Australia is known as the home of koalas and the land of kangaroos, but if you travel the country, you’ll soon realise that many amazing tales of adventures in the great outdoors have a more familiar companion as the main star: the Australian dogs. These hard-working pups have ancestors that can be traced back all the way to the first settlers. And although these days they’re likelier to spend their day slouched on the couch than looking after cattle, their smarts and protective nature remain part of their amazing features. Plus, they know how to handle the outback heat like a pro!

It may surprise you to learn that dogs are omnivores, meaning that they can eat foods of both plant and animal origin. There’s a huge variety of veggies that dogs can snack on in moderation that are relatively low-calorie, including peas, sweet potato and carrots to name a few! But can dogs eat green beans?

The question of cats’ eyesight, and how much they can see, has been one that’s fascinated owners and scientists alike. Not only have many of us wondered about their apparently incredible night vision, the question of whether cats can see colour or not has often been discussed with some thinking that cats live an exclusively monochrome existence. But what’s the truth? Are cats' colour blind or can they appreciate a rainbow of hues just like we can?

Cats bring so much joy from the very first moment they walk into our lives. But they also bring with them plenty of bizarre habits and mind-boggling behaviours. We’re still scratching our heads at their intense fear of cucumbers, and we still enjoy inventing theories about cats’ adorable love for cardboard boxes. But when night-time comes, we realise there’s even more to discover about the mysterious feline in the family. As humans and other pets get ready to wind down for the evening, cats are often on their own schedule, roaming around the house looking for cuddles, snacks and mischief to get into. Could this spurt of activity at night mean that cats are nocturnal? And how could this impact our lives with them? Keep reading to learn more about this feline behaviour.

Do you find yourself having to refill your dog’s water bowl more often than usual? It could be that your dog is drinking excessively, which could be a sign of a health issue. Dogs can end up drinking more water than usual for many different reasons. Just like humans reaching for their water bottle more often on hot summer days or after a salty snack, our dogs could also become thirsty more quickly depending on how hot they are or what food they eat. However, there are certain underlying health problems that could also lead to extra trips to the water bowl. A visit to the vet is the best next step to take when you notice unexplained or puzzling changes in your dog’s drinking. If you are able to quantify how much your pet drinks each day by using a measuring jug each time you top up the bowl and keeping a tally, that can be very helpful information for your vet – although with how often they are urinating. Here is what you need to know about causes of excessive drinking in dogs.

Your dog’s eyes can be as sensitive as they are precious. There are a range of causes that can make a dog’s eyes red which we will explore below. Some of these causes the skin or conjunctiva around the eye to appear inflamed and red, while others seem to affect the eyeball itself. As always, the best way to figure out the answer to the question ‘why are my dog’s eyes red’ is to talk to your vet as eye irritation can lead to more permanent damage if left untreated. But here are a few possible explanations you might hear mentioned during your appointment.

Being a cat owner is an experience that comes with countless adorable moments, but there are a few head-scratching ones too that we are still trying to decipher. In this article, we’re looking at cats and cucumbers and why people shouldn’t get involved with the craze of these online videos. We have plenty of studies – and of course, our own understanding and intuition with regards to our feline friends that help us figure out some of their weird likes and dislikes, such as why cats like to sleep so much or why cats adore boxes. But why are cats scared of cucumbers? If you’ve seen videos of cats scared out of their skin by a humble cucumber, no doubt you’ve got questions. But before we dive into the answers, it’s important to understand how a cat’s fear response works.

When you think of a bulldog, chances are you’ll conjure up an image of a strong looking dog with a short, stocky stature. This common image is one of an English Bulldog and it’s often portrayed as ‘the tough dog’ in TV and film, but did you know there’s more than just one bulldog breed? The original bulldog breed was English and there’s a number of others that descended from these who all served a similar purpose including cattle moving, fighting and guarding. Of course, each individual is unique and their personality cannot be guaranteed by breed stereotypes. However, dogs of specific breeds may be more likely to display certain behavioural traits, depending on what they were bred for in the past. Keep reading to learn more about the most popular bulldog breeds.

Cats are curious creatures and this investigative nature extends to just about everything in your home and garden, including your plants. Unfortunately for you and your little pet detective, there are a number of plants poisonous to cats that you should avoid having within easy reach or – if you have a particularly good climber – having in your home altogether. Keep reading to find out which garden and house plants are poisonous to cats.

As the summer rolls around it’s easy to get swept up in planning for holidays, trips to the beach and lounging in the heat, but if you have a four-legged friend, you’ll need to think about how to keep them cool as the temperatures soar. Dogs can’t cool themselves down as well as people, because their ability to sweat is much more limited and is mainly through their paws. It means they need to rely on other methods such as dog panting to keep cool. Their inability to sweat coupled with the fact that they literally wear fur coats makes them at a high risk of overheating and heatstroke. This is further exacerbated if they are one of the flat -faced (brachycephalic) breeds. At Purina, we’ve put together this guide with our top tips on how to cool down a dog. Keep reading to find out all you need to know.