Lifestyle

Photo by John Henderson

TRAVEL

CeleBRAtion

I HOPE, LIKE ME, YOU ENJOYED A WONDERFUL FESTIVE SEASON.

I sometimes try to explain to overseas hoteliers and tour companies what Christmas and the New Year is like for us, and how it compares to theirs. Our festive season is the culmination of so much.

The school year finishes and there are concerts to attend and reports to write (and read). Everyone tries to finish projects so that the New Year is begun with a clean slate. And because it is also our summer holiday season, those who are going away have to deal with packing the suitcase as well as buying Christmas presents, entertaining the rellies and getting ready for the back to school effort. Who can blame those wanting to escape the stress in favour of time away?

These days I spend my time planning others’ escapes. And if there is one tip I can give, it is to plan your away time early. There will always be space at the last minute, but there are good reasons to plan, if not book, as early as Feb/Mar/Apr for your year-end trip.

If you’re looking to cruise locally over Christmas or New Year, the early booker definitely catches the best rooms. Cruise lines release their programmes 18 months in advance and the organised get the rooms they want. For example, those who created families per Peter Costello’s suggestion (one for Mum, one for Dad and another for the country) will find they need two rooms unless they get in early to book one of the few two-bedroom options, allowing a 5/6 member family to not only save money, but also enjoy the added benefit of extra space.

Some cruises are regularly booked out 18-24 months in advance. These are the special journeys, typically expedition, which happen only once or twice a year and on small ships e.g. the sub-Antarctic islands or Antarctica from New Zealand. Or the limited Broome to Darwin and reverse seasonal cruises. Or those offered by companies with a policy of discounting 3040% when a programme is released, and then steadily increasing prices as the ship fills e.g. the popular French line Ponant.

Flights, unlike cruises, cannot be booked 12-18 months out, but those looking for the best prices for Christmas 2018 and New Year 2019 (scarey!) will find that there is often a second round of ‘earlybirds’ in Feb/Mar, designed primarily to fill the planes to Europe or America but advantageous when they extend to the end of the year. Register your plans with us and we’ll keep watch for you.

Sydney has become synonymous with a great place to revel on New Year’s Eve and high demand definitely dictates a higher than normal price. We find similar in New York, London, Paris, Berlin and Hong Kong so it’s a relief to be able to offer our Virtuoso rates, all of which include a great value add.

What’s not to like about complimentary lounge access when this will allow you a birds-eye view of NYE fireworks in Hong Kong? Or a room credit of USD100 for a few flutes of fine champagne in London? And a restorative breakfast plus priority access to late checkout next day so you can sleep off your partying!

Of course, some celebrations should be booked well in advance. Are you looking to charter a small ship for that special birthday or anniversary, or take up all of the rooms in a particular resort? Then you need to be planning 12-18 months out, even if bookings are not yet open. The extra time spent planning your celebration will be well worth it – and you’ll find we can add plentiful suggestions to make your event fabulous. Having someone you can turn it over to is not only a great relief, but will also minimise the politicking or grandstanding by certain family members. You’ve heard the phrase “the computer says no”? Well, we become the computer that says no, or yes, or maybe, thus relieving you of all of the organisation hassles.

Celebrations – Christmas in London, New Year in Vienna, your 60th in New York, the family summer holiday onboard a cruise ship plying the Pacific - or whatever excuse you have for a party or holiday - are memory making events. Seize the opportunity to create your celebration now, have something to look forward to and then look back on. Let us use our expertise to help you... we do it all the time.

Welcome to 2018 and we wish you a happy and healthy year ahead.

TRAVEL Adrienne Witteman, Managing Director, Trendsetter Travel & Cruise Centre.

DOGGY DIETS

What should I be feeding my dog?

There are so many opinions about what you should and shouldn’t feed your dog. The truth is there are many available options and pet owners need to make an informed decision based on their own time allowances, budget and your dog’s general health and wellbeing.

Is it necessary to cook my dog’s food?

This is simply not possible for many households, where the main focus is providing food for their families. In truth, your dog would probably prefer you spent any spare time playing or walking with them! On the other hand, if you prefer to cook your dog’s food, then that’s great - just remember that dogs don’t tolerate fat very well, so frying or using a lot of cooking oil should be avoided.

If I want to cook my dog’s food, how can I be certain it is balanced?

For an adult dog in good health, a mix of good quality lean meat, a variety of vegetables and some steamed rice is probably sufficient. Ask your vet about your dog’s body condition to give you a guide about how much you need to feed.

There are some excellent paid consultancy services that can design a diet for your dog’s individual requirements. An example is www.balanceit.com

There is also a vet nutrition specialist, Dr Nick Cave at Massey University, who is able to design home cooked diets which is great for fussy dogs with chronic health problems. Speak to your vet for details.

Is there a difference between cheaper supermarket and premium brands?

I can usually tell from a dog’s body condition and hair coat whether they have been fed a cheap brand of dog food. Generally these diets have more ‘filler’ and poorer quality protein. As a result, the dogs do many more poos as you need to feed more of the cheaper food to reach their daily requirements.

In comparison, premium dry foods are balanced and complete, with companies spending a lot of money on R&D to ensure they are producing a good quality product.

Professional grooming FOR DOGS AND CATS

DOG GROOMING: CAT GROOMING:

All breeds of dogs are bathed and clipped by our highly trained groomers.

Professionally groomed by Jenny Kent. The owner staying with the cat, completed within 30 minutes with no sedation.

Providing a friendly, professional and compassionate service.

My four favourite premium brands are Royal Canin, Hills Science Diet, Eukanuba and Advance.

How many times a day should I feed my dog?

My preference is three times a day for puppies up to 12 weeks of age, then twice a day for life. For overweight dogs, feeding once a day can slow down their metabolism, so feed smaller twice daily meals and look at the total caloric intake.

Is it safe to feed raw food to my dog?

A very controversial topic! I have seen some nasty Salmonella poisonings from raw meat feeding and this can be transmitted to humans. While dogs may be able to handle raw meat, we can put ourselves at risk by having it in their food bowl, particularly chicken.

In domestic dogs, I tend to recommend cooked over raw meat for hygiene purposes. Dogs on immunosuppressive therapy should never be fed raw meat.

Is pet-grade meat safe for my dog?

Human-grade lean meat is preferred. The risk of sulphite preservatives in pet grade meat can cause thiamine deficiency, but it can be used safely on alternate days.

Do puppies have special requirements during their growth?

A balanced diet is not always easy to achieve for fast growing large breed puppies, so for the first 12 months I would always recommend supplementing a home cooked meal with a premium puppy dry food (at least 70% dry, 30% cooked).

For growing puppies in the first 12 months of life, it can be tricky getting the calcium/ phosphorus ratio correct as they grow so much faster than humans and supplementing will be required. I do not endorse a sole home-cooked diet for puppies, as serious deficiencies can develop that affect their bones and growth (such as rickets).

I am also suspicious of dry food brands which have a general puppy diet for all breeds of dog. The growth requirements for a small breed compared to a large breed are very different and their puppy diets should reflect this.

Should I be feeding bones to my dog?

I don’t recommend feeding bones because of the risks of complication from fracturing teeth. Eventually, a painful tooth root abscess develops – ouch! I have also had many cases of constipation, pancreatitis and oesophageal foreign bodies after bones were fed.

To keep your pet’s teeth healthy, offer chew alternatives such as Dentastix and Greenies. There are also dental diets which have a much larger, firmer biscuit to encourage more chewing. You can even brush your pet’s teeth – just ask your vet!

What human foods are poisonous for dogs?

Chocolate, onions, Macadamia nuts, and grapes/ sultanas/raisins.

Dr Gretta Howard. Veterinarian Twitter: @ DrGrettaVet