October 2013

Hello from ABBA

We at Abba Kennels and Cattery would like to wish you a happy and safe Spring!
Many Melbournians are planning their Christmas holidays and we at ABBA look forward to the fun we'll have taking care of your furry friends whilst you're away.
The days are drawing out and the weather warming up. Our pets love to play outside and will get bored and into mischief if not occupied when you're at work.
Keep you and your pets happy this Spring and drop them off at ABBA during work hours. They can socialise with other dogs, exercise and have fun with the their friends at daycare with our experienced carers.

From the team at ABBA

SPRING VIP MEMBER SPECIAL

Mention the Spring newsletter or check in at ABBA on Facebook and receive a free bath for your dog, usually valued at $15 per stay! 

SPRING FACEBOOK CELEBRITY

And the winner is...
Linda Novosad! (Strazberg)
Congratulations Linda Novosad, our Spring Facebook Celebrity prize is a FREE 2 night sleepover for Strazberg at a time of your choosing.

Linda has been bringing her animals to stay with us at ABBA since 2007, we love having Strazberg to stay with us!

Do you want to be a winner?
We love reading the feedback and comments on our Facebook page. To say thank you for your valued contribution to our online community we will be choosing one loyal follower each season as the winner of our Facebook celebrity award.

 

REST IN PEACE LEO

All of the staff at ABBA would like to express our condolences to Marg on the sad passing of Leo, her Pomeranian, on the 16th August.

Marg adopted Leo five years ago from the Keysborough Animal Shelter. Leo was 11 years old when he was adopted by Marg and has been a good pal of Benji and Meshka, Marg's other two dogs.

Marg has been bringing her animals to stay with us at ABBA for over 10 years. We all enjoyed looking after Leo when he was with us, he will be sadly missed.

REST IN PEACE NICKY

All of the staff at ABBA would like to express our condolences to Gordon and Rhonda on the sad passing of Nicki, their Greyhound.

As told by Gordon and Rhonda...

"After eight years of a very frenetic life our pal Nicky passed away much to our dismay and the dismay of Nicky's mate Millie. She spent her life being the one who organised when meals and walks would happen. She knew to the minute when it was an hour to dinner time and she was the master of who got the best bed, all without a noise made. We miss the nose tossing up the doona when it was time to get under the bedclothes rather than just on top. Of the five greyhounds we have had she certainly was different but much loved."

DOGGY DAYCARE AT ABBA

Did you know that your furry friend(s) could have fun every week at ABBA? In Spring many dog owners want to catch up with friends and have some much needed "time out" after the cold miserable days of Winter. Our pets also want to have fun, enjoy doggie company and play outside. Your friends at ABBA love spending time with your pet and will make sure they are happy and fully occupied.

Book your dog in to spend a day or two a week at ABBA - drop your pet off before 9 and pickup at 5 (or arrange pickups), your dog will thank you for the playtimes and extra attention during the day. Don't feel guilty when you go out or leave for work - introductory pricing at $20 a day, call us to book!

ABBA PET CELEBRITIES

DOGGY DAYCARE SPECIAL!
Guaranteed to be a real "Wag of a Tail"!!

Q. What is your name?
A. My name is Biggie. I used to be called Biggie Smalls, after the late notorious rapper, but my new Dad changed it to just Biggie.

Q. How old are you and what is your breed?
A. I'm 2 years and 5 months old and I am a Jack Russell Cross. I came to my new home last Christmas after living in two other places.

Q. What's your favourite food?
A. I like wet and dry food but love the boys' homemade chicken, rice and vegie mix. Yum!

Q. What about treats? Any favourites?
A. I like Schmackos, pigs ears and enjoy chewing on a lamb bone occasionally.

Q. What's your favourite hobby/pastime?
A. Humans think I'm obsessed with playing ball. They're right! I also love going for long walks with the boys.

Q. Do you like to play? What are your favourite toys?
A. Chasing and catching a ball is great fun. I really like the colourful high bounce balls that ricochet all over the house!

Q. Do you have any friends or sworn enemies?
A. I really like all the new friends I've made at ABBA since I started at daycare but I'm not a fan of those pesky possums in our backyard.

Q. What's the naughtiest thing you've ever done?
A. I have demolished a couple of beds which is a bit naughty but I try to be good most of the time.

Q. What's the funniest thing you've ever done?
A. When I arrived at my new home I got a much needed bath, only to go outside and dig up a recently deceased goldfish and roll in it for hours. Well, I thought it was funny anyway!

Q. Do you do any tricks for your human? What are your best ones?
A. I keep practicing my ball catching and I am getting better all the time. I also do a good impersonation of that meerkat on the TV.

A GREAT FUN GAME FOR YOUR DOG

Nose Work
Similar to tracking, nose work takes advantage of a dog's innate scent capability. Training begins with simple tasks of finding a treat in a hidden box. As your dog gets better at locating objects the tasks get more challenging.

Not only is nose work an excellent exercise, as your dog bounds from place to place looking for the prize, but nose work also develops your dog's focus and confidence as well.

"Happiness starts with a wet nose and ends with a wagging tail".

DOG BREEDS

In each Abba Newsletter we will be showcasing dog and cat breeds with useful information and facts. We thought we'd start off with a very special dog breed...

Australian Shepherd
(or more commonly known as 'Aussie')

Breed: Australian Shepherd
Temperament: biddable, active
Lifespan: 12-14 years
Recommended for: acreages, active families & agility enthusiasts
Popularity: increasing
Maintenance: medium

This breed was introduced to Australia in 1990 and was recognised as an official breed in 1993.

Australian Shepherds are easy-going, remaining puppy-like even in their adult years. This courageous dog makes a good watchdog for the home. Aussies are excellent with children, as they love to play. They are devoted, loyal friends and guardians, for they are naturally protective. Affectionate, very lively, agile and attentive - they are eager to please with a sixth sense about what their owner wants.

Australian Shepherds are highly intelligent and easy to train. Though aggressive when at work with livestock, the Aussie is gentle with human friends.

Australian Shepherds are not the kind of dog to lie around the living room all day or live happily in the backyard with only a 15-minute walk. They need much more exercise than that and something to occupy their mind daily or they will become bored, leading to behaviour problems.

Australian Shepherds need to be socialised to prevent them from becoming suspicious of strangers. Working lines may be too energetic for people who only have a moderately active lifestyle. Some like to nip people's heels in an attempt to herd them, and this behaviour needs to be corrected, teaching the dog that humans are not to be herded. The Aussie is a quiet worker and the breed is not usually dog aggressive.

PET RECIPES

It's Raining Cat and Dog Balls!

Ingredients
1/2 cup dry milk or powdered milk
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon of honey
113 grams of lean ground beef

Directions

1. Mix dry ingredients together and then stir in honey and the ground beef until well combined.
2. Form into small bite size balls and bake on a greased biscuit tray on 180c for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. They cook quickly, so check on them frequently.
3. Cool completely and serve to your feline friend.

Diabetic Dog Treats

Ingredients

1 kilo 227 grams of beef liver, cut into large pieces
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Directions

1. Place the liver into a food processor and finely chop.
2. Add eggs and combine.
3. Add flour a little at a time until all is mixed into liver.
4. Spread evenly into a prepared baking pan.
5. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 180c oven until the center if firm.
6. Cool and cut into squares using a pizza cutter. Treats have the consistency similar to that of a sponge.
7. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Additional note- After cutting into squares, turn the squares upside down and allow them to dry more thoroughly for at least an hour.

Chicken/Turkey Jerky

Ingredients

Any lean meat works well but white meat works the best, being lean it will dry out the easiest. Dark meat will take longer and anything that is fatty won't work because it will become rancid if left out too long.

Directions

Cut into pieces and then place in the oven at 250 and allow to cook until crispy (usually an hour or more). Freeze or refrigerate these treats to keep them fresh.

A scrumptious treat for well behaved special pets!

Pumpkin/Peanut Butter Treats

Ingredients
2 ½ cups of wheat flour (remember to cook healthy for your dog too!)
2 eggs
2 cups of cooked pumpkin
3 tablespoons of peanut butter
Preheat oven to 180c

Directions

1. Whisk ingredients together in a bowl and use a little water to make the dough workable, the dough should be dry and stiff to make good dog biscuits.
2. Roll the dough out to about 12 mm thick and cut into small pieces.
3. Bake in the oven until crisp (about 45 minutes).

Dog biscuits last longer if they are hard and will go moldy if they are moist. If your dog prefers moist biscuits- refrigerate!

DID YOU KNOW?

DOG FACTS

1. When drinking water, dogs cup the back of their tongues to transfer water from their bowl into their mouths.
2. The priciest dog in the world, a Tibetan Mastiff, was recently bought in China for $1.5 million.
3. Call them biters! Female dogs bite double the amount of males.
4. At age one, dogs have the same level of physical development that humans have at age 15.
5. A dog's first sense to develop is touch.
6. To differentiate between their different types of food, dogs depend more on their sense of smell than their sense of taste. Humans have five times the amount of taste buds than dogs.
7. Dog's sense of hearing can reach four times the distance of humans.
8. Feeling a bit anxious? Studies indicate that petting your dog can lower your blood pressure.
9. Dogs who live in cities tend to live, on average, 3 years longer than dogs from the country.
10. Greyhounds can run as fast as 72 kmh and are the fastest canines on the planet.

CAT FACTS

1. Cats can pick up on your tone of voice, so sweet-talking to your cat has more of an impact than you think.
2. Cats have over 100 sounds in their vocal repertoire, while dogs only have 10.
3. Cats sleep 16 hours of any given day.
4. Cats use their whiskers to measure openings, indicate mood and general navigation.
5. A cat can reach up to five times it own height per jump.
6. Cats' rough tongues enable them to clean themselves efficiently and to lick clean an animal bone.
7. Each side of a cat's face has about 12 whiskers.
8. A female cat is known as a queen or a molly.
9. A third of cats' time spent awake is usually spent cleaning themselves.

JUST FOR A GIGGLE

A gnome was in the garden busily destroying some bushes when a house cat appears.
"What are you?" asks the cat.
"A gnome," comes the reply.
"I steal food from humans, I kill their plants, I make annoying music at night to drive them crazy, and I love mischief. And what, may I ask, are you?"
The cat replies, "Um, I'm a gnome."

 

AND ANOTHER GIGGLE

A couple of dog owners are arguing about whose pet is smarter.
"My dog is so smart," says the first owner, "that every morning he waits for the paperboy to come around. He tips the kid and then brings the newspaper to me, along with my morning coffee."
"I know," says the second owner.
"How do you know?"
"My dog told me.

 

INSPIRATION AND SOURCES

• http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Dogs/Australian-Shepherds/2170
• http://www.weekendnotes.com/ringwood-lake-park/
• http://allrecipes.com/recipe/diabetic-dog-treats/
• http://www.food.com/recipe/its-raining-cat-and-dog-balls-treats-330203
• http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/favorite-easy-dog-treat-recipes/
• http://animal.discovery.com/pets/dog-facts.htm
• http://www.cesarsway.com/tips/dogtraining/Mind-Tricks-for-your-Dog
• http://www.readersdigest.ca/pets/fun-facts/10-funny-pet-jokes

IMAGE CREDITS

• http://www.food.com/recipe/its-raining-cat-and-dog-balls-treats-330203
• http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/favorite-easy-dog-treat-recipes/
• http://allrecipes.com/recipe/diabetic-dog-treats/
• http://www.weekendnotes.com/ringwood-lake-park/
• http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/australianshepherd.htm
• http://breakingmuscle.com/sports-psychology/8-things-dogs-can-teach-us-about-health-and-fitness
• http://www.galtime.com/story/21964987/creating-a-pet-friendly-yard
• https://www.facebook.com/HappyLuckyDog
• http://www.readersdigest.ca/pets/fun-facts/10-funny-pet-jokes
• http://www.readersdigest.ca/pets/fun-facts/10-funny-pet-jokes
• http://www.freeimageslive.co.uk/free_stock_image/catintreejpghttp://
• http://blog.memberclicks.com
• www.purina.com.au
• http://www.wallpaperhere.com/cat_meowing_25877
• www.zazzle.com.au
• http://hafls.oaklands.ac.uk/