If ever considering employing the services of a dog walker please consider the level of experience and qualification of the person. There are a few dog walking/ pet sitting  services out there but very little are run by capable knowledgeable people. Anyone can set up a service and start copying what a stablished business do but can you imagine a person that has never worked with dogs before and who doesn't understand how dogs learn and their body language around others, how dogs should meet and greet politely - if they start taking 4 dogs out to off leash areas what could go wrong? Many things really, potential for disaster: dogs getting biten and getting into fights, running off into the road, not coming back on recall, developing serious bad habits on lead and off leash like doing rough play with a more timid dog - if this timid dog is already at the dog park. And on lead walking - all people walk dogs but only a few know how to walk dogs properly, without dog pulling on lead, which type of equipment to fit dog properly so he doesn't pull, how to make dog to walk close to the person leg and not miles away in front, or stopping to sniff everywhere. So it's not anyone that would do to walk your dog. PET PALS has walked dogs for 9 years now and I had never had 1 dog getting bitten by another or have had a insurance claim ever. It's all been plain sailing and dogs have a lot of fun. I can read them like a book by now. I know when arousal escalates and it's time for a break during play or to give a bit more space to a particular dog. They all learn good skills and their manners improve considerably overall, including lead walking and their off leash recall. So I provide much more than a simple walking service.

I am training my bunny Floppy to have better food table manners. Until recently whenever I put his food bowl down in the cage he dived into the bowl and splashed food all over the place. Food got wasted and cage became a mess. So I started putting bowl down and I said: 'Yes' when he started eating calmly and gave him a gentle pat. Any time he started trying to dig into bowl I took bowl away so no food. First few times he looked at me in disbelief but he's starting to get it now. It does make feeding time a bit slow but it's been the only way to go. I bought food blocks as well so if food is in a block shape he obviously will take longer to eat and no chance to splash it around. I realised that before I used to listen his messy manners and come running to his cage to check what went on, so he was getting attention. And any attention was better than no attention for him. But it's changing now...

My horse Bounty had a very bad cold 2 weeks ago and I had to treat him with a course of antibiotics. His vet was interstate attending a course so I had to use a new vet. I get a bit aprehensive if I cannot use him. I totally trust my horses' vet. But she was a female horse vet from Cranbourne what I thought was great. We do need more women horse vets out there. Horse vets are incredibly busy bees. Everything went well in the end. Bounty bad cough and runny nose is finished now and he's back in good health. He had airways inflammation. Luckily it wasn't contagious so James my old thoroughbred was safe. I can give them muscle injections no problem but with James I have to hide the seringe and needle otherwise he's out of there in a flash. I usually do it on him while he's eating. He's so much into food that he doesn't even notice it coming.

Longer working hours, economic recession times, med and high density population in urban areas of Melbourne and houses been built with much smaller size backyards than before partially due to demand for smaller house blocks in residential housing development areas and popular trend for townhouses and units with small courtyards - have a huge impact on the way our pets live. Our dogs are getting less and less space for exercise in their own house backyards. And many people can't find the time to take them out on proper walks, to the dog park, the beach, the woods and to the bush for a run. So these dogs are getting terribly bored at home with nothing  to do and nuisance behaviour like excessive barking, digging and destructive habits can be generated from lack of proper physical and mental stimulation in their lives. People should ideally research about which type of dog would be suitable for their lifestyle and family situation before they act on impulse and decide to buy a dog without much previous thought or consideration. We all love pets and dogs but responsible pet ownership is vital in todays' society. We have a duty of care with our pets. They have special needs and we need to learn and inform ourselves about them. I work as a dog walker and trainer and there are few areas in which if you walk a dog on the streeet path you'd have most of the dogs on that strip barking very loud at anyone passing by, not simply been territorial about their house but highly reactive to the sight of any dog going past, not friendly at all. It's getting much worse very quickly. I remember few years back when I'd go past many houses and the dog inside the front garden would come towards the front fence wagging its tail to say a friendly 'hi' to the dog passing by. This doesn't seem to occur very often anymore. Are these dogs meeting and greeting other dogs out there? Or are they only been lead walked on the streets and are not been given the chance to interact with other canines? Why is this happening?

Every year the same: people going away on holidays, ones who cannot afford paying boarding for their pets or a pet sitter- dump their pets at the animal shelters

Pets as Xmas presents- kids think the novelty wore off, too hard to look after them, unwanted Xmas gifts - pets dumped at the shelter

Fireworks on New Years EVE- dogs and cats left without Council registration or other ID tags and not microchipped, left outside in the backyard, not confined indoors while fireworks are on- they spook and fret, running away in panic - some get killed by cars, others found by anyone, some returned to owners, others never to be seen again by their previous owners, some end up at the pounds, the animal shelters for adoption and get rehomed, the unlucky ones get put down. Most of it could have been easily prevented if the right thing done by their owners. Much more responsible pet ownership programs needed by the Council, vets, dog trainers, community at large, never enough... out there.

Larger animal numbers enter the shelters during January and February then any other time of the year...

While I was away I boarded my French Lop bunny. He was very spoilt there. Kept indoors in air conditioning on hot days. Lady's kids loved him. There were few other bunnies boarded at the place as well so he had company.

It's been 1 month now that I moved my 2 horses to new place. It was all going plain sail until property next door decided to put their new bought filly in a adjoining fence- paddock to the farm where I keep mine.  It'd have been no problems if it wasn't for Bounty's- my stockhorse, obsession with mares. He started getting many neck scratches at the fence, trying to get to her, so before anything more serious happened I went in mad chase of portable electric fences and finding information on how to install it safely. I am not keen on having to do it but I learnt it all now and I'll manage to install it next Tuesday. While I was away on holidays I had lovely Karen - agistment owner- looking after them 2 times a day. Bounty loves chasing the 4 cows on the property. He comes from campdrafting bloodlines so he loves been bossy with them. Apart from that they love the new place.

While searching for a new puppy or dog - if you ever encounter a situation that seems suspicious, like a backyard breeder that isn't looking after the dogs properly, breeder's place in appalling conditions, dogs underfed, poorly treated and kept in confined spaces please report it to the RSPCA asap.  One of these places came to my attention recently and when I came to see the dog - that has been recently re-homed it was obvious that he had been seriously abused and neglected. By reporting it you'll be helping save other dogs from living in the same horrible situation. After you report it a RSPCA inspector is likely to go there, inspect the place and check it out. If they observe any acts of animal cruelty breeder will be charged and animals removed and re-homed. There are many backyard dog breeders out there, very ignorant of animal health standards and they just breed them in large scale to make quick money out of them without providing these dogs with not even the bare essentials for a good health and upbringing. They are born into traumatic environments and sometimes could carry genetically inherited problems. Some bitches become like breeding machines - having litter after litter all life long. That's why to choose a reputable dog breeder is so important. When looking for a new puppy to buy please check the Victoria Canine Association registered breeders list. Avoid the newspapers classified ads. You don't know where they come from.

My bunny Flop has adjusted to life without his old mate. He's been getting more exercise and as I board rabbits as well he has few bunny friends coming to stay here and to visit him. He's getting more affectionate to people. He got a new 'townhouse' cage for Xmas. He had to learn going up the ramp. It took a while but he managed to go up safely. I used the 'food lure' method to get him up there. He only got fed upstairs. He demands his morning walk now, so funny...

After another Bounty's leg injury - the 5th this year trying to get to the mare in season next paddock I decided to move my horses to another agistment without mares at all. It's been such a tough year looking after Bounty's injuries. This time it was a muscle tear. He became the stud muffin of the place, all mares after him. Well mate, party is over now, sorry to tell you Bounty... I had to put him on an separate paddock until I could organise all the moving. Too many mares around, mares in foal and so forth and the presence of constant visual stimuli it's no good for him. The spring grass makes them all a bit frisky too. James - the 25yo horse, has been crying for his mate but they'll  soon be reunited. I'm so tired of all the hard work with them. When the Xmas holidays come this year I'll be wanting just sleep. Arnica gel is very good for bruises and small lacerations, quicker to absorb in gel format so I have been using that and vet is coming soon to see him. It should be the end of it now I hope...                            

                                 

 Bounty - my mischievous stockhorse