everything pets + a tiny human
Spooky season is upon us, so here are some of our favourite halloween dog costumes! We hope to inspire you this year…
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Stay tuned to our Instagram page @stylish_paws to see what we will be this Halloween.
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We love Santa in our home. He’s the big fat guy who brings presents and looks after reindeers and our new family member Coco Puff the elf. As Gia gets older, Christmas becomes more fun because she understands a little more and we can just enjoy the make believe world that Santa is. Life is too short not to have FUN and not to eat Christmas treats!
Zara loves Santa Paws too and she picks up on all the excitement and knows when his delivery has been made. She knows exactly which gifts are for her and loves to sniff them out.
So Santa Paws is almost here and what better way to celebrate his arrival than with some yummy homemade Christmas treats for the whole family.
Candy Cane Dog Treats
Ingredients for the red dough
1 cup beetroot puree
1 egg
2 cups flour
Directions
Mix together the beetroot puree and egg. Then add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Set aside.
Ingredients for the white dough
1 cup apple puree
1 egg
2 cups flour
Directions
Mix together the apple puree and egg. Then add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Set aside.
Take little portions of each dough and roll them into long thin strips then on a greased baking tray gently plait them into a candy cane shape. Repeat until all your dough is finished. Bake at 180 degrees for +-25 minutes or until cooked through. Once cooked allow them to cool before your pup enjoys them.
Gia helped make the Christmas cookies for Santa. She loved being involved!
Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 cup butter – room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the egg and vanilla together then add it to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat well. Then add the flour one cup at a time and mix well. Eventually the dough will form. Put it in the fridge for about an hour to chill. Once chilled roll out and using Christmas shaped cookie cutters make your Christmas cookies. Place on an un-greased baking tray and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for +-15minutes or until golden. Allow biscuits to cool completely before decorating.
You can bet we will be leaving a candy cane out for Rudolf and a Christmas cookie for Santa!
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2022.
Thank you for following us on our journey that was 2021!
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by It’s December and Santa Paws is almost on his way!
Here is a Christmas gift guide with some gorgeous ideas to spoil your furry loves this festive season.
Have yourself a very Merry Christmas everyone!
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1.House of Paws Reindeer Plush Toy
10.Extras…
We hope this gift guide helped you find some cute spoils for your furry loves. Should you wish to purchase any of these items through our links, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you, it’s just Amazon being nice to us 😉
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by Valentine’s Day. It’s a day you either love or hate. Some love to celebrate it and some don’t and that’s ok, thank goodness we’re all different. You can guess that I love to celebrate it!
Many argue that your love for someone shouldn’t have to be shown on one particular day of the year and while I agree with that, there is something different about sharing a meal, a coffee or a slab of chocolate with someone you love on 14 February. That someone doesn’t have to be a romantic love partner either. It can be your child, your furry loves, your best friend or a family member you treasure. There are so many people I wish I could share a slab of chocolate with on Valentine’s Day this year but as we all know, some things cannot happen right now.
With that being said, our little family will celebrate together. We will drink pink milkshakes, share cupcakes and eat spaghetti & meatballs lady and the tramp style 😉
This years valentines treats are not necessarily dog specific but if there is one thing that 2020 taught me, it’s that life is way to short to not eat cake. So this valentine’s day Zara will eat cupcakes and Gia will help make them…
Yes these cupcakes came out of a box, and who actually cares right. We still had to add the eggs, butter and milk hahaha! This is a local Zambian brand which I’m happy to report did not disappoint. They turned out perfectly, Gia devoured them while Zara I don’t think really tasted them as she swallowed the entire thing whole, paper and all-typical Zara! So thank you Meraki cakes for our yummy valentines cupcakes.
We hope you enjoy your valentine’s day however you decide to celebrate it, remember to hug your loved ones extra tight and give your furry loves an extra kiss at bedtime 😉
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by Valentine’s Day isn’t for everyone and that’s ok. However, over here in our house we love an excuse to celebrate. With everything that is going on in our crazy world right now, showing someone a little extra love goes a long way!!
So I have complied a cute list of Valentine’s goodies for your pets. Should you wish to spoil your furry loves with one or more of these goodies, we receive a small percentage of the commission (at no extra cost to you- It’s just Amazon being nice to us 🙂 )
Enjoy shopping…
Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Plush Toy
Zippy Paws Box of Chocolate Plush Toy
Zippy Paws Cookie Jar Plush Toy
Valentine’s Peanut butter Cups
We hope you found something you love to spoil the special furry loves in your life. If you would like more options, here is the link to our full store… Amazon Store
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by Happy Halloween everyone! We don’t typically celebrate Halloween here in Africa, but any excuse for us to celebrate makes for great fun right…
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.
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.
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!
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!
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!
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by Yay! Summer is back and we’re having tons and tons of water fun again. Zara is one big water obsessed pup! She absolutely loves any water, be it the pool, the sprinkler, the bath or shower-with us in it! She loves nothing more than getting her fur soaked and having a bit of fun.
When we got Zara there were two things I insisted on, one was proper puppy training which she still does two years later. And the second was she would not be scared of water. Our perseverance paid off, and now she is a total water baby.
Not all doggo’s love water, Oscar was one of them! He hated having a bath even though I bathed him from a tiny pup. I would also take him into the pool and hold him tight so he could get used to it but he absolutely hated it and that never changed. He would sit and watch from a distance as Zara would behave like a complete loon with the sprinkler. He would watch her swim in the pool while he lay on a beach towel soaking up the sun instead. She would try and get him to join her but he was having none of it-haha!!
If your pup hates water but you would like to try and get him used to it here are some simple tips for you to try, but remember do not push your pup too hard. It could have the total opposite effect, so tread carefully….
Start small
Fill a kidies pool with a small amount of water to start off with and gently encourage your pup to climb in. Reward them with a treat and or some praise for any interest in the pool he might have. Never splash the water at your pup or make loud demonstrative moves. The aim is to show your pooch there is nothing to fear here. As your pooch gets more comfortable you can fill the pool with more and more water.
Make it fun
Make water fun by adding in his favourite toys. Because Zara is so food driven, I added chopped up apple pieces to Zara’s little pool. They were floating treats teasing her as they moved around. She soon got the idea that she would have to put her head in slightly to get the treat. She learnt and its because of that, that she now submerges her whole head to get a pool toy! She has even learnt to blow bubbles through her nose so the water doesn’t go in. One clever pup I tell you 🙂
Moving to a bigger pool
Once your pup is comfortable playing around and splashing in a small amount of water, it’s time to move them up to a bigger pool or lake. If your pup cannot stand comfortably in your pool then it’s a very good idea to invest in a doggy life jacket! (Click here to shop) Our pool is a steel structure and canvas pool so luckily Zara is able to stand in it. Gently bring your pup into the water and continually praise him for being so brave. Encourage him to swim, with you right beside him holding his under belly. Show him that swimming can be fun. Slowly build up his confidence as you did with the small pool.
Swim together
Once your pup is totally confident you can both enjoy swimming together. You can swim out and ask him to come to you or even throw his favourite toy or ball and ask him to bring it back for you. It’s important to continue to praise your pooch for doing so well. The more you praise and make swimming fun, the easier he will understand that it’s not that scary after all.
When it comes to swimming, your pups safety should be your top priority. Never push your pup too hard. Keep the lessons short and sweet, any progress is great progress. Take breaks and keep it fun. Our pups love having fun with us. Never leave your pooch unattended near the water, no matter how well they’re doing. Your pooch can panic if left in the water and you leave his sight.
But most importantly have fun with your pup. We love nothing more than swimming with Zara on a hot summers day.
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Easter, that holiday time where there is an endless supply of chocolate. Chocolate eggs, chocolate bunnies, chocolate chickens, chocolate-chocolate-chocolate. I have quite a sweet tooth and I absolutely LOVE chocolate so these holidays are definitely one of my favourite to celebrate!
We all know the serious dangers when it comes to dogs and chocolate! Ours is always packed away in a sealed tub on a high shelf. Oscar has zero chance of reaching it with his little legs-haha… And being in a tightly sealed tub Zara has zero chance of getting to it too. But did you know that dogs can enjoy some carob chocolate? Oscar and Zara absolutely love it and I make little carob treats for them on special occasions so they feel extra special and included in the celebrations. My Easter blog post last year focused on carob doggy Easter treats (read here), so this year I am using it in a different way.
Carob comes from the carob tree. Inside the carob pod is a sweet pulp that is then dried, roasted and ground into carob powder. It is naturally sweet and has a slight nutty taste. Carob is completely free of the toxic compounds that are found in chocolate and has a moderate amount of fibre, potassium and vitamins. Carob is also a great healthy alternative for chocolate for humans and boasts a range of health benefits. You can find carob chip and carob chocolate bars in selected health stores.
I like to keep carob powder in the pantry because it has such a variety of ways I can use it for Oscar and Zara. I love experimenting with it and seeing what they love and what they don’t. Zara usually loves everything, it is Oscar that I need to impress 😉
My Easter recipes are pretty simple and seriously yummy this year. There is one for us humans-which is a little different to the traditional way and one for the pups… Enjoy
Humans only Giant Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
Hot Cross Bun
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbs yeast
4 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
4 tbs soft butter
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (because raisins are the devil hahaha)
Depending on how sweet you like them you can add an extra 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar.
Syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 sugar
Cream Cheese Icing
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tbs cream cheese
1 tbs soft butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tbs water
Directions
Doggy Hot Cross BunsIngredients
4 cups flour
1 tbs honey
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbs baking soda
1 cup milk
1/2 cup organic greek yoghurt
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbs butter
Carob chips
Syrup
The same as above
Cream Cheese Icing
The same as above
Directions
Along with enjoying these yummy hot cross buns and spending quality time together, Oscar and Zara of course had to dress up. Oscar decided he wanted to try become a chicken and Zara became a bunny-weiler… And of course the three musketeers wish you all a very Hoppy Easter too.
Whatever your Easter plans are, stay safe and enjoy precious family time!!
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Oh how I love Valentine’s Day. You either love it or hate it. Why hate it when it’s the day of love? Those that hate it say “why should I show you how much I love you on just one day”. Easter is one day, Christmas is one day and your birthday is one day, so what’s the difference?
It’s important to show the ones you love just how much you love them all the time, agreed not just on February 14th. But just go with it, enjoy the cliche of small white teddy bears holding red hearts, yummy indulgent chocolates and champagne, and long stem roses that cost an arm and a leg just because it’s Valentine’s Day.
Oscar and Zara know exactly how much they are loved. I tell them everyday basically all day that I love them and I know they understand every word!
Zara is not shy to show me how much she loves me back. Each and every morning she brings me a present. These presents are her toys, her most prized possessions of course, she chooses just one and that’s the gift of the day. This is such a special thing we have going, I wake up every morning wondering which toy i’ll get gifted with. I never taught her this at all, she one day started doing it and it’s now a ritual. Zara is also the queen of kisses. She pins me down (because yes she is stronger than me) and attacks me with her tongue! The love that Zara has is like nothing I have ever experienced, it’s so over the top and just so Zara.
Oscar on the other hand is a little more reserved in his expressions of love. His way of telling me he loves me is by never leaving my side. And I mean never! He follows me all over the house no matter what. I try get up and sneak out the room if he is snoozing (I don’t like disturbing his sleeps) but that nose of his picks up a scent that says “mom has left the room”. He is up like a rocket and finds me in three-seconds flat. He is by far the most loyal steed I have ever encountered. He is one hundred percent devoted to protecting me.
So naturally this Valentine’s Day I have made them some yummy bright red heart-shaped treats to devour….
Valentine’s Day Treats
Ingredients
2 cups beetroot puree
2-3 cups flour
2 tbs coconut oil
1 egg
Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. In a mixing bowl mix together your beetroot puree, coconut oil and egg. Then add your flour one cup at a time until you have a lovely dough. This dough can be slightly soft sticky, as long as you can roll it out it is fine. Gently roll out your dough and using heart shaped cookie cutters cut your treats. Place them on a greased baking tray and bake for +- 30 minutes or until cooked. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool. The bright red colour of these treats is just gorgeous and your pups will LOVE them.
Whatever you decide to do or not do this Valentine’s Day, make sure you let those around you know how much you love and appreciate them. I know I will. <3
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For us Christmas is about spending quality time with loved ones and of course that includes our four legged children! This year will be Charlotte, Duke and Peaches’ first Christmas so it needs to be a special one.
The big fat man dressed in red will be making a delivery for them too… Since it is difficult to find nice bunny goodies where we live, I like to make homemade gifts for them using bits and pieces I found around the house. The goodies I did find in the shops include a children’s ten-pin bowling set, because bunnies actually love playing interactive games with you. A doggy interactive toy, a new cat tunnel, an outside enclosure play pen and I made some homemade bunny treats (recipe below).
Homemade Bunny Crackers:
These are by far the easiest bunny toy to make. You simply take a toilet roll holder, fold in the one side, fill it with whatever your bunnies go crazy for like pellets, dried flowers and dried herbs or fill it with fresh goodies like carrot sticks, celery bits and herbs. Then fold in the other edge. Your bunnies will love throwing this around while trying to get the yummy stuffing out. I like to use different size ones (some toilet roll holders and some kitchen roll holders) to make things more challenging for them.
Bunny Treats:
I enjoy making homemade treats for the babies because that way I know exactly what is in them. No hidden dyes or preservatives, only ingredients I know are safe and healthy for them.
Ingredients
1/4 cup bunny pellets, blitzed up
1/4 cup blitzed oats
1 mashed banana
1 large carrot cooked and mashed into a puree
Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl until everything is nicely combined. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread the treat mixture evenly so it is about 1cm thick. Bake in the oven for +-30 mins or until the treats are cooked and hard. Take them out the oven, cut into small bite sized squares and allow to cool. Store them in an airtight container for on hand treats. Your bunnies will LOVE these… You can play around with the ingredients, choose your bunnies favourite veggies, fruit and herbs but please be mindful of what is safe for your furry loves to eat!!
We are at a comfortable stage where the bunnies can be around Oscar and Zara, so this Christmas is going to be lots of fun. Both Oscar and Zara love opening their Christmas gifts so they are going to have to show the bunnies how it’s done, perhaps even help open theirs!
Whatever your Christmas plans are this year, we hope you have a wonderful and safe celebration!
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