Lara’s Blog

I am super excited to announce that Pooches at Play Series 5 hits TV screens this Saturday 18 July at 2pm on Channel 10 and promises to bring much needed joy, entertainment and useful tips and advice for keeping both people and their pooches healthy and happy. In this series I provide plenty of puppy and older dog training tips and health advice for all...

You can help to raise a Guide Dog with PETstock thanks to their charity foundation, PETstock Assist. Each year the organisation aims to raise $50,000 in one month for Guide Dogs Australia to support the training that will help puppies become life changing Guide Dogs. In their most recent June campaign, with the support of customers, PETstock team members and retail partners, including ADVANCE, PAW...

Over the past few months I have been worried about the rise in opportunistic pet adoptions and ill-prepared owners getting new puppies during lockdown, potentially leading to many pets becoming a dog pound and shelter statistic. Don't get me wrong, I am over the moon so many dogs and cats have been fostered and adopted and our out of the dog pound and shelter environment....

In this Smart Pups story, we meet Valli and her autistic daughter Akira, and their adorable Smart Pups Assistance Dog Jagger, who is trained to help Akira with her autism and seizures to enhance her quality of life. Children with autism can feel safer, calmer and more understood through their bond with a Smart Pups Assistance Dog. They can increase an autistic child’s ability to...

Being an advocate for pet rescue and adoption is my passion, so when I was asked to come on board as the Ambassador for the Rescue Awards 2020, it was a no-brainer! The Jetpets Companion Animal Rescue Awards 2020 marks the third year of these awards, which help to celebrate and inspire rescue groups and animal shelters to continue their efforts in saving companion animals,...

One of my goals when creating Pooches at Play was to play a role in helping to drastically reduce the numbers of pets, dogs in particular, that end up in pounds and shelters each year.  After filming this week’s story with Dog Rescue Newcastle, my resolve is strengthened even further. When filming this story, I also visited the team at the Socares Wyong Animal Facility...

The Australian Lions Hearing Dogs, based in the Adelaide Hills, trains dogs for the hearing impaired to provide independence, security and confidence. They’re also helping save dogs’ lives, with the majority of their dogs being rescues. Whilst staying in the Adelaide Hills to film Episode 5 of our pet-friendly travel special, I visited the ‘home’ of the Lions Hearing Dogs to meet some clever rescue...

I have seen first hand the amazing role dogs can play in helping people cope with the world around them. That’s why I am honoured to be the Ambassador for the Paws4Kids matched giving day this Wednesday 22 April. This wonderful program helps to raise funds for that MacKillop Family Services Paw Pals program which is helping kids who’ve been through childhood trauma to feel...

As many of us prepare to bring out the chocolates and hot cross buns this coming Easter long weekend, don't forget to keep your pooches away from some of the toxic goodies they may be inclined to grab if they are left in easy reach. Chocolate contains both theobromine and caffeine that are toxic to dogs and it can speed up the heart rate and...

National Puppy Day is on March 23 and is a day to celebrate the magic and unconditional love that puppies bring to our lives. It's also a day to help save homeless puppies across the globe and raise awareness about the dark nature of puppy mills and backyard breeding practices by choosing to adopt not shop. Unfortunately I believe some people are still getting a...