Dog on the Couch

06/08/2024

3 August 2024. Another Puppy PlaySchool successfully completed by the cutest pups and their wonderful guardians.

31/07/2024

If you are in Cape Town - go and have a look

Museum of Dogs, South Africa’s very first museum of its kind, is opening in Cape Town's city centre tomorrow.

25/06/2024

I cannot confirm the 70% BUT be very aware of the pesticides and other poisons you use in and around the house. Pets can pick it up on their paws, lick their paws or it can be absorbed through the skin. Getting rid of weeds and tiny critters by means of poison is not worth your pet's health or life.

22/06/2024

We love labels to the extent that we sometimes cannot function without them. But labels generalise and often prevent us from looking deeper and beyond them

18/06/2024

Congratulations to all the delightful puppies and their awesome guardians for completing the Puppy PlaySchool Course on the 15th of June 2024

22/05/2024

Congratulations to all the delightful puppies and their great guardians for successfully completing the Puppy PlaySchool course.

25/03/2024

UPCOMING PUPPY PLAYSCHOOL COURSES at DOG ON THE COUCH. Don't miss it!
The best investment you can make towards your puppy's early development.
Send an email to [email protected] for more details or send a WhatsApp to 082 933 9992

22/03/2024

Another puppy course was successfully completed on the 16th of March 2024. Congratulations to all the delightful puppies and their dedicated guardians.

04/03/2024

Congratulations to all the puppies and their guardians for successfully completing the first Puppy PlaySchool course of 2024 on the 24th of February.

31/01/2024

15/01/2024

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COURSE SCHEDULED TO START ON THE 9TH OF MARCH WILL NOW START ON THE 16TH OF MARCH.

28/12/2023

Tips on how to help your pets feel safe during neighbourhood festivities

11/12/2023

Congratulations to yet another group of awesome puppies and their guardians for completing the Puppy PlaySchool course successfully on the 2nd of December '23.

01/12/2023

Congratulations to all the cute puppies and their great guardians for completing the Puppy PlaySchool Course on the 4th of November.

02/11/2023

Congratulations to all the awesome puppies and their dedicated guardians for completing the Puppy PlaySchool course on the 14th of October 2023.

05/10/2023

I love dedicated dog guardians and their eager dogs. This is Thor, a 10 month old Pittie cross doing a perfect roll-over. Thor has successfully completed a course at the Puppy PlaySchool as well as the NEXT LEVEL course for TEENS. Thanx to the patience and loving dedication of his guardian, Mickey Louw.
Puppies are taught to roll-over in the Puppy PlaySchool course

29/09/2023

FOR PUPPIES BETWEEN THE AGE OF 8 WEEKS AND 6 MONTHS.
Not to be missed! Upcoming courses for puppies at Dog on the Couch. Please send an email to [email protected] if you are interested

29/09/2023

Congratulations to all the puppies and their great guardians for completing the Puppy PlaySchool Course on the 16th of September 2023.

14/09/2023

"We are asking animals to fill a very human need, says Vettese: “People are looking for unconditional love.” But that love “is predicated on this absolute domination of the pet’s life – what they eat, their sexuality, their love, their activity – and you can’t disentangle these two things”. If pets had more autonomy, he says, “they would not necessarily have this unconditional love”."

A growing number of people argue that owning pets is unethical - and that animals can never really have a good life in a human home

14/08/2023

Congratulations to all the wonderful puppies and their awesome guardians for completing the Puppy PlaySchool Course on the 12th of August 2023.

27/07/2023

Don't hesitate! Register your puppy for the next Puppy PlaySchool course that starts on the 5th of August.

17/07/2023

Puppies learning how to go to their bed and stay there.
It is always so amazing to watch dogs learn. The more time you spend with them teaching them new behaviours the quicker they grasp what you are trying to teach them and can learn a new exercise in as little as 5 minutes

17/07/2023

Congratulations to all the adorable puppies and their awesome guardians for completing the Puppy PlaySchool Course on the 15th of July 2023 🥳

06/07/2023

We all have been there with THE ADOLESCENT dog :-D thank you Lewis Nicholls for some great advice

06/07/2023

Congratulations to all the puppies who completed the Puppy PlaySchool Course on the 24th of June 2023. And thank you to all their guardians for being so awesome!

04/07/2023

There simply is no magic wand for any problem

BEWARE OF THE QUICK FIX!
There are no quick fixes when it comes to lasting, successful behaviour change, whether with ourselves or with our dogs.

Want to lose weight? The quick fix of diet pills, meal replacements or slimming machines may initially be successful, but is unlikely to last. Long term success will require effort, a change in mind set, being mindful of emotions, eating less or differently and exercising – there is no quick fix.

Want to get a qualification? Hard work, long hours, commitment and effort is the only way.

The same principle applies to bringing about a change in behaviour.

We live in a society where we want and expect quick fixes. Our lives are often so busy, stressful and complicated enough without having to even think about spending time and effort in trying to “fix” our dog’s problems.

Why not just use a shock collar, choke chain, spray bottle, shake can or send them off to a board and train facility to quickly sort them out without us having to put in any time or effort? What about a trainer that guarantees quick results? There are never any guarantees when it comes to behaviour.

Stay away from quick fixes – they usually come at a great cost. Yes, they may suppress that particular behaviour but it is likely to surface in another way and we won’t like that either.

Changing behaviour takes time, it requires understanding, consistency, patience and commitment, but the results of “fixing” something the right way, are worth it.

This quote by Wayne Muller sums this up perfectly “In the soil of the quick fix is the seed to a new problem….”