Mientjie Kleinhans

Q & A: Focus during training

Q: How can I keep my dog’s attention during training? A: First, we need to establish why your dog is unable to sustain longer periods of concentration, and change the contextual training details, so that he can. Here are some tips to consider: Are your criteria for what constitutes a short or long concentration span […]

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Play fetch with your dog

No need to get bored, there are a few games that you can play with your dog, like playing fetch. You can even play the game inside your home. Fetch seems to be the most natural game to play with your dog – a game that only requires a ball or a toy. Ensure that

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Ask Patches – butt naked

Butt naked Dear Patches, This has been an extremely cold winter and I’ve been wearing my favourite jackets for warmth and comfort every day. Now that the days are warming up, my mom keeps removing my jacket during the day. I feel so naked! Mom says that my skin has to breathe and that I

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Q & A: Hoarding treats

Q: Sometimes my dog buries his treats. Is this normal? A: This is called hoarding and is an instinctive, survival behaviour that originates from a dog’s ancestors. These dogs did not have access to regular food and would bury some of it for times when food was in short supply. Dogs in the wild would

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The role of treats in training

When you train your dog, there is no doubt that you will need treats to reward him for his hard work. But certain questions often arise about the treats we use while training. This article will address some of those questions. 1. What is the ideal size of treats used in training? The size needs

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Ask Patches – hostile takeover

Ask Patches is a tongue-in-cheek series where pets ask questions and get these quirky answers from Patches. The information is for entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be taken to heart. Murky waters Dear Patches, I live in a huge tank with two other fish. We are generally happy and well fed. But we struggle to

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Recall training

A reliable recall is one of the most important things to teach your pup, to the point where it can even save his life if you ever need to call him back to you, away from a potentially dangerous situation. Consider the following scenarios: Your dog accidentally gets out of the gate and takes off.

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Partnership to protect rhinos

With conservation efforts more vital than ever, CHEP, a supply chain solutions company, partnered with Wildlife ACT to protect Africa’s iconic and endangered species, the rhino. This collaboration not only aligns with CHEP’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives but also reinforces the company’s deep-rooted commitment to environmental sustainability. Together, they are working to safeguard the

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Q & A: No privacy allowed

Q: Why do my dogs insist on following me into the bathroom? A: Having a dog means you never have to visit the bathroom alone again and, according to some dogs, it’s the perfect place for an intimate family meeting. But why would dogs want to share such a private place with you anyway? Humour

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