Kalmpets

06/06/2025

🌧🐾 Toilet Training Troubles in Winter? You're Not Alone! 🐾🌧

If your dog’s toilet training seems to have taken a step backwards recently, winter weather might be the culprit.

Cold, wet, windy or frosty mornings can make even the most well-trained dogs reluctant to head outside. Add shorter daylight hours and slippery ground, and it’s no wonder some dogs are hesitant — or holding on until it’s too late!

💡Tips to help:
✅ Make toilet trips quick and easy: open doors, use umbrellas, or clear a patch of dry ground.
✅ Keep a consistent schedule, even on cold days.
✅ Offer plenty of praise and rewards for braving the weather.
✅ Dress your dog in a warm coat if needed – it makes a difference!

If the accidents are becoming regular or your dog seems distressed, it’s worth checking in with your vet or behaviour consultant to rule out medical issues or underlying anxiety.

Hang in there – spring will come! 🌱



If your dog’s toilet training seems to have taken a step backward recently, winter weather might be the culprit.

06/05/2025

🐾 Secondhand Smoke and Your Dog’s Behaviour: What You Should Know 🐾

A recent study published by M Alaie et cal explores the impact of secondhand smoke on pets. Their research suggests that exposure to environmental cigarette smoke may contribute to increased anxiety, fear, and even aggression in dogs, while also affecting their trainability and activity levels.

For pet owners, small changes, like stepping outside to smoke or designating smoke-free areas, can help create a healthier environment for pets. Raising awareness about these effects is a valuable step toward improving the well-being of animals living in smoking households.

By understanding how everyday choices impact our pets, we can make informed decisions to support their long-term health and happiness. 🐶💙

Graphic used with thanks to .alaee_pets

01/05/2025

🦴 Why Dogs Need to Chew – And How Digestive Support Helps 🐾

Did you know chewing isn’t just a fun pastime for dogs – it’s essential to their physical and emotional wellbeing?

New research shows that dogs need to chew for reasons far beyond entertainment: ✔ Supports dental health
✔ Aids digestion & gut motility
✔ Reduces stress & anxiety
✔ Boosts focus, learning & cognitive health

In fact, chewing activates the rest-and-digest system, helping dogs self-regulate their emotions and feel calm. But if your dog eats only processed kibble, they’re likely missing out on this critical natural behaviour.

✨ Enter CaniNectar – a gentle, natural digestive supplement made from artisan malted barley. Rich in enzymes, B vitamins and antioxidants, it supports healthy digestion and a balanced microbiome, helping your dog get the most out of their food and chewing habits.

🐶 Healthy gut = happier brain = calmer, more content dog.

👉 Pair appropriate chews with digestive support for a holistic approach to canine wellbeing.
Because a healthy dog starts from the inside out.

📚 Backed by science. Loved by dogs.

Did you know chewing isn’t just a fun pastime for dogs – it’s essential to their physical and emotional well-being?aryScience

Recent scientific research has shed light on a fundamental canine behaviour that many dog owners might take for granted: chewing.

29/04/2025

Did you know dogs can smile too? 🐶😊

While it’s not quite the same as a human grin, many dogs show happiness with a soft, relaxed face, slightly open mouth, and a gentle wag of the tail. Some even lift their lips in a way that looks just like a cheeky smile!

Have you caught your dog smiling like our friend Penny? Share a photo with us! 📸

24/04/2025

🎶 Let’s talk about... HUM-PING, baby! 🎶
Let’s talk about dogs and knees,
Let’s talk about all the good things and the weird things that may be...
Let’s talk about hu***ng! 🐾😉

We get it......it can be awkward. But hu***ng isn’t always about making puppies. In fact, dogs hump for lots of reasons, and most of them have nothing to do with s*x at all!

Here’s what might really be going on:

🕺 Play and Excitement – Dogs often hump during high-energy play. It’s not rude, it’s just... enthusiasm overload.
😬 Stress or Anxiety – Some dogs hump when they’re feeling a bit on edge. It’s like their version of biting their nails.
🐶 Social and Emotional Arousal – Not that kind of arousal! It just means they’re amped up, emotionally, physically, or socially.
🙃 Learned Behaviour – If it worked for attention before, your dog might think it’s a great party trick.

So, no need to be embarrassed, it’s totally normal dog behaviour. But if it’s becoming a bit much, or your dog is targeting people or other pets, it might be time to work with a behaviour professional.

Let’s talk about what your dog’s really saying with those hips. 💃🐕

21/04/2025

🎾🐶 Should dogs bring their toys to the park? It might be best to leave them at home!

While bringing a favourite toy may seem fun, it can actually lead to tension between dogs. Here's why:

Some dogs aren’t good at sharing, and that’s okay! But toys can create conflict when others try to join in.

Resource guarding can occur when a dog becomes possessive of their precious possession.

Competition and overexcitement can quickly turn a fun game into a scuffle.

Dog parks are shared spaces, and keeping personal toys at home helps create a more relaxed, safe environment for all pups to enjoy.

18/04/2025

🌼🐰 Wishing all our wonderful clients and their pets a safe and happy Easter!

Please remember: chocolate is toxic to dogs, so be sure to keep all those Easter treats well out of reach. Enjoy the long weekend and give your pets some extra cuddles from us!

17/04/2025

🦴 Why does your dog chew, lick, or mouth constantly? It might be oral stimming.

Just like people use repetitive behaviours to self-soothe, dogs may chew, lick, suck, or mouth objects (or themselves!) to regulate their emotions or cope with stress and boredom.

Oral stimming can be:
🔹 A natural stress-reliever
🔹 A sign your dog needs more enrichment
🔹 A coping tool for anxiety or over-arousal

While some mouthing and chewing is completely normal, excessive behaviours (like constant licking, sucking on blankets, or chewing objects obsessively) can be a red flag for unmet behavioural or emotional needs.

🐾 Try:
✅ Food puzzles or long-lasting chews
✅ Lick mats or frozen enrichment treats
✅ Calming routines and sensory breaks

If your dog’s oral habits are escalating, it might be time to look deeper at their environment and behaviour. We can help you make sense of it all.

🧠 Behaviour matters... even when it’s just a little lick.

14/04/2025

🐾 Did you know your dog hears the world in high definition? 🐶
Dogs can hear sounds at frequencies up to 65,000 Hz, compared to just 20,000 Hz in humans. That means they can detect sounds far beyond our hearing range...like the high-pitched squeak of a toy before you even hear it!

They can also pinpoint the direction of a sound much faster than we can, which is why your dog might bark at something you didn’t even notice.

So next time your dog reacts to a “nothing” sound remember, their world is full of audio cues we can’t detect. Their hearing superpower helps them explore, play and stay safe.

🔊 Let us know: What’s the weirdest thing your dog has reacted to that you couldn’t hear?

03/04/2025

🐾 Understanding Your Dog’s Behaviour: It’s All About the Context! 🐾

When it comes to animal behaviour, context is EVERYTHING. 🧐 Dogs don't just "act out" for no reason—they’re communicating with us, whether it’s anxiety, excitement, fear, or something else entirely.

As Veterinary Behaviour Consultants, one of the first things we do is look at the bigger picture: What’s going on in the environment? What might be triggering certain behaviours? Sometimes, the answer lies in subtle changes, like a new person or sound in the house, or even changes in routine.

Understanding your dog’s context can help us pinpoint the root causes of their behaviour and guide us in creating an effective plan for change. Every dog is unique, and their behaviours are often a reflection of their experiences and emotions.

Let’s keep learning together and support our dogs through every twist and turn of their journey! 🐾💙

03/04/2025

🐾 Patient Spotlight: Dash’s Journey to Confidence! 🐾

Dash has been on a marathon of progress, and we couldn’t be prouder of how far he’s come! 🚀

There have been many plan revisions along the way, but Dash is now striding forward...literally! Gone are the days of freezing and refusing to go on walks. He’s confidently hopping in and out of the car without fear, something that once felt impossible.

He’s still working on building confidence around strangers, but with the support of his dedicated humans, his world is expanding, and he’s embracing it one step at a time. 💪🐶

Every small win adds up, and Dash’s journey is proof that patience, persistence, and the right approach make all the difference. Keep going, Dash! 🖤✨

01/04/2025

🎉🐾 April Fools’ Day with Kalmpets! 🐾🎉

Happy April Fools’ Day, everyone! 😜 No tricks here, just a reminder that at Kalmpets, we’re all about real progress, real results, and REAL love for your pets! 💙

Today, we’re keeping things lighthearted, but in all seriousness, we know that behaviour change is no joke. Whether it’s barking, anxiety, or those quirky habits, we’re here to work with you and your pets to help them feel their best...pranks, just professional care. 🐶🐱

Here’s today’s joke to bring a smile to your face:
Why did the dog sit in the shade?
“Because he didn’t want to be a hot dog!” 🌭😂

Today, we’re keeping things lighthearted, but in all seriousness, we know that behaviour change is no joke. Whether it’s barking, anxiety, or those quirky habits, we’re here to work with you and your pets to help them feel their best...no no pranks, just professional care. 🐶🐱