Veterans: Psychology goes to the dogs

It takes a month or two to cure a dog of whatever bad habit he has acquired.

By GLORIA DEUTSCH
Motty Prutkin (photo credit: Courtesy)
Motty Prutkin
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Motty Prutkin is a dog psychologist. “In many ways it’s like being a regular psychologist,” says the young immigrant from Latvia who made aliya in 1982.
“Dogs and humans have a great deal in common.”
In his daily work, Prutkin deals with disturbed dogs, dogs with all kinds of behavioral and anti- social problems, dogs who bite and dogs that destroy well-tended gardens. It’s a profession that exists in the United States and Russia, but he thinks that in Israel he is the first. His dog training and rehabilitation centers, one in Savyon and one in Moshav Hemed, are always full of family pets sent for training.
Prutkin grew up in Russia. His parents, both Jews, had divorced and he had no contact with his father – until, when he was 11, his mother was murdered.
“The social services gave me to my father, who had shown no interest in me for years,” he says.
Until the age of 19, he did not even know that he was Jewish.
”One day we were driving in his car and he put on a tape with a plaintive song about a Jewish tailor living in the ghetto.
Something about it made me feel very emotional and I asked him to put it on again.”
Soon after this, he discovered the whole truth – his grandfather had been haredi and his great-grandfather had been the head of a yeshiva.
He went to study at the veterinary faculty of the local agricultural college to become a dog psychologist. After four years of study he gained his qualification, but by this time he was ready to move to Israel.
“It was after the big aliya from Russia and I can’t really explain it to myself, but something drew me here,” he says.
He arrived in 2001 in his early 20s, going straight to ulpan in Kibbutz Ein Dor. He had no background in Hebrew, but by the time he finished the fivemonth course he was speaking it nearly perfectly.
He was called up to the army and served three years in the Border Police, reaching the rank of first sergeant and spending most of the time in the West Bank.
Straight after finishing his army service, he set up his business.
Today he runs courses in dog training, handles all kinds of canine problems and owns two dog hostels.
Looking at the program, it sounds more like a five-star hotel for dogs than an ordinary dog pension, with three meals a day, organized activities and walks in the countryside. From 7 a.m. until lights out at 8:30 p.m., the dogs are amused, played with, walked and fed. He also runs special dog-training sessions for children and can help potential dog owners find the right dog for their needs.
“When a dog is troubled about something, there are many signs,” explains Prutkin. “It can be aggressive or nervous. In most cases, the dog is not born with problems; it’s usually more a case of wrong upbringing. Perhaps 20% of dogs have a genetic cause for their fear or aggression. Just like humans, they may have a weak character and are easily upset or frightened.”
He feels there is also the problem of misunderstanding the dog’s intentions.
“People often complain that their dog bites when in fact he is not biting but playing,” says Prutkin. “It’s also a way for him to defend his territory.”
Then there are the dogs, who are afraid to be left alone and the playful ones who destroy things. The owners are often desperate and he finds his services very much in demand.
“Once I had a phone call after midnight. The owner said someone had recommended me and he was prepared to pay anything to have me ‘cure’ his dog, which was eating and tearing up everything in sight.
“If you don’t agree to see me straightaway, I’m going to kill him,” threatened the dog owner.
“He said he’d paid a very large sum of money for the dog and didn’t want to get rid of it,” adds Prutkin.
The dog in question was taken to one of Prutkin’s training centers and treated in therapy sessions.
“If a dog with a problem comes to my center I can observe him and diagnose him properly,” he explains.
It takes a month or two to cure a dog of whatever bad habit he has acquired. After that, the owner can bring his dog to group therapy sessions for as long as he wants or needs to.
Being married to a veterinarian is also a great advantage for him. Last year Motty married Tali, an Israeli-born vet to whom he often turns for advice.
At their home in Netanya they have two beautiful and well-behaved dogs: Tilly, a 13-year-old dalmatian mixed breed and 11-year-old Tequila, a German shepherd.
“There is no canine problem that can’t be solved one way or another,” says Prutkin. “If it’s a genetic problem, I treat the dog; if not, well, then I treat the owners.”


Related Tags
Social