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In that moment, the German Shepherd bared its full instincts as a natural born predator. First known in 1899, the German Shepherd was the product of many generations of selective breeding for strength and determination. When Silvanus held up his padded arm, the furry torpedo charged and leapt to bite, its ears flattened... and missed.
The large dog sank its teeth into Silvanus's belly, but luckily for the trainer, the dog realized something was extraordinary and released immediately without taking its pound of flesh. Such exciting episodes help keep Silvanus alert but he is still fundamentally excited about working the basics with dogs each and every day.
"Dogs will be dogs so the approach will depend on individual characteristics," he says, "There are lots of ways to train dogs, and it never ceases to amaze me how tolerant dogs are of our attempts to train them. But if we are going to build our relationship with our dogs then our methods must be humane."
Silvanus's journey to becoming a famous dog trainer began when he was just a youth 30 years ago. It began as a hobby and has evolved into a lifetime of passion. In secondary school he used to train his friends' dogs for free, just for the satisfaction of presenting well trained pets. As more and more people looked for him due to his well worked training methods, he decided to take the
plunge and take the less travelled path. With every success has come a strong reputation and networking with some of the most famous families in the region.
Today, to start off, most dog trainers attend courses in the USA, alongside people who attend for the art and as a hobby. "Dog training careers are quite rare and are considered by few people," says Silvanus, "It is for those who are willing to try less conventional ways of making a living. With results, networking and service, it can be a very viable source of income and fulfillment."
"The key is to get the right experience. Good dog training is common sense combined with a foundation based on tried and tested and a clear understanding on how dogs think and interact. That's why our slogan is 'Train with your mind, not your might, and with understanding, not anger'."
There are few things that Silvanus has not seen related to his job, but he has only seen this once - the pure Tibetan Mastiff. An ancient breed, the Tibetan Mastiff is used as a guardian for homes, monasteries and flocks in the far flung, desolate hills of Tibet. Recently, a pure specimen became the costliest dog ever, being sold for nearly a million dollars. Silvanus recently attended to three in a client's home.
"There are rare breeds found here and there in Singapore," he said. That's why he goes out to learn training methods from overseas.
In return, he helps train foreign pets and gives educational talks on modern methods of training. In Singapore, he also receives support both officially and unofficially from a wide range of personalities, including friends in high places.
Having seen his rates, I do not judge them to be excessive or even high especially when the rewards could be a lifetime of predictable and positive pet behaviour from as little as six sessions with the famous trainer. Silvanus also helps the owners train in the methods as well, and the hard won methods work just as well coming from the new owners.
"In dog training, there is no one method that works for all dogs," Silvanus concludes. As the lunch crowd pours in for an after lunch brew, there is shared understanding between us of a path less taken, because it is the path reserved for those determined to only be the best.
Silvanus Koh is founder/CEO of Merlion K-9 training. Learn more about his methods at www.merlion-k9.com. In part 2 of this article, learn more about Silvanus's personal history and his approach.