Barks and More

07/03/2025

Breaking down training into smaller steps makes it easier for your dog to understand and achieve. If you make it too difficult, they might give up. If they are successful with small steps, it will motivate them to continue. This also helps them to go at their own pace and shows you how fast you can go with an exercise.

Use this in every situation: Training, introductions, behaviour modification, changing routines, etc.

Credit: Trick Woofs

It can be tempting in our training to skip the little steps.

It’s great to have faith in our dogs but if we stick to small steps, it’s so much clearer to them what we want.

The result is getting to the end goal faster with a much more solid behaviour.

05/03/2025

We had a chat with Anton from LEKKER FM again. Have a listen to the podcast. We talked about options when you go on holiday and your pets can't go with you.
If you would like to find out more about behaviour consults for horses, send us a message.

Barks And More - Anton Olwage gesels met Philecia Erasmus (Dieregedragkundige) 04-03-25

05/03/2025

Did you know that a dogs yawn can mean different things? The one meaning that many people don't know about is when they feel uncomfortable or stressed, dogs will yawn to show it. Below is a great infographic about it.

Credit: Dogs Disclosed

Language of a Yawn

Yawning is one of the many signals that dogs use to calm themselves or others down when they’re feeling stressed or uncomfortable.

Neuroscience shows that yawning is also triggered during moments of transition from one behavioural or emotional state to another - waking up, falling asleep, moving from being relaxed to alert or from an anxious to a calm emotional state.

Although we may be unaware of it, we also use types of calming signals. Think about the kind of body language we might show when we’re in a situation that doesn’t allow us enough personal space, like getting into an elevator with a group of strangers.

We may instinctively not face anyone directly, look down at the floor, watch the indicator buttons, focus on our phone and avoid any eye contact - these are all “calming signals” that people use to prevent any potential conflict.

If you notice more yawning than usual, or yawning in a specific situation, look into what may be causing this.

A yawn caused by stress is usually longer, more intense, with the tongue curled up at the end.

Sometimes there is so much more to a yawn than we may think.

20/02/2025

SALE! SALE! SALE!
Upto R50 off! Nina Ottoson Puzzles are great for these rainy days.
https://barksandmore.com/collections/nina-ottoson

19/02/2025

We had a chat with Anton from LEKKER FM again. Have a listen to the podcast.
We discussed potty training and so much more.

Barks And More - Anton Olwage gesels met Philecia Erasmus (Dieregedragkundige) 18-02-25

18/02/2025

Dog-O-Pedic SALE!
Upto R300 OFF!
https://barksandmore.com/collections/dog-o-pedic

18/02/2025

Recalls. Recalls. Recalls. Ever wondered why your dog won't come when you call? Have you considered you and the surroundings may be the reason? There are so many things you need to take in consideration when asking your dog to come to you. Environment - are there better and more fun distractions? Previous learning - did you scold your dog after recalling them? Mood - Do you call your dog in different tones of voice? Read the below infographic to understand why your dog might not recall.

Credit: Dogs Disclosed

ARE YOU WORTH COMING BACK TO?

I’m often horrified when I watch people trying to get their dogs to come back to them when they call.

They call and call and get increasingly angry and frustrated as their dog keeps ignoring them.

When their dog eventually comes back, or has been chased and "captured” by the now really angry person, they get screamed at, yanked about, or punished in some way for taking so long and not listening.

Why on earth would a dog want to return to someone who does this to them!

The most common reason dogs don’t come back when we call is because it’s not a positive experience.

A new environment is generally far more rewarding, stimulating and exciting than coming back to us.
An exciting scent or seeing something to chase can all override a response to recall.

Make coming back to you well worth it by always making it a rewarding experience and keep practicing this throughout a dog’s life.

Have a little patience if it takes longer than you would like, let your dog finish what they’re doing before calling them, practice in different locations and environments and never reprimand or punish them for coming back.

There is never a guarantee of a perfect recall each and every time, but making it a rewarding experience will greatly improve the rate of success.

12/02/2025

Give your cats space during meal time. The same goes for dogs. This will help them feel at ease when eating and avoid any conflict and anxiety.

Credit: Pam Johnson-Bennett

If you have a multicat household, your cats may all enjoy being together happily at mealtime, but in many cases, sharing a food bowl, or having the bowls too close together can lead to stress. It's recommended that each cat have their own bowl. Have a little separation between the bowls to reduce competition or intimidation. In some cases, cats may even have to eat in separate locations. Create a mealtime routine that encourages peaceful, stress-free eating.

10/02/2025

Does your dog destroy your stuff on a daily bases? Have you considered that they may be bored? Below are some signs that your dog may be bored and keeping themselves busy by digging, shredding, chewing and stealing items.

Being stuck between 4 walls everyday can be frustrating and boring. Take them on walks, give treat dispensing toys, sniffle mats, puzzle games or lickimats. If they need even more stimulation, work in a training session in the morning and afternoon. It doesn't have to be an hour session, it can be a quick trick training session to tire out their brain.

08/02/2025

We had a chat with Anton from LEKKER FM again on Tuesday. Have a listen to the podcast. We are on air every 2 weeks to discuss everything about training and behaviour. Let us know if you would like to hear something specific.

Barks And More - Anton Olwage gesels met Philecia Erasmus (Dieregedragkundige) 04-02-25

06/02/2025

This is a big topic. Not all dogs want to be social. Like us, they also have different personalities. Some dogs are social butterflies and loves everyone they meet, some have a personal space bubble and prefer not to interact with everyone. So, the point is, know your dog. Don't force your dog to like or play with other dogs. Respect their boundaries.
Read the below infographic to determine how social your dog really is. Social, Tolerant, Selective or Solo. Use this information for future interactions with other dogs.

Credit: Dogs Disclosed

DON’T FORCE ME TO BE SOCIAL!
It may be really disappointing and frustrating when our dogs are not the social beings we expected them to be.

Many believe dogs should just naturally get along with other dogs, after all they’re the same species.

Some believe the “unsociable” dog has a behaviour problem that needs to be “fixed”.

Early, appropriately timed and correct socialisation is vitally important, but sometimes despite all of this, some dogs are just not that sociable.

Sometimes this can be improved, especially if the cause is from a negative experience, but genetics, breed tendencies, individual personalities, health and age all contribute to tolerance and sociability, which also change throughout life.

If we, as a human species, don’t get along with everyone we meet, how can we expect our dogs to?

Do we label every person that has an argument, doesn’t make friends with everyone they meet, doesn’t like every other person, prefers not to socialise - as having a problem that needs to be fixed?

Why is it so easy to accept that every individual person is different than to accept that every individual dog is different?

When we have done what we can to improve our dogs’ social skills, we need to accept and acknowledge our dogs for the individuals they are, allow and respect their choice of whether to be sociable or not and never force interactions that a dog is not comfortable with.

04/02/2025

Scatter feeding is such a great and easy way to tick some of the boxes regarding enrichment. Have a look at the infographic below. Scatter feeding slows down feeding time, gets them to sniff for and find their food, and helps with boredom and frustration. Let us know if you have ever done this for your dog and how it worked for them.

Credit: absoluteDOGS

How do you think your dog would react to their food becoming a treasure hunt? We're listening 👂 ⬇️

03/02/2025

Do you have a fearful or reactive dog or puppy? Here are some insightful reasons why that might be and how you can help your dog.
We do in-depth behaviour assessments to try and determine where a dog or cats fear originated and how we can help them feel safer. Give us a call if you are struggling with a fearful or reactive dog or cat

Credit: Yaletown Dog Training

It is important that you teach fearful dogs that their world is safe. Identify their fears and show them that the scary thing now predicts fantastic food. Changing fear is neither easy nor fast but with patience, love and persistence there is a very good chance that you will see improvement. Feel free to share this post if you find it useful.

31/01/2025

People of Centurion! We offer the following in person training for your puppies and older dogs in the comfort of your own home.
Contact us: 079 020 3616 / [email protected]
Pricelist on request.

30/01/2025

Does your dog hump? Did you know it could be unrelated to sexual tendencies? Below is a fantastic list of why your dog might hump out of context.
Reach out to us if you would like us to assist you with helping your dog with overexcitement, anxiety, stress, boredom, or any other behaviour on the list.

Credit: Dogs Disclosed

HU***NG HOUNDS - It’s not always what it seems
Some dogs do and some dogs don’t, but if you have a dog that humps at the most inopportune times it can be downright embarrassing or annoying. Other dogs, other people, visitors, toys, cushions, furniture, anything that can be mounted and clung to may be fair game. As people, it’s natural to assume that this behaviour is of a sexual nature, that our dogs must be oversexed, sexually frustrated or the all-too-common incorrect belief that our dogs are just trying to be “dominant”.
Hu***ng, like many other dog behaviours does not always have a simple reason. It can be a complex behaviour which is usually emotionally or socially based. Looking for what may be triggering the behaviour and finding the cause should always be the first step before finding ways to change a behaviour. The solutions will depend on the cause. It may be finding ways to reduce stress or anxiety levels, increasing mental stimulation, teaching calm behaviours to prevent over arousal, ensuring your dog is getting enough sleep, using management or in some cases a veterinary check up to rule out any medical causes.
When hu***ng is antagonizing another dog or person or causing frustration, discomfort or harm in any way, then obviously this behaviour needs to be immediately addressed, but sometimes we may need to ask ourselves – is it really something we need to stop our dogs from doing just because as people we see it as socially unacceptable? Is it a harmless way of relieving stress or anxiety after a difficult day or a way to expend pent up energy that is not causing anyone harm? If we prevent this, correct it, redirect this or at worst punish this behaviour are we removing a harmless natural outlet and risking another unwanted behaviour taking its place?
Behaviour is not always the way it looks on the surface. Look for the underlying cause, look at what may be triggering the behaviour before deciding how to change it.

29/01/2025

Does your dog jump uncontrollably when you get home or when you get visitors? There might be a much deeper reason behind it than you think. Read the COAPE article to understand why they might jump and how to address the behaviour with positive reinforcement training methods.

https://coape.org/why-dogs-jump-up-understanding-and-addressing-the-behaviour/

Credit: COAPE International

Ethology,Neuroscience,Applied Animal Behaviour,Sentient,Sentient beings,Emotions,Animal Welfare,Dog,Cat,Training,Dog behaviour,Cat behaviour,Animal behaviour,Animal rights,Enrichment,Agility,Dog agility,Cat toys,Dog toys,Animals,Behaviour courses,Behaviour problems,Naughty dog,Naughty cat

28/01/2025

Have you heard of trigger stacking?
Below is a great explanation for those that haven't.
Humans can experience trigger stacking as well. Imagine you're having a bad day, nothing goes right, and it feels like you're at the end of your patience with people, the moment someone says something upsetting to you, you snap! This is what happens to dogs that experience various stressful things during the day and then endures the "last straw" and snaps. We as guardians have to prevent trigger stacking in our dogs and ensure they get time outs from stressful events to decompress.
Credit: Rescued by Training

Trigger stacking is important to understand, especially when training a fearful dog. When a dog experiences multiple stressors in close proximity, this can set up a scenario where the dog may bite or have an unexpected response, even to a stimulus that they are normally comfortable with, or have seemed to be in the past. Learn more and download your high resolution copy of this infographic here: https://rescuedbytraining.com/trigger-stacking/

27/01/2025

If you have a cat that loves to scratch, then this is the infographic for you. Follow these points to make the perfect scratch post.

Credit: Pet Perspective

My brand new infographic for PPGs event: Celebrating Life Together!