Aussie Pooch Mobile Dog Wash Blog

Unfortunately, the warmer weather brings with it the danger of snakes.

It is important to know what snakes live in your area, and what the signs of poisoning are so you can seek treatment immediately.

There are many types of venomous snakes in Australia but brown snakes are the ones most commonly responsible for snakebites and snakebite deaths in both animals and humans. The next most common are tiger snakes, found in the wetter parts of southern and eastern coastal Australia, especially near water. Other snakes include black snakes and taipans.

It is best to find out which types of snakes are most common in your area and their habitats so you can avoid them.

What are the signs of a snake bite?

When the snakes bite they inject venom, which contains a variety of toxins. The neurotoxin is the most important toxin in the venom of Australian snakes, causing paralysis. Snake venom also contains an agent that uses up all the clotting factors that helps to stop your pet from bleeding. Tiger snakes have an additional toxin that breaks down muscle causing damage to the kidneys.

The signs of snakebite vary depending on factors such as type of venom, location of bite and amount of venom injected. Generally, the closer the bite is to the heart the quicker the venom spreads to the rest of the body. Dogs, being inquisitive, usually try to chase or kill snakes and are more commonly bitten on the face or jaw. Cats, being hunters and more agile, commonly receive bites on their paws.

Signs may include:

· Trembling, salivation, vomiting and depression

· Unsteadiness, hindleg weakness, dilated pupils and worsening paralysis

· Respiratory distress, red-brown urine, complete paralysis and coma

· Some dogs may collapse suddenly then appear to recover before showing above signs up to an hour later.

· Death can occur within 2 hours of snakebite, even within 30 minutes

What should i do if my pet is bitten by a snake?

Contact your vet to ensure they have anti-venom on hand and proceed to your vet immediately (without going over the speed limit, of course). The only treatment for snakebite is for the vet to give antivenom through a drip and the sooner the treatment is started, the greater the chances of survival.

The type of antivenom given depends on the type of snake but if the snake is not seen or identified the choice can be made on geographical area, snake venom detection kits or several antivenoms can be given. Hospitalisation will also be required to monitor the animal’s signs and treat any complications.

First aid includes keeping your pet as calm and quiet as possible and applying a pressure bandage – just a firm bandage of any material over and around the bite site - if practical. NEVER apply a tourniquet, wash or cut the wound site. Carry your pet rather than let it walk to avoid speeding the spread of the snake venom.

1300 369 369 / Visit our Website / Like us on Facebook

apm

Why not let your four legged friend spend this Australia Day with you?

Our four legged friends are part of your family and the Australian way of life.
Spend some time with your dog on Australia Day.

Make your dog some special Australia Day dog biscuits.

Recipe for Dog Biscuits for Australia Day

1/2 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup of oat
1/2 cup of plain flour
1 cup of milk
1 egg
2 teaspoons Golden Syrup

preheat oven to 180 degrees

mix all together in a large bowl

sprinkle some flour on a bread board

add more flour if to sticky to roll kneed and roll flat till about 1-2 cm thick

then use cookie cutters to cut out biscuit shapes

place baking paper on tray

cook for 30mins or until brown

YUMMY!

Have a Dog Pawty! Why not invite all your friends and their dogs over so they too can enjoy the Australia Day Festivities.

Play some games at your Dog Pawty – Treasure Hunt, Dog Cricket, Frisbee. More ideas can be found by searching Dog Party games.

Here are some other great ideas:- Decorate your dog with Australian items, go for a walk, take him to the beach and let your dog enjoy a sausage sizzle with you.

WIN! WIN! WIN!

Visit us at our Facebook page and post your Australia Day Doggy pictures. We will then add these to our Facebook monthly competition for the best photo. A hamper for your dog could be coming your way.

1300 369 369 | Visit our Website | Like us on Facebook

Who would have thought that when 16-year-old Christine Taylor decided to start a part time dog washing business in her parent’s back yard, it would turn into a business that is still booming 21 years later and is one of Franchising’s biggest success stories?

Yes, Aussie Pooch Mobile Dog Wash and Grooming is turning 21 in 2012 and has a huge year of ‘giving back’ to the community planned.

But first, just how did Chris start Aussie Pooch Mobile Dog Wash and Grooming and maintain her success for so long, through recessions, ups and downs and other concerns that invariably crop up in any business?

“To start with I was just washing and caring for dogs at home, which I loved doing and it earned me some extra money. But through word of mouth my business grew rapidly and before I knew it there was demand from further afield, so it made sense to expand my services to include mobile hydrobathing, travelling to customers’ homes to wash, care for and pamper the family dog,” says Chris.

So the business was launched as a single mobile hydrobath in 1991 operated by Chris, and once people saw the benefits to their dogs, success was instant. Chris created and launched the Aussie Pooch Mobile Pty Ltd in 1992 and was the first person to franchise a mobile dog washing business in the world.

After huge success in Australia, Chris realised a global need for her business so after more research, launched as ‘The Pooch Mobile’ overseas. There are currently Pooch Mobile franchises in the United Kingdom, Malaysia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and the USA, with a total of almost 200 operators worldwide.

Chris’s motto is, and always has been “To be successful first you have to fall in love with what you do.” And it’s a motto all of her franchisees live by. Ask any of her franchisees and they will gladly talk about their passion and love for working with dogs, and how lucky they are.

Throughout the years Chris has snared a swag of awards including Franchising Woman of the Year, Queensland Young Achiever of the Year Award for Career Achievement and Queensland’s Telstra Business Woman of the Year in the Business Owner Category.

Another huge accolade is that both Griffith University in Australia and Harvard University in the USA, have co-written a case study on Aussie Pooch Mobile’s success, which is being taught in business and franchise degrees.

But it is Chris’ innate business sense to anticipate what customers need that keeps her at the top of the field.

Chris has been diligent in making sure that Aussie Pooch Mobile Dog Wash and Grooming listens to what their customer’s want, are conscious of the environment and actively involved in fundraising and the community. In fact every event she has planned for the entire year (including hosting a DIY Doggy Birthday Party which will be filmed on You Tube) will have a fundraising component, so charity will benefit.

Their hydrobath processes are environmentally friendly, as are their products. Not one to be left behind Chris developed her own healthy Pooch Cookies and Liver Buds plus skin care ranges focused solely on promoting the very best wellbeing of each dog they look after.

Chris also encourages franchisees to be actively involved in community fundraising events such as Million Paws Walk, and four years ago she masterminded the annual Doggy Fantastic Camping Weekend as a fun way to raise money for assistance dogs, an initiative she had undertaken with Variety Queensland and Craig A Murray Dog Trainers.

To date four special needs children have received assistance dogs that have completely changed their lives.

Not one to rest on her laurels, there will be more initiatives in the future and Chris will make sure Aussie Pooch Mobile Dog Wash and Grooming always offers the latest and best, which will only benefit the increasing number of people using at-home services.

“Studies show that our leisure time is rapidly decreasing,” explains Chris. “So more and more people are outsourcing and having things done, such as washing the family dog, by professionals who come to their homes, and I don’t think it’s a trend that’s going to change any time soon. That means we will always be looking at keeping up with what our customers’ want.

If the last 21 years is anything to go by, Aussie Pooch Mobile is going to achieve even bigger and better things in the future and propel their status as leaders in the pet care industry even further.

1300 369 369 | Visit our Website | Like us on Facebook

It’s no secret. Dogs love their toys! So, what are the best dog toys? Well, there is no simple answer to that question, since it all depends on the individual likes and requirements of your furry friend.

Dog toys do much more than just entertain our canine companions. The best dog toys really are essential to our dogs’ physical, mental and emotional well being.

Benefits of Dog Toys

• Alleviate boredom and separation anxiety
• Provide mental stimulation
• Discourage destructive behaviour
• Serve as a positive outlet for pent-up physical energy
• Encourage socialisation
• Exercise jaw muscles
• Increase the bond between you and your dog
• Promote dental health

So you have chosen a name for your puppy but now comes the fun part - teaching him what it is. The objective here is to teach your little one that when his name is called he must immediately give you his full attention, that is, stop what he’s doing, turn his head and look directly at you.

As you go on to teach your puppy other commands you’ll have much more success if your puppy is focussed on you while you are teaching him these commands, hence the importance of your puppy knowing his name and responding to it.

When you use his name, make sure it’s associated with good things. Don’t call his name and then proceed to tell him off because if you do that too often he’ll start to associate his name with getting into trouble and won’t respond. Easier said than done, especially if your puppy has been particularly naughty.

The next progression is to introduce distractions, so try it with other people in the room, outside in the garden, in the driveway, when you are at a friend’s house and anywhere else you can think of. Don’t rush this stage and always make it easy for your puppy to succeed, he wants to please you, so make it easy for him to do so!

The Name Game

To begin the training, arm yourself with a few treats (Aussie Pooch Mobile Pooch Cookies and Liver Buds are ideal) and put your puppy on his lead, that way you have full control if he’s distracted by something and wanders off.

Call his name in a happy and light hearted voice - puppies love to hear the sound of your voice and will naturally look towards you when they hear you speak.

As he looks towards you, give him a treat and praise him verbally with words such as ‘good boy’ or ‘yes’. Repeat this a few times every day until he consistently looks towards you every time you call his name.

Only use his name once. If he doesn’t respond, give a very gentle tug on his lead or tickle his leg so he turns to look at you.

Next, call him and hold the treat near to your face so he has to look at you - reward him with the treat and praise as he does so. Once your puppy does this consistently, swap the food for a toy. His reward for looking at you will then be to play with you for a couple of minutes.

The next progression is to introduce distractions, so try it with other people in the room, outside in the garden, in the driveway, when you are at a friend’s house and anywhere else you can think of. Don’t rush this stage and always make it easy for your puppy to succeed, he wants to please you, so make it easy for him to do so!

Soon your puppy will learn that wherever you are, whatever the distraction, if he hears his name he needs to look at you and wait for the next instruction.

You can find more information, tips and hints by going to our website or Facebook page.

When we are stressed, our hearts race, palms sweat, we have butterflies in our tummies and often feel overwhelmingly pressured. The same goes for dogs. But the difference is, dogs can’t tell us how they feel. They use body language. So the easiest way to tell if your dog is stressed is look at changes in his behavior.

Some common signs include:

Excessive grooming or licking
Illness
Diarrhea
Being vocal – incessant barking
Inappropriate toilet habits e.g., accidents inside
Destructive behavior
Changes in appetite and drinking habits
Shyness or avoiding contact
Restlessness or trembling

And there are many reasons he might be stressed:

Illness
Thunderstorms or loud noises
Moving home or being put in a boarding kennel                                         Addition of another pet or family member
Travelling

If your dog is prone to stress the key is to control, calm, relax or distract him when he’s in a stressful situation, so he will realise there is nothing to be stressed about.

Some simple strategies:

If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, try to distract him before you leave so he will be focused on the distraction rather than you walking out the door.

Moving home – take familiar items to the new house (or boarding kennel) such as bedding and toys, water and feeding bowls.

Thunder storms/fireworks – Allow your dog to stay in a quiet secure place, e.g., Laundry or his kennel.

You can find more information, tips and hints by going to our website or Facebook page.

Teaching your new puppy (or older dog) to become the well-mannered pooch you know he can be, takes practice and patience. Make it fun for both you and Fido by following these training tips.

1. Puppies understand three vocal tones: directing, praising and shaming. Your voice will naturally alter, but in the beginning it will help to exaggerate these tones to avoid confusing your dog.

2. Assign a word to routines you repeat on a daily basis, such as ‘inside’, ‘upstairs’ and ‘car’. Use these commands regularly to get Fido used to it.

3. There must never be any doubt in your dog’s mind about who is in charge. Make sure your commands are direct, using only the single word and in a tone that makes it clear that it is a command, not a request.

4. Your dog needs to be corrected immediately for misbehaving, so he can make the connection between poor behaviour and your displeasure. Correcting your pup half an hour later will only leave him confused.

5. Never hit your dog to correct him, as this will only make him fear you. The emphasis of training should always be on reward, not punishment.

6. Dogs learn by repetition and if you want them to understand the ‘no’ command you have to use either lead correction or some form of pressure and release via sound or body language such as stepping into their zone so they back up or move away and then rewarding the appropriate behaviour once it is correct.

7. Stay calm. The calmer you are, the more responsive your dog will be. Flailing arms, bent posture and a raised voice signal chaos and an invitation to play.

You can find more information, tips and hints by going to our website or Facebook page.

Ticks and fleas can cause all sorts of grief to your dog. But if your dog does come into contact with either, there are steps you can take to prevent suffering, and in the case of ticks, even prevent death.

Fighting Fleas

Fleas and flea allergies are more prevalent in the warmer weather so it’s doubly important to use flea control products. There are over 2400 species of fleas and they are hardy little creatures, so it’s necessary to treat your dog, his bedding, his house and his surrounds.

Regular bathing and grooming is also recommended.

The use of the hydrobath, gentle cleaning solutions and grooming techniques will help reduce hair shedding, particularly at this time of the year and brushing provides a revitalising overall massage that also helps loosen dirt and grit and encourages production of natural oils to keep the coat shiny, reducing the risk of your dog becoming flea-infested.

Special formulas can also help relieve symptoms if your dog has been flea bitten. Environmentally friendly solutions with pyrethrin will help relieve itching, promote healthy skin and are also insecticidal. Other solutions will help repair damage to your dog’s skin and soothe inflamed skin already affected by flea infestation.

But remember, prevention is best so take the appropriate steps to keep your dog flea-free.

Tick Tactics

The warmer weather is also notorious for attracting ticks, which when left unchecked can be deadly.

Paralysis ticks are known as Ixodes Holocyclus. They inject toxin with their saliva which causes paralysis. Symptoms* can be varied and many, so watch for:

• a slight stagger to very wobbly
• voice change
• retching, gagging or vomiting
• collapse
• respiratory difficulties, respiratory paralysis

If you do find a tick on your dog, follow the steps below.

• Remove tick with a pair of tweezers or tick remover
• Try NOT to stimulate the tick before removal
• Check your dog all over, as often there is more than one tick

There are a lot of preventative products on the market, but none are 100% effective. When checking for ticks, look in areas such as gums, nose passages and around eyes, the best measure is to check your dog daily.

And as with fleas, having a clean, knot-free coat not only makes your dog feel better, it makes it easier when checking for ticks.

Aussie Pooch Mobile provides friendly helpful advice on how to look after your dog’s best wellbeing and have products and solutions that will help keep these nasties at bay and help relieve a dog that is already affected.

*If symptoms are severe, it’s advisable to see your vet immediately.

You can find more information, tips and hints by going towww.AussiePoochMobile.com.au

A little basic maintenance is generally all that’s required to keep your dog’s ears clean and healthy.

Ear Care

Because of the twisty, curvy design of a dog’s inner ears, it’s easy for parasites, bacteria and yeast to hide and thrive in them. This also means that any debris in the canal must work its way up to escape. Infections can result from trapped debris. Dogs with allergies are particularly vulnerable, as are those with floppy ears, like Cocker Spaniels, Basset Hounds and Poodles.

Keep It Regular

Your dog’s regular grooming/maintenance routine should include regular ear checks. This is especially important for dogs that produce excessive earwax or have a lot of inner-ear hair. Your Aussie Pooch Mobile operator will always finish your dog’s hydrobath with ear cleaning and can provide helpful tips on ear and health care.

Wet Behind the Ears?

In summer, if you are not careful swimming can lead to irritation and infection. To prevent this from happening, be sure to dry your dog’s ears as thoroughly as you safely can after all water sports and activities. You can ask your Aussie Pooch Operator to demonstrate how to do this for you.

Danger Signs

Contact your Vet if you notice any of the following symptoms affecting your dog’s ears:

• Ear discharge
• Bad smells
• Redness
• Swelling
• Crusty skin

It’s that time of year again. The tick season has begun and you really need to start thinking about tick treatments, if you haven’t already, because paralysis ticks can cause serious illness and even kill your pets. 

Paralysis ticks are found on the eastern seaboard, from North Queensland to Victoria.  And although they are common near the coastline they can also be found inland in suitable habitats.

In the northern areas, ticks can be a problem all year round, but become particularly active as the warmer weather begins. Whereas, in more southern areas, the tick season lasts from Spring until late Autumn.

PARALYSIS TICK CONTROL TIPS

Avoid tick habitats

• E.g. bush and scrubland

Search pets every day

• Use fingertips to search through the coat thoroughly

Remove collars, leads or harnesses and check your entire pet

• Remember to look between toes and in armpits

Be systematic

• Start at the nose and carefully examine the face and ears before working backwards

Most ticks are found forward of the front legs

• Search this area carefully, particularly paying special attention to skin folds

Remove ticks as soon as they are found and keep on searching in case there are more

• Consult your local veterinarian for advice

If you own a dog or cat, there are several signs of tick toxicity you should be aware of.

Signs can include:

• Loss of control of back legs (wobbly or not being able to get up)
• Change in voice or bark
• Retching, coughing or vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Paralysis extending to front legs
• Laboured or rapid breathing

NOTE: signs often do not appear until the paralysis tick has been attached for three to five days. Not all signs will be present in all pets. Many of these signs can be confused with other ailments, causing some pet owners to delay visits to their local veterinarian.

If your pet shows signs, it may need veterinary attention so it’s important to see your veterinarian as soon aspossible. Sadly, delay in the removal of paralysis ticks or in the treatment of tick toxicity can result in death.

The most important things to do to help protect your pet from paralysis ticks are to check your pet for ticks every day and to apply an effective paralysis tick control product like FRONTLINE PLUS  every two weeks for dogs, or FRONTLINE  SPRAY every three weeks for cats.

It is especially important to not miss any tick treatments, as if you do your pet may not be protected from paralysis ticks. A great way to remember to treat your pet is to sign up for free sms or email reminders at www.frontlineplus.com.au

You can find more information, tips and hints by going to www.AussiePoochMobile.com.au