“Any dog that is banned outside the country, you see them flying everywhere in the country (Nigeria).”
Ronke Mapayi is a veterinary doctor with over 20-year experience, and the CEO of Rovet Pet Shop, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
She spoke with PREMIUM TIMES on how to choose a guard dog and how to relate with your dog at home.
PT: What should one consider when choosing a guard dog?
RONKE: A formidable dog that will be scary to people. Apart from that, it should have confidence. If you pick a puppy that is very shy, one that runs away when it sees people, it will not work.
The guard instinct is an inheritable trait, so you must make sure the parents themselves were security dogs.
If the dog is not naturally aggressive, there is nothing you can do. He would want to play and socialise with everybody, so you must go for a dog that has some level of aggression.
PT: Nigerians are going through tough times, so feeding a dog might be a big burden.
RONKE: People take their dogs as (part of their) family. People take their dogs as staff. You would not say because the country is in bad condition, you don’t feed your security personnel. The dog is one of the security personnel that you have.
PT: What is the price range for dog food?
RONKE: It depends on the food. We have wet foods, canned food, and ready-to-be-served food. We also have dry foods. Some are produced in Nigeria, others are imported but some people make home food for their dogs.
For dogs, you don’t use onions because of health reasons. The price of food ranges from N20,000 to more. There are some that can go for over N50,000 in a bag.
PT: What could make a dog attack its owner?
RONKE: If the dog feels threatened – possibly the owner is not the type that relates well, so out of fear it can attack in self-defence.
Second, if that dog tries to dominate you. Dogs have what we call pack instinct. In a pack (of dogs), there must be one which is the boss. Every dog tries to challenge the perceived leader of the pack to get the leader to submit, so he (the challenger) can become the new leader. While the dog is in the house, you as its owner, must ensure that you are in charge. You must reject every attempt by your dog to rebel against you or dominate you. You are trying to give your dog food and it rejects the food and starts barking. You don’t take that from the dog, it’s trying to challenge you.
PT: There was this recent video on social media where a Pit bull attacked its owner….
RONKE: (Cut in)….Pit Bulls are some of the dogs that have been banned in the U.S and UK because they are dangerous. Normally, when you see them they are quiet and look harmless.
The issue with them is that they have what we called lockjaw mechanism. Unlike other dogs, once a Pit Bull bites, their jaw is locked. So in trying to come out, they struggle to come out and pull out a large chunk of flesh, so it is always a very deadly attack. That is why it is banned.
PT: Is it banned in Nigeria?
RONKE: No one knows what is happening. Any dog that is banned outside the country, you see them flying everywhere in the country.
PT: How lucrative is dog breeding?
RONKE: It is very lucrative. We have dog breeders, they are not vet doctors; they just breed dogs. I patronise them, if a client needs a dog. We have a dog section in ExxonMobil, and you see how much money they spend to bring in the sniffer dogs. A sniffer dog can cost over N3 million each.
PT: Some breeds appear to be pretty costly?
RONKE: It depends on why you are buying the dog. But as a first timer who just want a dog for security, a German shepherd would do. You can buy it from N45,000 to N50,000. The same German shepherd, someone else might sell it for N500,000. It depends on pedigree (the purity of the dog). If it is a pure line, they have not crossbred. If it is a very good dog that you really want, the price is from N250, 000 and above.
