How Singapore's tiger moms have been training their $9,000 pandemic pets, from swimming lessons in heated pools to flash card sessions

• Pet lovers in Singapore are paying pandemic premiums of up to SG$12,800 ($9,000) for puppies.
• Dog trainers say that bookings for puppy training classes have tripled during the pandemic.
• Singaporeans are also booking swimming lessons, spa sessions and enrichment classes for their pups.

Kimberley Kan, 30, is a business manager in the wealth planning industry in Singapore. When she went to a pet shop in the middle of the pandemic, she was shocked by how fast dogs were being sold: "People would just look at the dog and buy it. It was like buying a top on the spot at a shopping mall."

Kan, a first-time pet owner, ended up spending 8,000 Singapore dollars, or about $5,900, to buy a corgi puppy from a breeder.

Kan is not alone in having become a first-time pet owner during the pandemic - or in having paid a premium to do so. A pandemic puppy boom hit the UK, US, Sweden, and Spain as humans sought companionship during lockdown. Singaporeans started socially isolating on March 26, 2020, and dog shelters and pet shops in the island nation similarly saw an influx of visitors.

Owners who chose to adopt from a shelter would pay up to SG$250 ($185), for a pup. But prices only went up from there: Those who chose to buy a dog from a pet shop or breeder could be parting with as much as SG$12,800 ($9,500) to secure a four-legged friend. A golden retriever pup in January 2021 was priced SG$12,800; in January the previous year, you could buy one for SG$5,000 ($3,715).

While owners of certain breeds, such as German shepherds and bulldogs, need to take their dogs to puppy school to be given a dog license in Singapore, owners of other breeds are voluntarily putting their dogs to the test.

Some are going even further than that: They are enrolling their dogs in swimming lessons in heated pools, music sessions, and reading lessons.

A heated indoor swimming pool for dogs

Kan, who named her pandemic corgi Kyubi, said she wants her puppy to have the best possible life - which is why she booked him into puppy swimming lessons.

But rather than taking Kyubi for a splash in the sea, Kan took him to Hydro Canine, a heated indoor swimming pool for dogs. From SG$55 ($40) for a 30-minute session, puppies can learn how to swim, increase their core strength, and build up their muscles.

"The therapists [instill] the right basics on learning how to swim and allocate proper rest time as well," she said. "The other dogs also motivate him. He's quite competitive and always wants to be in front."

In addition to puppy swimming sessions, Kan has bought puzzle dog toys to challenge Kyubi's brain - and she embraces the title of a tiger mom when it comes to her beloved corgi.

"The way you train your dog is the way you teach your kids in future," Kan said. "I am very protective. I think I baby him a lot."

It's not just sports - it's academics for dogs, too

From Montessori-style kindergartens for puppies to a full day of schooling, colorful school buses will collect your pup from your home and give it a ride to dog school.

Insider spoke to the owner of one of these buses, celebrity dog trainer Joy Chia. Chia launched the Pawsible Enrichment School in 2012. For SG$100 ($75) a day, dog owners can send their pups off to a full-day curriculum that includes academic classes, recreation time, and school excursions.

Pawsible teachers use kids' flashcards for reading lessons. During music lessons, dogs will strum a guitar, press a keyboard with their paws, or in the case of Hong Kong special (a mixed breed) Bee, strike the chimes with her snout in time to music.

One 90-minute gym class at Pawsible is a domesticated version of search and rescue in which the dogs have to seek out their teacher in the grounds. A Singapore special named Google - who, fittingly, enough, enjoys searching for things - was the first to find the teacher during one class, after which 22 other students were given their chance to follow in his paw prints.

Chia says the idea of a school and a structured curriculum has tapped into the Singaporean psyche.

"We are academic," she said, explaining that her clients recognize the types of lessons from their own school days.

Classes at Pawsible Enrichment School are held in Mandarin, which has delighted expat owners. "Some of my expat clients said they are really happy about that because they get to learn Mandarin at the same time as their dogs," said Chia.

While Chia said the Pawsible dogs show they can recognize up to 10 words and demonstrate a grasp of colors by pressing colored buttons, this doesn't stop her owners from showing that famous competitive Singaporean kiasu spirit. "I have experienced some really enthusiastic owners," Chia laughed.

A rise in dog-socializing businesses

Chia told Insider she had to increase staff numbers at Pawsible by 50% during the pandemic to accommodate the rise in enrollments. She also said she has seen an increase in dog-related businesses in Singapore.

"There seems to be a new business every month, whether they are trainers, hotels, spas, or cafes," she said.

Chow Cute is one of those new one-stop shops for dogs and their owners. While owners enjoy gelato and lattes at the café, the dogs can take part in an Early Pet Year Enrichment Programme. "Each dog has its own personality, so we give them the best course of training. We evaluate the dog and offer one-on-one specialized training," manager Eugene Tee told Insider.

Some of the new pet-related businesses cropping up are designed to socialize dogs who might otherwise have minimal exposure to other people or animals.

In November 2020, Audrey Sin launched Singapore's Puppy Yoga school to help socialize pandemic puppies and relax humans in lockdown. "The dogs are free to roam around the classes and socialize with the other dogs. [The humans] can incorporate their dogs into certain moves such as lifting them up to the sky as a 'weight,'" said Sin.

Veronica Tam, co-owner of Pawsitive Fur Kids, told Insider dog socialization is especially a critical skill for puppies that were bought during the pandemic.

"We had people starting to call us saying they were facing problems with pandemic puppies," said Tam. "They were always at home with their family and never got to mix with other puppies or experience different environments, so a lot of them have socialization issues."

Tam, who teaches dogs tricks to build confidence and bond with their owners, said enrollment for her puppy training classes tripled after lockdown.

Dog schools and daycare centers are expected to see their numbers climb even higher. Many owners bought their pandemic puppies from overseas, which means that many puppies are still arriving; and after a year of working from home, Singaporeans will be going back to the office. The Singapore Government has announced that 75% of staff can return to their offices from April 5.

Whatever makes you feel good

Mental health counselor Tanya J. Peterson told Insider that owning a dog helps people cope with uncertain times.

"It gives people a greater sense of control over their own lives," she said. "Being around a dog has been found to decrease stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine, as well as increase the feel-good hormones, endorphins."

But clinical psychologist Tom McDonagh questions whether this is an organic trend - or a need to keep up with the Joneses. "Are people sending their dogs to school not because they want to, but because it is trendy, or they feel a sense of guilt when compared to others?" McDonagh said.

At the same time, the psychologist said, if humans feel as if they are helping their furry friends, they should ignore the naysayers. "People generally feel good when they help others. In this pandemic, I think it's important to take advantage of mood boosters when we can," he said.

Veronica Tam of Pawsitive Fur Kids echoed that sentiment, noting that dog programs are good for both the owner - and the pet. "It gives the dog more things to do," Tam said. "The owners want to engage the dog. They want to give them a better life."