Dogs of the North

18/11/2023

Yes!

Popular question I have been asked lately is, do dogs really love us? This is what I think and why...

07/11/2023

🎄 CHRISTMAS PET TOY DRIVE 🎄

With Christmas just around the corner we’re launching our 2023 Christmas Pet Toy Drive! With our shelters close to running out of toys, we’re asking the community to be Santa’s helpers!

Hundreds of lost and abandoned dogs and cats will spend Christmas at the Home. Your gift of new or pre-loved toys will make sure they have an extra-special festive season while they wait for the greatest gift of all – a new home.

When buying toys for your pet this Christmas, please consider popping an extra one in your cart to give to a homeless dog or cat.

For details on the types of toys our animals would love – and the toys that can’t be accepted due to safety reasons head over to dogshome.com

Donations can be dropped off at our North Melbourne and Cranbourne shelters during opening hours. Thanks guys, we appreciate your support!!

03/11/2023

https://www.miragenews.com/victoria-pets-at-risk-extreme-pollen-threat-1116643/

RSPCA Victoria is urging pet owners to protect their furry companions as Melbourne Pollen Count and Forecast issues a warning of extreme pollen levels

27/10/2023

Dear Valued Pet Parents,

We are writing to extend our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience or concern caused by a recent issue affecting our food. We want to assure you that we take this matter very seriously and are committed to resolving it.

We have become aware of a concern regarding the presence of mould in some of our dry dog products and we want to ensure the well-being of your beloved pets. While this issue has only affected a small number of bags and products from some of our recent production, we believe in taking precautions for the health and safety of your furry friends.

To address this matter, we recommend that you carefully inspect the products with a best before date listed below. It’s important to note that if these products have been stored in a cool, dry environment, the likelihood of any issue is minimal. Nevertheless, we encourage pet parents to remain vigilant.

If you come across any signs of mould in your product or if you prefer not to continue feeding your current bag of affected food from the specific best before dates listed, we kindly ask you to discontinue use and take the product back to the place of purchase or reach out to us at [email protected].

Our dedicated team is here to assist you with replacing your product. When contacting us, please provide details about the product variant, bag size, and best before date for a smoother resolution.

As a further safety precaution, we are actively collaborating with our retail partners to ensure that any affected bags are removed from sale. This collaborative effort underscores our commitment to providing the highest quality dry dog food in Australia.

We continue to be a small Australian family owned brand and your understanding and trust are greatly appreciated as we work to resolve this situation and continue to serve the needs of you and your pets. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Team MFM

Products affected and their best before details

Grain Free Salmon and Sardine 2.5Kg
3/09/2024
5/09/2024
7/09/2024

Grain Free Salmon and Sardine 20Kg
20/08/2024
1/09/2024
4/09/2024
6/09/2024
17/09/2024
9/10/2024

Grain Free Salmon and Sardine 9Kg
20/08/2024
26/08/2024
27/08/2024
5/09/2024
6/09/2024
7/09/2024
14/09/2024
26/09/2024

Salmon and Sardine 20Kg
16/08/2024
17/08/2024
4/10/2024

Salmon and Sardine 9Kg
5/09/2024

Salmon and Sardine Large Kibble 20Kg
18/07/2024
19/07/2024
12/10/2024

Salmon and Sardine Large kibble 9Kg
12/08/2024
13/08/2024

Grain Free Duck and Turkey 2.5Kg
1/09/2024
3/09/2024
4/09/2024

Grain Free Duck and Turkey 20Kg
4/09/2024
7/09/2024
20/09/2024

Grain Free Duck and Turkey9Kg
3/09/2024
4/09/2024
5/09/2024

High Performance Turkey 20Kg
13/08/2024

High Performance Turkey 9Kg
13/08/2024

04/10/2023

Makes so much sense.

When we punish dogs for growling, we aren't helping them feel better about whatever it is that is threatening them. Instead, we are teaching to stop letting us know when they feel unsafe.

The result? A dog who stops giving warning signs and "bites out of the blue."

29/05/2023

Hi everyone,
For those of us who buy the Prime 100 logs, there appears to be an ongoing issue with thin blue plastic being found inside the logs.
I have twice encountered this over the last few months and today saw a post re same on the Dog Lovers Melbourne!! FB page.
I emailed the company and supplied pics and they responded promptly, apologised and offered a refund.
I was told that this blue plastic appears to be “the liner the raw material comes in”.
Given how widespread the issue appears to be however, a refund is not nearly good enough and certainly doesn’t mitigate the danger.
I found this link in the replies of today’s Dog Lovers post…
https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/prime100-dog-food-review/?fbclid%3DIwAR0oJcxseV3m_1SShvSQz7WLGKssHo5Ox4CPZLcDuUAEXvCqlZTmQ91fwe0_aem_th_AVPDwez07rEI2zj5bJEbVETxu47G_yt--HDRz1lqnBgibBUBf9wqlE7FWAHqn2E-CC8&h=AT1tRl4x-oCs2xEsyxwByftzc9EecinEaDuIyTZK_WtozxC1SBySRjC_kerWkizBINFlvbf4-8c-rXb7dzh68qk1vAA07VhQHlZgjmKeCZ-nVPmFqj8s8dgRXluOFWA&s=1&mibextid=ncKXMA

Is Prime100 really any good? Read our Prime100 dog food review (rolls)

02/04/2023

Clever 🦴🤣

21/03/2023

12/02/2023

Why it’s so important to check for grass seeds…

26/04/2022

: The Department of Health has issued a poisonous mushroom warning for Victorians and their pets.

Victorians are being warned NOT to pick any wild mushrooms, as Yellow-staining mushrooms and potentially fatal Death Cap mushrooms currently grow around the state.

Pet owners should take particular care and, where possible, remove any mushrooms from their yard before pets have a chance to eat them.

| Nightly at 6pm

11/01/2022

Just a thought of the day I felt compelled to share..

Working in veterinary medicine is where I single handedly see the most dog to dog mishaps with the general public due to simply lacking knowledge on dog behavior, and lack of respect for both their own dog and other dog’s space. Let me play it out for you, of what I see, all too often. Owner has their dog in the waiting room on a loose, long leash. The Dog is free to roam within a 6 ft radius. Another dog and its owner attempt to come in the doors, only to be blocked and greeted nose to nose by the uncontrolled dog, now tense on his leash, pulling and eager to meet. Its owner speaks out, “oh it’s okay! I’ve got him, and he’s friendly☺️” Here is where I step in to politely ask the owner to keep her dog close to her, only to get a response of “he’s fine, he’s wagging his tail!” 🤦🏼‍♀️ Little do they know, I see something else, way more complex, far beyond their assumptions.

Education and knowledge is power. Especially when you are dealing with an animal that you are supposed to mentor and guide for its lifetime, to ensure stability, confidence, and respect. In my professional and outright personal opinion, never is it okay to:
1) Allow your dog to greet another dog nose to nose on a tense leash
*A dog greeted head on is generally very rude, intrusive, and unnatural in the dog world, and can create conflict right from the get go. Any dog can take this posture as threatening, and begin defensive aggressive behavior. To make matters worse, a tense leash can build the energy in a dog to produce reactive behavior due to space constraints. If you must introduce dogs on leash, it is better to allow them to greet side by side on a LOOSE leash, and relax!

2) Assume that a wagging tail is a happy dog wanting to interact
* A dog will wag its tail for a multitude of emotions. It is VITAL to understand what your dog is saying by it’s tail wag. Based on tail position and speed will indicate how the dog is feeling. For example, A low, fast wag can generally indicate nervous energy, or insecurity, which has potential to cause a fear aggressive response. A high, stiff wag can mean over-arousal/over-stimulation or intent of ready to spring into action. The dog will make lousy choices in this state of mind and make it more difficult to control should they “rev-up” more. A medial, soft & loose wag is generally universal for a happy dog. Get to know your wags!

3) Assume the other dog is just as “friendly” as yours
* Not all dogs are dog friendly. This should be obvious knowledge. Just because your dog is friendly does not mean the other is, too. They could be undersocialized, have social insecurities, or just be dog aggressive. Give other dogs space, please.

4) Allow your dog to interact with other dogs in a veterinary office waiting room
* Dogs often come into the vet office already stressed. It is generally not a place of pleasure as the dog is usually being shuffled into a tight room, being held by strangers only to be poked and prodded at. The smell of other ill dogs or even death is in the air which makes a dog uneasy. Most owners are often nervous FOR their dog during a vet visit so their energy does not help the dog, either. There may be the the smell of cats in the room, stress pheremones, and urine markings from other dogs. Dogs come in not feeling well, or maybe have arthritis, or painful from an injury. They may be recovering from a surgery. Or coming in to be put down due to old age or chronic illness. Now tell me why this sounds like a good spot to “play”?!

We all go to the vet with our dogs. Please make your next visit pleasurable for everyone!

06/12/2021

Now this is the sign of the YEAR ☑️ Now if only people would read it 👍

29/11/2021

19/10/2021

Just need to get something off my chest....

I love dogs, I do, and I'm lucky enough to have made a career out of working with dogs. The recent increase in dog numbers means there are more people than ever enjoying the company of dogs, but also more dogs than ever are out and about in public places. Some of the behaviour I am witnessing by some dog owners is driving me more than a little crazy.

PLEASE PUT YOUR DOG ON A LEAD. Why has this become so difficult?
This includes cafes, walking on the footpath and at parks that are not designated off-leash. It is for your dog's safety, as well as the safety of other dogs and people. It has become impossible for me to walk around my local area without meeting at least 3 off-leash dogs each time, and cafes seem to attract off-leash dogs.
I don't understand it - your dog may be friendly, but how do you know how the dog they run up to will react? And why is it OK for your dog to be annoying to others? I've witnessed some dangerous things with fights, knocked-down tables, terrified kids and boiling coffee going all directions.

YOUR DOG DOESN'T HAVE TO “SAY HELLO" What if the other dog (or owner) doesn't want to "say hello" back?
"My dog just wants to say hello" is usually the excuse people give when their dog has no recall, but why would you let your dog jump in the face of a dog on a lead that you don't know? It can go pear-shaped VERY quickly, and I have witnessed some dreadful dog fights as a result of this. Please work on your recall or don't let them off the lead. I just want to walk Chilli in peace.

Finally, about the current POODEMIC - yes, dog poo is unpleasant, but you need to pick it up!
If your dog does a poo on a footpath at night, it might be a shock to learn that you still need to pick it up, even if there were no witnesses! I know it's hard to get your head around, but I'm getting sick of giant piles of poo on the footpath waiting in the morning!

Rant over, thanks for listening….. and of course, I know that most people do the right thing! xx

04/10/2021

We call on the Victorian Premier, Dan Andrews and the Minister for Jobs, Martin Pakula to re-open pet services businesses as a matter of urgency and ensure the health and welfare needs of domestic animals, are fully respected now and in all future decisions about extending Victoria’s State of Emergency and State of Disaster.

10/09/2021

Please sign and share this petition to classify pet grooming as an essential service for animal welfare…

https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/index.php?option=com_rsform&view=rsform&formId=74&Itemid=1054&petition_id=394&fbclid=IwAR1bRhjgFr0AwEw6ABqZkuhoJ_1cqx8u692lSeCmTaIIQVaZbz4SlyqOYRk

The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria that follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system. It consists of the Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.

10/09/2021

18/08/2021

I know well the problems closing grooming during lockdowns causes.

For us, we can cope without going to a hairdresser. But for our companions — it can cause serious welfare issues.

Matting causes extreme pain and discomfort, and has resulted in some attempting home jobs that cause injury.

Vets simply can’t absorb this industry when they are operating at a slower capacity with telephone and video consults. And there’s already a backlog on grooming following previous lockdowns.

Thank you to everyone who has written to and called my office today. Trust me when I say I’m making this case to the Victorian Government and doing all I can to get grooming back in a COVID-safe way.