Bernice Jaffe Animal Behaviourist

14/11/2024

MYTH: "Don’t take your puppy anywhere until they're fully vaccinated."

FACT: "The primary and most important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life. For this reason, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior believes that it should be the *standard of care* for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated. Behavioral issues, not infectious diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age." (AVSAB Position Statement on Puppy Socialization)

FACT: If you wait until your puppy is full vaccinated, you've missed their critical socialization period.

Vets, rescues and breeders who are clinging to the outdated belief that dogs should be prevented from socialization until fully vaccinated are not keeping up with the current research, literature and recommendations from behavior professionals.

14/11/2024

07/11/2024

07/11/2024

Never judge a 📕 by its cover!

06/11/2024

Please listen to your dogs warning signs and watch the signs he's giving that he's uncomfortable!

14/10/2024

06/10/2024

Cape Town: Who is kean? Looks like my kind of mindful and informal art class❤️

16/11/2023

22/10/2023

Noordhoek Veterinary Clinic
21/10/2023

SNAKE BITE NOTE

We are ( hopefully) heading into hot weather and the snakes will be out and about.

If your pet is bitten by a puff adder or a cobra , it is important to know that treatment with antivenom is really EXPENSIVE.
The antivenom is now approx R3800 per vial!
For puff adder bites ,we need 3 to 4 vials usually.
For cobra bites ,we use 4 to 6 vials!
So you are looking at a cost of between (approximately ) R11000 and R22000 , for the antivenom only .This is excluding any other veterinary treatment ,hospitalisation and in bad cases ,even ventilator costs.

Perhaps if you live or walk on the mountainside or elsewhere in snaky habitat ,it might be worth putting your dogs onto a medical aid plan that covers snake bite incidents.

Your vet may well ask for a deposit towards this expensive treatment ,on admittance to hospital.

Meantime , be watchful but do continue to enjoy the outdoors!

Thanks all

25/09/2023

Hi. I have a friend who is desperately looking for dog friendly accommodation near Tygerberg hospital in Durbanville area as she needs to be close to the hospital.

12/06/2023

Newborn at home so the dog has to go .
For those who give up their dogs when they have a baby, I'm posting this photo of a family whose 15-year-old Jack Russel Terrier is treated as one of the children (because he was their first child) and who is the protector of his two human brothers and sisters.
Never use the excuse that you had to let your dog go because you have a baby in the family and the doctor advised you blah blah blah and other lame excuses.
Never abandon your pets. They are family 😍

07/02/2023

Sadly Yoko is being rehomed. She will make an amazing running or cycling partner. She is an amazing girl!