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Pets

Dogs and cats at home: feeding, training, grooming, costs, and living with an animal in a rental.

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Latest in Pets
A dog lying calmly on a rug with one paw resting in an open hand, treats on the rug beside them.
australian families

Nail trimming without the drama

Most nail trimming goes wrong because it is attempted once a month…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
An empty bath with a rubber non-slip mat in the bottom, a folded towel and an unlabelled bottle on the edge.
australian families

Bathing a dog that hates baths

Most dogs object to the slippery surface, the water temperature and being…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A dog crate in a living room with the door propped open, bedding inside and a chew toy on the bedding.
australian families

A dog that hates the crate: fixing it

The first question is whether the dog hates the crate or hates…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A wire dog crate with a light cover over the back and sides only, a flat mat inside and a clip-on water bowl.
australian families

Crate covers, bedding and what goes inside

What belongs in a crate depends entirely on what your dog does…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A rolled old towel with dog biscuits tucked into the folds beside a cardboard box filled with scrunched paper.
australian families

Cheap enrichment using things already in the house

Fourteen enrichment ideas built from cardboard, towels and containers already in the…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
Two stainless steel pet bowls on a mat in a kitchen corner beside a sealed food container, one bowl standing in a shallow tray.
apartment living

Feeding station setup for a small kitchen

Where the bowls go decides how much mess you clean up and…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A hollow rubber dog toy packed with food on a freezer shelf, with a second one on the floor below.
australian families

Enrichment for a bored dog when you work full time

Ten minutes in the morning, using food you already buy, occupies most…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
Dry dog biscuits spread across a plain baking tray on a laundry floor beside an empty dog bowl.
australian families

Stopping a dog inhaling dinner in twelve seconds

Fast eating is worth addressing, and most of the fixes cost nothing.…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A clean open litter tray with fine litter on a tiled laundry floor with clear space on both sides.
australian families

Why is my cat not using the litter tray

The first step is a vet, because several causes are medical and…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A tall sisal scratching post standing directly beside the arm of a fabric sofa in a living room.
australian families

Cat scratching: redirect it rather than stop it

Scratching is maintenance and marking, not misbehaviour, and it cannot be trained…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A cat sitting on top of a cleared bookshelf beside a window, with a chair, sideboard and small ladder forming a route up.
australian families

Keeping a cat happy indoors

Most indoor cat advice is about buying things. What cats actually need…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A dog lying on a timber floor with its head turned away and ears back in a living room.
australian families

Dog body language every family should recognise

Dogs give a long sequence of quiet signals before anything obvious happens.…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A suburban fence with shade cloth attached along the inside and a dog lying calmly on grass in the shade.
australian families

Dog barking at everything: what to try first

Dogs bark for six different reasons and each needs a different response.…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A dog with its nose down in long grass beside a walking path, lead slack, in early morning light.
australian families

How much exercise does my dog actually need

Most tired-out-the-dog advice misses the point. Duration is the least important variable…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A bush campsite with a tent, a dog bed and a water bowl set up outside in early morning light.
camping

Camping with a dog for the first time

Dogs are banned from most Australian national parks, which decides where you…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A dog secured in a car harness on the back seat of a car at an Australian roadside rest stop.
car restraint

Road trips with a dog: the realistic version

Restraint law in Australia is narrower than most people assume, and heat…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A packed car boot with a dog blanket, lead and travel water bowl before a weekend away.
dog gear

Packing list for a weekend away with a dog

The four things first-timers forget are the same four every time. A…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A dog collar with a stainless steel identification tag on a wooden table.
council rules

ID tags and what Australian law requires

A microchip does not satisfy the visible identification rules in most Australian…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team