The reality is very different. Like children, dogs are a true blessing, gift and a privilege. With it comes responsibility not only for its psychological and behavioral development, but the financial means in which to achieve that.

Love and enjoy your best friend as your would your favorite car
This might sound unbelievable and intimidating, but in a dog’s lifespan it will likely cost you a minimum of R220,000; the value of a car. The cost of owning a dog is an inconvenient truth. As humans, we attempt to deny and avoid inconvenient truths, even if they stare us square in the face. I am not discouraging you from getting a dog, but if you are already investing so much hard earned money into your best canine friend, why not apply your paradigm to one suggesting “what can I do to get the best for and out of my dog?”. Consider your dog as you would your most cherished vehicle. Remember your first car; you thought long and hard about getting it. Visualized the amazing journeys and places it would take you. You researched features, weighed up pros and cons, and test drove the concept of it. You investigated the on going running/maintenance costs, and consulted your monthly budget/insurance plan. You obtained a license to drive it. Everyday you took care of it, cleaned it, had it serviced regularly. You protected it from scratches or damage and in return she was your reliable companion, transporting you through some of the most memorable adventures of your life.

Basic financial breakdown of dog ownership
These figures do not take into account inflation:
Breeder/adoption fee (R500 – R12,000); basic Veterinary checkups (R400 – R1,200 p/a); inoculations (R200 p/a); food (R4,600-R13,200 p/a); bowls/bedding (R500< p/a); toys (R200 – R6,000 p/a); training and/or doggie day care (R3,000 – R14,000 p/a); pet medical insurance (R1,600 – R2,000 p/a); professional behavioral rehabilitation/training if required (R800 – R35,000).

Insure your pet, as you would your car
Pet medical insurance is an extremely valuable investment, at around just R165 p/m. New puppy owners will spend an average of R16,000 on veterinary bills alone within the first 2 years of their dog’s life.

How many dogs should I own?

Clients often ask me if they should get an extra dog as company for their existing one. In many cases I would suggest not to. The reasons are as follows: When you have a single dog and it’s at home waiting for you, you feel guilty staying away too long. You are more inclined to take it for a walk in the park or run down the road. You might take it to a restaurant with you or to visit your folks and their dogs or possibly utilize the services of a Doggie Day Care. The crux is simply this: two dogs locked in the garden for days is the same as one dog left alone. Dogs are a big investment and I strongly urge having fewer, or possibly just one. Focus on accomplishing an amazing job with a manageable number of dogs, as opposed to owning 5 shelter dogs with the short lived happy feeling of saving a life. Imagine a dogs perspective; being stuck away in a yard for the majority of their lives is still just a giant kennel or prison. Your best friend needs a walk and adventure every day, same as you do.

Feeding my dog the best
No doubt, you are particular about the quality of fuel and oil for your car. I recommend that you place your dog onto an organic, cooked diet instead of dry food processed food. A well maintained animal, like your car, will survive healthier for longer, look better, smell better and run better than one poorly cared for.

Every year we hear stories of owners dumping their dogs on the street or at a shelter because they are going on holiday and do not wish to pay the kennel fee (or on going costs of the dog).

I encourage you to share this article with your friends and family, educate them about the accounting of owning a dog and at the same time plan the amazing adventures with your best and well cared for friend.

Ingredients:

• One onion chopped finely
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 4 stalks of celery chopped finely
• 2 cups of grated baby carrot (they’re sweet and flavourful!)
• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup of white wine
• 1 tin of lentils drained and rinsed
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 500g of spagetti cooked according to the instructions on the packet

Method:

On the stove, add some olive oil to a pot, add in the onions and cook on a low heat for around 20 minutes until they are soft and fragrant. Add the garlic, carrots and celery, stir and cook for a further 10 minutes. Add in the tomatoes and the wine, bring to the boil and simmer lightly on a low heat for around an hour (yes this is a long time, but the flavours are amazing!).

When you are ready to serve, add the lentils to the sauce (because they come from a tin and are pre-cooked, if you simmer them for too long they will break up and become mushy). Bring the sauce back up to a simmer for 5 minutes.

Combine the sauce and the pasta and sprinkle lots of parsley over it before serving.

Sponsored by Vegan-a-licious

One such storm is the current continued defamatory attacks from the NSPCA. While pulling together all the  evidence defending these allegations I came across all the letters of appreciation and acknowledgement of assistance from the different charities and shelters including the SPCA and AACL. These organizations are as follows:
(They are listed in alphabetical order. The evidence has been verified and authenticated by authorized third party members.)

• 4Paws
• Animal Ambulance
• Barking Mad
• CLAW – Community Lead Animal Welfare
• Domestic Animal Care – Ellen Dunning
• Free Me – rescue, rehabilitate, release
• Husky Rescue
• Irwin Animal Rescue
• Petsave
• Puppy Haven
• Paws and Prayers
• Southern Cross
• The Cat Samaritan
• The Jane Goodall Institute SA
• The Ultimate Charity Fund Raiser
• Wet Nose Animal Rescue Center

The laws in the US are very different to here in South Africa. As was explained to me by David Dikeman from his personal experience, a famous and world renowned international dog trainer. People can easily be sued in the US. If an incident occurs where a person was trained by a particular method, that person who trained them could get sued directly or indirectly through another case. In essence, things can get really messy.

For this reason, on the Cesar’s Way website, I am shown to not be affiliated with him.

As I state on my website, I was never trained by Cesar Millan. However, I was given the pleasure of spending a couple of days with him and had the opportunity to write about that experience and clear up much of the negative media that surrounded him at the time. Just as I have had the pleasure of spending time and interviewing many famous dog trainers.

In that time I was able to demonstrate part of my competence and abilities with the different CMI members. Based on this, members of the public who are in need are referred to me through the Cesar’s way website as a solution option. Click on the link here. to download and view such an example of the recommendation. Due to confidentiality, the particulars members described in the email example have been blanked out. However, this email has been verified and authenticated by authorized third party members.

When professionals make mistakes

I explained to my mother that she must not be angry at the NSPCA, that is is only a few bad seeds that is orchestrating these attacks of propaganda and speculation. I reassured her that the people that volunteer, the inspectors and ground staff are good and caring people. That I had the pleasure of working with them first hand on several occasions across the country and that their essence and values is not the representation of the few senior individuals that are responsible for the attacks.

A good friend of mine who is a long time standing volunteer at the SPCA, aids in training dogs and had the  privilege of spending time with me and “D” wrote the following testimonial to me:
(Due to censorship, the person’s particulars have been omitted but that the testimonial has been verified by 3rd party officials)

“I first spent time with James & his dogs (Ceez & D) as well as a client’s dog (Princess) from 9th December to 11th December 2011 and there were no issues while on walks or at the house as they all follow James’ leadership and calm energy therefore they are always calm. Note, these three dogs (Ceez, D & Princess) are all Rottweiler’s, I wasn’t worried about being out with them or them hurting anyone as none of them showed any signs to raise concern.

I also spent time with James & his dogs (Ceez & D) from 31st December 2011 to 8th January 2012. There were also two client’s dogs (Vicky & Enzo) at James’ house while I was there so I saw him interact with his dogs and his client’s dogs. We went on walks everyday (to either the beach or forest park – The Glen), this allowed me to see James working with the dogs in an environment other than his home. I remember the last day I was there (8th January 2011), James and I took the dogs (Ceez & D) to the forest park (The Glen) where we played fetch with the dogs. There were other people in the park, including a family with small children who were playing near us. The children were playing cricket and making a noise as children do (laughing and screaming as they were excited with the game they were playing), both dogs showed no interest in them and continued to play fetch with us.

The time I spent with D allowed me to see his true nature – a loving, friendly dog who loves to play fetch. I never saw anything in D’s nature that would raise concern as he is a calm dog who doesn’t get excited easily and I don’t believe he would ever hurt anyone. I have been on a number of walks with D in different environments and he’s not interested in the other people or dogs, he stays next to you and just enjoys his walk with you. I spent time alone with him in James’ house as James was out with a client and I had no problems with D and note that D doesn’t know me, he curled up next to me and fell asleep.

While at James’s house, I witnessed no abuse (verbal or physical), only calm energy which the dogs responded to. It was great being around dogs that were calm and dogs that are part of the family as James is constantly working with them 24/7, so James would know of any issues a dog would have. James exercises the dogs every day, they go for walks to a variety of places (the beach/forest/park/ nature reserve), if James is unable to take them out for a walk, he will put them on the trend mills in his clinic so they still get their daily exercise. This is of great benefit to the dogs as I know from experience with my dog, when he doesn’t go for a run/walk, he is hyper and tends to jump up at me because he wants to run/play and get rid of his pent up energy.

James also gives the dogs supplements in their food according to each dog’s issues (i.e. Weight loss, problems with joints etc.) so he is pays careful attention to each dog as no dog is the same and each dog’s individual needs are met. The dogs are also bathed and brushed regularly which they thoroughly enjoy. James addresses any issue that the owner has with their dog/s, as well as pointing out other ones the owner might not be aware as James wants the best for the dogs and their owners.

I have had dogs my whole life (28 years so far) and can’t imagine a day without a dog. With my most recent dog (? – a pit bull mix), I was advised to take him to training and socialise him with other dogs to ensure that he would get on well with other dogs. I have spent 3 years training him and continue to train him regularly as I’ve seen the benefit of training, it gives him structure and he loves to work. ? is a dog who gets excited very easily and jumps on people when they come to visit, I noticed straight away how ? responded to James’ calm energy and didn’t jump up at James. James offered to come on a walk with us (? & I) and help as he knew I was getting frustrated and therefore ? was also getting frustrated and we weren’t enjoying our (? & I) walks together. Walking with your dog is meant to be quality time together but it was becoming an unenjoyable chore. ? tends to pull when on lead and bark at other dogs. With James’ assistance, ? didn’t pull and wasn’t concerned about other dogs (I saw the difference within 10 mins) which made the walk more enjoyable. I have seen James’ techniques first hand, he doesn’t shout or hit the dog, he simply corrects their behaviour by projecting calm energy to let the dog know he is in control and that the dog can look to James for guidance if the dog is unsure in any situation. James will apply a small ‘nip/bite’ with his hand on the dog or a gentle tug of the lead to let the dog know that he is displaying incorrect behaviour which James catches early and doesn’t allow it to escalate, teaching the dog that this isn’t the correct behaviour.

I volunteered at my local SPCA while I was in high school. I would walk the dogs, assist visitors to the SPCA to find a dog suitable for them and help at their family fun days to raise funds. We (family & friends) also arranged fundraisers for the SPCA. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to volunteer anymore but still support them with donations. I have personally adopted 3 animals from this SPCA (2 dogs and 1 cat). So I have a very good relationship with my local SPCA (for thepast 15 years) and it is still on going.”

I, like many other professionals, state that you must always be comfortable with who you wish to work with. You should research their work with an open mind, viewing the testimonials and speaking to them or friends who have experienced their work. Some cases may require seeing a couple of different people. This is because each person has a different approach and the human develops their understanding and confidence with each experience.

On occasion I get criticized for not being a member of an accredited animal behavioural body in South Africa.

Organizations recommended for animal professionals in SA are not statutory bodies and any courses offered are predominantly via correspondence.

Technically, the only accredited professional in medical and behaviorism is a veterinarian who undergoes full time training which covers ethology under a statutory body and or university institute.

As quoted from the International Association for Canine Professionals website:

“The evolving nature of canine training has made it difficult to create a national standard to evaluate trainers and methods of training. The number of diverse training philosophies and the required skill to effectively use them has contributed to this lack of standardization. Unlike many skills, animal training can not by synthesized into a rote performance because every animal is different: canine training may be more accurately called an art, accomplished with certain skills of application depending on the animal involved.

There are currently no nationally recognized criteria for standards of experience, education, recognition, or performance based results used by any organization when testing or determining what title of certification to award. This means that certifications may now reflect only the criteria of the issuing organization, with no basis of comparison of the trainer’s level of skill or knowledge between organizations.”

My competency is acknowledged in numerous testimonials that can be found on the web and I have been assessed and approved by Vets, Animal Welfare Shelters, Trainers and Animal Inspectors that I have worked with.

A dog does not ask if you have a doctorate from Harvard, or a Veterinarian science qualification. What he asks is if you have the correct energy with whom he can communicate with and follow. Like in the medical field, we have GPs, specialists, researchers and technicians. Each person we see for different things, with each one working in conjunction with the other when they feel that a particular domain is out of their specialization. The same applies to canine training, understanding and rehabilitation.

Work with who you personally feel comfortable with after engaging, researching and conversing with. A true leader will not criticize or dis-credit another.

• a Friend
• a Therapy Dog
• a Service Dog
• a Healer
• a Rehabilitator
• an Educator
• a National Hero

“We thank you for your love and dedication to your duties.”

Below is a video timeline of some D’s contributions.

A good friend reminded me of something earlier:
“He was there to help you. It’s sad, but dogs don’t view it as sad or heroic, they just view it as their contribution.”

In dedication to D’s memory, sacrifice and contribution, I shall be making a Guinness Book of records attempt. To de-shed, brush, wash, groom and dry the most amount of dogs within 24 hours. This shall be done to raise funds for a shelter as well as part of the continued awareness campaign of how D helped dogs in shelters. It is my hope that shelters would be able to utilize this technique of  de-shedding, brush, wash, groom and dry a dog in 5-7 minutes as a means of helping take care of animals as well as provide them with love, affection and treatment at the same time.

If you are a shelter or know of a shelter that would like to be a part of and benefit from this cause then please have them contact us. We would need 150 – 220 dogs for the 24 hours marathon. If your shelter doesn’t have that many dogs, don’t worry, you can arrange members of the public or local vets to bring theirs.

A letter to the community,

The accident which transpired on 11 January 2012 was a most tragic occurrence.

As a compassionate member of the community, I can state with the heaviest of hearts that I am labouring under severe personal anguish. I understand the pain of the little girl, her family and everyone who is directly involved or in otherwise supporting roles. I am only human, but I am humble and caring and request that you find it in yourself to understand my pain as well.

“D” has been registered as a Service Dog and had accompanied me on many excursions. I do not have an explanation for what happened. Following the stress of the prior incident (July 2011), which has affected me greatly, I have spent hours on the beach or in the reserves with my dog(s), in order to mend our wounds and work on “D’s” temperament.

Based on the consultations with a Veterinary Doctor, and on my own professional observations, it appeared the dog, “D”, (who had been physically beaten at the time by panicking bystanders), was completely recovered from the trauma of July 2011. Never would I have imagined that this incident could come to pass. Perhaps it could be said that I put too much trust into this animal, being unable to read his mind or question him directly, but I am whole heartedly prepared to proceed responsibly.

The dog, “D”, is insured and therefore, where the little girl is concerned, disadvantages such as emotional and physical therapy will be covered. My approach is founded on integrity and a strict code of ethics, and we extend our support to the family and the community in every way.

“D” has also been vaccinated and, following the previous incident (in 2011) he underwent rigorous rehabilitation. In addition, this was corroborated by various Psychological Behavioural Specialists. It was concluded that unpredictable incidences (i.e. 11 January 2012) can and do occur, irrespective of the stability of the home environment of the animal in question.

“D” is part of a loving family. He receives much exercise, mental stimulation, a healthy diet, and always show only the most affectionate aspect of his personality and I truly believed that this positive association was a direct result of the care given by us. “D” came to me for rehabilitation, already scarred by an incident in his formative years. Without a definitive understanding of his brain, the only understanding we can conclude upon, is that he suffers from some sort of neurological trigger, perhaps relating to his youth. Despite this, “D” is special and we accept and love him dearly.

Today, based on our respect towards the affected family and child, and to everyone member of the community, “D’s” I, along with the rest of “D’s” family, have decided to have him privately euthanized. May his soul rest and remain in peace. We hope that all the wounds created from this tragic accident will heal over time.

Sincerely
James Lech, and Family

These statements are false. There is email history, live events, witnesses, sms history, issued dog training license, radio, magazine publications and TV show recordings evidence that in fact support that I have personally donated and spent hours upon hours assisting both organizations in fund raising and education. This evidence has been forwarded to our advisors who shall be engaging the matter further.

My mother recently commented to me the following:
“if all these organizations are standing today and stating such unfair comments about my son in a negative energy of creation and they are calling themselves the leaders and have the voice to judge? People who are leaders are positive people, people of creation of mutual balance and creation. However, what I have been experiencing are attacks. Who says that they are leaders in helping animals, how are they able then to display so much negativity, these people calling themselves a leader, calling themselves a governing body, these people are owned to the society of positive energy creation and finding the solution to positive energy creation to a mutual understanding going forward. This is not what my son was been born with, raised and learnt at university. This may be the reason why my son did not register himself to affiliate with organizations with emotions of self-defense and aggression.”

My focus and passion has always and will always be to assist animals and human beings. To assist in cases where canine professionals state that nothing can be done and that there is no hope. I follow my passion in efforts to unite animal support professionals and organizations. To bind together, share and learn from each other. Not to fight, discredit, or project abuse one another.