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For years, colleagues and pet owners in Malta and Gozo have been asking me for something deeper than obedience classes and quick‑fix advice. Something that actually explains why dogs and cats behave the way they do — and how we can meet their needs in a way that improves everyone’s life. They essentially want a pair of behaviourist glasses to see their pets behaviour with. I couldn't hope to condense it all is a conversation but I think I can share my thinking architecture.

We talk a lot about barking as if it exists in a vacuum — as if a dog’s voice is the only variable. But barking doesn’t happen in silence. It happens inside a changing soundscape, a shrinking landscape, and a stressed population of humans and animals trying to adapt to environments that are becoming harder to live in. If the Summer doesn't annouce itself with a firework factory explosion, there are still festas ongoing and a cacophony of construction that seem to be incurable

artificial dog: let's hope we don't outsource pet care to AI but I would gladly give an artificial dog to some. I have been probed in conversations about my use of AI generated visual content and possibly text editors. It is right to question this and I am happy to offer an explanation. After all I also privately talk about the encroachment of the digital into our lives, at the expense of nature, so here we go... What do I use generative AI for? Mainly, I use it to compensate

Hello! So it has been a few months that I have not streamed. I have been trying to make the live stream work with the website but have had no joy. It will have to be the socials which I wasn't very keen on to begin with, because of big data but I am beat. I can't make it work with the tech I have. If you don't know what I'm on about, The PawNerd Sims Show is a livestream I was doing earlier where I used game play and simulated animals to spark conversations about real life an

I cannot for the life of me remember where I heard it but as I was doomscrolling last night and came across stories of missing dogs, the pop tune by Player, "Baby,come back!" played in my head. I can thankfully say none of the dogs in my care ever went missing. Just the idea makes my heart skip a beat and I am not sure I could survive it actually happening to one of my dogs. Early in when I first fostered my foster fail; Joy I was getting nightmares of her being in trouble so

Did I get you? Sorry We're just talking about flooding. There is no flooding. How “Forcing a Dog to Get Over It” Backfires If you’ve ever been told to “just expose your dog to the thing they’re scared of until they stop reacting,” you’ve heard a version of flooding. It sounds simple. It even looks like it “works” in the moment. But flooding is one of the fastest ways to create a dog who looks calm on the outside while becoming more anxious, frustrated, or explosive on the ins

Why Malta Keeps Ignoring Explosions, Animal Suffering, and Environmental Damage. With thanks to my good friend Sheila Adams for research support. 1. Yesterday Was Not an Accident — It Was a Warning We’ve Ignored Before At dawn on 1 June 2026, before the newly re‑elected incumbent was even sworn in, the Ta’ Lourdes fireworks factory in Magħtab l/o Naxxar exploded — again. The shockwave tore through farms, shattered structures, and killed animals across the agricultural zone. P

The day is not over and it will likely take a few days to find out the full scale of destruction but I wanted to make sure I came back with something to help in the next few days and hours, and thank the beautiful people who shared this morning's emergency post to reach 203 pets who needed a better owner today. Bitesize Summary: Even without signs of stress, treat your pets assuming they are stressed. Avoid high risk situations with strange dogs or mixing dogs. Avoid off-leas

This morning’s explosion at the Magħtab fireworks factory shook half the island. Even people kilometres away felt the shockwave — so imagine what it was like for animals who have no context, no warning, and no way to understand what happened. Thankfully, my clients in the area happened to be away with their pets. Others may not have been so lucky. Sudden, violent events like this can leave animals frightened, disoriented, or at risk of developing longer‑term stress reactions.

From drone cables in Ukraine to marine life in Malta — conflict shapes the fate of our fellow creatures War drags everything into its orbit—landscapes, civilians, infrastructure, and yes, animals. Not just as symbols or mascots, but as working bodies, collateral damage, and sometimes the only ones with common sense amid chaos. Some are conscripted. Some adapt. Most try simply to survive the turmoil we create. In modern conflicts, the ways animals are affected are evolving fas

For decades, animal behaviour science has been moving in one clear direction: away from coercion, intimidation, and aversive control , and toward cooperation, relationship, and reinforcement . Not because it’s trendy. Not because it’s “soft.” But because the evidence is overwhelming. Fear suppresses behaviour. Safety changes it. Every modern behaviourist knows this. Every guardian who has watched their dog blossom under kindness knows this. Every welfare advocate who has seen

I want to get something off my chest first. I am here to prove that despite popular sentiment, maths is where many solutions to your problems lie. So today we are going to do some basic maths and take a deep dive into the operational and welfare implications of different models in group housing of dogs — including space management, stress reduction, and why “just throwing them all in together” is not a strategy, it’s a liability. Let’s be real: if you’re running a shelter, a

Animal welfare is a vital topic that deserves attention and understanding. Communicating the five welfare needs of animals can be challenging, especially when aiming to engage a broad audience. To address this, I created a series of visuals inspired by Sims4 and gaming animal themes. These images are designed to be visually rich and inviting, encouraging viewers to explore the landscape of animal welfare in a playful yet meaningful way. The goal is to spark curiosity and refl

Don’t pay extra for a label that’s doing more work than the formula. Your pet’s diet should change as they grow — species, health status, and life stage all matter. Some animals genuinely need specialised diets to avoid allergens or manage medical conditions, but they all grow through their own version of childhood. Somewhere between “appropriate nutrition” and “premium puppy pâté,” a question pops up: How special is “special food,” really? Spoiler: not as special as the labe

The answer is: It depends! If the question means does an evidence-based rehabilitation strategy exist for each case that can work? the answer in theory is yes. Are all owners capable of implementing or would even want to perform the tasks? would it even be safe to endevour are where that "it depends" comes from. In this blog I would like to tip your toes in the challenging human behaviours that often undermine a pet's behavioural health. Not so much to point the finger at yo

By Christian Pace In a world saturated with behaviour “fixes,” protocols, and obedience overlays, EMRA (Emotional Mood State and Reinforcement Assessment) stands apart—not because it’s louder, but because it listens deeper. Developed by the Center of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE), EMRA is the assessment method I trained in. It doesn’t just observe behaviour. It interrogates the emotional scaffolding beneath it, in so doing draws the roadmap to rehabilitation. Where traditiona

How We Accidentally Train Our Dogs to Nag Us By Christian Pace Let’s talk about nagging. Not yours — your dog’s. You know the look. The one they give you when you’re trying to eat a sandwich in peace. The slow blink. The head tilt. The dramatic sigh. And if that doesn’t work, maybe a paw on your leg. Or a little whine. Or full-blown opera-level howling. And here’s the kicker: it works. Because we taught them it does. 🧠 Welcome to the School of Accidental Reinforcement Dogs a

By Christian Pace There’s been a new story in the Maltese media about the confiscation of around 120 animals by the Animal Welfare team from a private residence in Triq il-Baċir Ġdid, Paola . The reported animals included 7 cats, 17 gerbils, 19 rabbits, 17 hens, and approximately 60 birds of various species . Photos and reports of their condition beggar belief. My question about the cat is: how much of those 2kg was dirt-matted fur ? My question about the case is: will anyo

By Christian Pace The RIAT Method is a trauma-informed, science-based approach to managing behaviour in the moment... before you get behavioural advice. It is not meant to be final advice—especially when your pet is overwhelmed, reactive, or struggling. It’s not about fixing everything at once. It’s about stabilising the situation safely and compassionately, and preventing further deterioration. 🔁 R – Reward Good Behaviour Catch the calm : Reinforce any moment of calm, curi

By Christian Pace With the implementation of bully breed bans, we’re now seeing the predicted spike in abandonment—ironically, the very outcome these bans claimed to prevent. The reporting rates don’t reflect the true scale of the issue. I see it daily: Facebook posts full of public outcry that never reach the authorities. But I’m not here to preach about legal tools (maybe next time). I’m here to guide you through what to do if you’re attacked. In the meantime, have a look a