The Petrek 3G GPS PetTracker

Features of the Petracker 3G device.

• 3G compatibility – giving it the best coverage ever!
• Smaller and lighter body – so can also be used for lighter toy breed dogs!
• IP67 Waterproof rating – so fully submersible to one metre!
• Magnetic waterproof charger!
• Still runs on the proven, reliable and free iPet App!
• Long battery life!

So what’s the investment?

For She Walks clients and followers receive a 10% discount, so $250 (Petrek 3G device retails for $279) so click on this link down here for your discount.

 Your code- click here ( https://trackall.com.au/products/petrek3g-new-improved-gps-pet-tracker ) and the discount will be applied. 

Lost Dog – Wandering Dog – Where is my Dog?

How many times do you see a dog wandering aimlessly on the street? If you’re out and about as much as me, far too much for comfort.

8/10 I am able to track the owners down, but, there has been a time when there has been no ID tag or council tag on a dog and he has ended up in the pound after my vet could not locate the owners because when they arrived at the house, it had been knocked down. He was seriously in trouble! Where were his owners?!
In this particular scenario I am talking about, a week or so later the dog was finally reunited with his owners after they were frantically searching for their dog. Turns out they had moved while they renovated but had not updated their address. Can you imagine if they had not searched every pound in Melbourne and found him?

Or, how often do you shout at your dog to come back, as he is swimming off up the creek and out of sight (I speak from experience) or are you going on holiday feeling nervous at leaving your dog, and so you want to know your pet is safe and you can locate him. I guess what I am eluding to is, do you ever ask yourself, what do I do if my dog goes missing? (I mean you have all the ID tags man can engrave on his collar, and he is microchipped so surely you will get a call from someone, you hope!) so, how would you find him?

Well we made friends at the 2017 Dog Lovers Show with Microchips Australia. They have this great gadget called Petrek 3G, that attaches onto your dog’s collar. We have trialled it out for a while now, and want to share our findings with you!

We also learnt that our friends at Microchips Australia not only supply the PeTrek 3G tracker, but they are also linked to the national microchip registry, *Central Animal Records. It’s so important to keep your pet’s info and your latest contact details in the system.  These guys are the only registry that sends out an email to owners on every anniversary of their pet being entered into the *CAR system, of which you can log in and edit them.

Pet Trek 3G https://pettrackingoz.com.au/ or www.trackall.com.au 

The Petrek 3G GPS PetTracker has, wait for it, no subscription fee and it turns your phone into a hightech pet tracking device. Once set up, your phone is linked to your pet ( dog, cat or bird if they can wear a collar) at any time of the day or night … instant peace of mind in always knowing where they are!!

How does it work?

Using the free iPet app, you can receive location updates every 2 hours or every 5 minutes or every 30 seconds (when you are out walking near the creek, or, if you have a runner offer for ducks, in my case yes!) what’s more, you can even keep a history of where your pet has been for any day for the last 2 months, this app literally saves your sanity.

I simply click on the app that is dedicated to this device, with its 3G capabilities, I can see where Lucky is and monitor him as he swims off to the middle of the creek, and I can still continue to shout at him but in a less panicked tone. I can relax knowing that he is having a whale of a time and he is still chasing birds below me as he heads out towards Kew from the City!

There’s even a heatmap function that shows you where your pet likes to spend most of his or her time! Check this out, you can also use the free iPet App to set a virtual boundary (10 meters -100 kilometres or more) around your property so you will be alerted when your dog or cat leaves the property!

AND……The Petrek 3G GPS PetTracker has a pre-fitted mobile phone SIM card … you just need to top up the credit as required ($5 will last you about 3 to 5 months or $15 for the full year) for the very small amount of data it uses. The battery life will depend on how many features you are running and how often you are getting location updates but can be up to 4days!

Features of the Petracker 3G device.

• 3G compatibility – giving it the best coverage ever!
• Smaller and lighter body – so can also be used for lighter toy breed dogs!
• IP67 Waterproof rating – so fully submersible to one metre!
• Magnetic waterproof charger!
• Still runs on the proven, reliable and free iPet App!
• Long battery life!

So what’s the investment?

For She Walks clients and followers receive a 10% discount, so $250 (Petrek 3G device retails for $279) so click on this link down here for your discount.

 Your code- click here ( https://trackall.com.au/products/petrek3g-new-improved-gps-pet-tracker ) and the discount will be applied. 

The post “Lost Dog – Wandering Dog – Where is my dog?!” appeared first on She Walks.

Christmas is just round the corner… *heavy breathing*

And while we tend to allow ourselves a little indulgence for this special season, we mustn’t forget that many edibles we consider to be treats might not be so for your dogs. It’s important to remember that while those fuzzy little faces are hard to disappoint, a simple no would save you quite a bit of trouble later on.

So, in preparation for the coming days ahead, below are the top 5 treats that you should avoid feeding your dog this Christmas.

1. Lollies and Chocolates

While chocolate may only have a negative effect on our waistlines, it’s common knowledge that the cocoa in chocolate is toxic to dogs. In fact, the darker the chocolate is, the worse the effect. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhoea, hyperactivity, irregular heartbeat, tremor or seizures. In addition, you should also refrain from feeding them any form of lollies, biscuits, other sugary food or drinks, especially those that are artificially-sweetened.

2. Alcohol

As a dog-lover, you might have come across a funny video or two on YouTube where a human tries to get their pet drunk. Cute as it may seem, these drinks can actually make them extremely ill and could even be life threatening. Be careful to avoid leaving open drinks within the reach of your dogs at all times and refrain from feeding them food that may have been cooked with the bottle-o.

3. Cooked Bones and Dinner Scraps

Did you know that cooked animal fat trimmed from your meat cuts can cause pancreatitis to develop? Cooked bones are especially dangerous as they shatter and splinter easily, which could result in punctures or blockages in your baby’s internal organs. You definitely don’t want to have to rush to the emergency vet after a ball at your chrissie party.

4. Grapes and Raisins

Grapes and raisins can sometimes carry a dangerous fungus and so we advise you to avoid them just in case you got a bad bunch! Although we do not know the exact cause of its toxicity, you should know that even the smallest amount of grapes can be fatal.

5. Christmas Pudding

Alas, the combination of all the above. Christmas puddings are jam-packed full of currants, raisins and sultanas, which are toxic to dogs. Then they’re also full of fat and suet which can give them severe stomach troubles. Last but not least, they are, more often than not, laced with alcohol. Definitely keep them away.

The best gift you can give your pet is a long, healthy life. If you suspect that your dog may have eaten something toxic or is acting strangely, it’s essential to take them to a vet as soon as possible to get them checked out.

And remember, if you need a trustworthy dog walker in Melbourne to look after your canine children this Christmas, don’t forget to call us at She Walks to fulfill your pet’s needs!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas,
Nicola @ She Walks

The post Top 5 Things Not To Feed Your Dog This Christmas appeared first on She Walks.

Grooming for Dogs, we’re advised to teach them manners right from the get go… sit, stay, heel and walk politely on the lead, but have you (the owner) prepared yourself for the grooming salon? I personally will never forget my first trip to the dog groomer. She took the time to stand and tell me all that I am about to share with you, which, in turn, has inspired me to always talk my clients through this training with every first visit. Otherwise if your dog trainer doesn’t start you on this process, who will?

There are so many breeds of dogs that need regular visits to the groomer, such as Toy Poodle, Poodle, Bichon Frise, Cavoodle, Spoodle, Labradoodle, Mini Groodles, Lagotto Romagnolo, Bichon x Toy Poodle, Spitz, Schnauzer, Shnoodles you name it, all dogs need a regular groom for health and hygiene reasons. Fact is, your dog groomer will pick up on a problem with your dog before you do. So it is important to trust your groomer and ask questions about their clip.

It’s also important we start as early as possible (usually before 16 weeks). Why? Well because our puppies soak up information like a sponge. Another reason we advise to start the process early is because the puppy needs to be comfortable with the process and desensitisation needs to start in the socialisation stage, hence the reason for puppy school. It is just like kids at school, some kids/dogs are outspoken, some are quiet, however, this doesn’t mean they’re not taking in what you are asking of them, they just respond differently.

Okay, so here I am talking about puppies. It is also possible to train older dogs too. This is where a regular visit to your dog groomer for their 6-8 weekly appointment will help them get used to the salon, groomer and the noises. I am saying this for older dogs yes, some dogs do hate it, however, they come to tolerate it and trust the groomer.

Tools & Apps: There is a fabulous training app for both IOS and Android called Soundproof Puppy Training which also has a clipper version which simulates the noise and has vibration.

The idea is you must start with low volume (setting 1), feed dog treats when playing sound, then move phone over the dog’s body (so it vibrates and they can get an experience of clipper), then increase sound. Take it easy. Do this twice a day for 30 seconds to 1 minute, for 1 week, aiming to increase the volume by the end of the week.

Session 1:
Okay, so let’s start the pet grooming process by playing with their feet and nails by rubbing, stroking and holding their legs gently. This is where we start to desensitise the feeling of their legs being played with. An electric toothbrush or Soundproof Puppy Training (see link above, this is a great tool to mimic clippers.
Sessions should be short, sweet and always *positive!!!

Session 2:
The next session would ideally take place the following day. Here you should stroke, hold and comb your dog daily, do not give into any struggles (but don’t hold them down either) and let’s keep this short and sweet. Always *reward on good behaviour (dog allowing you to do this, being calm etc) and ignore bad behaviour (such as biting at the comb, or struggling). Start by slowly extending sessions to longer periods.

Session 3:
The next step in the dog grooming process involves the table. This is a big deal, quite like the visits to the vet. Place a towel on the table every night and start by making your puppy stand still, after 1 minute reward and say “free” and place the dog on the floor with heaps of *praise!! Not all dogs like to stand on a table, they would prefer to lean on the groomer or lie down. We know they can jump on the couch, or on the ottoman or even on the chair. Well the next thing would be to place them on the table and *reward heavily. Guiding them to stand up for 1 min to start, then 2 mins the following day then next session 3 mins and so on over the weeks. Dog should initially just build up to 5 mins max, keeping sessions short and of a good confidence building experience. *Rewards, rewards, rewards. We can’t give enough when we start with this training, it’s important to give treats and food rewards on the table. If your dog is not food driven then let’s try the squeaky toy and let’s make the session fun.

Again refer to your dog trainer for further tips.
Please don’t ever get frustrated with your dog. Ask him to sit, reward and end the session, always on a high note. “Good job!!”

Session 4:
Drying. Okay so when you are getting ready for work invite your pooch into the bathroom with you. Lay the dryer on the ground turned off and play a game with it and wait for their positive reaction, when they do react positively, reward them. Now slowly turn it on low and cool, again repeat this process and end the game after their first positive reaction, feed treats while the dryer is on for a few seconds. So on and so on, repeat on other days. It is important to take it slow, steady and keep the session short and increase over time.

It’s vital to not flood the dog with noise and air if they do not like it, turn it off and make a sound to say it’s all okay. Place back on the ground and start again and reward at every positive reaction* a puppy biting at the dryer is not positive or playful so ignore this behaviour, don’t turn it off until they stop. When they do, say “good job!!”, high pitch and playfully with a pat.

Visits:
In the same way that you would desensitise your dog to the vet, you will also go and meet your new dog groomer, take your dog in to meet them first before you start the process. Leave with your pooch after 5-10 mins and make it very *positive, this is literally a good introduction into a world where he or she will be left behind. Your dog needs to know you will be coming back and that their “new” dog groomer is the next best thing to you and your family; it is about the dog’s relationship with the groomer.

Finally and most importantly, pre plan and try to keep your appointments
Book back in straight away and stick to a schedule with your groomers advice and ask for their feedback. How was my dog on the table? What training do we need to do? What is she scared of? The worst thing you can do is keep moving to different groomers. Imagine your mum making you go to a new school, yet you move every 2-3 classes? Xmas is not far off and most dog grooming salons in melbourne are booked out, so book ahead, plan and work with your groomer and their advice regarding desensitising your dog in-between grooming. If in doubt speak to your dog trainer for tips to manage training. Your dog groomer based in melbourne will do the rest!

With Love She Walks @_The_Shearing_Shed_Brunswick

*Please note: when I reference positive reinforcement, games or rewards, we can finish a session by throwing a ball to initiate play, or, offer their dinner to eat while you are brushing them so to speak, or, offer food as reward or simple praise in a high pitch such as “good job!!” Whatever your dog is most likely to love, just use this as his or her treat or praise.

The post Top Tips for Grooming, written by a Dog Groomer based in Melbourne. appeared first on She Walks.

24 just isn’t enough. It’s forever ongoing with tasks and to-do lists. From school drop offs – work – our home tasks – kid’s sleepovers – dinner – more kids – sport drop offs and then finally, “Oh, god, we have to walk Walter!” 

I totally understand how this feels, I too used to be this person. I had a very busy desk job that demanded my time and also found me working on projects during weekends. I had very little time to spare on the things I loved, one of which was Lucky my Labradoodle. My guilt levels kept rising and so did my stress!

Whether it be turning down an invite for after work drinks, or leaving home early each morning to miss the traffic. We start to cut our dog walks short and the nights start drawing in far sooner than we wish. So what do we do? Hire a dog walker!

I understand the need to surround yourself with the unconditional love of a furry family member, however, I also understand that you’re not always available to entertain them. Between the kids, your work and the endless god damn pile of laundry that never gets folded, how and when do you find the time to take poor Walter for his daily adventures? Sometimes you simply dont. Luckily for you, I do.

Being a professional dog walker based in Melbourne, there’s no happy pup I can’t handle. No matter their size, big or small, all of our furry friends require up to 1 hour of exercise each walk, not only to keep them fit and healthy, but to stimulate their minds just the same. For example, did you know, that the part of a dog’s brain that is devoted to analyzing smells is, proportionally speaking, 40 times greater than ours.

A bit like a fortune teller, your dog knows what, when and where each dog, cat, person or possum has been. Notice, how they smell you for ages if you have been around other dogs? Hence them marking and saving their wee for every lamp post, bush or tree they can find. They sniff and pee, sniff and pee!

So what can we do?

Sometimes we forget that socialising is just as important for our dog’s health as it is for our own. With our popular dog walking group walks, ‘She Walks with Friends’ (no more than 4 dogs per group) is everything it says on the tin. We match our dogs together so that everyone (including me) has a great time. Your dog can receive the exercise and stimulation they need in a safe and social environment.

Whether it be one-on-one walks with me the professional dog walker ‘She Walks’ or safe group walks with our furry family ‘She Walks with Friends’. Walter will have a regular dog walking routine, he will get to see me, (Nicola) at ‘She Walks’ everytime and will see his ‘usual (dog walking) squad’ that call around for him to play, so he knows who is in the van and who’s who in the zoo!

If I can help, I’d love to hear from you.

Love from Nicola @SheWalks x

(the inner Melbourne Dog Walking chick who “just.loves.dogs!”)

The post Help!! I have no time, I need a Dog Walker! appeared first on She Walks.