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Through the ages, people have claimed that dogs are one of their closest and best animal companions. Of all the tamed animals, dogs serve the widest array of roles: protector, helper, lifesaver, and friend. However, women are said to be more scared of dogs than men, but for Linda Kinyita, she has loved dogs since she was young.

Linda grew up in a family that never had less than two dogs at any given time.  It was her responsibility to take care of them. It is at that point that her love for dogs was birthed.

“I remember when I was in Class Three, my dad brought home a puppy and it became Linda’s dog. I would feed it, clean it, keep its kennel clean and play with it. When I joined secondary school, it was heartbreaking having to leave it behind. It later died when I was in campus of old age. When I see a dog, the first thing I think is pat it. I think having grown up with dogs and having one that I bonded with in my childhood removed that fear of dogs,” narrates the mother of three.

Localising content

Linda who is also a yoga enthusiast runs a YouTube channel, Dog TV, which has gained a lot of fans. In the programme, she makes visits to different breeders and educates dog enthusiasts more about man’s best friend. She came up with the idea in 2020 when Covid-19 hit the country. “My co-producer, David Babu is also a dog lover and has several dogs. So, he would talk a lot about dogs and he mentioned how he enjoys watching dog related content, but there was none he could relate with because the way people take care of their dogs abroad is different from the way people take care of them locally. Then coronavirus hit and some counties were put under lockdown, and movement and social gatherings were restricted. When things started looking better at around June 2021, we started shooting videos. Three months later, we started uploading the content on YouTube,” she recalls.

Starting this channel was easy for Linda since she has been a film producer, director and actress based in Nairobi with a career spanning close to 10 years. She started her career as a stage actress before transitioning to acting for film and TV. She is the founder of Aliki Production, which has been producing local films since 2017. Her first job behind the scenes was as a production assistant at Wanuri Kahiu’s TV Series, State House, which aired in 2013 on Zuku and she was also part of the cast. Over the years, Linda has been involved in several local film and TV productions both in acting and production roles. In 2018, Linda produced her first film, Home for Xmas as an independent film producer.  Even though Linda studied Bachelor of Commerce at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology between 2008 and 2013, film has always been her passion.

Demystifying canines

As a woman and a dog enthusiast, she says that many people worry a lot for her as they fear that the dogs she handles might harm her. “I get a lot of warnings from people and many advise me to be cautious. Some people are amazed at how I’m friends with dogs and how I’m comfortable around them. However, I got scars to show for it. I was bitten by a neighbour’s dog on my leg sometime back. I got rabies and tetanus shots and the wound healed,” Linda reveals.

She says it is easy to bond with a well-trained and well-socialised dog.  “I keep saying having a dog is like having a child and honestly, no one likes a mannerless child. Take your time to learn about it – you just don’t see a dog and then charge forward to pet it. Give the dog and yourself time to get familiar with each other,” she advises.

It is believed that when dogs are locked up, they become more fierce, something Linda refutes. Others believe if you beat up your dog, it will behave. Linda calls it animal cruelty. “If you want a guard dog or protective dog, you should start training it when it is a puppy. Same case with mannerism,” she advises.

Surprisingly, Linda doesn’t own a dog currently as she says that her lifestyle does not allow her to have one. To own a dog, she says that one has to be physically, emotionally and financially prepared. They also require a lot of attention, which she cannot offer currently. But in the future, she hopes to own a few different breeds.

 So far, she has interacted with more than 20 breeds of dogs; both large and small breeds. “I have interacted with large breeds such as Caucasian Shepherd, Great  Danes, Boerboels, Black Russian Terrier, Doberman, Tibetian Mastiff and small breeds such as Chihuahua, Maltese, Spitz, Highland Terrier, French Bulldogs, Springer Spaniels and Jack Russell Terrier.

“I find that many people do not understand small breeds. Breeds such as Chihuahua and Jack Russels were originally farm dogs good for dealing with farm rodents. Maltese and Spitz are good alarm dogs. The German Shepherd is the most popular breed among breeders notably because it’s popular with security forces and it also has a nice temperament, which makes it a good family dog too,” Linda explains.

Clever friends

The 32-year-old filmmaker says dog rearing is not for anyone looking to make some quick profit since the wellbeing of the canines is of utmost importance. “Many breeders I have interacted with grew from hobbyists to breeders. They practice selective breeding to ensure better outcomes with their puppies. If they decide to rehome their puppies, they ensure that the puppies go to homes that they will be well taken care of and they do follow ups,” she confides.

Linda says that what determines the prices of dogs is the breed, age, trainability (has it been trained or not), bloodline and the availability of the breed.

While interacting with dogs, she says that what impressed her was when she learnt that dogs sniff human’s crotch to say hello! “While this can be embarrassing and awkward, it’s the way they get to learn about you. They can tell if you have had sex, if you are male or female, whether you are ovulating, menstruating or if you have had a baby! Blame it on the dog’s powerful nose and apocrine glands that are usually concentrated on armpits and crotch,” Linda reveals.