Melbourne's Most Loved Dog Kennel - Blog

Get to know the Border Collie

14/5/2019

The Border Collie, formerly known as the “Scotch Sheep Dog” originated on the border of England and Scotland. A descendant of Viking herding dogs, British Droving dogs and Spaniels, today Border Collies are widely praised for their trainability and intelligence. Although originally a working dog, Border Collies make great companions and excel in competitive obedience, agility, police work, search and rescue, Flyball, due to their inquisitive nature. Border Collies have a strong natural herding instinct, and are known to herd anything that moves!

Border Collies typically weigh between 12-20kg. They are a medium-size athletic working-dog with an alert expression and come in a range of colours including Black and White, Red and White, Tricolour, Sable, Merle, and other variations. Border Collies come in both a smooth-coat and rough-coat variety, but both require regular combing and brushing to avoid matting and discomfort.

Border Collies make excellent companions in the right home. They are extremely intelligent and thrive in an environment where they are kept mentally and physically stimulated. With enough exercise and stimulation, Border Collies can be suitable in homes with other dogs and children. However, if not challenged sufficiently, a Border Collie can be prone to becoming bored and destructive. Physical exercise alone is not enough for a Border Collies, and they need to be mentally stimulated to stay happy and healthy. For this reason, Border Collies are not recommended for apartment-living or non-active lifestyles.

The average life expectancy of a Border Collie is between 12-15 years.

May Dog of the Month

2/5/2019

Another month and another announcement of our lucky Dog of the Month. Wearing the crown for the Month of May is.....

Angus - the Border Collie

This happy, full of energy boy is always up for play times, especially if you have toys on hand!
Angus is going to have some great blogs upcoming for everyone to enjoy so be sure to keep an eye out!

Fun facts about the Pug

26/4/2019

A group of pugs is called a grumble
In the 16th Century, Prince William of Orange was saved by his pug, Pompey. When Spanish troops came to ambush his camp, Pompey’s bark alerted him to the attack and he escaped.
It is widely believed that the pugs signature wrinkles were valued because of the extra flaps of skin formed the shapes of Chinese characters
Pugs are the oldest breed of dog. They may have been around since 400BC
While they are not big barkers, pugs have shown a propensity for singing and vocal tricks

The Pug!

11/4/2019

Pugs originated from China, dating back to the Han dynasty (B.C. 206 to A.D. 200). Some historians believe they are related to the Tibetan Mastiff. They were prized by the Emperors of China and lived in luxurious accommodations, sometimes even guarded by soldiers.
Pugs love kids. Though small, the Pug is not delicate like some toy breeds, so he is a good breed choice for families with children. However, children who want an active pet to retrieve balls or play soccer will be disappointed with a Pug. Adults should always supervise interactions between children and pets.

Pugs weigh between 6-8kgs. Generally, they are 10 to 14 inches tall at the shoulder. Even though the coats are short, Pugs are a double-coated breed. Pugs are typically fawn-coloured or black. The fawn colour can have different tints, such as apricot or silver, and all Pugs have a short, flat, black muzzle.
These are undeniably lovable dogs, bred for centuries for their wonderful dispositions. The Pug is never happier than when spending time with his human family, often following someone from room to room. He is welcome wherever he goes, with a handsome, smooth-coated frame in shades of tan, gray, and black, and with a black mask accenting his sweetly wrinkled face

April dog of the month!

1/4/2019

As another month fast approached us , we selected May the Pug to be our April dog of the month!

May has been attending Dogs Country Club for many years and is well known amongst the staff for her snorty personality!

She loves a cuddle , hanging out with friends and her favourite area to be in is our Smalls retreat.

Keep an eye on this page as we will upload a blog about the pug later in the month!

Interesting Facts about the Saint Bernard

26/3/2019

Did you know.....?

Barry, the most famous of the rescue dogs at St.Bernards Hospice saved between 40 – 100 people
The breed was almost wiped out after several avalanches killed most of the breeding stock.
St Bernards rarely bark, so when they do you should check your surroundings to be sure everything is okay
The sequel found Beethoven and his lady friend Missy raising a litter of puppies. The production team on the movie said the puppies grew so fast it took 100 to finish the filming of the movie!
The average st Bernard eats 6.5 cups of food a day!

The St.Bernard

14/3/2019

The Saint Bernard was founded in 980 AD by St. Bernard de Menthon and bred by monks, most likely by crossing the ancient Tibetan Mastiff with the Greate Dane, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and the Great Pyrenees. The Alpine Mastiff, an extinct Molosser dog breed is the progenitor to the modern day Saint Bernard. The first Saint Bernards were of the shorthaired variety, as the longhaired variety’s coat tended to collect icicles. They were used by the Hospice, a refuge for travellers through the dangerous Alpine pass between Switzerland and Italy. The Saint Bernard has also been known to be able to predict storms and avalanches.

Saint Bernards are extremely gentle, friendly and very tolerant of children. They are slow moving, patient, obedient, loyal, eager and willing to please. Be sure to socialize this breed very well at a young age with people and other animals. Teach them not to jump on humans starting at puppyhood. Bear in mind that an unruly dog of this size presents a problem for even a strong adult! The Saint Bernard is a good watchdog. Even its size is a good deterrent.

Saint Bernards are relatively inactive indoors and a small yard is sufficient. They can live outdoors but would much rather be with their family. A long walk each day is needed to keep them in good mental and physical condition.

Both types of coats are easy to groom. A comb and brush with a firm bristle brush will do the trick! Bathe only when necessary. Shampoo may strip the coat of its oily, water resistant properties so best to use a mild soap. Saint Bernards shed twice a year.

The average life expectancy of a healthy Saint Bernard is 8-10 years.

March 2019 Dog of the month!

1/3/2019

Third month into the year and we have Soda as our March dog of the month! Soda is a Saint Bernard who frequents Dogs Country Club with her two other siblings for holidays! Soda enjoys playing Tug O war with the doggy doater's or her brother Bear, sun-baking and of course leaning against of you a nice head scratch.

Please keep an eye out for a breed blog popping up later this month full of heaps of cool info on the Saint Bernard!

The English Pointer

15/2/2019

The English Pointer

The English Pointer is a high energy, driven hunting dog. The first English Pointer is known to have been recorded around the 1650’s in England.
The breed was developed by the crossing of a number of breeds including the Foxhound, Newfoundland, Greyhound, Setter, Bloodhound and Bulldog. The name ‘Pointer’ has come from the motionless stance the breed stands in when they spot exactly what they are looking for.
Originally the breed was used to hunt hare for the Greyhounds to hunt. From this their popularity grew among hunters , being ideal to follow a scent and point their hunter in the right direction.
Although very talented at tracking and flushing out their objective they are not a breed that will harm or retrieve the kill.
Although very successful as working dogs, the Pointer is now the modern day family dog for most people. They are the perfect fit for any active family who can provide plenty of physical and mental stimulation for this very enthusiastic breed. Once they burn their energy, the Pointer is great lounge dog who will happily lap up plenty of attention from the family and laze about the house!
Without the correct amounts of physical and mental stimulation, the Pointer is a breed that can be prone to neurotic and destructive behaviours.
The English Pointer offers very little grooming requirements, with their short, smooth coat only needing grooming every so often. Their coats are often seen in the white with liver spots however are also seen with lemon, black or orange markings too.
The average life expectancy of a healthy English Pointer is 13 – 14years.

February dog of the month!

31/1/2019

As we head into our second month for the year we are excited to let everyone know that Bowie the English Pointer who has been coming to Dogs Country Club and Kennel resort since he was a puppy will be our dog of the month. Bowie is now 5 years old and is a regular guest with us, he loves lounging in the sun and taking a dip in our splash pools!

Stay tuned as more information on this breed is soon to come!