The home of Dr Platzhund
Puppy socialization classes has been in the media and on the lips of everyone involved in canine activities for over two decades. While those pet owners who fail to socialize, let alone train, their dogs live their lives expounding excuses for their animals’ unruly, unpredictable and unsociable behaviour – and they will, out of sheer […]
Teaching Pets Life Skills Read More »
Dogs live in a linear hierarchy system similar to army rankings or the human caste system of certain cultures. Dogs are, instinctively, not adapted to the democratic approach meted out by most pet owners. Doting animal lovers feel that all their dogs should be treated equally because “shame” why pat the one and not the
The hierarchy system of dogs Read More »
White animals seem to engender an aesthetic attraction of purity and cleanliness amongst pet owners. Nature does bestow on white animals an alarming beauty. Lovely to look at these animals are, by nature, absent of pigment and may not really be classified as albinos. Deafness affects 80% of white cats. The disadvantages of owning a
What it involves in being white Read More »
Very few people fail to respond in an emotional way to the approach, presence or playful antics of a friendly companion animal. An interesting social phenomenon is the effect pet animals frequently have on the social communication between two or more people. Pets have the ability to act as ‘social facilitators’ often helping to initiate
Pets As Social Catalysts Read More »
There are numerous considerations when travelling around with your canine companion in your vehicle –it could be a prized pooch as a passenger in a Porsche or a “brakkie” locked up at the back of a bakkie. Not all dogs take readily to riding in a car. Some can be violently ill from car sickness
Canine Car Companion Read More »
There is an impression that cats are nothing more than small dogs when it comes to the public consideration for nutritional requirements, behaviour and medication. Although cats and dogs are both carnivores, cats are at the highest evolutionary level from a predatory carnivorous diet’s point of view whereas dogs are more versatile as predators and
Cats are not small dogs Read More »
When any dog is noticed wandering in the street or on the pavement there are numerous factors to be taken in to serious consideration. Are you driving in a rabies endemic area? Will the dog bite me? How do I find its owner? What is the law regarding stray dogs? Every stray dog should immediately
Picking Up A Stray Dog Read More »
Over the past three decades there has been an emergence of a wide variety of animal behaviour and animal-related charlatans. There used to be a national roving dog psychologist who diagnosed every behaviour disorder of dogs to be attributed to hunger. If a dog chased motor cars it was hungry. If a dog bit children
Animal Behaviour Charlatans Read More »
In order to prevent disease and death amongst birds kept under high density in aviaries the aviculturist needs to understand certain basic principles of how the avian species falls ill and the best way to prevent such tragedies. People can spread disease to birds in aviaries by carrying the infection directly from an infected bird,
Disease Prevention in Aviaries Read More »
There is one characteristic that prevails with canine aggression and that is people lack the knowledge and ability to communicate effectively with dogs. The constant miscommunication is unfortunate considering that man has lived alongside their canine companions for more than twelve thousand years. Although humans are regarded having superior intellect, this concept falls completely by
What Dog Owners Do to Make Their Pets Aggressive Read More »