Watch the new Advantage Family TVC and WIN!

This Competition is now closed! We hope you enjoyed the new Advantage Family TVC!

On behalf of Dog Diaries we would like to congratulate Delphine Birkett NSW, Lynda Kitchin VIC and Howard Andrews QLD as you are the Major Winners of our competition!!

Your prize is valued at $300; this includes a $200 Petbarn Gift Voucher and a Gourmet Food & Toy Pack!

We would also like to congratulate the following Runner Up winners as you have won a Pooch Surprise hamper valued at $80; this includes Gourmet Food Treats and a luxury dog lead!

Jane    Tyler, NSW
Kim    Jackson, WA
Monique Watson, VIC
John    Thompson, QLD
Sue    Custer, NSW
Miriam    Tier, NSW
Amanda    Batterham, WA
Andrea    Ryan, VIC
Rebekah    Johnston, NSW
John    Baird, VIC

Read the Terms and Conditions here

1.    Information on how to enter form part of the terms and conditions of entry.

Entry

2.    Entry is open to residents of Australia only.

3.    Employees of the Promoter and their immediate families, and their agencies and companies associated with the promotion are ineligible to enter the competition.

4.    The competition will commence at 5:30pm AEST on Friday 05th November 2010 and ends at 11:00 am on Monday 29th November 2010.

5.    To be eligible to win, entrants must visit www.dogdiaries.com.au, watch the video on the promotion page, correctly answer the questions related to the video (all multiple choice questions), and enter a few personal details.

6.    Multiple entries are permitted, but there is a limit of one prize per email address and household.

7.    All competition entries entered incorrectly shall be deemed invalid. To be eligible to go in to the prize draw (both major and minor), the answers must be correct.

8.    Any costs associated with accessing the Promoter’s website is the entrant’s responsibility, and is dependent on the Internet Service Provider used by the entrant.

Prizes and Prize Draws

9.    There are 3 major prizes to be won valued at $300 each (incl. GST).
10.    There are 10 minor prizes to be won valued at $60 each (incl. GST).

Prize description:
Major Prizes: 3x Dog Pamper Hampers valued at $300 each (including GST and fulfilment).

This major prize includes a $200 Petbarn Grooming Voucher and a Toy & Gourmet Food Hamper !

Minor Prizes: 10x Pooch Surprise Pamper packs valued at $60 (incl. GST).

This prize includes Gourmet Food treats and a luxury lead.

11.    The prize draw to determine the prize winners (both major and minor) will be a manual draw conducted at 10.00am Monday 06th December 2010 at Suite 502, Level 5 282 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, 2022, NSW. The first draw will determine the 3 major prize winners. The 3 major prize winners will be automatically excluded from the draw for the minor prizes to follow after.

12.    Judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

13.    The winners will be notified by email at 10:00am (AEST) Tuesday 07th December 2010. Upon winners’ details confirmation, their names will be published on www.dogdiaries.com.au.

14.    In the event that any winner is unable to be contacted, and all methods of communication are unsuccessful, the Promoter shall conduct a further manual draw at Suite 502, Level 5 282 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, 2022, NSW. at 10.00 am on Monday 7th March 2011 (AEST), subject to any written direction given under Reg. 37 of the Lotteries and Gaming Act 1993, (SA) and publish the new winners’ names on www.dogdiaries.com.au .

15.    The prize remains the property of the Promoter until claimed by the prize winner.

16.    The total prize pool is valued at $1,500.00 (including GST). The prize value is in Australian dollars.

17.    The prize cannot be transferred.

18.    If the prize winner is under the age of 18 years, the prize will be awarded to the winner’s nominated parent or guardian.

19.    In the event that any of the prizes becomes unavailable due to circumstances beyond the Promoter’s control, the Promoter reserves the right to provide a similar product of the same or greater value as the original prize, subject to any applicable laws or written directions made under applicable legislation.

20.    The Promoter reserves the right to request the prize winners to provide proof of identity, proof of age and proof of residency at the nominated prize delivery address. Identification considered suitable for verification is at the discretion of the Promoter.

21.    The prize winners are advised that tax implications may arise from their prize winnings and they should seek independent financial advice prior to the acceptance of the prize.

22.    The Promoter shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever which is suffered (including but not limited to indirect or consequential loss) or for any personal injury suffered or sustained as a result of taking a prize except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law.

23.    The Promoter and its agencies associated with this promotion will take no responsibility for prize lost in transit.

General

24.    The Promoter collects entrants’ personal information in order to conduct the promotion. If the information requested is not provided, the entrant may not participate in the promotion. By entering the promotion, unless otherwise advised, each entrant also agrees that the Promoter may use this information, in any media for future promotional, marketing and publicity purposes without any further reference, payment or other compensation to the entrant, including sending the entrant electronic messages. Entrants’ personal information may be disclosed to State and Territory lottery departments and winners’ names published as required under the relevant lottery legislation. A request to access, update or correct any information should be directed to the Promoter at their address set out below.

25.    The Promoter reserves the right to at any time add to, delete from, or otherwise amend, the conditions of entry relating to the competition. In the event of war, terrorism, state of emergency or disaster the Promoter reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the promotion subject to any written directions given under applicable State or Territory legislation.

26.    The Promoter reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who the Promoter has reason to believe has breached any of these conditions, or engaged in any unlawful or other improper misconduct calculated to jeopardise the fair and proper conduct of the promotion. The Promoter’s legal rights to recover damages or other compensation from such an offender are reserved.

27.    If for any reason this promotion is not capable of running as planned because of infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of the Promoter which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this promotion, the Promoter reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the promotion or to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, subject to any written directions given under applicable State or Territory legislation.

28.    The promoter is Bayer Australia Limited, 875 Pacific Highway, Pymble, NSW 2073. ABN 22000138714.

Permit No:

ACT     -           ACT TP 10/04795.1

NSW   -           LTPS/10/10483

Here we explore some of the most unlikely, unusual and impossible pets you’ll ever come across…

Capybara

If you haven’t heard of a capybara before, don’t worry – you’ve definitely heard of one of its cousins, the common guinea pig.

‘But wait!’ we hear you cry. ‘A guinea pig isn’t an exotic pet at all!’ Well, it is if you multiply its size by about 200 per cent – which is exactly what you’ll get with a capybara.

The capybara is native to several South American countries and can usually be found in swamps, marshes and waterholes, as this water-loving creature enjoys nothing more than a damp home. The capybara is the largest rodent in the world, weighing up to 80kg and standing 120cm at the shoulder. Usually friendly and gentle, the capybara makes a placid, if slightly disturbing, pet.

Pot-bellied pig

George Clooney is rumoured to have one, and there’s a growing demand in Australia for these sweet little animals as pets. Substantially smaller than a full-sized pig, the pot-bellied is usually the size of a medium-sized dog and is reportedly one of the smartest animals in the world!

Due to its docile nature, the pot-bellied pig is easy to train – and if you have the space for one, it can make a charming addition to the family… preferably a family that doesn’t like bacon too much!

Crocodile

For those of you who like to live on the wild side (literally, in this case), this pet may just be for you! Chito, a 52-year-old fisherman from Cost Rica, has disproved the ‘never smile at a crocodile’ maxim, befriending a 445kg croc after saving the reptile’s life over 20 years ago.

Pocho (the crocodile) was close to death after suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, when Chito came along and nursed him back to health. Pocho now happily frolicks and ‘play-wrestles’ with Chito in the water in front of (understandably) shocked onlookers.

The Dog Diaries recommendation, however, is not to try this at home!

•   So what about you? What kind of weird and wonderful pet would you welcome into your home – and why? Use the Comment facility below to let us know.

Prize: The best suggestion will win a dog bowl and chew toy/training ball. The competition runs from 19-26 October, with the winner announced on shortly afterwards.

Read Terms and Conditions here

Images by: Wikimedia Commons, Gift Trap and David Au

6. Multiple entries are permitted, but there is a limit of one prize per email address and household.

7. Any costs associated with accessing the Promoter’s website is the entrant’s responsibility, and is dependent on the Internet Service Provider used by the entrant.
8. Prizes
Prize: 1x chew toy (valued at $20.95) and 1 x dog food bowl (valued at $39.95)
9. Prize Draw
Draw 1: The winning entry will be determined at 10.00am Wednesday 27th October 2010 at Suite 502, Level 5 282 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, 2022, NSW.
10. The winner will be notified by email at 5:00pm (AEST) Wednesday 27th October 2010. The winner’s name will be published on www.dogdiaries.com.au on Friday 29th October 2010.
11. In the event that the winner is unable to be contacted, and all methods of communication are unsuccessful, the Promoter reserves the right to allocate the prize to another promotion.
12. The winner has until Wednesday 26th January 2011 to claim the prize. Past this date, the prize can no longer be claimed.
13. The prize remains the property of the Promoter until claimed by the prize winner.
14. The total prize pool is valued at $60.90 (including GST). The prize value is in Australian dollars.
15. The prize cannot be transferred.
16. In the event that any of the prizes becomes unavailable due to circumstances beyond the Promoter’s control, the Promoter reserves the right to provide a similar product of the same or greater value as the original prize, subject to any applicable laws or written directions made under applicable legislation.
17. The Promoter reserves the right to request the prize winner to provide proof of identity, proof of age and proof of residency at the nominated prize delivery address. Identification considered suitable for verification is at the discretion of the Promoter.
18. The prize winners are advised that tax implications may arise from their prize winnings and they should seek independent financial advice prior to the acceptance of the prize.
19. The Promoter shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever which is suffered (including but not limited to indirect or consequential loss) or for any personal injury suffered or sustained as a result of taking a prize except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law.
20. The promoter and the agencies associated with this promotion will take no responsibility if the winner does not utilise the prize before the expiration period.
General
21. The Promoter collects entrants’ personal information in order to conduct the promotion. If the information requested is not provided, the entrant may not participate in the promotion. By entering the promotion, unless otherwise advised, each entrant also agrees that the Promoter may use this information, in any media for future promotional, marketing and publicity purposes without any further reference, payment or other compensation to the entrant, including sending the entrant electronic messages. Entrants’ personal information may be disclosed to State and Territory lottery departments and winners’ names published as required under the relevant lottery legislation. A request to access, update or correct any information should be directed to the Promoter at their address set out below.
22. The Promoter reserves the right to at any time add to, delete from, or otherwise amend, the conditions of entry relating to the promotion. In the event of war, terrorism, state of emergency or disaster the Promoter reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the promotion subject to any written directions given under applicable State or Territory legislation.
23. The Promoter reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who the Promoter has reason to believe has breached any of these conditions, or engaged in any unlawful or other improper misconduct calculated to jeopardise the fair and proper conduct of the promotion. The Promoter’s legal rights to recover damages or other compensation from such an offender are reserved.
24. If for any reason this promotion is not capable of running as planned because of infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of the Promoter which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this promotion, the Promoter reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the promotion or to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, subject to any written directions given under applicable State or Territory legislation.
25. The promoter is Bayer Australia Limited, 875 Pacific Highway, Pymble, NSW 2073. ABN 22000138714.

Congratulations to Ursula Erlington. You are the winner of a dog chew toy and food bowl! We loved reading your entry, it brought a smile to all of our faces

Well may you laugh when you see a pampered pooch strutting his stuff down the street in a Louis Vuitton jacket, and you’d be forgiven for having a chuckle when you spy that kooky cat with the ear-muffs, but while some measures may seem excessive, it is important to keep in mind as the mercury drops this winter that animals feel the cold too, and that you may need to make some adjustments, especially overnight, to ensure your pet stays snug this season.

Dr Graham Swinney, (President of the Australian Small Animal Veterinary Association) in an article for HCF’s fit and well magazine, suggests that letting your cat or dog sleep inside in the coldest months is the best way to protect against cold-related illnesses. Puppies, kittens elderly animals and short-haired animals may need special consideration, especially if you live somewhere where the temperature drops below freezing overnight.

Older animals, like humans, can experience arthritis, a disease that is greatly exacerbated by cold weather.
If you do keep your dog outside, vets recommend that you ensure that they have a snug well-lined and protected sleeping area available that is free from draughts. Dr Swinney also reminds us to make sure that our pet always has access to a bowl of unfrozen water. It may seem obvious when it’s pointed out – but how often does the temperature drop below freezing when we least expect it to?

If you need an extra excuse to relax the rules and let your furry friend sleep inside this winter, consider this: A well-placed pooch at the foot of your bed provides the best hot-water bottle alternative we’ve come across in years!

Leave a comment telling us how you keep your pooch warm in winter to win a Chew Toy and Food Bowl! The most original comment will win! Be sure to include a valid email address so we can contact you about your prize.

Terms and Conditions

Image sources: romeo’s mom and vtitov

Congratulations to Mary & Robert Rudd. You are the winners of a dog toy and bowl! We loved reading your entry, it brought a smile to all our faces

“My husband and I recently went shopping for a new bed for ourselves. We wandered around the vast showroom of a leading bedroom furniture shop – measuring and exploring the dimensions of different beds, the ground space from floor to base of bed, ect. A very enthusiastic saleswoman came to our assistance and we gave her a description of the type of bed we wanted. My husband was VERY specific about the exact dimensions the bed needed to have as ‘under bed’ space. The saleswoman went round the various beds, measuring, checking sizes and even looking up different catalogues.

She showed us a few that were different sizes but my husband was very direct and adamant that only beds (regardless of price) needed to meet our specific measurements. The floor manager even became involved and after we rejected a few excellent selections due to ‘not enough under bed space’ the saleswoman and floor manager asked why it had to be exactly to these size dimensions.

The answer – of course – “so our dogs don’t bump their heads under the bed when they are getting in and out of their heated doggy beds which are placed under our own bed!!!”

Doesn’t everyone buy their beds to meet the needs of their dog’s requirements. Well, we do!!
Needless to say, after my husband stated this fact – quite blatantly and with an attitude of ‘der!’, the floor manager and saleswoman gave us a few moments of their own ’special’ looks and excused themselves to look after other customers!! –

PS: still looking for the right bed that will also suit our 3 doggie family members.
PSS: even our caravan has a ’special bed space’ for their beds while they are holidaying with us.”

Leave a comment telling us how pampered your dog is to win a Chew Toy and Food Bowl! The most original comment will win! Be sure to include a valid email address so we can contact you about your prize. The promotion ends on the 19th of July and the winner will be announced on Friday the 30th of July 2010.

Obviously each of us love our pooch dearly, and want to create the most loving home environment, yet lately, what experts are calling ‘petocracies’ are becoming more and more prevalent in Australian households. A Petocracy is a pet-democracy…where your furry friend has equal (or sometimes more) say in the way the household is run than its human inhabitants. To find out if your home is a petocracy, take our fun, easy quiz and discover whether you’ve been usurped as ruler of your roost!

It’s bedtime. You:

a)    Put your dog outside for the night

b)    Send him to bed in his dog-bed in the laundry

c)    Let him curl up at the foot of your bed…he’s a good foot warmer!

d)    Plump up the pillow in your bed that he likes to sleep on and make sure he has most of the blankets.

Your dog’s diet consists of:

a)    Dry food only

b)    Mostly dry food, with chicken necks, bones and other morsels as occasional treats

c)    A mixture of dry and wet food, with daily treats and a specially-designed eating plan to keep him interested and fit.

d)    It depends on the day of the week. He likes steak on Mondays, liver on Tuesdays, and I bake him little foie gras biscuits on Wednesday….

How often do you walk your dog?

a)    Two or three times a week

b)    Once a day, with a bit of a run in the dog park.

c)    Twice a day, being sure to change up the locations so he stays interested.

d)    However often he feels like it. When he is too tired to walk I carry him in my doggy backpack so he can still experience the scenery.

The rules you have for your dog are:

a)    Very strict—dogs need discipline otherwise they get carried away.

b)    Fairly strict—he knows who is boss but sometimes gets away with things for being so cute!

c)    Quite lax—he knows how to get what he wants by using his puppy charm.

d)    No watching Law and Order (the theme song bothers him), no staying out past 9pm (he gets lonely) and no chocolate in the house (it’s dangerous for dogs)….Oh, you meant what rules do I have for the dog….

Now for the tally…

Mostly As:

You’re from the old school, and believe that dogs need to firmly know their place and respect their masters. You’re diligent in setting up boundaries for your pet and value obedience, loyalty and good behaviour. This is a perfectly acceptable attitude towards dog ownership, just remember to let your hair down and have some fun with your pooch…after all, it’s what they’re best at!

Mostly Bs:

While discipline is important to you, you recognise the importance of a pooch needing to fit in with the family’s lifestyle, not the other way around. You can’t help but indulge your furry friend every once in a while and you like to be organised in your approach to having a pet.

Mostly Cs:

Your dog is an important member of your family and you consider its needs as a high priority. You work hard to ensure your pooch’s happiness and probably sacrifice a lot of time to its care…which is worth it for you because of the love and affection you get back in return.

Mostly Ds:

Oh, Mostly Ds, what are we going to do with you? You’ve given complete control over to your canine commander–whoops, sorry—companion, but we’ll forgive you because, well, we love dogs too! Just make sure you try to set some boundaries, as dogs do respect leadership and need to know what behaviour is acceptable.

For Terms and Conditions click here.

Images by sucka74, nawtydawg and Photography by Ruben

Congratulations to the winner of the Advantage competition!
Lynette Murray – NSW

Fleas are still active in winter, but by killing them with Advantage, you could win a holiday for the whole family worth over $10,000

You may think fleas go into hibernation in winter, but no, those little blighters keep on biting and breeding, so it is important that you keep treating your dog with monthly applications of Advantage throughout the coldest season.

Fleas are still active in winter...

And if you needed any more incentive, you can find it at the brilliant Advantage ‘sNOw FLEAS’ game. Simply visit www.nofleas.com.au and enter your details. Just by registering you will win a two-month FREE Quickflix DVD subscription, and with proof  of purchase you will also go into the draw to win a pet-friendly family holiday valued at over $10,000.

That means the whole family (not just the human members) can enjoy a relaxation-filled trip of a lifetime. Plus with 300 retractable dog leads on offer for the runners-up, you’ve got a great chance of being a winner.

Kill those fleas!
Play the ‘sNOw FLEAS’ game – the aim is to get your snowboarding flea to earn points by performing tricks and stunts before a drop of Advantage kills it!

Kill those fleas!

Scout, the Dog Diaries dog, has had a go and managed to score 1040 points (which is pretty impressive considering his paw kept slipping off the mouse). So see if you can beat that!

Of course, the whole point of the game is to keep us mindful of the fact that fleas flock to the same warm parts in the home that your pets love in winter. So don’t forget to apply Advantage every month.

Good luck with the game!

______________________

Congratulations to the winner of the Advantage competition!
Lynette Murray – NSW

Our favourite comment is by Sarah:

Living in Tasmania, in a beautiful little suburb approx 40 minutes out of Hobart city, is a secret little treasure called Park Beach. As the name suggests there is a beach, dog friendly at that! Privileged to live only a few streets from the beach, I can say this region is home to a number of our four legged friends, with I know, in our street alone, almost every second home owning a dog, or two. Happily, owners are responsible too, every day you will find dogs walking on a lead with their owner, never or rarely is a dog seen straying on its lonesome.

Its a real pleasure to walk with my dog and cross paths with other like minded dog lovers taking their friend for a happy and healthy adventure. As mentioned, Park Beach, is a wonderful environment for people and dogs to enjoy. As like some other beaches my dog and I have visited in Tasmania, there is usually signs stating dog walking times, bins provided and occasionally doggy doo bags provided to make and keep our natural environment clean, whilst giving us freedom to venture this lovely states natural habitat. I understand inner city living would be very different, but from my observations and way of life, in our area, dogs are most welcome and loved, its a haven for dogs and other animals to live in harmony. I love my dog and maintaining her self well being, happiness and health, as well as respecting others around me in this wonderful world, is key importance. From this piece of Tasmania, it really is a “dogs life”!!!

Congratulations Sarah, you’ve won a dog chew toy to treat your pooch!

And thank you everyone for your fantastic comments! It’s so great to see so many dedicated dog lovers!

Images by trueparisienne and truelovemusic

We finally have the end to our story, thanks to Kaya James from Western Australia!

Here is the complete story:

Scout, the Dog Diaries dog, was wagging his tail furiously. Being an intelligent little thing, he knew it was time for his annual check-up at the vet’s and he loved meeting and greeting all the other animals – particularly the dogs – in the waiting room.

He was feeling fit and well, but knew it was important to visit the vet’s once a year to be given a completely clean bill of health. Besides, the vet always had a little supply of treats on hand to give him once he’d been checked out.

And as far as Scout was concerned, treats were the best thing about medication, which was why he never minded receiving his regular monthly doses of Advocate – his complete parasite protection.
Scout bounded up the stairs to the surgery. Inside, he was greeted like a long-lost friend by birds and cats, hamsters and dogs.

Sniffs were just being exchanged when the door opened behind Scout and into the surgery stepped Scout’s entourage.  Since making it big on Border Security, Scout had employed the services of several bodyguards, a personal chef, stylist and PA. With a Soy latte in hand, Scout worked the room, giving away copies of his memoirs to his friends, until it was time for his check-up.

Each week we selected a winner of the themed competition and we’ve featured the winners below!

PLAYFUL - Matt Manson - QLD

SLEEPING - Margaret Carter - SA

POSING - Victoria Fox - VIC

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

CUTE - Kim Williams - QLD