Oct
2019

Happy Halloween

categories: Holiday fun, Recipes

Happy Halloween everyone! We don’t typically celebrate Halloween here in Africa, but any excuse for us to celebrate makes for great fun right… 

dogs and babies

Halloween is slightly different this year because we have Baby Gia celebrating with us. One day Zara will be able to share tons of candy with Gia, but not too soon 😉 

I am enjoying celebrating all these firsts with Zara and Gia together, creating memories and of course taking photographs of the two of them on occasions like this. Zara has stepped into her new role as big sister like a true champion. Their bond as sisters grows stronger every single day, which makes my heart explode with pride and joy. 

halloween dog treats

It’s the end of October and that means it is seriously hot for us here in Africa. So I thought it would be fitting to make some frozen halloween treats for Zara this year, and of course I wanted to include Baby Gia in the celebrations too. I have so many creative ideas for Gia and halloween treats but I need to take it one step at a time… For now I am keeping it simple with pumpkin puree for her.

halloween dog treats
Zara’s Frozen Halloween Treats

These treats are frighteningly easy to make and Zara absolutely loved them! 

Ingredients

melted coconut oil

pumpkin puree 

melted peanut butter

silicone moulds 

popsicle sticks

Directions

Since it’s so hot here, my coconut oil was already melted so I simply spooned 3 tablespoons of the liquid into each silicone mould and froze for an hour. While that was freezing, I made the pumpkin puree. I simply steamed chopped up pumpkin from the pumpkin that Baby Gia is sitting in in the photos of this blog. Once the pumpkin was soft and cooked through I blended it into a smooth puree. Spoon the pumpkin puree over the now frozen coconut oil. The orange (pumpkin) segment needs to be the largest but be sure to leave enough space for the peanut butter layer. Place your popsicle stick in the middle and pop them back into the freezer for a few hours. Take five or six tablespoons of peanut butter and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave it for 30 seconds then using a teaspoon, gently spoon a layer of peanut butter over the frozen pumpkin layer. Place them back in the freezer for another hour. Once the entire treat is frozen, take them out of the moulds and let your pup enjoy them!

halloween dog treats
Baby Gia’s Pumpkin Puree 

Since Gia has only started eating solids I needed to keep this years halloween ‘treats’ very simple for her. So I just made a yummy pumpkin puree using her Baby Bullet. Simply place steamed pumpkin into the blending cup with a 1/4 cup of water and blend until your desired texture is reached. Yum!

baby bullet pumpkin puree

Both Zara and Baby Gia enjoyed their pumpkin treats this year. I particularly love Zara’s halloween treats because they are my take on the American candy corns which are famous during halloween. But possibly the best part of halloween this year is Baby Gia sitting in her pumpkin, she actually loved it and thought it was rather funny! 

Happy Halloween to you all. Enjoy the festivities and candy but remember to keep your pets safe!

Thank you for reading


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Oct
2019

Acana Dog Food: Zara’s Flavour of the Month

categories: Product Reviews

Trying out the different Acana dog food flavours is Zara’s absolute best. With the different ingredients in each bag, it gives Zara the benefits of a wide variety of healthy ingredients. 

acana dog food

This month we tried out Acana Wild Prairie. This one is part if their regionals range which means the protein ingredients used is sourced from within the local region in Calgary. Acana Wild Prairie is loaded with goodness in the form of 70% meat which consists of free-run chicken, free run turkey, cage-free eggs, wild-caught walleye and wild-caught trout. No wander Zara want’s to eat it straight from the bag.

Zara is a wild pup! She loves having her wild half hours during the day and most often has a bit of a wild session before bed. We of course encourage this behaviour because it brings out the wild side of her personality. Anyone who follows us on Instagram will know these wild sessions all too well. She goes wild for her lizards in the garden and there is nothing better than a wild roll around in the grass after an afternoon swim to cool down. 

acana dog food

Zara goes wild for walks too! She loves nothing more than all of us going for a sunset walk around the block or to the field close to home. When walking alongside the road Zara is always on leash however she knows as soon as we approach our destination she cannot contain her wild excitement because then it’s off leash time. There is no greater way to get wild and dirty than when the leash comes off. 

Zara’s recall skills are extremely good. She never ventures far away from us and if she does, all we have to do is call her in a stern voice, she stops what she is doing and trots on over to us. If there is a person walking by that doesn’t want her to approach them we simply tell her ‘Zara no’ and she completely ignores them and her focus is on us. 

With Zara being a strong 53kg it was very important that I was able to control her with my voice. Zara is stronger than me and she knows it, however her listening skills are impeccable which leaves me confident enough to let her off leash in places. 

acana dog food

Zara’s wild sessions are particularly fascinating to baby Gia. The best is when Zara runs around with a squeaky toy, Gia giggles her heart out! Gia loves to watch Zara’s wild rolling sessions, her wild swimming sessions and even her off leash wild zooming sessions. 

With all these wild sessions that go on in Zara’s daily routine, its no wonder she’s ready for her next meal. With Acana dog food, Zara is kept in peak condition. Her daily activity keeps her active enough to enjoy a hearty meal twice a day and with ingredients as amazing as Acana’s my mind is at ease knowing she’s getting the best nutrition at each meal.

acana dog food

If you would like to find out more information on the entire Acana range, you can contact PackLeader South Africa on Facebook or Instagram or simply visit a reputable outlet. 

Don’t forget to tag Acana_SA and use #acanadog in your social media posts for a chance to get featured! 

Follow Zara’s wild life on Instagram too @stylish_paws

Thank you for reading

*this post may contain affiliate links


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Aug
2019

Happy Birthday Zara

categories: Oscar

Happy birthday to Zara! I can’t believe Zara is three years old today. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun. So much has happened in those three years… Two TPLO surgeries, we (Zara’s pawrents) got married, we sadly lost Oscar and we aded a tiny human into the mix.

pup party

Three years ago this tiny fluff ball crept into our home and into our hearts and we named her Zara. Zara has been there for me on my absolute worst days as well as the best days of the past three years and believe me when I say there has been plenty ups and downs in that time! 

Zara’s birthday seems to have come round extremely quickly for me this year and I feel it’s partly due to the fact that I had to spend three months away from her because I had baby Gia in South Africa. However I do feel we have made up for lost cuddles and kisses in the weeks I have been home! 

unicorn

Last year Zara had to celebrate her birthday without her brother Oscar and although it was a happy day, it was a sad one too. This year we added a tiny human so she wouldn’t be alone 😉 Zara absolutely adores her baby sister. She loves her new role as protector of the tiny human and I know with time their bond will only get stronger and stronger. So today we celebrate Zara’s first birthday as a big sister. 

Quite a few people said to me that once I have baby Gia, my animals will take a back seat. I always felt annoyed and agitated by comments like that. Yes, our family dynamics have changed, that one is obvious but I am hugely proud of myself for insisting that Zara is with us every step of the way no matter what we are doing and my way of showing her just how much I appreciate her is by celebrating her birthday (just like every other year) and making sure she knows that today is her day! Today Gia and I celebrate Zara. 

Zara birthday

By now you all know that birthdays are a big thing to celebrate in our household so of course Zara has a birthday cake and presents to make her feel extra special. 

unicorn cake
Zara’s birthday cake recipe

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 packets of apple puree (I used baby food sachets)

1 egg

1 tbs honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups water

3 tbs thick plain yoghurt

Icing

1 tub plain cream cheese

4 heaped tbs thick plain yoghurt

Directions

For the cake, preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Combine all your ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat together using an electric beater until smooth. Pour the batter into a cake mould of your choice and bake for +- 40 minutes or until cooked through. The cake is quite a dense cake, not light and fluffy so cooking time may take longer. Remove your cake from the oven and allow to cool completely. For the icing, beat together the cream cheese and yoghurt. Once your cake is cool you can ice the cake and decorate it as your wish. Since Zara’s birthday is unicorn themed I have decorated it as a unicorn. Once your cake is decorated simply watch your pupper enjoy her treat!

Zara absolutely loved her birthday cake. She got icing everywhere and the top half even flopped on the floor-haha! But she had fun devouring it and that’s all that matters. 

unicorn cake
unicorn cake
unicorn cake

Along with her unicorn cake Zara of course gets to open presents. Zara LOVES opening presents-something her brother taught her. Keeping with the unicorn theme she got the cutest new squeaky unicorn toy which is quite loud and I’m pretty sure will be my morning gift for a while. Zara’s favourite activity is anything to do with water so we looked around and found something different for her, sprinkler flowers that go crazy when attached to the hose. They spray water everywhere! As soon as dad gets home we will connect them up and have some fun-photo’s to follow on Instagram for sure! We also got Zara a sniffle mat. Because of her two surgeries I don’t like pushing her too much with physical play but it’s important that her mind is kept entertained. The sniffle mat is going to be perfect for the long rainy months we experience when swimming and outdoor play is quite limited. Zara was a pro at sniffling out her treats that I had hidden away so I know this one is going to be a true entertainer. 

unicorn dog toy
snuffle mat

All in all I would say Zara’s third birthday has been one to remember! Zara had fun, Gia had fun watching Zara have fun and I have admired both my girls interacting on such a special day- and the day is not over just yet! Happy Birthday Zara, We love you to infinity and beyond.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and watch our InstaStories for fun of the day!  

Thank you for reading

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Aug
2019

Acana Dog Food- Zara’s Flavour of the Month

categories: Product Reviews, Zara

Zara’s Flavour of the month this month is Acana Adult Dog. When Zara finally moved on from her puppy food onto adult food, I was slightly sad at the thought of her growing up. I know puppy days cannot last forever no matter how much I wish. As a pup Zara guzzled her food, but as an adult I can proudly say she eats like a proper lady.

adult acana

Luckily for Zara, growing up meant we could switch her food up and offer her a variety of flavours that Acana has to offer. Acana Adult Dog offers the perfect balance of meat, fruits and vegetables because we all know that a well rounded diet is good for us! For Zara this is particularly important because she has had two TPLO surgeries within two years. Her recovery is on going so nutrition has never been more important to us. Acana Adult dog offers 60% meat which is made up of free run chicken and wild caught flounder and for added extra protein cage free eggs too. Fruits and veggies include fresh whole carrots, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh whole pumpkin and butternut, whole green peas, dried brown kelp, fresh whole cranberries and blueberries just to mention a few. No wonder Zara loves this flavour! I particularly love the fact that Acana is completely grain and gluten free. 

adult acana

Because of her surgeries and her leg issues we like to keep Zara more on the trim side, I believe Acana dog food helps us maintain this easily because it’s so full of proper nutritious ingredients that a little goes a long way! Zara’s coat is insanely shiny and she is constantly receiving complements on how clean and white her teeth are. I strongly believe it’s due to her fantastic nutrition! Proper nutrition starts from the inside and shines through.

adult acana

Zara has matured from a super cute, raucous pup into such a well composed adult rottweiler. I am always extremely proud when we take Zara out because not only is she beautiful to look at but her personality is larger than life itself. As a mature adult, Zara knows exactly what she wants and how to get it-I could say she learnt a thing or two from Oscar in the moaning to get attention department! Either way Zara is a beautiful girl and we are proud to feed her Acana. 

Acana offers a flavour for everyone so be sure to give them a try, your pooch will thank you later! Stay tuned for Zara’s next flavour of the month… 

adult acana

If you would like to find out more information on the entire Acana range, you can contact PackLeader South Africa on Facebook or Instagram or simply visit a reputable outlet. 

Don’t forget to tag Acana_SA and use #acanadog in your social media posts for a chance to get featured! 

Thank you for reading


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Aug
2019

Petqwerks FLiPST!CK

categories: Product Reviews, Zara

Petqwerks is without a doubt our most favourite international doggy toy company around! Not only do they constantly spoil Zara with the most amazing surprises but their toys are always interactive and extremely innovative! 

Petqwerks

I am always excited to test out their latest and greatest inventions. This time Zara and I were asked to review their latest interactive toy… The FLiPST!CK. Let’s just say I don’t know who has more fun with this toy, Zara or myself-haha! It is hugely entertaining for both of us and a serious workout for Zara. 

I particularly love the fact that the FLiPST!CK interactive toy is so different compared to any other toy Zara has. I also love the fact that it is slightly easier on her body compared to playing ball which can get quite rough. Because of her two TPLO surgeries I am always mindful when we play and never allow her to push herself too much. I rather pack the toy away and let her rest then bring it out later again for another play session. 

Petqwerks flipstick
Petqwerks FLiPST!CK

The FLiPST!CK allows Zara to literally go wild, but in a good, safe way! I love the fact that I have a lot of control over it and can bob it as hard or as soft as I like. I can keep it low to the ground so Zara doesn’t have to jump up all the time but I can throw a jump in here and there. I also cannot believe how strong the FLiPST!CK is. Zara weighs 53kg, and the FLiPST!CK sure measures up to her rottie strength. Any toy that can withstand Zara and her strength gets an extra bonus point in our ours eyes! She doesn’t quite understand why she can’t take the FLiPST!CK from me which makes playing with it more fun. 

Petqwerks FLiPST!CK
Petqwerks flipstick

We received our FLiPST!CK during our winter months so I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so we can play with the FLiPST!CK in the pool. The water is easier on Zara’s joints and will allow us to have a different kind of fun- I’ll keep you posted! 

Of course Petqwerks loves to spoil Zara A LOT so we also received TWO new chew bones! The Boar BarkBone in pork chop flavour plus the BarkBone STICK in peanut butter flavour. We’ve had a few BarkBones in the last couple of years and I will be completely honest in saying they are the best nylon chew toys around! Again they can withstand Zara’s intense chewing for hours on end. She loves nothing more than getting herself comfy and chewing. 

Petqwerks
Petqwerks

Since having baby Gia, I cannot always be there to entertain Zara. Gia is far too small right now for us to all play together so it is amazing for me to know Zara is relaxed, happy and entertained while gnawing on her favourite chews! 

Thank you Petqwerks for always making us feel so special and part of the Petqwerks family! We absolutely love testing out your new products and giving you our honest opinions. We look forward to some more fun and interesting toys… 

Petqwerks

If you would like to spoil your pooch with fun and unique toys then Petqwerks is your place to shop! Visit their website and social media pages NOW! Don’t forget to use our DISCOUNT code “ILOVESTYLISHPAWS30” to get 30% off your order….

www.petqwerks.com

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Instagram 

And don’t forget to tag them in your social media posts for a chance to be featured. 

Thank you for reading


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Aug
2019

August

categories: Calendar, Zara

August is probably one of Zara’s favourite months of the year… Not only is it her birthday month but it is also the month where our weather starts warming up, which means only one thing in Zara’s mind… SWIM TIME!!

We hope you enjoy your month of August just as much as we will.

Download your August calendar here

Thank you for reading

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Jun
2019

Acana Dog Food: Zara’s Flavour of the Month

categories: Product Reviews, Zara

Zara’s flavour of the month this month is Acana Yorkshire Pork which is another flavour within the Singles range. Acana Yorkshire pork is suitable for all life stages of your pooch and is loaded with fifty percent pure pork! What’s not to love…

Acana dog food

It’s no secret that Zara absolutely LOVES her food! In fact Zara lives for food. Most times I watch her eat and think to myself, did you actually taste that? I love how much Zara enjoys her food because it means I can use her food as a means of rewards for training and good behaviour. 

Zara gets fed twice a day, morning and night. When it comes to meal times she will do a back flip if you ask her to. Her excitement level goes through the roof when she sees me start preparing her meal each time. It was through this excitement that enabled me to teach her how to eat appropriately because for a good few months with us Zara guzzled her food in less than 30 seconds-yes we timed her! 

Acana dog food

To start off, I placed a big clean blanket on the floor and I would scatter her food all over the blanket. At first she panicked and vacuumed her pellets at the speed of light, but slowly she learnt that actually her pellets don’t have legs and will not go anywhere. Then I introduced an interactive food dispenser ball which meant she would have to work to get to her kibble. At first she got immensely frustrated and she would throw it all over the place, but she slowly learnt that by being gentle and slow she gets more kibble out. And finally I introduced her to a slow feeder bowl. Again she was seriously frustrated by the obstacles in the way of her gobbling her food, and slowly she learnt the technique. 

Fast forward almost three years and she eats like a true lady! She even pauses during bites and if I call her she happily stops to look at what I want or what I am asking her to do, this of course gets her extra treats! I am so proud of how far she has come with her eating habits. 

Acana dog food

Acana Singles range means each flavour is a single protein based food. Acana Yorkshire Pork forms the main base of this food along with other hugely nutritious ingredients such as garbanzo beans, whole green and yellow peas, red lentils, fresh pumpkin, dried brown kelp, whole blueberries, turmeric root, burdock root and milk thistle just to name a few. 

yorkshire pork
yorkshire pork

I love being able to change up Zara’s food and give her different flavours. Acana sure does have a variety to choose from so stay tuned for next months flavour!

If you would like to find out more information on the entire Acana range, you can contact PackLeader South Africa on Facebook or Instagram or simply visit a reputable outlet. 

Thank you for reading 


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