Filed under: Dog Outings
I promised my kids we'd take Spike with us on a holiday this year, specifically for dogs. So it was great to read an article in the Sunday Telegraph about one lady's experience with some pet-friendly accommodation in NSW.
Janet had tried the following:
Byron Stunning Stays – www.serenitycottages.com.au
This was a luxurious place, with individual fenced properties.
Riverwood Downs, Barrington Tops – www.riverwooddowns.com.au
Self-catering cottages, with a river, dams and rainforest.
Tropic Oasis , Coffs Harbour – www.tropicoasis.com.au
Has a dog-friendly beach within walking distance.
Bundacreek Country Lodge, Nabiac – www.bundacreekcountrylodge.com
Lots of things for doggies to do.
There is also an excellent book about holidays with dogs, aptly titled Holidays with Dogs that you can buy online.
Filed under: Dog Health
Most people know that Australia is getting fatter. The 2001 National Health Survey (NHS), showed that 2.4 million Australian adults were estimated to be obese – 16% of men and 17% of women aged 18 years and over, had a BMI of 30 or more. And now we're passing our bad habits on to our best friends.
Apparently Australia has one of the world's highest pet obesity rates, especially with dogs. 40 per cent of domestic dogs are becoming obese, with matching higher rates of diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.
Insufficient exercise and overfeeding are the obvious causes.
Treats are a standard reward technique during training, but need to be included in calculations of a dogs daily intake.
People often think a dog should eat as much and as often as they do, despite weighing a fraction of an adult person's weight.
I know my labrador has mastered the "I'm hungry" look, even when he doesn't need it. And my poor next-door-neighbour cattle dog is suffering from arthritis.
Don't let it happen to your dog.
Another article about how pampered life can be for dogs at the top end of town.
Madison magazine has a five page article with pictures on the luxuries lavished upon dogs by some ladies around town.
I'm sure most people in Sydney would be familiar with the shops Dogue (in Woollahra) and Pets in the City (in Neutral Bay), catering for extreme luxuries for dogs. Although four-poster beds, tuxedos, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Gucci products would be fun to see.
This is supposed to be about news for dogs in Australia, but it is fun to read about stuff in the US, where you can now fly with your dog in the seat next to you, courtesy of Companion Air, or get him/her pampered at the latest health spa, or colour his air to cover the graying of age.
It was surprising and heart-warming to hear that in Sydney, St Mary's Catholic Church in Erskineville can hold blessing ceremonies for the pets of their parishioners.
Filed under: General
Welcome to my Dogs Australia blog.
Where you can find out what's going on around Australia for man (and woman's) favourite four-legged friend.
