I have always been an animal lover and that prompted me to take up an unconventional profession like dog training. Today I train dogs for various owners—high-networth individuals, government agencies, corporates. I train dogs in obedience, guarding and hunting.
But I started my career as a clerk with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi earning Rs 1,200 a month. A major influence was my uncle, who was a dog trainer with Delhi Police. He used to lament the lack of dog training facilities. That was when the idea struck me.
I quit my job in 1983 and left for Singapore, to enrol in a six-week course to train dogs in general obedience. It was difficult quitting a regular job and then using up all my savings to fund the course when I had a wife to support. But I took the risk of doing what I loved.
After returning to India I set up a dog training centre, Canine Village. One of my first assignments was to train dogs for a company in Solan. In 1991, I went for a six-month training course to Australia.
Again, it was difficult arranging $5,000 as fees but I had a cousin who used to work there and he took care of my stay. When I came back I was called to train dogs of the Saudi royal family for hunting and security. I worked there till 1995 and was called again in 2000 for a two-year stay. While working there I got several awards and that is how word spread about my skills. Since then most of my assignments have been in foreign countries.
Other than corporates, some of my clients include Kamal Nath, Amitabh Bachchan, Lalit Suri and Lalit Khaitan. I have trained dogs for films as well. I easily make Rs 1 lakh every month. I have also been a consultant for training a 40-dog squad for the Bangladesh police.
I have recently returned from Aleppo in Syria, where I trained a 25-dog squad for an industrialist. I am off to Istanbul next month for a project of International Canine Academy where I have to train the handlers and redesign their kennel for 150 dogs.
Dogs have always been man’s best friends. In my case this friendship has delivered fortunes.
