Firstly, for context, your dog’s nose is amazing! In fact a dog’s sense of smell is, according to James Walker*,10,000 to 100,000 times as acute as that of a human!  This actually explains a lot of the reasons why dogs are avid sniffers, but there is a bit more to it. Why does my dog [...]

The post Dogs and smell.  The burning questions! appeared first on PetSecure.

If you’re thinking about selling, or giving away, a cat or a dog – there are some things you need to know. It’s a good idea to make sure you’re familiar with the new rules so you can avoid hefty fines - but not only that - it's simply good practice! The recent Parliamentary Inquiry [...]

The post Selling or giving away a pet? Know the rules appeared first on PetSecure.

Bringing a puppy into the family home is always exciting, but do you know the true cost of buying a puppy? The purchase of your puppy is only the beginning and how the costs add up may surprise you!  In fact one of Petsecure's clients re-named her beloved pooch "CostaLotta" after a few visits [...]

The post The True Cost of Buying and Owning a Puppy appeared first on PetSecure.

Not all of us who have pets have the luxury of giving them their own individual themed birthday parties, nor do we get them fur extensions, or give them a pedicure every once or twice a week. For some of us, a regular brushing session is enough for the whole week. Many people also have [...]

The post The Benefits and Importance of Regular Pet Grooming appeared first on PetSecure.

It is estimated that around 62% of households in Australia own a pet, and out of these 38% of them are dog owners, according to PIAA. Large dogs make up some of the most popular breeds in the country - those with the right attitude can make excellent guard dogs, making them ideal for families [...]

The post Could a Large Dog be your Ideal Family Pet? appeared first on PetSecure.

While the younger version of your family dog may have been ready to bounce out the door and hit the road at a moment’s notice, your senior pet may not be so keen on the hassle and bother of travel adventures. This can be particularly true for aging dogs with mobility issues, chronic pain, or [...]

The post Travel with Pets: 6 Tips if you Plan to Travel with a Senior Dog appeared first on PetSecure.

In most cases, giving up a pet isn’t easy, and it is certainly heartbreaking to see how many pets get surrendered.  But it is very easy to be "judgey" about this, and in many cases being judgmental is justified - but not always. In reality unless we know the reasons that could have resulted in [...]

The post Before you judge, consider why some pets are surrendered appeared first on PetSecure.

December, the most popular two months of a dog breeder’s year as dog ownership increases and sales peak. In the spirit of finance and pet ownership, we wanted to look at how you can go about calculating the true cost of dog ownership, so you are prepared (financially) before you bring your bundle of fur [...]

The post An alternative way to work out the (real) cost of Dog Ownership appeared first on PetSecure.

When we named our two dogs, it was quite a long process of discussion and debate!  Many names considered and chucked out for various reasons.  Just as when you name your child.  In the end we opted for names that started with “B” and which were distinguishable from one another.  So if we called one [...]

The post How do you name your dog? appeared first on PetSecure.

I spend an inordinate amount of time gazing at my animals and wondering things about them. Like: When they dream, and their feet and tails and ears twitch, what’s running through those little minds of theirs? And: When he digs through his toy basket searching for just the right one, does he go into it […]

If you’re thinking about selling, or giving away, a cat or a dog – there are some things you need to know. It’s a good idea to make sure you’re familiar with the new rules so you can avoid hefty fines - but not only that - it's simply good practice! The recent Parliamentary Inquiry [...]

The post Selling or giving away a pet? Know the rules appeared first on PetSecure.

Bringing a puppy into the family home is always exciting, but do you know the true cost of buying a puppy? The purchase of your puppy is only the beginning and how the costs add up may surprise you!  In fact one of Petsecure's clients re-named her beloved pooch "CostaLotta" after a few visits [...]

The post The True Cost of Buying and Owning a Puppy appeared first on PetSecure.

Not all of us who have pets have the luxury of giving them their own individual themed birthday parties, nor do we get them fur extensions, or give them a pedicure every once or twice a week. For some of us, a regular brushing session is enough for the whole week. Many people also have [...]

The post The Benefits and Importance of Regular Pet Grooming appeared first on PetSecure.

It is estimated that around 62% of households in Australia own a pet, and out of these 38% of them are dog owners, according to PIAA. Large dogs make up some of the most popular breeds in the country - those with the right attitude can make excellent guard dogs, making them ideal for families [...]

The post Could a Large Dog be your Ideal Family Pet? appeared first on PetSecure.

While the younger version of your family dog may have been ready to bounce out the door and hit the road at a moment’s notice, your senior pet may not be so keen on the hassle and bother of travel adventures. This can be particularly true for aging dogs with mobility issues, chronic pain, or [...]

The post Travel with Pets: 6 Tips if you Plan to Travel with a Senior Dog appeared first on PetSecure.

How do you decide which books to buy versus which to borrow from the library? If you know me, you know I want All. The. Books. But that’s not practical or affordable, so I look at library books as novels or quick reads that I likely won’t reference again, and I buy books I plan […]

What’s your take on sugar? I love sugar, of course. I strive to avoid it but. #cookies Now, as a parent, I find myself having to choose between the “do as I say, not as I do” approach or sneaking all the cookies after Violet’s gone to bed… 😉 Honestly, though, I’m not sure a militant […]

The other night, Violet told her first joke. We talked to her about smelling things, as one does to a two-year old in spring, and John asked her, “What does Cooper smell like?” She grinned. “Cat poop!” And then she laughed maniacally. While I appreciate her developing sense of humor, I can assure you: Cooper […]

My dog is the best. He’s sweet. He loves to cuddle.  He adores cats. He skitters with his dog friends. He’s incredible with our two-year-old daughter, even falling in line when she waggles her fingers at him and says, “Cooper coming,” in her little voice. He’s my running partner and my sidekick in this balancing-work-and-mom-life […]

When you love a dog like Cooper–a scaredy dog who reacts poorly when frightened–it takes effort. All of it. There is, of course, the training piece. It’s a big part of it because diminishing the fear through counter-conditioning or teaching coping strategies through positive reinforcement can help with the reactivity. There is, too, the management […]

I’m not someone who’s easily offended. I’m a “live and let live” kind of gal, generally speaking, as long as you’re not hurting or bothering anyone (or yourself). For ages, though, I found myself rolling my eyes over the same pet adoption memes again and again. But I never thought to comment on them. Fast […]

Finding a veterinarian to care for your pets can be as simple as lucking into an awesome referral or as challenging as interviewing lots of potential clinics. We’ve been through the range of vets from the best to the not-so-great, and we’re embarking on a search for a new vet for Cooper! I’m hoping by […]

In most cases, giving up a pet isn’t easy, and it is certainly heartbreaking to see how many pets get surrendered.  But it is very easy to be "judgey" about this, and in many cases being judgmental is justified - but not always. In reality unless we know the reasons that could have resulted in [...]

The post Before you judge, consider why some pets are surrendered appeared first on PetSecure.

Firstly, for context, your dog’s nose is amazing! In fact a dog’s sense of smell is, according to James Walker*,10,000 to 100,000 times as acute as that of a human!  This actually explains a lot of the reasons why dogs are avid sniffers, but there is a bit more to it. Why does my dog [...]

The post Dogs and smell.  The burning questions! appeared first on PetSecure.

Yikes!  How Much????  Bringing a dog into your life can be one of the most rewarding and joyful experiences you’ll ever have. But, as with having children, dog ownership can turn into an expensive exercise, and there are expenses that don’t always get taken into account when the decision is made to undertake such a [...]

The post Tips to Help You Cut the Cost of Dog Ownership appeared first on PetSecure.

Last year I shared Running With a Dog That Pulls and included a ton of other running tips I’ve picked up along this slowwwww journey of ours. This weekend, I’ll run my longest distance yet–a 10k–with sights set toward a half marathon in the fall. That, btw, is my uppermost limit. I’m never going to […]

In the summer of 2012, John walked Cooper through our southern Indiana neighborhood. Suddenly, Cooper yanked the leash and dove into a storm drain and came up with… a one dollar bill. He’s our highest grossing dog to date. Of course, if we look at his net… actually, I guess he’d still be in the […]

There is a growing number  of pets in our communities that need support and affection; as animal lovers it can be difficult when we see beautiful dogs and cats that are looking for homes, and our circumstances means that we can't take on a pet in our home.  It could be that you live in [...]

The post 5 Great Ways to Support your Local Animal Shelter appeared first on PetSecure.

We can all fall for the “Aww Cute” factor when we see gorgeous pics of kittens, puppies, dogs and cats online.  Most are just adoring pet parents sharing pics of their beloved fur friends – but it’s important to watch out when you see pets being advertised online in particular on sites such as Facebook, [...]

The post Is it OK to Buy A Dog Online? appeared first on PetSecure.

Do you feed your dog fresh veggies? There seems to be some degree of controversy around “people food” for dogs circulating at all times. (Read: The trouble with table food, a post from 2015!) I truly believe that hesitation around sharing food with dogs centers around decades of marketing–you must feed dog food, which is […]