Nose 2 Tail Pet Care Latest News

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 12

2011-12-19T21:35:00.009+10:00

On the12th Day of Christmas:

On Saturday 24th of December we will have

20% off STOREWIDE at Oxley

and we have also decided to revist some of the previous specials from the last 2 weeks.

We may even throw a few more in store to keep it exciting!

These specials are only available for Saturday 24th of December at our Oxley store and are only while stocks last. No further discounts apply.

So as a reminder, here are the things you can expect to save on when you come in to our stores on Christmas Eve :

40% off Squeaky Toys

40% off Beds

40% off Bowls

40% off Scratchers

40% off Christmas Stock

40% off Puppia Harnesses

Only $2.50 for a 9ltr bag of Kitty's Crumble (save 70%!)

35% off Year of the Dog

40% off Flexi Leads

40% off Planet Dog Toys

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 11

2011-12-19T21:21:00.007+10:00

On the 11th Day of Christmas:

On Friday 23rd of December we will have
40% off any toys that squeak!

That's right, we have a massive 40% off any of our dog or cat toys that squeak! There are many toys to choose from in the store that you can take advantage of this huge discount! This special is available at our Oxley and Westlake stores only.

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 10

2011-12-19T20:58:00.008+10:00

On the 10th Day of Christmas:

On Thursday 22nd December we will have

40% off all beds!

This special is available from our Oxley and Westlake stores only. This is a great time to upgrade to a new bed for your furry friend - at this price, why not make it 2 :)!

We have a fun range of beds available in all kinds of sizes. Come in and see the range and you are sure to find something to help keep the kids warm at night!

Sale is only while stocks last and not valid for any special orders.

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 9

2011-12-18T19:54:00.006+10:00

On the 9th Day of Christmas: (we are feeling very generous!)

On Wednesday 17th of December we will have

30% off STOREWIDE* at our Oxley store only

*excludes dog food which will be 20% off and already reduced items.

Our last day of trade for our Oxley store will the the 24th of December (Christmas Eve) and we have a lot of stock that we need to transfer to our store in Westlake. It has been a busy year and we really don't want to move all the stock, sooooo we are giving you a chance to get some great bargains before Christmas!

This 30% off sale is only valid for our Oxley store. The store will be open from 9am through to 8pm to make it easier for more people to come in and grab a bargain. Even though there is not 30% off discounted products, you never know what we might say if you make us an offer and some items have even more than 30% off!

This offer is only while stocks last and only for stock at our Oxley store!

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 8

2011-12-18T19:49:00.005+10:00

On the 8th Day of Christmas:

On Tuesday 20th of December we will have

40% off the entire range of dog & cat bowls

This special is available at our Oxley and Westlake stores only. We have a large range of bowls available.

Product Testing by Samson - Catit Food Maze

2011-12-18T13:25:00.006+10:00

As Samson is a purely indoor cat, we are always looking for ways to keep him stimulated. The Catit Senses Food Maze has been a great hit with him. It helps to keep him stimulated and makes him work for his food. He has a great time with this and we love watching him get into the action and bash it around! A great addition to any cat household.

Catit® Design Senses Food Maze
The Catit Design Senses Food Maze is the smart way to feed your cat. The cat moves the food (or treats) through the maze by pawing at it through the side openings until it drops down to the food tray. The Food Maze appeals to your cat's sense of touch and taste while encouraging mental and physical activity. By making your cat work work for its food; and monitoring the amount of food added to the maze, the Food Maze can be a valuable tool to help with overeating or obesity problems. The Catit Design Sense Food Maze offer various levels of difficulty to challenge your cat's abilities.

Features include:
Side Cut-outs: Cat moves the food through the maze by pawing at it through the side openings
Food Tray: As the food moves through the maze, it collects in the food tray at the bottom of the maze
Varying levels of difficulty: rotating disc located inside the maze allow you to increase or decrease the openings for a more difficult challenge
Accu-Pressure Mat: provides pressure point paw massage

The Food Maze can be used in addition to the other items in the Senses range to create a full interactive play centre. Each item is highlighted below.

Catit® Design Senses Speed Circuit
Incorporating sight, sound and touch, the Catit Design Senses Speed Circuit moves speed to a higher level with its accelerating coaster ramps. The elevated tracks add a fast-paced exciting roller coaster element while the motion activated illuminated ball adds a further level of fun and interactivity.Features include:
Motion-activated, flashing ball for interactive visual excitement.
Elevated peek-a-boo tracks: adds fast paced roller coaster element while allowing cat to see, chase and swat the ball
Multiple layout possibilities; and additional tracks can be purchased separately to grow the set-up

Catit® Design Senses Massage Center
After a hard day of napping, eating and playing, provide cats with an oasis of calm and relaxation with the Catit® Design Senses Massage Center. With a variety of sculpted textures and surfaces, it provides a cat with the ultimate pampering and massage experience. Catnip can be added to heighten the sensory experience.

Catit® Design Senses Scratch Pad
It appeals to your cat's sense of touch, providing the scratching surface he instinctively needs. The pad's unique, extra thick design has cut-outs in which catnip or treats can be added for multi-sensory appeal and which offer a fun "hunt and play" element.

Catit® Design Senses Play Circuit
Sight, sound and touch are key senses used when hunting prey. The Catit® Design Senses Play Circuit incorporates all three and is specially designed to entice, engage and entertain a cat while appealing to his natural hunting instincts.

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 7

2011-12-16T18:50:00.008+10:00

On the 7th Day of Christmas:

On Monday 19th of December we will have

40% off All Cat Scratchers

This special is only available in store and while stocks last. Discount is not valid for scratchers that are already discounted. We have a wider range of scratching posts at our Westlake store.

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 6

2011-12-15T23:17:00.005+10:00

On the 6th Day of Christmas:

On Saturday the 17th of December we will have
40% off the entire range of
Christmas Themed Stock

Have you been wanting to get a Santa hat or scarf, a cute little Christmas Toy or some yummy treats? Come into either of our stores and purchase any of our Christmas themed stock and receive a great discount!

We have a wide range of gift ideas to suit any of your furry friends!

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 5

2011-12-13T21:40:00.015+10:00

On the 5th Day of Christmas:

On Friday the 16th of December we will have

40% off the entire range of

Puppia Harnesses

Puppia's feature product is the soft mesh harness which is acclaimed as the best selling harness for small dogs in the world.

The harnesses are double stitched for strength, and softly padded under your furry friend's chest. The Puppia Soft Harnesses come in a wide variety of colours - all with matching leads and accessories.

Once you have used a Puppia Harness, you will never want to try anything else.

I have been using these harnesses for my dogs for over 10 years and I love the quality and feel of these great looking accessories. They are so comfortable for dogs and cats to wear and breathe really well for our hot summers.

This special is available at both stores and online (discount will be taken off when the order is processed), but is only while stocks last.

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 4

2011-12-13T21:23:00.009+10:00

On the 4th Day of Christmas:

On Thursday the 15th of December we will have

9ltr (1.8kg) bags of Kittys Crumble for

$2.50 per bag (normal price $9.95)

You notice Kitty's Crumble kitty litter out of the corner of your eye and read the packaging. Initially the adorable kitty and natural recyclable smart-bag packaging hits the spot. You check the price and are relieved to find it is an affordable cat litter. You compare your original research to the packaging and ingredients to find that Kitty's Crumble is an all natural cat litter; it is eco-friendly and has unbeatable odour elimination.

You choose kitty's crumble cat litter, knowing you have made the best decision for you, your cat and the environment.

Kitty's Crumble cat litter is a premium organic coir and all natural kitty litter with unbeatable odour elimination - that works naturally! It is an innovative cat litter made 100% from coir (coconut husk), an organic / natural, renewable resource.

Kitty's Crumble kitty litter contains no chemicals, pesticides, silica dust, fragrances or other additives that could be unhealthy for your cat or unfriendly to the environment.

This deal is available at both stores and online (discount taken off at time of processing your order)

12 Days of Christmas Sale - Day 3

2011-12-12T20:44:00.010+10:00

On the 2nd Day of Christmas:

On Wednesday the 14th of December we will have

35% off the entire range of
Year of the Dog Treats

Year of the Dog is a very popular range of hand made preservative treats that we have been stocking for a while. The range includes Banana Biscotti, Dog House, Low Fat Treats (which have NO fat!), Christmas cookie, Gingerbread Men and Christmas Puddings.

These biscuits are so good that you will want to give them a try once you open the bag. Your dog will love them so much that one just wont be enough! They have all natural safe ingredients that are hand made.

Why not add some of these to your best friends stocking this Christmas. This deal is available in our Westlake store only (Oxley is closed Wednesday) and online (discount will be taken off when order is processed).

Year of the Dog - Christmas Range

Year of the Dog - Small Selection from the Core Range. Banana Biscotti, Low Fat and Dog House.

12 Days of Christmas Sale - 2nd Day

2011-12-12T06:17:00.012+10:00

On the 2nd Day of Christmas:

On Tuesday the 13th of December we will have

40% off the entire range of

Flexi Leads

Not all retractable leads are made equal! Millions of happy dog owners around the globe are using a unique innovation from Germany: the flexi retractable dog leash.

This is not surprising as the name flexi stands for the most enjoyable walk for both pet owner and their best friend.

Flexi are the original and make their retractable leads with superior German quality. They come in a wide range of fun colours and sizes. These leads are a great way to allow your dogs and cats the extra freedom they like, while still keeping them restrained.

This special is available at both stores, and through our online store. Only available for Tuesday the 13th of December, or while stocks last, so get in quick!

12 Days of Christmas Sale

2011-12-11T22:13:00.009+10:00

There is not long to go until Christmas and we have though about how we could make it fun and decided on a 12 days of Christmas sale.

During the next 2 weeks, until the 24th of December, we will be offering a special valid for that day only, while stocks last. We will be posting details of what the sale is for each day, the day before on our blog and also our Facebook page.

Be sure to check back daily to see what specials we have for the following day!!

On the First Day of Christmas:

Tomorrow - Monday 12th of December, will be

30% off the entire range of
Planet Dog Toys.

These toys are great eco friendly, non toxic toys that are made to last! They bounce, they float and they can also be stuffed with yummy treats. They are also infused with minty goodness that drives dogs wild!

This special is available at both stores and also through our online store - but is strictly while stocks last. So be sure to get in quick!

Position Vacant

2011-12-04T19:39:00.005+10:00

Do you love animals, people and being outdoors? Well this could be just the opportunity you have been looking for!

We are looking for someone to join our team to work in our Mobile Dog Washing Van and Grooming Salon (located in Westlake).

Being an eco conscious business, we only use, promote and sell products that are safe for people, pets and the environment. Avoid the harsh chemicals and detergents used in most salons and enjoy a healthy working environment.

The successful applicant will be fit and have some experience with dogs and love working outdoors. We prefer someone with experience grooming dogs, however we are willing to train the right person. We are looking for someone with full availability, but are willing to consider all applicants.

Must love people and enjoy providing exceptional customer service. You will have a real passion to be working with animals and be a team player. Nose 2 Tail Pet Care has a reputation for award winning customer service and we expect any team members to have this as their

Duties are operating our mobile dog washing van which will include taking phone calls, scheduling grooming appointments, washing and grooming dogs (and possible clipping), cleaning, customer service and dog walking. You will also be required to work in our Westlake store assisting with dog grooming a few days a week.

This is a fantastic job to help keep you fit, but also allow you to spend time with animals!

Applicants must be fun loving, reliable, punctual, hard working and well presented.

Must be available to work some Saturdays.

Must have a current licence with a clean driving record and be willing to drive our van.

We are looking for someone who can start immediately.

Please email your resume and we will reply with an application form to be completed and returned via email as soon as possible

Nose 2 Tail Pet Care on Totally Wild - Dog Grooming

2011-11-13T21:51:00.003+10:00

Earlier this year we had Ranger Stacey and the team from Totally Wild come to our store to find out what is involved with dog grooming. It was a fun day and we loved having them join us again. Did I mention we got to meet Ranger Stacey :)

Below is the segment that featured on Totally Wild - enjoy!

Thundershirts in action

2011-11-03T22:40:00.006+10:00

This is a video of Sterling, he is a regular with us and suffers from anxiety. This video shows him before he has a Thundershirt put on, while wearing it and after it is taken off. The change in his behaviour is amazing.

It is nice to know that there is a solution for all those dogs out there who are fearful during storms that is chemical free. BUT that is not the limit of this great product. They could help with any behaviour problems that are caused by anxiety.

If your pup gets overly excited when people arrive at your house, try putting the Thundershirt on before letting your guests inside.

Anxiety while travelling? The Thundershirt just might give your dog the felling of security he needs while out and about.

Do you have a dog who gets way too excited when she is out for a walk? Try the Thundershirt and see if this helps.

There are many situations that the Thundershirts may assist. Each dog is different and results may vary. The only way you will ever know if it will work for you and your dog is to try it.

Thundershirts are available at Nose 2 Tail Pet Care and are $59.95. Bring your dog in with you to try them out!

Nose 2 Tail Pet Care on Totally Wild - Cat Grooming

2011-11-01T20:37:00.005+10:00

We had a great time when the team from Totally Wild came to our store to check out what is involved with cat grooming. They were amazed with the behaviour of the cats and the fact that they actually seemed to like the whole grooming process.

Thanks to everyone who provided cats for this segment and also to Samson for being the star of the show too :)

Competition Time

2011-10-19T13:47:00.007+10:00

We love seeing photos of your pets doing things that they do best and we have some prizes for the most popular photos!

We are looking for action shots of your pets which we will put up in an album on our facebook page. The ones with the most likes with score the prize packs.

Running
Jumping
Digging
Playing
Swimming
Tugging
Scratching
Zooming
Eating
The list goes on!

HOW TO ENTER: Photos need to be emailed to info@nose2tail.com.au and we will upload the photos onto our facebook page.

Please include your name and contact number and the name of your pet/s in the photo.

HOW TO WIN - We will post your photo on our facebook page - in the album Ready.....Action - and the photo that receives the MOST "LIKES" will win. Make sure you get all your family and friends to vote for you and "like" our page at the same time! The sooner you send us your photo, the more time you have to get "likes"!

COMPETITION CLOSES on the Wednesday 30th of November 2011 at 7pm and no further voting or entries will be allowed. Judging will take place at this time.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED on the 1st of December at 8am.

Judges decision is final :)

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY Anyone can enter - however staff of Nose 2 Tail Pet Care are not able to win the prizes. Only one entry per person but not just limited to dogs and cats.

1st prize is valued at $100 worth of goods and vouchers from Nose 2 Tail

2nd Prize is valued at $75 worth of goods and vouchers from Nose 2 Tail

3rd Prize is valued at $30 worth of goods and vouchers from Nose 2 Tail

Please note, although the competition is open to entries from pets other than dogs and cats, our prizes will be awarded for pets that are either dogs or cats (depending on the what pet the winners have)

Start taking photos now and send them in, then ask your friends and family to support you and "like" our page and then your photo :).

The sooner you send us your photo, the more time you have to get "likes"!

Before and After Cats

2011-10-05T16:05:00.021+10:00

Koda Before

Koda After

Jack Before

Jack After

Bugsy Before

Bugsy After

Clancy Before

Clancy After

Chloe Before

Chloe After

Milkshake Before

Milkshake After

Mavis Before

Mavis After

Bella Before

Bella After

Bumble Before

Bumble After

Abercrombie Before

Abercrombie After

Delilah Before

Delilah After

Rama Before

Rama After

Latte Before

Latte after

Willy Before

Willy having a bath

Willy After

Before and Afters Dogs

2011-10-05T14:33:00.012+10:00

Obi Wan Before

Obi Wan After

Merlot Before

Merlot After

Hurricane Before

Hurricane After

DJ Before

DJ After

Aussie Before

Aussie After

Presley Before

Presley After

Sonny Before

Sonny Having a bath

Sonny After

Ruby Mae Before

Ruby Mae After

Boris Before

Boris After

Rex Before

Rex After a Blow Dry :)

Rex After

I know I am a groomer when....

2011-10-05T14:17:00.001+10:00

•My dog’s nails are better cared for than mine

•I can’t remember the last time I went to the hairdresser, but I can’t stand it if I see a stray hair on a dog.

•I come home from work and my dogs sniff me like their favourite tree

•I have complete conversations with my dogs

•I pat someone’s dog and catch myself feeling for matts

•I see a good-looking guy walking his dog in the park and I’m checking out the dog’s haircut

•I spend half an hour each evening picking the dog’s hair out of my elbows, arms, etc.

•I place the value of a retail item based on the number of dogs groomed to make that amount of money e.g. ” That outfit is too expensive, it’s a four dog suit.”

•I catch myself growling when I’m angry

•My dog has a better haircut than I do

•I recognize the dog in the street before the owner

•My client’s dogs come to visit me without their owners

•Unless someone barks or meows I don’t hear them

•People that come into the shop judge how busy we are by the amount of hair in the bin, on us and on the floor

•I refer to my dogs as the “kids”

•Weekends are one day in length and even then someone calls you to see if you can do his or her dog today

•I find hair in places I didn’t know I had places

•I drop a pair of scissors and I cringe

•I know to aim the anus away from my face

•I know that the most annoying feeling is a hair splinter

•I get really excited at trade shows

•I have all the necessary gear at home to do touch-ups on my own dogs

•I have the right answers for my friends’ pet problems

•I advise friends on what breeds’ to/not to consider buying based on how each breed tends to behave while being groomed

Pricing Policy

2011-09-27T18:31:00.016+10:00

We occasionally have customers surprised that we charge extra for dogs and cats that come in with knots, mats, fleas, are excessively dirty, try to bite our groomers or are difficult to handle. As groomers we love our job and love helping people care for their pets and make them beautiful, however having to deal with the above issues causes extra work, time, stress and risk to the animals in our care, our groomers and also extra wear on our equipment.

We understand that sometimes these things happen and are not intentional, and we are happy to help owners develop a grooming routine to help keep their pets in the best condition possible.

A pet who is brought in with knots takes extra time due to needing to brush through the coat to allow them to be clipped. This can cause the dog or cat to become agitated and can often result in them biting their groomer and not standing still for their groom.

Matted pets (a mat is where the coat is so tightly knotted that when removed it comes off in one piece) need to be shaved before they are bathed as it is impossible to clean or dry them properly. Shaving a dirty coat is like our blades cutting through sandpaper and causes them to become blunt, requiring more frequent sharpening. We also need to shave the pet twice (once before the bath to remove the coat, then after the bath to do the final clip) which takes double the amount of time. In a lot of cases matted animals are in pain and can take out their frustration of us needing to spend so much time removing tight, pelted coats by biting and fidgeting during the process.

Mats can also hide underlying skin issues, moles and growths, dirt, fleas and infections which means we need to take a lot more time to groom as there is a lot of risk involved. While we take all necessary care with every animal that comes in for grooming, there is an added risk of injury to the animal. A coat in this condition only has one option and that is to be shaved short - this will leave the coat approximately 2-3mm in length which can cause irritation to the animal and in winter may mean a dog will likely need to wear a jacket.

Some owners regularly bring in their pets with matted coats, thinking that leaving their pets coat until it gets matted each time is ok as they want them shaved short anyway. Animals with matted coats are in constant pain and irritation. Some often have underlying issues that are not able to be seen through the mass of coat.

Animals with fleas will require a flea bath and also a capstar tablet to kill the fleas that are on them. In some cases we have so many fleas on animals that they require a 2nd bath. We also need to clean our grooming areas thoroughly to ensure that fleas are not passed onto other pets in our care. This involves extra time and expense. Please be aware that if your pet is brought in with fleas it is necessary for us to treat them immediately. Also if an animal has fleas on it and we remove them during their grooming, they are likely to have more fleas on them within minutes of returning home as ever flea on any animal means 50+ more fleas in their home environment. We are happy to discuss ways you can control fleas naturally at any time, please ask us how.

Every animal that is brought in to see us is bathed and our pricing is based on us needing to bathe them only once. When a dog or cat is excessively dirty we may need to bathe them more to ensure they are as clean as possible. We also have some animals who are brought in that haven't been given the chance to relieve themselves before their groom, or are so unused to the grooming process that they may wee or poo while being groomed. In a lot of cases the animals will move around and sometimes even sit in their waste, requiring us to bathe them again.

A lot of dogs and cats are not brought in for grooming regularly enough and so they are not used to the process. This often leads to them being stressed, fidgeting and becoming aggressive towards their groomer. Dog and cat grooming involves the use of sharp tools and equipment, this combined with an animal that is moving around constantly or trying to bite means that there is added risk of injury to the pet and the groomer. An animal that is difficult to groom also means that we need to take extra time when handling them, and sometimes require the assistance of a 2nd groomer.

It is not our policy to add unnecessary charges, however as a business we need to cover the extra work, time, stress and risk involved. Please take the time to discuss with us the best grooming schedule to avoid extra charges for your dog or cats grooming.

Dog Groomer Required - Join our fun loving team!

2011-09-20T08:09:00.007+10:00

Have you been looking for a career in the animal industry? Well this might be the job for you!

We are seeking an experienced Dog Groomer to join our successful, fun loving business located in Oxley and Westlake. This time of year things get really busy and we need someone with experience to join our team! Even though we would love someone who is experienced, we are open to training the right person in all things grooming :).

Join a multi award winning team who prides themselves on exceptional customer service and always looking for ways to improve!

An eco conscious business, we only use, promote and sell products that are safe for people, pets and the environment.

The successful applicant will have experience with dog grooming and have confident dog handling skills. They will have customer service experience with a passion to be helping people and their pets & the ability to work hard. Training will be provided.

Must have a reliable car, be fun loving, reliable, punctual, hard working, well presented, have a real passion to be working with animals and be a team player.
Duties include dog & cat clipping, grooming & bathing, retail sales, cleaning, dog walking and customer service.

Must be available to work some Saturdays. Start ASAP.
Email resume to info@nose2tail.com.au and we will forward an application form to you to complete.

Where does all that shedding hair end up?

2011-09-18T19:59:00.015+10:00

This is video footage of part of a blow dry during a Husky de shed / groom out procedure. This is only some of the hair we got out. Can you imagine where all this hair would end up if it isn't removed by a groomer? That's right, it ends up on your clothes, your car, your house and your yard.

Why live with tumble weeds blowing around everywhere when we can solve this issue for you. A regular groom out will reduce your shedding problem by up to 80%! That is huge! So what kind of dogs and cats shed - well technically all of them do (unless they don't have any hair at all!)

Huskies, Malamutes, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Jack Russells, Border Collies, Beagles, Samoyeds, Pomeranians, Chihuahuas, Cattle Dogs, Kelpies, German Shepherds, Cavaliers etc are the types of dogs who benefit from a de shedding / groom out treatment.

We have a Beagle named Riley who comes in for a groom out service every 3 weeks. His owner doesn't have any issues with shedding now, which is saying a lot as Beagles shed a LOT of hair

Every type of cat benefits from the groom out service as their coats are continually shedding. Short haired cats tend to shed more frequently and so therefore would benefit from a regular 4 - 6 week visit to keep on top of it.

This is one of our clients cats who we gave a groom out to. This is about half the hair we got out as a lot came out in bath and blow dry!

I own a domestic short haired black cat (and 2 white Jack Russells - hair is something we see a lot around our house and we can't win as it is either black or white!) and we are forever removing her hair from everything in our house. The area's that she frequents the most have lovely little nests of hair that need to be removed regularly.
I have always thought that a short haired cat doesn't need to be bathed or groomed, but I decided to put my training into action and 3 weeks ago took Bella into our Westlake store where she had a bath, blow dry and de shed / groom out treatment.

WOW - the results are amazing! The day after her groom there was no hair! I mean not even one hair came off her body and she felt so good. Now 3 weeks later the results are still great, only the odd hair here and there so I now know that she needs to be groomed every 4 weeks to keep on top of the shedding hair. It's funny that even someone who travelled all the way to America to learn the art of cat grooming needed to be fully convinced about the benefits of short hair grooms with their own cat!

A groom out can also be added onto a normal groom/clip for dogs who are known to shed. Clipping a dog or cats coat will not stop the shedding, it will just make the hairs that come out shorter, so less noticeable. Combining a de shed / groom out treatment with a clip will reduce the shedding hair and remove that excess coat. Clipping the coat helps to keep the coat at a manageable length

We do not recommend that double coated breeds have their coats clipped, a groom out service is suited to their coat types.

Join the many happy customers who know the benefits of a regular groom out with Nose 2 Tail Pet Care.

Service is available at our Oxley Store (3716 0643), Westlake Store (3376 9917) and Mobile Service* (0411 958 376) *service area only.

Another Cat Grooming Convert - Rebekah

2011-09-14T14:24:00.013+10:00

Below is another testimonial from one of our regular cat grooming clients. Rebekah has a beautiful Persian named Delilah. When Delilah first came to see us, she was looking a little scruffy and a bit stinky. A good bath, blow dry, comb through and face trim worked wonders!

Read what Rebekah had to say below:

"I recently adopted a six year old blue Persian cat named Delilah. She had a rather rough start to her life so I wanted to make sure I was providing her with the best care for her coat and breed.

Having never owned a long haired cat before I first went to Nose 2 Tail Pet Care for advise. The staff immediately put a rather nervous owner at ease :-) - All the staff are amazing - they provide helpful, caring, and knowledgeable advice. I know when I leave Delilah there for her regular long hair groom she will be well cared for by people that know and love what they are doing.

She and I try our best to keep her coat in good condition but it is no comparison to what the staff at 'Nose 2 Tail' can do! When I pick up Delilah post groom she looks and smells amazing! It's almost like she knows she looks as cute as a button :-) Her coat is positively glowing, soft as silk and if it is even possible she looks even more Persian.

It's the attention to detail that keeps me going back. The regular grooms make her long coat so much more manageable for me between visits. Just like human hair I believe the regular maintenance is constantly improving her coat!

My vet was even amazed at how much her coat had improved after just a few visits. She just looks so much more content. I would highly recommend Nose 2 Tail Pet Care for all cat grooming needs and am just so glad I stumbled across their service."

Love Rebekah and Delilah

Delilah Before the Groom

Delilah After the Groom

Delilah's Face Before the Groom

Delilah's Face After the Groom

Bring your cat in and see for yourself why Nose 2 Tail Pet Care is the best cat grooming service in Brisbane! You will love the results.

Another Cat Grooming Convert - Amy

2011-09-14T13:59:00.006+10:00

Below is a lovely testimonial from Amy, one of the members of Greencross Vets Jindalee. Amy was really worried about how Tipsy would go with the whole grooming process and gave us a warning beforehand. We have to say Tipsy has been one of the easiest cats we have groomed!

Read Below.

"I was one of those owners that thought that there was no way my cat could ever be be groomed due to her feisty attitude she has had since she was young and also questioned whether there would be a point to it since she was short haired.

Over the years her hair went a little oily and she was losing so much hair due to her not grooming herself as much. Since she was 9 I have been taking her into the work, as I am a vet nurse, getting her sedated and giving her a lion clip twice a year.

When I heard about nose 2 tail cat grooming I was still skeptical. Reeda and the lovely team offered to groom her to show me that she was able to be groomed without sedation. When I took her in, I also sent a warning along with her that she probably will bite, scratch and flip out. I was worried she would hurt someone. I awaited the phone call telling me that she was unable to be groomed but never received one.

When I picked her up she was absolutely beautiful. Her coat was so smooth and soft, no more oily look and a lot less hair dropping in the weeks that followed. I was also shown video of her during her bath and was shocked to see her sitting calmly and well behaved. I was in shock.

I will always send my cats to Nose 2 Tail now for their grooming needs and can not speak highly enough of Reeda and her wonderful team at Nose 2 Tail Dog and Cat grooming. "

Amy Allen-Ankins
BApplSc Veterinary Technologist
Greencross Vets Jindalee
1/111 Dandenong Rd
Mt Ommaney, QLD, 4074

The videos below show how hard it was to bathe Tipsy :)

Still think we can't groom your cat? How about you let us tell you if we can't do it!

Samson keeping himself entertained

2011-09-06T15:37:00.005+10:00

Samson is the shop mascot for our store in Westlake where we do all our cat grooming. He is a rescue cat who we have taken on as part of the family and he fits in nicely - sometimes a little too enthusiastically! When people come in he is running up to greet them and hoping for a bit(read LOT) of love and cuddles. He wins over most people - except those who are scared of cats - he is a BIG cat. He also gets himself into trouble sometimes wanting to "greet" some dogs that come in and has to be put into his crate to save the dogs!! He has a great personality, but wont take any sort of intimidation from the canine world. He also shows interest when our cat clients come in for their grooming, but we ensure that they also don't get too close!

Samson is a Maine Coon and he weighs about 7kg which is a lot, but not for this breed. Male Maine Coons can weight up to 13kg and we have a lot of them coming in for our cat grooming! They are a beautiful breed and we love them and are so excited to have one as part of our team. As Samson is an inside only cat we need to keep him active to help ensure he doesn't become overweight. We also want to ensure that he doesn't become bored and get up to too much mischief!

Many people think that cat's don't need a lot of stimulation and are happy to just lay around. A lot of cats have the chance to interact with people most of the time and seeing that Samson is in the shop most nights by himself, we wanted to provide him with something to keep him occupied.

This is Samson playing with the Funkitty Egg-cerciser. This toy distributes dried treats for cats and you can adjust how big the hole is, so also how frequently treats fall out, or how hard it is for the cats to get them. As the treats come out sporadically, it means that the cats have intermittent rewards which keeps them wanting to play. These toys are better suited to cats that are food motivated.

As Samson is feed a raw diet - a mixture of BARF patties and Vets All Natural Premium Choice, the dry food we use - Artemis Adult Cat is for treats and he loves them! Even though these are just treats for him, we ensure that the dry food is premium natural grade food.

We sell a range of interactive cat toys in both our stores and online. Come in and check them out and see how you can keep your kitty entertained!

Cat Grooming Myths

2011-08-30T21:48:00.010+10:00

We have a lot of people who are hesitant about bringing their cats in for grooming. Below are the most common myths people state as to why they don't have their cats groomed.

We have answered these myths with facts that we experience every day when we are grooming cats.

Cats don’t like water
Majority of cats tolerate water very well & a lot even enjoy it. A bath at home when you are anxious about your cats behaviour is a very different experience to a bath with a professionally trained cat groomer.

Cats don’t like the blow dryer
Some cats may take a few moments to get used to the dryer, however most cats settle into the process & believe it or not actually find it relaxing. Don't believe us? Check out our previous post with video footage of cats being blow dried!

Cats groom themselves
Cats lick themselves all over, then leave their discarded fur all over your house & clothes. Cats have greasy coats that shed, combined with licking this creates knots, mats & a dirty smelly coat. Cats who “groom” themselves without help can develop hairballs, which they also tend to leave all over your house and clothes.

Short haired cats don’t need grooming
Short haired cats shed a LOT. A bath, blow dry & de shed treatment reduces shedding by 80%.
A full body clip reduces evidence of shedding even further.

My cat is nervous and will freak out
A lot of timid cats do well with the grooming process. Our experience and training allows us to identify a stressed cat and we can use calming techniques if required.

You won’t be able to groom my cat
We have skills & techniques on how to handle even the most aggressive cats. We are happy to groom any cat, whatever their temperament. Let us tell you if we can't groom them!

My cat needs to be sedated to be groomed
We do not sedate any cats that we groom. With the correct training & techniques, even the most aggressive or timid cat can be safely groomed without sedation. A very small amount of cats actually NEED to be sedated for grooming and if we come across one, we are happy to refer onto a vet who can do the procedure.

We can tell you over and over again about the amazing results you will experience having your cat groomed by Nose 2 Tail Pet Care. The only way you will ever know for a fact is to bring your cats in to see us. We know you will love the results!

Phone our Westlake store today on 3376 9917 to make your appointment.

Cat's don't mind the blow dryer

2011-08-16T16:48:00.001+10:00

One of the most common reactions we have from people when we say we are going to bath and blow dry their cat it - "my cat hates the blow dryer" or "no don't do that, they will freak out". There is a lot of concern about how their beloved pets will tolerate the experience.

The cats in this video are just some of many that we groom each week. Most of these cats this is their first ever groom and they are not fans of the hair dryer at home. See the reactions for yourself.

None of the cats in this video are showing signs of being "freaked out" or overly stressed by the experience. In fact a lot of these cats are behaving better than some of the dogs we groom!

The results from a bath and blow dry is amazing - you need to feel the difference for yourself!

20 reasons your pet’s haircut costs more than yours

2011-08-13T19:17:00.005+10:00

1. Your hairdresser doesn't give you a bath
2. You don't go for weeks at a time without washing or brushing your hair
3. You don't roll in nasty things before seeing your hairdresser
4. Your hairdresser doesn't have to pluck or clean your ears
5. Your hairdresser doesn't have to de-matt your hair
6. You sit still for your hairdresser
7. Your haircut doesn't include a manicure or pedicure
8. Your hairdresser only cuts the hair on your head
9. You don't try to scratch your hairdresser
10. Your hairdresser doesn't give you a sanitary trim
11. You don’t generally sneeze in your hairdressers face
12. Your hairdresser doesn’t remove dried poop that is stuck on your backside
13. Your hairdresser doesn't wipe goobers from your eyes
14. Your hairdresser does not remove fleas or ticks
15. You don't try to bite the clippers, scissors, brush, nail clippers, dryer or hairdresser

16. It doesn't take 3 people to trim your nails
17. When your hairdresser blow dries your hair it doesn’t end up all over them and the whole store
18. Your hairdresser doesn't brush your teeth
19. You don't howl or bark while having your hair cut
20. The likelihood of you peeing or pooping while having your hair cut is slim

Winter Grooming - isn't it too cold?

2011-07-12T20:29:00.011+10:00

Its winter, do I really need to take my dog or cat to the groomer?

Once the cold weather sets in a lot of pet owners choose not to have their pets groomed regularly. The most common reason for this is that “it’s too cold!”.

A drop in temperature is no reason to neglect our pets grooming needs. Regular grooming year round is essential for our pet’s health and wellbeing. In fact, as the weather cools down and a longer coat is desired to keep our pets warm, they actually need more frequent grooming to prevent knots and mats developing. Pets that are brought into their groomers regularly have every inch of their body looked at frequently which can often lead to health issues being attended to promptly and referred to vets if there is a need.

At Nose 2 Tail Pet Care, we can offer a number of alternatives to the summer groom most dogs receive for ¾ of the year.

A longer trim is an option for those pets that are kept in good knot free condition with regular brushing and grooming. This includes a warm water bath, blow dry, brush and nail trim.

We can also offer a tidy up which trims the face, feet, tail and backside, taking no length off the body. This includes a warm water bath, blow dry, brush and nail trim.

Regular baths and blow dries every few weeks in between grooms help to maintain a clean coat and remove excess dirt and hair that contributes to knots. A bath and blow dry is followed by brushing through the coat which allows us to remove small knots and tangles that develop in longer coats during the winter period.

Short coated breeds also benefit from having their dead coat removed with a regular bath and blow dry. A groom out/de shed treatment helps keep their coats in top condition.

The cooler months often see us using jackets and jumpers on our pets in an attempt to keep them warm. This is a great idea and I think they really appreciate it; however they often lead to knots developing on the neck, chest and armpits. Always brush longer coated pets daily who are wearing any type of clothes – this includes collars and harnesses.

Choosing not to groom your pets in winter can lead to painful knots and mats in your pets coat. Once the weather starts to warm up, we get an influx of pets who have been badly maintained during winter. These poor animals have knots and mats that cause pain and often hide bad skin issues beneath them. Bringing your pet to a groomer with knots or mats will result in surcharges due to the time, effort and danger involved with grooming a badly maintained pet.

If the maintenance of grooming your pets is too much for you, let us take over the hard work and you just relax with you clean, soft, knot free pet to enjoy. Show your pet you love them and have them groomed regularly!

Some images below are the result of pets that are left far too long between their grooming visits.

Position Vacant

2011-07-11T11:27:00.002+10:00

We are looking for someone to join our team.

MUST be available to work Saturday's and some weekdays.
Duties include:
bathing & drying dogs and possibly cats,
assisting with grooming,
customer service,
dog walking,
& cleaning.

Prefer someone local and must have reliable car.
May suit uni student.
Email resume to info@nose2tail.com.au

New Prices for Weekday Dog Washes

2011-07-07T07:58:00.003+10:00

Do you have a stinky dog, or one who is a handful to wash? We wanted to make it more affordable for everyone to bring their dogs in for a bath so we have reviewed our dog washing prices and they are as follows:

Small Dogs Up to 10kg
Short/Shaved Coat $20
Long/Full Coat $30-$40

Medium Dogs 10-20kg
Short/Shaved Coat $25
Long/Full Coat $35-$50

Large Dogs 20-40kg

Short/Shaved Coat $30

Long/Full Coat $40-$70

X Large Dogs 40-60kg

Short/Shaved Coat $40

Long/Full Coat $60-$80

Regular baths and blow dries will help you maintain your pets coat year round and avoid those little knots that turn into big knots very quickly.

Bookings are recommended, however we can often accommodate walk ins.

Remember we also offer a free puppy and kitten groom for your new pets. Come in and get them used to the grooming process.

Change to Opening Hours

2011-07-01T10:12:00.004+10:00

We have heard that some people have trouble getting into the stores with our current opening hours, so we have changed them and will trial them for a month and see how they go.

Our new opening hours start from this Saturday the 2nd of July.

Westlake

Monday to Friday 8:30-4:30
Saturday 8:30-4

Oxley

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 8:30-5
Tuesday 8:30-6
Saturday 8:30-4

Come in and make the most of these new hours. More time to pick up those extra things you need and fit in a bath for your pooch or kitty cat while you're at it

Cat Grooming Converts - Beck

2011-06-28T18:58:00.012+10:00

Below is a lovely recommendation from Beck Drake at Zoo Studio Animal Art Photography. We had the pleasure of grooming their big boy Willy who is a 12kg Maine Coon.

Willy had never been groomed before and he had a very greasy coat that was clumping together and a bit smelly. Beck and Ken were a little concerned with how he would go during the whole process as he is a bit of a scaredy cat at times.

Willy started out a little unsure as he was in a new environment and wasn't sure what the water was all about. Once he was over his initial introduction, he relaxed into the bath and enjoyed the pampering. He was really relaxed in the bath and sat still while we scrubbed all the grease out of his coat.

He had never been blow dried before either, so this was another new experience for him. We introduced him to the dryer slowly and he got more and more comfortable with it and by the end was laying down really enjoying the attention.

By the end of the groom Willy looked amazing and was way more relaxed than at the beginning!! His beautiful red tabby & white coat was soft and fluffy and he smelt lovely. He was thoroughly enjoying the attention and looking for more love from the comb.

Most cats do quite well with cat grooming and should have it done regularly. With the type of coat Willy has, he would benefit from a 6 weekly visit to the groomers to keep the greasy coat clean which helps reduce knots developing.

Beck and Ken were amazed and so happy with the results. Most people are not aware of how good a well groomed cat feels and smells. The only way you can experience this is to bring them in to us and we can show you what we can do.

We have Australia's First Certified Feline Master Groomer, so you can rest easy knowing that you are leaving your treasured pets in the care of people who know what they are doing and know that cat grooming is very different to dog grooming. We do not need to sedate cats and can groom cats who would normally be sedated at the vets and then shaved. We can also groom your cat so they do not get to the stage where they are in a matted mess and NEED to be shaved down. Come and experience the cat grooming that Nose 2 Tail Pet Care offers, you will be amazed with the results!

Click on the document below to read what Willy's owners had to say about the whole process and see some before and after photos:

Thanks to Beck and Ken for trusting us with the care of "King Willy". It was our pleasure!

Cat Litter Special

2011-06-28T09:12:00.004+10:00

We have been able to secure a fantastic price from our suppliers of Kitty's Crumble cat litter and wanted to pass on the savings to you. These bags normally retail for 9ltrs = $9.95 or 35ltrs = $21.95. For a limited time we are offering you buy 1 get 1 free (50% saving) OR buy 2 get 3 free (60% saving)!!

This offer is only for a limited time or while stocks last. Might be a good time to come in and stock up on this eco friendly, highly absorbent litter. Cats love the feel of this litter! It is also great for small animal bedding, like guinea pigs and rats. Available from both stores.

What to do about all that shedding hair!?!

2011-06-08T14:05:00.010+10:00

Do you have one of those dogs who just sheds hair everywhere? Husky, Malamute, German Shepherd, Labrador, Golden Retriever, Jack Russell, Border Collie, Beagle etc??

Are you tired of having to sweep and vacuum daily or picking dog hair off your clothes and furniture?

Nose 2 Tail Pet Care offers a solution to this problem. Our Groom Out service removes all the loose, dead undercoat and will reduce your shedding problem by up to 80%!!

Golden Retriever Before and After his groom out.

Golden Retriever before and after her groom out

Just some of the hair we get out during the groom out process.

Labrador during and after her groom out.

Border Collie after his groom out service.

Husky Before Groom Out

Husky After Groom Out

About half the hair we got out through the whole process.

A groom out includes a bath and blow dry, nails trimmed and brushing out the under coat to reduce your dogs shedding by up to 80%!! Regular baths and blow dries in between groom outs will also help to reduce the amount of hair you have coming from your dog.

This service is very popular and we recommend booking in advance. We offer groom out service from our Oxley Store 3716 0643, our Westlake Store 3376 9917 and in our Mobile Service (service areas only) 0411 958 376.

Phone today to make your appointment and see the benefits for yourself. You will not be disappointed!

Snuggle Puppies & Kittens

2011-06-07T08:25:00.004+10:00

We have finally received an order of snuggle puppies and kittens to help your new puppy or kitten feel warm and cosy when you bring them home.

What is a Snuggle Puppie or Snuggle Kittie?
They are the original and award-winning plush stuffed animals with a heartbeat, heaters and place for a baby bottle. They come with battery-operated heartbeat and two forms of soothing, comfortable heat.

What are Snuggle Puppies or Snuggle Kitties for?
Designed to help the young animals adjust to their new homes, the Snuggle Puppies and Snuggle Kitties are great for all ages and breeds. They help alleviate separation anxiety, loneliness, and stress. Great for people who travel (with or without their pets); great for people who crate train; great for trips to the Vet; great for orphaned animals (they have been called a “Virtual Mom” for good reason!).

How do Snuggle Puppies or Snuggle Kitties work?
They have an underside pouch where you insert the heartbeat (watch or calculator style batteries are included) and heater. The heaters are all natural and safe. The stuffed animal is machine washable – don’t forget to remove the contents (heart and heater) before washing.

Why do animals love them?
Because, we believe, that animals have feelings too. Animals cry during separation anxiety, they whimper when feeling lonely, they even show stress. A Snuggle Puppie or Snuggle Kittie acts like a sleeping littermate and works to end the crying, whimpering and stress. You and your pet will fall in love!

Available in Brown Mutt or Ginger Kitten.

Free First Aid Seminar

2011-06-03T07:17:00.003+10:00

Have you ever thought "what would I do if my pet had an accident?". It can be a scary situation and with the right information you can be equipped with techniques that could save your pet.

The team from Greencross Vets Jindalee are presenting a free first aid seminar to help equip you with information that could help you in an emergency with your best friend.

The seminar will be held at the Mt Ommaney Hotel on Thursday the 30th of June from 7:30 -9pm. Please RSVP to Jindalee Greencross on 3279 2311 by Saturday 25th of June as places are limited. Refreshments and nibbles will be provided on the night.

There will be a free first aid book for all attendants and lucky door prizes up for grabs.
Come and enjoy an informative, fun evening and learn some tips that could save a life!

Cat Grooming Article in local paper

2011-05-31T21:08:00.003+10:00

Article in this weeks South West Newspaper highlighting our cat grooming and Reeda's recent certification as Australia's First Certified Feline Master Groomer.

Winter Woolies

2011-05-27T19:25:00.005+10:00

We had a delivery of winter woolies delivered today from Hamish McBeth. These jumpers, jammies and jackets are of a very high quality and will help keep your pups warm in the chilly months

Pillow and Blanket Set.
Soft fleecy double thickness blanket and matching pillow for small dogs. Beautiful set to make any night time more snuggly and warm.

This all weather waterproof raincoat is a wardrobe essential for snow and rain. Coat comes right under to cover the chest area. It also has adjustable Velcro sides to so fits skinny dogs and those who may be a bit on the chubby side.
Fully lined in lightly padded synthetic fabric for extra warmth and comfort.
Available in 6 sizes for small to large dogs in Khaki or Red.

Soft pure wool Jumpers. Classic sophisticated design with cable detail. Roll neck with 1"/2.5 cm hole for collar D ring. Leg openings designed for comfort and no restriction of leg movement. A must-have addition to the winter wardrobe.

Soft fleecy pyjamas to keep dog snugly and warm during those chilly winter nights. Sleep with them on or walk out in style! Polyester fleece, Machine washable. Available in Blue Moon, Red Bone, Pink Butterfly or Brown Pirate!

House Training a Puppy - Common Mistakes

2011-05-22T22:56:00.001+10:00

Another great informative video from the guys at Urban Dog Training.

Bark in the Park

2011-05-17T15:13:00.002+10:00

BENEFUL® Bark in the Park™ – one of Australia’s largest FREE dog events is back and is taking place in Brisbane on Saturday, 21 May 2011.

Bring your best friend to Roma Street Parkland from 10:00am until 2:00pm and enjoy FREE BENEFUL® samples, expert advice on pet behaviour, dog washing or grooming, FREE entertainment and much, much more.

Become a fan of the event Facebook page to find out more: www.facebook.com/benefulbarkinthepark.

Come and say "Hi" to Jen and Reeda who will be grooming on the day :)

Very cute video.

2011-05-11T13:02:00.001+10:00

This dog is super cute and obviously wondering why this stranger will not play with him!

Mobile Hydrobath Prices

2011-05-11T05:46:00.003+10:00

Have you tried our award winning Mobile Hydrobath service? We have recently made changes to our pricing structure and the details are below. Enjoy having your dog groomed in the comfort of your home.

Mobile dog washing is very convenient and you don't even need to be home when we come. As long as we have access to power and water you can come home to a freshly washed and cleaned dog.

We use fresh warm water for every dog. Unlike other mobile dog washing businesses around, your dog will be rinsed with clean fresh warm water at the end of their bath. No residual dirt or shampoo will be left on your dog, which can cause skin irritations but more than that is just plain gross! You pay for a clean dog and that is what you should get.

You asked for it so now we now have more options available with our mobile service.

Dog hair everywhere? Try our Groom Out service - it reduces shedding by up to 80%!!

Need some tidying done between clips? Try our Tidy Up service, keeps the hair manageable and neat between full clips.

Don't want your dog to be wet after a bath? Opt in for a Full Blow dry! This also reduces the risk of your frisky wet pooch rolling aroun after their bath. Also helps reduce the liklihood of hotspots developing from wet fur.

Angie washing Turbo.

Book your appointment Today! Phone 0411 958 376.

Alternatively you can phone one of our stores and they can answer any of your questions.

Oxley - 3716 0643 or Westlake - 3376 9917.

Cat Grooming Prices

2011-05-07T13:06:00.007+10:00

Our cat grooming prices are set out below. We have cat exclusive grooming days so your cats will not be stressed out by the sound of barking dogs.

Our grooming service offers you a service above what you are normally used to. Let us look after your cat's grooming needs, so you don't need to do anything at home. Just enjoy your pets!

Know that you are giving your cats the best by putting them in the care of Australia's first Certified Feline Master Groomer.

Cat Grooming is available at our Westlake store on selected days. To make a booking please phone 3376 9917.

Each groom booked in until the end of June will receive a free groom out/de shed service.

Cat Grooming School - Day 10

2011-05-07T08:17:00.002+10:00

Final day of Cat Grooming School. Today was a more relaxing affair. The morning was spent with Danelle teaching us more of the business side of cat grooming. It was very interesting and I can't wait to get back and put things into practice.
One thing she has talked a lot about during the whole course is there is a misunderstanding that cats groom themselves. Educating people that cats actually don't groom themselves, they lick themselves and rearrange the dirt and hair throughout their coats is going to be one of the most important things. I'll be honest, I used to be one of those people who thought cats didn't need grooming and that they groom themselves. I have been enlightened and I have seen the amazing result first hand!

After a FANTASTIC lunch prepared by Dana, some real good southern cooking, we did some final shopping for supplies and then it was time to say goodbye and take some photos. The photo above is most of the participants of the course with Danelle and her daughter Olivia who was one of the instructors. Olivia has been grooming cats since she was about 8 and there is no cat she can't handle! She is also pretty keen to come out to Australia and she just might become a part of the Nose 2 Tail Pet Care team, but she only grooms cats!

It is official and I have the above certificate to prove it. I am Australia's first Certified Feline Master Groomer. If you look at the numbers on the certificate it says 1.1.64 These numbers mean I am number 1 in Queensland, number 1 in Australia and number 66 in the world. There are a lot of people in the world, so I am pretty happy to be the 66th CFMG!

Now I am preparing for my LONG trip home but I'm actually looking forward to this time. It will allow me to start planning all that needs to be done in preparation for offering cat grooming in a few weeks!

Cat Grooming School - Day 9

2011-05-06T07:19:00.009+10:00

Well that was one full on day. We had 2 exams first up feline health & anatomy and business management. I was pretty happy to get 90% on both exams!! I was also very happy to have them out of the way.
After checking through the books to see the answers for the questions I was sure I got wrong, it was upstairs for some serious kitten cuddling. There were some really cute kittens from the Humane Society and I was very tempted to smuggle this little one back home with me.

What a cutie he was.

A hand full of the cutest little kitten!

Then it was time to move onto the serious stuff. I had a comb cut, lion cut variation and a face trim to pass to get my certification. I also had one grumpy HUGE Birman to do 2 of the 3 on!

Before - he is staring at the cat on the other table - pretty sure he was keen to get over there and tell them who was boss!

After a nail clip and sanitary clip (and a nice big scratch to my hand!!) it was time to get this grumpy boy into the bath. Once in the bath he was pretty well behaved, which is quite common for the grumpy ones. The water seems to calm them down.

He settled down in the dryer after a while and just sat back and enjoyed the attention. I was able to remove some matting on his back and around his back legs. Had to be quick though as he wasn't the most helpful of cats!

After the bath and blow dry! He turned out to be such a pretty boy with a lovely coat. I really didn't want to cut his coat, but I needed to so I could pass my course. :(

After the comb cut (leaves the coat about 1.5cms long) This is the same length we do for our dog clips which is the next step up from our summer clip. I like this length.

An action shot of me getting out of his range quick smart! This cat had me on edge as it was my final cat and I needed to get things right to pass.

Don't think he was overly happy with this look, so I quickly moved on to the lion clip variation. The lion clip variation is the same as a lion clip but we can do some variation. I had big plans with this, but because of the temperament of this boy I had to be boring and just leave the tail longer than normal.

Lion clip variation - the tail is left longer, normally it is shaved down.

At the end of the day all practicals and written exams are passed and I am now Australia's first Certified Feline Master Groomer! WOW. It feels good to have passed everything and I am happy with how I went.

Tomorrow we head back to class and learn more about the business side of things. I can't wait. Who'd have thought that we would be offering cat grooming at Nose 2 Tail Pet Care. I certainly wouldn't have thought it 6 months ago. Looking forward to meeting all our new cat clients and meeting the cats from our existing clients!

Cat Grooming School - Day 8

2011-05-05T07:00:00.016+10:00

Day 8 is over and what a day! I started out with a brown mackerel tabby in pretty bad condition. He had knots and matts all through his body and he was just a little grumpy. His face was really dirty and needed a good clean too.

Can you see the knots sticking out of the coat?

Before the groom

Having a good scrub to get all that dirt and grease off. Also helps to remove all the dandruff that is built up under the knots.

After a bit of a dry in the cage dryer it was into the catty shack vac for a blow dry and matt removal. This took ages as the hair was knotted all over including the legs.

Knots in the coat before and after the blow dry and de matting. If an angry cat comes in for grooming, they hate the feeling of clippers so unless severely pelted they would have the knots removed while being blow dried.

Finished product - coat is so much better and the face is clean and trimmed!

Second cat was a black and white cat who was so very very compliant and was pretty easy to groom. The coat was the usual greasy coat and she was also shedding quite a lot.

During the lion clip.

Pre bath clip off - then it's time for the bath!

Kitty burrito. While they are wrapped up (this soaks up the water from the bath) we clean their ears and eyes. Some of the stuff we clean out is really gross!! This one was pretty good though.

Finished lion clip - and passed the lion clip practical exam with this one - phew!

The third cat of the day has horribly greasy coat which was full of dandruff. Funnily enough, this boys name was Snowball :). He was in need of a very good bath and blow dry. There were also little knots all through the coat that needed to come out!

Having a good scrub!

Snowball liked his bath so much that he nearly fell asleep!! Apparently cats don't like water or being bathed!! lol

Into the blow dryer to get rid of all that excess hair and dandruff!

The finished product. Even though you can't see it in this picture, I passed my sanitary, half belly and full belly practicals on Snowball :).

omorrow we have our health and anatomy exam and the presentation on our chosen disease. After that we have time to finish off the last of our practical exams... only a few more to go :). Can't believe it is nearly the end of the course!

Cat Grooming School - Day 7

2011-05-04T05:49:00.006+10:00

So day 7 of cat grooming. Today was a bit different as we had the opportunity to watch Danelle, Olivia and Liz groom some cats first up and show us how they work in a salon environment. It was pretty amazing to see them work as as well oiled machine.
They did 8 long hair and 1 short hair in 2 and a half hours - was really full on for a while. A few of the cats were a little nasty, but it was good to watch how they handled them.

Drying in the Catty Shack Vac - a great way to trap all that flying hair! I must say cat hair is worse than dog hair when it is flying around as it is so fine and gets into everything!

Danelle is showing one of the correct techniques for holding a cat while grooming. I must tell you I have learnt a LOT about the differences between grooming cats and dogs. It is certainly something that needs to be done quicker with cats. Cats can also tolerate a lot more when it comes to positions!

It has taken a while for me to get used to it and realise that they aren't the same as dogs and you can do things differently. It is also great learning about cat grooming from a cat breeder. Danelle knows a lot of tricks and things that you wouldn't know unless you were in the know with showing cats!

This boy was HUGE and he was also not very happy. Liz had to keep a hold on him to keep her safe and him! It was good to watch how Liz managed this big nasty boy without anyone helping to hold him. The Air Muzzle came into play a few times and I will certainly be using it when the time comes!! A great invention!

We had a talk from Danelle's brother in law who does web design on how we can get the best out of our websites. This was good timing as we are looking at doing a whole new overhaul on the Nose 2 Tail Pet Care website!

After lunch I had my turn with a gorgeous brown mackerel tabby who was exceptionally good to groom. He was a little boy with a bit of dandruff and the usual greasy coat, which you can see in the first photo. He got a bath and a blow dry and a belly shave.

It was a bit of a frustrating day today and I am hoping to really get a grasp on my lines over the next few days.

Tomorrow is a full day of grooming, so I am looking forward to getting back into it and perfecting everything. We also have our practical exams... fingers crossed :)

Top 20 Reasons Confinement Training with Puppies Works

2011-05-03T09:17:00.001+10:00

This video has been made by Urban Dog Training. It talks about the benefits of crate training your puppy from a young age and why it works. These are great ideas and we highly recommend crate training.

Any time a dog comes into our salons for grooming there is a very high chance that they will be in a crate for some of the time they are in. Get them used to it from a young age so that they don't find it stressful.

Never fear, if your pup is a bit older - it is never too late to crate train and Urban Dog Training have a wealth of resourses on their website if you are after more information.

Urban Dog Training run our Puppy Pre School from our Oxley store on Tuesday nights. If you have a new puppy, be sure that you book them in for Brisbanes BEST puppy pre school!

What are your thoughts on crate training?

Cat Grooming School - Day 6

2011-05-03T06:44:00.003+10:00

Day 6 started out with an exam first up on breeds and colours. After a fair bit of study I was pretty confident going into the exam and was happy with my result of 91%. We also got our results from our temperament and handling exam last week and I was very happy to get 100% on that one (was a bit surprised but happy!)
After the exam it was straight into grooming.

This is C2 and she had horrible eyes. After the bath and blow dry she came up shimmering white and everyone was happy to touch her again. I will say she is the BEST cat I have ever groomed - however she is Danelle's demo cat and she baths her every week, so I expected her to be pretty easy. C2 knew that she was pretty again as she went around and tried to get onto everyone's laps for a cuddle.

I also had Diddle to groom and he is a Manx cross. Very happy compliant happy boy. I gave him a bath and blow dry, a de-shed treatment to remove his loose hair and then it was time for another lion cut. He was a little touchy around his stumpy tail, but most of the time he behaved himself.

The third cat I did was Tiger who I was told had scratched up Liz (one of the schools groomers) on his last trip in. He has a yucky coat full of grease and fleas so his coat came up lovely after his bath and blow dry. I also gave him a de-shed treatment and got lots of excess hair out of his coat which I am sure his owners are going to appreciate!

I was happy to get quite a few of my practical exams out of the way. Tomorrow I will probably go for a lion cut exam and probably a face trim. Wish me luck!

I am quite enjoying the aspects of cat grooming and it is a nice change to grooming dogs. I can't wait to offer the service to our customers on my return!

$12 Dog Wash every Saturday

2011-04-30T08:29:00.006+10:00

Every Saturday both the Oxley and Westlake stores have a special discounted dog wash day.

$12 for a bath with towel dry

Add

$3 for a partial blow dry

$5 for nail clip

$5 for flea wash

(Full blow drys may be available, but would need to be discussed and quoted on the day)

We use fresh warm water for every dog

Bookings can be made throughout the week, or on the day, or you can try your luck and turn up to see if there is space. Please remember those who have bookings have preference.

Book today or for more information phone:

OXLEY 3716 0643

WESTLAKE 3376 9917

Cat Grooming School - Day 5

2011-04-30T06:06:00.010+10:00

Today was the last day of week one. Was a bit surreal to be half way through the course so far, but that didn't last long as there were cats to groom! I had 2 cats to groom today before our temperament and handling exam.

First cat as a big, FAT heavy red tabby named Monkey and he certainly was in need of a groom. As you can see from the photos below his coat was horrible and greasy and full of dandruff. Monkey was a shy cat and pretty easy to maneuver around the table. I put "soft paws" on his back paws (front paws had been de clawed - which is VERY common and I am having trouble with that one!!) Soft paws are a great idea - little caps are glued over the nail and they protect people and their furniture from being shredded! Definitely have a lot of customers who will be interested in this one once I get back home. You can also get them for dogs - a great solution for all those people with hard wood floors that the dogs scratch up!

After a practice sanitary clip, 1/2 belly and full belly shave it was into the bath to scrub all that dead hair dandruff out of his coat. The bath was fine - the dryer was where things got interesting. Monkey wasn't a bit fan and he let me know about it!! My first cat bite - not as bad as I thought it would be. Stung a bit, bit it's all good!

Look how good Monkey looks after his bath and blow dry - amazing difference!
My first cat bite :)

Another Lion cut - starting to get the hang of this!

My next cat was "Annie Rexic" a pretty little calico Japanese Bobtail mix (no tail!!). Very little skinny thing. From one extreme to the other today. She was a little wary of the groom and was very twisty.
Because of the lack of tail, at the owners request I needed to create a bunny tail out of the around the backside - was a little tricky but got there in the end.

Another Lion Clip under the belt!

Bunny Tail :)
After the grooms we had our exam and will find out the results on Monday. I think I did ok - well I hope so! This weekend will be filled with sightseeing through Greenville Sth Carolina and studying for our breed and colour exam next week.

Cat Grooming School - Day 4

2011-04-29T05:56:00.008+10:00

I can't believe I am nearly finished the first week of this course and I have learnt so much!
Today was all hands on and we all had 3 cats to groom. My first cat was a white long haired domestic who was pretty easy to get along with. Danelle wanted me to do 2 lion cuts and a comb cut (which is just the same as a lion cut but you leave the coat longer)

My second cat was a flame point Himalayan. (I have to learn all the fancy cat colours- exam next Monday!) Himalayans are know to either be nice or very very nasty, I was lucky I got a nice one! The face was really disgustingly dirty and you can see the difference I made. This was a lion cut but with a Persian you need to trim up some of the face, pluck hair to define the cheeks and trim the ears - so this was my first go and I think it looks alright!
My third cat was a VERY overweight Tortie domestic long hair named "Mommy" lol. Torties are often known as "Naughtie Torties" due to their attitude and being very difficult to handle. Imagine my excitement when I looked in to the crate to see I had a fat one to do! It was hard to get a hold on her and I had to be careful during the whole process as overweight cats can have health issues and cause them to get very sick quickly! Again I did a lion cut and it was a bit tricky as it is very hard to get a hold on an overweight cat.

For this one I did the lines myself and didn't need to fix much with the finishing inspection so I was pretty happy with that!

Tomorrow is more grooming then presentation of our breed of choice and our temperament handling exam. Hopefully I can remember everything!

Cat Grooming School - Day 3

2011-04-28T07:56:00.013+10:00

Hands on started today. We started out with a Red Cross cat first aid talk and practical where we needed to show that we new how to perform CPR on a cat if necessary. Our practice cat was a little different as we used a giant stuffed lion :). The first aid was pretty basic so I am glad that I already had my Australian one from a few years ago when I went to Tafe. After lunch, Danelle gave us a demonstration or grooming on a beautiful Maine Coon cat who was in pretty bad condition with lots of knots and matts all over her belly and back. She was a little grumpy at times but was generally very well behaved for the duration of the groom.

NOTE - look at the seperation of the coat and how straggly it looks, it was so oily and greasy it was disgusting to touch! Check out the after pictures!
Danelle started with a sanitary and belly clip, then it was into the bath for a degreasing wash on that filthy coat. As you can see from the photo she was a very well behaved cat and pretty much sat there for most of the time. After cleaning her ears and eyes it was into the specially designed catty shack vac (we are sooo getting one of these!) for a blow dry and de matting procedure. I have always been a bit skeptical about getting knots out of a cat without just clipping them off, but the cats tolerate it very well!

After the blow dry and comb through the coat was amazingly different! I cannot tell you how much of a difference there is with the look and feel of the coat. I am 100% convinced of the benefits of cat grooming for the cats and the owners! Danelle then went on to do a lion cut to demonstrate the techniques some of us would soon need.

After the groom - look at how the coat now sits, it was so silky smooth!
Then it was our turn - we were all a little nervous and apprehensive but it all went fine and we each came out with all our skin and limbs in tact. We took our cat out of their carrier and did a temperament test (luckily for me I had a shy cat - not an agressive one!) and we were told by Danelle what we would do to our chosen cat. I had a black domestic long hair named Boo who looked identical to my cat Bella, just a bit bigger.

Boo before - lots of dry skin and dandruff. Very dirty coat that was shedding everywhere.

Danelle wanted me to attempt another lion cut on Boo, so I did a pre bath clip and he was so well behaved. Then we moved to the bath and as is often the case with shy cats, Boo wasn't too impressed. After the bath we moved to the catty vac shack where Boo decided that he could hold on no longer and he wee'd everywhere - back to the bath but that was his own fault!

Finally I got Boo dried and finished the groom. I am still getting used to the whole handling thing but getting more confident! Tomorrow we have more cats to groom, so that will be fun. The more I groom the more confident I will get. It is so different to grooming dogs but I am determined to become good at it!

Boo After - The finished product

Cat Grooming School - Day 2

2011-04-27T07:39:00.004+10:00

So day 2 is over and my head hurts!! Today we learnt how to check the temperament in a cat before grooming them, we also had a demonstration from Danelle on how to do this with a cat in the carry crate - she certainly made it look easy (mind you she used her own cat, not a cranky pants one :) ) We also heard some fun (really scary) stories about terror cats and how to handle them! Tomorrow we will actually start the hands on with one cat - should I take a photo of my arms now before and one after?!?!

We also looked at a number of common feline illnesses and diseases and how to determine whether a cat is healthy enough to groom and accept into the salon. I am so grateful for this knowledge as there are a number of issues with cats that can be a problem and I am sure there are a number of groomers out there who are not aware of them!

My next assignment is to research Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) and give a report on it next week before our health exam. We got to choose the disease we wanted to research and I chose this as it is highly contagious and always fatal so I wanted to know as much about it as I could!

After the health section Danelle gave us some business advice on running a professional cat grooming salon. If anyone has the inside on this, it is Danelle. She has been grooming cats exclusively for 13 years and she is pretty good at it. I am glad I am learning from the best and I am getting all the inside information and learning from her mistakes so that I don't have to make them myself.

I am getting very excited about the addition of cat grooming. My opinion has certainly changed and I am a firm believer in cat grooming and its benefits for the cat and owners! I am also excited that I will be coming back to Queensland as the first and only Certified Feline Master Groomer in the state! (fingers crossed I pass all the exams!)

Maine Coon Breed Assignment

2011-04-27T07:09:00.003+10:00

I thought I might share the breed assignment I have done for our presentation on Friday. The Maine Coon is a very interesting breed and I have loved learning more about them!
Looking forward to meeting lots of them in the grooming salon!

Cat Grooming School - Day 1

2011-04-26T08:38:00.005+10:00

Well day 1 was pretty full on. After doing a dry run yesterday I made it to class with plenty of time to spare. I met the other 4 students who are doing this weeks part of the course. One from Hong Kong, one from Canada and the other two from the US.

We learnt some basics about why cats need grooming and the benefits of it. Then we went into depth looking at breeds and colours. Did you know that there are Dominant and Dilute colours - eg Black is dominant and Blue is the dilute form of black. A dilute coat will be a lot wispier and have a denser undercoat so is more likely to matt and requires more frequent grooming than a cat who has a dominant coloured coat.

We also looked into some of the 41 breeds of cats that are approved by the CFA (Cat Fanciers Association). Boy do they get complicated!! Me being someone who thinks that the more simple something is the better really doesn't think the way they add new strains of a breed under a new name very well thought out!! But hey, I'm no expert - just have to make sure I study hard!!

My assignment for this week is to present a 2 page report on a breed of my choice - which I have chosen the Maine Coon. I keep having trouble telling the difference between the Maine Coon and the Norwegian Forest Cat, so maybe this will help!!

We have 2 constant companions in the class

Chloe - or C2

And Monica.

This is a close up of the creative groom Danelle did on Monica at a grooming expo last weekend. Some of the things they can do on cats is amazing, but not something I am interested in doing.

I tried some recommended food for lunch from Pete's down the road who apparently make the "best" hamburgers. hmmmm I may need to give them some tips on what constitutes a good burger. It certainly looks and tasted like typical American food. I think I will have to try some typical southern fried chicken though at some stage before I go.

So It looks like there will be some intense studying to get the hang of all these colours and breeds - here's hoping I pass first time!

Molly Mutt Eco Friendly Beds

2011-04-25T05:23:00.009+10:00

We are constantly on the look out for new exciting products that are going to help reduce our impact on the environment. Our order has just been placed with Molly Mutts who have designed some super stylish beds that are rather unique.

Normally when you buy a bed you are paying for the stuffing as well. With Molly Mutts they have created a bed cover that you can stuff with all your unwanted clothes, bedding and old toys to create a very environmentally friendly product.

One you have your stuff sack simply fill it with the old t'shirts, socks, toys, dog beds, pillows, blankets, sheets and any other soft things you've got laying around your house. Your dog gets a new bed, and you get a fun, easy way to recycle your old things - not to mention some extra space in your closet. By having a few Molly Mutt covers you can always have a fresh cover available rather than needing to wait until the one being washed dries out.

By "upcycling" your household leftovers, you save money and help keep textiles out of land fill. When the cover itself wears out, it too can be used as part of the stuffing for a future diy dog bed.

Come into our Oxley store and see the range we have. Many beautiful designs to choose from!

Cat Grooming School - The lead up

2011-04-25T03:34:00.006+10:00

I received my study material for the cat grooming course at the beginning of the week, well 4 days before my flight left for the US. It was a little overwhelming as there is a "recommendation" that students read through the material and study before the course starts. That's fine - but with only a few weeks notice this has put me behind a bit but I am hoping that the knowledge I have of cats already will help me!!
I have read through most of the material so far and am very excited about the course. I can't wait to learn the hands on skills on how to provide this great service. I am certainly looking forward to the techniques we will learn on how to do it safely. I did notice that one of the recurring themes through the literature is - Never trust a cat and cat grooming is dangerous!! Hence the reason I want to learn the safest way for me to do it for my benefit and all the cats!

I have found myself in Greenville, South Carolina after 30 hours of travelling (thanks to my husbands FANTASTIC travel arrangements!!) and have prepared myself as much as possible for the course which starts tomorrow. I even took a tour of Greenville in my hire car and didn't drive on the wrong side of the road. Getting used to the road rules though is a bit disconcerting, turn right on a red light - great, but I feel naughty :). Also Google maps needs to make sure its directions say the correct turn as a few times I have taken a right when it should have said left and ended up in some run down parts of town - bit scary!

The town is very pretty with lovely big trees everywhere. There are squirrels running all over the place which is kind of cool. It does take some getting used to seeing advertisements for guns with pictures of guys with their kills (one was a leopard) thrown proudly across his shoulders. For an animal lover this was a bit of a shock!

I am hoping for a good nights sleep so that I am refreshed and there is nothing hindering me for the first day tomorrow!!

The world of Cat Grooming

2011-04-13T09:20:00.005+10:00

Last weekend I attended a seminar in Sydney held by arguably America's best cat groomer. A 2 day event that went through the benefits to cats by having regular grooming.

"Cat Grooming??" you may say, yes cat grooming. After regular weekly requests for cat grooming in our salons, I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from the best and headed to the event - amongst snigger's and disbelief from friends and customers about the validity of cat grooming. "Don't cats groom themselves?"

During the workshop I learnt the basics of cat grooming and that a cat may lick itself all over, but it certainly isn't doing a very good job of "grooming" itself.

Issues like having a cat lick itself all over, including its paws which go in litter trays and catch rats, mice and birds and it's backside which is just gross. This spreads the germs that are in their mouths and other areas all over their coats and then we sit and stroke them lovingly. Cats also have an unusual desire to lay in their litter trays - then lay on our laps and in our beds - ew!!

Cats also have a very oily coat that needs maintenance to keep them in good, knot free condition. Long coats need more maintenance than short coats, however they both benefit from regular grooming. Short coats often drop more hair, so regular grooming can help to reduce the amount of hair that is left all over the house. We were also showed many before & after shots of cats who had been groomed and clipped and the transformation was amazing!

I had the opportunity to groom one cat - which included a bath, blow dry and lion clip. Being a dog groomer with over 5 years experience did not give me the skills I needed to groom a cat and at one time I needed to pry the cat off the wall as I was bathing her :). It was great to get some practice - but one cat surely doesn't give me the skills I need to offer a high quality cat grooming service!

I can honestly say I was a bit skeptical to begin with, but after attending Danelle's workshop I am a fan of regular cat grooming and we will be adding it to the services that Nose 2 Tail Pet Care offers.

On the 25th of April I will be attending a 2 week intensive course in South Carolina to fully learn the skills needed to offer the quality of service Nose 2 Tail Pet Care is known for. I am a little apprehensive as it is a full on course, but I hope to come back to Australia with my qualification as a Certified Master Feline Groomer, which I am pretty sure there are no others in Brisbane. I will keep you informed on my progress during the course. On my return we will be offering a full range of cat grooming services from our Westlake store so feel free to ring and leave your details if you are interested in this service.

What's in a name??

2011-03-21T23:01:00.002+10:00

Sometimes the hardest thing to decide on when bringing home a puppy, is what to call them. I am going to have to say that I am surprised that Bella doesn't make an appearance on the girls side.

Does your dogs name come in on the list?

BOYS
1. Max
2. Sam
3. Jack
4. Jake
5. Toby
6. Oscar
7. Charlie
8. Jess
9. Zac
10. Monty

GIRLS
1. Jessie
2. Molly
3. Chloe
4. Bonnie
5. Lucy
6. Sasha
7. Sally
8. Tess
9. Daisy
10. Zoe

HALF PRICE Dog Washes

2011-03-21T14:39:00.005+10:00

During March we have been offering half price dog washes on Tuesdays at both our stores. This has been very popular and we have decided to extend it throughout April - with one difference, the day will be different each week.

Join our Facebook or Twitter sites to keep ahead of which days we are offering this special as you must mention the discount to receive it. We will also be offering other discounts and specials on these sites regularly so make sure you check back often!

Free Puppy Groom

2011-03-04T19:50:00.005+10:00

At Nose 2 Tail Pet Care, we are committed to an holistic approach to pet care. We believe that dogs who are introduced to grooming regularly at a young age cope much better with it and are better behaved throughout their grooming visits. To help encourage owners to bring their pups in and get them used to this, we have introduced a free 10 minute puppy groom valid for puppies up to 20 weeks of age (5 months).

You can choose from 2 options:

Option 1 : trim in front of eyes & under feet
Option 2 : hydrobath & partial blow dry
Choose option 1 or option 2 and also get nails trimmed, body brush & a yummy treat

For $10 we can include a bath with a partial blow dry if you decide on option 1.
Help your new puppy get used to being groomed from a young age. Bookings are essential.

Please phone Oxley 3716 0643 or Westlake 3376 9917 to book your appointment today!

Pet Odours GONE!

2011-03-02T14:56:00.005+10:00

One big concern to a lot of pet owners are the odours that are often associated with their pets bedding and the areas they frequent. Well we have come across some great natural products that can help with reducing the pesky smells we would love to be rid of.

Pure Bamboo have a Pet Area Deodoriser which is made from pure bamboo charcoal which is a by product of natural bamboo. This product doesn't just "cover smells" but actually removes them along with moisture and chemicals.

Moso Bamboo is one of the fastest growing resources on the planet, with amazing abilities and benefits for all. Moso Bamboo is not a food source for Pandas as there is no leaf growth on the first 5 meters of the stem and is too high for them to reach.

The product is very simple to use. Place the sachet near your pets bed, cat litter box, bird cage or any other are where strong unpleasant pet smells are a common problem.

Bamboo charcoal removes strong odours caused by wet dogs and urine. Also prevents mould and mildew in pet areas.

Once a fortnight, place sachet in direct sunlight for two hours per side and it will last up to 1 Year.

After use you can mix the bamboo charcoal into your garden soil to nurture your plants.

Another product is Pet Goe which is an enzyme based spray that removes all traces of pet odour, especially those from urine. Within minutes of use, all traces of odour and urine will be gone.

This is a great product for people with puppies who are toilet training as puppies will return to a place they have used before as it has the scent that attracts them back. Pet Goe will remove this and help make your toilet training a lot easier. It is also a natural alternative to some of the mainstream products that have more dangerous ingredients.

Pet Goe is fully biodegradable and breaks down rapidly in drainage and septic systems so there is no impact on the environment.

We use this product in our salons and think it is fantastic. We often get dogs coming in and lifting their leg so we will always follow up with a spray of Pet Goe. Give this great natural product a go and you will be pleasantly surprised!

Dental chews that are natural and safe!!

2011-03-01T12:18:00.004+10:00

How do you keep your dogs teeth pearly white?
Dogs that are fed on a raw diet that includes raw meaty bones should have no need for added dental products, whether it is brushing their teeth or using dental chews. For those dogs fed on a lower quality diet, or purely dry food may need to consider something to help with keeping their teeth clean.

First choice is raw meaty bones. Please use ones that are appropriate for the size of your dog - one that they actually need to chew and wont risk swallowing the bones whole. Do not give any cooked bones to your pets as they can splinter and cause massive damage to their digestive tract!

You can get air dried treats like pig ears, cow ears, roo tails, pig trotters and one of the most loved by dogs whizzer sticks - just to name a few. Even though these are dried treats, any bone content will not splinter like cooked bones do.

One recent trend is to use specialised dental chew bones, but some of these products have ingredients that aren't great for dogs - including corn!!!

Well we have come across a new all natural dog chew, Swiss Dental Chews which are a much better choice as they have all natural hypoallergenic ingredients:

Venison
Ingredients - Rice, Millet, Venison, Vegetable Protein, Vegetable fibres, wheat germ, vegetable oil, mineral substances. Supplements - Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Copper, L-carnitine

Ostrich
Ingredients - Rice, Millet, Ostrich, Vegetable Protein, Vegetable fibres, wheat germ, vegetable oil, mineral substances. Supplements - Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Copper, L-carnitine

Lamb
Ingredients - Rice, Millet, Lamb, Vegetable Protein, Vegetable fibres, wheat germ, vegetable oil, mineral substances. Supplements - Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Copper, L-carnitine

Come in and check out this new range at either of our stores or purchase online

Flea Solutions

2011-02-28T13:09:00.008+10:00

Our business has been running since 2003 and since then we have been looking for a safe, natural and effective solution to fleas. We have tried a number of products and had some success but not something that we can get super excited about using and recommending. When we came across the NeemPet range we had an excited expectation that we might have found what we have been looking for.

I own 3 pets, 2 Jack Russells and a black Burmese x. We have been struggling with a flea problem for a while and just couldn't seem to eradicate the problem. We have been doing everything we know of to help with the problem, but would not consider opting back to the dangerous toxic flea treatments that are commonly used. We feed a raw diet, do not use any chemicals on our pets or in their environment, we have been giving extra supplements to food to help boost their immune system and help fight the nasty pets off from the inside, we have used diatomaceous earth through the house and yard, we have been washing weekly and vacuuming multiple times a week. Still the problem persisted. One of our dogs was also scratching and biting so much that his skin was looking red raw and he was losing hair.

Then things got worse with the weeks of rain we had last year followed by the floods - we had such bad fleas that they started biting my husband as well. He had had enough and I was getting desperate. Having an eco friendly, all natural and organic business we needed to be able to offer our customer a solution to this nasty problem that i not just a problem to pets but also to the owners who have to put up with constant scratching and uncomfortable pets.

The claims from Neempet were pretty impressive and the testimonials I read made me get a little more excited. Could this really work?

We decided to place an order and stocked up on these products in store. I took some home and immediately washed my dogs in the Neem Pet soap. It smelt great and I could see the fleas were dead on contact - this stuff was really working like it said. After the bath the dogs coat was so unbelievably soft and felt so clean. It also had no lingering doggy smell that is often there after the bath. Then on the recommendation of Neempet, we sprayed the pets with the NeemPet Pet & Equine Spray daily to begin with (in times of high infestation). Then it was only used once a week, or when we noticed any fleas.

The outcome?? The pets have all stopped scratching, there are no fleas biting my husband, our dog who had the red itchy skin now has soft skin that looks normal and healthy. We have had the range in our stores for about 3 weeks now and had sold out within the first week!! This i a great product that REALLY works.

I have no hesitation in recommending the NeemPet Range of products. They work not only on pets riddled with fleas, but also on those who have skin issues and allergies. Do yourself a favour and stop using toxic chemicals on your pets and change to a product that works and is SAFE!

If your dog has a skin irritation - try their skin solution for fantastic results!

Fundraiser Success from the Paper

2011-02-28T12:23:00.003+10:00

Some pictures of the people who supported our fundraiser. This story was in the South West News.

Fundraiser Success

2011-02-28T12:02:00.006+10:00

Some photos from our fundraising day!!

Sarah washing a pup!

Reeda washing Patches

Some of our supporters checking out the great work that Zoo Studio do. Thank you to these guys for their generous donation towards our silent auction and to Ken for taking these photos on the day!

Paul from Urban Dog Training helping on of our supporters with some training advice. Thanks to these guys for their generous donation towards our silent auction. Check out there website for more info on the puppy pre school they run at our Oxley store.

Josh from Greencross Jindalee performing one of his many free vet checks on the day. Thanks for your support!

Some of the dogs from Best Friends Rescue one of the organisations benefitting from the day. These guys take in dogs who have been in the pound and are due to be put to sleep and place them in foster homes until new owners can be found. They have taken in a huge number of dogs that have been affected by the floods! Great work.

TOTAL FROM OUR FUNDRAISER

We washed 67 dogs,
clipped 24 sets of nails,
tidied up 3 pups
for $1434
Sausage Sizzle $155,
Silent Auction $1098,
Cash Donations $410,
Profits from sales in store $340
= TOTAL $3437!!!
That is a donation of $1718.50 to Little Paws Kitten Rescue Association and a donation of $1718.50 Best Friends Animal Rescue. Thank you so much!!!
On top of this cash raised we had $2388 of litter donated by one of our suppliers and a wide variety of products from other suppliers and supports.

This takes the total for the day to over $6000!!

Fundraiser for Flood Animals

2011-02-28T11:58:00.004+10:00

An article written in the South West News about our fundraiser to help animals affected by the floods.

Fundraiser for Flood Animals

2011-02-13T06:21:00.007+10:00

Sunday February 13th we are holding a fundraiser to raise money for animals affected by the 2011 floods. The money raised will be given to Little Paws Kitten Rescue and Best Friends Rescue. Please come and join in our fun day!!

Below are items up for grabs in our Silent Auction. Thank you to all the businesses who donated to the cause!! The Auction will run from 10am - 2pm.

Nose 2 Tail Pet Care on Totally Wild - Sean's Puppy

2010-11-13T15:43:00.001+10:00

Nose 2 Tail Pet Care on Weekend Extra - How to groom your pets

2010-11-13T15:42:00.003+10:00

Nose 2 Tail Pet Care on Brisbane Extra - Fleas

2010-11-13T15:42:00.002+10:00

Nose 2 Tail Pet Care on Brisbane Extra - Sweet Chops Cupcakes

2010-11-13T15:41:00.001+10:00

Nose 2 Tail Pet Care on Brisbane Extra - How to bath your dog

2010-11-13T15:40:00.001+10:00

Earthborn Holistic Joins Nose 2 Tail :)

2010-11-10T07:56:00.003+10:00

Due to the shortage of supply from Holistic Select we have added Earthborn Holistic to our range of pet foods we stock. This company has great philosophies with their food and environmantal policies. Print out the voucher below and bring into our stores to receive a discount on their range.

Check them out at http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/

Mmmmm Fruitables - Organic Dog Treats

2010-10-17T13:10:00.006+10:00

We saw these treats when we went to Germany for Interzoo. They are a great idea and smell FANTASTIC. All natural Organic Ingredients. Each pack contains Pumpkin and either Apple, Banana, Cranberry or Blueberry along with the significant health benefits known from these ingredients.

Rich in Antioxidants, Vitamins A, C, and E…these fruits and vegetables are selected as much for their advanced nutritional benefits as their taste. Superfoods can help your dog live a healthier, fitter, and longer life.

Give them a try and see how much your pup enjoys them!! Available in store or through our online store

HOLY COW! Beef is on sale

2010-10-16T19:11:00.003+10:00

Holy Cow! Beef is on Sale!!
We are having a sale on all our beef treats. Come in store and stock up or puchase at our online store.
Sale ends October 31st or while stock lasts.

Diatomaceous Earth - Flea Solution

2010-10-12T20:27:00.002+10:00

Diatomaceous Earth
100% organic, (Fossil Shell Flour) Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth is the finely ground fossils of prehistoric fresh water diatoms. It kills household and garden pests like cockroaches, ants, slugs, fleas, beetles and many other crawling insects. Works great indoors or out. Insects die within 48 hours of contact. Listed for use in organic production. Completely safe for humans and pets!!

PEST CONTROL
Diatomaceous earth is used as an insecticide. Its fine powder absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, which causes them to dehydrate. It's often used instead of boric acid to control and eliminate a cockroach infestation. It's used to control insects in grain storage, and also to get rid of ticks, fleas, aphids, silverfish, bed bugs, red spider mites, and other insects in the home.
Use it as a barrier against slugs and snails. Diatomaceous Earth is pure organic so it won't harm the soil, earthworms, or any animals that eat the insects that came in contact with it.
Use Diatomaceous earth outdoors in the garden, on the lawn, and around the foundation of your home. Use it in storage sheds, in your attic, basement, and under your house.
To prevent termites, sprinkle in wood chips, mulch, and in dark damp areas. Put it in the walls around insulation when building or renovating a home.
Diatomaceous earth will also kill beneficial insects, so avoid using it where beneficial insects may stay.

INDOOR USE
Earwigs, Millipedes, Centipedes, Silverfish, Cockroaches, Ants: Lightly coat a thin layer in areas where these pests are found or may hide, such as cracks and crevices, behind and beneath refrigerators, cabinets, stoves, garbage cans and in and around sewer pipes and drains, window frames and in attics and basements. Dust insects directly if possible. Repeat treatment regularly.
FLEAS
Rub directly into your pet's fur (carefully avoiding your pet’s eyes).Thoroughly treat floor and bedding in and around pets' sleeping quarters. Treat surrounding cracks and crevices, baseboards, carpeting and wherever fleas are suspected. Diatomaceous Earth is a fine powder which can clog vacuum filters. Please use sparingly anywhere that will be vacuumed.

OUTDOOR USE
Ants, Cockroaches, Earwigs and Other Crawling Insects: Lightly coat a thin layer in areas where these insect pests are found such as patios, window and door frames, outdoor sills. Dust around foundations, along ant trails, and around sewer pipes and drains. Repeat treatment as necessary.
GARDENING
Diatomaceous earth can be used as a growing medium in hydroponic gardens. It is also used as a growing medium in potted plants, particularly as bonsai soil. Bonsai enthusiasts use it as a soil additive, or pot a bonsai tree in 100% Diatomaceous earth. Like perlite, vermiculite, and expanded clay, it retains water and nutrients while draining fast and freely, allowing high oxygen circulation within the growing medium.
It's beneficial as a soil additive, adding nitrogen to the soil. Diatomaceous earth can retain over 6 times its weight in moisture and will release it as the plants need it.

PLANT PESTS
For control of aphids, white fly, beetles, loopers, mites, leaf hoppers, and other pests use Diatomaceous Earth inside your home, greenhouse or outdoors on fruits, vegetables, flowers, grains and grass up to and including the day of harvest. For dry application of Diatomaceous Earth use a duster and cover the entire plant or a flour sifter could be used to do this. Apply to both the top and bottom of the leaf. Diatomaceous Earth will need reapplication after a rain. Applies best when there is dew or after a light rain. It is a long lasting, effective powder. The insects cannot build up resistance.

PETS
Our best friends come in all shapes and sizes. Protect them with Fossil Shell. When lightly rubbed into their coats it is very effective against fleas, ticks, lice, and other pests on pet dogs, cats, and their premises. It can also be used as an organic wormer and will kill any worms or parasites the pets may have. When using as a de-wormer, mix the Fossil Shell Flour into their food.

ASK YOUR VET HOW MUCH FOR YOUR SIZE PET.
GENERAL APPLICATION RATES:
Cows/Horses get 1-2 oz daily
Sheep/Goats/Hogs get 1/2 oz daily
Kittens - 1/4 tsp daily
Cats get 1/2 tsp daily
Large Cats - 1 tsp daily
Dogs to 30lb - 1/3 tsp daily
31-50lbs - ½ tsp daily
51-75lbs - 1tsp
76-100lbs - 1 & ½ tsp daily
100lbs + - 1 & ¾ tsp daily
For Chickens and other livestock you need to weigh the feed and add 2% of that weight in Diatomaceous Earth. Your pets and livestock will also get the benefit of over 14 trace minerals that make up Diatomaceous Earth.

CLEAN SPILLS
Because of its absorbency, it's a great product to use for cleaning up spills, and it's even used to clean up toxic liquid spills.

USE IN AGRICULTURE
Diatomaceous earth used as a livestock feed supplement. It's used on organic vegetables and in grain storage. That white powder wash you see on organic vegetables and fruits is probably Diatomaceous earth and it is safe to eat. Diatomaceous Earth is used in grains, rice, oats, beans and other grains for protection from insects. It keeps fly larvae from developing in manure. Mix it with feed for chickens and turkeys. It makes their shells harder, dries droppings quickly and reduces odours.

HUMAN USES FOR FOSSIL SHELL FLOUR
There are no studies or research to prove Fossil Shell Flour is beneficial to humans, but there are many testimonials. It is suggested to mix 1 heaping tsp. with a glass of water or juice on a daily basis.
FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous earth (Fossil shell flour) is believed to eliminate parasites, stop arthritis, clean your colon, reduce cholesterol levels, regulate bowl movements, stop diarrhoea, pull heavy metals form the bloodstream, and much more. In Europe, it's used to strengthen hair, bones, teeth, skin and nails.

USE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH SAFELY
Do not put Diatomaceous earth in a microwave.
Because of its absorbent qualities, your hands can become dry if you don't wear gloves.
If you have asthma or some other lung ailment, wear a mask or make sure you're not around any moving air.
Diatomaceous earth is drying to the eyes, so don't handle it when you or your pets are downwind of it. If you use it on your pets, put a towel over your pet's head to protect its eyes.
Don't give Diatomaceous earth to very small pregnant animals such as cats and guinea pigs.
Don't continually feed it to babies or small animals. Diatomaceous Earth can be fed on a continuous basis to larger animals and livestock.
If you sprinkle Diatomaceous earth in your carpet to control fleas or other insects, don't use very much. Because of its powdery substance, too much may clog your vacuum cleaner.
Don't use pool filter grade diatomaceous earth around animals. It can poison or kill them. Only use food grade diatomaceous earth
(fossil shell flour).
Wear a dust mask when applying large amounts of Diatomaceous Earth.

Diatomaceous Earth is now available from both stores.

Pet Chemicals in Walmart

2010-10-12T06:55:00.003+10:00

This photo was shared on The Truth About Pet Food.
At least Walmart is honest about the fact they are selling pet chemicals!!

Nose 2 Tail Pet Care on The Shak - How to wash your dog

2010-10-10T21:13:00.001+10:00

This is a feature we helped out with on The Shak.

How dog breeds got their names

2010-10-10T07:51:00.001+10:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/08/21/dog.breed.names/

This article tells how 12 common dog breeds received their names. Interesting info.

Great Funny video with well trained dogs!

2010-10-10T07:39:00.001+10:00

I wonder how long this took them and how many takes it took to get right!

Exciting new products in store!!

2010-09-26T14:35:00.003+10:00

Flexi are THE original retractable lead. They have brought out new styles so that you can make a statement when out walking your dog!

The quality and engineering that is put into the design of these products is amazing.

We are proud to have these new products in our stores as we know they are quality and they are going to last.

Come in and check them out - or click here to see whats available at our online store.

Colouring in Competition 2010

2010-09-26T14:18:00.005+10:00

First Prize Winner - Louise Harmon age 10

Second Prize Winner - Samantha Cunial age 9

Third Prize Winner - Felicity Powrie age 7 and a half

Thank you to everyone who took time to enter our competition. You all did a great job. Keep thinking of ways that you can be more eco friendly, all natural and organic when looking after your pets!!

Westlake celebrates 12 months!!

2010-08-18T09:14:00.003+10:00

Our Westlake salon has now been up and running for over 12 months. The South West News ran an article about this anniversary in their paper this week.

Business Achiever Awards 2010 - Please vote!

2010-07-21T10:09:00.003+10:00

It’s on again!! Yes, that’s right the annual South West Newspaper Business Achiever Awards is on. Thanks to overwhelming support and votes over the past 5 years, we were awarded winner in the Specialty Retailer & Services category for 2005-2008 and were finalists last year.
We are hoping to make it 5 wins this year which will enter us into the silver hall of fame!

We would really appreciate your support of Nose 2 Tail Pet Care, please consider nominating us in the Specialty Retailer & Services category in the South West News. There are entry forms each week in the paper starting the 21st of July or enter online at http://www.questawards.com.au/region/south-west-news .
Entries must be received by August 16th!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
We thank you for your continued support and business. Please come in and see the new ranges of eco friendly, all natural and organic products that we have brought into both our stores. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

85-87 Cook Street
Oxley QLD 4075
07 3716 0643

Shop 4, 180 Westlake Drive
Westlake QLD 4074
07 3376 9917

info@nose2tail.com.au

Remember you can follow us on Facebook

myFleaTrap - How Does It Work?

2010-07-13T08:32:00.001+10:00

My Flea Trap - safe, effective, environmentally friendly!

2010-07-13T08:28:00.005+10:00

My Flea Trap is a safe, cordless and highly effective device designed to rid your home of fleas swiftly and efficiently.
My Flea Trap is chemical free and environmentally friendly.

cordless, lightweight and portable
unique design can also trap larvae
light attracts fleas withing range of 40ft and beyond
can clear a room of fleas overnight

This is an all natural way to help keep the flea situation in hand. Give it a try and you will be AMAZED at how well it works!

Available in August from both stores and our online store

Totally Wild Shoot

2010-06-22T06:45:00.005+10:00

Totally Wild came into the Oxley store back in February. They did a story about "Nero" the black Labrador puppy going to the groomers. It was good fun and went really well. The story will air on Monday June 28th at 8am, make sure you tune in!!

Here are some photos from the story.

Bradleys Bowl Liver Krisps

2010-06-20T08:06:00.004+10:00

Keep dogs happy and healthy with Liver Krisps from Bradley’s Bowl.

Liver Krisps by Bradley's Bowl is made in Australia from 100% quality Australian ingredients.

Liver Krisps are made with a unique drying process that ensures the goodness of the all natural ingredients is maintained. Unlike jerky or chews, Liver Krisps are the thin and crunchy meat treat. These treats are very easy to digest, allowing pets to eat Liver Krisps in larger quantities than other liver based treats without causing side-effects such as diarrhoea.

Varieties

- Roast Beef
- Grilled Chicken
- Lambs Fry
- Pork Pate

The Liver Krisps are available in resealable bags to keep in the freshness and goodness of these crunchy treats. Each bag offers 100g of this crispy treat plus an extra 20% FREE LIVER KRISPS!

Ingredients

- Liver
- Egg
- Polenta
- Flour
- Honey
- Herbs
- Spices

With no artificial flavours, colours, preservatives or additives, Bradley’s Bowl Liver Krisps are naturally the best way to treat your pet to something crunchy and tasty. With less than 0.1% of salt in each Liver Krisp, this treat conveniently assists in maintaining a healthy diet for pets. The liver and egg in these Bradley’s Bowl treats increases the pet’s protein intake, which helps develop essential amino acids and build a healthy immune system.

Bradley's Bowl also supports Monika's Doggie Rescue by donating 10% of revenue!

Priced at $7.95 these are great value compared to other liver treat products. Available from both stores and coming online soon!

Colouring in Competition

2010-06-18T16:41:00.008+10:00

We are running a colouring in competition for all our younger customers until the end of July. Children up to the age of 12 are eligible to enter.

Colour in the picture as best you can, which will be displayed in store, on our Facebook page and our blog . Write your name, age and then tell us in 25 words or less, one thing you could do to be more eco friendly, all natural and organic when with looking after your pets.

Write your address and phone number on the back of the sheet and bring into one of our stores (pictures will not be returned, so please make a copy if you would like to keep it). Competition closes 30th of July, 2010 and winners will be contacted by phone and announced on above mentioned pages. Open to children up to 12 years and only one entry per person. Staff and their immediate family are not eligible to enter.

There will be 3 winners judged on their colouring in and answer to the question, judges decision is final. Prizes will include products and vouchers for services. 1st prize is valued at $100, 2nd prize is valued at $60, 3rd prize is valued at $30.

Pictures are available in store or via email. Please contact us for your copy.

Do vets have our pets best interests at heart when promoting foods?

2010-06-18T13:33:00.004+10:00

How do you feel when Veterinarians sell less than optimal Pet Food?

This great article was taken from http://www.truthaboutpetfood.com/ and raises some great issues. I have felt the same when walking into reputable vets and seen what products they push onto their customers. It makes me angry that they do this and people trust their vets often without doing their own research. We will continue to research not only the pet foods we sell, but all the products and not compromise. Please let us know if you have any concerns about anything we carry in our stores! Reeda

"We've all seen it, veterinarian offices full of Science Diet, Eukanuba, or Purina Pet Foods. How does that make you feel? Knowing that most of these foods, prescription or maintenance, contain by-products, animal fat, and even risk chemical preservatives, does that change your opinion of your vet?

It's almost as if veterinarians, as a whole, are the last holdout to climb on the quality ingredient pet food band wagon. Why is that? The long stated excuse of dog and cat nutrition classes taught in veterinary school by the very pet food companies they pitch just doesn't float anymore. Pet owners have been brainwashed by pet food for decades, yet a growing number of us have learned the benefit of quality pet food. Sadly, many of us have learned these pet food lessons because of heartache; our pet sickened or killed by a pet food. But, our veterinarians have seen ten times...a hundred or maybe even a thousand times more pet death and illness that they had to connect to a pet food. So why are most of them still recommending pet foods that contain known less than optimal ingredients such as by-product meal, animal fat, and risky chemical preservatives?

There are a few veterinarians that have seen the light, there are a few that only sell Rx foods; however, the greatest majority of veterinarian offices have stacks of Big Pet Food sitting in their lobby and the same openly urge pet owners to feed dry or canned foods that contain some (if not all) of the following ingredients...

By-Product Meal. By definition, by-product meal is NOT meat. This ingredient is left over bits and pieces of slaughtered animals not suitable for human consumption. There is little to no consistency to this ingredient as one batch of by-products might contain a majority of healthy internal organs and the next batch might contain a majority of intestines and diseased animal parts.

Animal Fat. This common to pet foods recommended by veterinarians ingredient was determined by the FDA to be likely to contain euthanized animals and the drug pentobarbital.

BHA/BHT. These chemical preservatives, again common to pet foods recommended by veterinarians, have a long scientific history linking them to serious illness.

When I walk into a veterinarian's office (which thank heavens I don't do very often because I feed healthy foods to my pets) and see numerous pet foods for sale that I know contain less than optimal ingredients - even Rx foods - I immediately become guarded. Instead of engaging in trusted conversation regarding the health of my pet, I find myself only half listening to his/her advice, the other half of my brain is scrambling with questions of doubt. What's he/she going to advise me to do to my pet that I disagree with? How can I advocate for my pet while being respectful of his/her education and training? What am I going to say? How can I trust the advice of him/her while knowing what pet foods they recommend to clients? If he/she is so ignorant of the truth about quality and inferior pet foods, are they behind the times in other areas of care for my pet?

With me, the entire balance of respect and participation in working with a veterinarians is off-balance as soon as I lay eyes on 'that' food. I know many of you have similar feelings. So...

How do you feel about your veterinarian selling pet foods that contain less than optimal ingredients? How do you feel about veterinarians that are not up to date on health promoting pet foods and pet food ingredients? How do you feel about veterinarians that continue to prescribe Rx foods that contain little nutrition and risky chemicals? Even when the illness must be addressed and there are little to no options for Rx foods except formulating a home cooked diet? Should practicing veterinarians work closely with a educated nutritionist instead of prescribing (and endorsing) these foods?

Tell veterinarians how you feel. Post your comments below. Maybe we can get someone to 'hear' us.

Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,

Susan Thixton
Truth about Pet Food
Petsumer Report
www.TruthaboutPetFood.com "

In the Salon

2010-06-17T03:50:00.004+10:00

Monty Before

Monty After

Max Before

Max After

Max

Jessie

Hamish and Molly

Duke

Daisy

Buddy Before

Buddy After

Rusty and Cherry

Ted

Dangers of Flea and Tick products

2010-06-15T04:15:00.004+10:00

This article gives some great information about the dangers associated with spot on flea and tick treatments. We have been concerned about the issue of putting chemicals onto our pets skin (the largest organ which takes these chemicals straight into the blood stream). We have been searching for a long time to discover an alternative.

Coming soon - an all natural alternative to chemical spot ons, using essential oils and an ancient product that is safely used worldwide in organic farming. Will keep you informed about the arrival of these products.

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/03/31/dangers-of-flea-and-tick-problems.aspx

Reeda visits Interzoo 2010 - Nuremberg, Germany

2010-06-09T01:19:00.007+10:00

In May, Reeda took her husband and son to Nuremberg Germany to visit Interzoo - the worlds largest pet expo. This was a very exciting time and also a bit overwhelming. With over 2000 exhibitors it was by far bigger than anything Reeda had been to before.

With specific types of products to look for (eco friendly, all natural and organic) it made it a little easier to sift through all the exhibits, but was still like looking for a needle in a haystack. After the first 2 days Reeda had seen 2/3 of the exhibitors and was getting a little disappointed. Then on day 3, jackpot! All natural flea alternatives, flea traps, eco friendly beds, toys, leads etc. I guess the best had been waiting until last!

Now its all about shifting through all the information and samples and starting to work out which products will benefit all our customers. Hopefully we have found some really great products that will benefit everyone and provide an alternative for those wanting a more natural way! They will be in store as soon as possible and we will keep you informed about when they arrive.

Nature's Defender name change - now Dr Ben's Evictor

2010-04-19T13:09:00.005+10:00

We are waiting on a shipment of Nature's Defender from America. This product has been a great success for our customers wanting a natural alternative to flea and tick treatments. There has been a name change and it will now be known as Dr Bens Evictor.
Good news also is that they have come out with another size, so along with the 4oz and 946oz bottles, they now have 16oz bottles.
Due to the length in time for delivery we may not recieve this product for another couple of weeks. Orders are being taken if you would like to reserve one.
For more information on how Dr Ben's Evictor works, follow this link to our online store which has it listed still as Nature's Defender.

www.nose2tail.com.au/shop/product_info.php?cPath=46_66&products_id=385

10% off Scratching Posts for April

2010-04-19T13:07:00.001+10:00

For the month of April we have 10% off all scratching posts. Come in and see the range at either store and grab a great deal while you are at it!!