Showing posts with label Dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dogs. Show all posts
Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Halloween Pup - belated!

halloween pumpkin dog costume outfit orange green leaf hat border terrier cross poodle dog puppy pooch

halloween pumpkin dog costume outfit orange green leaf hat border terrier cross poodle dog puppy pooch

Hey guys

I realise this is a little belated and some of you won't be very interested, but for those of you that are, look at my little pumpkin on Halloween a couple of weeks ago!  Admittedly she has had the same costume since she was a puppy (she is now 5.5 years) but it still fits her (other than needing a safety pin to extend the waistband haha) and I always find it adorable.  It is always a hit when the trick or treaters come to the door.

I hope my little piece of happiness brings you a smile today :0)


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Thursday, 4 September 2014

Dogs funny reactions to going through a car wash!

Hey Guys

Check out my latest video over on my YouTube channel, it is of my beloved pooch going through the car wash with me and her cute ears circulating around picking up each different sound.  Then at the end she decides it is boring and sleeps! Haha.

Hope it is a light hearted little something to cheer up your day or make you smile.



Tuesday, 2 September 2014

Dog Life Jacket - Be Prepared!

dog life jacket swim swimming safety

Some people will probably think I'm bonkers, others will completely understand. 

We are off on a little holiday soon to France and are taking our precious pooch with us.
Much to my dismay, our girl has never swum nor ventured unto water above her knees.
I believe it will still be very warm when we go and I would like to hopefully take her on a boat trip and hopefully go swimming with her. 

I know dogs are meant to take to it straight away but I would never forgive myself if I witnessed her struggling or panicking, so to avoid these issues I have got her a life jacket! 

Does your dog use a life jacket? What are your experiences with them?




Thursday, 3 July 2014

Dog Passport - How to get one for your pooch

dog travel france europe pet passport vaccination microchip

dog travel france europe pet passport vaccination microchip

dog travel france europe pet passport vaccination microchip

Today I wanted to talk to you about dog passports and how you get one.

We are taking a driving trip later on this year to France and really wanted to take our pooch with us.  We tend to go on one small holiday a year with her, up until now it has always been to a location in the UK, however this time we are going to brave it and take la chien to la France! 

What is involved I hear you ask?  Well, thankfully the rules changed about a year ago and got a little less complicated and a little easier to follow!  All the information can be found on the Government website but I thought I would lay it out here.

For your pet to travel in Europe they must have:-
  • A pet passport
  • A microchip
  • A rabies vaccination 
  • A tapeworm treatment (for dogs only)
My dog already had a microchip, so I needed to tick the other three boxes.  I made an appointment with my pooches vets and took her in to get her paperwork.  They simply scan her microchip to check it is working, check she has a good bill of health, administer the rabies vaccination which consists of a single injection (poor girl) and fill out the passport paperwork.  Most of the time is in the paperwork. This cost be approximately £90 for the passport and rabies vaccination but I am told if you keep the passport up to date it lasts forever and she will just need rabies boosters every 3 years at a greatly reduced price.

The tapeworn treatment is the last thing I need to sort and is the one bit that scares me.  This needs to be administered to her by a vet in France no less than 24 hours before we are returning to the UK but no earlier than 5 days before we are returning to the UK.  So I must find a vets practice in France that is licenced to do pet passports as they will need to administer the tapeworm treatment and stamp her passport to show she has had it.

I am freaking out about this step a little bit but I think if I am organised and book the appointment at a licenced pet passport vet before we have even gone then nothing should go wrong.  The last thing I want in this world is to get my precious girl stuck in France for 3 months for the sake of a week holiday.  Wish me luck!

I hope this answered any little questions for someone that might be considering doing this at the moment.  That is the way the rules stand.  We are travelling via Le Shuttle (Eurotunnel) and there is a pet passport checking office that you need to go to before you check in at the terminal to leave France.  I am told it is all very well sign posted and not a problem at all.  ARGH, scared now thinking about it...breathe!

Have you taken your pet to France or abroad? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below.

Thursday, 5 June 2014

Extreme Dog Styling: Love it or loathe it?


dog doggy styling competition hershey grand expo winner hair fur dying colouring

dog doggy styling competition hershey grand expo winner hair fur dying colouring

dog doggy styling competition hershey grand expo winner hair fur dying colouring

dog doggy styling competition hershey grand expo winner hair fur dying colouring
 
dog doggy styling competition hershey grand expo winner hair fur dying colouring
 

dog doggy styling competition hershey grand expo winner hair fur dying colouring
 
 
I LOVE DOGS.  That is no secret to anyone that knows anything about me! But just how far would I be willing to go with my dogs trips to the pet parlour?
 
I'm not sure if anyone else saw it but a little while ago on Channel 4 there was a programme called "Extreme Dog Styling".  It was about an annual competition that happens in the States where people do extreme dog styling on their pooches and the best styling wins.  If you didn't see it, Google it!
 
I must say, the art that goes into the designs is incredible, and they plan out hair cuts months in advance to grow out the right sections for their intended design.
 
Now, I am not saying that I would want to walk around with my pooch looking like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle but I can certainly appreciate what these people are doing as a form of art.
 
The only thing that did concern me watching the programme is just how many hours the dogs have to spend standing on the spot, being cut, shaved, dyed, groomed, washed, hair dryed, washed, hair dryed again.  I am not an expert or a vet so I may be completely wrong but I wouldn't think it is good for their skin or fur to keep being washed and blow dryed for hours at a time.  I am sure these people are responsible and have cream for the dogs skin if this was the case.  I must admit thought, I do look at the pooches and think, what kind of life is this for them, it is very unnatural.
 
All this said, I would actually entertain having my pooches hair dyed for fun (not regularly) as I like to do things a bit different.  I look at the blue Westie and think it is funny and harmless so long as it is not dangerous for the dog.
 
Maybe something like this...
 
 
dog doggy styling competition hershey grand expo winner hair fur dying colouring
 
 
Why stop at dogs?!
 
 
dog doggy styling competition hershey grand expo winner hair fur dying colouring cat kitten
 
 
I hope you can all take this post as what it was meant to be, just a harmless bit of fun.  I do not advocate that creative doggy styling is right or wrong, just thought I would share with you some of the photos I have come across and let you know what I think in a general way.
 
As always, thanks for reading guys and I shall catch you all soon!
 

 
 
NB: All the photos I have used were found on Google and they do not belong to me.
 
 
Tuesday, 1 April 2014

How to make a fur and fleece dog / cat double snuggle sack or sleeping bag or bed

dog cat snuggle sack sleeping bag youtube tutorial how to make fur fleece double comfy bed


Hey guys

I have uploaded a new YouTube video! This time it is showing you how to make your own doggy snuggle sack / sleeping bag.  The one I make is big enough for my cat and dog to share but you can adjust the measurements I provide to make your own one possibly smaller or bigger as you need.

You can watch my YouTube tutorial by clicking here.

NB: This tutorial is a sewing tutorial.  I had to hand sew as my machine is broken but if you have a machine it will be A LOT quicker!

If you would like me to write a blog post on how I made the dog snuggle sack then please let me know in the comments below :0)


dog cat snuggle sack sleeping bag youtube tutorial how to make fur fleece double comfy bed
No guys, you are meant to be IN it, not ON it!!


 
Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Dog Games Shop Ltd - Perfect Fit Harness - Dog or Cat or even Pig!

dog games shop ltd perfect fit harness dogs cats pigs tri-paw collar lead fleece lined comfortable

dog games shop ltd perfect fit harness dogs cats pigs tri-paw collar lead fleece lined comfortable

dog games shop ltd perfect fit harness dogs cats pigs tri-paw collar lead fleece lined comfortable

dog games shop ltd perfect fit harness dogs cats pigs tri-paw collar lead fleece lined comfortable

dog games shop ltd perfect fit harness dogs cats pigs tri-paw collar lead fleece lined comfortable

dog games shop ltd perfect fit harness dogs cats pigs tri-paw collar lead fleece lined comfortable

dog games shop ltd perfect fit harness dogs cats pigs tri-paw collar lead fleece lined comfortable
 

Hey there!
 
Today’s post is a review of my pooch’s Perfect Fit Harness that I purchased from Dog Games Shop Ltd.
 
I originally discovered these harnesses and the company whilst at the “Discover Dogs” exhibition at Earls Court in November 2013.  If you live in the UK with ability to get into London, and most importantly LOVE DOGS (like I do) I would highly recommend that you get yourselves some tickets for this fantastic event which is organised by the Kennel Club.  It takes place every year in November at Earls Court, I also went in November 2011.  The exhibition consists of fundamentally 3 parts:
 
1.       Over 200 different breeds of dog all present to be petted, stroked, and you can discuss the different breeds with their owners and learn a lot! Temperaments, originally bred for what reason/job, how to find a good breeder etc. (This is personally my favourite bit!) 
2.       3 arenas with contests and shows happening throughout the weekend.  Agility, flyball, heel work to music, Metropolitan Police Dog display, Kennel Club Good Citizens Scheme etc.
3.       100’s of stalls selling everything you could ever wish for your pooch (my husband’s least favourite part!).  Leads and collars, clothing, beds, treats and food, and a HUGE amount more.
 
All in all this place is doggy heaven for me and I love it every time I go.
 
Anywho, back to the task in hand…
 
Whilst having a gander around the stalls at Discover Dogs in November I stumbled across the Dog Games Ltd stall.  Not only did they stock a fleece lined harness which I had seen on other stalls but they had a completely different style harness I had never seen before which they called the Perfect Fit Harness.
 
Sally, the designer and creator of the harness was on hand (may I add she was a lovely lady to speak to) and she demonstrated how the different pieces clipped together and how each separate piece could be purchased in a different size thus creating the perfect fit for your dog. 
 
Sally went on to explain how the harnesses were such a good snug fit they would be suitable for tri-paws which I think is an amazing achievement!  If you don’t believe me, check out their website and Facebook page for photos and videos of tri-paws running about with ease in their harnesses and them not budging a smidge.
 
I love the fleece lining as opposed to these harnesses that have bare webbing rubbing in my dogs little arm pits!  Thick fleece lining has got to be a lot more comfortable right? I know what I would choose if I had to wear it so why should we pick for our pet any different.
 
I came home without having purchased a harness as I did not know my dogs sizes by heart but was armed with some literature to read up about the harnesses more.  Sally had also advised that they would send out a free alternative size if any of the pieces didn’t fit correctly. 
 
I am soooo pleased I read the brochure I was provided with and the medical / health benefits to using a harness over a collar.  I am guilty as charged, I have usually used collars on my dog for the last 4.5 years but never ever again!  This harness will prevent choking, pain and injury to their sensitive neck and throat area, reduce anxiety and adrenaline levels which in turn should reduce pulling on lead, and enables it to put its head to the ground to stimulate its natural working and sniffing instincts for mental well-being.
 
The brochure also describes several medical conditions that can be brought on from making your dogs wear a collar and them pulling on it.  My dog can be a puller sometimes particularly when she sees a cat!  One of the conditions was common in terriers (she is a Border Terrier x Poodle) so at that point I was sold.  Why would I want her to wear anything that would cause her pain, discomfort or eventually long term medical problems.  Please order a brochure off of the website for free and read it, and hopefully you too will change your mind and stop your dog wearing a collar.
 
In addition to the health benefits the harness is also useful for the following reasons:
 
 
1.       It is easy to put on – you do not need to lift your dogs legs or put it over their head, just clip it round their body.
2.       The harness will grow with your dog.  Because this harness is designed to fit ALL shapes and sizes of dogs, it is particularly suitable for puppies and young dogs. From the age of about 5-6 months onwards the young dog can be fitted with the Top and Front pieces in the "adult" size and has a smaller Girth piece while it is young. Then when it grows older and bigger you just buy a larger adult sized Girth piece.
3.       If one part of the harness gets damaged or chewed, you can just replace the individual bits as opposed to the whole harness.
4.       They have found that this snug fitting harness can often calm down and reassure over-anxious and excitable dogs, helping them to become more confident and relaxed (apparently working like a body or comfort wraps). These harnesses have been found to be very beneficial in many rescue centres, with recently rehomed dogs, and also with dogs showing various behavioural problems.
 
5.        These harnesses are safer because the harness clips around the dog's head the neck hole can be made smaller than the dog's skull, thus preventing the dog from escaping.
The harnesses are available in lots of different colour top pieces including high visibility pieces with reflective webbing.
 
dog games shop ltd perfect fit harness dogs cats pigs tri-paw collar lead fleece lined comfortable
Photo taken from the Dog Games Shop website
dog games shop ltd perfect fit harness dogs cats pigs tri-paw collar lead fleece lined comfortable
Photo taken from the Dog Games Shop website
 
 
I would recommend that you order your harness over the phone and seek advice from the professionals.  They will just ask you your dog’s measurements and advise what harness size pieces they think you need.
 
 
For a full video demonstration of how the harness works please visit this YouTube video by clicking here.

 


I hope you found this review helpful and maybe discovered a product that will make you as happy as it has me.  The harnesses can be delivered worldwide so do not fret if you are reading from outside of the UK.  The Perfect Fit Harness is also suitable for cats and even pet pigs!

Do you use harnesses or collars for your dogs? Have you heard of this harness before? I would love to know your comments and thoughts so leave them below!
 

 
 

 

 


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