PNG’S dog whisperer

THEY say a man’s best friend is his dog, but how profound is the relationship between the two?
What extent would a man go to enhance this relationship?
Mark Roger enlightens us on the simple psychology behind this relationship.
Mark is a recognized and accredited Dog Trainer known by National Association of Australian Dog Users.
He specializes in the behavioural development of the man’s best friend, from Household Pet Poodles, to Police and Security Canine.
We came to know Mark when our dog Toby was trained for aggressive behaviour, he also demonstrated how to do a proper walk with dog on a leash using the ‘’Operant Conditioning Technique”. From a ferocious snarling animal that was extremely unfriendly with other dogs, Toby was tamed in minutes, and meekly followed Mark on a long walk shortly, a feat that had been impossible
before.
As we watched Mark engage in one to one interaction with Toby we were both impressed and dumbfounded at witnessing what was a remarkable change taking place almost instantaneously in an animal, as it responded to a strong pack leader in order to be a balanced and happy member of the pack he is in. Toby’s training took a couple of sessions to complete and the results were impressive.
Mark follows the principles of Cesar Milan, the Dog whisperer of TV fame. In essence he has been trained by him.
“I rehabilitate the dogs, and train the owners,” is what Milan says.
Our interest and fascination in this “remarkable Mark” prompted us to find out about his own life, and grooming to this career. Mark is a soft spoken, rather introverted person, of Simbu origin, and
undoubtedly gifted at canine interaction, who began his career in 2008 when he came to work as Kennel Master with Guard Dog Security Service in Lae attached to Jenny and Tom Smith.
“I encountered my life changing experience in that job,” says Mark about his newfound passion.
“I had come to a point of no return. This was going to be a new way of life for me,” he added about his obsession for dogs.
From this humble start, Mark’s subsequent career path took him through Canine Management and Handling. Things took a more serious turn when he took up scholarships in Canine Management in Brisbane (Australia) with SRBM College. That’s when Mark began to view Canine Management in a future demand for the security industry in a country like Papua New Guinea.
Following formal training, Mark was able to work in Canine Management with various premium security companies within and abroad. Further training followed consequently and has established Mark as a leader in his current engagement with Paladin Group, a firm contracting Security services to the Liquefied Natural Gas mining operations in Papua New Guinea, where he manages a security project involving canine dispatching.
With his professional training in canine management, Mark has also established a Dog Pound in Port Moresby other than his attachment with RSPCA of PNG and various security organisations. We came to know him through Dr Berly and Marisiel of RSPCA of PNG and discovered that he is one of first Papua New Guinean’s who has been recognized, accredited and registered as a Dog Trainer with National Association of Australian Dog Users and National Training Council of PNG.
His services include Psychological Rehabilitations of Pet and Security Working Dogs, Dog to Human Aggression Training/Personal Protection Training Program for Security Working Dogs, Training ofSearch and Detection Dogs, Owner Education services/Dog Handling Training Level One to Three and other related with behavioural issues of dogs training for House Dogs, with behavioural issues.
Other training includes domestic security skills, for personal and family household security. I recall my uncles used to feed their dogs Whisky, and Crushed Ginger juice, to increase their ferocity, and security instincts. Mark however uses cognitive methods to achieve this same end.
For the village and subsistence class owner, Mark can train a hunting dog. Hunting is very much a big part of village livelihoods. Therefore, hunting dogs are cultivated and raised from birth for this purpose.
Hunting has also become a sport in the villages. Wherever a hunter goes he is always accompanied by his hunting dogs, as a mark of his expertise.
Mark charges at very affordable rate for his services, and the result are often life changing experiences.