Congratulations to P Dalton from Ascot, Queensland; the winner of VetShopAustralia's 2014 WIN a Boat and Stand Up Paddle Board competition.
We hope you enjoy your prize; and invite you to share with us any pictures you take boating or SUPing with your family and fur-friend!
The team from VetShopAustralia would like to thank everyone for participating in this years 'spectacular' competition; and here's hoping your fur-friends will thank you too (in their own furry way) for purchasing from Bayer's range (Advantage, Advocate, Advantix) of water proof parasite preventatives.
We hope you enjoy your prize; and invite you to share with us any pictures you take boating or SUPing with your family and fur-friend!
The team from VetShopAustralia would like to thank everyone for participating in this years 'spectacular' competition; and here's hoping your fur-friends will thank you too (in their own furry way) for purchasing from Bayer's range (Advantage, Advocate, Advantix) of water proof parasite preventatives.
What's It Like to Be Top Dog in A Publshing Empire
- March 19, 2014
- By VetShopAustralia.com.au
- 0 Comments
Continuing our Pets At Work series of exlusive interviews, we talk to Benny Messenger, Top Dog at The Renegade Collective, an amazing magazine described as "The Vanity Fair of business magazines".
Q: It might seem like a meteoritic rise to top dog at Australia’s leading magazine for entrepreneurs but I’m sure it was a long hard road - when did you get your "first big break"?
Benny: It was March in 2013 and Lisa asked me to write a column for the magazine. It had always been a dream of mine so I was thrilled I could do whatever I wanted.
Q: Could you please briefly describe your "typical" day at the Renegade Collective? – do you still get to run and frolic or is it all paperwork and staff management now that the mag has over 300 people working for it?
Benny: I’m very blessed Lisa and I spend our mornings running on the beach before a day at the office. I usually tag along for coffee runs, hang out under everyone’s desks (depending on who gives the most cuddles or has the best lunch), and there’s a couch for me to snooze away on when the serious meetings are happening. I consider myself quite good at staff management, and try to remind everyone that they’ve got to take a break, have a laugh and not take themselves too seriously (and they’ve got to play with me of course).
Q: Now that your publication has moved in to its second year and a monthly format – How does it feel? Is achieving such goal really more satisfying than a roll in something smelly while walking in the park?
Benny: A lot of the staff have been with Lisa since the beginning (some since I was a puppy), so it’s been exciting to see the magazine and the team grow, particularly over the last year. I remember the first time we had the printed proofs scattered across the floor, checking every last minute detail on deadline. Or the time Lisa first announced she had this brilliant idea to create a magazine that would one day be called Renegade Collective. Achieving this goal has really made everyone here proud which of course creates a great environment for me.
Q: What do you think is likely to be your biggest challenge for the Renegade Collective in the next 12 months?
Benny: Now that the magazine is monthly, there are more deadlines, twice the amount of work and more pressure to continue creating the same level of content at the same calibre. The challenge will be to make sure we can achieve this all the while maintaining our office culture and sanity. I have faith this won’t be a problem though.
Q: Your person, Lisa, seems like a lovely lady, and she’s obviously very passionate about what she does. How do the three of you “stay connected” after a hard day at work together?
Benny: Some days we escape early and head to Bondi for a run and swim. This is an important ritual because Lisa is very busy. I go to work with her every single day so when she has an event to attend after hours, I’m very lucky one of the other team members will walk me home with them.
Q: Every successful dog has his “itch”. What’s your itch and how do you scratch it?
Benny: I’ve always had an itch to be a journalist and Renegade Collective has given me this opportunity to scratch. Every now and then, you can read my column “Benny’s Space” where I interview other cool pets around the world, such as Tillman (the skate boarding dog) and Bodhi (the fashion model dog).
Q: And finally, do you have any words of advice for the young pets (and their people) out there who are just starting their careers as working animals?
Benny: Be patient with your family and remember you’re always the most important friend to them.
To read more from Benny and the fabulous team at The Renegade Collective, pick up a copy of their magazine for interviews with the people making the greatest impact on the business world, in any given industry; the game changers, the thought leaders, the rule breakers, the style makers from news agencies,Coles supermarkets, 44 Newslink stores, Magshop, stationery store Kikki K and online via iSubscribe.
If you know a working pet (or a pet who goes to work!) who has an amazing story to tell, please let us know by emailing petsatwork@vetshoponline.com
Q: It might seem like a meteoritic rise to top dog at Australia’s leading magazine for entrepreneurs but I’m sure it was a long hard road - when did you get your "first big break"?
Benny: It was March in 2013 and Lisa asked me to write a column for the magazine. It had always been a dream of mine so I was thrilled I could do whatever I wanted.
Q: Could you please briefly describe your "typical" day at the Renegade Collective? – do you still get to run and frolic or is it all paperwork and staff management now that the mag has over 300 people working for it?
Benny: I’m very blessed Lisa and I spend our mornings running on the beach before a day at the office. I usually tag along for coffee runs, hang out under everyone’s desks (depending on who gives the most cuddles or has the best lunch), and there’s a couch for me to snooze away on when the serious meetings are happening. I consider myself quite good at staff management, and try to remind everyone that they’ve got to take a break, have a laugh and not take themselves too seriously (and they’ve got to play with me of course).
Q: Now that your publication has moved in to its second year and a monthly format – How does it feel? Is achieving such goal really more satisfying than a roll in something smelly while walking in the park?
Benny: A lot of the staff have been with Lisa since the beginning (some since I was a puppy), so it’s been exciting to see the magazine and the team grow, particularly over the last year. I remember the first time we had the printed proofs scattered across the floor, checking every last minute detail on deadline. Or the time Lisa first announced she had this brilliant idea to create a magazine that would one day be called Renegade Collective. Achieving this goal has really made everyone here proud which of course creates a great environment for me.
Q: What do you think is likely to be your biggest challenge for the Renegade Collective in the next 12 months?
Benny: Now that the magazine is monthly, there are more deadlines, twice the amount of work and more pressure to continue creating the same level of content at the same calibre. The challenge will be to make sure we can achieve this all the while maintaining our office culture and sanity. I have faith this won’t be a problem though.
Q: Your person, Lisa, seems like a lovely lady, and she’s obviously very passionate about what she does. How do the three of you “stay connected” after a hard day at work together?
Benny: Some days we escape early and head to Bondi for a run and swim. This is an important ritual because Lisa is very busy. I go to work with her every single day so when she has an event to attend after hours, I’m very lucky one of the other team members will walk me home with them.
Q: Every successful dog has his “itch”. What’s your itch and how do you scratch it?
Benny: I’ve always had an itch to be a journalist and Renegade Collective has given me this opportunity to scratch. Every now and then, you can read my column “Benny’s Space” where I interview other cool pets around the world, such as Tillman (the skate boarding dog) and Bodhi (the fashion model dog).
Q: And finally, do you have any words of advice for the young pets (and their people) out there who are just starting their careers as working animals?
Benny: Be patient with your family and remember you’re always the most important friend to them.
To read more from Benny and the fabulous team at The Renegade Collective, pick up a copy of their magazine for interviews with the people making the greatest impact on the business world, in any given industry; the game changers, the thought leaders, the rule breakers, the style makers from news agencies,Coles supermarkets, 44 Newslink stores, Magshop, stationery store Kikki K and online via iSubscribe.
If you know a working pet (or a pet who goes to work!) who has an amazing story to tell, please let us know by emailing petsatwork@vetshoponline.com
The 2014 VetShopAustralia Surfing Dog Spectacular; A Barking Mad Success
- March 14, 2014
- By VetShop
- 0 Comments
Hanging four paws has again proven to be more impressive than hanging ten as evidenced by the hundreds of spectators at First Point Noosa for the VetShopAustralia.com.au Surfing Dog Spectacular, part of the 2014 Noosa Festival of Surfing.
Seasoned dog surfer Chris De Aboitz and his talented pack of surfing dogs, Rama a Border Collie cross and Murf, an Australian Shepherd, were joined in the water this year by a stellar cast of furry competitors, proving that every dog does have its day!
Hugsley, a Cocker Spaniel x Labrador and last year’s winner of the ‘Best Wave’ award, was joined in the surf by Patches, a Jack Russell x Fox Terrier x Cattle Dog, Indi, a Border Collie and northern New South Wales newbies, Pepper, a Staffie x and Kosta a Bulldog x Mastiff.
Lining the rocks at First Point and all along Main Beach Noosa to welcome these surf-stoked hounds into shore, the crowd cheered along as one, as these pups and their owners pulled off some PAW-some moves.
Putting their ruff riding skills to the test it was newbie contestant Kosta and his owners Morgan and Jesse Dittman that were awarded this year’s ‘Best Wave’ award, showing off their tandem surfing skills (have you ever seen two people and a dog on a surfboard?) and proving to us all that any breed of dog can be trained to surf; and revel in the fun.
So another VetShopAustralia.com.au Surfing Dog Spectacular is done and dusted. A big THANK YOU to the Noosa Festival of Surfing, Chris De Aboitz and his pack of surfing dogs, all the competitors and everyone who turned out to witness and support this spectacular event.
For those of you who were unable to catch the event live, please keep your eyes peeled for the official YouTube clip, coming to screens soon.
Are you and your pet dog or cat looking forward to Easter?
It is great to catch up with friends and family on Easter and get away on a
holiday as you indulge in hot cross buns and chocolate. Of course, for every
pet dog or cat owner, it is important to consider your pets during this
particular holiday season.
Overindulgence is a No-No
You may feel it is okay to go ahead and feast on your
favorite food this Easter, but remember to leave this only to the human family
members. No matter what holiday it is, it is never a good idea to feed your pet
table scraps and make sure they steer clear of garlic, onions, macadamias and
grapes as these can be dangerous food to your pet dog. Most folks will also
agree that chocolate is one of the favourite Easter treats, especially in the
form of Easter eggs. On the other hand, it is important to remember how
dangerous this is for pet dogs. There is a compound in chocolate called
theobromine that leads to irregular or increased heart rates in canines and can
be fatal as well. For this reason, keep the Easter chocolate you cherish out of
the reach of your pet.
Leaving Him Behind
When you are going on an Easter holiday and need to leave
Fido or Fluffy behind, make sure you research the cattery or kennel facility
you plan to leave your pet in. If you
are leaving your pet with a member of the family, make sure the property they
live in is fenced and that your pet will have a hard time escaping should he
attempt to. You might want to consider inviting a pet sitter into your home instead
or a family member to ‘house sit’ as they ‘pet sit’ since a new location will
cause your pet to feel stress.
On a Holiday
If you are seriously considering taking your pet on a
vacation with the entire family, this can actually be an experience that is
memorable for every member of the clan. However, keep this within reason and
make sure your pet has identification features that are up to date, such as a
microchip or a dog tag. Look for pet friendly hotels and parks as well as
dog-friendly activities the entire family will enjoy. This way, the entire
family will enjoy the Easter holiday.
Mark Perissinotto has been a practicing veterinarian for over 20 years, 14 years of which he was the owner and principal of a busy multi-vet mixed animal hospital. One of the two co-founders of Vet Shop Australia, graduated from the University of Queensland with Bachelor of Veterinary Science and one of the best retailer of pet supplies Australia.