K9" Academy"

30/08/2024

Please DONT do this

The first time I saw someone do this I was shocked.
I thought it was a one off, clearly it isn't and social media "influencers" have started to spout this as a "solution".
When I first saw this a few years ago, I could see the skin under the belly twisting and stretching while a lead was tightly pulled up from above.
There was bruising and this dog was certainly in pain.
All because someone wanted a quick way to teach a dog to walk beside them.
Companies even sell carabiners that encourage using this method.
What people may not realise is this can kill a dog.
The belly is not well protected...at all.
The intestines are right there and there are no bones in that area to protect those precious and vital organs.
That constant pressure and squeezing can and DOES cause serious abdominal issues.
PLEASE don't be tempted to follow this trend if you have seen it on social media.

26/08/2024

Love this

Today's Dog Training Myth of the Day: "Only tell them once!"

What if you ask a dog (whatever age, breed, s*x, background, training level) to do something, but there is no response?

Set aside the myth of "only tell them once." Good rule of thumb: if it were a toddler, what would you do? Probably wait a few beats, be sure you had the kid's attention, then ask again.

Just like us, dogs may not be tuned in 100% because they are busy having their own experience of life which may or may not include you at any moment.

If you *do* have the pup's attention, and they did hear you, next step is to consider that they do not understand and/or don't see the point!

I've often asked clients to stand on a chair and sing happy birthday. I've done it while they were trying to take notes. Result: no compliance, and they say usually say, "Sorry - I was focused on taking notes. What did you say?"

If they are paying attention to me but look at me as if I'm crazy, I ask, "Did you understand what I asked? You did? So why aren't you doing it?" Inevitably the answer is, "I don't want to" or "Why would I do that?" It helped them understand how their dogs might be responding.

So give your dogs the courtesy of clear communication, engage attention first, be sure there is understanding, and make it worthwhile for the dog to work with you. Respect, courtesy and taking responsibility for what we are communicating and how we are communicating -- those are all supportive of healthy dog/human relationships.

This does not mean repeating, Sit-sit-sit-sit-sit-sit which is not good communication no matter who you're talking to! 😊

If you want and need response to just one request (and this has great value!), you first have to teach understanding, understand that connection and attention must come first always, then develop the skill, tighten the criteria and make it worthwhile. Then practice!!!

24/08/2024

A huge congratulations to Vanessa Viljoen and Falkor on his graduation from Puppy Kindergarten today. Well done Vanessa you did it through all the car sickness and he is a gorgeous well socialized boy.

20/08/2024

I highly recommend this course. Brilliant lecturers and content.

20/08/2024

“What’s the command for this?” is one of the most common questions that dog trainers hear from owners. There’s a big focus in the general dog owning public on using WORDS to control a dog. We humans use a verbal language as our primarily mode of communication, so it’s only natural that we instinctively use plenty of spoken cues when we’re trying to get a dog to do something.

While spoken cues are a crucial part of training a dog, they can also be the cause of setbacks or failures. “Sit,” says the typical dog owner, and if their dog doesn’t immediately follow the cue, the owner will usually follow up their first cue with some variation of “sit. Sit! Go on buddy! SIT!!” or even some non-verbal prompting, like pushing on the dog’s rear or yanking their leash.

A human equivalent would be handing you a math problem, saying “solve it!” and then continually nagging you until you did – “Solve it! Go on! Do it! I know that you know how to do this! Solve the problem!” In both situations, the instructor would most likely see a better result if they simply gave their student a moment of silence to think.

If you ask your dog to follow a cue, and they don’t comply the first time you ask even when you give them a moment to think it through, chances are that their training is incomplete IN THAT CONTEXT. To go back to our human analogy, that problem was too advanced; the teacher needs to go back and coach the student through the concepts involved.

We’re also big fans of training some behaviours WITHOUT ANY VERBAL CUE AT ALL. We train dogs that meeting a human IS the cue to sit politely. Picking up their leash IS the cue to wait calmly for it to be clipped on. Holding their dinner IS the cue to sit and wait until they are released to eat. Being out on a walk IS the cue to walk next to the human and check in regularly – without any “heel” or “watch me!”

This kind of training - using contextual or environment cues to prompt a dog’s behaviour - is very convenient for the humans, empowering for the dogs, and leads to a more enjoyable and relaxed coexistence for both.

What behaviours have you trained your dog to do without being asked?

16/08/2024

Congratulations to Estelle van den Berg and Zara on her graduation from Teen yesterday. She is amazing Estelle and you have done an awesome job with her training.

16/08/2024

Yes you can poison your recall☠️ and it is very common
Recall (having your dog come to you when called) is one of those cues in training that depends heavily on your relationship together. 🤝🙂
However, there are other things we can inadvertently do which damage a good recall and we often don't even realise we do this.
One of the advantages of having an In Home Trainer is we see all those little things that make SUCH a big difference.
Calling your dog to you when you are about to do something unpleasant to them (or they view as could be a negative experience)....even for the best of intentions, can poison recalls.
Calling them to their dreaded bath.
You know they dislike having their nails cut, but they are called to you.....usually ignoring your calls and then finally skulking slowly forward... with their head down low.
Calling them to you when you have the ear drops in your hand.
They will start to make associations with recall and what you actually want them for.
The opposite (calling away from fun and positive experiences) is also true.
Constantly calling your dog away from fun and positive experiences is a recall destroyer.
One of the biggest destroyers of a recall is calling them to you and clipping their lead straight on and leaving the fun area.....have a play with them first, clip on the lead and continue to have fun for a few minutes. This is a little thing that turns that negative association into a really positive one..
So DON"T call them when they may view what you are wanting (or importantly needing to do)....go and get them.
If you need to groom, please take the time and look into cooperative care, it makes SUCH a difference.
Recently I worked with a Pitbull that was in a desperate situation with their claws.
No-one would do them, not their veterinary clinic, no groomer...no-one...even with a muzzle. He is classified by our council as a menacing dog.
It took 2 half hour sessions with some very easy steps that the motivated guardians did a few times a day for a minute or two.......The result.
Nails done....with no muzzle......and NO stress.
A pleasant experience for everyone.
One of the other issues we picked up on was he was called to them for everything , including being called away from positive/fun experiences and for what he may view as negative.....and it certainly affected their recall too. The recall was about 30 %.
So if your recall is more miss than hit....look at when you actually call them too you and why.
If you change little habits you can make some very big differences.

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16/08/2024

Thank you to all the Amazing students and clients for sharing your dog with us st K9 we love you all

Let your car and apparel do the talking. ShopCanineAesthete.com

14/08/2024

For those of you wanting to study behaviour here is the first step for you.

12/08/2024

10/08/2024

There is a lingering perception that positive reinforcement reward-based training results in a dog that does whatever they want, whenever they want, and that there is nothing they are not permitted to do. That seeking approaches that centre around meeting the needs of the dog and acknowledging their emotions means dogs with no training or manners.

This could not be further from the truth. We set out to show the dog from the very beginning what we would like them to do, so they don't practise carrying out the behaviours that we find problematic. We find ways to meet their needs, and to let them carry out their natural behaviours in a way that works for both them and us. To give them the time and opportunities to be dogs, doing dog things, but also helping them with how to live in a world largely made by and for humans.

If they do start to do something we consider a problem, we find something else for them to do instead that we are both happy with, or work with them on feeling happier and more secure in the situation. We don’t simply ‘ignore the bad behaviour’** all the time as some would put it. We set the dog up for success by showing them the behaviours we would like and making sure that we meet all their needs and, when we do this effectively and get it right for the dog, there is much less need to worry about seeing the ‘bad’ behaviour as it will occur less often or disappear entirely, replaced by things that work for both species.

**There is, of course, no such thing as bad behaviour from the dog’s perspective. They don’t understand moral imperatives of good or bad. They understand safe or not safe, and they understand what works for them and what doesn’t work for them. It’s up to us with our more complex thinking abilities to help them feel safe and find what works for them in a way that fits their world and keeps everyone living in harmony as much as possible.**

10/08/2024

Anyone who has been in my classes knows how pedantic I am about dogs NOT wearing collars when playing. Here you can see what can happen. I personally know 2 people while dogs died due to this happening.

Sweet 14-week-old Golden Retriever puppy Percy is on the road to recovery after spending some time in our ICU over the weekend! He was an excellent patient and feels better already thanks to some time in our state-of-the-art oxygen kennel. In this photo he had popped his little head out to say hello to our staff during one of his treatments, and we don’t think he could get any cuter!

How Percy ended up spending the weekend with us is an important story that his caring owners allowed us to share to help keep other pets safe. Percy and his big brother were rough-housing, when Percy’s collar got stuck on his brother’s mouth. Percy panicked when he was suddenly stuck, and while twisting around trying to escape he caused his collar to become even tighter around his neck! Thankfully their owner noticed quickly that something was wrong and freed Percy before he lost consciousness. When his owners rushed him to see our ER team, Percy was struggling to breathe, drooling profusely, and very distressed. Radiographs showed that Percy had fluid in his lungs (non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema) caused by the time he spent struggling to breathe. Pain medications and oxygen support quickly helped Percy breathe more comfortably as his body worked to heal from the experience.

The strangulation hazard of dogs playing while wearing collars is a hidden danger that many pet owners don’t know about, but a story we hear with some frequency in the ER. Thankfully Percy’s story has a happy ending, but if his owners hadn’t been there to intervene it could have been tragic. Please, get your pups microchipped so they have a permanent form of identification, and then take those collars off when they’re playing with or interacting with other dogs!

09/08/2024

Dogs that pull on a lead can be hard on everyone. Walking a dog with a loose leash is a process but these are some easy ways to help. These loose lead tips c...

07/08/2024

Knowing which professional you need to contact to help you with your pet is vital. Use this handy infographic to decide whether you need a trainer or behaviourist. Keep In mind, some behaviour challenges may require both training and behaviour modification so often these go hand in hand. What's great is that when you choose a COAPE Certified Animal Behaviourist, you can be sure that they have the skills to help you with both training and behaviour. ​
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For a list of COAPE-endorsed trainers and behaviourists you can go to our website here: https://coape.org/find-a-behaviourist/

31/07/2024

Punishing an animal can have significant negative consequences for their behavior and overall well-being. Here are just a few examples of the fallout of punishment. ​

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To learn more about training, consider completing our DogWise course https://coape.org/coape-courses/dogwise/

31/07/2024

⚠️ Rabies is a very serious viral disease in our country. It is a zoonotic disease that infects mammals, including humans, dogs, cats, livestock and wildlife. 🇿🇦
Dog bites are the most common cause of rabies transmission to humans. Sadly, 40% of human infections occur in children under 15 years old.

🦠 Rabies spreads through saliva, usually through bites or direct contact of saliva with mucosa or broken skin (e.g. eyes, mouth, or open wounds). Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is 𝟭𝟬𝟬% 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹.
Initial symptoms of rabies include signs like fever, pain and unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking, or burning sensations at the wound site. 🚨

There are two forms of rabies:
🦠 𝗙𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀, where patients experience hallucinations, erratic, aggressive behaviour, fear of water and lack of coordination.
🦠 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀, which accounts for about 20% of the total number of human cases. This form of rabies is less erratic and usually runs a longer course than the furious form. Muscles gradually become paralysed, starting from the wound site, leading to a coma and eventually death.

🔬 How is rabies diagnosed? Unfortunately, the only way to receive a sure and conclusive diagnosis is to have brain tissue tested of the deceased suspected rabid animal. 🧠

💉 Rabies cannot be cured, but it CAN be prevented. In South Africa, pets are 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 to be vaccinated against rabies. 🇿🇦
In terms of The Animal Diseases Act (Act No 35 of 1984), owners of dogs and cats MUST have their pets vaccinated against rabies between the ages of 3 and 7 months old, receiving a booster within 12 months of original vaccination. Pets must also receive rabies boosters at least every 3 years thereafter. In rabies endemic areas, like KwaZulu-Natal, pets must receive boosters every year. ⚠️
We strongly recommend yearly boosters for all pets, all over the country, as one can never be sure where the next rabies outbreak will occur.

🩺 Our nurses are offering 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 rabies vaccinations at our 3 branches:
🕐 13:00 - 14:00
📆 Monday - Friday
⚠️ 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 - Please make an appointment for these consultations. ⚠️

☎️ Veterinary House Hospital - 033 342 4698
☎️ Veterinary House Townbush - 033 347 2504
☎️ Umgeni Veterinary Clinic - 033 343 4316

🚨 What to do if someone has been bitten, scratched or licked by a suspected rabid animal - 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗔𝗜𝗗:
💧 Immediately wash the wound/area with running water and soap for at least 15 minutes. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘢 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴.
🏥 Go to your nearest clinic or hospital immediately thereafter. Be sure to tell the staff that the bite came from a suspected rabid animal. If emergency treatment isn't given fast enough, it will be too late.

🩺 Report the incident to your nearest state veterinarian or private veterinarian.
Rabies is a state controlled disease, and all suspected cases must be reported.

If you are at all concerned about your pet after exposure to a possible rabid animal, or if your pet is showing unusual or concerning symptoms, please contact your veterinarian immediately. 🐾

❤️ Given the recent rabies scare, please make sure that your pets are fully vaccinated against rabies, ensuring that they are safe from harm. 🇿🇦

21/07/2024

Too much too soon WILL cause issues.
It is a really common occurrence with newly adopted dogs.

Congratulations on your new dog.
I know you want to take them to the beach, the pet store and your café....however can I ask for a few minutes so I can explain just what your dog has gone through.....and why you need to take the next few weeks SLOW.
Your new dog has had it's whole world turned upside down.
They don't know you.
They don't know if they can trust you.
They don't know if they are with you for an hour or forever.
They may have been in various scary places.
Other houses, rescues, the pound and likely ALL of these in the past few days or weeks.
Your dog has stress hormones surging through their brain, they are STRESSED....they need to decompress, they need STABILITY in their environment and from you.
They need time with you and their new environment.
They need to know that the tree outside may rustle against the house and that's OK.
They need to know that those normal creaky noises in your house are OK and that at 3.45 the neighbours bang their door shut.
They need to know when it rains that tapping sound is OK.
They need to know that when the door opens they won't be moved somewhere else again.
They need to trust that YOU are safe even when you have had a bad day, you will still give them food and that they can close their eyes around you.
You know what your good intentions are with your new dog, your dog however has NO idea what is happening.....only that everything has changed and it is scary.
They do NOT need other new environments yet. Take it SLOW.
Dogs that have just been adopted need TIME. There is no need to rush out the next day and take them to all the places you want to go with them.....They need the opposite.
Let them decompress, let them inspect a new area of your house or yard every day or two. Walk them up and down outside your house for a few days (and only there), let them sniff, and sniff some more. Let them p*e freely.....it may be boring for you, but not for your dog. They need to know what is happening around them and they learn that through their nose, eyes and ears.
They NEED this.
They need to learn to TRUST you.
The long walks can wait, the café will still be there in a few weeks and you can visit the pet shop alone until they are ready.
Your bond together is the MOST important thing to concentrate on right now.
You will never regret taking it slow and it can save your dog and yourself from making the very same mistakes that can lead to people rehoming in the first place.
All the very best with your new dog.

18/07/2024

It's essential that every puppy learns to enjoy being handled, especially on the parts of the body that turn into common bite triggers. Early puppyhood handling and socialization is easy to do and makes a huge difference in a dog's temperament and quality of life, for the rest of their life!

Learn more or download the PDF version: https://dunbar.info/puppy-handling

16/07/2024

Puppy cuteness overload from Saturdays puppy Kindergarten class at Piggly Wiggly last week. As always beautiful pics by Di of Digital Art by DJH thank you for capturing the moments for us.

16/07/2024

A couple of pics from the CGC class which Derek made very special fun for everyone. Thank you to Di from Digital Art by DJH

16/07/2024

Tween class in action practicing their skills at Piggly Wiggly last Saturday. A big thank you to Di from Digital Art by DJH for the lovely pictures

16/07/2024

Thank you to Di from Digital Art by DJH for the lovely pictures from Saturdays Teen class at Piggly Wiggly.