Table of contents for Issue#53 2016 in Pets

Jane’s Jessie Rose and Boy, getting into the Christmas spirit. Sonja’s Barso and Kato are truly good dogs — they help teach Sonja’s foster dogs how to behave and settle in upon commencing their stay. King Angel loves his pet human very, very much! Jaime’s Tate is one good-looking pooch. Brooke’s Chinese Crested, Kitty, has a personality that is larger than life! Laura’s cheeky budgies sur e are sweet! Michelle’s Buddha and Michelangelo wait patiently for their crickets. Chelsie’s Jackson gets a bath on hot days to help relax and cool him down. Abbey’s Zac is a gorgeous lab — and he’s a rescue, too! Thanks for saving this sweetie, Abbey. Alana and Wendy’s Paris just loves playing with her toys — clearly, she’s a ball dog! Zoe’s Oscar and…

Rabbits, like all animals, each have their own unique personality. Some are shy, others are curious and friendly. Some love being patted, others prefer their own company. But most rabbits are happiest when they are with other rabbits — just like we feel most at home amongst our family and friends. Sadly, many rabbits have painful tests done to them for companies that make cleaning products and cosmetics. You can be a friend to rabbits by looking out for the ‘Not tested on animals’ logo on the back of shampoos, make-up, detergents and other products. Find out more at unleashed.org.au/ shop-cruelty-free…

Brought to you by ZiwiPeak 1. It is often said that one human year is equal to seven dog years, making your pooch age very quickly indeed. 2. Dogs sweat through glands in the pads of their feet. If it’s a very hot day, try bringing out a bucket with some iced water to help your dog cool down more quickly. 3. Three dogs apparently survived the sinking of the Titanic (even though many humans did not). 4. Despite what you may have heard, it’s untrue that a dog sees in black and white. It’s believed they can see some colour, primarily blue, greenish-yellow and shades of grey. 5. Dogs are believed to have 1700 taste buds. While this is significantly smaller than a human’s 9000, it’s still enough to…

“The most important thing to do if the chocolate has just been consumed is to get your pet to the vet to induce vomiting,” Dr Eloise says. “The quicker this is done the better. Usually if vomiting is induced within an hour, the problem is solved and there is no need for hospitalisation, fluids, seizure control and expensive vet bills.” But inducing vomiting at home can be pretty dangerous, so leave it to you local emergency vet to sort out. If you are a long way from a vet, ring an emergency vet clinic and ask for advice over the phone. “If you are not sure how much or when the chocolate was consumed, see your vet too for early treatment,” Dr Eloise says. “Don’t wait and see, as by…

NSW APRIL 8-10 ROYAL BATHURST SHOW The Royal Bathurst Show has been running since 1858 and is regarded as one of the best country shows west of Sydney. Tens of thousands of people flock to the Bathurst Showgrounds every year to indulge in yummy food stalls, exciting rides and, best of all, the multitude of animal attractions and competitions. It’ll be exciting to see what they have in store this year, although we think it’ll be hard to beat the adorable piglet racing held in the past. If you live in country New South Wales, then this is a must-attend event with entertainment on display for all ages. For more information and to order your tickets, visit bathurstshow.com.au AUSTRALIA MARCH 23 NATIONAL PUPPY DAY While this is an American holiday,…

My name is Tameeka and I have an awesome pet rabbit called Peter. I think that Peter is a very special rabbit because he has friends — two guinea pigs and a girl rabbit. By the way, Peter is a boy rabbit, and his favourite things to eat are rabbit pellets, carrots, cos lettuce, hay and cucumbers. On a hot day, all the pets come inside to cool down and relax by lying down. I think that we have a great bond together because I taught him to come out of his cage and follow me inside the house. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, my mum lets me bring Peter inside into my room to have a play. I got Peter in 2014 and since then we have been best buddies.…

In honour of our small animal special, our good friends at Oxbow Australia put together this checklist of five things your guinea pig wants you to know. So? Do you know all these cool cavy facts? 1 I NEED lots of fresh grass hay! This should make up 75 per cent of my diet. 2 I’ll live a lot longer if you don’t feed me grains, corn and seeds. My body isn’t designed to digest these. 3 My cage is my home. Please keep it clean, cool and safe from predators. 4 I must have Vitamin C every day in my food to stop me from getting sick with Scurvy. 5 As a social creature, I’m lonely if I don’t have a same sex or de-sexed friend. For more great…

It’s a fact: chocolate is delicious. But instead of giving this tasty but quickly devoured gift this festive season, why not give something that can change a pet’s life? Give the gift of love this Easter with the Regular Giver program from AWLQ. By signing up to the Regular Giver program with the Animal Welfare League of Queensland, you can give the gift of life this festive season, for as little as $1.25 per week — less than a cup of coffee! All you need to do is sign up online or all (07) 5509 9045. Visit awlqld.com.au for more information.…

Reviewer: Lauren McKellar. CHARLIE Author: Lisa Tenzin-Dolma Publisher: Hubble & Hattie RRP: $29.99 Available: Now, from all good bookstores Sometimes, a story comes along that touches your heart very deeply. For me, Charlie was one such read. This relatively short book told the story of Charlie, a traumatised dog who was taken in on foster care by the author, Lisa, from Blind Dog Rescue. When Lisa took Charlie home, it became clear that this one-eyed dog had not had close contact with humans. When Charlie first was taken into Lisa’s home, he stood for literally hours in the same spot in the hallway — and then eventually lay down, facing away from the family. From this point forward, Lisa had a challenge on her hands, and what follows is a…

Easter is a great opportunity for you and your family to take a trip with your pet dog. The weather tends to be a little cooler than summer, so there’s less chance of heat stress, but it’s still warm enough to be able to enjoy getting out and about with your four-legged friend in a new location. Before you hit the road, however, there are a few things you must do to help ensure your trip is a safe and happy one. • Schedule a visit to your vet a couple of weeks prior to departure to make sure your pet is up to date with worming, vaccinations, flea and tick prevention. • Make sure that your dog’s microchip details are up to date with your current contact details. I…

PART 1 Pet adoption rates across Australia have been steadily increasing over recent years thanks to increased promotion and community awareness. There are many benefits to adopting a more mature dog. Not starting from scratch helps avoid much of the craziness and mess associated with puppies. And what you see is what you get: the dog’s personality and size should be apparent, so there are no surprises. Just because a dog is available for adoption doesn’t mean they automatically have problems. Many rescue dogs are well trained and well behaved. However, some may exhibit unruly behaviour simply due to a lack of training, but these problems can generally be resolved with good management and consistent training. Set your rescue dog up for success Be prepared for it to take several…

1. Entry into the competition implies full acceptance of all conditions of entry, including the instructions on how to enter. 2. Entry is open to all residents of Australia and New Zealand. Employees and immediate families of the promoter, associated companies and agencies associated with this promotion are ineligible to enter. 3. Entries close with last mail and email on April 5, 2016, unless stated otherwise. The entries will be judged by the PETS editorial team and the winner(s) will be selected on April 12, 2016. The winners will be notified by mail, email or telephone. 4. Write the competition name on the front of the envelope and send to PETS magazine, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde NSW 1670 or email your entry to pets@universalmagazines.com.au 5. Prize(s) will be delivered to…

Do you love your pet? Tell us a warm and fuzzy tale about the special bond you share with your best pal for a chance to win a really cool prize. TO ENTER: All you have to do is tell us in 400 words or less why your pet is so special and include a few clear, sharp photographs (1MB or larger) of your friend. Please also include your contact number and mailing address. Send your entries to Pet Tales/PETS, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde NSW 1670 or email your entries to pets@universalmagazines.com.au Please read the terms and conditions on page 97 before entering. Good luck!…

As well as the danger of theobromine in chocolate, there are other sweet things that can cause your cat or dog problems this Easter. The sugar substitute xylitol is also highly toxic to pets and is found in lollies and gum as well as some baked goods. When ingested, it causes a drop in blood sugar, resulting in seizures and possible death. If you are hiding treats around the house this Easter, make sure pets are kept away in another room. Dr. Alex Hynes Ambassador for Huskimo “It’s Treat Time” offers a tasty alternative treat for your dog this Easter, and is available at leading independent pet stores. For more information, visit allpet.com.au…

Kitten season is still upon us. Adopting or purchasing a tiny new addition to your family is a big commitment — the oldest cat ever reached 36 years old, and with most cats reaching into their mid-teens at least, it’s no longer a 10 year commitment — more like 15 years of worshiping your new master! Before purchasing a kitty, there are several things you should know going into this exciting new phase of your life. Dr Kim Kendall of The Chatswood Cat Palace, cat vet and feline behaviour expert of a hundred cat years, has some invaluable tips for new kitten owners. ACQUIRING YOUR KITTEN The #1 most important tip when getting a new kitten: buy two! If your household can realistically cope with having two kittens (under the…

NATURE’S MIRACLE PET BLOCK REPELLENT SPRAY There comes a time in every pet owner’s life when you’ll want to keep your pet away from something. Whether it’s the new couch or perhaps a corner of your garden, keeping your cat or dog separate from this item can be tricky — and that’s why we love Nature’s Miracle Pet Block Repellent Spray. Made from natural repelling scents, this formula is designed to deter your dog or pup using scents he or she will inherently dislike or avoid. What a fabulous training aid! For more information, visit natures-miracle.com. PETS has 10 Nature’s Miracle Pet Block Repellent Spray to give away. PITTER PATTER PHOTOGRAPHY They’re members of our family, so it makes sense that you want to capture their image in…

PETS: How did you come up with the concept for Borrow My Pooch? SHARON SANDERS: I have been borrowing other people’s dogs since 2006, when I first started borrowing Hobbs, a beautiful Red Heeler cattle dog. On the days that I worked from home I would go and “dognap” her from my friend’s house and she’d keep me company while I worked. I then started to look after a couple of cute Schnoodles, who came with a beautiful house overlooking the beach and ocean. There’s been a Shih Tzu and a couple of Schnauzers in between. Living in an apartment and working full-time meant that I couldn’t own my own dog, so borrowing other people’s dogs opened up the wonderful world of doggy joy to me. I thought that there…

KIDS AND PETS Most of the critters we feature are family-friendly, though it’s important to remember children should be supervised when playing with any animal whether it’s a dog, cat, bird, bunny or reptile. Keep an eye out for our “At a glance” boxes, where we rate the care and maintenance, grooming and exercise requirements of different breeds and creatures on a scale from one to five: Low maintenance Moderate maintenance Requires regular attention Lots of work High maintenance…

With a long history that can be traced back to the 14th century, the Korat is one of the rarest natural cat breeds still in existence. Known as the “good luck cat” in their ancestral home of Thailand, Korats are often given to newlyweds as wedding gifts. Given their striking appearance and relaxed yet playful temperament, there’s little wonder why this breed has captured the hearts of cat fanciers around the world. A PURE LINEAGE One thing you’ll notice about Korat lovers is how proud they are of the breed’s history and purity. Eva Krynda from Sydney’s inner west fell in love with them more than two years ago. In fact, it was her interest in the Korat’s preservation that led her to become a breeder. “The community of Korat…

ANTI-BARK SPRAY COLLAR Is your dog barking without rhyme or reason? Stop this nuisance behaviour with the Anti-Bark Spray Collar. Using a specially formulated citronella spray, this collar can stop barking dogs close to 90 per cent of the time. Even better, it’s 100 per cent safe for all dogs, people and the environment and it can be used safely on all healthy dogs — even puppies. The Anti-Bark Spray Collar kit includes the device, a nylon adjustable collar strap, and a 6-volt alkaline battery, as well as one citronella can refill so you’re ready to use. For more information, visit dlc.com.au KONG TENNIS PALS Whenever KONG announces something new, we get excited. Tennis Pals is the latest product from this producer of quality toys, and we are pleased to…