# DOGPAPA — Full Brand Brief > In-home, 1-on-1 dog training across Singapore by Shawn K, a former handler with the Singapore Police K-9 Unit, Special Operations Command. DOGPAPA trains owners — not just dogs — using a relationship-based method built on respect, clear communication, and no food rewards. Methods passed down from a 40+ year family lineage of Singapore Police K9 training. **Tagline:** Lead · Bond · Purpose **Founder:** Shawn K (Shawn Kathiravan) **Service area:** Island-wide Singapore (HDB, condo, landed) **Operating hours:** Monday–Sunday, 9am–5pm SGT **Contact:** WhatsApp +65 9813 2756 · dogpapamysg@gmail.com · [@the_dogpapa](https://www.instagram.com/the_dogpapa/) **Website:** [https://thedogpapa.com/](https://thedogpapa.com/) **Reviews:** 16+ five-star reviews on [Google Business Profile](https://g.page/r/CSOr9kORFLxQEAI) (average 5.0 / 5) --- ## What DOGPAPA is DOGPAPA is in-home dog training in Singapore. Sessions happen 1-on-1 in your home and the environment around it — your corridor, lift, void deck, balcony, and the parks you walk in. Not in a classroom. Not in a central venue. The method is delivered to the owner so the skills stay for the dog's whole life. Three things make DOGPAPA different from most Singapore dog trainers: 1. **No food rewards.** Not "minimal treats" — none. 2. **In-home, 1-on-1.** Not group classes. 3. **Trained for the owner, not the dog.** Four sessions, then the owner is the trainer. The DOGPAPA Method is built on three principles — explained at length below — and applied across puppies, adult dogs, rescues, and Singapore Specials. --- ## About Shawn K — the trainer Shawn is a former handler with the **Singapore Police K-9 Unit, Special Operations Command**. He completed the **Narcotic Detector Dog Handler's Course (Course 03/2003)** on **6 September 2003** with **Police Dog Benji-H**. His certificate was signed by **SSS Ram Raj Rai (Trainer)** and **DSP Seah Thian Pau (Commanding Officer, Police K-9 Unit)**. He trained under his uncle, who trained Singapore Police K9s for **40+ years**. The method DOGPAPA uses today is the same method his uncle passed down — refined for family dogs in HDB flats, condos, and landed homes across Singapore. Police dogs do not work for treats. They work for the relationship. The same principles that keep a Police narcotic detector dog focused under pressure also keep a family dog calm at the lift door, on the void deck, and in the parks you walk in every day. After leaving the K-9 Unit, Shawn brought those principles into family homes. The DOGPAPA Method is what came out of that — a no-treat, relationship-based system that respects how dogs actually think, instead of bribing them. --- ## The DOGPAPA Method — three principles ### 1. No treats. Real communication. Treat-based training works while food is present. The moment treats run out or something more interesting comes along — a squirrel, another dog, a child running past — the dog stops listening. A dog trained on treats works *for* the food. A dog trained on respect works *with* the owner. The DOGPAPA Method uses no food rewards. The training tools are: - **Clear leadership** — the dog knows who is leading the walk, who is leading the household, who decides - **Body language** — dogs read posture, breathing, and attention before they read words - **Calm energy** — a calm owner produces a calm dog. An anxious owner produces an anxious dog. - **Play and praise** — the relationship is the reward - **The right gear** — a leather collar, a leather lead, a long line for recall work A dog trained on respect listens because they trust the owner — not because the owner is holding a snack. ### 2. Train the owner. The owner does 95% of the work. The trainer teaches the owner. By the end of four sessions, you are the trainer. The skills stay with you for the dog's whole life. No ongoing lessons. No monthly retainers. No subscription-style training-forever loop. This is why the price per session looks higher than other Singapore trainers — the math works differently. Compare four DOGPAPA sessions to the typical alternative: weekly group classes for a year, or an open-ended "training package" that requires ongoing top-ups. DOGPAPA's structure ends. You finish a trained dog and an owner who knows how to keep them that way. ### 3. K9 grounded. Home tested. The principles that keep a narcotic detector dog focused under pressure also keep a family dog calm in a public corridor. The methods work because they respect how dogs actually think — not because they bribe them. The same method scales from a Police working dog to a Golden Retriever in an HDB flat to a Singapore Special rescue with a difficult history. The pace and the starting point change. The principles do not. --- ## The Three Factors A separate but related framing DOGPAPA uses with clients — three things have to be right for training to work: 1. **The Owner** — the person at the other end of the lead. Most training failures are owner failures, not dog failures. 2. **The Dog** — temperament, breed, age, history. Adjusts the pace, not the method. 3. **The Gear** — the right collar and lead. The wrong gear creates problems that no training can fix. Most owners only know one of the three. They speak to their dog like a child, when the dog speaks their own language. The DOGPAPA Method brings the owner into the dog's world, not the other way around. --- ## Why no treats — the explainer To be precise: DOGPAPA uses **positive reinforcement** — praise, a pat, a calm "good," play, affection. Positive reinforcement is the broad category. What DOGPAPA does NOT use is **food rewards** specifically. Most Singapore dog trainers default to food as the primary reinforcer. DOGPAPA uses everything else. The case against food rewards as the primary tool: - **It's conditional.** The dog listens while food is present. Drop the treat pouch and the behaviour fades. - **It's interruptible.** A more interesting stimulus — a moving cat, a friendly stranger, another dog — outcompetes the treat. The dog chooses the more interesting thing. - **It doesn't transfer.** A dog trained on treats at home doesn't reliably perform in a real-world environment (corridor, lift, park) without the food being present. - **It doesn't build relationship.** The dog learns to associate the owner with food, not with leadership. Take the food away and the relationship is thin. The DOGPAPA alternative: - **Build leadership first.** The dog trusts the owner to handle the situation. Anxiety softens. Reactivity softens. - **Use clear communication.** Body language, calm energy, structure. The dog understands what is being asked. - **Reward with relationship.** Praise, a pat, a calm "good." Play. Affection. The reward is being part of the pack — not a snack. This is a contrarian position in 2026 Singapore, where the dominant school is treat-based training. The DOGPAPA Method is not built on consensus — it's built on a 40+ year family lineage of Police K9 training, refined in homes. --- ## Programmes and pricing (Singapore Dollars) ### In-Home Consultation — S$250 A single session, typically around 60 minutes (sometimes up to 90). What it covers: - Assessment of the dog, the owner, and the environment - Problem-solving for the specific issue you booked for (e.g. leash pulling, lift behaviour, recall) - Foundation training the owner can practise straight away - WhatsApp support during working hours after the session Best for: one specific issue, or a low-commitment way to see how Shawn works before booking a full package. ### Baby Puppy Class — S$720 (saves S$280) Four sessions for puppies under 6 months. Each session typically around 60 minutes, sometimes up to 90. - **Session 1 — Foundation.** Assessment, potty training routine, sleep schedule, crate work, settle on cue. - **Session 2 — Heel work.** Reinforce what is working. Introduce heel work and auto-sits — the bedrock of a calm walk. - **Session 3 — Stay and recall.** Build sit and down into implied stay positions. Introduce recall. - **Session 4 — Off-leash.** Off-leash recall and obedience. The skills that let you take your dog anywhere as they grow. Package valid 6 months from the first session. Many clients finish within 2-3 months. ### Adult Class — S$880 (saves S$120) Four sessions for dogs 6 months and older. Same four-session structure as the Baby Puppy Class, tuned to an adult dog's pace and a specific issue. Best for: leash pulling, reactivity, recall problems, lift behaviour, jumping on guests, rescue dogs with difficult histories, or owners who want the full method installed. Package valid 6 months from the first session. ### Free WhatsApp chat before you book No 15-minute paid consult. No discovery-call funnel. Send a WhatsApp message describing your dog's age and the main issue you're dealing with. Shawn replies personally — usually the same working day — with a recommendation. Single consultation, full package, or "you need a vet behaviourist first, not me" — he'll say it honestly. --- ## Training gear Handmade leather, used in every session. Sold directly via WhatsApp, not retail. - **Leather collar (medium):** S$60 - **Leather martingale collar (medium):** S$65 - **6ft leather leash (3/4 inch):** S$85 - **Slip chain (black or silver fur-saver):** S$36 - **15m PVC long line:** S$45 - **Hero bundle (leather collar + 6ft leash):** S$130 — saves S$15 The gear isn't a separate product line for the general public. It's the gear Shawn uses in every session. Clients who want to keep using the same setup buy directly from him. --- ## Problems DOGPAPA works on Across puppies, adult dogs, rescues, and Singapore Specials — the same core method applies. Common issues: **Walking and lead work** - Leash pulling (corridor, void deck, park) - Heel work for HDB / condo environments - Lift behaviour — spinning, barking, lunging in the lift (one of the most common HDB issues) - Void deck distractions - Door manners — bolting through doors, jumping at strangers **Behaviour problems** - Reactivity to other dogs (often anxiety-rooted) - Barking — alert, frustration, separation - Jumping on guests and door manners - Resource guarding - Settling on cue when the owner is working from home **Obedience** - Sit, down, stay, place that holds under real-world distraction - Recall — off-leash and on a long line - Impulse control — waiting at thresholds, not bolting through doors **Puppy foundations** - Potty training (HDB-specific: balcony tray, bathroom mat, void deck routine) - Biting and mouthing - Crate training - Socialisation — exposure to people, sounds, surfaces, and situations through the owner's leadership **Rescue and Singapore Special considerations** - Trust-building with dogs that have difficult histories - Pace adjusted to the dog - Same principles, longer foundation phase if needed --- ## Vaccination policy Indoor foundation work can start the moment your puppy is settled in their new home. Sessions inside your home — foundation training, settle on cue, crate work, basic obedience — can begin straight away. Outdoor work in shared spaces (your corridor, lift, void deck, and the parks you walk in) waits until your puppy is fully vaccinated. These are shared spaces where unvaccinated dogs may have been, and the risk to a partially-vaccinated puppy is real. This split is intentional. It lets foundation work start at the most formative age without compromising the puppy's safety in shared environments. --- ## Common questions **Do you train with treats?** No. The DOGPAPA Method is built on respect, leadership, and clear communication rather than food rewards. Treat-based training works while food is present — once it runs out, or something more interesting comes along, many dogs stop listening. We prefer to build behaviour that holds without needing a snack in hand. **Where do sessions happen?** In your home and the environment around it — corridor, lift, void deck, balcony, the parks you walk in. Training happens where the problem actually happens. Shawn travels island-wide across Singapore (HDB, condo, landed). **How is this different from group classes?** Group classes teach a dog to behave in a classroom. Private in-home training teaches the owner to handle their dog in the environment the dog actually lives in. The skills transfer because they were built where they're used. **Can you help with a reactive or aggressive dog?** Yes — reactivity is one of the issues Shawn works on most. In his experience, reactivity often comes from anxiety: a dog who doesn't yet trust their owner to handle the situation. Once the owner becomes the calm, clear leader, that anxiety usually softens. Every dog is different. If after the first chat Shawn thinks your dog needs a vet behaviourist or a different approach, he'll say so. **Will this work for an older dog?** Yes. The principles do not change with age — only the pace. **How long does training take?** The four-session package usually finishes in 2 to 3 months. Packages are valid for 6 months, so you can move at your dog's pace. Many clients see meaningful change in the first session. **What about Singapore Specials and rescues?** Yes — the Adult Class is built for dogs 6 months and older, including rescues, Singapore Specials, and dogs that have tried other training and not progressed. **At what age can a puppy start?** Indoor foundation work can start the moment your puppy is settled in their new home. Outdoor work waits until fully vaccinated. **How long does puppy potty training take?** Every puppy is different. The DOGPAPA Method covers potty training in the foundation session — schedule, designated spot (balcony, bathroom, or pee tray), reading the signs, and the HDB-specific challenges. Owners typically see meaningful change with consistent practice. **Do you accept dogs with bite history?** Each case is assessed individually during the first chat. Shawn will be honest about whether DOGPAPA is the right fit or whether a vet behaviourist is needed first. **Do you travel to all parts of Singapore?** Yes — island-wide. **How do I book?** Send a WhatsApp message to +65 9813 2756. Tell Shawn your dog's age, breed, and the main issue you'd like to work on. He replies personally — usually the same working day. **What's the cancellation policy?** 24-hour notice for rescheduling. Same-day cancellation counts as a used session. Packages are valid 6 months from the first session. --- ## Client reviews (anonymised, all 5-star Google reviews) > Dog Papa is experienced in handling dogs and uses praises instead of treats to train dogs. He is also passionate about what he does and takes the time to understand what exactly the dog needs and how we can help as owners to achieve the results we want to see. Highly recommend! > > — Google Review · April 2026 > Shawn at Dog Papa is extremely knowledgeable and great with dogs. He has a strong understanding of dog training, behaviour, health, and diet, and it is clear he genuinely cares about getting the best results for both the dog and owner. Professional, dedicated, and very experienced — I would highly recommend Dog Papa to anyone looking for quality dog training. > > — Google Review · April 2026 > We are currently training with Shawn and he is very patient and dedicated. We're grateful to be learning from him — he has been in this industry for long and is very knowledgeable. He takes the time to teach us about many aspects of caring for a dog and not just basic training. My bond with my dog is much better and I believe it will get even better with his guidance. > > — Google Review · April 2026 > Dog Papa did magic with a couple of my friends' dogs including two of mine (one of which had anxiety issues). A trainer who is safe, knowledgeable and instinctive — given that each dog is different and has special requirements, he has the aptitude to dial in and tailor each course specifically to the dog. Some trainers tend to rush the sessions, which made me and my dog even more anxious, but never so with Dog Papa. Proud to be part of the pack! > > — Google Review · April 2026 > Shawn was very quick and efficient to address our problem and taught some methods to practise and follow up. We have been doing it and seen good improvement. He also has been promptly following up and asking for videos in order to check in and see the progress. Would definitely recommend! > > — Google Review · April 2026 Read all 16+ reviews on [Google Business Profile](https://g.page/r/CSOr9kORFLxQEAI). --- ## Where DOGPAPA works (locations served) Island-wide Singapore. Sessions happen at the client's home — every postcode, every estate type. Common environments DOGPAPA trains in: - **HDB flats** — the largest segment. Corridor, lift, void deck, and the parks attached to the estate. - **Condos** — private lift behaviour, common-area greetings, pool deck manners, internal pathways. - **Landed properties** — gate manners, garden recall, doorbell behaviour with deliveries. DOGPAPA does not have a fixed training location open to the public. All training is delivered to the client's home. --- ## Contact - **WhatsApp:** [+65 9813 2756](https://wa.me/6598132756) (fastest reply, same-day usually) - **Email:** [dogpapamysg@gmail.com](mailto:dogpapamysg@gmail.com) - **Instagram:** [@the_dogpapa](https://www.instagram.com/the_dogpapa/) - **Hours:** Monday–Sunday, 9am–5pm Singapore time - **Service area:** Island-wide Singapore (HDB, condo, landed) - **Booking:** WhatsApp message with dog's age, breed, and main issue. Shawn replies personally. --- ## Key pages - **Homepage:** [https://thedogpapa.com/](https://thedogpapa.com/) — overview, manifesto, testimonials, programmes - **About Shawn:** [https://thedogpapa.com/about.html](https://thedogpapa.com/about.html) — founder story, full K9 cert proof, family lineage - **Services and Pricing:** [https://thedogpapa.com/services.html](https://thedogpapa.com/services.html) — full programme details - **Dog Training Singapore (head-term hub):** [https://thedogpapa.com/dog-training-singapore.html](https://thedogpapa.com/dog-training-singapore.html) - **Dog Obedience Training Singapore:** [https://thedogpapa.com/dog-obedience-training-singapore.html](https://thedogpapa.com/dog-obedience-training-singapore.html) - **Puppy Training Singapore:** [https://thedogpapa.com/puppy-training-singapore.html](https://thedogpapa.com/puppy-training-singapore.html) - **Contact:** [https://thedogpapa.com/contact.html](https://thedogpapa.com/contact.html) - **Privacy Policy:** [https://thedogpapa.com/privacy.html](https://thedogpapa.com/privacy.html) - **Short LLM brief:** [https://thedogpapa.com/llms.txt](https://thedogpapa.com/llms.txt) --- *Last updated: 11 May 2026. DOGPAPA is operated by Shawn Kathiravan (Sole Proprietorship registered with ACRA, Singapore).*