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Tag: australian families

A fridge whiteboard wiped almost clean with a marker lying on the bench below, lid off.
Meal Planning

Why meal planning fails in week two

Almost every meal plan collapses in week two, and there are only…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A frying pan on the stove with an unlabelled tin and a jar of dry pasta on the bench beside it.
Quick Family Dinners

Beating the 5pm what-is-for-dinner panic

The 5pm problem is a decision problem, not a cooking problem, and…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A blank wall planner above a kitchen bench with an open blank notepad and pen, and a wiped whiteboard on the fridge.
Meal Planning

The 30-minute weekly meal plan method

Meal plans fail because they are built from recipes instead of from…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
Flat sealed freezer bags of sauce stacked on their sides in a freezer drawer beside a shallow container.
Quick Family Dinners

Freezer meals that actually taste good reheated

Some meals improve in the freezer and some are ruined by it.…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
An older dog standing with its nose down in grass beside a shaded path, lead slack, in early morning light.
Senior Pets

Exercise for a dog that is slowing down

Less distance, more often and far more sniffing is the shape that…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A continuous path of rugs across a timber floor leading from a low dog bed to a back door, with a water bowl beside.
Senior Pets

Making the house easier for an older dog

Hard floors are the biggest obstacle for an ageing dog in a…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A broom gathering a clump of dog fur into a pile on a timber floor beside a skirting board.
Cleaning & Odour

Dog fur, floors and a clean house: what actually works

Most of the fur on your floors was removable before it got…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A damp towel laid over a section of pale carpet with an unlabelled spray bottle beside it and a fan behind.
Cleaning & Odour

Getting pet smell out of carpet

Ordinary cleaner does not work on this because the problem is organic…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A dog sitting on a kitchen floor looking up at a hand holding a small piece of food.
Training & Behaviour

Clicker training in ten minutes a day

A clicker is a stopwatch, not a remote control. What the marker…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A litter tray on a laundry bench beside an open window, with a scoop next to it and a bag of litter below.
Litter & Toileting

Litter tray smell: fixing it properly

Deodorising products treat the symptom and often make the cat avoid the…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A dog lying calmly on a mat working at a puzzle feeder in an empty living room with a closed front door behind.
Training & Behaviour

Stopping a dog from destroying things when left alone

Boredom and separation distress leave the same wreckage but need opposite responses.…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A dog walking beside a person on a footpath with a visibly slack lead looping between them.
Training & Behaviour

Lead pulling: three approaches compared

Dogs pull because pulling works, every single time. Three approaches that change…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A hooded litter tray with its flap removed, on a mat in a tiled bathroom corner with the door wedged open.
Litter & Toileting

Where to put the litter tray in a small home

A cat has five requirements for where a tray goes and they…

Dovelyne editorial team
Dovelyne editorial team
A dog lying calmly on a rug with one paw resting in an open hand, treats on the rug beside them.
Grooming

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.
Grooming

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.
Crates, Carriers & Pens

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 rolled old towel with dog biscuits tucked into the folds beside a cardboard box filled with scrunched paper.
Toys & Enrichment

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
A wire dog crate with a light cover over the back and sides only, a flat mat inside and a clip-on water bowl.
Crates, Carriers & Pens

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