You have decided that you want to bring a puppy into your life and your home but how do you go about choosing which dog is right for you and your family? Puppies are not puppies forever but turn into dogs which can live for anywhere between 6 and 16 years so a puppy is […]

 When your puppy growls at you if you come near while he is eating or when he is chewing a bone – is this normal puppy behavior, or something to be worried about?Guarding food or a toy is often the first sign of aggression and will escalate into very dangerous behavior if you let it continue. Don’t […]

To make sure you are getting the best puppy possible, you need to start with a great breeder. The best breeder is not always the breeder with the best show results. Many top breeders keep dozens of dogs in runs – not the best way to guarantee friendly, well socialised puppies. The good breeder should: Breed one […]

  Here in the Cape, thunder storms don’t occur very often which means that it might be quite a while before you discover that your dog suffers from storm phobia.  Besides being traumatic for your dog, it can also be traumatic for you as your dog may escape from your property,  do serious damage to himself or damage […]

  Most people take more time when choosing a new car than they do choosing a puppy. It is vital that you do some research before you make your selection. First, the don’ts Never buy a puppy on impulse Never buy a puppy as a gift Never buy a puppy you feel sorry for Never choose a breed […]

From the website of the South african Veterinary Association, www.sava.co.za What you should know about vaccination Vaccinations protect your pet from several highly contagious diseases such as canine distemper, parvovirus infection and respiratory tract infections. It also protects against transmissible diseases such as rabies that also pose a risk to humans. Vaccination will not cure a […]

  In South Africa, we don’t have designated dog parks; instead dogs share our parks and fields with kids and sports. We dog owners need to be extra considerate as our free running dogs can frighten children and interfere with ball games. Inconsiderate owners who don’t “scoop the poop” can make us very unwelcome. Even […]

  Is your dog so hyper and out of control that you put him out when visitors come or have you even resorted to keeping him outside all the time? When you do let him in, is he is so wild that you just put him out again?  Chances are that instead of a serious […]

Collection in Pinelands or couriered anywhere in South Africa   Silver Fold up Wire Dog CratesLocally made, strong and sturdy, neatly finished with one door with a spring latch Small (700x500x550mm)        R1980Suitable for Small Breeds and Staffies Medium (800x600x650mm)  R2390Suitable for Medium Breeds like Spaniels and Collies Large (900x700x750mm)        R2690Suitable for Medium to Large […]

 Do you wonder why your dog isn’t eating his food? Do you worry that he may not be getting enough of the right nutrients for growth, development and good health?First make sure that you are not feeding too much human food and dog treats. A biscuit here and a piece of toast there and before you know it […]

  Overview A crate is your dog’s own personal den where he or she can escape from the goings on of the household and feel safe and secure (and not shred your house when you are not watching!) Crate training uses a dog’s natural instincts as a den animal. The main use for a crate […]

There is nothing I enjoy more than watching two dogs playing nicely together. When you take your dog to the local park or the beach and he finds another dog to play with, it is essential that you make sure that your dog learns not to play too rough. I would suggest you stop the […]

Fitting a body harness is the most efficient way to teach your dog to pull effectively – hence their use whenever good pulling performance is needed, i.e. sled dogs, dog carting, oxen pulling a plow etc. The only harness that can help with a pulling on the lead problem is a no-pull harness like the […]

If I had a rand for every time an owner said to me, “I’ve had Rottweilers, Dobermanns or (insert the breed here) my whole life and I’ve never had one like this!”, I would be rich. The same goes for owners who tell me, “This is my third Maltese, GSD or (insert the breed here) and […]

I am often asked what breed of dog I would recommend for a family with young children. After asking lots of questions I am often tempted (or do!) say “none at all!”. Often I get puppies coming to puppy class that have been bought for a young child, in many cases as a gift. They are inevitably […]

One of the most common problems dog owners have when joining the club seems to be that their dogs jump up when greeting. To be able to address the problem, we need to understand why dogs jump up. Many people assume that the dog is being  “dominant” or trying to show dominance. In fact the opposite is […]

Praise is one of the most useful training aids we dog handlers have at our disposal. Used correctly, it can turn a bad dog into a good dog and a good dog into a great dog. Used incorrectly, it can turn a good dog into a nervous, insecure and disobedient dog. A dog who is […]

We wouldn’t dream of raising children without at least attempting to instill some basic manners in them – but some of us live with dogs who have no manners whatsoever. It is really easy to teach your dog to say “Please” and to make it clear that demanding does not work on you. So how do you […]

  Dogs make the best running partners! They are always in the mood for a run, never oversleep, are never grumpy and as a bonus…they are great protection. Before you take your dog running with you, make sure that he or she is properly prepared. Just like you would ensure that you have a good […]

 Discussing neutering and spaying of domestic dogs is a topic sure to get a reaction – everyone has their own (usually strong) opinion. In the case of the male dog neutering is the removal of the testes, in the case of the female, spaying is the removal of the ovaries and uterus. Both procedures result […]

What is Hip Displasia? A progressive deformity of the hip joints where the socket of the ball and socket joint is very shallow, causing partial dislocation because ball and socket do not fit properly. Symptoms of Hip Displasia: Lameness in one or both hind legs, muscle wasting, reluctance or stiffness on getting up, bunny hop gait. What is Elbow […]

Is your dog suffering from one or another behaviour problem like digging, chewing, excessive barking, food guarding etc.? Before splashing out on a visit from an animal behaviourist, ask yourself the following questions.  Are you taking your dog for at least a half to one hour of lead walking at least once every day? Does your […]

A puppy should never be given as a present. The whole family should be involved in the process of choosing a dog. Many people take more care when choosing a new car than they do when choosing a puppy.    Research the breed you are interested in, don’t just choose a breed you like the […]

Fielding all the incoming calls and emails about training, as I do, I get to chat to many of the people enquiring about  puppy classes. Many of the calls I get are from people who want to bring more than one puppy to class. Whenever I hear this, I sigh inwardly. Without wanting to sound like the profit of […]

INTRODUCTION A dog who is paying attention to it’s handler, has much less chance of reacting badly towards other dogs, than one who is “eyeballing” all the dogs around him.  Using this exercise, you will see an amazing improvement in your dog’s reaction to other dogs.  It also is a good way to prevent your […]

Along with good food, attention and play, regular exercise is essential for your dog’s mental and physical well being. Your dog needs at least one walk a day to maintain fitness and keep him mentally stimulated. Our dogs spend their lives within the confines of our home and garden – to them an un-stimulating environment. […]

Not coming back when called is most likely the most common problem that pet owners have with their dogs. There is nothing more frustrating than having a dog who dashes off when given half a chance and then refuses to come back no matter how much you shout and scream.  This problem is not only […]

Always make training fun. Dogs pick up on our enthusiasm. Keep a special toy or treats for end of exercise. Always give verbal praise after giving a command. Always use a release command before moving your dog off the spot for physical praise. Always make sure your dog is hungry when your train him. Even if you don’t train with food.

Exercise Up to 6 months of age, your dog should have no more than 10 minutes of exercise a day. (besides running around at home). At 6 months, you can increase the exercise to 20 minutes and at a year you can increase it to half an hour, slowly increasing it as your dog becomes […]

Biliary (or tick bite fever) is a potentially fatal tick born disease, which kills 1000s of dogs in South Africa every year. It is a protozoan disease caused by a microscopic organism, Babesia canis. If a tick bites a dog infected with Biliary, it will in turn become infected. This infection will last for it’s […]

The muzzle is a really useful trick up any good dog trainer’s sleeve, yet it is often disregarded as a cop-out. There are a number of styles of muzzle on the market. The Nylon Muzzle – this is a made of nylon material which closes with velcro. It prevents the dog from opening his mouth […]

OK, let me state my bias here. I am fanatical about keeping my dogs’ weight down. I am probably known for having lean, even at times skinny dogs. But then I never have joint problems or injuries, even as my dogs fling themselves off mountaintops (well, scramble down steep paths anyway) or hurl themselves around […]