Melbourne's Most Loved Dog Kennel - Blog

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!

The Labradoodle

10/1/2019

The Labradoodle was first seen in 1988 when Australian breeder Wally Conron cross bred a Labrador retriever and Standard Poodle at the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia in Victoria. Labradoodle’s were bred with the intent of being an allergy friendly guide dog as they would have a low-shedding coat from the poodle but Gentle and trainable temperament of the Labrador.
The Labradoodle size can vary depending if they were bred with a standard or miniature poodle. They have a medium length coat that can be soft or wiry, with a curly, straight or wavy appearance. Their colours are mostly solid in black, cream, café, and silver, chocolate, gold and apricot though can have white abstract markings be parti, phantom or tri coloured.
Labradoodle’s often love water, swimming and playing with other four legged friends. They are very friendly, intelligent and make great additions to your family as they are also good with children. The Labradoodle can adjust to nearly any setting and requires about 30-60 minutes of exercise per day to keep them fit and healthy!

January Dogs of the Month!

2/1/2019

As we start off 2019 we are pleased to let everyone know that Meg & JoJo two sister Labradoodle's are our January Dogs of the month! These two girls are regular guests here at Dogs Country Club and love rolling around in the paddocks, splashing around in the pools and smooching up to the Doggy Doaters for a good scratch behind the ears!

watch this space for a breed blog to be posted!

The Toy Poodle

19/12/2018

Standard Poodles have been around for hundreds of years though the Toy Poodle is a more recent variation mainly bred for companionship in England around the 19th century.
Toy poodles are the smallest type of poodle weighing on average between 3-4kilograms and standing no taller than 28cm at the shoulders. The Toy poodle is very intelligent and responsive making them easy to train, though they do also have a very cheeky, lively personality and love to be with humans!
They are prone to developing small dog syndrome and can become very snappy, stubborn and bark a lot if they feel they are the pack leader. A calm and assertive owner is recommended for this particular breed.
Litter sizes for Toy poodles are generally 3-4 pups and the average life span is 12-15 years. Though they are small they do still require a daily walk and enjoy playtimes.
Toy Poodles can vary in colours and can be black, white, silver, grey, apricot or red. They have a short curly coat that does not shed. Grooming is required approximately every 6 weeks along with regular brushing to avoid any mats, which will maintain their coat to look neat and tidy.

Fun facts

Poodles are allergy friendly and considered to have a hypo-allergenic coat
Their special coat has led to poodles being crossed with other breed to make more hypo-allergenic dogs- such as a “Cavoodle” - Cavalier x mini Poodle and “Groodle” - Golden Retriever x Poodle,.
Elvis Presley loved Poodles and gave his girlfriend a Toy Poodle as a gift
Poodles were once used for hunting