Thursday, April 30, 2015

Easy Dog Kennel Tips from Kennards





Displaying Dog House_LR.JPG 

Into The Dog House
DIY Dog Kennel Building Tips
It’s time to start thinking about all the bigger jobs that need doing around the home. This year, give your beloved pooch the home it deserves by building your very own, custom made Kennel. 

Kennards Hire’s DIY expert Grant Tremlett has devised some handy tips to build your own dog house to suit your pooches requirements like no other.
Things to Consider:
Size Matters: The size of your dog’s house is very important. Before you go out and buy materials, make sure you measure your dog and make some basic plans. Keep in mind that the dog house should be large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around comfortably, but small enough to retain the dog's body heat.
High & Dry: Wooden dog houses should be raised a several centimetres off of the ground to prevent water logging, rotting and increase ventilation. Flat concrete blocks are an easy way to raise a doghouse.
Move It:  Consider building a transportable kennel to make yard work a breeze and relocating your dog house a hassle-free task. This will prevent killing grass and enable you to keep your pooch in the shade during the hotter months.
Construction Tips:
Nail It: If you’re building your pooch palace out of timber, you’re going to be spending a lot of time swinging a hammer. If hand-eye-coordination isn’t one of your strongest skillsets, consider hiring a nail gun from your nearest Kennards Hire branch. Not only will it save your fingers, but a load of time too.
cid:image002.jpg@01D01AC9.B7CB0A30Keep It Cosy: If you live in a place prone to extreme hot and cold temperatures, consider insulating the base and roof of your DIY dog house. Adding a sturdy flap to the door of the house is also a great way to keep the warmth in during the winter months.
Safe n’ Sound: After you’ve finished your construction, be sure to check the dog house over, inside and out for protruding nails, screws, splinters and sharp edges that your pet could easily cut themselves on.
Tidy Up: Add hinges to the roof section so you can easily open up the house to make cleaning your pooch’s new home quick and hassle free.

Kennards Hire has all the tools and equipment you need to complete the job. For more information and handy tips for summer DIY projects head to http://www.kennards.com.au/

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Celebrity Dogs- Matt McConaughey and his dog.

Matthew McConaughey and his labrador

Matthew McConaughey on the beach in Malibu,

Dogs on Surf Boards Hit Noosa Beach

The 2015 Surfing Dog Spectacular official video has just been released and we think it's awesome.  Sponsored by Advantix and VetShopAustralia, this year the Noosa Surfing Dog extravaganza saw eight dogs compete for the title of top surf dog. The event, which is now in its 4th year, drew a crowd of over 8,000 people who delighted in watching these surfing canines go through the paces.


 
 
The Noosa Surfing Dog  Spectacular is part of the Noosa  Festival of Surfing, held in Noosa, Australia in March each year. For more information about these surfing dogs, visit www.surfingdogspectacular.com.au  

Monday, April 27, 2015

Good names for mixed breed dogs

dog names for bitzers can be hard, but here are some of our favourite mixed breed dog names:

BuddyFriend; brother. (English) BaileySteward; in charge. (English and French)
DaisyEye of the day; synonym for Sun. (English) AngelAngelic; messenger of God. (Greek)
BellaBeautiful. (Latin) BusterHitter; puncher. (English)
BearStrong; brave. (English and German) CharlieManly; strong; free. (English)
GingerPep; liveliness. (English) ChloeBlooming. (Greek)

Basic Dog Biscuit Recipe

if you;re looking for a very simple dog biscuit recipe, look no further.

 Once you've tried this recipe you can add additional ingredients such as mashed pumpkin, grated carrot, whole oats, wheatgerm, oat bran, bacon bits, Vegemite, canned tuna or salmon.

Ingredients
2 cups flour (substitute rice flour or any other type of flour if you like)
1 egg
1 tablespoon of oil
½ cup hot water with 1 tsp of salt reduced stock added

Step-by-Step
  • Whisk oil and egg, then add flour.
  • Gradually add water and stock mixture until desired consistency is reached.
  • Roll out dough onto floured surface then cut using biscuit cutter.
  • Alternatively if the dough is a softer consistency you can shape them with your hands and place them on a baking tray.
  • Bake at 180°C for 15-20 mins.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

The Top 4 Signs Your Pet Dog is Going Through Stress

With access to luxuries that his ancestry could never dream of experiencing, your pet dog may be

living quite comfortably in your home. However, he still has a set of instincts for survival that

are very active. For instance, other animals, being away from his pack, attention from humans

that he does not want or even threats to his territory can cause your pet to feel stressed out. The

good news is that pets tend to be very good at letting you know he is going through stress. All

you need to do is learn how to decipher the top non-verbal lingo so that you can find stress-

relieving solutions for your pet.

Change in Behaviour

When regular stress is something your dog is sustaining or is subjected to, such as if a home

routine has changed, when a family member is absence or if you have just moved homes, your

dog’s behavior may change as a result of residual stress. Behavioural indicators of stress include

destructive behavior, restlessness, refusal to eat and excessive shedding.

Sounds of Stress

There are many different sounds that indicate your dog is feeling stressed out. Typically, a

whimper or a whine are the first audible stress signs. If you ignore this, he might start barking.

He may even revert to a sustained, low growl when his barks and whimpers are ignored.

Needless to say, these should not be ignored. These are indications that your pet has run out of

polite methods of letting you know he is feeling stress and is beginning to feel anxious.

Facial Gestures

With just his eyes, your dog can communicate a ton of messages. When he is being submissive,

looks away repeatedly or refuses to meet your gaze, he is trying to tell you to please be kind to

him and that he is not a threat. In the event that you ignore his submissive behavior, he might

start feeling threatened. When he feels stress, you will see him narrowing his eyes. Other signs of

stress include pinning the ears to the back, panting, yawning and lip licking.

Reading Your Pet’s Body Language

A stressed out dog will tend to reveal his feelings with obvious signs. On the other hand, if ‘dog

language' is something you don’t speak, there are a few hard-to-miss signs you might want to

take note of. Shifting weight on his right or left legs, hunching and low tail carriage are all

stressors that other canines will tend to recognize quickly. This is behaviour that your dog

expects you to be familiar with as well.

By recognizing classic stress symptoms in your pet, you can help control the stress levels of your

canine companions.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Bravecto Review: New Chewable Flea and Tick Product Last's 3 Months!


If you live in a dog tick area in Australia, you probably know how important it is to ensure that your dogs have effective flea and tick control.


Up until recently, the best flea and tick control for Australian dogs was a combination of a "spot on" type product like Frontline Plus by Merial or Advantix by Bayer every two weeks, together with a tick collar like Preventic or Kiltix, but this year has seen the launch of two new flea and tick chewable products, first Nexgard by Merial (read our Nexgard Review Here) and now Bravecto by MSD.

Bravecto Chewables for Dogs 40 - 56 kgBravecto flea and tick control has made an amazing impact in the US flea and tick market. It was launched in Europe last March and in the US in June of last year.

Here are some of Bravecto's most important features:
  •  Fleas start dying in 2 hours 
  •  Ticks are dead within 12 hours (faster than anything else on the market). 
  • Works on Paralysis Tick
  •  Lasts for 12 weeks (you only have to dose 4 times a year!)
  •  Suitable for lactating and pregnant bitches
  • Easy to administer as it comes in a tasty chew
 We've only just switched our two dogs to Bravecto for fleas and ticks about 3 weeks ago, and so far so good. Our dogs were already flea and tick free, but  there are a lot of fleas and ticks in our area, and we've had no problems since switching to Bravecto. What we can say for sure is that it is easy to administer, and both our dogs were happy to take and finish the chew, just like a treat.

Is Bravecto Safe

Yes, Bravecto is safe and has been approved for the use in Australian dogs for the control of fleas and ticks by the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Management Authority and also other overseas agencies like the FDA in Canada

Bravecto is approved for the  use in dogs and puppies 8 weeks or older and over 2 kg in body weight. Safety has been demonstrated in breeding, pregnant and lactating animals. Do not use in cats or other species. Call poison information centre if swallowed. Bravecto was well tolerated in all breeds including Collies with ivermectin sensitivity. Please consult your veterinarian before using Bravecto if your pet is receiving medication such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or warfarin.

Where Can I Buy Bravecto in Australia

You can buy Bravecto at almost all Australian Veterinary Clinics, and also from vet owned online stores like VetShopAustralia.com.au 

What are the Bravecto Active Ingredients

The active ingredient in Bravecto is Fluralaner

Does Bravecto have any side effects?
 
Accdording to the manufacturer, side effects are rare but may include mMild and transient gastrointestinal signs such as diarrhoea, vomiting, inappetence and drooling may be observed. If signs persist or become more severe within a few days of administration, consult a veterinarian.
 
How Much Does Bravecto Cost

Bravecto is not cheap, but compared to the cost of applying Frontline Plus or Advantix every fortnight, you're probably going to save money.  You can buy Bravecto online from VetShopAustralia.com.au  from $38.48 for the small size through to $48.22 for the largest size.


Monday, April 20, 2015

Best Cattle Dog Names

Looking for good cattle dog names? Take some inspiration from these top 10 cattle dog names:

BellaBeautiful. (Latin) MooseA large member of the deer family. (Algonquian)
DogDomesticated canine. (Old English) RoccoRestful. (Ancient Germanic)
DukeLeader; noble. (English) RockyOne who gives rest; strong, firm. (English)
JakeHeld by the heel; supplanter. (Hebrew) TankStrong, large, armored. (English)
MontanaMountain. (Latin) TinyVery small; minute. (Middle English)

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

10 Things About Dogs You Didn't Know

  1. The relationship between humans and dogs as their pets dates back to 12,000 years.
  2.  Everything is not black or white for the dogs. Dogs have two cones in their eyes, which enables them to see colours on the scale of blue and yellow. 
  3. If not spayed or neutered, a dog, her mate and their offsprings could produce as many as 66,000 dogs within a span of six years.
  4.  Dogs can understand up to 250 words and gestures!
  5. An estimated 1,000,000 dogs in the USA have been mentioned in the primary wills of their owners.
  6. The Beatles' song, A Day in the Life, has an extra-high pitch whistle in the end. The whistle was especially incorporated for Paul McCartney’s Shetland sheepdog.
  7.  Border Collies, the workaholics of the dog world, are considered to be the most intelligent breed. 
  8. Afghan Hounds, on the contrary, are popularly considered to be the dumbest dogs.
  9.  The famous Saint Bernard breed gets its name from the Great St Bernard Hospice, located in the Swiss Alps. The sanatorium used these gentle giants of dogs to rescue victims from the snowy Alps.
  10.  A dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than that of humans.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

3 Basic Dog Grooming Tips Every Pet Owner Should Know


Do you love your pet dog as much as a parent would love their child?  If so, you must be the

proud guardian of a dog, or two or three.  From the moment we acquire a pet dog, we are made

aware of certain responsibilities with maintain a dog. 

Most dog-owning families are very aware that pooch ownership means more than just occasional

vet visits and walks. As much as your pet do is your beloved companion, there are a few things

to keep in mind with regard to keeping your pet dog clean.

More specifically, other than food and shelter, the main concern should be hygiene.  Dog

hygiene is easy enough if we pay attention to our dogs as much as we pay attention to ourselves. 

That means that we need to perform certain tasks dutifully otherwise your dog may suffer from

allergies or mites infection.  As there are a number of dog breeds, so is there a number of

alternate caring methods for your own particular dog. 

Brushing and Bathing Your Dog
For shorthaired dogs such as Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Beagles, and such, brushing need not be

done daily.  They can get away with a once a month.  However, bathing still needs to be done

twice a week.  If your dog shares your room and your bed, perhaps consider doing this weekly. 

You will want, after all, to make sure that nothing bacterial in nature gets transferred to you. The

good news is that dogs love water and as a general rule, water spells fun.  Use a delicate

shampoo specially formulated for dogs or mild shampoos for babies.  Both will work well for

your pooch.  Enjoy!

Ear Cleaning

Though shorthaired dogs not get ear infections as often as the longer breed dogs, their ears still

need weekly cleaning.  To do this, all you need is a damp cloth or tissue, wrap around your

middle finger and run gently inside the dog’s ear.  If this is an uncomfortable situation for you, a

Professional groomer can take care of this. 

Nail Cutting


The nails, too, have to be given special consideration.  Remember that a dog’s nails go

everywhere it’s body, scratching mostly.  Clean nails and short nails mean no bruises and

infections.  Long, unkempt, dirty nails could meanan infection just waiting to happen and not

enough attention being given to your dog.  Twice a month will suffice for a nail-cutting routine. 

Dogs usually have an aversion to this part of hygiene and might put up a fight.  Just do so

regularly.