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Australian Dog Lover - Top Stories of 2016


2016, it's a wrap! Here's what you loved reading the most this year...

It was a pleasure learning more about our canine companions as well as the latest products, services and activities available to them and sharing our discoveries with you along the way. Practical advice-based articles were a hit and so were stories that inspired us to get out and about with our dogs.

We’d love to hear from you what you’d like to see more of in future issues of Australian Dog Lover so please leave your comments below!

Tips and Advice

Most of us need help when it comes to training our dogs so it came as no surprise that our Behaviour & Training column was the most popular section on the blog in 2016. 
From in-depth analysis of canine behaviours to practical tips from our panel of expert dog trainers, here are our top-ranking stories of the year…

8 Tips for Living with High-Energy Dogs

My dog is hyper! It’s a common complaint. You can go for an hour’s run and come home ready to flake, but, no, not your dog. Not only that, he’s jumping all over you, barking, demanding your attention, chasing the birds, passers-by, anything that moves!

If you are nodding vigorously, our 8 essential tips to bust backyard boredom are definitely for you!



Dog Mat Training in 3 Simple Steps

Training your dog to settle quietly on a mat is one of the most important and valuable exercises you can teach your dog. It teaches impulse control and promotes calmness. 

Mat training can be applied in many situations and for the management of many different behaviour problems.


Prevent your Dog’s Resource Guarding


Has your dog ever shown some kind of aggressive response in the presence of a resource which they highly value? This could be food, water, shelter, toys, bedding, an area or even your attention! 

Learn what resource guarding actually means, its causes and what you can do to treat this behaviour problem, plus we bust a few myths along the way!



Do dogs just snap and change from Dr Jekyll to Mr Hyde? Of course, not! 

Learn to read the subtle signs of canine body language and how to teach young kids how to interact with dogs …


Summer brings us an increase in the number and intensity of “noise events” namely thunderstorms, fireworks and home renovations. 

Here's some sage behaviour advice on getting our dogs through all these noise events safe and sound!



LIFESTYLE & TRAVEL WITH DOGS

Here are the stories which grabbed the most attention in 2016. Clearly you love exploring new places with your dogs, shopping for dog-themed items and given the chance, you may even consider switching careers to work with dogs all day long too!
 1. Great Dog Walks around Sydney and the Central Coast
2.  Dog-friendly Parks & Walks around Melbourne
3. Top 20 Christmas Gifts for Dog Lovers
4. 15 Dog Walks and Parks around Brisbane 

5. 6 Career Choices for Dog Lovers
Our Health & Wellness section was also very popular this year as we aim to deliver advice to avoid pet emergencies as well as enjoy a healthy and more active lifestyle with our canine companions all year round.

2. Protect your Dog from Snake Bites

3. Common Plants Toxic to your Dog

4. Canine Bloat (GDV) is a Pet Emergency

5. Tick & Flea Prevention for Australian Dogs

The blog post which drew the most comments to date was this one

What an amazing first year it was for Australian Dog Lover, and 2017 is shaping up to be even bigger! Thank you for a wonderful year – we hope you enjoyed reading our dog news, tips and feature stories as much as we enjoyed creating those for you!

Got ideas for next year? What would you like to see? Let us know below or email us here

Happy Holidays from our Australian Dog Lover pack!
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