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The most common problem I deal with is how to stop dogs jumping up onto people. This behaviour is usually conducted from the front but can also be achieved from the side …  and then there is the rear attack.

The assault from the front I call “Death by Slobber”, because the main aim is to jump up at people as high as possible, aiming at the victim’s face which is then roughly doused clean. However, this plan sometimes fails which can be a bruising and painful defeat when the assailant is a 60 Kilo Rotweiller whose cranium unfortunately collides with the victim’s chin. In boxing terms this is an ‘upper -cut’ which can lay a mature man out cold. Continue Reading

This pet owner is worried about her Maltese dog that has developed an invisible skin itch and keeps scratching manically. What is the cause of the problem? Continue Reading

This Border Collie has a serious noise phobia - he bolts whenever he hears the sound of a cricket bat hitting a ball. What can his owners do to help him? Continue Reading

Beware of those bullies who always find fault in others because it is probably a reflection of their own shortcomings. Insecure, immature individuals feel compelled to undermine and abuse others in order to feel better about themselves. The shame is that very often their poor animals are the first to suffer because they are soft targets and cannot fight back. Continue Reading

Heres a cautionary tale of why too much exercise worsens bad behaviour in dogs and creates a cycle of hyperactivity:

Wiz the Border Collie was in big trouble for his bad behaviour.
“I can’t keep him if he’s like this,” said Matt, his owner, “You see my wife says he goes or I do!” … tears welled, “But he’s my mate and I’ll do anything to get him right.”
Wiz never heard a word because he was too busy spinning and barking hysterically at the monkeys which had come to raid my kitchen - and when they left to break into the house next door, Wiz was so into Hip-hop-howl, Rap ‘n Yap mode, he hadn’t noticed them leave so Matt ‘took charge’ and the game was really on …  the more he screamed, “No!” the more Wiz heard, “Go!”
“See what I mean!” yelled Matt, “And our garden looks like a meteor site because he never rests!” Continue Reading

Watch this video. Its taken in the Columbia Zoo, and it shows a fully grown male lion kissing and hugging his human mom who rescued him when he was a baby. Continue Reading

Is it cruel to keep big dogs in small gardens? My answer may just surprise you! I wonder why we South Africans think our dogs should have a ‘farm’ or  their own private air field on which to fly around all day? Seems most dog owners believe wide open spaces are the cure for all problems including digging, hyperactivity, messing on the driveway …  and probably wind too. Well coincidently, this may be partially true only because, spread out over a large area, I suppose one wouldn’t really notice a few holes or an odd poop here or there. But a Cure All?  Definitely not…In fact, extreme exercise is the primary cause of most bad behaviour in the first place. The more exercise the big dog gets, the more the big dog wants, and the more trouble he gets into  …  sort of like marathon runners who need a regular fix or they go cold turkey  …  it’s true. Continue Reading

This Q&A deals with weaning 5 week old kittens and training them for the litter box. Continue Reading

It seems owners of disruptive pets are usually unaware of the disharmony caused by their animals. And dogs must top this list of the most troublesome species. The most common canine problem seems to be incessant barking at night and keeping the neighbourhood awake. Coming in a close second has to be incessant barking during the day while owners are work which is just as unsettling, especially for shift workers or those studying or working from home. Dogs also cause life threatening hazards by running onto public roads, for whatever reason, and biting innocent people there, attacking other dogs and causing vehicle accidents. Continue Reading