LifeSPRINGS Walkies - Natural Nutritional Health Treats for Dogs

We love to find tasty dog treats which are Australian made and owned, and we were recently sent some LifeSPRINGS Walkies™ Nutritional Healthy Dog Treats for Dogs to road test.

These tasty treats help ensure that your dog is receivinga balanced intake of trace minerals and vitamins that may not be present in your dog’s current food.

LifeSPRINGS Walkies Natural Nutritional Healthy Dog Treats provides your dog with a unique nutrient formula not found in pet food or dog treats with over 70 major and trace minerals and 14 vitamins.

LifeSPRINGS Walkies® Original & Tiny Bites Nutritional Healthy Dog Treats for Dogs will help ensure that your dog will receive a balanced intake of trace minerals and vitamins that may not be present in your dog’s current food.

Healthy smelling and not too greasy, the office dogs loved the Walkies treats, and while it's too early to tell, we're confident the extra minerals and vitamins will help general health and a shiny coat.

For more information, visit www.lifesprings.com.au

Celebrity Dogs - Anne Hathaway and her dog

Anne Hathaway and her beagle pup

HOW SHAKING HANDS COULD BE THE TRICK TO HELP MELBOURNE DOGS BEAT THE WINTER CHILLS

As Melbourne’s early winter hits with a vengeance, many Melbournians have reached for their Ugg boots and doonas in an effort to keep warm, and in many cases, the family pooch is also rugged up and kept inside to avoid the winter chills, but experts warn this is the worst thing for the four-legged Melbournians.

With the onset of winter and a natural inclination to move less, pets are under real threat of not only weight gain from reduced movement, but also joint problems as their mobility and exercise tends to plummet. When these two elements – weight gain and reduced movement – are combined, it can spell disaster for many pets, with dogs facing the highest risk.

“When we become stiff a nd sore we do less – the same is true with our pets,” explains leading Melbourne Vet, Dr Karen Davies.

“But moving less, especially in winter months is not the answer as it leads to the joints becoming more restricted and stiff, and then this stiffness leads to a reduced desire for exercise which then leads weight gain which in turn, puts more stress on the joints. It’s a vicious and dangerous cycle than can easily creep up on pet owners during winter if they are not careful,” Karen explains.

Karen, who has a special interest in animal hydrotherapy and rehabilitation at her Point Cook clinic says that there are many specific exercises pet owners can do with their pets to help prevent the winter stiffness, and one of her favourites is playing ‘shake hands’ with the dogs.

“Encouraging your dog to shake hands is a fun and easy way to support the delicate elbow and shoulder joints and the best par t is, it can be done inside anytime,” Karen explains.

Karen says that keeping joints mobile is the best way to reduce the effects of arthritis, and the most effective way do to this is through walking, but she does have some other fun tips for pet owners for exercises that can be done inside:

• “Dancing” and squats are great for the hips, supporting the pet but holding up the front legs and getting them to stand upright (like a human) then encouraging movement back and forth, side-to-side and in gentle circles. Squats can be done by getting the pet to sit and then stand, sit then stand repeat until your pet thinks your nuts or they have done a series of 10. These exercises are also great for cats.
• Hill climb is great for strengthening hips and knees and increasing “range of motion”, in the case of small dogs making a ramp up onto the couch can be a great option, otherwise ramps at the skate park can come in handy of you don’t have a local hill to climb.
• Hydrotherapy (exercise in water) will help support the body and provide resistance improving the benefit of the work out
• Natural supplements found in most homes such as Turmeric, Fish oil, Flax seed oil which all have natural anti-inflammatory properties can be used to make pets more comfortable.
• Pets should undergo a basic health check prior to commencing new exercise to ensure the exercises are appropriate to their needs and to minimize the risk of injuries.

Whilst Karen concedes that not every house has the ability to put their dog in a heated pool, there are specialist hydrotherapy units that enable owners and vets to tailor an aqua-based exercise program for even the stiffest of dogs, one of them located less than 30kms from Melbourne at Direct Vet Services Clinic in Point Cook.

Sometimes, a pet will need a bit of additional support over and above exerc ise, but Karen believes owners should take heart in the fact that keeping up the movement during winter will stave off many diseases.

Karen stresses though that many owners and vets wait till there are very obvious signs of joint degeneration before they take action, and her view is that the more owners can do to support their pets prior to serious joint problems taking hold, the happier their pets will be.

For more information on how owners can help their pets avoid the onset of early arthritis and other joint related problems this winter, contact Karen Davies 03 9369-1822

Best Labrador Retriever Names

Looking for a good labrador retriever name? labrador names can be so personal, but check out these top 10 labrador names and meanings for inspiration.

Buddy	Friend; brother. (English)		Bailey	Steward; in charge. (English and French)
Max	The greatest. (Latin)		Maggie	Pearl. (Greek)
Jake	Held by the heel; supplanter. (Hebrew)		Lucy	Light. (Latin)
Molly	Star of the sea. (Irish and Latin)		Duke	Leader; noble. (English)
Daisy	Eye of the day; synonym for Sun. (English)		Jack	God is gracious. (English)

Dealing with Ear Mites Infesting Your Pet Dog

 Along with ticks, mold mites and dust mites, ear mites are a member of the class Arachnida. These are

tiny parasite invertebrates that tend to go about their business daily almost  undetected. They usually

live in soil and water, but do make their home on pet dogs as well.

What to Do

What do you do when you notice that your dog isn’t as lively as you know it is?  There must be

something wrong.  After bringing it to the vet, you are told it has ear mites.  Yikes!  The question in

your mind probably is: How did that happen and how do you make sure that it never happens again?

Picked Up Through the Paws

 Dogs pick up everything through the middle layers of their paws.  If you walk your dog often in a not-

so-clean-environment, then chances are this is where your dog picked up the mites.  These are nasty

creatures that can cause severe amounts of pain on your dogs and may even affect the balance of your

dogs.  To avoid this, here are a few simple tips for you to practice.

Alcohol or Soap Solutions
Firstly, after walking your dog outside your home area, you’ll have to clean its paws.  A moistened

cloth with mild alcohol or with soap and water will have to be applied on your canine friend after every

walk.  This is to ensure that whatever nasty bacteria or virus your dog stepped on will not be hiding in

between the crevices of his paws and fur.  If this is too much bother for you, a mat outside your door

moistened in the same formula will do.  Think of it like a foot-bath type of mat.  That way, before

entering your home, your dog’s paws are already partially clean.  There are powders available in the

vet’s clinic that you brush on your dog weekly to protect them form unwanted mites.  You might want

to invest in this. 

Religious Ear Cleaning
Another thing that you’ll need to do religiously is to clean the ears of your dog.  No need to go to the

groomers for this as you can do so yourself.  With a tissue rolled around a finger, hold the ears of your

dog gently but firmly and wipe inside.  You’ll be surprised at the amount of goo in there.  That can be

another cause for ear mites to stay.  The more times you do this to your dog, the healthier it will be.  

Stay away from the inner ear and you’ll have a mite-free, happy, healthy, tail-wagging dog.

Joseph Lyddy and Guide Dogs Australia

Leading Australian pet care brand, Joseph Lyddy, has announced an exciting partnership with Australia’s most trusted charity, Guide Dogs Australia.

Joseph Lyddy has produced a range of ‘Pet Indulgence’ products co-branded with Guide Dogs Australia, with the aim to increase community awareness about the invaluable help and support Guide Dogs Australia provides to people who are blind or have vision impairments.

Guide Dogs enable these individuals to have the freedom and independence to move safely throughout their surroundings with confidence.

Joseph Lyddy is proud to provide this much-needed support to Guide Dogs Australia and the
community by ensuring that a contribution of the product sales goes directly to Guide Dogs
Australia. “Joseph Lyddy's commitment to excellence and quality is aligned to the values of
Guide Dogs Australia and we appreciate their passion for supporting our future success”, says
Karen Hayes, CEO Guide Dogs Victoria.

Guide Dogs Australia receives very limited government funding for the breeding, training and
provision of Guide Dogs and relies heavily on external support.“It is a privilege for Joseph
Lyddy to be able to support Guide Dogs Australia in the sale of products within the Pet
Indulgence range” says Neil Cox, CEO Joseph Lyddy, “we look forward to assisting in the
ongoing success achieved by the team at Guide Dogs Australia”.

The Australian made Joseph Lyddy grooming range is specifically tailored for dogs and uses
high quality natural ingredients with a blend of essential oils, which are kind to your dog’s
coat and skin! The grooming range is designed to leave your pets smelling great and includes
a dog specific oatmeal shampoo, conditioner, deodoriser, detangler, and dry shampoo for
both dogs and cats. Special treats have also been created that boast natural Australian
ingredients with high nutritional value.

The service that the Guide Dogs provide to the community is invaluable, so it is only fair that
they receive some tender loving care. “Joseph Lyddy supports both Guide Dogs Victoria &
NSW/ACT by supplying product to be added to the grooming range at both their breeding and
training centres” says Guide Dogs Nurse Eamon Quinn. “The products will not only help to keep
the dogs looking their best but also have the extra benefit of being safe to use on puppies too.”
Joseph Lyddy Pet Indulgence products are available at Coles, Big W, Pet Barn and online at the Joseph Lyddy Online Store.

The range includes:

Joseph Lyddy Pet Indulgence Conditioning Shampoo for Puppies
RRP: $16.95 - A calming, conditioning shampoo for puppies on the go. A fast rinsing product that will not compromise your washing routine. It contains a calming blend of natural ingredients enriched with an essential oil blend of lavender, orange and ylang ylang to create a relaxing mood.

Joseph Lyddy Pet Indulgence Everyday Oatmeal Shampoo
RRP: $16.95 - An everyday oatmeal moisturising shampoo ideal for dogs with all skin types. Containing natural ingredients and enriched with an essential oil blend of cedarwood, geranium, ylang ylang & lavender providing a gentle cleanse for your dog’s skin and coat.

Joseph Lyddy Pet Indulgence Enriching Creme Conditioner
RRP: $16.95 - A delicate and rich créme conditioner which helps maintain a soft and natural coat. Enriched with warming essential oils of sweet orange, lemon and vanilla.

Joseph Lyddy Pet Indulgence Relaxing Silky Detangler
RRP: $14.95 -A relaxing silky detangler ideal for long haired dogs. Leaving the coat shiny and silky, enriched with natural essential oils of lemon and clary sage.

Joseph Lyddy Pet Indulgence Refreshing Deodoriser
RRP: $12.95-  A refreshing and invigorating aromatic blend of mint, lime and coconut oils. It’s naturally odour deodorising and maintains the natural oils in your dog’s coat.

For more information about this great range, vist Joseph Lyddy online.

Pet Indulgence Dry Shampoo by Joseph Lyddy.

The Joseph Lyddy Pet Indulgence range has released a dry shampoo specifically for dogs! Taking the stress away from troublesome bath times!

Perfect for the colder winter months, this dry shampoo instantly refreshes your pets coat leaving them smelling deliciously clean. The dry shampoo uses all natural ingredients and is enriched with essential oils, and will leave your pooch smelling of delicious honey, vanilla and coconut!

The Joseph Lyddy Easy Wash Dry Shampoo For Cats & Dogs retails for $12.95 and is available fom the Joseph Lyddy online store.
Website: www.josephlyddy.com.au