tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10359097748301003532011-11-28T10:34:35.062+11:00Keeping an eye on the animal kingdomleonoreply@blogger.comBlogger1101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-31109726037575855432009-12-29T12:56:00.000+11:002009-12-29T12:56:28.086+11:00

Please follow Dr Jo's blog posts here

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-84210500411859035672009-12-10T07:48:00.001+11:002009-12-10T07:50:17.042+11:00

A New Scientist article compared the two (I wouldn't dare!). Read it to find out who wins. Do you agree? Join me on my blog to discuss further New Scientist

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-73154352907222754252009-12-09T15:34:00.000+11:002009-12-09T15:34:00.218+11:00

Wolves lose hunting skills in mid life ccording to a new study...Wolves that have been reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park typically live until nearly 6 years old. New research, which will be published in the journal Ecology Letters, found that the wolves' ability to kill prey peaks when they are 2 to 3 years old.The study researchers say the finding challenges a long-held belief that

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-40447926620091649062009-12-04T15:57:00.000+11:002009-12-04T15:57:05.673+11:00

Pet Problems Solved, Dr Jo's business is now on Facebook. Join me there to discuss pet issues. Or follow me on Twitter. Or go to the Pet Problems Solved website.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-37245758617764120932009-11-13T15:14:00.000+11:002009-11-13T15:14:45.109+11:00

Fun video of pets in Dr Jo's new You Tube channel.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-29207014555236727792009-11-13T13:28:00.000+11:002009-11-13T13:28:31.913+11:00

Leatherback turtles tend to be the reptilian equivalent of "right-handed". Across a population studied by scientists, more turtles preferred to use their right rear flipper rather than their left when laying eggs... Read more BBC Earth News Which paw do cats favour? More pet info at Dr Jo's website

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-78124276921842668492009-11-12T10:57:00.001+11:002009-11-12T10:58:01.680+11:00

AN Australian Special Forces explosives detector dog, Sabi - a black Labrador, given up for dead in Afghanistan has been found alive 14 months after going missing in action. Read more about this feel good story Courier Mail More about pets on Dr Jo's website

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-12216218513951925772009-11-09T16:12:00.001+11:002009-11-09T16:15:30.795+11:00

$$$How much would you be willing to spend on your pet? Read more

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-6116272703466903342009-11-09T15:30:00.001+11:002009-11-09T15:32:38.024+11:00

What do you get if you cross a polar bear with a grizzly brown bear? Read more

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-58408903064705359662009-09-23T18:38:00.002+10:002009-09-23T18:40:57.900+10:00

are you ready for Dogtober? More

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-30704543413689302162009-09-23T18:26:00.002+10:002009-09-23T18:29:11.568+10:00

New research delves into the world of sabre toothed cats... more

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-52719826993446609412009-09-09T17:55:00.002+10:002009-09-09T17:57:54.074+10:00

New study shows that kids & dogs are alike but with one difference... More hereSciencenow

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-97129585815870042009-09-07T15:33:00.003+10:002009-09-07T15:41:08.131+10:00

National Threatened Species Day (NTSD) is held on 7 September each year - commemorating the death of the last Tasmanian tiger at Hobart Zoo in 1936. More info from WWF here.Australian species under threat: photo gallery

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-30897701365347940192009-09-07T12:05:00.002+10:002009-09-07T12:08:49.903+10:00

Music evokes emotions in people. To understand how this works, researchers have begun to look at monkeys & music.More here

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-21894076659133449982009-09-04T13:09:00.002+10:002009-09-04T13:12:54.006+10:00

Sunday 6th Sept is Father's Day in australia. Here are some of the special dads in the animal kingdom... take a look

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-50466690661851649922009-08-12T13:43:00.001+10:002009-08-12T13:46:07.828+10:00

Crows are capable of using multiple tools in complex sequences, the first time such behaviour has been observed in non-humans, scientists have found.The birds are capable of a level of logical thinking, forward planning and creativity only normally associated with people. Scientists say the work calls for a rethink on the underlying mechanisms governing animal behaviour.More hereTimesonline

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-35047622603362734402009-08-11T11:04:00.003+10:002009-08-11T11:08:09.165+10:00

Are you a dog lover? Then you need to go along to the World Dog Games in Sydney on Sat 31st Oct and Sun 1st Nov 2009. Here you'll see Flyball, Agility, Diving Dogs and get advice about dog from experts such as ME!!Tickets are available through Ticketek.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-38006913765014964502009-07-27T15:54:00.001+10:002009-07-27T15:58:34.645+10:00

Female cats tend to use their right front paw while male cats more often rely upon their left front paw, according to a new study that suggests the sex of a cat determines how its brain will be wired. Cats were given tasks to perfrom:For the first task, the researchers placed a bit of tuna at the bottom of an otherwise empty, narrow-mouthed jar. They then observed how the cats attempted to

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-2884517318413074982009-07-18T15:39:00.002+10:002009-07-18T15:43:22.843+10:00

What do you do to help animals?Read this and take a moment ot reflect on what else you might do with your time, knowledge or resources to help animals in our community.Read Dr Jo's blog

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-67368032891609860082009-07-12T15:08:00.000+10:002009-07-12T15:09:31.257+10:00

What animal rivals humans in the scale of its world domination? Answer here

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-46919903733896625242009-07-11T17:41:00.002+10:002009-07-11T17:45:15.836+10:00

Delta Society Australia has a fabulous Pet Partner, therapy dog program. You can see and read about the Therapy Dog of the Week here.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-84701944367548904602009-07-10T18:05:00.000+10:002009-07-11T18:06:29.559+10:00

The Purina World Dog Games willtake place in Sydney later this year. Flyball & agility enthusiasts get ready!

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-16085190185544937332009-07-02T09:33:00.001+10:002009-07-09T15:35:54.477+10:00

Whenpanda pornography didn't entice a male panda to mate with his female partner at a Thai zoo, staff next tried artificial insemination, which resulted in a surprise birth this week. More here

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-7951962551452633622009-07-01T17:51:00.000+10:002009-07-11T17:52:52.060+10:00

You can listen to Dr Jo's answers to pet behaviour problems in podcasts. Here's a list of them.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-62912034132033498982009-06-21T21:16:00.000+10:002009-06-21T21:17:59.411+10:00

NY Cat remembered... read more

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-28791117791719233352009-06-21T15:44:00.000+10:002009-06-21T15:45:43.681+10:00

Snakes are being recruited as animal "therapists" by the NHS to treat depression.A London clinic is the first to use reptiles to help patients overcome low self-worth and "communication issues". More

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-66437029561797714342009-06-15T14:57:00.003+10:002009-06-15T16:02:16.986+10:00

Most owners know that guilty look on their dog's face. Usually it's when we arrive home and find the cushion shredded or the garden dug up. We attribute this to the dog knowing it has done wrong and feeling guilty.New research shows this is not the case. Dog owners were either told their dog had stolen a biscuit or had not. In other words, the owners did not know if their dogs were truly guilty

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-90045131349370058652009-06-03T19:26:00.004+10:002009-06-03T19:33:16.694+10:00

Cats never get bored of chasing a piece of string. And the answer to that seems to be that they cannot link cause and effect. When one piece of string has a treat attached and another doesn't, they still paw at each one, unable to focus on the one with a reward.Original abstract

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-32727607029932787172009-06-02T21:28:00.001+10:002009-06-02T21:31:41.874+10:00

Spitting in public isn't rude in snubfin dolphin society—it's expected.The rare marine mammals hunt together by chasing fish to the surface and then "spitting" water at them to herd them for the kill, researchers with the conservation nonprofit WWF recently discovered. Read moreNational Geographic news

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-45830116601198610242009-06-01T19:48:00.002+10:002009-06-01T19:51:04.509+10:00

than they did 30 years ago. Researchers have found that humans are moving away from a tendency to see animals as creatures dominated by society. Instead, people now see animals more frequently as part of a more "pure" or "natural" world that needs protection.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-24009933050463753462009-05-31T07:26:00.002+10:002009-05-31T07:29:40.637+10:00

A cat named "Lucky" fell 26 stories from a New York apartment and lived to purr another day. How lucky was that?! Read more

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-24921950902617784112009-05-31T07:12:00.002+10:002009-05-31T07:15:45.607+10:00

Through the power of the Twitter network, donations have been raised to help an injured Pit Bull Terrier. More here

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-4414383689138284472009-05-29T10:38:00.001+10:002009-05-31T07:16:15.810+10:00

Somany ways that our pets embarrass us. Meet ten top embarrasing pets here.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-55716830095900591122009-05-28T10:52:00.001+10:002009-05-28T10:54:07.183+10:00

Australia’s grazing industry now has a united front in its fight against predators, with the National Wild Dog Management Advisory Group announcing this week it will replace the previous state-by-state approach with a national control strategy. Read more

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-30203883790969592082009-05-28T10:40:00.001+10:002009-05-28T10:42:15.252+10:00

Click on the link to read more.Dr Jo says "Dogs and cats are great. On humans, I shall reserve my judgement."BBCNews

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-48370998562024961762009-05-25T16:53:00.005+10:002009-05-26T09:33:02.777+10:00

A Spanish study has found that found English cocker spaniels tend to be more hostile than other breeds of dogs. The discovery adds to the mounting evidence that aggressiveness is an inherited characteristic, suggesting that genes and breeding practices can both help determine how a dog will behave.1040 cases of canine aggression were analysed and the majority were attributed to English cocker

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-88198209316269945552009-05-24T17:05:00.000+10:002009-05-25T17:07:05.027+10:00

Tasmanian Devils To Be Listed as 'Endangered' as their numbers have been dwindling fast as a result of a nasty infectious cancer that spreads among these marsupial mammals.Now, the Australian government (the island of Tasmania, where the devils live, is part of Australia) has decided to list Tasmanian devils as endangered. Previously they were just listed as vulnerable.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-57384212052803210782009-05-22T11:16:00.001+10:002009-05-22T11:18:01.233+10:00

The future of the beautiful but threatened black-flanked rock wallaby remains uncertain as foxes and feral cats continue to wreak havoc on remaining wallaby populations, WWF-Australia has warned on International Day for Biological Diversity.WWF lending a helping hand (or paw). More here

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-62034897053086733472009-05-22T10:24:00.004+10:002009-05-22T10:30:48.183+10:00

The term “dominance” is widely used in the academic and popular literature on the behaviour of domestic dogs, especially in the context of aggression. In reality there is no such thing as a "dominant dog". Your dog is not plotting to dominate you, although in certain encounters it may come off as the victor.In a study (Bradshaw, Blackwell & Casey, 2009) of a freely interacting group of neutered

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-70463799533402089072009-05-20T16:48:00.004+10:002009-05-20T16:51:39.188+10:00

People are always asking me which breed of dogs they should get for their family. It is difficult to recommend one particular breeds when people have all sorts of size and hair preferences and lifestyle requirements.Here's a link to someone else's recommendations. See what you think. Top ten child friendly dogs.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-76612190517762260242009-05-20T10:42:00.001+10:002009-05-20T10:44:18.623+10:00

If you have a spare A$20,000 then you might consider purchasing at auction apoemwritten by the great Bob Dylan, when he was 16, about a dog. You can read it here.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-55093924671726562352009-05-19T09:47:00.003+10:002009-05-19T09:53:39.049+10:00

Recent reports (SMH 18May09) have suggested that animal hoarding may be out of control. It is a problem not onlyfor societybut alsofor the families and friends of the individuals involved. But when does having lots of animals becoming 'hoarding'?Animal hoarding may be identified as having:· More than the typical number of companion animals and holding on to all of them (not adopting out)·

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-69757705564407504512009-05-17T07:39:00.008+10:002009-05-17T08:13:44.077+10:00

I love cats and I love wine. I am aware that the no. 1 behaviour problem with cats is their peeing habits (I even wrote a book about it). Never did I think, however, that cat pee and wine could be used in the same sentence. Except perhaps when cleaning up yet another feline litter box 'accident' led to a post-cleansing glass of vino to calm the soul.I love a good New Zealand sauvignon blanc. I

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-36203352816130636922009-05-16T13:51:00.002+10:002009-05-16T13:57:06.145+10:00

Are humans the only animals with morals?Animal behaviourist Marc Bekoff thinks not. Dogs are full of natural goodness.While we used to think that animals did not feel emotions, we now believe they have a rich emotional life. Dogs can laugh. They solve problems.One thing is sure - there is much more to find out about dogs.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-15331336508884056242009-05-15T18:33:00.002+10:002009-05-15T18:53:19.646+10:00

Gorillas were thought to lag behind chimps in the intelligence ranks. New research shows otherwise.Nationa Geographic

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-66740067112195317772009-05-14T13:42:00.003+10:002009-05-14T13:45:15.954+10:00

Four-legged guardian angel, Addy the labrador is Victoria's first seizure response dog and barks to alert Tara's parents when the three-year-old has one of up to 80 epileptic seizures a day.Addy, 2, is also trained to find Tara, who has autism, if she is lost and to stop disruptive behaviour.Theories suggest dogs may detect seizures through changes in brain electrical activity, subtle behavioural

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-26484741008594472762009-05-14T09:46:00.003+10:002009-05-14T09:53:34.647+10:00

A Gold Coast father, walking his son, early in the morning has saved a kangaroo from drowning. Why was a kangaroo swimming in the ocean? No one knows but it bounded into the ocean where sharks had been sighted several days before. The rescuer managed to get the kangaroo on his surfboard and bring him to shore and to safety.Dr Jo comments...How far will people go to save an animal? Especially one

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-15351078947215110602009-05-13T15:55:00.005+10:002009-05-13T16:22:38.545+10:00

Horses are often trained by the use of force, to which many horses respond by unwelcome evasions, resistances and flight responses. Time may be changing... as new research shows.When unable to cope with problem equine behaviours, some handlers in the past might have used harsh methods or devices while others may have called in a ‘horse whisperer’ to remediate the horse. Often, however,the owner

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-73649112593616546662009-05-13T13:14:00.005+10:002009-05-13T13:20:01.423+10:00

Technology is always developing and the latest will match couples based on the genetic components of the human immune system -- and their odour.Studies have linked odour to immune systems and shown that people are most likely to be attracted to the smells of those who have different histocompatibility genes than their own. Those who have similar immune systems tend to not be attracted to each

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-30025990633386743982009-05-11T10:54:00.001+10:002009-05-11T10:55:30.443+10:00

Just what we wanted to know-spiders are like zombies and ocme back to life - after being drowned! More here.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-10896542414441291712009-05-11T10:44:00.004+10:002009-05-11T10:49:27.907+10:00

A Hyena's giggle is not actually laughter, but a sound of frustration. New research found a way to distinguish individual hyenas based on the peculiarities of their sounds.Researchers recorded the sounds and did an acoustic analysis of them to understand how the calls vary between individuals, and when they are used.The scientists found that hyenas usually made these noises when they were

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-65391540024147582152009-05-10T12:08:00.001+10:002009-05-13T12:39:26.535+10:00

Here's some great video footage of animals. Thanks Purina Animal All Stars.And could these be the worst mothers?!

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-29449933970943270292009-05-09T15:52:00.002+10:002009-05-14T09:50:14.551+10:00

Classroom Canines™ is a program designed to assist children improve their literacy, our volunteer and his/her Delta accredited dog visit a school setting on an informal but regular basis, sufficient to establish an ongoing relationship with the students and staff. Volunteer teams will work for one term in each school targeting those students as identified by the reading recovery teacher assigned

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-37967490128270564972009-05-08T18:40:00.002+10:002009-05-08T18:46:56.006+10:00

A man in Manchester was jailed for 3 months when welfare officers found his bedrooms stacked floor to ceiling with tanks of lizards, frogs and other reptiles.There were four boa constrictors, seven geckos, dogs, parrots, chickens, tortoises, a water dragon and a rat in a small plastic box-over 1000 pets in total!Quite a menagerie!When does lots of pets become too many pets? Hoarding

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-36667320841314149632009-05-08T07:30:00.003+10:002009-05-08T07:30:02.027+10:00

Joseph Garner, an assistant professor of animal sciences, helped develop a test that found goldfish do feel pain, and their reactions to it are much like that of humans.Garner and Janicke Nordgreen, a doctoral student in the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, attached small foil heaters to the goldfish and slowly increased the temperature. The heaters were designed with sensors and

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-32774234789175394102009-05-07T14:06:00.004+10:002009-05-07T19:41:19.571+10:00

Imagine thinking you were setting a trap for a fox,who was eating your chickens, and instead you catch a cat. A very wild cat! Considered completely untameable, the Scottish wildcat is down to around 400 in numbers.The Scottish wildcats association is raising money to help save these beautiful creatures.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-59033981182138524492009-05-05T22:44:00.002+10:002009-05-05T22:45:04.265+10:00

Great pics of animals you may not want to see in the sea.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-22208115949070150972009-05-02T22:31:00.002+10:002009-05-11T10:58:07.987+10:00

Researchers gave 18 volunteers five food samples to try in a blind taste test -- and only three were able to identify the canine fodder. More hereDr Jo says "Who would volunteer?!"

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-12366418479763797762009-05-01T20:19:00.001+10:002009-05-01T20:19:00.836+10:00

How much do you know about Australian megafauna? Try this quiz.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-34775565243846529412009-05-01T20:03:00.003+10:002009-05-01T20:10:09.157+10:00

Birds have got rhythm.After studying a cockatoo that grooves to the Backstreet Boys and about 1,000 YouTube videos, scientists say they've documented for the first time that some animals "dance" to a musical beat.The results support a theory for why the human brain is wired for dancing. In lab studies of two parrots and close review of the YouTube videos, scientists looked for signs that animals

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-90508223873348801772009-04-30T12:19:00.001+10:002009-04-30T12:20:13.066+10:00

says Sir David Attentborough. More here.telegraph.com.au

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-81073152070290423622009-04-30T09:49:00.000+10:002009-04-30T09:50:42.547+10:00

The answer seems to be yes. Read more here.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-87010002366487594112009-04-29T09:40:00.000+10:002009-04-30T09:43:26.033+10:00

Tinker Bell, a six pound chihuahua has been reunited with her owners after a 70-mph gust of wind picked her up and tossed her out of sight. A pet psychic guided her owners to a wooded area nearly a mile from where 8-month-old Tinker Bell had been last seen. The brown long-haired dog was dirty and hungry but otherwise OK.The cherished pet "just went wild" upon seeing her.Thanks To Sami at 2UE for

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-44827193300947721662009-04-28T18:15:00.000+10:002009-04-28T18:16:00.966+10:00

The top ten animals that carry flu...an interesting read and not always what you imagine.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-10163482918516720302009-04-27T14:21:00.000+10:002009-04-27T14:22:17.893+10:00

With the outbreak of Swine Flu,readup on flu basics.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-2712609748377968142009-04-26T12:00:00.000+10:002009-04-27T14:22:58.660+10:00

Get your caffeine and cat fix all at once in this Japanese concept - a cat cafe. Perfect if you don't own a cat but need regular contact with these fascinating felines.There are some rules that all who enter must follow, including no children under the 5th grade , cats too young to be held have scarves around their necks, customers may not hold or stroke a cat if it resists, must let napping cats

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-42799273995123253172009-04-25T08:00:00.000+10:002009-04-25T08:28:25.414+10:00

Two Red-tailed Hawks have built a nest on a window ledge at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. The nest sits just outside a window where a camera has been positioned to create this video stream. The camera looks through the glass window pane which is 61 cm. No artificial lighting has been added, so the nest is only visible during daylight hours.click on title to view webcam

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-7711146978408650362009-04-24T09:52:00.003+10:002009-04-24T10:02:33.360+10:00

A cloned beagle named Ruppy – short for Ruby Puppy – is the world's first transgenic dog. She and four other beagles all produce a fluorescent protein that glows red under ultraviolet light.The team, some of which produced the world's first cloned puppy, Snuppy, created Ruppy by first infecting dog fibroblast cells with a virus that inserted the fluorescent gene into a cell's nucleus. They then

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-82559953822956655812009-04-23T12:49:00.000+10:002009-04-22T12:50:37.386+10:00

Everyone should know about these 10 animals on the brink of extinction - and what yu can do to help.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-21257439593259729532009-04-22T11:06:00.004+10:002009-04-22T11:17:26.323+10:00

Just some fun today...Command this dog to do some tricks. Try jump and kiss -so cute!

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-26977927699804025442009-04-21T19:39:00.002+10:002009-04-21T19:43:16.928+10:00

Dr Jo answers listens questions including an overweight cat, digging dog, cat and rabbit interaction, bunny poop and a dog that's not eating. Listen here.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-78124482095218114162009-04-21T12:19:00.002+10:002009-04-21T12:20:44.745+10:00

Dr Jo says "A Yowie? Really???"news.com/dailytelegraph

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-57640487277894164642009-04-17T11:32:00.004+10:002009-04-19T07:40:22.059+10:00

The World's first airline just for pets will suit be up and running. Pet Airways will have flights going to five major cities: New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C. and hopes to expand to 25 cities within a few years.An attendent will be with the animal at all times during the flight and animals will be secured in cases. This should reduce the number of pet injuries when

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-4322778921099716652009-04-16T10:38:00.003+10:002009-04-16T10:46:59.251+10:00

Posties (mailmen) are urging owners of cranky canines to keep them locked away to help make their job safer, according to reports in news.com.au today. Even smaller breeds were to blame in attacks on postal delivery people, with confrontations including nipping at heels, chasing bikes down the street and barking ferociously.Apparentlyof the 340 injuries to postal workers in NSW last year, 170

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-20751958130089574412009-04-15T15:51:00.001+10:002009-04-16T13:43:47.418+10:00

Apparently more snakes are being sighted around homes in Queensland. After seeing a red bellied black snake in my back garden in suburban Sydney, I conclude it's not just Queensland!It seems that the snakes, after heavy rainfall, are looking for places to campout and for potential nest sites. More here.ABC newsUpdateDecided to capture and relocate our snake. Called a snake handler and while he

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-54360879691889365092009-04-15T11:51:00.004+10:002009-04-15T13:51:20.439+10:00

A NORTHERN Territory dog's knickers fetish almost cost him his life when he swallowed his owner's g-string over the Easter long weekend. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel put his life at risk by stealing his owner's undies from the floor of her laundry as she was doing her washing.The Daily TelegraphDr Jo says "Problems involving owner underwear is actually quite common in our pets. Most simply

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-44415606425962738342009-04-14T16:28:00.007+10:002009-04-21T19:46:17.893+10:00

Dr Jo talks Presidential pets, Portugese Water Dogs and answers listener questions on Radio 2UE in Sydney 954AM at 2pm. Listen at http://www.2ue.com.au/ or download podcast

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-3650548057214297432009-04-14T12:10:00.003+10:002009-05-14T09:50:32.926+10:00

A nice pictorial look at the pets kept by the various US Presidents over the years. Click here...

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-9583800714402450232009-04-14T11:13:00.003+10:002009-04-14T11:15:59.026+10:00

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that pets are being pampered. But we pet owners all knew that already:) Full story here.

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-55433768935189550432009-04-13T11:43:00.001+10:002009-04-14T11:49:33.431+10:00

A cat rescued from an alleyway two years ago refuses to eat meat. Her owner says that she has tried fresh meat and fish and canned foor but the cat continues to prefer a plate of veggies. More here.Dr Jo says... "Cats need taurine in their diet.They also need a high concentration of protein. I wonder how much this cat is getting. Perhaps she should try a good quality dry food. The cat may not

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-53053769507574854622009-04-13T06:56:00.003+10:002009-04-13T06:58:36.471+10:00

A family of rabbits is living under the Sydney Harbour Bridge... in time for Easter. More here

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-71160236662569463212009-04-09T12:33:00.005+10:002009-04-09T16:58:19.827+10:00

Just what is a chuditch?Well I guess you wouldn't know because there haven't been any around for 20 years. The Chuditch, otherwise known as the Western Quoll is a carnivorous marsupial about the size of a cat. It used to occur over a large area of Australia but hasn't been sighted in 2 decades... until recently, when a male appeared.It is thought that they may reappear due to a reduction in the

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-53917211563240593262009-04-09T10:54:00.005+10:002009-04-09T17:02:41.420+10:00

Sadly Sydney's Taronga Zoo has had to say goodbye to one of their eldest inhabitants. Yellowband has been ia resident of the zoo since 1948 and is the last of his kind, given Australian restictions on imprting birds due to avian flu.On a lighter note, a post mortem of Yellow band discovered that she was in fact a he!!Full story hereDaily Telegraph

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-5694509697489828752009-04-09T08:08:00.006+10:002009-04-09T17:00:33.579+10:00

Increasing temperatures will expose pets to new infectious diseases spread by ticks, fleas and mosquitoes, according to new research in Europe.The European dog tick is transmitting a malaria-like disease into countries where it was once rare and increasing numbers of Ixodes ticks increase their risk of passing tick-borne encephalitis to horses and dogs.Cat flea typhus, still a rare disease, may

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-58239846109009060002009-04-09T07:56:00.006+10:002009-04-09T16:57:07.417+10:00

Fraser Island visitors used to have to look out for dingoes. Now dingo fencing has proved so effective that digoes are unable to chase off the goannas. As a result goannas are now entering campers' tents and joining their picnics. Apparently, the island's dingo management strategy is now being reviewedOriginal source: news.com.au

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-5689310721295378852009-04-09T07:45:00.001+10:002009-04-09T07:47:27.929+10:00

Check out dog friendly cars. Do we have these in Australia? (Click on title)Pet Connection

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-1907728460141271642009-04-08T16:23:00.006+10:002009-04-09T16:59:26.484+10:00

Easter bunnies may be cute but the wild kind, feral rabbits in Australia, eat their way through $600 million to $1 billion annually. That's the cost of damage the introduced pest causes Australian farmers. Keeping rabbits as pets in Queensland, where they are banned, can incur fines of up to $30,000.thedaily.com.au

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-22041602272108352842009-04-08T15:55:00.004+10:002009-04-09T16:56:12.619+10:00

An Australian scientist claims that the global gourmet cat food demand is threatening fish populations. Deakin University's Dr Giovanni Turchini claims that "Our pets seem to be eating better than their owners."theage.com.auDr Jo says "Can't argue with that statement!"

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-46642098840760463792009-04-08T15:41:00.005+10:002009-04-09T16:55:26.197+10:00

An inaugural Australian Ferret Health Symposium was held recently with ferret specialists addressing case studies, evolutionary history, ferret-specific diseases and statistics. Melbourne tops the nation in ferret loving, a case of 'love at first bite".smh.com.auDr Jo says "No one asked me to talk about my ferrets :("

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-49211677213378120052009-04-08T15:33:00.004+10:002009-04-09T08:16:36.004+10:00

A Gold Coast couple say they will seek up to $2 million compensation following the Australian Federal Government's decision to ban savannah cats from the continent.Savannah cats, a cross between a domestic cat and a serval, a medium-size wild cat from Africa, can weigh up to 12 kilograms and pose a risk to native wildlife.Sydney Morning Herald (click on the article title to read more)Dr Jo says "

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-23071856139158212382009-04-08T10:41:00.003+10:002009-04-09T17:01:15.808+10:00

Check out Pet Talk Radio archives for some interesting stories about pets including this one from Dr Jo.Pet Talk Radio

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-68630782614076694242009-04-07T16:38:00.007+10:002009-04-09T16:45:14.448+10:00

Canine management techniques that are predictors of canine aggression according to a recent study (O'Sullivan et al,2008) include:owners reprimanding the dog by physical and verbal meansowners allowing the dog to initiate play and to win tug-of-war gamesallowing the dogs onto household furniturefeeding the dog directly from the family tablenot being trusted with childrennot responding to basic

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-70440856410229338992009-04-07T15:53:00.010+10:002009-04-09T17:22:45.607+10:00

When owners seek help for their dog's behaviour problems they have often already tried a few techniques in an attempt to solve the issues. These "solutions" are suggested by a variety of sources including friends and some "professionals" of the pet world. Aversive techniques often used in an attempt to correct behaviour problems include yelling 'NO' or an alpha roll where the dog is turned over

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-68627920481775146062009-04-07T10:33:00.003+10:002009-04-07T10:35:22.501+10:00

For many years I have been telling dog owners that we have no idea if dogs can feel jealousy. But it does appear that they can. They have a sense of fair play. If another dog is given treats for an activity they perform and they are not, then they cease to perform that activity as often. It seems that this may be linked to their cooperative society.So yes, dogs can be "jealous"New Scientist

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-64677369569894739472009-04-07T10:01:00.009+10:002009-04-09T08:22:08.470+10:00

A new study has confirmed that people match their dogs looks or is it the other way around?). Subjects (non-dog owners) had to match Poodles, Staffys and Labradors to their owners and guess what -they answered correctly more often than due to chance. It seems that people fit the stereotypes of their breeds.Dr Jo says "I own a mixed breed - what does that say for my looks!!"News-medical.net

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-90940763203588905362009-04-06T15:15:00.003+10:002009-04-09T08:19:03.026+10:00

Canine castaway survives five months on island... living off goats and koalas to stay alivetheage.com.auDr Jo says "Bet her family were glad to see her home"Could your dog survive as a castaway?Consider this:A dog's main aim in life is to find food and shelter. OK, nowadays its not antelope and caves. It's more like gourmet cuisine and your sofa. But it's an inbuilt survival strategy.Feral dog

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-58714219176104814292009-04-06T11:52:00.002+10:002009-04-06T11:53:49.172+10:00

Agree or not?Should we hunt crocodiles?ABC news

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-63976416301733404962009-04-06T10:13:00.000+10:002009-04-06T10:14:02.060+10:00

Australia's answer to the Easter bunny

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-17087891941912422602009-04-06T09:51:00.002+10:002009-04-06T09:53:05.477+10:00

Fantastic job - workplaces that are pet-friendly.Do you take your pet to work?I tookmy puppy on Friday to Purina.Not sure about productivity but cuddles levels were high:)

leonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1035909774830100353.post-1627755463632021132009-04-02T11:59:00.001+11:002009-04-02T11:59:45.840+11:00

A marsupial expert says Townsville, in north Queensland, is one of the last places in Australia where quolls can be found in large numbers.ABC news

leonoreply@blogger.com