Getting a dog is one thing, but getting a dog to obey is another matter entirely. Enter the Dog Training Center at the Shanghai Circus World, with its rigorous selection process, a demanding curriculum, and graduates who listen to commands, our reporter Jin Haili checks out the canine Ivy League.

Pipi certainly lives up to his nickname -- which means ``naughty'' in Chinese. So wild that he can hardly keep still for a second -- Pipi rolls around in a great state of animation, until a firm ``sit-down'' quiets him into obedience.

``Teaching Pipi is an enormous challenge,'' gasps his teacher, Chen Hongyi, short of breath with the effort of dealing with her charge.

``He's 13.6 kilograms (30 pounds) heavier than I am. The first step is to let him know who's the boss.'' Chen's not kidding. Weighing at 84 kilograms, the two-year-old St Bernard dog is so far the biggest student ever taught at the Shanghai Circus World's Dog Training Center, and the short but vigorous Chen has her work cut out for her.

Chen's job is to teach Pipi and three other big canines to behave themselves -- in just 40 days. But if there's anywhere they can learn the ropes, this is the place.

The Dog Training Center has a strong faculty that includes veteran animal tamers like Chen, who won the bronze medal for chimpanzee taming at the second Wuhan International Acrobatics Festival in 1996. And -- despite his behavior -- Pipi is one of an elite group who has made it into this Ivy League of dog schools. All candidates for the training center must go through an ``H-I'' screening -- ``H-I'' being ``health plus intelligence,'' two key criteria in evaluating a dog's physical prowess and learning ability.

A health examination comes first to eliminate dogs with diseases or skeleton hypoplasia. Then the teachers record the dog's every minor reaction to the new environment and strangers, through which they will assess the degree of its intelligence and based on this, they'll lay down a specific curriculum for each freshman.

Just like college applications, a good personality counts.

``We are also hesitant accepting extremely bad-tempered dogs,'' says tamer Su Jiexue, teacher-in-charge of the medium and small-sized class. ``Their aggressiveness may scare or even hurt those more timid students. We have to ensure the safety of the majority.''

To ensure the effectiveness of the teaching methods, even experienced teachers like Chen and Su will only teach three to four dogs at a time. In the business for more than 30 years, both of them can easily win a dog's affection in less than 30 minutes. ``That may be because I smell like a dog,'' quips a sun-tanned Su, first-place winner for dog taming at the second China National Acrobatics Competition in the late 1980s.

``They probably think I'm one of them!'' In addition to a rapport with dogs, a good trainer requires endless patience and endurance. Each dog has a different personality, but unlike human, they can't speak. Trainers have to discern their moods using only the vaguest hints. Take the trouble-making Pipi. Although always rambunctious, Pipi is a gentleman, who never assaults his classmates -- until one day, an Old English Sheepdog named Feifei (fatty), comparable to him in size and power, distracted Chen's attention from him. Pipi became depressed and refused to eat, and whenever he saw Feifei, he would bark himself hoarse. ``That's his way of showing his unhappiness at having to share my affection with someone else,'' explains Chen.

``As a teacher, I simply cannot indulge that sort of selfishness.'' Chen dealt with the situation by treating the two as absolute equals -- letting them go after a ball, each in turn, taking turns to shake hands, and rewarded them with treats based on their performances. It worked. Now the two colossal canines may still playfully go after each other, but they're next door neighbors and graduated early at the end of last November.

In addition to professional training skills, attention to the details also plays an important role in ensuring a dog's all-round progress. According to nutritionist Li Mei, 24-hour baby-sitter at the center, a scientific timetable and healthy diet are two indispensable factors when it comes to keeping a dog healthy.

Li wakes at around 7am every morning to the cacophony of the 16 dogs at the center. Her first task is to take the dogs out, one by one, to relieve themselves, before going for a jog. ``Every dog has its own internal clock, and my job is simply to teach them to do the right thing in the right time and place rather than forcing something,'' says Li, who has been working as an animal nutritionist for more than three years. When it comes to diet, however, Li rules with an iron hand. As the pet in a family, the dogs, especially puppies, are spoiled by their owners who may allow them to follow their own stomach.

Li's strict policy of no between-meal snacks has raised the hackles of some clients. ``I thought that they were just saving costs and I was worried as to whether my `baby' could bear that,'' says former client Qin Aiping, owner of a one-year-old Pomeranian that graduated last August. ``But when I saw my boy two weeks later, I was surprised and happy to see that his coat was glossier.''

``Canine foods are the best choice for dogs, and the ingredients can vary a lot depending on the species and age,'' says Jenny Yu, a veterinarian at the Shanghai United Animal Hospital. For sports dogs like golden Retrievers and Dalmations, Calcium-replenishing products like Caweline Powder are essential during their childhood to help build a powerful skeleton.''

The Dog Training Center's general manager, Jin Wei, is now one of the most popular figures among downtown dog raisers, but he confesses that starting the training program was a matter of personal survival.

In July of 2002, Jin adopted two golden Retriever puppies from his friends and soon found getting the two imps under his thumb was beyond him.

``They were just so cute that the entire family couldn't help spoiling them, but sometimes they really got on my nerves, like when I unexpectedly stepped in a pool of doggy urine in the living room,'' says Jin, a wry smile flickering across his face.

Talking over the problem with dog raisers, he sensed a need for a professional dog-training center. He was right. Ever since the center was established in October 2002, more than 60 dogs, in 12 breeds, have graduated, ranging from the beefy St Bernards and Old English Sheepdogs to fluffy Pomeranians and Chihuahuas. The basic obedience program is the favorite, attracting more than 90 percent of the clientele, and according to the clients, the center gets full marks. ``I've learned useful tips on how to better communicate with my dog,'' says Yan Yan, a 27-year-old real estate agent and Pipi's owner. ``I think that's a good return on my investment.'' Wang Jian, director of the Shanghai Small Animal Protection Association, reveals that there are approximately 700,000 pet dogs in Shanghai but he's skeptical as to whether even half of the owners have any idea how to treat their pets properly.

``Bad habits and disobedience are the most-heard excuses for owners to abuse their dogs, but the fact is, they won't need excuses if they've fulfilled their responsibilities to their pets,'' Wang says. Now all that Jin Wei needs to do is to figure out how to reach those abusive owners.

The Dog Training Center of Shanghai Circus World Time: 10am-4pm, daily Address: 2266 Gonghexin Rd. Fee: 4,000 yuan Tel: 6652-2910 Tips for Dog Training * Do not begin training until the puppy is at least six months old. * The age of six to 12 months is the best to teach proper habits. * Never beat or scare your dog, as that may cause depression. * Not every dog can perform demanding tricks like hoop diving and obstacle courses -- don't force yours.

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