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Biologically Appropriate Petfood

BIOLOGICALLY APPROPRIATE DOG & CAT FOOD The Biologically Appropriate concept is simple to understand yet very difficult to achieve within the limits of dry dog or cat food. Stated simply, ‘Biologically Appropriate’ means mimicking the foods that Mother Nature evolved the animal to eat. Herbivores, like cows and sheep for example, evolved flat molars to grind plants, long digestive...

Food Aggression

Food aggression is a very common problem in a pet dog and can also be a dangerous problem within the pet home and human relationship. Here are some useful tips on how to deal with this behaviour. However, if your dog has already established this behaviour to the point where it becomes dangerous, seek help from a professional dog trainer or behaviourist. Why do dogs protect their...

Cat Breed In Focus - The Somali

By Susan Shoring as featured in Paws & Claws Magazine Known as the ‘fox cat’, the Somali is essentially the longhaired version of the Abyssinian. Although the Abyssinian is a shorthaired breed, semi-longhaired kittens occasionally appeared in Aby litters as ‘unwanted accidents’ in the 1950s and 60s. Initially sold as desexed pets and thereby excluded from future pedigree...

Dog Breed In Focus - The British Bulldog

Tough by standard Tender by nature Terrific to own To own a British Bulldog is a very special experience, and one which makes you doubt if you could ever own any other breed. The Bulldog is renowned for its temperament, being amongst the best temperament of any breed throughout the world. The Bulldog is one of the most recognised dogs in the world. Very small children will say “That’s...

Cat Enclosures

By Susan Shoring as featured in Paws & Claws Magazine “Ensure your cat is kept contained to your property at all times. A $75 on the spot fine applies to cats that are not contained to their own properties. Your cat may also be impounded.” - Gold Coast City Council. This is a very sensible law. However, we all know that cats are not great respecters of boundaries or even...

Dealing with grief

By Alison Bott as featured in Paws & Claws Magazine When the time comes for us to start making decisions for our pet’s future, we often find ourselves dealing with very conflicting emotions. How will I know when the time is right? What do I do when I have made the decision to euthanase? What happens next? ...

Animal Reiki

Reiki is a Japanese healing technique that treats the whole body. Loosely translated, Reiki means universal life force energy, and like acupuncture and homeopathy, Reiki is an energy healing modality. The practitioner is attuned to the energy and acts as a vessel through which the Reiki flows, usually from the hands, to where it is most needed. The basic philosophy teaches that illness is...

Dog Breed In Focus - The Rhodesian Ridgeback

The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a relative latecomer to the pedigree dog ranks, with the Standard (the set of characteristics that determine the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed) recognised in 1922. However, the breed’s history begins in the 16th and 17th centuries when Europeans migrated to South Africa, bringing with them their hunting dogs. The settlers found their traditional breeds had...

Cat Breed In Focus - Korat

by Susan Shoring, Secretary of the Gold Coast Cat Club The Korat is an ancient breed that originated in Thailand some 600+ years ago, alongside the Siamese and the Burmese. This charming cat is one of the world’s oldest breeds and is noted for its beautiful, luminous eyes and magical silver-tipped blue coat. King Chulalongkorn of Siam, or Rama V, reigned from 1868 – 1910 and was...

How to say goodbye to your beloved pet

by Alison Bott Losing a pet can be one of the most devastating times in our lives! They are a huge part of our family, and our daily lives revolve around them. Many of us plan our days around the needs of our pets, changing appointments and holidays to fit in with their needs. Because of this, as well as just grieving the loss of our pet, we must grieve the loss of a lifestyle! This...

The Scoop on Kitty Litter - Part 2: Litter Trays

Last issue we looked at the various kitty litters on the market, but as litter is synonymous with litter trays, this time we’ll take a look at the range of kitty litter tray options around. Litter trays are available in a variety of choices. Avoid trays that are too small, remembering that cats do like to have room to turn around and scratch before and after the deed. Individual cats...

Smoke Signals – How Your Passive Cigarette Smoke May be Affecting Your Pet

During 1970, American scientist Dr. Oscar Auerbach trained 36 Beagles to inhale cigarette smoke in his relentless pursuit of proving that smoking causes lung cancer, seeking to boost the fledgling anti-smoking movement with his findings. The animals were harnessed in an open box and after gradual conditioning, began to show signs of addiction, wagging their tails and excitably...

Transporting Your Pet

Moving house can be stressful at the best of times, let alone having to worry about whether your pet is being transported safely and comfortably. Moving in general, whether it is locally or nationally can be difficult and confusing for animals. There are essentially two forms of pet transportation, being by road and air.  Animals can be moved in vans or trailers by road or in...

Cat Breed In Focus - The British Shorthair

The national cat of the British Isles, the British Shorthair is the aristocrat of the shorthairs. It most likely evolved from the domestic cats introduced into Britain by Roman colonists over 2000 years ago, and is probably the oldest of the English breeds, sometimes described as the pedigree version of the moggy The quintessential cuddly cat, this gentle breed has a stocky build...

Dog Breed In Focus - Maltese Terrier

The Maltese Terrier is a small, energetic breed and is often referred to as a lap-dog, because they are predominantly housed indoors. Obviously, if you are in search of a working dog this isn’t the breed for you, but what they lack in a desire to work, they make up for in personality. A member of the bishon family, it is one of the oldest European breeds. As the name suggests, the...

Homeless Hound...OR can I have pets?

Unfortunately, this is the hard decision facing many pet owners right now! Due to the rising interest rates and the major rental crisis we are currently experiencing, many pet owners, like myself, are having to relocate, and finding pet-friendly rental properties is not an easy task. The recent trend of ‘unfriendly’ pet rentals was confirmed when I experienced, first-hand, exactly how...

The Scoop on Kitty Litter

Kitty litter duty is never the favourite part of a person’s life with their cat. However, a little insight into the functions of the various kitty litters currently on the market can make living in the same house as a litter tray far more congenial. The choice of kitty litter is a very personal one: it’s a matter of finding one that kitty likes to use, is easy to clean out, fits into...

Tis the season to be careful: the holiday season exposed

The beginning of the festive season marks a time of family, celebration and over-indulgence. Amidst the warm and fuzzy atmosphere of giving and receiving, there is a strong temptation to include your pet too – after all, they are a member of the family, why should they miss out on all the fun? Buried deep within the trappings of the silly season however, lurks a number of potential...

Cat Breed In Focus - The Devon Rex

By Susan Shoring, Secretary of Gold Coast Cat Club The Devon Rex first appeared in Devonshire, England, in 1960. Although this wasn’t far from where the Cornish Rex was discovered ten years earlier in Cornwall, and while both breeds resulted from spontaneous mutations, subsequent breeding experiments proved that the two breeds are definitely not related. A Miss Beryl Cox lived...

Dog Breed In Focus - The Boxer

By the Qld Boxer Club The Boxer is unique in the dog world; no other dog is more individual in appearance. His trim, square-built body is strong, muscular and elegant, with a head having no equal. His noble bearing, strong character, alert expression and confident attitude have attracted admirers all over the world. He is a medium-sized dog with a short coat, strong limbs, a...

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