Where man and dog meet to affirm an old friendship

Fluffy, a white crossbreed of a Japanese spitz and a Maltese dog, lets out a bark, sniffing the BDLife crew before scuttling off.

A cold Friday morning, Fluffy is dressed in a blue jacket resembling a miniature wind-breaker, to keep her warm as she runs around.

“She would shiver in the cold months and I thought to find her something to help warm her up,” says Alice Kivuva, Fluffy’s owner. “But the blankets available locally were not helping so I got her outfits while travelling.”

Alice bought Fluffy seven years ago for Sh15,000, as it was a crossbreed. Had it been a pure breed such as Sprits or Maltese it would have cost her Sh25,000 or more.

“I even have a Christmas outfit for Fluffy already,” says Alice as she holds up a red jacket with white trimmings outfit, similar to that of Santa Claus for us to see.

Alice is just a fraction of the many Kenyans who have taken on investing in their dogs, many of which are now companion dogs.

Previously, dogs were mainly kept for guarding households but today they have moved into the house, being feed specialised diets, getting toys to play with, outfits and being carried almost everywhere the owner goes.

“Over the last two years, more local Kenyans, not the old colonial and expat community, are taking on dogs as pets rather than guard dogs,” says Amy L. Rapp, a companion dog trainer.

They have become companions. And the owners are willing to spend on them. It has become common, especially in the suburbs, to see owners or hired help jogging or walking dogs around the neighbourhood.

A year ago, Chidambaram Subramanian, Somak Kenya’s finance director, was gifted a Russian Caucasian Ovcharka puppy. With the travel papers in place he came home with the puppy, which was named Snowy for its white furry coat. A year later it is nearly three feet tall, something he did not expect, he said when BDLife caught up with him and his family at the Shaggy Dog Show at the Racecourse grounds.

Snowy has an intimidating height and weight, but is calm and was one of the participants in the ‘‘best child handler’’ and the ‘‘musical sit’’ categories at the Shaggy Dog Show.

Organised by the Kenya Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (KSPCA), the show is a dog pageant where owners get a chance to showcase their pets while raising funds for a charitable cause.

With a busy schedule and children in school, Chidambaram has hired a trainer and groomer for Snowy. “I groom Snowy daily, walk her and a shower with shampoo and flea powder once a week,” says Matias Okello, a full time dog trainer.

He says demand for his services has been on the increase. His schedule involves daily grooming, regular walks in the morning and evening, feeding and training the dog.

Matias and other dog carers can be hired on either monthly or weekly retainers from Sh15,000 upwards, depending on the services required.

Alice, a member of the East African Kennel Club, though chooses to groom her own dog, making it a family pastime with her three-year-old twin daughters. She has also managed to build a successful business, Twin Delight, around dogs capitalising on the demand for accessories ranging from outfits, dog carriers, toys, feeding utensils and leashes among others.

Twins Delight’s sister company, Dog Kenya Limited, handles the breeding, training, servicing and vaccinations of dogs. Hilary Lisimba says the most popular breeds for pets in the country are Japanese Spitz, Maltese and Terriers.

“People often come asking for Chihuahuas to mean small dogs. They are especially popular among women,” he says. “Price is determined by the age, amount of training the dog has undergone and whether it is a pure breed or a cross breed.”

These species are usually fluffy and small in size and retail for between Sh12,000 and Sh25,000 a puppy. Rare and larger dog species often cost more than popular dog species.

A mountain Caucasian or Great Dane puppy will retail for over Sh75,000. Recently, Dog Kenya had a three and a half- month–old Caucasian available for Sh105,000.

“There is a point that Boerboels and Caucasian had hit a high of up to Sh140,000,” says Amy.

German Shepherds top the list of popular multi-functional dogs. A well trained German Shepherd acts as both a guard and pet, but is also an ideal companion dog for people with disabilities. It can cost up to Sh25,000 for a cross breed, but for a pure breed registered dog, which means its parentage can be traced back to ten generations, can cost up to Sh65,000 for a puppy.

Purchasing the dog is usually only the beginning for modern day dog owners. Basic training for commands and even potty training are essential in the early months for a disciplined dog. A group of 10 to 12 training sessions by Dog Kenya will cost Sh12,000.

“Fifty per cent of the training of a dog is done by the owner so that the dog listens and obeys you as its master,” says Hilary.

Trainers teach dogs the basics and offer the owners classes on how to handle their dogs. The dogs also require regular grooming, walks and showers as well as regular feeding times. Then there is the veterinary service, which includes vaccinations.

Airlines allow passengers to travel with their pets as long as the all the paper work is in order. To bring a dog into the country it must have a microchip, unless the dog is coming from a rabies free country where it has resided for over six months.

A rabies vaccination, a blood test, a veterinary certificate as well as ticks and tapeworm tests are required.

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