Cats have been around for thousands of years and many people claim they are THE superior choice when it comes to choosing a pet. Cats have a natural ability to rule the house, and almost treat you as their pet, rather than the other way round. If you are looking for a cat as a companion, here’s our breakdown of the most popular breeds:

One of the most popular is the Siamese, or the Thailand Cat. These cats have ocean blue eyes, and signature dark markings on their paws, face and tail. They are very intelligent and curious, and you may find they will learn how to open cupboard doors and drawers! If you love a busy cat that will be endlessly curious about what you are doing and everything in your house, this is the cat for you.

Maine Coon

The Maine Coon is one of the larger cat breeds, but is a gentle giant. They are very affectionate, but aren’t lap cats and like their independence. They are great hunters, are very playful, easy going and relaxed.

The Bengal has signature markings similar to that of a leopard and tiger combined. Bengal’s look like they belong in a jungle more than a home, but they are great pets. They are very athletic and need lots of exercise to stay happy and healthy. They are very alert, talkative, sociable and confident cats.

The American Shorthair is often mistaken for other mixed breed domestic cats, but it’s a pure breed. They have short hair, round faces and short ears. Known for being very friendly and tolerant of other pets, these cats make a great family pet.

Ragdoll

The Ragdoll is another favourite. It is a docile, calm cat that has a beautiful coat and blue eyes. Its named due to the nature of flopping like a ragdoll when being carried. Ragdoll’s have a very affectionate nature, and will love to snuggle in bed or on the sofa with you.

The Tabby or Moggie has a distinctive ‘M’ marking on their forehead. The Tabby is a short haired cat that does not shed a lot. This breed has many different colours and patterns, and equally diverse personalities. They are well domesticated making them easy going, playful and fun.

Abyssinian

The Abyssinian is an energetic, agile cat. They are curious, playful and highly intelligent cats. Abyssinian’s love the company of others and thrive on human companionship being very loyal and loving to their owners.

The Burmese is a gentle natured cat with stunning looks. These cats are very friendly, and love the company of others. They cannot resist being part of the action and conversation, and enjoy a household with lots of attention and love.

The Persian is a medium sized cat, which is the cat to get if you want a laidback pet. They are not very active, tending to be a bit lazy but have sweet, calm and loving personalities. Persian’s have long coats, and require a lot of grooming, but the Persian will lap up the attention and return it to back to you.

British Shorthair

The British Shorthair is a powerful cat with a solid appearance. They are among the most placid of cats and are extremely patient.  A common feature of this breed is the almost constant smile on their face. British Shorthair’s are great family cats that do not constantly demand human attention, but are admired for their cuddly and loving nature.

The post What are the most popular Cat Breeds for 2021? appeared first on Pet Manager.

Dog ownership has sky rocketed since the pandemic began in 2020. Having a source of joy for you or your family is so important at a time like this. Surprisingly though, some of the dogs that are very popular at the moment weren’t so popular several years ago. So lets take a look at some of the most popular breeds for 2021. You may even find one that you love and jump onboard as a dog owner!

Over the last few years there has been a shift in the most popular breeds, and mixed or cross breeds, in particular ‘oodles’ (dog breeds mixed with poodles), have climbed to take out the usual favourites. These newer designer breeds such as Cavoodles, Labradoodles and Spoodles are quickly becoming the most popular dog breeds.

These breeds have so many good characteristics: a lovable nature, designer ‘teddy bear’ look and the attraction of having a non-shedding or hypoallergenic dog.

So which ‘Oodle’s take out the top spots?

Cavoodle

The Cavoodle (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel x Poodle) is one of the most popular of the ‘oodles’. It was first bred in the 1990s and has been growing in popularity ever since. A small dog, with a gentle nature this dog makes a fantastic family companion known for being playful, affectionate and great with kids. They do well in apartments and small homes as long as they get daily exercise.

Labradoodle

The Labradoodle (Labrador Retriever x Poodle) is another very popular medium sized ‘oodle’. They are very friendly and are known for being gentle with children, hence being great family pets! They can be boisterous as puppies, and will benefit from training early. Daily exercise is a must for this dog and they enjoy socialising with other dogs.

The Spoodle (Cocker Spaniel x Poodle) is a small ‘oodle’ which is another great family dog. They are very sociable and affectionate. Easily adapting to small homes or apartment living, as long as they receive daily exercise. They are highly intelligent, as are the majority of ‘oodle’s, and they have a high eagerness to please, making them easy to train.

Other popular dog breeds

If you’re not looking for an ‘oodle’ then other popular breeds for 2021 include the following:

The Golden Retriever is a favourite around the world, with a sweet and social nature which makes them the perfect family pet. They love to be involved in all family matters, whether indoors or outdoors, and have an intense desire to please.

French Bulldog

The French Bulldog or Frenchie is a compact and muscular breed which is playful and affectionate. They are lively, and are known for their very comical personality. Frenchie’s are easy-going, and another breed that has seen a rise in popularity recently.

The Australian Shepherd despite its name, is actually not Australian but is another popular dog breed. They are medium sized working dogs, with a strong herding instinct. It is recommended to train and socialise them early, as they need something to do, and without a purpose in life they can become bored and destructive.  They are best in well-fenced yards, and make good family dogs as they are good protectors.

The Border Collie is known for its intelligence, perceptiveness and stubbornness, and is ideal for working and training. Border Collies can form very close bonds with their owner and family, but need plenty of time and exercise. They are devoted, determined and brave, but if not occupied can be very mischievous.

The German Shepherd is a large and loveable breed which is intelligent and easily trained. They form close bonds with their owners, and will want to be with them as much as possible. Loyalty and guarding are second nature to German Shepherds, and they are often chosen for tracking, rescue or personal protection work.

Pomeranian

The Pomeranian is a small and active toy dog, known for its ego. Looking like miniature foxes, they sparkle with character and friendliness. They are great family dogs, very loyal and energetic and make excellent guard dogs as they are very vocal.

The Pug is the other toy breed that is increasingly popular over the last few years. They are well known for their blunt noses, large eyes, wrinkly squashed face and tightly curled tail. Loyal, loving and affectionate Pugs are ideal family pets. They are rambunctious and playful dogs, sure to keep you laughing!

Did you find something that you liked from the list? If not there are hundreds of other breeds to choose from. One thing is certain though, a dog will certainly be a great companion through good times and bad!

The post What are the most popular dog breeds for 2021? appeared first on Pet Manager.

Welcome to the first major update for June 2019!

This update includes a new Pet Friendly loading icon when you are loading data and reports. What do you think..? We love it!

Drag & Drop Bookings on the Scheduler

The most highly voted for new feature for Pet Manager in the last months has been to be able to Drag & Drop Bookings.

Well we have made that a reality! You can now drag & drop bookings vertically between pens on the scheduler.

Please note: You can only drag vertically and change the pen, you cannot change the dates of the booking by dragging horizontally.

To use this functionality, simply open the Booking scheduler, hold the mouse clicked on the booking you wish to adjust, and move the mouse until the booking appears in the desired pen.

Pricing may be recalculated if you drop into a pen with a different price. In this case, click on the booking to see the new charges and consolidate if required.

GDPR (EU Requirements)

As Pet Manager will be expanding into the UK in the coming months, we have built in some aspects of our program to meet GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Requirements in the EU (European Union).

The GDPR is focused on improving the privacy, security and transparency of handling personal data online. You can read more about the GDPR and the specific requirements here: https://gdpr-info.eu/

Here’s a brief outline of the changes to Pet Manager for GDPR.

• New GDPR Export action in Edit Customer dropdown on Customer view
  • This action will download a PDF with the customer data and their booking history. Pets, invoices, payments and booking notes are not shown.
• New GDPR Remove action in Edit Customer dropdown on Customer view
  • This action will remove/redact all personal information on the customer including name, email, phone, address and all customer and booking notes.
    Non identifiable information including pets, bookings, invoices and payments are left untouched.
  • Once a customer has been GDPR removed, it is marked inactive and can no longer be edited, or have any bookings created on it.
• New “Consent To Contact” field on Customer
  • This checkbox will be enabled by default on all existing/new customers.
  • It is enabled by default in the Remote Booking widget, but can be toggled off from there.
  • Customers who don’t consent to contact will show a warning on Customer view and Booking view.
  • E-Mails/SMS can not be sent to customers who don’t consent to contact using the system, including automated E-Mails.
  • Customers who don’t consent to contact will also not appear on Mail List export or for Mailchimp Export.

If you are a UK customer and want to trial our awesome Pet Boarding Software then fill out the form our this page and let’s get started!

The post Pet Manager June 2019 Update 1 – Drag & Drop Bookings on Scheduler – GDPR Changes & Cat Spinner! appeared first on Pet Manager.

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What is Canine Cough or Kennel Cough?

Canine cough (or Kennel Cough) is a highly contagious condition that inflames the upper respiratory system of dogs. It can be caused by a bacterial infection or a virus. The main symptoms are a “honking” type cough often followed by gagging. Although not normally deadly, it is a common ailment that requires disease prevention strategies and awareness.

Canine Cough is easily transmitted via the air wherever infected animals are in close contact with other animals such as kennels, dog parks, dog shows and training classes.

How Can I Help Prevent Canine Cough?

If your dog is going to be in contact with other dogs in an environment like this it is best that your dog is immunized against the prevalent strains of the disease Bacterial – (Bordetella bronchiseptica) and Viral – Parainfluenza. In fact, most pet boarding facilities in Australia require an up-to-date vaccination before they will allow your animal to check in. Nothing could be worse that arriving at a facility on your way to the airport and finding that they won’t take your precious pet!

Many kennels in Australia will require a current C5 vaccination or a C3 vaccination + a Canine Cough booster, usually dispensed every 12 months. The complete C5 vaccination covers all the potentially deadly Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Bordetella bronchiseptica. Please check with your chosen Kennel as to their specific requirement to make sure your pet has the required immunization.

Be aware that vaccination just as in humans with flu vaccines does not mean that your pet is completely protected. There are many strains of the virus and if your animal has an immune deficiency they may be more prone to disease in general. There are no kennels that guarantee that kennel cough does not exist in their facility as no amount of supervision or highest level of hygiene practices can completely eliminate the presence of Canine Cough.

How Do Kennels Deal with Canine Cough?

If Canine Cough is detected at a pet boarding facility the standard procedure for Pet Boarding facilities is to segregate the animal to lower the risk of transmission of the disease. They will also treat the animal to make sure they are comfortable and in a low stress environment. Be aware that you as the Pet owner would be responsible for an Veterinary expenses incurred by the kennel should your dog be require treatment for canine cough whilst at the facility.

Kennels also play their part in reducing the risks of Canine Cough infection. By requiring up-to-date vaccinations prior to check-in, they can maintain a good preventative baseline for all the animals under their care. Many Pet Resorts use Kennel Software such as Pet Manager to simply maintain and alert when a customer’s vaccination records are not up-to-date. They also keep their kennels clean with scheduled cleaning rosters. Some also regularly spray with Veterinary disinfectant to more effectively control causes of disease such as bacteria, viruses, fungus and spores.

What To Do if Your Animal Shows Symptoms of Canine Cough.

Symptoms of Canine Cough can take up to 7 days to appear. So if you pet shows any signs of Canine Cough after staying at a Pet Boarding facility, make sure that he/she gets plenty of rest and is well hydrated. If the symptoms persist or your pet becomes lethargic then don’t risk it and take them straight to the vet.

The post What You Need to Know About Canine Cough (Kennel Cough) When Boarding Your Pet appeared first on Pet Manager.

Well when it comes to choosing the perfect holiday destination for your pet you might find yourself scratching your head for a second time.

Yes – Dogs and Cats now get their own Pet Resorts, Bed & Breakfasts, Doggie Spas of course traditional Pet Boarding. No matter what you select there are many important considerations when making your decision. So here is a short list of 5 things to look for when selecting the perfect Pet Resort for your pet.

1. Quality & Number of Staff

It is vitally important that Staff at the facility you select are properly trained. Not only in customer service but more importantly that they are well trained and experienced in animal behaviour and animal care. Experienced staff can communicate well with the animals and know how to deal with potential problems before they arise such as recognizing behaviour problems and agression. Depending on the size of the facility there may be senior and junior staff. It is important that the Kennel or Cattery has experienced staff as the Senior members of the team as in any effective business. Another consideration here is the ratio of staff to animals. There is no golden number here for the ratio but there should certainly be enough staff to provide all of the animals with the care they need and deserve. We suggest you visit the Kennel or Cattery and chat to the staff about the culture and training while touring the facility.

2. Cleanliness

A clean home is a happy one and the same applies to Kennels and Catteries. The Pet Resort you select should be noticeably clean and nice smelling. Proper sanitation procedures prevents the spread of contagious diseases and with a quite a few animals in a smaller area this becomes very important. Regular removal of fecal matter from all kennels, suites, private rooms and runs is an important factor here. Again an inspection of the facilities you are considering is the best way to confirm the cleanliness of your chosen Pet Accommodation.

3. Exercise Options

You know it yourself – if you are cooped up in an office all day you just don’t feel your best. Even a short jog or 30 minutes at the gym can change your day. Young animals in particular can be balls of energy and they need an outlet in order to stay happy during this period of time in an environment they may not be accustomed to. Having a good size grassy run for dogs is very important. Most dogs relish the chance to run and socialise with other dogs. Cats are more content with smaller spaces but they still benefit from a good size area to explore. A pet boarding facility with good outdoor areas (and maybe even a pool!) could be a great choice.

3. Location

Would you like the beachfront suite or the garden villa madame? Pet Boarding facilities (and particularly Kennels) are often away from built up areas simply due to the noise created by having numerous animals housed together. Therefore you may find that you have to drive a short way to get to your nearest facility. This is not a bad thing because often times it also means your pet has more room to run in open space and can enjoy clean air and a relaxed environment. Also consider that if you are in a more built up area then there are probably several options within a 10-20km radius. Take a look in google at the surrounding suburbs or maybe your area e.g. North Side Brisbane. You could even choose a resort that is location along the way from your home to the airport. Your pet will simply love the fact that you spent hours finding the perfect holiday accommodation for them!

5. Reviews & Word of Mouth

Nothing makes a pet resort more appealing that a whole bunch of customers waxing lyrical about their pet’s wonderful boarding experience. Throw in a few five star ratings and it looks even better. These ratings could be on the Pet Resort’s website or even better – on Facebook or on their Google Business Page. Well actually, there is one thing that would be more appealing and that is a recommendation from a friend, relative or work colleague. If it is someone you know you can trust and they simply love the a certain resort then you should certainly consider that option.

Well that a wrap. These 5 things to consider are pretty intuitive and you were probably groaning the whole way through. If that is the case then you are certain to find the perfect Pet Resort this holiday season!

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No.

So here it is Pet Resort Managers and Owners – 7 Top Tips for Creating an Awesome Social Media presence on Facebook for your Pet Resort.

Most customers expect you as a Pet Resort to have a Facebook account to allow customer contact and to provide updates on your services and the Pets in your care at the moment. This short guide will provide you with the basics to get you started on the road to a great Facebook Page with a sizeable Facebook following…

1. Create a quality logo and background photo

It may seem small but your logo image is very important.

It not only shows on your page but everywhere you post throughout Facebook. Make sure you use an image that can be read when it is small. The important thing here is that the image must be square in shape to take advantage of the full space available. We suggest you look at www.canva.com if you want a free way to make your logo into the correct shape for Facebook. it is an online program for digital image editing and is very easy to use.

With the background image – again, it is important to get the image in the correct size. What works well here is an image that sums up your business – maybe a photo of your grounds with some dogs playing or possibly a montage of a few images together. Overlay this image with your logo to promote your brand when customers visit your page. To lay this out we recommend you look at Canva Facebook Cover Creator.

2) Build Your Reviews

If you are providing a great service and your customers are happy then give them an easy way to express themselves.

It has been proven in studies that potential customers do take notice when other customers provide positive (or negative) reviews. Reviews show on your business page and provide a star rating which is a very visual representation of the quality of your business. There are several ways to request a review…

1. Go onto Facebook and post a message to your individual regular customers asking if they can leave a review for you on your page.
2. Give your customers a with compliments slip when they check out with details requesting they leave you a review
3. Use an automatic email to send customers a thank you on checkout. In this email, request a review and provide a link to make it simple. Pet Manager Kennel Software and Cattery Software has this functionality built it. The email will be sent automatically and you can just watch your reviews grow.

3) Post Regularly

There is nothing worse than visiting a page an seeing tumbleweeds roll past since the last post over a year ago.

To keep your readers engaged it is important to post to your Facebook page regularly.

By regular posts we mean at least once every couple of days. You will find you will get more comments and likes because you are engaging more with your clients

4) Post Quality Content

Pet resorts really have it lucky in this department. You have a never ending supply of quality content that is ever changing.

What is this content? Why the animals under your care of course. Every day there is a new star of your Facebook page. Beautiful dogs and cats playing and having fun on their holidays. Make the most of this.

Post photos of these pets – close ups are great as are action shots and animals interacting with other animals and with your staff.

5) Post Photo Montages/Collages

Some Pet Resorts already excel at facebook and one of their secrets to an engaging page is photo collage.

They take a group of photos of pets and make them into a single image that is easily viewed on Facebook.

Here are a few Kennels and Catteries that are managing Facebook well and have a good number of followers as a result (disclaimer – we don’t have any affiliation with these resorts):

• The Pet Resort
• Sydney Pet Boarding
• AAA Pet Motel

Collages work great because they show a bunch of emotions in a small space. Often times it is to focus on a particular pet or a couple of pets and shows their day at the pet resort. These never get old so post them often. Below is an example of a collage made in Canva using images that we uploaded into the system.

Another way to get a montage or collage effect is to upload multiple photos at once to facebook. These will go up as a mini album and will show in a group which is a great effect too. In this scenario each image can be viewed large.

6) Respond Quickly When Clients Post to Your Page

Nothing says customer service than a fast and friendly response to posts to the Facebook Page for your Kennel or Cattery.

These posts could be booking enquiries for your Pet Resort. They are also often the owners of pets under your care enquiring for things like; “Has Princess eaten all her chicken today. i am a little worried.” or “Just Checking in to Check that Bronte and Belle have settled in ok?“. A fast response will ensure peace of mind for your clients, will allow them to get on with their holiday and will surely help them recommend your services to their friends.

7) Build Your Likes

There is no point spending time each day posting great photos and content to an empty room.

You certainly need to constantly build your likes. Just like the reviews suggestion above, it is very important to try and get your clients to ‘like’ your page so they become part of your audience. The best way to do this is to use software like Pet Manager – Pet Boarding Software which can include a call to action to ask them to like your page. You could do this on checkin/checkout or even when they book. You could even suggest if they like your page they might see their Pet’s playtime on Facebook!

The way facebook works now, not everyone who likes your page will see everything you post in their feed, but this way there is a bigger pool of people who might see what you write.

Another way to build your likes is to take on some Facebook advertising. This can be highly targeted to just people in the local region that you service. They will see an advert for your business in their feed and are asked to like your page. This is a great way to build an audience initially. If your pages has less than 1,000 likes I would highly suggest this. You can access the Facebook ad manager through the Promote link in the top-right corner. The option you want to use is “Manage your Page Promotion”.

That’s a Wrap (for now)

I hope this has been a useful few tips for your Pet Resort.

Remember Social Media is very important for businesses like yours. You are customer facing and need to keep up with how they connect and communicate. If you can do Social Media well you will find the benefits are very rewarding in terms of customer relations and business growth. If you have any additional tips let us know what has worked for you below!

The post 7 Top Tips to Build an Awesome Facebook Page for your Pet Resort, Kennel or Cattery appeared first on Pet Manager.

You have a very busy day ahead, there are customers lining up out the door with their dogs and cats waiting to check in and suddenly there is a glitch with the Pet Resort Software you are using.

“Damn!” you think. “It is going to take until tomorrow morning to get this fixed! I just can’t afford that time right now.”

The Problem

Until now most Software for Pet Resorts has been written for and is supported out of the USA or UK. If you try to call from Australia – of course they are asleep! To get through you will have to call in the night here. Well what about email? You may experience a similar issue – replies to your support requests can take overnight. So what if they need to remote into your computer to fix something or assist you? Do you want to stay back late at work?

If you have been running a Kennel or Cattery for quite a few years you may have come across another problem. Traditionally Pet Resort Software has been installed locally on your office computer and possibly shared to other computers on your network. With Installed Software like this have you ever had issues after your Windows or Mac Computer updated overnight? What about when the software or database had to be updated? The problem here is that your computer is always different to those owned by other Pet Resorts. With installed software there is no control on how to run the software in the ideal environment.

What about backups? They are really important with locally installed software. If you run software like this you will know the added pain in remembering to backup your data everyday and taking it off-site in your handbag or case.

Thankfully there is a much better way.

The Solution

A better solution to supporting your Kennel or Cattery would be to select or move to Software that has been designed, developed and supported in Australia. You need to be able to call during Australian Eastern Standard Time with your support question or request and get a Support Representative on the other end of the phone. You want an Australian person to reply to your email request quickly and efficiently.

Imagine that issue in the first paragraph. If you have someone supporting you and getting your issue solved then you can quickly check in those customers that are waiting and maintain your awesome customer service record!

So what about the problem with locally installed software. How is that problem solved? Well Modern Software is now using all the benefits that the Internet brings. Instead of installing and running the software on your computer, you simply open your web browser and login!

Every time you login there may be new features available without having to do anything! The software now runs on a managed server. Backups and data protection are all taken care for you so you save that time out of your day immediately.

Any Recommendations?

Pet Manager has been built to solve these issues. Pet Manager has been built in and is supported from Queensland, Australia. You can actually call Pet Manager Support (07 5446 5701) when you need them! Send through an email and get a snappy response.

Pet Manager is Modern Software that will work in any browser including on your Android Phone, Windows Phone or Apple iPhone, Android Tablet, Windows Tablet or Surface or Apple iPad as well as any type of computer with a modern browser. If you have Safari, Firefox, Chrome or other popular browsers, you can use Pet Manager.

Backups are all automatic and handled for you – forget trying to remember to backup at the end of the day. Your data is encrypted and made secure and your important data is hosted in Australia.

If you are a Pet Resort Manager and are looking for a solution – have a look at Pet Manager.

It was purpose made for your Pet Resort – Modern, beautiful and functional.

Try a 60 day no obligation trial and see for yourself!

The post What are the Benefits of Modern Pet Boarding Software for Australia and New Zealand? appeared first on Pet Manager.