, we temporarily replace the identity of the owner and manager, and adjust the relationship between the owner and the dog." He Wei said, "For example, the dog did not want to be touched by the owner before, and through our training, we adjusted its psychology and behavior. It restores the affinity with the owner." He emphasized that the pet dog does not have to complete all the training courses once and for all. The final result depends on the skill of the dog trainer. Only when the owner interacts with the dog continuously and does post-maintenance can the training results be stabilized.
Different from He Wei, Mosquito prefers to be the behavior corrector and adjuster of the dog. "The dog lives with you, not with me." Therefore, the course training he formulated requires the owner to take lessons together.
"Pets can't speak, all their actions are instinctive, and problems will arise only when people feel they are troubled, so our courses are more about teaching dogs how to avoid problems while training dogs. , we seem to be a translator or a bridge of communication between a person and a pet."
Although there are differences in individual concepts, He Wei and Mosquito's courses are generally positive training.
Bi Howwei will use clickers in training, and use the clicker's "gada" sound as a means to connect behavior and reward, and let the dog gradually form a positive reflex response in the food reward to eliminate bad habits.
In the pet training industry, not everyone follows the philosophy of positive training.
In June of this year, the domestic pet training center was exposed to violence against pet dogs during the training process, causing controversy in the industry.
In the exposed video, because a border collie did not obey the instructions, the dog trainer of the dog way used a chain to restrain its neck, and constantly beat, slapped, and slapped it in the face. Shepherds have psychological problems and have acquired neurotic bites. The word "dog abuse" is actually a smear of vicious competition among peers.
In other videos of Kendo, such violence against pet dogs is not uncommon.
In the industry, this type of training is called "stress training", and there are many opinions in the industry.
Some people are disdainful, thinking that the degree of punishment has been suspected of being involved in dog abuse; but some people expressed understanding, and some netizens left a message: "Pet keeping is mainly for people, for some dogs that are too aggressive, the animal nature is difficult to tame, and it has become a threat to people. It’s not an exaggeration to use violence, it’s better to train a dog well than to be euthanized.” Pets can’t speak, and there is no clear anti-animal cruelty regulation in China. How to define punishment and abuse in training is still inconclusive. .
In-depth interpretation
The future of the business is clear, and the dog-raising behavior needs to be standardized
The pet training industry is blooming everywhere, and the different methodologies allow the dog trainers to show their strengths, and the practitioners have expectations for the industry's prospects.
According to the "2021 White Paper on China's Pet Industry", even after the epidemic, the offline business format recovered last year, and the penetration rate of pet training rebounded sharply, an increase of 116% compared with 2020, and dog training accounted for more than 90% of the market.
This line of fees is not cheap.
He Wei revealed that if a dog trainer can settle in the industry for two years, it can reach a monthly income of over 10,000.
Today, one of his courses, which takes half a month as a cycle, is roughly 3000-3500 yuan.
Mosquito recalled that in 2017, when he first started, it was unexpectedly smooth, "We started online first, and the price was not low at first. One class at a time might take an hour, and the fee ranged from 1,000-3,000 yuan. This is also considered after the comprehensive cost, the market acceptance is very high, we solve the problem at one time, and the owners will also feel that the money is worth it.”
Miss Zhuang, a pet owner, also said that although she is not a high-paying group, if her pet needs training, even if the price is not low, she will still spend this money. Be responsible." The price didn't deter many consumers.
The scale of pet raising has continued to expand, and the demand for pets has risen again and again. The popularity of the market has given many dog trainers a reassurance.
He Wei has a hunch that the industry will usher in a new outbreak period in the next five years, and the change of concept may bring him more customers.
In the past, the training was more like "repairing the sheep after a dead sheep". Many families found out that their pets had many problems and they were difficult to solve by themselves after they had actually raised their pets.
But in the past two years, more pet families have learned to "prepare for a rainy day". When pets are still in their infancy, they have been vaccinated and sent for training when there are no problems, so as to develop good behaviors in advance.
The industry is in full swing, attracting a large number of practitioners, but because there is no unified professional qualification certification standard, the threshold is low, and it is inevitable to be mixed.
The standard of dog trainers needs to be further advanced, but what is more urgently needed is the requirements of dog breeders and dog breeders.
The "2021 White Paper on China's Pet Industry" shows that the public is now more sensitive to the impact of pet ownership on the public environment. Among the uncivilized pet raising behaviors that the public is most unacceptable, abandonment, uncleaning of defecation anywhere, and unleashing dogs The ropes are in the top three.
"The normative system for dog breeders is not to stop after obtaining a dog license. It may need to be more refined, such as how to punish and enforce the dog walking without a leash." Mosquito said, "It is very difficult to train dogs. There is a unified standard, and it is a commercial behavior after all, and the norms of commercial behavior tend to go slower than policies." In their view, perhaps when social management has further clear requirements for dog owners and dog raising behaviors Only when the pet training market is gradually subdivided into industry standards, even if the training methodologies are different, dog trainers can follow this road in the basic general direction to promote a healthier development of the industry.