Learning pet etiquette a must to avoid conflict with co-residents in societies

According to the Animal Welfare Board of India guidelines, a pet is akin to a perennial toddler and therefore deserves the same attention throughout its life as is reserved for a human toddler.

Discord between pet owners and their fellow residents is a recurring issue in Noida, often spoiling neighbourly goodwill. It is often triggered over minor episodes such as a pet scaring a neighbour or late-night barking by a pet dog disturbing neighbour’s sleep or even over an overturned or broken flowerpot.

Learning pet etiquette a must to avoid conflict with co-residents in societies

For any pet-parent, their pet is no less than a child, but for others, it is an animal, often a source of inconvenience to others.

According to the Animal Welfare Board of India guidelines: “A pet is akin to a perennial toddler and therefore deserves the same attention throughout its life as is reserved for a human toddler during infancy”. It is therefore important to understand the pet etiquettes that must be followed for their smooth parenting.

“Whenever someone adopts a dog from us, we ensure that we tell them all the dos and don’ts of raising a pet. No one will tolerate it if you take your dog out and let them poop wherever they want and then don’t clean after. Such issues can then escalate within the community,” says Kaveri Rana from People for Animals, Gautam Buddh Nagar chapter.

Srishti Sharma, a certified dog trainer from Delhi, conducts pet etiquette sessions daily.

“A pet is only as good as its parents. So, both require training. I organise various workshops and online courses where the owners are taught how to handle their dogs under different situations and their various responsibilities towards their pet and the society so that all can co-exist,” says Srishti.

Pet parents agree that following certain etiquettes not only help them keep the pet’s behaviour in check, but also help them live in harmony with others.

“I took up the classes because I want to be able to understand my pet and its body language in order for it to feel safe and calm when in public. No pet parent wants their pet to be a nuisance to others. All of us want to be able to coexist in the same environment,” says Gyandeep Chaudhary, a resident of Gaur Saundaryam in Greater Noida West, who has two dogs. “Before my classes with Srishti, I was not aware that many of my actions, which I thought were right, were actually training my dog to be more aggressive. For instance, when he would bark at someone, we would comfort him to stop but after training we got to know that we were actually encouraging him to bark at strangers by patting him.”

Anubha Majethia, who has a pet Basset Hound named Elvis, says learning her pet’s body language has helped her keep trouble at bay.

“There are some particular body language characteristics that can tell us what the pet is feeling. For instance, often when I take Elvis for a walk, some kids want to pet him. But instead of letting the kids have their way, I first check how my pet is feeling. If his tail is between his legs and he shows his teeth or growls, it means he is not comfortable and I ask the kids to step aside. On the other hand, if Elvis is wagging his tail and wants to just sniff the other person, I let him do that because I understand that he is comfortable and wouldn’t harm anyone,” says Anubha, a resident of Great Value Sharnam apartments in Sector 107, Noida.

Noida Sector 48 resident Rita Arya, who has a Pug Simba, recalls how one of her neighbours – also a pet owner- was not aware of the ‘scoop after your pet poops’ rule.

“It was embarrassing to see that RWA was blaming all pet owners living in the area for mess created by one person who wasn’t aware of a simple pet etiquette. I took it upon myself to teach the person that it is our responsibility to clean up after our pets relieve themselves in public. The pet owner was quick to learn and there were no complaints thereafter,” she says.

Another Noida resident Neelam Aggarwal who has a Labrador named Tutu adds that pet owners take every precaution to ensure their pet does not create a problem for others.

“A key issue that comes up with pets is that the people around get scared by the pet walking around and react which often ticks off the poor dog. As a rule, I ensure my dog is always on leash and if someone is passing by, I keep Tutu several metres away. We also pick up poop and throw into a designated dustbin in a well-packed manner,” she says.

Resident welfare association (RWA) members also feel that if pet owners follow the simple etiquettes, there will not be much left for others to complain about.

“The major issue is that many owners still do not know about the rule of scooping after their pet is done. However, gradually such complaints have gone down as pet owners have become aware of their responsibilities. Hygiene is very important whether you are a pet owner or not. Even if they go outside, they should always scoop after their pet,” says Rajiva Singh, President, Noida Federation of Apartment Owners’ Association.

A set of pet etiquettes as per experts and trained professionals:

1. Always make sure to walk your dog on leash in public places, no matter how well-trained your dog is. Do not let them loose with other dogs they haven’t met before. Just because your dog is friendly, doesn’t mean other dogs will be.

2. Always make sure to pick up your dog’s poop. This is another major reason why many societies do not allow dogs in the park, making it difficult for pet owners to exercise them.

3. Teach your dog loose leash walking. Any person who is not confident with dogs will easily get uncomfortable around one, who is constantly pulling and lunging at people passing by.

4. Teach obedience. Ensure that you start working on your dog’s obedience as soon you get them home, which includes both indoor and outdoor training.

5. Timely vaccinations and regular grooming to ensure the well-being of your pet.

6. Regular exposure to different places and working on your pet’s obedience in each new location helps boost their confidence ensuring a well-behaved and balanced dog.

7. Take help from a professional for any issue regarding your pet which you are unable to deal with. It is always best to start early as soon you sense a new or bad behavior/habit.

What the Animal Welfare Board says on guidelines for pet owners:

1. No amount of pressure should lead to abandonment of a pet animal. Doing so is a violation of law.

2. Barking is a natural form of expression of a dog and has to be tolerated in a society. However, incessant barking can disturb neighbours. Hence, pet owners are advised to make every effort to keep their dogs quiet, particularly during night hours.

3. Pet owners are advised to ensure that their pets are healthy and clean. Their vaccinations should be up to date. Sterilization is advised as India has excessive dog population.

4. Pet owners are advised to either clean up when the pet defecates in public premises or participate in other solutions to maintain cleanliness. Pet owners are advised to take the initiative to discuss with their RWAs, ways and means to dispose pet excreta.

5. Leashing of pets in public places is advisable. It assures passersby that they are safe and makes them feel more comfortable when walking in the vicinity of an owner with his pet or dog on a leash. Leashing also ensures the safety of the pet from being run over by vehicles on streets, or worse still, being the cause of accidents.

6. Whereas you cannot be debarred by RWAs from the use of lifts or elevators for your dogs, you are advised not to object to the use of ‘alternate’ lifts if there is more than one working lift or elevator in a building which is conveniently accessible.