Top Nature Parks on the east coast of Australia

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Australia is a wildlife paradise. It is a home to a rich biodiversity, in fact it is one of only seventeen ‘megadiverse’ nations and is home to more species than any other developed country. Compared to other regions of the world it boasts some of the most unique wildlife on the planet. 

It is home to an array of different and unique varieties of animals, birds, reptiles and plants.  Australia is renowned for plant life such as gum trees, wild animals including the kangaroo, koala, dingo and wallaby, reptiles such as the Australian crocodile and the blue tongued lizard, plus is a bird lover’s paradise with aussie birds such as the little penguin, tawny frogmouth and the Australian southern cassowary.

Making a pet as healthy and happy as they make us

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It's important that we all look after ourselves in the right way and it certainly appears that one of the oldest approaches of keeping a family unit together is a pet. After all, having a pet brings the family together and yields numerous health benefits but what can we do to ensure that our pet is as healthy and happy as they make us?

Interesting pets your family will love

At one point or another, it becomes the case that your family will start clamouring for pets. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. In fact, there are plenty of strong arguments for wanting to have pets in your family, not least the fact that they provide some examples of early important life lessons to your kids. But the difficult decision of which pets to get is a challenging one, especially if you are trying to move away from the traditional choices. Let’s look at some of the interesting pets that your family are likely to enjoy having at home.

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A foolproof guide to pet care

When you and your family decide to get a pet, it's a really exciting experience. However, when you’ve never had the chance to look after any animals before and you already have a wealth of other commitments and responsibilities to direct your attention towards, providing them with the best care seems somewhat impossible. However, if you take the time to do a little bit of research and lay the best possible foundations for them to thrive, you can continue to lead your life as normal whilst incorporating their new care routine into your day with no stress or extra effort than normal. So, what are you waiting for? Read on to uncover some of the best top tips to help your pet live a long and happy life. 

Preparing to own your own horse

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It is always an event when you are about to get a new pet, and it is certainly something that any of us find exciting. But sometimes you are going to be particularly excited, and one example is when you are getting a pet which is a little less common than the normal choice of dog or cat. One example of this is when you get your own home, something that - while not entirely unheard of - is not something that many people will do in their lives. That being said, horses have long had a relationship with humans that is quite unlike any other kind of animal relationship, and this is something that you might want to take advantage of by getting your own horse. If you do, there are a number of things you will need to be prepared for, including the following.

5 Ways To Keep Your Older Dog Happy and Healthy

It seems relatively straightforward to keep a younger dog happy and having fun. Gear up for playtime, bring the enthusiasm, and they’ll respond positively. When they get older, however, things become a little bit more difficult. They no longer have the same energy as they did when they were puppies, and their overall enthusiasm levels take a dip. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t be happy and healthy in their older years, oh no. Managed correctly, you can ensure that their life is just as rich and satisfying as any other period of their life.

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What Brings Joy To Our Furry Friends?

No other animal in the entire world has been given the great honor of being called man’s best friend than dogs. They’re so incredibly human at times because their lives are a lot like ours. They want excitement, but they also want security, they want a family but also like to have their own personal space, they like to eat tasty unhealthy foods but also love to run around in the park. 

We get pets because we want a companion as specifically, a sentient being that isn’t human. Human beings have had this inseparable connection with dogs for so long. Maybe it's because they’re descendants of wolves and therefore we both have a pack mentality. On the other hand, it could be because we value loyalty and you can’t get much more of that than in dogs. We bring them home and into our lives and everything seems to be fine. They melt away into the background and then come out as one of the family. But ask yourself, do we really know what brings our furry friends joy? Afterall, we want to live a fulfilled life so why would it be any different for dogs.

Chester Zoo PLAY! and animal antics!

I recently wrote about my memories of our previous visits to Chester Zoo and how I was excited about our plans to head there again this summer to check out their new PLAY! space and to see the magnificent animals.

On our recent city hopping holiday that saw us explore a number of cities in the North we visited Chester Zoo and it excelled our excited expectations!

Arriving at the zoo for its opening time at 10am we were keen to explore, play and have animal adventures.

Chester Zoo memories & plans. Animals & PLAY! #letsplayatchesterzoo

When I was a child my mum would often take us on short breaks in the UK. One of our favourite locations was Chester. The shopping was always great at Chesire Oaks Designer Outlet and in Chester city centre where I loved seeing the picturesque buildings. When in the area of Chester we would also take a day to visit Chester Zoo. Both my sister and I loved spending time exploring and seeing all the beautiful animals. Our times at Chester Zoo are some of my fondest memories from my childhood.

When I became a parent I always wanted to take my children to favourite family attractions from my childhood, with Chester Zoo being a top choice.

Why it's so important to protect your pet

Pets are so much easier to look after than kids. They grow up quicker and seem to just look after themselves for the most part. Just look at how independent cats are! But they are domestic pets, and they do need a lot more human intervention than you may think. Sure, your cat might have a talent for scoring food from every one of the neighbours. And your dog knows how to get a tickled tummy just by rolling over near an elderly lady. Beyond this ‘self-provision’ though, is an essential health care. That can only come from you.

Did you know that a flea infestation can make your dog or cat incredibly ill? They can become anemic and suffer painful skin infections. Left untreated, it’s possible this could even kill them. It’s so important to choose flea protection like Advecta II to avoid any type of infestation. It’s so much easier than having to get the little blighters out of your pet’s hair and the furniture too. And if your pet is allergic to flea bites, you are saving them from a terrible experience too.

My Dream Horse with Petplan Equine®

Like most children Jelly Bean loves animals. He is fascinated by any animal we meet on our adventures. One of his favourite animals is a horse.

There is something enchanting about the beautiful and majestic horses that we have met on our adventures that Jelly Bean loves. He loves playing with his toy horses, gets excited if he sees photographs of them, loves getting up close and personal to say hello and always gets giddy with excitement when we see them galloping on the beach.

Kitten Kollege - cute and informative kitten videos from Whiskas

Being an animal lover with a special fondness for furry friends that we can be privileged enough to call pets especially feline friends I cannot resist a bit of animal action that provides cuteness and ‘awww’ factor.

Thankfully my love of cute animal videos can be satisfied by YouTube videos of adorable pets being cute and funny. Whilst I love any animal videos that are humorous or packed full of cute factor - or even better if they boast both humour and cuteness - I have a soft-spot for cat videos.

Whilst thankfully there is no shortage of cute cat videos on the wonderful world wide web being fond of cat videos I am more than happy to see more…...who doesn’t love a cute cat video??

Caring for your dog when you have a hectic family life

In our house our pets are thought of as part of the family. They are precious to us and we love and care for them dearly.

At the moment our extended animal family includes 2 goldfish and 2 dogs. Our dogs Trixie and Sassy are both fun, loving and friendly family members.

As we believe that being pet owners carries a big responsibility we ensure all their needs a met. Whilst we do our best to love and care for the, thanks to leading a busy family life with the important responsibility of having 2 young children to care for having and looking after pets especially lively dogs can be hard work.

Having been a dog owner for lots of years now since my childhood I have found a few ways to ease the hard work that comes with being a dog owner.

What you will have wished you'd known before getting a pet dog

Dog’s are a wonderful pet. There is no surprise why they are often called ‘man’s best friend.’ They are loyal, fun and there for you. They have an unconditional love for you; that is just so lovely. They make great pets, but there are some things that you will want to know about getting a dog, beforehand. So here are a few little insights.

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Why a dog is a great pet for a child

Most kids ask their parents for a pet at some point in their childhood. Sometimes it’s not practical to have a pet. Your home may be too small, or you may have allergies. 

If you are considering a pet for your child, there are plenty of choices. Not all of them are fluffy and cuddly. Lizards and even snakes can be popular pets for children, if not for their mums! And not all pets live in the home. Some children have ponies, goats, or alpacas for pets. Perhaps the most popular pet though is the dog. Lots of children love how cuddly, cute and comical puppies can be. And a dog is certainly one of the best pets you can get for your child.

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Educational and imaginative play with Schleich.

Over the years many of Bug's toys have been outgrown, with only a handful of cherished and durable toys sticking the distance from when he was around 3 to now as a big boy 5 year old. Schleich toys are one of the toys that has been enjoyed for years and are still enjoyed regularly now.

As big fans of Schleich toys we were excited to hear about the 'Educational Play The Schleich Way' campaign. For the campaign Schleich created a 16 page brochure packed full of helpful information all about play in particular imaginative play and the benefits of it for child development. Topics covered in the brochure include different areas of play, encouraging imagination, early language skills and balanced play diet; plus there is fantastic advice from renowned child psychologist Dr Amanda Gummer.

The brochure is also filled with handy tips and ideas for parents on how to help children get the most out of play. Included in the play guide are some fun game ideas, some suited to solely play and others suitable for group play, to encourage play and stimulate imagination. It also highlights way that you can incorporate Schleich's lovely toys into play.

At the moment Bug's favourite game from the brochure is 'Animal Restaurant', to see how to play it and get to know the other brilliant and fun games suggested make sure you take a look and download the brochure!

Along with the brochure, Schleich also kindly sent Bug some Schleich figures to add to his collection.

Being used to seeing giraffe's here in Pembrokeshire in close proximity to farm animals when visiting his favourite place, Folly Farm, Bug was delighted to get a giraffe friend plus a sheep and a donkey to play with.

With the high quality Schleich animal figurines Bug's imaginations has run wild as he has enjoyed playing with his new friends in many different ways.

The superbly realistic looking figures are a lovely addition to his growing collection of Schleich figures and as he loves the giraffe so much he has asked to get some more wild life animals to take part in his fun and creative play.

Schleich figures are the ideal tool for imaginative play and I love that as he enjoys playing with his animal friends he is learning without even realising, learning whilst having lots of fun! 

The figures spark his imagination and are a fantastic way to introduce learning about a variety of topics such as animals, countries, food and so much more.

Not only do we love Schleich toys for their educational value and suitability for sparking imaginative play but also because they are beautifully crafted. Each figurine has been hand painted with care to an exceptional standard. These timeless toys are also so robust that regardless of the amount of love and play they see they last so well, with them lasting Bug many years and still being as good as new for when Jelly Bean wants to let his imagination run wild with them.

The Schleich 'Educational Play The Schleich Way' brochure is a wonderful resource for informing parents of the importance of play for development and for inspiring play thanks to their game ideas. The brochure is free to download here, so take a look and enjoy the wonderful world of imaginative play with Schleich and their toys.

For more information and to view the full range of Schleich figurines and accessories visit the Schleich website. Schleich toys start at just £2.99 and are available on their website or at Smyths Toys Store UK.

* We were kindly sent these Schleich figures for the purpose of this post, but all opinions and images are my own *

Essential horse riding equipment for beginners

So you’ve decided to learn to ride a horse? Congratulations!

As any experienced rider will tell you, this is one of the most rewarding adventures you can embark on, but before you get carried away with thoughts of saddling up and galloping off into the sunset, you need to master the basics and that begins with the getting the right horse riding equipment.

These are the essential, top-to-toe items you need:

Riding Hats

This should be the very first thing on your shopping list. Children aged 14 and under are required by law to wear a riding hat when riding on a public road, but everyone, including experienced riders, is at risk of a fall or injury from impact and should wear one for any ride.