Embark Pet Care

10/07/2025

No tennis balls please - a rubber ball is a much better option for your dog's teeth.

This is why 👇

Yes, tennis balls can be harmful to a dog's teeth!
The abrasive felt on the outside of the ball can wear down enamel, leading to dental problems like "tennis ball mouth".
This can cause pain, difficulty eating, and increased risk of tooth breakage.
Here's why tennis balls are problematic:
The fuzzy exterior of tennis balls is made of a coarse, abrasive material, similar to sandpaper. When dogs chew on them, this felt can grind down the teeth.

Repeated exposure to the abrasive felt can lead to a condition called "tennis ball mouth," characterized by worn-down teeth and even grooves on the surface which Increases tartar build up

Dental Issues:
This wear and tear can result in tooth sensitivity, pain, and increased susceptibility to fractures and decay.

Ingestion Risk
Tennis balls are not designed for chewing and can contain chemicals and dyes that are harmful if ingested.

08/06/2025

Exactly!
✔️ Let your dogs do their own version of doggie communication.
✔️ Let them sniff other dogs' p*e and poo, don't pull them away (unless they eat it which is very rare, and can be a sign of various underlying issues).
✔️ Mental stimulation is so important - dogs need more than just physical exercise.

SUNDAY FUNDAY

Social media for everyone 😂

Image credit: Tim Wyatt - whyatt.com.au

02/06/2025

Free parvovirus vaccinations at the AWL Community Clinics. Please share, so more puppies can be protected against this deadly disease 🐾👊🦠

🚨 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁 – 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗯𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗲 & 𝗜𝗽𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵 🚨

Outbreaks of canine Parvovirus is spreading fast in our local suburbs — but AWLQ is stepping in to help. 🙌

Thanks to our partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, free parvo community vaccination clinics are launching from June to August, one day a month, at our Brisbane (Daisy Hill) and Ipswich Community Vet Clinics. Community members from eligible suburbs can get their free parvo vaccination (eligibility criteria applies).

𝗪𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲?
📍 Available to residents of Woodridge, Kingston, Inala, Collingwood Park, Goodna & Redbank Plains
🐶 Dogs under 2 years
📄 Must show proof of address

💉 Vaccine supplies are limited
📆 WALK INS ONLY – no appointment needed

VACCINATION DATES:
𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗩𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰
21st June
19th July
23rd August

𝗜𝗽𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗩𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰
28th June
26th July
16th August

For more information, please call your local CVC 👉 https://bit.ly/CVCLocations

Protect your furry family member from this deadly disease. Help us stop the spread.

Let’s work together to keep our pets and communities safe. ❤️

29/05/2025

If you think chasing a tennis ball is good for dogs, think again. Besides the physical damage it can cause to their joints and teeth, it is not the best exercise for their mental health either - especially if you have a ball-crazy dog who could go on forever and ever...

Instead of "I need to wear my dog out", think about how you can stimulate their mind too to make them tired 🤔.

Hints:

✔️ Allow dogs to sniff on walks and go at their pace. It is sometimes 5 metres/minute with my dog depending on interesting smells (a.k.a. social media posts for dogs) - and that is fine!

✔️ Use their food to encourage foraging behaviour. Bindi enjoys scatter feeding every morning - it is fun and keeps her mind stimulated rather than just eating from a bowl.

✔️ Instead of high-intensity dog sports, think about scent work classes (it can be beneficial for shy or dog reactive dogs, if classes are managed well)

✔️ Teach them a new behaviour - it can be something useful, not just a trick. Can they really settle on a mat at a cafe while you have a coffee/conversation?

✔️ If your dog is dog social, arrange playdates with their doggie friends, in pairs or in small familiar groups. If they don't like other dogs, they may enjoy having human visitors coming to your home. If neither, feel privileged they are happy to spend time with you 😁

The list could go on and it is very individual what works for each pup, so find their happy place 🧘

14/05/2025

Great explanation on belly rubs and how we often misunderstand dogs "asking" for a belly rub. More often than not, they are asking for space.

I very rarely stroke a dog's belly and always do a "consent touch" - 3 seconds of touch then stop and see if the dog wants more or not...

16/01/2025

Handsome Ziah is looking for a new home! He is a 3.5 yr old desexed 18 kg Border Collie x Husky, located in North Lakes (Brisbane).

Info from current owner:

- anxious with people
- not suitable with small children
- needs introduction to adults slowly
- lives with another dog

"It's really important he has someone who can spend most of the day with him. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to give him what he needs but with everyone else he is the perfect dog - such a loving nature🐾💙"

Note: I haven't met the dog personally, just helping to find a caring new home.

All enquiries should go through to owner Jocelyn at 0431 110 515.

Please share if you're near Brisbane.

16/12/2024

Not all training lessons go to plan. And not all training plans are easy to implement due to so many variables - environment, handler's skills, timing and other external factors...

But when they do go to plan and even exceed the expectations, it is amazing to witness! This little Aussie is so switched on and easy to train - she really is a model student (along with her family, who are doing everything to help her overcome her fear of Poodle crosses... 🐩).

👏🇦🇺

14/11/2024

🌍While recharging my batteries, I can't help but reflect on how dog-friendly much of Europe is.

Here’s a pet dog at Zürich airport, patiently waiting to board a plane. No Public Access Test, no special vest needed. Just some good manners and a pet passport of course (and must be small enough to fit in a carrier...).

26/09/2024

📣 Please help find a loving new home for Pearl, a young Tenterfield Terrier born in June 2023.

Pearl has a lovely temperament, she is super smart, quick to learn and keen as well. She loves food reinforcement! Pearl likes all people and is also good with dogs of all sizes once introduced properly. She is still a young dog and can be bouncy, so young children may not be ideal. She would be suitable for an active family or person. She travels well in the car.

Please contact Sandy Patterson on 0421 509 185 for more information. Pearl is in Mackay until mid-October, then will be in Dalby (QLD) until she finds the right home.🐾

20/09/2024

Before someone else calls me to help with my "social media presence" (which I know is sporadic, but I am OK with that), here is an overdue post from last weekend.

👩‍🏫 I was invited to speak at the Hill's Nutritional Nurse Consultant's Conference in Noosa on two topics close to my heart: reducing stress for patients at the vet clinic and resource guarding.

It was a great weekend spent with so many like-minded animal lovers. I learned a lot from the participants and other presenters too and realised how bad I am with follow-ups (not just with social media😎)!

23/08/2024

Well-said! 👌👀 🐾

07/08/2024

Lovely Maggie is totally dominating me😅 (OK, relax, I invited her to jump up on me).

We've been working on her dog-to-dog interactions and she's been so responsive to previously learned cues even at a cafe with so many dogs around (but at a safe distance) - high five Maggie 🐾