A Fun Guide To Teaching Your Pooch Parsi Commands!

 

Shireen Merchant

 

Shirin Merchant is India’s pioneering Canine Behaviourist and Trainer. For over 25 years now, she has worked hard to ensure that dogs in India are trained using reward-based methods. 

 

There are dogs in this world, and then there are Parsi dogs! In my decades of working with dogs, I have consistently noticed that Parsi dogs have endearing quirks, an inimitable sense of humour and large dose of Parsi wit and sarcasm… just like their humans. All dogs that have lived long enough in a Parsi home already understand the language to perfection and often respond faster to words such as, ‘chalo’, ‘kavaab’, ‘dikra/dikri’ and ‘arre baap re’, than come, sit or down.

 

In fact, most dogs find the usual commands boring and have stopped responding to them. If your training has hit a boring dead end, here are a few ways to spice it up with some fun Parsi flair!

 

‘Bawa Bow!’

No Parsi gathering is complete without a hearty ‘Bawa Bow’ for greetings. Channel this warm gesture into your dog’s training. Teach them to bow with a ‘Bawa’ command when they meet new people. It’s a pawsitively adorable way to impress guests and showcase their Parsi heritage!

 

‘Jamva Chalo Ji!’

Every Parsi knows what this means and now your dogs can too. Whenever you call them for their meals, say your dog’s name and then ‘Jamva Chalo Ji’. Repeat it at every mealtime. Very soon, your pooch will come running to you in the hope of getting fed on hearing this command!

 

‘Kem Cheao?’

Greeting friends and family with a hearty ‘Kem Cheao’ is a cherished Parsi tradition, and your pooch can do it too! Start by gently nudging your dog’s paw when you meet them, saying ‘Kem Cheao’. Gradually, they’ll associate the phrase with the gesture and start extending their paw during greetings. Your furry ‘Kem Cheao’ ambassador will leave everyone in awe!

 

‘Chaur Sau Vees!’

No Parsi is a true one till he can use some ‘non-vegetarian’ language fluently. And why should our Parsi dogs be any different? The next time your dog barks when the doorbell rings, repeat the phrase ‘Chaur Sau Vees’ and very soon he will connect the Parsi dots in his brain and will bark the next time you call someone that. Your colony friends will love your dog for this one!

 

‘Mumma No Boocho’ 

It is a universally accepted fact that a Parsi boy is his ‘mumma’s boocho’. If you have a male dog at home, teach him to roll over for a belly rub using treats and then say the command, “Who is a Mumma no boocho?’ when you do. After a few repetitions, your dog will soon roll over for belly rubs when you say the command. What better gift to a Parsi mother than to let her know her doggy son is a boocho too!!

 

‘Arre Maree Ja Nee!’

Irritate a Parsi for a few minutes and you are bound to have these words spat at you! Now you can teach your dog to play dead using the same emphatic phrase. Use treats to teach your dog to lie down on his side and gently encourage him to lie there for a few seconds. Say the words – ‘Arre Maree Ja Nee’ repeatedly as he lays there. Practise often, and then when you say the command, your dog should fall down with Adi Marazban grace and lie there till you give him a treat. This will be a super hit at parties!

 

Remember, training your Parsi pooch should be a joyous experience filled with laughter and love. Use the phrases with warmth and a sense of camaraderie, and watch your dog respond with tail-wagging enthusiasm! Happy training, and may your dog’s responses to these Parsi commands be a source of endless delight and pride!