Barks and More

07/09/2025

A warm welcome to the puppies that joined the Barks and More training family this week.

26/08/2025

Our Next set of classes will start 6 September.
Menlyn Vet Practice 8h00 to 9h00
Faerie Glen Animal Clinic 10h00 to 11h00
Email us: [email protected]

23/08/2025

We are so excited to welcome the new puppies that joined the Barks and More training family this week. We look forward to sharing this journey with you.

21/08/2025

19/08/2025

We had a chat with Anton from LEKKER FM again this morning. We talked about puppy school, desensitisation and socialisation.

Have a listen to the podcast:

Barks And More - Anton Olwage gesels met Philecia Erasmus (Dieregedragkundige) 19-08-25

18/08/2025

DEEL GERUS: Hier is nou vir jou 'n ongelooflike spesiale aanbod! Bemark jou besigheid vir slegs R5000p/m vir 6 maande - 30 Advertensies plus 1 onderhoud p/m op LEKKER FM! Advertensie koste ingesluit. Bemark jou besigheid en vertel mense van jou besigheid. Skakel 012 664 1167 of epos: [email protected] - LEKKER FM ons sit die LEKKER terug in jou besigheid!

15/08/2025

What a fantastic week! I met the most wonderful puppies and a beautiful cat. Behaviour assessments, behaviour and temperament report for a complex and training sessions.

04/08/2025

Our Next set of classes will start 9 August.
Menlyn Vet Practice 8h00 to 9h00
Faerie Glen Animal Clinic 10h00 to 11h00
Email us: [email protected]

01/08/2025

Ben and Bonnie all grown up! Loved spending time with them again today.

31/07/2025

This is very important when doing counter conditioning. Giving a dog enough space to still use their brain and not act out of fear or panic sets them up for success. Creating a different association with a stimuli that currently creates fear and anxiety takes a while to accomplish if ever. Be patient with them, and accept it when they can't change their view of a stimuli. The best example is expecting a reactive dog to not be reactive. Sometimes you can help, sometimes you can't.

Credit: Dogs Disclosed

THE EXIT STRATEGY

An exit strategy is a practiced, planned way to create sufficient distance or remove a reactive dog from a trigger or situation.

Having this plan in place is so beneficial for dogs that react to triggers in the environment.

An exit strategy could look like quickly increasing distance when a trigger appears, practicing quick U turns to change direction, or waiting behind a tree, car or similar object until the trigger is far enough away.

This strategy decreases stress levels, gives our dogs an opportunity to process information and helps them learn to respond in a different way from a space where they feel safe.

Think about how we may use exit strategies to help us cope and how they make us feel better.

Some time ago I suffered from debilitating panic attacks after a series of traumatic events. I couldn’t drive on a highway or be in an enclosed space.

My daughter was graduating from university and I could not miss this event, but what if I had a panic attack in the auditorium, couldn’t get out and embarrassed her and myself?

A therapist that I was seeing at the time helped me to develop an exit strategy. I arrived early and found a seat right next to the exit.
If I started panicking, I could just leave through the door. Just knowing that this option was there made such a difference to my state of mind and I ended up being able to make it through the entire ceremony.

The same strategy helped me cope on highways. I just had to drive to the next exit and then the next and the next if I felt up to it.

Sometimes we all need an exit strategy, our dogs included.

It’s not about running away from, or not facing a problem, but developing a plan to help our dogs cope in situations that they struggle with.