Summer can be a fantastic time for dogs and their owners. Good weather means outdoors fun, swimming, and days out. It means better conditions for walking. In Australia, however, it can also mean extremes of heat which can be harmful to your pet. Just as we humans suffer from the heat and humidity during summer, … Continued
It’s that time of year: Christmas is only a matter of weeks away, and you’re pondering what to get for your partner/kids/parents as a special Christmas gift. Pet stores are brimming at this time of years with cute and furry little four legged friends. A lot of people will think, “A puppy!” or “A kitten!” … Continued
Just like human kids, dogs require definitive parenting from their human parents. This involves a myriad of things to ensure a happy, healthy, and well-balanced furry family member. Here are some simple yet very important tips to having the very best relationship with your dog – and vice versa…
One thing dog owners are often not consciously aware of is the importance of keeping their four legged family members under strict control in the presence of working guide dogs and other service dogs. Statistically, one in two guide dogs will experience attacks from off-the-leash dogs while undertaking their duties for their vision-impaired owners in … Continued
Every dog owner will be familiar with the humour and embarrassment of dog mounting behaviour. Also referred to as “humping”, most dogs will exhibit this behaviour at some time (or all of the time!) with human arms and legs, inanimate objects like cushions and plush toys, and other dogs. Why do dogs do it? And … Continued
Concluding our short series on inhibiting dog bites, here are some practical ways in which you can teach your dog that doggie teeth do not belong on human skin – EVER. 1. Start teaching your dog as early as possible. It’s much easier to train a young dog whose habits are not yet ingrained. 2. … Continued
Wrapping up our short series of articles on preventing dog bites, today we’ll look at the issue of bite inhibition. As stated preciously, dogs bite for a variety of reasons: dominance aggression (the dog believes he is in charge); protectiveness; fear; pain; maternal instinct; or simply being pushed too far. For many dogs, chewing, gnawing, … Continued
While there are certainly a lot of foods that humans enjoy which are dangerous to feed to dogs (or to allow dogs to sneakily consume, even in very small amounts), there are some human food items which are actually very good for our canine friends. Whether you choose to cook homemade meals for your dog, … Continued
Here we pick up from last week, looking at human foods which must never be given to dogs. In addition to those we have already discussed (alcohol, garlic, chives, onions, avocado, chocolate, caffeine, grapes, sultanas, raisins, currants, macadamia nuts and artificial sweeteners), the following foods must NEVER be given to a dog: • Cooked Bones … Continued
Most dog owners can’t resist slipping canine family members treats from the human dinner plate. Be it as a reward, or simply due to the fact we love them (and can’t resist those puppy dog eyes and salivating jowls making us feel guilty if we are eating and they are not), people have been tossing … Continued