In This Issue:
- HELLO from ABBA
- SUMMER VIP MEMBER SPECIAL
- SUMMER FACEBOOK CELEBRITY
- REST IN PEACE DIGGER
- OUR DIGGER
- DOGGY DAYCARE AT ABBA
- A BEAUTIFUL SHORT STORY ABOUT RANDAL
- SUMMER SAFETY TIPS
- HOW TO KEEP YOUR DOG COOL
- 10 TIPS FOR CONTROLLING SHEDDING
- JUST FOR A GIGGLE
- A DOG'S BEDTIME PRAYER
To all of our special friends (furry or otherwise).
We at Abba Kennels and Cattery hope you enjoyed Christmas and New Years!
Many Melbournians are now planning their Easter and Labour day weekend holidays and we look forward to the fun and playtimes we'll be having taking care of your furry friends whilst you're away. Book Now because spaces are filling fast!
Doggy Daycare: Now that everyone is back at work our pets get bored, lonely and into mischief if not occupied. Keep you (and your pets!) happy by dropping them off at ABBA during work hours. They'll enjoy socialising with other dogs, exercising and spending time with their friends and our experienced carers.
From the team at ABBA
When booking your pet for a stay at ABBA, mention your VIP status and refer to one of the specials below to claim your freebie!
DOGGY SPECIAL - Receive a Half Mega Play FREE (2 hour group play) for your dog. (A saving of $10.00) until the 31st March, 2015
FELINE SPECIAL - Receive 2 "One on One" play sessions FREE for your cat. (A saving of $10.00) until the 31st March, 2015
VIP SENIORS & AGED PENSION CARD HOLDERS - Receive a 20% discount on all boarding (excluding public holidays) until the 31st March, 2015
And the winner is... Angela and Patch!
Congratulations Angela, our Summer Facebook Celebrity prize is a FREE 2 night sleepover for Patch the Cat at a time of your choosing. Please contact us within the next two weeks to claim your prize!
Q. What is your name?
A. My full name is 'Patch the Cat', or Patch Meinke or Patch Stewart – depending on which human you name me after. I'm commonly known as 'the grey streak' and 'catastrophe'' and other names too when I am really naughty.
Q. How old are you and what is your breed?
A. I'm a 12 year old domestic.
Q. What's your favourite food?
A. I eat Science Diet everyday but I try to get hold of some human food from time to time. I won't just eat any rubbish – I am fussy and watch what I put into my body.
Q. What about treats? Any favourites?
A. My parents cook meat and I love to get little bits of chicken, kangaroo, and fish - none of that salad stuff. I also quite like ice cream and plain yoghurt. Plus, drinking water straight off the shower floor or out of the kitchen tap ..... Ahhhh fresh filtered water!
Q. What's your favourite hobby/pastime?
A. I like sleeping on my parents bed, sleeping in general and having the general run of the house. Sometimes I get rid of the humans when they go on a holiday so I get a holiday of my own – Abba Kennels here I come...
Q. Do you like to play? What are your favourite toys?
A. Not so much now I'm older but I do like chasing string along the ground for cardio. I like kicking around scrunched up pieces of paper... I used to be in training for the world cup. I like jumping up on things (cupboards, tables, etc), particularly the kitchen cupboards which are about 3 metres high. I also have a climbing tower that is about 4 metres high and then a long cardboard tunnel that is great to run through and hide in. Bags are also fun - I fit very nicely in briefcases, sports bags, handbags. I also like to help my humans type on the keyboard - pity they can't read cat.
Q. Do you have any friends or sworn enemies?
A. I'm an indoor cat so my friends are my parents; although I do like some other humans. As for other animals I don't want them invading my space or my house. I tried to attack the german shepherd next door one time.
Q. What's the naughtiest thing you've ever done?
A. Where do I start? I like tearing holes in the furniture if I can. My parents baked cupcakes when I was young and they left them on the bench to cool with a tea towel over them so I ate a piece of every cupcake (including the paper) to ensure they were all mine. My parents also baked some pork in the oven and when the baking was done they turned the oven off and left the door slightly open. I managed to get my paw in there, dragged the dish closer and snagged myself an entire pork filet which I ate - I was so sick when I finished but it was sooo good.
Q. What's the funniest thing you've ever done?
A. My parents thought it would be good to buy me a harness and take me for a walk outside – cause I do like it outside in the sun. They put the harness on me and I dropped like a fly to the ground and would not budge an inch hoping they would realise how stupid I looked and take it off. About once a day I go for a bit of a sprint so I can loosen up a bit and use some energy I've built up from sleeping 16 hours a day. On this particular day one of the stupid humans left a cupboard door open and when I'd built up speed and tried to make a turn around the lounge couch I could not avoid hitting the door. No harm done apart from a blood nose, but watching me try to hit the breaks to avoid carnage was funny. Claws do not work on tiles to slow you down.
Q. Do you do any tricks for your human? What are your best ones?
A. I can open some cupboard and room doors on my own (previously thought impenetrable by the humans). Sometimes I get locked in cupboards though and this is not fun. I can also catch food. My parents wait until I sit nicely and then throw and I catch either with my paws or straight into my mouth. Maximum distance catch of about 3 metres and maximum repetitions from about 1.5 metres is over 10. I'm lots of fun.
All of the staff at ABBA would like to express our condolences to Blair and Rewa Feenaghty on the sad passing of Digger.
Blair and Rewa have been bringing Digger to stay with us at ABBA since 1997. We all enjoyed looking after Digger when he was with us and he will be very sadly missed!
As told by Blair and Rewa Feenaghty
Digger was a black and white Border Collie. One of a litter of four pups born on 26th June, 1997, he died on 6th January, 2015 making him 17 ½ years old. Digger was a beautiful dog and lived here with his twin sister Bonnie, who died when they were 7 years old. Digger was very musical and when given encouragement would "sing" with his friend Richard. He has also shared the house with some cats and even made friends with one!
He was a lovely natured and friendly dog and much loved by all. When he was not quite a year old he had a nasty accident and nearly lost his paw, but it was saved by our Vet, Rohan Nicholls.
He always loved coming to ABBA Kennels which was like a home away from home for him, his first visit was in Christmas 1997 when the kennels were in Keysborough. In later years he would go to the new kennels and live in the "elderly gentleman's room" where he was spoiled rotten, what with being given a pig's ear each night for a snack. He even had Facebook friends we have been told!
Digger was very fond of human food as well as his own meat loaf and the cat food, but his favourites were lamb shanks and juicy bones. He would bury the bones in the garden beds in the backyard and one always knew because he would have a smudge of mud on the end of his nose.
We used to hear stories of Digger being seen in the street which, of course, we knew must be wrong as the gates were firmly locked. We didn't know that the neighbours had removed some of the palings from the back fence, behind our shed, until one day we took him for a walk and he dashed up their drive to take a shortcut home and all was revealed. Maybe we did not exercise him as much as he wanted us to?
We really miss the dear old fellow but will be forever grateful to you all at ABBA for taking such good care of him. Will we get another dog? Only time will tell but not quite yet. Still who knows, maybe one will find us!
Did you know that your furry friend(s) could have fun every week at ABBA?
In the warmer months many dog owners want to catch up with friends and have some much needed "time out". 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! Call us to book!
Here are some of our furry friends enjoying their Christmas presents from ABBA!
A BEAUTIFUL SHORT STORY ABOUT RANDAL
Channel 7 Sunrise viewer Natalie Harmon posted this beautiful personal story on their facebook wall.
'When my Mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer I moved back home straight away. Randal would never leave my mum's side and this one particular day she woke up from her nap with him asleep on her and said to me 'dogs are angels, he can tell I'm dying, that's why he's all over me'. He loved her till the end. When my dad and I threw all my Mums flowers into the water at Tin Can Bay, Randal swam out and brought them all back to me... xx'
Keep cool and hydrated. If the hot weather is making you uncomfortable, chances are your dog is too. Dogs can end up becoming overheated and suffering from heat stroke when the temperatures rise. Don't leave your dog outside in the heat unsupervised. Make sure there is always fresh water indoors and outside. If your dog does appear to be overheated, apply cool, wet cloths to his pads, head and belly. Make sure that your dog has access to shade.
Prevent sunburn. Believe it or not, dogs can suffer from sunburn. Hairless and light-skinned dogs have a greater chance of getting burnt.
No hot cars! Never leave your dog alone inside a hot car. When it's 26 degrees outside, the inside of a car can reach 51 degrees very quickly, even with the windows left open.
Paw pads are not shoes. Some people think that the pads on a dog's paws are like shoes, but they're not. Sidewalks and streets become extremely hot in the summer, and while dog's paws are tougher than human feet, they can get burned by hot pavements. Keep your dog on the grass in extreme heat to keep his paws intact. Also remember that sand can burn too, so take your long beach walks with your dog early in the morning or evening when it's cooler.
When the mercury rises, keep your pets' temperatures low. Does summer weather beckon you outside for a game of catch with your favourite four-legged friend?
Not so fast. If you're feeling the heat, you can bet your dog is too and for him, overheating can be dangerous -- even deadly.
Also known as hyperthermia, heat stroke happens when a dog's body temperature rises above the average 39.17 C and can't be controlled by normal cooling processes, such as panting. A Hebrew University study found that 50% of dogs suffering from heatstroke won't survive. Warning signs include exhaustion, vomiting, diarrhoea and, at its worst, confusion and seizures.
Here's how to keep your dog cool and healthy in our warmer months (and even get in a few games of outdoor catch!).
Follow Fido's lead. The No. 1 sign that a dog's core temperature is getting too high is fatigue. If you're out for a hike with your dog on a hot day and he's searching for every shady spot to lie down in, turn around and carry him home."
Don't let the temperature fool you. Dogs can get overheated in weather as low as 26.67 C. Add in humidity and vigorous exercise and it could be a recipe for disaster. If you can't comfortably sit outside for an extended period of time, then don't let your dog do it, either.
Change your walking time. Dogs still need exercise in the summer, but it's best to avoid the hottest parts of the day. Try going early in the morning or late at night after the sun has set.
Don't give your dog a haircut. It may be tempting to shave your pup's thick hair in an effort to cool him off for the summer, but it could do more harm than good. A dog's coat provides a buffer to help him regulate his body temperature. Trimming his hair doesn't make him any less susceptible to heat.
Don't use ice. If your dog displays heatstroke symptoms, wet him down with room temperature water and put him in front of a fan. "Your first instinct might be to pack ice packs around him or cool him off as quickly as possible, but the cold causes his blood vessels to constrict, and when they constrict they can't dissipate heat," she says. Call your vet and take your dog in immediately for treatment.
The first thing you should do if you think your dog might be suffering from heatstroke is take his temperature with a rectal thermometer. It's good info for your vet to know to give a better prognosis. A dog whose temperature got up to 41.07 C has a worse prognosis than one who only got up to 40.56."
Andrea Hilden, DVM
By Colleen Oakley
WebMD Magazine - Feature
Reviewed by William Draper, DVM
10 TIPS FOR CONTROLLING SHEDDING
One of the biggest nuisances faced by pet owners is unwanted hair in their homes.
Nearly every dog and cat - regardless of their age or breed - sheds. Some breeds have more hair or thick undercoats and will shed in higher quantities, but virtually all dogs and cats will shed hair. While we cannot stop a dog or cat from shedding, we can help reduce the amount of loose hair, and also effectively remove the hair so it doesn't create a problem in our homes.
Animals shed to get rid of old, damaged, or extra hair. Animals grow a heavy coat in the winter to help insulate themselves and then shed the extra hair in the summer. However, dogs will also shed broken or damaged hair, and if their skin is irritated from conditions such as allergies, they will also shed excessively.
- Brush your pet! Regular, even daily, brushing is the best thing you can do to keep your home free of hair. Brushing will also make your pet's coat softer, cleaner, and less likely to shed.
- Feed an appropriate pet food. A pet's coat is often a reflection of what they eat. Feed a high quality food with good digestible protein sources.
- Feed a fatty acid supplement. This will help your dog to keep his coat healthy.
- Cover your furniture and car seats. Upholstery is a magnet for pet hair, and removing pet hair from furniture or car seats can be a tedious task. If you allow pets on your furniture or bed, you would be wise to invest in a few furniture throws. Throws will keep your furniture looking (and smelling) better, and make your home more inviting to guests. Car seat covers are also an excellent investment and are highly recommended.
- Control allergies and fleas. See your veterinarian to make sure your pet is getting proper allergy relief.
- Vacuum often. Be diligent in your vacuuming efforts. Frequent vacuuming is the best way to keep your home hair free.
- Bathe your dog occasionally during the summer. A clean dog will have a healthier coat. A gentle oatmeal shampoo once a week or so will clean without drying the skin and rejuvenate a lackluster hair coat.
- Have regular checkups. Many diseases can affect the skin and haircoat. Regular visits to your veterinarian will help identify problems early, and provide more effective treatment.
- Use the right brush. Slicker Brushes, Shedding Blades, Matbreakers and Love Gloves each have a specific function and work best on the type of coat they are designed for. Most pets need more than one type of brush to remove all of the dead hair.
- Remove hair from upholstery and your dog's bed as soon as possible. Hair that is newly shed is easier to remove before it works its way into upholstery fabric. A Tape Roller is one of the best tools for removing hair. Remember that routine brushing and grooming are an important part of every pet's care. By paying attention to your pet's diet and following these tips, you can significantly reduce the amount of pet hair in your home, on your furniture, and in your car.
As a butcher is shooing a dog from his shop, he noticed $10 and a note in the dog's mouth, reading "10 lamb chops, please."
Amazed, he takes the money, puts a bag of chops in the dog's mouth, and quickly closes the shop. He follows the dog and watches him wait for a green light, look both ways, and trot across the road to a bus stop. The dog checks the timetable and sits on the bench. When a bus arrives, he walks around to the front and looks at the number, then boards the bus. The butcher follows, dumbstruck.
As the bus travels out into the suburbs, the dog takes in the scenery. After a while he stands on his back paws to push the "stop" button, then the butcher follows him off.
The dog runs up to a house and drops his bag on the front step. He goes back down the path, takes a big run, and throws himself -Whap!- against the door. He does this again and again. No answer. So he jumps on a wall, walks around the garden, beats his head against a window, jumps off, and waits at the front door. A big guy opens it and starts cursing at the dog. The butcher runs up screaming at the guy "What the hell are you doing? This dog's a genius!"
The owner responds, "Genius? It's the second time this week he's forgotten his key!"
Inspiration & Sources
http://akcdoglovers.com/2013/06/03/summertime-safety-tips-to-keep-your-canine-cool-this-summer/
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?articleid=72
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=144097439013591&story_fbid=226185960855507
https://www.facebook.com/Sunrise
Image Credits
http://akcdoglovers.com/2013/06/03/summertime-safety-tips-to-keep-your-canine-cool-this-summer/
https://www.facebook.com/dogsrefugehome/photos_stream
http://www.paperdogstudio.com/index.php#mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=0&a=0&at=0
http://imgur.com/gallery/7uha15o
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/09/27/pet-insurance-what-need-to-know/
https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/living-with-your-dog/summer-time-fun-on-the-water-keep-your-dogs-safe/
http://brucewhite.net/Our%202007%20Photographs
http://www.plurk.com/p/k4ek8r