Check-a-Pet

24/02/2024

After Day 13 of 'Kindness is Essential Not Optional' Dog Training Support Conference 2024 there's no better 'decompression' than a visit to the beach.
One more day to go and then another Summit starts: busy days, lots of info and new ideas, I love my job!

23/02/2024

22/02/2024

Lala is one of my 'frequent flyers' in my Check-a-Pet group of clients.
Before she was rehomed the vets tried to spay her but she showed a negative response to the anaesthetic hence could not be spayed before rehoming.
Huge thanks to the GHDT who offered to spay her with a different type of anaesthetic now that their UK Vet Rose was available. Apart from the procedure itself they did a great job in monitoring her with a hawk's eye during the whole procedure and an emergency plan was at hand.
Lala recovered very quick and will continue her lovely life in a wonderful compound with plenty attention of both dogs and humans.

21/02/2024

A big part in behavior modification/dog training is positive reinforcement.
Apart from the Verbal Reinforcer ( i.e. Good Boy), reinforcers can be food, petting, or a favorite toy or game. Since most dogs are highly food-motivated, food treats work especially well for training. A treat should be enticing and irresistible to your pet.
We have to find out what is reinforcing for every individual dog. Some may be very happy with a piece of cheese, others do best with sausage and I even successfully trained a dog with green beans as the ultimate Reinforcer!

Because in the Gambia we do not have access to PetShops full of yummy training treats or Amazon delivery; home made sun&wind dried tripe ( cow belly) treats work for our pack.. and some other lucky dogs.

Try and find out what is reinforcing for your dog.
Offer your dog different pieces of food to see their Reinforcer of choice.

01/02/2024

Our Boetie ( cane corso (mix)) used to be restless in the evening, even though sleeping outside and having guard dog duties.
Taking him to our car mechanical workshop during the day gives him a job he LOVES.
Customers say he is just sleeping but we know better.( monitoring at all times)
The days he comes home from duties his whole energy is ' work done, now rest'. A happy dog, allowed to do breed specific things.

A great example to show my clients breed specific activities really matter.

17/01/2024

Today was 10 months old Ningki's 2nd session. Due to limited socialisation in his puppy months because of parvo risk he is showing some insecure behavior we have started to help him with.
We work on the basics step by step to set him up for success that will help his pawrent and him for the rest of their life together.
Apart from training skills we spoke about dog language and had some mandatory 'fun after classes' for both him and his big brother Vex.
A lovely session with a very motivated 'pawrent'.
Looking forward to the next session.

Note: I am not 'busy on my phone' but filming Ningki during his greeting so we have footage to work with.
Ningki's pawrent did the same from the other angle. 😊🐾🐕

02/01/2024

A huge Thank You to last year's customers and a Welcome to new ones.
Last year to me made clear my service to check on the true well being of precious pets ( while their owners are absent) can make the difference between life and death.
Grateful to have made pets happy and owners at peace for the well being, health and happiness of their precious ones.
Grateful too to have given dog owners more knowledge and guidance into the care, behavior and bond with their animals.

Here's to another year.
Health & Happiness wishes to both humans and animals.

22/12/2023

Today was the next step for Lilo & Kia to get ready for being reunited with their owner in Sweden:
Blood was drawn ( and will be flown to Europe) for the rabies titer, one of the requirements to enter Sweden.
Now it is up to the gods ( or the lab) to give them a positive result ( a correct level of antibodies). After this there is a 3 month waiting period before they are allowed to fly.

It is alway a joy to be greeted by these young ladies and they behaved very well during the 'ordeal'!🐾🐕

07/12/2023

When you bring a variety of toys and they pick the one they really like.
I love to see animals having freedom of choice.💚🐾

Client Kia, NOT my Boetie 😄

05/12/2023

Meet Kia & Lilo, two of my new clients.
The first time I set foot in their compound I was sure I met Boetie's 'secret' sister in Kia! ( the one on the chair)
Lovely dogs, sisters but different in looks and personality. A joy to work for/ with.
Had to share this picture as I think pictures can't get any happier!
Have a lovely Tuesday! I already do!
💚🐾

27/11/2023

Some people contacted me to ask how my recent patient/ client is doing.
Well, she is out of the danger zone! Her temperature is back to normal, her appetite is perfect and her energy levels rise slowly but surely.
She does not hide behind furniture in a corner feeling miserable anymore and she comes to greet me with a wagging tail when she hears me at the gate.
With the help and ongoing support of Dr Busayo and Vet nurse Sheila from Kombo Vets we got her back to life again!
Still a long way to go, as I know from my own Boetie that had the same disease: daily medicine for at least another 2 weeks and moderate exercise to get back her muscle strenght and stamina..
💚🐾

27/11/2023

Happy I could attend a workshop organised by GHDT about the recent Fly Strike & Maggot problem the Gambia is facing.
It's a different type of maggot than the mango worm, eating healthy tissue and thus eating animals alive.
Various speakers adressed the issue and apart from a close look at the treatment itself and the benefits of locally sourced natural ingredients for treatment also info was given about the basics of clinical examination and animal body language before and during treatment.
Well done to all involved. Let's work together in treating the animals affected and spread awareness to prevent these horrible conditions.

📷 credits GHDT

25/11/2023

Even without Check-a-Pet visits Rima and I are happy to hang around.
🐾🦁💚

21/11/2023

Sometimes a Check-a-Pet Home check results in something a lot bigger than just a cuddle, a treat, a game and a check.
Last Saturday I met a dog that was obviously in a poor condition, something which the daily carer did not really notice.
I took the dog for a vet check and it was diagnosed with Ehrlichiosis, a blood parasite.
Together with the vet and the vet nurse we made a plan for the best approach.
The first step was to get meds in, to get her to eat again and to keep her warm during the night.
Regular updates to her owners ( that are abroad at this time) will keep them involved as much as possible.
Her prognosis is guarded but we see some improvement.
I will check on her tomorrow morning again and hopefully I will be met by a soft wagging tail, like this morning. She tries to show us we are all in it together.
💚🐾

31/10/2023

Cannot explain it any better:
https://fb.watch/o0BUBQp1Pj/?mibextid=2JQ9oc

28/10/2023

Do you know what a spider smells like?

https://www.facebook.com/100057680400081/posts/821606206438719/?mibextid=2JQ9oc

Ever been asked this question?

I imagine it’s something you’ve never even thought of. Most people don’t consider how arachnids smell!

There are lots of reasons for this, but it also comes into our anxiety too. If you’re scared of spiders, do you know someone who is scared of the smell of them?

Probably not.

It’s because as a species our umwelt (our primary sense) is our eyes. How they smell is less important than how they look, especially when we’re looking to overcome our fear of them.

But it’s the other way around for our dogs. Their noses are their primary sense - it’s how they process the world around them.

So why don’t we use it more to help them overcome their anxiety?

For most dogs, it can be the missing puzzle piece. The reason why you’ve toiled away trying to improve their confidence, boost their resilience and widen their world, but come up short.

Any of the dogs you’ve seen me work with, whether in-person or online, have benefited from the introduction of Nosework into their lives.

Whether your dog searches for a bit of cheese, hunts for a coin, scours the area for a tennis ball or hones in on finding people, if they’re using their nose, their confidence grows.

I’ve been developing something brand new based on my work this year. Something related to Nosework that is different from any course, any workshop and any application I’ve done before.

I can’t wait to share it with you. But not now.

If you’re working with your dog, and they’re struggling, ask how we can use their nose to make them feel safer. You’d be surprised how effective that can be.

P.S - I spoke about this very thing in a wonderful conference the other night. Link posted in the comments, it’s free on replay for 48 hours! There are lots of other ace speakers too.

12/10/2023

Nail clipping acclimation.
I always advise puppy owners to getting their puppies used to grooming, handling and nailclipping.
Tilly is a senior dog that gets very nervous when clipping her nails.
So while on my Check-a-Pet visits we slowly get her more calm around the clippers. Today we managed to do some nails while she was relaxed and she did not avoid but rather checked out the nail clippers a couple of times after the clipping.
After this she and her sister could decompress sniffing out yummies.
It was great being welcomed in with a song and when I left they both made clear it was not their idea I did.

I love my 4 legged clients 💚🐾

05/10/2023

When you are the jealous type and want to check who got more hair brushed out, you or your sister....
Tilly & Lala checked, cuddled and Xtra cared for.✅️💚🐾

02/10/2023

What did your dogs have for breakfast?
Even though I am very much against ' cardboard kibble', cardboard boxes are on my pooches' preferred menu!
Quality kibble hidden in magazines, newspaper, toilet rols and paper bags. All stuffed in a cardboard box.
Adjusted to their level and personality. I.e. Eve is still a bit anxious so a too closed box is scary for her whereas Boetie doesn't mind. Dirkje gets extra challenges with small boxes which she has to slide to open.

Enrichment is such an important part of our dogs' lives.
Dogs must be able to have their natural needs met: working for their food makes them happy and more relaxed.

01/10/2023

Pls read & watch.
Not only for our relationship with dogs with aggressive behaviors.....it applies to any animal, any relationshop..and how we should see it.

https://fb.watch/np00jBxZiQ/?mibextid=2JQ9oc

28/09/2023

Meet Lala, a new client.
You always have to see how an animal responds to you and what its preferences are.
Well, Lala was super happy to see mee and No.1 'need' is cuddles....and more cuddles...
She had to share those with her little senior sister Tilly though 😄💚🐾.

20/09/2023

Excellent explanation of the FORCE FREE meaning and implications!
😊🐾💚

Infograph: “Good Guardianship”

19/09/2023

Someone feels left out when I'm going to do my Check-a-Pet duties!😁🐾

15/09/2023

Today I had a 2nd session with Santiago, a 7 month old Gambian beauty. A big part of it was management as a lot of her less desired behavior can already be solved with managing her environment.
Next was revision of skills of last time and some new theory and training.
Finishing of with my pet peeve 'enrichment' made it a lovely session.
Looking forward to a next step in finding a balance for both humans and canines.

14/09/2023

Environment DOES matter!
Recently I visited one of our former fosters, Branco and his canine brother Tiger.
Previously they lived in a very crowded area, in a small compound with not a lot of space to call their own.
When I visited them in their new huge compound our human friends shared they themselves were so happy, felt so much more relaxed. Less noise and light polution, better energy.
It only took one glimpse at the dogs to see the complete family, humans and canines felt the same.
The energy of Tiger...and Branco in particular, had changed incredibly.
They were more at ease, had more room to perform their normal, canine behavior, were less anxious and because of that more at ease with social interactions.

Quite often dog owners do not realise what influence environment ( and management of environment) has on our 4 legged friends.
Noise and light polution, construction noise and vibration, (heavy) traffic, or even a new stereo set or boom box can influence our dogs...

I was thrilled to see these two, and their family enjoying their new place.

And....just before posting I got a message from their owner: Tiger, who had severe skin issues in the past....seems to improve!
Just like with us stress can cause skin issues like eczema...

27/08/2023

A lion overseeing its Kingdom....🌴🦁

25/08/2023

Yesterday was a long, long day for Katie and me.
As she lives all the way in Sifoe (an hours drive in torrential rains yesterday) and had a vet check up scheduled here in Brusubi we had a lot of driving to do.
She was good as gold in the car as well as at the vet clinic. She was checked, had a pedicure, some necessary treatments and tests and after a well deserved break, breakfast and brush we headed back home to Sifoe.
We are waiting for some test result and then this 8 year old beauty will be up for adoption.
Hopefully it won't take too long before we can find her a nice home.🤞
( and if you know of one....please let me know)

22/08/2023

It does not happen often you see someone creating her own toys to keep a dog enriched and happy. But when you meet one, you know it's got to be supported in any way possible!
Some tips & tricks shared here, as you KNOW someone is going to use it, and will come up with even more ideas.
Lovely visit this was!

And doesn't puppy Sasha look adorable?😍