Chocolate is toxic to dogs, cats, birds and other small animals. In susceptible animals, theobromine (found in chocolate) can cause internal bleeding, damage heart tissue and trigger epileptic seizures. A 7 kg dog eating 500g of milk chocolate is equivalent to a 70kg person eating 5kg – one doesn’t think they’d be feeling too well afterwards either. Chocolate poisoning generally …
Ticks on Dogs
There are 3 main types of tick that can adversely affect your dog: 1. the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) 2. the bush tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) 3. the paralysis tick (Ixodes holocyclus) The first two can be carriers for a range of infectious agents, but rarely cause fatalities. The latter, the paralysis tick is by far the most dangerous, possessing …
Nose Games for Dogs
Tired of just playing fetch or tug all the time? Then teach your dog some basic nose work. It’s easy to do and most dogs absolutely love it. To get started you can use some toys or treats you’ve already got on hand, and the best part is you don’t even have to leave home. The Benefits of Basic Nose …
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction
After a lifetime of excited tail wags, faithful companionship, and memorable tricks, it is no wonder your senior dog is beginning to show their age. Maybe their hearing isn’t as good as it once was. Their muzzle may have grayed and their coat has begun to thin. They maybe slow to rise and not as spritely as they once were. …
Do You Have A Velcro Dog?
Does your dog follow you everywhere? Do they follow you from room to room, even when you go to the bathroom? If so you’re certainly not alone; it seems many of us are the owners of a velcro dog. What is a Velcro Dog? A velcro dog is a dog that follows you around and wants to be by your …
Dog Training
I don’t know any parent that wouldn’t educate their child. Not only do they learn the necessities to help them thro’ life – how to read and write; spelling, mathematics etc, but also important social behaviours: such things as good manners, respect towards others, reaching goals and when restraint is required. Why would you not do that for your pet …
Preventing Dog Bites
Dogs are an important part of our families. Dogs provide us with companionship, relaxation and enjoyment. Over 50% of households in Australia have at least one dog. When you consider family, friends and neighbours, few children will not be exposed to a dog at some time during their childhood. How many of us would allow our children to play around …
Crate Training Your Dog
Crate training your dog is a new concept for many, but is a very effective training tool for adult dogs and puppies. If you have a new dog or puppy, a crate is a fantastic way of teaching it the boundaries of the house and keeping it safe. When you’re traveling in the car, visiting the vet or any other …
The Importance of Play
We all know that our dogs love to play with toys, but did you know it also benefits your dogs health? Helps to build independence – Being pack animals, dogs are not built to spend extended periods of time alone. But with work and general life commitments, it’s not always possible to be with them all the time. Toys keep …