Pets Natural Health Store

25/05/2026

23/05/2026

🥕🥑🍅🍎🍊🍰
Bridgetown River Park Markets Sunday 23rd 8 am – 12pm
Come down, great range of stalls, fresh vegetables, fruit, eggs, honey, food, homemade, jams & pickles, Mandy’s beautiful beanies.
Great news for Pet lover’s, Locally Processed, Smith & Co Pet Food available from Pets Natural Health Store 🐕🐈‍⬛🐓🐴
Beef & Roo mince $8 kg. Beef & Roo Vege. mince $9 kg.
Single-protein minced meat with no additives or fillers. Ideal as a base for raw feeders or dogs with sensitivities. Vegetables are home-grown and spray-free

21/05/2026

Meanwhile in Australia 🇦🇺

21/05/2026

🍎🥕 THE 10 BEST FRUITS & VEGETABLES TO SHARE WITH YOUR DOG 🫐🥦

While dogs are biologically designed to thrive on animal-based nutrition, certain fresh fruits & vegetables can provide excellent additional nutrients, antioxidants, fibre & phytonutrients when fed appropriately & in moderation.

The key is understanding that these foods should complement a species-appropriate diet - not replace it.

Here are 10 of my favourite fresh additions to share with dogs & why they can be beneficial:

🥦 1. BROCCOLI
Rich in antioxidants, fibre, vitamin C & sulforaphane --- a powerful plant compound studied for its anti-inflammatory & detoxification-supportive effects.

Broccoli also supports gut health & beneficial bacteria within the digestive tract.

🥕 2. CARROT
Excellent for:
• beta carotene
• eye health
• immune support
• natural fibre

Raw carrots can also provide a satisfying crunch for some dogs while being far lower calorie than processed treats.

🫐 3. BLUEBERRIES
Tiny nutritional powerhouses packed with antioxidants called anthocyanins, which help combat oxidative stress & cellular damage.

Blueberries are particularly supportive for:
• brain health
• ageing dogs
• immune function
• inflammation reduction

🍎 4. APPLE (WITHOUT SEEDS)
Apples provide:
• fibre
• vitamin C
• hydration
• natural plant antioxidants

The seeds should always be removed due to cyanogenic compounds.

🍉 5. WATERMELON (NO SEEDS OR RIND)
Fantastic for hydration during warmer weather.

Watermelon contains:
• potassium
• lycopene
• vitamin A
• vitamin C

Low calorie & refreshing for many dogs.

🥬 6. SPINACH
Contains iron, magnesium, folate & chlorophyll along with various antioxidants that support cellular health.

Like many leafy greens, spinach is best fed in moderation rather than excessively.

🎃 7. PUMPKIN
One of the best natural digestive supports.

Pumpkin is rich in soluble fibre & can help support healthy stools during both constipation & mild digestive upset.

Excellent for gut health.

🍓 8. STRAWBERRIES
Contain antioxidants, fibre & vitamin C.

They are also lower in sugar than many fruits, making them a reasonable occasional treat option when fed in moderation.

🥒 9. CUCUMBER
Low calorie, hydrating & gentle on the digestive system.

A great crunchy snack option, especially for dogs needing weight management.

🍌 10. BANANA
Provides:
• potassium
• magnesium
• vitamin B6
• natural energy

Best fed occasionally due to higher natural sugar content, but excellent as a training treat or enrichment addition.

A few important reminders ⚠️

🐾 Fruits & vegetables should only form a small portion of the diet
🐾 Animal proteins, organs & healthy fats should remain the nutritional foundation
🐾 Introduce new foods gradually
🐾 Always feed plain - no seasoning, sauces, garlic, onion or artificial sweeteners
🐾 Some foods are toxic to dogs, including grapes, raisins, onion, garlic, avocado pits & macadamias

Fresh whole foods can provide wonderful nutritional enrichment when used thoughtfully. I always prefer real foods with genuine biological value over ultra-processed commercial treats loaded with starches, sugars, dyes & preservatives.

At Emerald Park Border Collies, I believe nutrition should nourish the body, support long-term health & work with canine biology ..... not against it. 🐾

- Donna Williams,
Emerald Park Border Collies.
www.emeraldparkbc.com

"Making life better
- one dog at a time!"

17/05/2026

Once organic “food” was just food 🍱

17/05/2026

Love

17/05/2026

LISTEN TO THE WHISPERS

“Whispers” are soft, subtle and so easy to miss, but paying attention can prevent them turning into “shouts” and prevent situations from escalating.

I believe dogs would be so grateful if we made the effort to learn their language. So many dogs spend their lives trying to communicate through “whispers” - subtle signals that are overlooked, misunderstood, or corrected. When we learn to notice those signals, we create a world that feels safer and more predictable for them.

Body language is one of the only ways that dogs can let us know how they are feeling. When we know how they’re feeling, we can intervene, help them feel safe and prevent emotions from boiling over.

Body language can be subtle and fleeting, but with careful observation and knowing what to look for most of us can learn to recognize and understand what our dogs are saying.

It’s always important to look at the context, the situation and especially what the rest of the body is doing when understanding their language.

Being able to understand a dog’s emotional state through their body language helps us to predict behaviour, prevent potential problems or simply allows us to just enjoy observing what they are feeling.

Although dogs each have their own unique personalities and distinct way of communicating, there are many common signs that can provide valuable insight. We just need to take the time to learn and notice.

We owe it to dogs to really understand them. They spend their lives learning our words, our routines, our expectations and living by our rules. Making the effort to learn their language is one of the most meaningful ways we can improve their wellbeing.

Here are some links for more information about body language –

Preventative Vet:
https://www.preventivevet.com/dog-training-recommended-resources-dog-body-language-decoders

Rescued by Training - Introduction to Dog Body Language and Communication:
https://rescuedbytraining.com/product/intro-dog-communication/

Doggie Language by Lili Chin:
https://academics.lmu.edu/media/lmuacademics/cures/urbanecolab/module09/Dog%20Body%20Language.pdf

Canine communication: recognizing stress in your dog
https://bit.ly/4309ykr

Eileen Anderson
https://eileenanddogs.com/dog-body-language/

11/05/2026

REDEFINING REACTIVITY

Reactivity is a complex topic that requires an individual approach for each dog and their specific circumstances. But the underlying driver is often the same — it’s an emotional response.

Trying to “fix” it through obedience training, corrections, or punishment-based methods focuses on what a dog does, instead of how a dog feels. It doesn’t address the root of the problem—and often creates new ones.

Reactivity can quickly become self-reinforcing because it works. When the trigger moves away, the dog experiences relief—and that emotional shift strengthens the response. The more it’s repeated, the more it becomes a default or a habitual behaviour.

Changing an emotional response is not a quick fix. Real change takes time, patience, understanding, and consistent practice.

Behaviour is the symptom. Emotion is the cause. Work on changing that emotion and the behaviour will follow.

Understanding that behaviour is driven by emotion, should change how we respond to our dogs. They’re not being difficult—they’re struggling.

Looking at reactivity from this perspective should encourage us to be more empathetic and understand that we need to support them rather than control them.