dog toys Archives - Stylish Paws

Tag: dog toys

24
Feb
2021

Petqwerks Dog Toys

Petqwerks love to spoil Zara and I am so grateful to them for always sending a surprise box of goodies just when we need them! Petqwerks never disappoint so when our box of goodies arrived you can imagine the excitement level.

Petqwerks is a brand of dog toys that really stands out for me! Their chews are actually durable for big doggos like Zara and their interactive toys are fun and seriously entertaining, even for me.

We have been very fortunate to test out almost everything in their range and Zara just loves it all.

In our surprise box of goodies, we received their totally adorable hedgehog which Gia claimed as hers straight away. Luckily Zara has no issues sharing her toys and happily lets Mr Hedgehog sleep with Gia at night. It does tickle me that a super cute dog toy is now Gia’s cuddle buddy 😉 Oh and did I mention it giggles too. We also received a new Babble Ball which is one of my favourites, it’s hard not to have fun with it.

Zara got two new Barkbones- the Dinosaur and the Crocodile one plus a pigs ear chew too. Zara gnaws on these chews for hours and hours and hours. I love how durable they are for strong chewers like Zara. There was also a cute sock monkey which Zara loves the squeaker of and so does Gia. My all time favourite product of Petqwerks is the Invincibubbles so you can imagine my excitement when I saw we received a bottle.

There was also the x-tyre toy with the bell in the middle which Ollie seems to have taken a liking to the sound. And to top it off Zara got a brand new singing chicken. If I had to choose a toy that tops Zara’s list of favourite Petqwerks toys it would probably be this signing chicken! I have no idea why, but it sets Zara off into song every time it goes off, no matter what she’s doing, if she hears it singing she sings along… Imagine the chaos.

So basically there was something for everyone to enjoy in our surprise box of Petqwerks goodies. And I get to enjoy the sights of all my babies enjoying these wonderful toys. Thank you Petqwerks for making my family feel so special. We really do love you!

Stylish Paws has a discount code for all Petqwerks toys so if you would like to spoil your babies use ILOVESTYLISHPAWS30 and receive 30% discount at checkout!! And of course don’t forget to follow Petqwerks on Facebook & Instagram

I hope these awesome toys bring as much enjoyment to your family as they do to mine.

Thank you for reading

30
Jul
2020

Petqwerks Barkbones and Wishbone

categories: Product Reviews

Petqwerks has once again spoiled Zara with a selection of chews including their brand new Wishbone. Zara couldn’t wait to get the photoshoot over with so she could get chewing.

By now you all know just how much we love a Petqwerks chew, in fact they are 100% our favourite! Not only do they satisfy Zara’s chewing instincts but they stay intact for months and months. Zara can be quite rough and tough while chewing and I know with a Petqwerks chew it’s not going to split or splinter and cut her gums.

In our surprise box, Zara received two of her favourite Barkbones, the new Alien Barkbones this time plus the new Wishbone chew. Zara couldn’t wait to get chewing, she chose the new Wishbone first so I have kept the two Alien barkbones for another day 😉

All Petqwerks chews are made from FDA compliant nylon with REAL flavourings. They’re non-toxic and allergen free too. All their chews are chewable NOT edible and NO chew toy is indestructible! With proper care Petqwerks chews provide hours and hours of gnawing entertainment for your doggo.

Stay tuned on Instagram where these Petqwerks chews will feature form time to time giving you an idea of how durable they are and what they look like after weeks of enjoyment. @stylish_paws

Don’t forget we have our own discount code for you should you want to spoil your doggo with an awesome Petqwerks chew… use ILOVESTYLISHPAWS30 at checkout for 30% off your order!!

Visit www.petqwerks.com to shop.

Thank you for reading

26
Feb
2020

Zuki Review

categories: Product Reviews

When Zuki asked us to do a review we were over the moon with excitement. We had just won their December giveaway so this was the perfect opportunity to explore their website and product range and put their online store to the test.

Zuki is an online pet store that offers a huge variety of products. They don’t only have your general pet products, they have some pretty quirky and different items too! At first glance they offer all your premium and super premium brands of pet food, treats and toys. But I was looking for something interesting and something a little different, and I certainly found just that. They also offer products for small animals, which meant the Amigos were about to get spoilt too…

Yes we won the Zuki giveaway! We got to spend R2500 in their online store, so naturally I chose some pretty awesome goodies for Zara and the amigos. After some initial technical malfunctions from my behalf, which were handled immediately and professionally, our big box of awesome goodies arrived within 48 hours! Pretty impressive if you ask me. Everything was neatly packed into one box and everything was packed so that nothing was damaged in the delivery process.

The one thing I particularly love about Zuki is, you can schedule order your pet food and treats. Meaning you can set up a date every month for your pet food to be delivered to your door! And if at any point you’re undecided or need any help you can live chat with Zuki online. Pretty awesome customer service if you ask me.

So this is what we got…

The Foobler self reloading puzzle feeder. This gadget is awesome!! You can put kibble or treats inside the compartments, choose your timer speed and switch it on. I went with 15 minutes which means every 15 minutes a bell alarm sirens off and a compartment of treats is released. Zara then has to push and nudge the ball to get her reward. A bit like a treat ball but a super awesome one!! Zara is obsessed with it so much that I actually have to hide it away. This is a fantastic item to leave for her when we go out.

A Mighty Rhino dog toy. We are very familiar with the MIGHTY range of dog toys and our green rhino did not disappoint! I think for most South Africans a rhino holds a special place in our hearts so it was a no brainer as to why Zara needed a rhino toy!

A SLOMO food bowl. Zara is an extremely fast eater! It’s also something I have been quite open and vocal about so when I saw this modern and stylish slow feed bowl I knew we had to put it to the test. It certainly helps Zara to eat slower and not gulp her food down in 0.2 seconds. She has to work harder to get each kibble which is great. She’s had a slow feed bowl before but this one is a lot more complicated making meal times slower for her.

A Captain Fantastick. This is a toy I find incredibly hilarious!! Who thinks of these toy designs.. HAHA!!! I love him and so does Zara. It’s surprisingly tough and fun to play with. Zara and I played fetch for a long while with Mr Captain Fantastick.

A Glow in the Dark ball. Thats right, a glow in the dark ball! It’s perfect for low light ball fun. It’s such a fun ball because it squeaks and bounces too. We also received a soft fun pink ball which Baby Gia seems to have claimed. Gia and Zara roll the pink ball back and forth which is so cute to watch.

Zara got a pack of her favourite Orijen freeze dried treats! Possibly the best treats on the market. Zara will happily finish an entire bag in one go.

To top it all off we chose the Toy Basket to keep all of Zara’s new toys in. It’s a really nice size and great quality too!

The Amigos got spoilt too…

A really awesome Carrot Cottage. This is an edible hidey which has kept them gnawing non stop for over 48 hours. I’m wondering if they even took a break to sleep! This is such a great boredom buster and a great item for them to gnaw on. I am really impressed with this one.

A selection of boredom busters. I’m always on the lookout for boredom busters for the Amigos. Zuki has a great selection, it was hard to choose which ones they would love the best!

And of course some special bunny treats because every bunny deserves a yummy treat or two! These were a total hit, Mr Duke dive bombed the entire bag of Naturals Fenugreek Crunchies and harassed me for over an hour after I had packed the rest away for another day.

Our overall experience with Zuki has been FANTASTIC!! Their website is easy to use with lots of product categories which helps you find products very easily. Images of each items are clear so you can see exactly what the item looks like along with good product descriptions to help make choosing the right product easier.

We highly recommend Zuki as an online pet store where you can schedule your pet food plus add in a few extras to spoil the furry loves in your life. If you haven’t already, head on over to their website www.zuki.co.za

Follow them on social media too Facebook | Instagram

Thank you Zuki for ALL our spoils! We absolutely love everything.

Thank you for reading

21
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!

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.

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.

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.

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…

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

Facebook

Instagram

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

Thank you for reading

13
Dec
2018

Planet Dog: Snoop and Nook Ball Product Review

categories: Product Reviews

Since the day we brought Princess Zara home almost two and a half years ago and fed her her very first Acana meal I have been searching for slow feed bowls, toys and ways in which to get Zara to understand that her food will not run away from her.

I was utterly horrified when I first saw the way my beautiful 8 week old puppy gobbled down her food in twenty-seconds flat! I was so used to Oscar who would have won a medal for the worlds slowest eater if I had entered him into such a competition!! I was of course concerned for Zara’s health and sought advice from a lot of my Instagram friends and our vet Dr Sally.

Through time and lots and lots of patience, I can say that I am extremely proud of what a lady Zara has become with her food at meal times. She does still have her moments especially when it comes to treats and table scraps which I don’t think will ever change.

Pack Leader is the sole distributor of many fantastic top quality products for the South African Pet market. Their brands include Orijen dog food, Acana dog food, Weuva canned cat and dog food, Planet Dog durable toys, Smart Cat-cat litter, Tuffy Dog Toys, Mighty plush toys, Dura Force toys, RuffWear Dog Gear, Earthbath grooming products, Pawbreakers catnip candy, Chuckit dog toys, Earthrated biodegradable poop bags, Ducky World cat toys, Go Cat interactive toys and Kittens no 1 cat trees and furniture. Their list of products is pretty amazing and no doubt you have seen them around or are a huge fan just like me. Pack Leader prides themselves in only bringing you the best quality for your pooch or cat, and I would say they’re doing an amazing job!

So when Pack Leader South Africa contacted us, Zara and I did back flips in the pool. I have always taken pride in the fact that we give Zara Acana kibble. I have done extensive research when it comes to dog food and of course there is always going to be the debate of raw vs kibble but for extremely personal decisions Zara gets kibble and I believe Acana/Orijen is a raw diet in a kibble. The ingredients do not lie.

Up first in our bag of goodies to review from Pack Leader are the Planet Dog Snoop and Nook Slow Feed Balls. To say that I am impressed is a serious understatement! For once I can say that Zara has met her match with her Snoop and Nook balls. You fill the blue Snoop ball with kibble or treats and then place the red Nook ball inside the Snoop ball. The idea is for your pooch to work out how to get to her treats. I actually had to take the Nook ball out which made it a little easier for Zara to understand. The Snoop ball alone kept her entertained for over an hour, with just a few Orijen freeze dried treats inside. She had to really, but I mean really use her brain!

For added entertainment you can squish peanut butter or cream cheese inside the Nook ball. You can then use it as a stand alone interactive toy or place it inside the Snoop ball for yet an even harder challenge for your pooch. Zara did eventually work out that she needed to take the Nook ball out the Snoop ball so she could reach her treats.

I love the Orbee-Tuff material that the Snoop and Nook Balls are made from. Planet Dogs was founded on this material invention. Orbee-Tuff is non-toxic and made from 100% recyclable medical-grade material. It remains the most innovative and eco-friendly dog toy in the world. That alone should be enough to convince you that the Snoop and Nook balls are amazing!

The feel of the Orbee-Tuff material is pretty awesome. It will never crack, is tougher than elastic and will last longer than rubber. With that being said I don’t believe the Snoop and Nook balls are chew toys and you should always be present while your pooch is playing with them, pick them up once the fun is over for the next round of entertainment.

Did I mention that the Snoop and Nook balls are 100% dishwasher safe too-yes please!

Overall Zara and I give the Planet Dog Snoop and Nook Balls a five paw rating. They are fun, interactive and extremely entertaining for your pooch. These balls will get your pups brain working in no time.

To get your paws on these fabulous balls, you can purchase any of the following:

*2x 2kg Orijen dog food and receive a FREE Planet Dog Nook Ball

*2x 6kg Orijen dog food and receive a FREE Planet Dog Snoop Ball

*2x 11.4kg Orijen dog food and receive a FREE Snoop AND Nook Ball

Or you can purchase the individual Snoop and Nook Balls from participating pet stores

*This promo is running until stocks last-so hurry!!

Follow Pack Leader on social media for all their upcoming promo’s and awesome products they stock: Website www.packleader.co.za | Facebook | Instagram

Thank you for reading

05
Oct
2018

K9 Connectables Product Review

categories: Product Reviews

When the Petbound team contacted us to review the K9 Connectables toy range, I was so excited! Zara sure was going to love this one.

K9 Connecatables are a group of toys that connect together forming an interactive toy for your pooch. You can stuff them with treats or smear peanut butter inside and your pooch has to use her brain and work out how to get to the treat.

When we received our K9 Connectables I was immediately impressed with the quality and the durability of the toys. Remember that no dog toy is indestructible, but these are strong and I know Zara is going to have hours of enjoyment with them. The colours are also bright and fun making the toys visually appealing.

We received the K9 Connectables 3 pack. Is Zara spoiled or what! In it includes ‘The Original’ which are two ball like connectables and they also fit into ball launchers for you to throw, ‘The Dentist’ which are bigger than the balls and promote dental hygiene, and then ‘The Tech Bone’ which is the bone shaped one which all the others can connect to.

It was time to get creative and make Zara work for her treats. Zara is extremely intelligent and catches onto things really quickly. But this she had to think about… Each connectable has levels of difficulty. As you connect them together you can click them in once for easy, twice for medium, three times for hard and the Tech bone allows you to click four times which is super dog hard.

I started with the easiest setting on The Original connectables, I placed a treat inside and connected them together and just watched how Zara thought about how she was going to get to that treat. It was a total disaster on my part because I put treats that were small enough to slip through shapes on the side. So my princess learnt very quickly that rolling them got her treats… Now it was time for me to rectify that and teach her she needs to break them apart to get the treat. So I showed her the two separate balls, changed the treat, clicked them together and watched as she frustratingly tried to get her treat. She soon realised that rolling it this time was not getting her a reward so she tried a different tactic, us using her paws and jaw to pop them apart. Success!

The K9 Connectables are different from any other interactive toy Zara has ever played with. These are awesome! Even on the easy setting it is challenging for your pup, and so it should be! Zara is hugely food driven so once she knew there was a treat inside she did not give up until she broke the K9 Connecatbles apart. And i’ll be honest it took her a while, which I love because it really made her think about what she needs to do for her reward. These are without a doubt fantastic mental stimulation toys for your pooch.

Then it was time to enjoy them in another way… When I read on the packaging that the float, my heart skipped a beat because I knew this would be another way Zara would love these toys. Everyone who follows us on Instagram will know just how much Zara LOVES to swim! It is her happy place for sure, being in her pool. So now it was time to put these K9 Connectables to the test in water. I didn’t use treats or anything like that. I simply used them as some fun pool toys.

Zara couldn’t get enough of them. They were all floating around her, she grabbed them, flung them around and literally had a party for one with her K9 Connectables.

She began biting down on them and I for sure thought they would split but they didn’t. It turns out they are made from a special soft but durable material called TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer – essentially a soft plastic) and this makes them super awesome for your pup to bite down on. They are also certified to be completely non toxic, BPA and phthalate free, another tick of approval!

All in all these K9 Connectables are fantastic toys. I absolutely love them and so does Zara! I am blown away by how much they made her use her brain to figure out how to get her treats. She will be getting these toys everyday to keep her mind stimulated. Thank you to Petbound for sending us these super fun toys to review. Zara gives them a five paw rating and so do I!

You can view the full range of K9 Connectables on the Petbound Website www.petbound.co.za

They also offer a variety of other goodies to spoil your pets!

Follow Petbound on social media too | Facebook | Instagram

Thank you for reading.

24
Apr
2018

Product Review: PetQwerks Dinosaur Bones

categories: Product Reviews

We love PetQwerks and clearly PetQwerks loves us!! We received another amazing box filled with goodies for Oscar and Zara to enjoy, but the toy that particularly looks interesting is the new PetQwerks Dinosaur Bone!

I had to have a little chuckle at this aptly named chew toy for Zara because we call her our Dinosaur. She is 53kg of pure Rottie. Much like a dinosaur she causes chaos on a daily basis, but good chaos of course! Her mad half hours are filled with toys being tossed in the air, rumbles on the bed throwing all the neatly placed cushions all over the floor, she stampedes to the couch making sure she takes over as much as she can at any one given time, digs craters in the grass so I fall in them while running around playing chasing games with her and she digs holes in the flower beds almost ripping up my most precious trees, all while Oscar watches from the sidelines. But you know what, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Zara is our beautiful dinosaur and Oscar is my noble steed who never leaves my side.

As soon as I opened the box of goodies from PetQwerks, Zara inched closer to the table, rested her head almost inside the box and using her long chameleon tongue began licking the huge Dinosaur bone chew! I knew that I would have to work fast and get the photos I wanted so she could enjoy this new fantastic Dinosaur bone chew.

The new Dinosaur Bone that we received is the real bacon flavour and it was an instant hit with Zara. They are specifically made for extreme tough chewers like our Dinosaur. They come in three different sizes and are made from 100% Nylon and real bacon. The other flavours include wood and peanut butter-yummy! These chew toys give me complete peace of mind as something for Zara to gnaw on. Rawhide chews are still everywhere yet we all know the dangers of them. Zara loves to chew and gnaw things from sticks to stones and even soft toys-all of which have potential dangers. With any of the PetQwerks chews and now with this fantastic giant Dinosaur Bone chew, I know she will be happy to chew for hours and hours to come without it being harmful to her.

Of course Oscar had his usual sniff and slobbered on everything but kindly let his sister take over. He did give the Bacon BarkBone a little lick, after all which pup doesn’t love bacon? We received a newly designed bottle of IncrediBubbles which I made my mission to show Oscar how much fun they can be… He still isn’t convinced-haha!

The new light up BabbleBall which has 18 new sounds and phrases is just the best. I giggle every time it’s set off! Zara quite liked the X-Tire ball and when it began roaring and chirping she was most confused and intrigued as to why these noises are coming from her new toy.

PetQwerks toys really are unique and fantastic! There is no other way to describe them. Our pooches are such curious creatures and I love watching how both Oscar and Zara interact with new and unique toys. The PetQwerks range of goodies will not disappoint you. I really do love the BabbleBalls, I have never seen anything quite like them before. Watching the way Oscar and Zara stare at them while the balls are barking and saying hilarious things is extremely entertaining. Your pet will learn that the BabbleBall needs a nudge or a paw to set it off, making this a super fun interactive toy for them. The light up BabbleBall brings another element of interaction with it in the form of a light that flashes making it tons of fun to play with at night.

Overall we thank PetQwerks for more wonderful spoils. We are proud to associate ourselves with them. They are a brand that is dedicated to enriching the lives of pets with their fun and innovative ideas. We say keep them coming!

Head on over to the PetQwerks website | www.petqwerks.com

Follow them on social media to stay up to date with new product launches and weekly giveaways

Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Thank you for reading

16
Mar
2018

Product Review: PetQwerks Volume Two…

categories: Product Reviews

PetQwerks is honestly one of our most favourite doggy toy companies out there! Not only are their toys and chews unique and just outright fantastic, their service and customer care is incredible and of course being brand ambassadors for them has it’s perks too…

PetQwerks offers a wide variety of tasty chew toys, there’s something for everyone at PetQwerks, even super heavy chewers like Zara! Their chew toys are very unique. Not only are they really strong but they are scented and flavoured too. Anything from berries, to bacon, they have a flavour to tickle every pups taste buds. PetQwerks also has a range of super cute soft toys, some of which make cute sounds and of course the famous IncrediBubbles and BabbleBall range.

Our box of PetQwerks goodies arrived with much excitement and anticipation and boy were we happy when we opened our box! Beautifully wrapped in paw print tissue paper was the cutest hedgehog soft toy which makes the cutest little noise ever! Zara is most intrigued with this talking fluffy toy. A squeaker newspaper which Oscar will take joy in reading-haha. A bottle of IncrediBubbles which are our absolute BEST!! A FlavoritBreath chew, a super cute emoji squeaky toy which I might add is the loudest squeaker I have ever heard in a toy-much to Zara’s delight of course! AND the newest addition to their BarkBone range, the BBQ BARKBONE! What a box of spoils we received.

I was already a huge fan of the BarkBones ever since we received our very first one, a peanut butter flavoured one. Zara is still gnawing on it, ten months later and it’s still in tact and in good condition! BarkBones are crafted with the essence of their specific favour throughout. There are no colourants and no additives making them non-toxic and non-allergenic and safe for your pup to enjoy on a daily basis. I particularly love BarkBones for Zara because it has provided an amazing alternative to rawhide treats-which we all know are horrific!

This BBQ flavoured BarkBone was an instant hit with both Oscar and Zara. When I put the box of goodies in-front of them to let them choose their favourites, they both immediately went for the BBQ BarkBone. Luckily Oscar is such a gentleman, he let Zara take the BBQ BarkBone to her bed to chew and enjoy quietly. Oscar’s second favourite item was the newspaper-just as I thought, haha! He loves keeping up with the news of the pup world!

Another firm favourite in our house are the IncrediBubbles. We just cannot get enough of them. Every pup loves bubbles right-well except Oscar, traditionally bubbles are made from soap and other harsh ingredients, I worried what they would do to Zara. Thankfully PetQwerks came to the rescue. These IncrediBubbles not only smell amazing but taste great too-yes I tasted them!! These IncrediBubbles are a lot stronger than regular bubbles and they don’t pop immediately they land on something. After bubble time Zara is usually covered in small intact bubbles clinging to her fur. Oscar is not a lover of the bubbles, they frighten him a bit. Floating things falling from the sky are not a fun thing when you’re scared of your own shadow-haha.

Oscar is quite fond of the Hedgehog that makes a cute sound. Since he is such a snuggle bug, he happily shares his bed and his duvet with his new cute friend and settles down for an afternoon nap.

Once again PetQwerks didn’t disappoint at all. Their range of dog toys is absolutely amazing. We will forever support PetQwerks and you should too!

Head on over to their website | www.petqwerks.com

Follow them on social media | facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

For my South African readers I would be happy to order some of these FANTASTIC goodies, if you would love to spoil your pups!! Simply send me an email on stacey@stylishpaws.co.za

Thank you for reading.

28
Aug
2017

Happy 1st Birthday Zara!

categories: Zara

Wow, where has an entire year gone? I have no clue, but what I do know is that my baby girl is not such a baby girl any more. Happy 1st birthday to Zara! From the moment she waltzed through our front door, she knew and we knew that she was home. She casually made herself comfy in Oscar’s teepee as if she had been here before. Of course Oscar was not sure what to think of this new fluff ball who had decidedly taken over.

Zara has grown into the most lovable, caring, loyal and beautiful girl in the world. Right from the beginning she just fitted into our family life, adjusted to how things worked without so much as a whimper. She never cried at night or messed in the house. We were the ones who woke her up for midnight toilet breaks. Her larger than life personality has made this year full of fun with lots of laughter.

I will admit, I needed some convincing that a Rottie would be the perfect addition to our family… Oscar is my very first pooch and it has always been just him, so forgive me if I had his best interests at heart here. After doing extensive research, I kind of got a sense for what we would be in for and agreed. After all I am a firm believer in the way you raise a puppy will affect their behaviour as an adult-much like raising a child.

I am not sure the research really did prepare me for Zara (haha) but I will say I am 100% a Rottie mom and totally fallen in love with the Rottie breed. She is quite frankly a dinosaur who eats us out of house and home, has mad half hours and trashes the living room and bedrooms, who takes toys out her toy box and leaves them all over the place, runs around at 7am squeaking her favourite snake toy, steals socks at any moment she can, brings me rocks as surprise presents and completely takes over our bed at night, but you know what… I wouldn’t have it any other way!

She has brought out the playful side in Oscar again and the two of them have their own unique way of playing together. She understands that he is older and he has boundaries and when he says enough she happily leaves him and comes to play wth us instead. She adores her brother and constantly sneaks licks and kisses on the top of his head. She watches him ever so patiently while he eats his breakfast and dinner to see if he has left her any scraps to nibble on. She watches him snore with great curiosity and tries to sneak in a cuddle or two every now and then.

She greets us in the mornings like she hasn’t seen us in years with a smile from ear to ear and loads of kisses and cuddles. She has the cutest morning tradition where she runs to her toy box and brings me her toy of choice as a gift, a wake up gift. Returning home after being out for a few hours is like pandemonium! Her excitement is off the charts with cries that resemble a hyena. Of course she sniffs around to see if there are gifts and usually there are-yes they are spoiled 🙂 Now returning home from a holiday is pandemonium times a hundred… She honestly gets so excited she does not know what to do with herself. She has a hard time choosing who to get cuddles from first, myself or dad. It’s a tough choice for such a loyal pup. When we get back from holidays both Zara and Oscar do not leave our sides for hours. Literally following our every move, making sure we don’t suddenly disappear again.

So today we celebrate Zara’s first birthday and no birthday would be complete without presents and cake! So here is the recipe for Zara’s birthday cake:

Cake

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas-mashed

4 tbs honey

1 egg

2 cups water

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup oats

1 cup peanut butter

1tbs coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together all the wet ingredients until properly combined. Then add in the oats, baking powder and flour and mix all together. I used a hand beater to make it easier and quicker. Once everything is mixed properly pour the cake batter into a greased cake tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through. Once cooked leave the cake to cool completely before decorating.

tip: if you have any left over cake after the celebrations, cut it into slices and put them in tubs and freeze for a yummy frozen treat for your pooches!

Frosting

Plain yoghurt

Peanut butter

For the frosting beat together equal parts of yoghurt and peanut butter. If the frosting seems a little thick/stiff then add more yoghurt until you are satisfied with the consistency. Once your cake has cooled completely go ahead and frost your cake.

tip: if you have any frosting left over, simply scrape it into silicone moulds (I used heart shaped ice trays) and freeze. Then pop them out and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for yummy frozen treats for your pups. Oscar and Zara LOVE these!!

Treats

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas-mashed

1 egg

1 tbs coconut oil

2 tbs natural peanut butter

2 cups flour

Directions

Pre-heat your over to 180 degrees. Mix together the mashed banana, egg, coconut oil and peanut butter until all combined. Then add in the flour one cup at a time until you have the perfect dough consistency. Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough out, using fun cookie cutters cut out the treats which will decorate your pups birthday cake. Place them onto greased baking trays and bake for +-20 minutes or until golden brown. Leave them to cool completely before decorating your cake with them. Any extras can be out in an airtight container and stored in a cool dry place or pop them in the freezer for another day.

Presents

Zara has come to LOVE getting presents and new things. Her new toy becomes the favourite of the week, almost as if to show just how much she appreciates it. For her first birthday we decided to get her some water toys. She is such a water pup and loves swimming and playing in the sprinklers. We thought her own doggy sprinkler would be a great idea as well as a doggy water fountain, some toys to play in the pool with and some treats and chews too.

I am so grateful to have both Zara and Oscar in my life. Without them I would honestly be lost. My days revolve around them, cuddles, baking treats, playing games and going for walks. They mean the world to me and today we celebrate Zara’s first year in my world. Happy birthday my baby girl-Yes you will always be my baby girl!

Follow us on Instagram where we are hosting #zarasbirthdaysafari party. Everyone is invited and anyone can join! Watch our Instagram story to see all the fun we are having celebrating this wonderful day.

Thank you for reading.

18
Aug
2017

Frozen KONG toy ideas…

categories: Oscar, Recipes, Zara

Let’s just take a moment to appreciate the magnificence that is the KONG toy!! Where has this toy been all my life? Ok let’s be honest, Oscar isn’t the most food orientated pooch on the block so I never really explored different recipes or ways to keep him entertained using food. Enter Zara, a hurricane of energy and appetite… I suddenly found myself in a frustrated mess as to how to keep my beautiful baby girl entertained and happy while sustaining her massive appetite between meals.

Zara lives for food. She will do a backflip for you if it means getting a treat, be it meat, fruit or veggies, she LOVES food! Oscar is the fussiest pooch around and will happily tell me when he isn’t so keen on a new teat recipe I am trying out.

During my months of being a frustrated mess, my Instagram family steered me in the direction of the KONG toy. Sure I had heard of it but I wasn’t sold on the idea. I had a lot of reservations about it, will it be strong enough to withhold the teeth and jaws of my dinosaur puppy? How will she get whatever I put inside out? And will this seemingly small toy really keep her that entertained?

I gave in and ordered the biggest and strongest KONG toy of the collection. And waited patiently for it to arrive… While waiting I began to explore and think of the things I would put inside this new toy. I was sorting through Oscar and Zara’s toy box and I came across two other balls that had a hole in the centre. One was a Rogz Grinz ball and the other was a BIONIC ball. The BIONIC ball would have to be modified but it would work I figured. I decided to give this a try and I filled them each with natural plain yoghurt and blueberries and put them in the freezer for a couple of hours and then surprised my two babies with a yummy frozen delight. The reaction was unbelievable. Both Oscar and Zara found a comfy spot and sat quietly and enjoyed their new treat. I could not believe that I now had some “free time” on my hands. I actually didn’t know what to do with myself so I just sat and watched while they enjoyed-haha!! I could not believe that Oscar was into his frozen treat, the fussiest pooch around!!

Oscar’s frozen ball is a very specific kind, he cannot seem to get his tongue into the smaller holes of the KONG or the Rogz Grinz ball so I have modified a BIONIC ball for him and he loves it. It has a hole that runs right through-a bit like a donut. I simply put a small piece of tin foil around the bottom, fill it up and freeze it.

Because of their eager reaction I came up with a whole lot of yummy fillings for all three fillable balls and here are their favourites…

Frozen Ideas:

Plain yoghurt, blueberries, strawberries, coconut oil

Plain yoghurt, peanut-butter, blueberries

Plain yoghurt, mashed banana, peanut-butter

Carrot mash, frozen peas, coconut cream

Sweet potato, frozen peas, carrot chunks

Pumpkin mash, frozen peas, carrot chunks, coconut oil

Fresh Ideas:

Cooked pasta, carrot cubes, coconut oil

Cooked pasta, Mince meat, coconut oil

Cooked pasta, cottage cheese, fresh peas

Butternut mash, apple chunks, grated cheese

Cottage cheese, apple chunks, strawberries

Pineapple chunks, strawberries, peanut-butter

Macaroni cheese

These are just a few of the endless possible filler ideas. They happen to be Oscar and Zara’s favourites so I just mix and match the ingredients depending on what we have in the fridge. I am obviously mindful of what is safe and not safe for pups to eat and you should be too!

Since the KONG toy arrived I have not regretted my decision at all! In fact I want to order some more so there is always one in the freezer ready to be enjoyed. Changing the filling from frozen to fresh is also a great way to keep things interesting for Zara. So if you have not ordered your KONG toy yet, I suggest you do now!

Thank you for reading.