Search

Tips to train your pet at any age

Dr Katrina Warren is a veterinarian and one Australia’s most loved and trusted pet experts. She is the PAW by Blackmores ambassador. Dogs are often an integral part of our family, a loving and loyal companion throughout the years. We educate ourselves with a plethora of media when bringing home and raising other members of our family with love and care, why not pay the same attention to our furry family members as advised by one Australia’s most loved and trusted pet experts, Dr Katrina Warren. Bringing baby home: Puppy A guide to vaccinations Just like human babies, puppies need vaccinations to protect them from the many infectious diseases out there. They need a series of vaccinations to protect them against Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis and Canine Cough. Your puppy will need to receive these injections by a veterinarian and should have received their first vaccination prior to coming to you – ask the breeder for the vaccination certificate. Vaccination costs for your pup may seem steep, but consider the veterinary bills for treating your dog if it develops one of these illnesses – it could easily run into the thousands. Dental care To keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy, it is important to include some hard food in their diet. You can offer raw chicken necks and wings from 12-14 weeks of age. Brushing is also a great idea - it may seem like a novelty, but dogs have just as many dental problems as humans, which can cause pain (not to mention terrible breath!) in the long run. Train your puppy from a very young age to let you brush its teeth, to make it a normal part of their routine. Be sure to use specific dog toothpaste, as human toothpaste can be irritating to a dog’s digestive tract. Teenage angst: Adolescence Chewing Dogs are curious by nature and will chew almost anything they can get their mouths on, especially while they’re puppies and are teething. This is great if it’s a dog toy or a tasty bone, but not so great if it’s your new pair of expensive running shoes or the leg of a couch. Although chewing usually subsides within a year, it can become a bad habit if it’s not managed early on. If you have a young dog, puppy-proof your place by moving easily chewable items such as plants or electrical cables so they’re not easily accessible. Try not to leave your puppy unsupervised in areas like your garden or living room - there’s no point in getting angry at the puppy for an action that is natural for them, which happened because they weren’t being supervised. Young at heart: Mature Dog Barking Firstly, find out what your dog is barking at. As dogs usually bark the most right after their owners leave home for the day, give your dog something to do every time you leave the house, like a chew toy stuffed with food. Dogs left outside are exposed to many more disturbances than indoor dogs and their barks are more easily heard by the neighbourhood. Ideally leave your dog inside preferably in a room away from the street with a radio or TV playing to mask the sound of outside noise. Reward your dog often for quiet behaviour – if he starts barking, use a word like ‘quiet’ and reward only once your dog stops barking. Jumping on people When he was little, everyone was probably entranced by the cute little puppy who jumped up at them, laughing and wagging his teeny tail. Now he's a bigger dog, no-one wants his dirty paw marks all over their clothes. But his behaviour is not his fault, because your loving attention has trained him to think that jumping up is a fun and rewarding thing to do. Now you have to do the opposite from what you did when he was little. Instead of making eye contact and touching him when he jumps up, do the opposite. Turn around and stand still completely ignoring him. Wait until he has all four feet on the ground and then give him a little treat. Keep on doing this, and it will take many, many times, and he will eventually learn that he only gets a treat and your attention when he is sitting. As before, there is no point in shouting and pushing, because to a dog this is still attention and will only confuse him about what you want him to do. This is an excerpt from PAW by Blackmores eBook: <a href="http://pawbyblackmores.uberflip.com/i/714306-20-things-no-one-tells-you-about-raising-a-healthy-dog" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20 things no one tells you about raising a healthy dog</a> - a go-to-guide for pet owners to help through the different ages and stages of raising a healthy dog. Images: Getty

Family & Pets

Betty White’s touching act of kindness during Hurricane Katrina revealed

Betty White has been remembered and celebrated as a hilarious comedian and brilliant actor, but also a wonderfully generous conversationist, philanthropist, and animal activist, since her <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/betty-white-s-final-words" target="_blank">passing on December 31 at the age of 99</a>. Animals were one of the big loves of Betty’s life, with her writing on Instagram in April 2021 for National Pet Day, “I have been a pet lover all my life” underneath a photo of her with two of her dogs. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNi0EYGnn11/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNi0EYGnn11/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Betty White (@bettymwhite)</a> </div> </blockquote> But in addition to owning and caring for pets herself, she also dedicated a lot of time and money to advocating for important causes related to animal welfare and protection. One example was shared by Audubon Nature Institute following her death. The Institute tweeted, “We lost a conservationist, animal advocate, and friend. When the penguins & sea otters were evacuated to @MontereyAq for Hurricane Katrina, Betty White paid for the plane to relocate them. She did not ask for fanfare; she just wanted to help.” Attached was a photo of an employee releasing a penguin into the water. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> We lost a conservationist, animal advocate, and friend. When the penguins & sea otters were evacuated to <a href="https://twitter.com/MontereyAq?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MontereyAq</a> for Hurricane Katrina, Betty White paid for the plane to relocate them. She did not ask for fanfare; she just wanted to help. ❤️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThankYouForBeingAFriend?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThankYouForBeingAFriend</a> <a href="https://t.co/NLneNetezz">pic.twitter.com/NLneNetezz</a> — Audubon Nature Institute (@AudubonNature) <a href="https://twitter.com/AudubonNature/status/1477087180816322562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2022</a></blockquote> A spokesperson for the organisation told PEOPLE, "After Hurricane Katrina, a private plane was chartered to relocate Audubon Aquarium's sea otters and penguins to Monterey Bay Aquarium. Audubon did not find out until after the trip that Betty White had paid for a portion of the trip." White was passionate about her animal advocacy work, telling the Wall Street Journal in 2012 that she was thrilled to be able to highlight issues affecting animals through her work with numerous organisations, including PAWS/LA and the Morris Animal Foundation. She also spoke about her own pets, including her beloved Golden Retriever Pontiac, who had a tracking implant that White helped fund the development of. She added, "But he's never very far from me. He doesn't go very far because wherever I am he is." Pontiac passed away in 2017, and White decided not to adopt more animals due to her advancing age. Image: Amanda Edwards/WireImage

News

Warren Buffett sits out a deal to acquire Tiffany & Co

Warren Buffett turned down a chance to acquire Tiffany & Co. Following a takeover bid from luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, the US jewellery giant invited Buffett to make a counteroffer, the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9da47898-237a-11ea-b8a1-584213ee7b2b">Financial Times</a> reported. However, the Berkshire Hathaway owner rejected Tiffany’s overture, allowing LVMH to strike a US$16.2 billion deal for the company in November. The rejection marks the conglomerate company’s fourth year without any major acquisitions as its cash pile reached a record US$128 billion. “Buffett has the luxury to move slowly on purchases because of Berkshire’s cash hoard,” Berkshire investor Bill Smead told the newspaper. “Shareholders will benefit tremendously when he puts that money to work.” Most recently, Buffett bid US$5 billion on technology distributor Tech Data in November but later withdrew after private equity firm Apollo Global Management raised its offer in the auction.

Retirement Income

The stars over 50 who stole the red carpet at the Oscars

Movies

How George and Amal Clooney first met

George and Amal’s love story is something of a modern fairytale – two people, from seemingly opposite walks of life, falling head-over-heels in love. So just how did a Hollywood heartthrob find himself in the same room as one of the world’s most distinguished international human rights lawyers? Well, according to George’s father Nick, it’s quite the story. He revealed to <a href="http://people.com/movies/the-romantic-untold-story-of-the-day-george-and-amal-clooney-first-met/" target="_blank">People</a> that the couple first met back in 2013 at a dinner party also attended by George’s parents, and the whole family – especially George – was instantly smitten with the barrister. “[George’s mother] Nina and I were actually the ones who answered the door when Amal came in,” Nick recalled. “She introduced herself to us and we talked. She was obviously very charming, gorgeous and so clearly accomplished, but by the time we had supper that night, it was clear there was a kindness to her and an inclusiveness.” Nick could see instantly that his notorious bachelor of a son was already falling hard for Amal. “By the end of supper, I started looking over at Nina and saying, ‘Look ouuuut, this could be trouble for this young man!” he said. “I really think by the time that first [meeting] was over, his and her fates were sealed, both of them. She was so remarkable and he was so remarkable around her.” Less than a year later, they were engaged, and on September 27, 2014, the pair tied the knot in a romantic ceremony at Ca’ Farsetti palace on the banks of Venice’s Grand Canal. Just last week, the lovebirds welcomed twins Ella and Alexander into the world, whom <a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2017/06/george-clooneys-father-gushes-over-grandchildren/" target="_blank">Nick describes</a> as “gorgeous”.

Relationships

George Clooney’s father gushes over new grandchildren

Yesterday, George and Amal Clooney <a href="/news/news/2017/06/george-and-amal-clooney-welcome-their-twins/" target="_blank">welcomed two gorgeous new bubs</a> into the world, twins Ella and Alexander, and the newborns’ grandparents couldn’t be more thrilled. Nick Clooney and Nina Warren first laid eyes on the two-hour-old babies over Skype, since the star couple had arranged the birth to take place in London. Nevertheless, they’re clearly proud as punch. “They’re gorgeous,” Nick told <a href="http://www.fox19.com/story/35605437/george-clooneys-father-says-amal-and-sons-twins-alexander-and-ella-look-like-dad" target="_blank">FOX19</a>. He revealed that while both babies have dark hair, one in particular appears to have taken after their heartthrob dad. “Nina swears they have George’s nose,” Nick said. “Not both of them – one of them. The little boy looked like he had [George’s] nose, his little profile.” And as for the names? The new grandparents “love” them. “Both sound terrific.” Nick confirmed that the new parents-of-two are doing “wonderfully well,” albeit exhausted, naturally. “George, well, his eyes were glazed so I’m not sure that he was sober,” he joked. Amal’s parents have also spoken out about their excitement for the new arrivals. Baria Alamuddin, who was present with her daughter for the birth, said the family is “over the moon”. “It was a beautiful delivery,” she told AFP. “The babies are beautiful and are doing well.” Ramzi Alamuddin, Amal’s father, also issued a statement from his home in Beirut. “They are in great heath,” he said. “All is perfect.” We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait to see the first snaps of the beautiful, newly-expanded family together! Image source: WireImage.

Family & Pets

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information