Tuesday 28 February 2012

Jaws- the update

A couple of weeks ago we bought Jaws, our little catfish, to help with our issue of algae in the fish tank. I cannot believe the wonders Jaws has done! I have no idea how he manages to get into all the corners of the tank but it now looks spotless. We were a little concerned that he might munch on our little guppies but they don't swim near each other at all; Jaws stays at the sides and bottom, the guppies swim around the middle bubble tube.

One thing I have noticed is how big he has grown! The lady at Jumanji reassured us that we could bring him back if he grew gigantic but she said he shouldn't grow that big at all as he is the smaller pleco species. Either way Cassie loves watching them and so do I :)




Cavaliers- Pedigree Dogs Exposed: 3 years on

Last night Pedigree Dogs Exposed aired a review of any changes made in the three years since they first showed what really was happening at Crufts. I think the fact that the RSPCA and Dogs Trust pulled out of sponsoring Crufts really shows how bad things have really gotten for a number of breeds in England because of the guidelines of what a breed 'should' look like. By the end of the programme I was speechless.

One breed mentioned was the Cavalier King Charles, which some have now branded as 'doomed' due to the amount of Cavaliers possessing certain medical problems such as heart murmurs and Syringomyelia (SM). As an owner of a Cavalier I was both angered and deeply upset by a number of stories, such as one Cavalier (who had actually won a number of awards at Crufts) had sired HUNDREDS of litters with the owner having the knowledge that their dog suffered from SM.

Dalmatians are known to suffer from a severe problem where they cannot break down uric acid, which eventually would cause their bladder to rupture if it could not be unblocked. A solution has been found for dalmatians which have been breed with Pointers to eliminate this issue. There is some hope for Cavaliers though, the kennel club will be launching MRI screening for SM, where those looking for a Cavalier puppy can check to see if their parents have been screened and what the result of the screening showed.

It doesn't take a degree to realise reducing genetic diversity causes a whole array of problems. The thought that the Cavalier King Charles may not be here for generations to come to enjoy with their amazing temperament and beautiful nature is heartbreaking.


For the full episode see:

Check out the official blog here:


Monday 27 February 2012

Monday Mischief

Apparently mummy is really tired today because they had to go on a trip far away, so they decided to get a take away which they won't share with me!

But if I move real slow and just lift this bit up just to have a sniff she won't mind... shhh!!!



Morgana
xxx      


Sunday 26 February 2012

The park, jack russell and chair

As it was such a lovely day today we took the girls to the bigger park. Cassie absolutely loves this park because it has a little runway, she does look like she is about to take off with her ears when she is running which always has me laughing.

It was such a lovely day at the park but unfortunately for Morgana there were grey hounds around. This meant that Morgana couldn't really run with Cassie because grey hounds seem to think that Morgana is a rabbit! Once a grey hound did manage to chase Morgana but amazingly she out ran the other dog and jumped into my mums arms.

Today we met a very cute and hyper little jack russell who was only a little bigger than Morgana. The jack russell owner had put her lead under a chair probably to avoid the grey hounds but Morgana decided to go over and say hello. Morgana and the jack russell hit it off straight away.

That was until Morgana and the jack russell tried to play chase... along with the chair. Morgana naturally started screaming thinking the chair would squish her (even though she was behind my mum in lightning speed as soon as the chair started moving) and Cassie screamed because she thought Morgana was being hurt.

Rest assured everyone was fine if not even more hyper by the end of all the fuss! These girls really do make me tilt my head and laugh sometimes.


Saturday 25 February 2012

Product Review: Super healthy dog treat

There are lots of treats on the market which I would think twice about giving to the girls, mainly those which don't seem very good for dogs at all. Some treats do seem the dog equivalent to crisps and biscuits for humans which there is nothing wrong with having once in a while as long as there is a balanced healthy diet along with exercise.

One treat which I have no problem giving the girls is the Paragon Vegetable range. These treats are 100% vegetable, low in fat and really are a great healthy alternative to rawhide treats. This may not apply to other dogs but my girls tend to lose interest in rawhide treats quite quickly. Unlike other treats designed to clean teeth these last a while as they take longer to chew and can keep my girls quiet for up to an hour. Also I must admit they smell quite nice.

'Nom nom nom..'
Cassie and Morgana typically don't have the white and green versions of these, but we have noticed it is pretty easy to tell when they have had one of these treats as when its toilet time that's what colour their poop is (fibre isn't digested so tends to just pass straight through). This may not apply to the other colours but we just have a preference. They also come in a range of shapes and sizes which all help clean those hard to reach areas.



Available as;

Crocodile [£1.46]
Eurostar Stick [small: 40p]
Hedgehog [£1.80]
Mini toothbrush [100: £9.62]


Thursday 23 February 2012

Adorable chihuahua card and the vets

We found these seriously adorable chihuahua blank cards in the gift shop at the University College London Hospital today. I had only popped in to get a drink and nearly missed them if it wasn't for my lovely mother. I managed to persuade her to buy me two for having to travel in a train which could have easily passed as a sardine can.

On a positive note about the train I got to meet the most adorable little pekingese. It's always really touching how easy it is to talk to people purely because you both have dogs. The little pekingese had the softest hair ever and gave adorable kisses; there was just something about his face that made me go 'awww!'.

By the time I got home, even though the whole morning was crazy, it was time to visit the vets for the girls worming tablets. Naturally the girls came with us and we ran into... the dog walkers! Morgana didn't know where to look but as all the big dogs passed there at the very end was a chihuahua... but by then the dog walkers had passed.

When we got to the vets it was like someone had turned Cassie's hyper dial to full. She insisted on seeing the vet who Cassie was convinced could speak dog (Cassie doesn't bark but is full of 'woof woooooos' and 'roooooos'). I guess she won't be as entertained or hyper when we have to give her the worming tablet tomorrow morning.


For the card you can visit the site here where they are just £5.10 for 6:
Tracks Cards and search the Card ID H068


Tuesday 21 February 2012

The tunnel

The girls were particularly happy today and I don't think it was because they saw the cute pug that lives down the road during walkies (although that did get them very hyper). When fishing in the girls toy box I decided to let them play with their tunnel.
Cassie isn't that fond of going through tunnels and prefers to just bash her paws on it as well as jumping over them, but Morgana on the other hand LOVES speeding through it. The tunnel is actually for cats, but it is perfect for Morgana to run through and even Cassie can crawl through it. 
'Ooooo mummy can't see me!'

'Are you taking a picture? Make sure you get my pout mummy'
When the garden has finally been fixed up I will definitely be getting the girls an agility kit. Even though I think Cassie will just end up playing hide and seek, I really think Morgana would be great at it and it would be an amazing way of burning off excess energy.

Tunnels are available here:
Amazon [£13.62]
Pet Planet [£12.99]


Monday 20 February 2012

Monday mischief: what I have to deal with in the morning



Top 4 Signs You Spoil Your Dog:

1. You think begging for table scraps is beneath him, so you let your dog eat at the table with you.

2. You take him to the supermarket and let him pick out his own dog food.

3. Your husband comes home from work, looks at the stew on the stove and asks: "Is this people food or dog food?"  

4. You complain about the rising costs of groceries, but you don't think twice about spending a fortune on doggie treats.  




My first attempt at crocheting a dog harness

I managed to finish the harnesses today without a certain someone running off with my wool! Morgana did spend the whole time staring at me from her bed across the room but I'm pretty happy with the result. Cassie was pretty impressed with the harness as well; she wouldn't stay still for a picture and became her usual excited bouncy ball. For my first attempt at a harness I'm quite proud of myself :)
The finished result!

Yay! A picture of Cassie that wasn't a blur of fur!

Morgana seemed a little annoyed that I used the wool to make a harness instead of letting her play with it...



Sunday 19 February 2012

Four Reasons Why It's Great To Be a Dog


  1. No one thinks less of you for passing gas. Some people might actually think you're cute.
  2. Who needs a big home entertainment system? A bone or an old shoe can entertain you for hours.
  3. No one ever expects you to pay for lunch or dinner. You never have to worry about table manners, and if you gain weight, it's someone else's fault.
  4. It doesn't take much to make you happy. You're always excited to see the same old people. All they have to do is leave the room for five minutes and come back.



Morgana and my track suit bottoms

So I know about my sister stealing my clothes but there's something a little odd when your chihuahua tries to... I'm not sure if its because I had just managed to tip tea down myself or if she just likes how warm my clothes are (she loves stealing my hoodies and my socks), this time I found that she had actually climbed inside my track suit bottoms. Maybe she wants to go for a jog?



Saturday 18 February 2012

Crochet harness update

So I started the harness yesterday whilst waiting to go to the vets for Morganas annual injection and I probably would have finished yesterday as well if a certain chihuahua (who believes she is actually a cat) didn't steal my wool.

Whilst I was relaxing doing a little crocheting on the sofa I looked down to see the ball of wool had some how managed to work its way across the room and through the living room door. When following the wool trail I found Morgana at the end happily attacking it.


Sound asleep like a little angel now... butter wouldn't melt hmmmmmmmm
After looking at the knots I decided to give my sister the 'little' task of unravelling it all and now that we are knot-free I can show you this is what I have managed so far...



Joke Of The Day...

What goes "Tick tock, woof woof"?
  • A watch dog.



Friday 17 February 2012

Morganas annual injection

Today was Morganas annual injection, we managed to get one of the last appointments of the day so Morgana wouldn't be so hyper. We even took her to the vets in the car to get her nice and relaxed. She strutted happily up to the vets but as soon as the door closed, realising Cassie wasn't with us, she knew we were up to something.

Mum tried to distract her with the very cool toys available at the surgery but Morgana wasn't interested. The veterinary nurse tried to bribe her with treats but she wasn't having any of it. In the end Morgana ended up hiding in her favourite place... my mums jacket.

The dreaded time came when Morgana was called in and I was relieved that it was the vet that Morgana liked, who also happened to be the one who carried out Morganas operation last year. A little sign will always pop up on Morganas file to 'always muzzle during injections', but this one vet just has a way with Morgana.

With Morgana being so well behaved and feeling bad about Cassie not getting a ride in the car we also bought a new toy from the vets. As you can see Morgana loved the new rabbit toy but Cassie decided she liked the cardboard that came with it more and thought we didn't notice her secretly trying to steal it from the table.




Thursday 16 February 2012

Joke Of The Day....

What's the difference between a new husband and a new dog?

  • After a year, the dog is still excited to see you



Poll Results!

This weeks question was...

What is your favourite game to play with your dog?
The results are...

1st place- Tug of war



Joint 2nd place- Fetch & Peekaboo




A busy day!

Today we were pretty busy, because everybody had nearly recovered from their colds we decided we needed to make the most of it because the half term holiday is nearly over. First we took a trip to Jumanji Pets, which has a huge range of all sorts and is handy as its not as far away as Pets at Home. We bought the girls LOTS of their favourite treats which should last them a while. We even found a little treat basket for Snoopy!


Hmmm yummy treats
Ohhh can I have them all now mummy?
 
Jumanji Pets also has a very cool little aquarium centre which has grown even bigger since last time we went there. At the moment we have a 60 litre Biorb which is home to a few guppies but we have an issue with algae, so we took the advice from a very nice gentleman and bought a pleco (a.k.a. bristlenose catfish). These fish are great at cleaning away algae without disturbing other fish in the tank. It was pretty entertaining seeing my mums face when they told her how big plecos can get but we decided it would be best for the tank so we bought our little teeny tiny catfish who we have called Jaws!


After buying Jaws we went home to put him in the tank to acclimate to the water temperature then we popped to the Arts & Crafts shop to buy some bits and bobs. I managed to find some D-rings so I can have a go at making a crocheted step-in harness for Cassie and one for Morgana. Hopefully I can make Morgana one by the end of tomorrow as a present if she's a good girl, don't tell Morgana but she's going to have her annual injection tomorrow shhhhhhh!



Wednesday 15 February 2012

Dogs in the news- Harrods Pet Spa

Pet spas are pretty popular in Japan and the U.S. but now Britain has opened its very own at Harrods. The idea seems like a pretty cute idea but some of the treatments seem a pretty extreme like nail painting and pet facials, but don't take the news article for face value, when looking at what else the spa actually has to offer I admit I'm impressed.
 
Photo from Daily Mail
 
Not only does the spa offer grooming, washes and pedicures they also have specialist consultants for physiotherapy, massages, behavioural support, fitness training, weight management, the list goes on... There will always be sceptics out there but if you have the money and your pooch doesn't mind being spoilt... I see no problem with a Tea Tree Conditioning Treatment for a dog with sensitive skin.

What does The Pet Spa offer?

Read the news article here


Wordless Wednesday... why?



Tuesday 14 February 2012

Happy Valentines Day!!!

I hope everyone is having a lovely valentines day with the pets and people they love! To show Morgana how much I adore her I made her this little crocheted heart necklace... I think she likes it. 
 
'Please be my Valentine'





The missing medical bracelet

We have been waiting for weeks now for my sisters special medical bracelet to arrive. She needs the bracelet for when she leaves secondary school and goes to college to let people know that she has a severe heart condition.

Today we gave up waiting and called up the suppliers to find out a man had signed for the package but it wasn't any of us! Supposedly it had been left with one of our neighbours, but they didn't sign for it.

When I told Morgana what happened she was not impressed at all! She is now watching out for a man wearing a pretty red bracelet with the special medical symbol....



Monday 13 February 2012

High pitched advert just for dogs?


This may look like a normal advert for Bakers kibble but there is something different about this one. If your little pooch seems to be acting particularly troublesome today this could be the reason why. Bakers think they have come up with a new idea of how to get more pet owners buying this brand. This commercial features whistling, bells ringing and even high pitched sounds that only a dog can hear. This is all to get your dog more interested in the TV and drawing your attention to what they are looking at.

This advert is supposed to be aired for the first time today, so far I haven't seen it but I am wondering about how the dogs will respond. Cassie always gets excited when dogs come on the TV so I doubt it will have much of an effect on her but Morgana would be more interesting as she is more interested in squeaking her teddy bear than watching TV. I look forward to seeing other reactions to this advert, and if it does work I doubt it will have the desired effect and could just lead people to changing the channel or muting the TV.


Sunday 12 February 2012

Cute crochet harness pattern

Check out this majorly cute crocheted harness! I am definitely going to have to try this, not only does it look adorable but imagine the detail you could add.




The pattern is available free here:
http://luvs-2-knit.blogspot.com/2009/07/easy-dog-harness.html

The Mentos Spider Advert

So I didn't think it was possible but my cold has gotten even worse, though both me and my sister have it now so we've both been recovering on the sofa. Whilst resting watching a bit of TV Cabo an interesting advert came on, my sister thought it was hilarious especially as she told me not to watch but being my confused self I took a peek and was pretty disturbed. This is what I saw...


Now I wouldn't say that I have a phobia of spiders, I just don't like the idea of their legs anywhere near me. Even though my sister finds it hilarious chasing me around carrying spiders I am lucky enough to have an amazing spider warrior in my life... Morgana. Now she isn't a fan of spiders herself but she has attacked them before in my defense. I shall never forget her trying to body slam a particularly hairy beast, but I somehow doubt that Morganas chihuahua ninja skills would match up to this particular spider.


Saturday 11 February 2012

More wool from the arts & crafts shop

With weather like this it's best to wrap up warm. So with even more snow to come we took a trip to the arts and crafts shop today to get some bits and bobs, don't tell our mummy but we ended up buying £30 of wool! All of this wool will be crocheted or knitted into some pretty jumpers for Morgana, scarfs for Cassie and ear muff bands for me and my amazing sister. I hope everyone else is keeping warm in this weather!


It was only snowing for 5 minutes...


'Mummy is all this wool for me?!?!'


'Mummy I want this one!'



Friday 10 February 2012

Princess Morgana and the pea

There are moments when I really do think that Morgana was a princess in a previous life. This photo pretty much sums it up I think... Princess and the pea.



Morgana & Cassies Top 5 Dog Songs...

1. How much is that doggie in the window? - Patti Pag

2. BINGO


3. Scoobie Doo Theme Song


4. Funny Song for Kids Naming 20 Different Dogs - 20 Dog


5.Who let the dogs out? - Baha Men



Thursday 9 February 2012

You know you have a dog when...

Top 10- You know you have a dog when...

... They can hear a package of food opening half a block away, but they don't hear you when you are in the same room.

... It takes an entirely separate garbage to handle the poop.

... You and your family haven't had your annual check up in two years, but the dogs are all medically up to date.

...You can only remember people by associating them with their dog.

... All your social activities revolve around other dog people Your voice is recognised by your vet's receptionist.

... Complete strangers call you on the phone to ask questions because they heard you were a" dog person". <- (We have had several calls from Battersea asking if we fancy volunteering...)

... Every gift you ever get has something to do with dogs.

... You like people who like your dog. You despise people who don't.

... You talk about your dog the way other people talk about their kid.

... You carry pictures of your dog in your wallet instead of pictures of your parents, siblings, significant other, or anyone else remotely human.



For more see...
You know you have a dog when... site 1
You know you have a dog when... site 2

Product Review: Nina Ottosson Interactive Toys

When Morgana was a puppy, we had a problem which we brought up with the vet when popping in during walkies. Morgana was ALWAYS hyper, she loved her sleep like most chihuahuas but twice daily walks, the park, and typical games of tug of war and fetch didn't seem to burn off any energy. Considering how small Morgana is it is strange to think that a family of five were exhausted on the sofa whilst Morgana was having zoomies all over the house.

The solution? Looking back now it's pretty obvious but Morgana wasn't being stimulated enough mentally. The vet recommended buying dog trick books (see this book) as well as considering some Nina Ottosson Interactive Toys. Watching Morgana learn these tricks and play these interactive games it was crazy to see how intelligent she was even as a puppy. The Nina Ottosson Interactive Toy range has grown over the years to include lots of different types of games to challenge a dogs problem solving skills. Not only are these toys a challenge, they are easy to clean, tough and suitable for dogs of all sizes.

See how much Morgana loves her Nina Ottosson toy!

The first toy from this range we bought was the Dog Brick [£25.73], this one levelled puzzle involves your dog sniffing out the treats hidden under the bones. Once your dog has managed to remove these bones, they then have to push the sliding covers where even more treats can be hidden. The difficulty can be increased by hiding treats under only a few covers so they really have to use their nose.


Nina Ottosson Interactive Toy
Dog Brick

Even though with the Dog Brick we saw results pretty much straight away with Morgana (along with the new dog tricks), we decided to also buy the Dog Tornado [£23.82] to add some variety. Compared to the Dog Brick the Dog Tornado was more of a challenge and seemed to involve more skill to find the treats. The Dog Tornado is a multi-levelled interactive game where the levels can be turned around to reveal hidden treats on the different levels. To make the Dog Tornado more difficult bones can be added which need to be dislodged in order for it to turn.


Nina Ottosson Interactive Toy
Dog Tornado

These interactive toys are available here...
Puppy Dog Supplies [£23.82 - £25.73]
Amazon UK [£14.50 +]

New Poll- Favourite game to play with your dog?

Hey everyone,

I've added a new poll to find out... 

What is your favourite game to play with your dog?

The choices are...
  • Fetch
  • Tug of war
  • Peekaboo
  • Interactive games (i.e. Nina Ottosson Puzzle Games)

You only have a week so get voting!

To vote make sure you click on your favourite choice on the poll just below 'About me'.

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Wordless Wednesday... I'm waiting



Top Tip: Pocket Pet Wipes

Besides carrying around the obvious poopie bags and treats when going for walkies, one essential item is the Petkin Pet Wipes To Go. Most dog owners will experience their little furbaby finding something nice smelling in the park and deciding to roll in it like the world depended on it. Other dog owners, especially those owning long haired dogs, get to experience the poop stuck in hind leg hair issue. Dogs get dirty, its pretty much a fact, even if they don't like to be dirty... Morgana, or if they just can't help it ... Cassie. The Petkin Pet Wipes To Go are the easiest solution.



These moist wipes come individually wrapped so you won't be taking a massive pack around with you if you are worried about a little mess. The wipes are around 20cm x 18cm (7" x 8") but are folded nicely into a little pack that fits into the middle of your hand. On top of being pocket friendly the wipes are also mildly scented but still gentle enough to use daily. They really are great to use on walks, in the park, day trips, in the car and while you're travelling. The wipes can be bought in packs of 12 individually wrapped packets.


Available here:
Pet Head

Tuesday 7 February 2012

15 Funny Chihuahua Pictures



14 Funny Cavalier Photos



Product Review: Hygiene Pants for Dogs

Hygiene pants are great for females in season, yet to be trained puppies and incontinent dogs. Some owners may opt for actual diapers/nappies [£6.99] but you can find yourself going through quiet a few of these if you aren't using them temporarily. There are a range of different hygiene pants out there for your little girl but each have their own pros and cons. Morgana went through a few hygiene pants, tis was before she had her operation (see chihuahuas & pyometra), until we found some that were right for her.
Hygiene Pants for Bitches on Heat by Mikki

The first hygiene pants we bought were the Hygiene Pants for Bitches on Heat by Mikki [£4.99].  Mikki also supplies little liners [£2.00 for around 10 liners] which can be used inside these pants. These pants stay on using a metal clasp which determines how tight the waist is. Although these pants do the job I didn't think Morgana was that comfortable in them (the material seemed to irritate her skin) and she managed to pull on the excess elastic from the waist band and she also managed to get Cassie to pull on it to try and get it off.
Puppy Angel Polka Dog Panties

Next we tried Puppy Angel Polka Dog Panties [£11.23]. These were definitely more comfortable compared to what she had previously tried but getting them on her was pretty hard especially compared to how quickly she managed to get them off. Definitely very cute but I guess Morgana was just too clever for them!
season diaper pants

In the end we bought these season diaper pants [£6.99-£7.99] from ebay. They were amazing when it came to comfort and actually staying on. There are over 20 different colours to choose from and are so easy to put on and take off compared to the slip on pants. You just need to pop in a panty liner, yes you can use a human panty liner which makes things a lot cheaper (£1.65 for a box of 34 panty liners compared to £6.99 for 12 doggy diapers), and your little fur baby is good to go! The pants are made from super soft fleece material and they aren't just for little dogs, because they are hand made they also cater for larger dogs and they can even make the pants to the measurements you supply them with.


For other hygiene pants for dogs see...




Monday 6 February 2012

Another day sick another jumper

Having a cold really isn't nice but being stuck on the sofa means I got to make morgana a little crochet jumper vest :)




Top 5 dog toys

Number 5... The cuddly toy

 Number 4... The strawberry chew toy

 Number 3... The squeaky teddy

Number 2.. The tug monkey

 Number 1... The tennis ball