everything pets + a tiny human
Welcome to November! Here in the Southern Hemisphere, summer is in full swing, which means we get to enjoy our days poolside. Whether you’re enjoying summer or fall, we hope your November is a beautiful one.
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BrightKins Pets is all about interactive enrichment toys for pets, if you have followed along for some time then you’ll know that interactive enrichment toys are my ultimate favourites when it comes to dog toys!
We are no stranger to the Brightkins Pets range of awesome interactive Dog Toys, So when we were asked to review some more interactive dog toys, we could hardly contain our excitement!
This time we were taking the puppies to Pooch School— and Gia is the teacher 😉
Oh my dawg, did we have fun with this!! Included in the Pooch School Training Set is a magic pencil which you fill up with your pups favourite treats. This helps with guiding and getting them and gaining their focus to follow along – Gia thought this was a fabulous trick! There is also a stapler clicker in the set which is very cute and easy to click (not all clickers are easy!). You also get a teachers apple which is interactive with spaces to fill with treats too. And to start your Pooch School, there is a pack of cards each with a simple instruction e.g Sit, Down or Stay.
We also received the BrightKins Pets Hot Dog training clicker which is just the most awesome clicker I have ever seen- who says clickers need to be boring 😉
Cue the class… With class in session it was time for Kiki and Zamba to learn a few things from teacher Gia. First up was getting the pups to focus on Gia, when she clicks her clicker they receive a reward! They caught on rather fast at what was happening here, so they moved onto the next tasks which was Sit, Stay, Down, Follow and a firm favourite Hide & Seek! There are 10 instructions in total.
As we moved through the lessons, Gia, Kiki and Zamba were totally focused on each other. BrightKins Pets brought the fun accessories for Gia to teach her puppies, and the puppies enjoyed going through the lessons receiving treats as a positive reinforcement.
BrightKins Pets interactive and enrichment toys are all about positive reinforcement, and this is the exact training method I have always believed in! Our dogs deserve to be the best versions of themselves and with positive reinforcement training methods they absolutely can be!
The BrightKins Pooch School Training Set makes a fabulous gift for both dog lovers and dogs alike! You get to spend quality time with your dogs while they get to learn and earn rewards. I particularly love this BrightKins Pets Pooch School Training Set because it allowed Gia to get involved and have fun training her puppies, it teaches her the importance of learning and training and teaches her to have patience with her puppies when they don’t understand the task first time around.
All in all we absolutely LOVED the BrightKins Pets Pooch School Training set and we know you will too! Click here to shop.
Follow BrightKins Pets on Facebook & Instagram to stay up to date with new product launches!
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by Happy October! I feel like we got here really fast… We’re in the swing of making summer memories and we couldn’t be happier!
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by Toys, grooming items, enrichment toys, for dogs and cat to birds and fish, Zugo has it all and that’s why we love them! Zugo truly is a pet product paradise!
When Zugo asked us to collaborate, we couldn’t wait to see what would be in our surprise package, and oh my dog we were not disappointed!
Zugo is a pet product company that creates awesome, interesting and slightly quirky pet products, from grooming items to fish hideys- they’ve got it all.
In our surprise box we received so many gorgeous goodies, it was hard to decide what to explore first. Being the gentle giant that Zamba is, he let Kiki dive head first into our box of Zugo goodies, and choose her first toy. No surprise when she came out with the Zugo Eco Friendly Plush Squeaking Crocodile. If you follow Kiki and her shenanigans on Instagram you’ll know that her latest obsession is with lizards, now she has her very own squeaking crocodile. The quality of the Zugo Crocodile is to be admired, with its reinforced seams and strong rope legs, this toy can endure many hours of rustling! A five paw rating.
As you all well know, Zamba is completely and utterly obsessed with balls. Anything and everything that looks or feels like a ball! So naturally Zamba’s first choice from our Zugo box was the Zugo Active Play Plush Ball. It is filled with an interesting sounding inner plus a squeaker too, you better believe this got Zamba running and jumping! A five paw rating.
Next up I wanted to explore the treat dispensers. I was particularly drawn to the strawberry or Zuberry as it’s known in the Zugo online store. The durable material is fantastic especially since its all natural and non-toxic. The same can be said for the Munch n Crunch Zuhog treat dispenser. It’s durability is fantastic, it allows Zamba to really give it a good chew while not even leaving a single tooth mark! That is pretty impressive coming from a rottie jaw. We received the Treat Tumbler ball as well as the Tugball. All of these interactive treat dispensers are durable, fun in different ways and the treats do not just fall out like other treat dispensers, Kiki and Zamba had to work for them which is obviously the aim of the game- to keep them engaged and entertained for as long as possible. A five paw rating.
We also received the Crisp Carrot chewable. This one is fantastic! Not only is it durable- I know I keep saying this but these chews and toys truly are durable! – but both Kiki and Zamba took a real liking to it. Both of them still love to chew – more Kiki than Zamba, however they were both very interested in the quirky crisp carrot. A five paw rating.
Next up we received some surprises for Ollie and Roo (our cats). Three catnip toys that are all different and awesome! My favourite has to be the watermelon that is touch activated with a squeak! It is totally awesome and both Ollie and Roo love it too. Every cat deserves a toy and these are fabulous. A five paw rating.
We did get two grooming prducts, the Zugo nail clippers and the one of a kind 360 degree Zugo toothbrush. It has a 3 sided brush head that I must be honest makes brushing so much easier! It is a little big for Kiki and her tiny toofers however it worked fantastically on Zamba! I am well impressed with this toothbrush- I highly recommend it. A five paw rating.
Overall we think Zugo pet products are absolutely fantastic! When it says they’re durable they truly mean it- they are durable! You should try them out for yourself… visit their website www.zugo.co.za or international www.zugo-pets.com
Give them a follow on Instagram too, and tag us @stylish_paws and @zugo in your Zugo toy fun!
by And just like that we are well into the second half of 2024! Happy August everyone, make it a memorable one.
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by It’s winter here in Zambia and although we do not experience winter like Europe, for us it gets pretty chilly! And for a little Boston Terrier like Kiki, even the slightest drop in temperature affects her. So this blog is all about how to keep your Boston Terrier warm in winter.
Kiki is a little Boston Terrier girl and a little over one years old. What she lacks in size, she certainly makes up in her attitude department- haha. But with that being said, Kiki does not have a lot of fur covering her little body, or should I say her fur certainly is not as thick and luscious compared to other breeds of dogs.
Kiki is practically bald behind her ears, on the inside of her hind legs and under her chin and chest area. So the slightest temperature change make a big difference to her! *This post contains affiliate links.
Here are a few key things I do to make sure Kiki the Boston Terrier is kept warm and comfortable when its cold:
Clothing
I always thought dog clothing was more of an accessory than a necessity, however since having Kiki I have come to realise that it does in fact serve a purpose and it makes a huge difference in Kiki’s life! Kiki has a few sweaters that vary in thickness depending on how cold the day or night will be and I am always on the lookout for more stylish sweaters to add to her collection! Shop dog jackets here.
A Warm Meal
There is nothing nicer than eating a warm meal when it’s cold and that’s exactly what I do for Kiki. I make a warm portion of bone broth which I pour over her kibble and she absolutely loves it! I have also seen a noticeable difference when she has her warm meal she’s more active and ready to play versus when she has just plain kibble on a cold day she looks for a cosy spot on the couch and snuggles a little to warm up before getting into the playful mood. Shop bone broth here.
A Comfy Bed
Kiki has a few comfy beds of her own around the house. She has one under my desk in my office space and she has one in our bedroom which gets put onto our bed at night and she sleeps in there snuggled up like a bug! Kiki is also allowed to snuggle up on the couch if she wants to. At night when I have a cosy couch blanket, Kiki comes nudging her way to warm up and cosy right next to me 😉 This is about the only thing I love about winter- haha! Shop comfy beds here.
Things I try and avoid during winter for Kiki:
Bathing
Kiki doesn’t get bathed as often in winter as she does in summer. But when I do bath her I make sure to bath her on the warmest day predicted using my weather app, and I will bath her at the hottest time of the day. This allows her to then go and sunbathe to dry off and warm herself back up faster. When bathing is not an option I will use doggy wipes which actually work really well! Shop doggy wipes here.
Drafts
I never allow Kiki to be in a draft. If I see her on the couch snuggled uncomfortably trying to get warm, I will always close the windows and doors for her. Like I said, the slightest temperature drop makes a big difference to Kiki and wind is a bog part of that for her. Shop dog blankets here.
So to answer your question, can Boston Terriers handle cold weather? My answer is a huge NO!
I hope my tips help keep your Boston Terrier or any other pupper warm during winter. Be sure to follow Kiki my little Boston Terrier on Instagram as she shows off her sassiness and shares her life with her big bro Zamba the Rottweiler and her baby sis Gia @stylish_paws
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by Hello June, hello winter for us in the southern hemisphere. We’re not winter lovers over here – haha! So while we try and keep warm, we hope you have a fabulous month of June.
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by Brightkins Pets is all about interactive enrichment toys for pets and the children’s toy range, Learning Resources, is all about fun interactive learning. I love nothing more than interactive learning toys for both Kiki and Zamba as well as Gia. So when Brightkins asked us to collaborate and test out a few of their interactive enrichment toys we jumped for joy!
At Brightkins they believe that pets are part of the family, and well if you follow us on Instagram you will know that this statement resonates with us whole heartedly! Brightkins has the widest range of interactive enrichment toys I have ever come across. One of my favourite things about the pet interactive toys is that majority of them gets the entire family involved in the fun, which of course Gia loved too.
So here is what we received from Brightkins…
The Brightkins small Ice Cream treat dispenser for our little Kiki. Gia filled it up with Kiki’s favourite treats and enjoyed watching Kiki figure out how to flip it over in order to get the treats out. Because it is not a regular ball shape, it was a little more difficult for Kiki to figure out and required more patience from her.
The Brightkins Tough & Tumble treat dispenser for our big boy Zamba. It is tough enough for Zamba’s jaws but he figured out pretty quickly that rolling it and not biting it gets him more treats. Because it is a puffer fish shape it also rolls around irregularly which keeps things interesting. Both these treat dispensers could also be filled with kibble if your pup is a fast eater!
Next we got the Brightkins Cupcake Party treat puzzle, and oh what fun this one is! You can create three different levels of difficulty and watch which one your pup masters the best. The base of the cupcakes doubles up as a slow feeder too. Kiki was a keen learner with this one, because she has a short snout she soon worked out that using her paws got her the reward, whereas Zamba used his longer nose and strength to get to the treats.
Next up is the super fun Brightkins Pupstrami Surprise treat puzzle. Not only is this one fun to look at with it being a giant pastrami interactive dog toy, but it has so many compartments to hide treats in. Kiki and Zamba had to master the art of only spinning one layer at a time! The hardest for them both was spinning the top ‘roll’ to get to the treats hidden in the ‘tomato’ layer. It was really fun to watch them work this one out, not to mention they kept at it for ages and ages. It was hard for Gia to watch them struggle to work out the different layers on this one but I explained to her that they need to work it out for themselves just like she works out her toys and things!
Last in the pet interactive toy range we received is the Brightkins Magic Trick training set. I will say that Gia absolutely loved this one! Not only did it feel like she was performing magic on Kiki and Zamba 😉 but both Kiki and Zamba were enthralled with what she was doing too! This set is the ideal way to have fun while training your pups. It teaches your pups to listen to cues and while some of the tricks require a bit more practice than others, this set is definitely something we will continue to use so Kiki, Zamba and Gia can master more tricks together!
Next in our set of goodies is something for Gia. The children’s learning toys are from Learning Resources and we received Max the Moose which promotes the use of fine motor skills. While Gia is a little advanced for this one she still loved creating colourful patterns on the horns of the Moose and what intrigued her the most was trying to fit all the pieces inside compartment of the moose!
Then possibly one of my most favourite items for Gia right now- we received the Big Feelings Pineapple. Gia is turning five in May so feelings are a big thing for her right now… really big!! And this pineapple has been absolutely incredible as a way for her to express her feelings to us when she is struggling to put them into words. When Gia is feeling emotional and struggling to express exactly what she is feeling, she goes and fetches her pineapple. She sits and finds the face that expresses her feelings in that moment the most and she creates that face on her pineapple and hands it to us. We, mom and dad, are then able to chat about her feelings in a calm and more understanding way and resolve whatever it is that has been on her mind. I highly recommend this one!
When it comes to interactive dog toys and children’s learning toys, Brightkins Pets and Learning Resources is a cut far above the rest! Not only is the quality of every toy superb, they are colourful and very easy to clean. Brightkins Pets and Learning Resources have made themselves a name in my home so go and sniff them out online, whether you have pets or children or both, you will not regret purchasing anything from Brightkins and Learning Resources.
Visit the website here www.brightkins.com and swap between Brightkins and Learning Resources at the top.
Follow both Brightkins Pets and Learning Resources on Instagram to stay up to date on new toy launches.
To purchase Brightens Pets products head to Amazon by clicking here!
To watch the real time reel of all these goodies click here
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by It’s Zamba’s first Gotcha Day and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate our big baby bear in all his glory! In my biased opinion, there is nothing cuter than a Rottweiler puppy and wow Zamba was cute.
When we welcomed Zamba into our family a year ago today, we had recently lost our soul sister Zara. Zara was a Rottweiler too and she was the reason we knew we needed another needy Rottweiler in our lives. Zamba may have thought he had big paws to fill but it was important to us to let him know that he needed to just be himself and find his place within our family, which is of course was being needy but we wouldn’t change a thing!
When you look beyond Zamba’s big size and striking looks, you get to discover a giant teddy bear. A teddy bear that wants to kiss you for hours and run around the house squeaking one of his many many balls because balls are life!
So today we celebrate our bear Zamba.
Zamba’s LickiMat Birthday Treat
I am using the LickiMat brand for no other reason than it is what I had available to buy at the time of doing Zamba’s birthday prep! There are many amazing brands out there that offer similar things to fill and create birthday treats like the one I have prepared for Zamba.
Ingredients
To create a filled LickiMat (or a brand of your choice) simply choose what your pup loves to eat. For Zamba I have chosen:
Raw chicken mince
Raw beef mince
Double cream plain yoghurt
Cottage cheese
Carrot rounds
Raw watermelon cut into shapes
Collagen Paws
Doggy treats and sprinkle to top it all
Plus some pet friendly peanut butter
Directions
To assemble and create your fun filled treat bowl, simply layer all your ingredients how you wish. I made balls of chicken mince and beef mince, I spread the yoghurt around the edges, I filled gaps with cottage cheese, I decorated with the carrots and watermelon then topped it all with star shaped doggy treats and drizzled pet friendly peanut butter over everything. Then I put it in the freezer over night. You can choose to either freeze the treat bowl or give it to your pup fresh- it is up to you and your pup 🙂
Thank you for sharing in Zamba’s first Gotcha Day with us! The birthday fun will continue on Instagram so be sure to follow along over at @stylish_paws
by Welcome to March everyone. The month in which we will celebrate our darling little Kiki’s first Gotcha Day so stay tuned!
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Follow our daily chaos we call life on Instagram @stylish_paws
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