Animal Think Tank / Fluffs-n-Tufts

10/06/2026

Bring your dogs to Animal Think Tank in Magaliessig Sandton and have fun in our Sniffari park

Fourth Domain: Behavioral Interactions (with the environment)

Welfare Fun Fact💡
Competently navigating environmental obstacles is critically important for a range of exploratory, predatory, social, and hazard avoidance behaviors in canine behavioral ecology, helping dogs work their way through, up, over, onto, under, and around physical challenges with dynamic mind and muscle engagement for problem solving.

What does it look like?
Stepping up, jumping onto/ over, moving through/under, climbing, crawling, or balancing related to physical obstacles

How does obstacle navigation become a "behavior problem" in pet dogs?
Most dogs live a single-plane reality in pet homes, with few permissible chances to put their proprioception chops to the test. The average home might offer countless opportunities for canine parkour, between sofas, tables, counters, and beds, but most of these are far from favored furnishings for creative canine choreography.

Dogs are chastised or redirected to more "appropriate" locations to move and play.

Even on walks, most dogs move in a linear manner on flat ground with little variation. Given the motivation to interact with a physically interesting world as a curious and athletic animal capable of extraordinary feats of climbing, tunneling, jumping, and traversing, boring environments can set the stage for some "bad dog" shenanigans.

Welfare Hack 🚨
Provide and designate various levels and spaces inside the home for dogs to develop obstacle navigation skills. Dogscape your yard beyond flat grass using boulders, branches, nooks, and crannies. Encourage the use of walls, logs, and benches on walks. Get off the beaten path in nature where opportunities for physical adventure are extensive. Consider joining in yourself and rediscovering muscles you forgot existed.

Image commissioned by: Trick Woofs

10/06/2026

09/06/2026

One thing people don’t always realize about grooming?

Sometimes the biggest accomplishment isn’t the haircut.
It’s building trust.

Not every dog walks into the salon confident and relaxed. Some are nervous about dryers. Some hate having their feet touched. Some had a bad experience somewhere else. Some are just puppies trying to figure out the world.

So a lot of grooming is actually about reading body language and helping dogs feel safe.

Sometimes that means slowing down.
Taking breaks.
Talking softly.
Changing our approach.
Or deciding that emotional comfort matters more than getting a “perfect” haircut that day.

Because the goal isn’t just getting through the appointment.
The goal is helping your dog learn that grooming doesn’t have to be scary.
And honestly, owners who consistently bring nervous dogs in — even when it’s hard — are doing something really important. Repeated calm experiences help dogs build confidence over time.

That patience and consistency truly matters more than you know. 🐶💕

08/06/2026

Mathew Tembo started with us in 2012 at our Eccleston Crescent property when we operated as Animal Think Tank / Fluffs-n-Tufts, where he assisted with our daycare services. In 2015, he relocated with us to 138 Bryanston Drive when we expanded to include boarding kennels alongside our daycare facility. During this time, Mathew lived on the property and took on a pivotal role as manager, trainer, and caregiver. He was instrumental in the day-to-day operations and became known for his exceptional dedication, reliability, and genuine love for the animals in
his care.

He continued in this capacity until 2018, when the property owner made the decision to sell. Throughout his time with us, Mathew consistently demonstrated strong leadership, a calm and patient approach to animal handling, and an unwavering commitment to maintaining high standards of care. He built trusting relationships with clients and their pets alike, contributing significantly to the reputation and success of the Bryanston branch.

Mathew moved across with us to our Sangster Road branch, overseeing the careful transition of all the dogs from Bryanston Drive, and continued to play an integral role within Animal Think Tank. He now manages the Little Dog Village and the Cattery, while also caring for our rabbits and our 13 feral cats. In each of these areas, he maintains the same high level of dedication, compassion, and attention to detail that he consistently demonstrated at Bryanston Drive.

His ability to ensure the wellbeing of a wide variety of animals, combined with his strong organisational and leadership skills, has made him an invaluable member of our team.

Mathew is also a dedicated and highly capable trainer. He runs puppy training classes at Riverclub Veterinary Clinic, as well as Newbie classes at our Sangster Road branch. Mathew is also proficient in T-Touch.

In addition, he offers private training both on-site and in clients’ homes, approaching each session with the same professionalism, patience, and commitment. His deep understanding of animal behaviour, coupled with his calm and empathetic manner, has helped countless pet owners build strong,
positive relationships with their animals.

04/06/2026

June is National Cancer Survivor Month; a time to honor every fighter, human and furry alike 🐾💪

To the ones who battled bravely, the ones who still fight, and the ones we hold in our hearts, your courage inspires hope that never fades 💜✨

Together, we stand stronger; for healing, for love, for life.

03/06/2026

🐾 There are many dogs who love to play with other dogs. Most of the time these may be dogs that the dog sees regularly and knows, but some adult dogs do not enjoy interactions with every dog they see.

Socialisation isn’t about every dog playing together or always getting along. It has become a very loosely used word that technically describes a specific period of puppyhood development.

Puppies approach interactions quite differently than adult dogs because they’re at a different stage of development, and are naturally more social butterflies. However, as they grow up (like we do) and reach social maturity, somewhere between one and three years old, some dogs start to socially decline and become more dog selective or dog tolerant.

A few become dog intolerant and prefer no strange dogs at all. Not all dogs want another dog’s nose up their bum.

👨‍🦰Many people believe that all dogs should be friendly and get along. Unfortunately, stereotypes from dog park culture and social media often reinforce this idea. As a result, dog guardians may unintentionally push their dogs into interactions with others in public, often saying, ‘Don’t worry, my dog is friendly’…

This can be both frustrating and unsafe, especially when an on-lead dog is approached boisterously by an off-lead dog. These situations can lead to negative interactions, as the on-lead dog may feel trapped and unable to move freely or express their body language clearly.

💥Long before a dog avoids another dog or lashes out, they usually give quieter signals that they’re uncomfortable. Watch for lip licks, turning the head away, yawning, a stiff or low tail, or freezing on the spot. Most people miss these because they’re waiting for the dramatic stuff. If those early signs are ignored, that’s often when a dog moves on to avoiding or reacting.

How would you feel if a stranger walked up and cuddled you? I don’t know about you, but that’s not something I would enjoy. Not all dogs like to greet or be greeted, and this goes both ways. Even a friendly dog can find a greeting overwhelming.

If you have a dog who does not like interacting with dogs they don’t know (especially while on leash) - that’s ok!

Your dog is allowed to feel this way!

Be your dog’s advocate and tell the other dog guardian to not approach you with their dog. This is being proactive, and preventing your dog from being in a situation that may cause them distress.

Additionally, if you know your dog doesn’t like dogs approaching them, manage your environment by choosing quieter areas, using distance, or positioning yourself between your dog and others to help them feel more secure. Ask for space early, while there’s still a good gap between you. Creating distance at twenty metres is easy. At three metres it’s a scramble.

❗️It is important to not allow your dog to get into the habit of greeting every dog that you walk past because:

• One day you may walk past a dog who doesn’t like being greeted which could cause your dog to get lunged at.

• It puts them at risk as you may not be able to tell if that dog is a good match in temperament for your dog.

• You don’t know if the other dog may have had a negative experience in interacting with other dogs.

• It may cause long-term nervousness if your dog is constantly being snapped at by other dogs which may lead to your dog becoming reactive.

🐕Creating space will help with making your dog or the other dog feel safe, just in case the other dog lunges. If a dog starts to approach you in the street, cross the road to the other side.

www.seespotlearn.co.nz 🐾
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03/06/2026

Little Dog Village fun 🐕☀️❤️

02/06/2026

Tofam has been a valued member of the Animal Think Tank team since 2017. Tofam has always loved animals, especially cats and dogs, and his favourite is a Shar-Peis. Since childhood he wanted to work with animals, and his multi-country experience includes both rural and urban environments.

Tofam currently specializes as a Kennel Hand and Groomer, with a passion for understanding animal behaviour. His favourite thing is playing with the dogs, becoming well versed in each dog’s personality, and seeing them create their own doggie friendships.

Dogs that have more complex backgrounds or challenges are where Tofam gets to use his strongest skills and he is gifted in this area. He understands dogs and cats, and their language very well, and is proficient in T-Touch. Stimulating the animal’s own wellbeing and nurturing their development is an ongoing priority. Tofam has had an extensive journey with animals, and enjoys grooming dogs, cats and even rabbits.

He is multi-lingual, and an expert at building relationships with all pets, and their owners. Going home after a busy day knowing that the daycare dogs have had a fun, educational and bonding time, and that the boarding dogs are safe and sound for the night, is very rewarding.

In the future Tofam’s goals include further expanding his animal first-aid knowledge, and there’s no doubt he will go from strength to strength at Animal Think Tank.