Pune: Supriya Kindre Becomes First Female Dog Trainer In Maharashtra

Pune, 30th June 2021: Taking care of dogs working for the police department is considered a difficult task. The training given to police dogs is tougher than other dogs. They can’t be beaten and compulsion or warning has to be given only in words.

Supriya Kindre-Dhumal, a dog trainer from the Maharashtra State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), has bagged the honour of coming first in the country in the dog training course examination. She is also the first female dog trainer in Maharashtra.

Supriya completed her dog training course from the National Training Centre for Dogs (NTCD) at Tekanpur in Madhya Pradesh. Police and paramilitary dog trainers from various states across the country participated in the course. Supriya was the only woman selected for this course. She was sent to the dog training course by the Maharashtra Police. So far no woman has been selected for this course.

Explaining the journey from handler to coaching, she said, “Dogs are trained by men. At the national level, there are no female trainers in the police or paramilitary dog centres. There are female handlers, but to reach the coaching position, one has to complete the course. There are three institutes for police dog training across the country. The institutes are in Tekanpur in Madhya Pradesh, Alwar in Rajasthan and Chandigarh. Dogs are trained at different levels. Different types of training are given to dogs that track down criminals and search for explosives. There is separate training for patrolling and security. Dogs are also trained to detect landmines.’’

“It is also important for trainers to be interested in caring for dogs. From a very young age, I used to take care of dogs”, said Supriya, a native of Bhongvali in Bhor taluka of Pune district.

The number of women handling dogs in the police force is very small. Dogs in Maharashtra are trained through the CID’s Dog Training Centre located on the premises of Pune City Police headquarters in Shivajinagar.

“Supriya Kindre completed the dog training course in a very good manner. She completed a residential course from the dog training institute at Tekanpur during the pandemic period. She has become the first female dog trainer in the state to complete such a course,’’ said Atulchandra Kulkarni, Additional Director General of Police, CID.