Vanne is currently training 22 dogs of various breeds. Vanne says usually after people get pets, the first few months the pets do not follow any routine or discipline in terms of their toilet-training or food habits. Vanne is currently training 22 dogs of various breeds. Vanne says usually after people get pets, the first few months the pets do not follow any routine or discipline in terms of their toilet-training or food habits. WHEN OUT for his evening walks, Jay Vanne is easy to spot. With as many as six dogs around him, Vanne’s job involves walking dogs for those dog-parents who are out at work or unable to take their dogs out. Currently, Vanne walks 11 dogs all in the western suburbs from Goregaon to Borivali. “Depending on the geographical area and the nature of the dogs, I take them out for walks either one at a time or maximum six at a time. If the dogs are aggressive or big in size, I take them out for walks alone so that they can be managed,” Vanne explains. He adds that while training them, he ensures that the dogs he is taking for a walk together get along with one another. “Many dog-parents tell me that after the walks, their dogs have their meals properly and so the activity is much looked forward to by them as well,” he says. Vanne, a 29-year old Goregaon resident, completed his graduation in science and began working as a medical representative for two years. “But I did not feel satisfied with the profession. Having pets at home since I was a child, my first choice was to work with dogs in some manner,” he says. While he was a teenager, he would often assist his uncle, who worked as a constable training dogs for the bomb disposal squad. With the experience, Vanne says, he began to read on dogs, their breeds and on the methods through which to train them. Apart from walking dogs, Vanne is currently training 22 dogs of various breeds. Vanne says usually after people get pets, the first few months the pets do not follow any routine or discipline in terms of their toilet-training or food habits. “Only after a few months, people feel the need to train their pets in basic routine activities. I usually can train a dog in 15 days but it takes at least six months to teach the clients on how to understand their pets better so they can make the pets follow their instructions,” Vanne says. He says during his training, he usually teaches pets 32 activities including sitting, walking alongside their parents, fetching an object, etc. “Apart from the natural characteristic of a dog, it also takes after the main member of the family. When I meet the clients, it is also an insight into how the dog is likely to behave. I prepare a training module accordingly,” Vanne says. He currently charges anywhere between Rs 3,000-7,000 to walk dogs or train them. Being self-trained, Vanne says it is necessary to understand each dog’s temperament to explain to clients their dogs’ behaviour better. “You cannot buy a small toy-breed and expect him to be attacking or to be protective like other aggressive dogs,” Vanne says. Have a comment or suggestion for On The Job? Start your day the best way with the Express Morning Briefing For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App

Stay updated with all the Mumbai Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.