No Fret Vet and Pet

Check out my latest blog post for We Love Pets SA
While you're at it, give them some love and support and follow them.

Is your friendly, playful dog actually as relaxed as they seem around a new pet?

It's one of the most common introduction mistakes: assuming an outgoing, well-meaning dog is automatically safe to give free access to. In reality, dogs who chase, fixate, block pathways or crowd a new companion aren't being "over-excited", they're telling us they need more structure.

The fix isn't punishment, it's management.

Gates, leashes, separate rooms and short calm sessions give dogs the framework they need to succeed, while everyone else in the home gets to feel safe too.

Has your dog ever needed more structure than you expected during an introduction? Tell us what helped.

Read the full article by Ilse Fourie of No Fret Vet and Pet from the comments.

Leaving earlier in the dark or having different weekend patterns disrupts household predictability, which can cause anxiety or clinginess in sensitive pets. Small, consistent routines, like predictable feeding times and calm resting spaces, help them feel secure.

Winter asks us to look a little closer, move from judgment to curiosity and remember that behaviour is communication.

Read No Fret Vet and Pet Ilse Fourie's guide on listening to your pet this season from the link in the comments.

Blog article alert!! Go check it out over at We Love Pets SA! And even better, subscribe to their monthly digital magazine 🐶🐱🐾🐾

Our dogs and cats are masters at masking discomfort and colder months can heavily highlight chronic conditions like arthritis or previous injuries. Pain doesn't always look like a dramatic limp; it can show up as hesitating before jumping, avoiding stairs or becoming irritable when touched.

Whenever behaviour changes suddenly, health should always be part of the conversation. Learn the subtle signs to look out for in our Ilse Fourie of No Fret Vet and Pet expert guide.

Link in the comments.

Go on over and read my latest blog post over at We Love Pets SA

Has your dog become more restless in the evenings or your cat a little less tolerant of being touched? It might not be a training issue at all, it could be winter.

Cold weather changes more than just our routines. Less movement, more time indoors and colder joints can all quietly affect how our pets feel and behave. For older pets or those with arthritis, this time of year can be especially uncomfortable, even when there's no obvious limp or cry of pain, since dogs and cats are remarkably good at masking discomfort.

The latest article by Ilse Fourie of No Fret Vet and Pet explores why winter can shift your pet's behaviour, how to tell the difference between a "naughty" moment and an unmet need and simple, low-effort enrichment ideas to help your dog or cat feel more settled indoors.

Have you noticed any behaviour changes in your pet since the weather turned colder?

Read the full article from the link in the comments.

Fear, anxiety, and stress affect far more than behaviour.

They influence:
• physiology
• learning
• memory
• pain perception
• recovery

This is why emotional wellbeing is not separate from medicine.

It is part of it.

My SAVC-approved CPD webinar, The Science of Emotions: The Emotional Lives of Cats and Dogs, takes a deeper look at how emotional states influence behaviour, welfare, and clinical care.

For veterinary and pet care professionals wanting to improve the way they support animals.

Use code FAS20 at check out and receive 20% off until 31 July 2026.

https://paystack.com/buy/webinar-the-science-of-feeling-the-emotional-lives-of-pets

Behaviour makes far more sense when we understand emotion.

Fear. Frustration. Relief. Curiosity. Social bonding.

These are not abstract concepts.

They shape how animals learn, cope, and respond to the world around them.

In my SAVC-approved CPD webinar, The Science of Emotions, we explore the science behind the emotional lives of cats and dogs and why this matters in veterinary and pet care settings.

If you work or live with animals and want a deeper understanding of behaviour through a welfare and science-led lens, this webinar is for you.

Use code FAS20 at check out and get 20% discount available until 31 July 2026.

https://paystack.com/buy/webinar-the-science-of-feeling-the-emotional-lives-of-pets

I’m Ilse Fourie, founder of No Fret Vet and Pet Consulting.

I am a qualified, internationally multi-credentialed behaviour consultant specialising in dogs and cats, with a strong focus on fear, anxiety, stress, and emotional wellbeing.

For a decade, I have worked in the field of animal behaviour, helping pets and the people who care for them better understand behaviour through a science-led, compassionate lens. Over the years, I have consulted on more than 500 behaviour cases, working with a wide range of concerns including fear, aggression, anxiety, inter-pet conflict, and veterinary handling challenges.

From 2021 to 2025, I worked in the Behaviour Department at the German Veterinary Clinic in Abu Dhabi under a veterinary behaviourist, where I helped support the clinic in becoming the first Fear Free Certified Veterinary Practice in the Middle East.

I am proud to be South Africa’s first Fear Free Certified Elite Professional and Coach.

My qualifications and credentials include:
• CBCC-KA
• DipCABT (COAPE)
• CertCAB (COAPE)
• Elite Fear Free Certified Professional - Veterinary
• Fear Free Certified Professional - Trainer

Maintaining these credentials requires ongoing continuing professional development, and I believe this is a core part of ethical practice. Behaviour science is constantly evolving, and staying current is essential to providing evidence-based, compassionate support for both animals and the people who care for them.

I am also an SAVC CPD provider and regularly deliver educational talks, webinars, and training for veterinary teams, pet professionals, and community organisations, with a strong focus on helping people better understand animal emotions and behaviour.

Animal welfare and advocacy are deeply important to me, both professionally and personally. I have been vegan for over a decade, and that commitment reflects a broader philosophy of compassion, respect, and ethical consideration for animals in all aspects of life.

I am passionate about helping veterinary teams, pet professionals, and pet guardians create safer, less stressful experiences for the animals in their care.

Are you ready to change your pet's life? Stop asking "How do I stop this?" and start asking "Why is this happening?"

Make the shift from curiosity and protect the human-animal bond.

Read No Fret Vet and Pet Ilse Fourie's full article from the link in the comments.