everything pets + a tiny human
Brrr it really is getting cold on our side of the world! Nothing a big blanket and lots of cuddles can’t fix…
Wishing you all a wonderful month of June
Download your June calendar here
Thank you for reading.
by 
I have always been a firm believer in feeding Oscar the very best dog food I could find. I looked at it from my point of view, if I were him. I love good tasty food with a variety of ingredients so why should he be given anything different.
Oscar was an extremely fussy eater, making meal times often stressful and unpleasant for us both. It wasn’t until much later in his life that finally an amazing kibble was being sold in South Africa. From the first scoop he was hooked which as you can imagine made my heart explode with happiness! It was then that I started doing loads of research into dog food and the ingredients used.
Enter Zara, a food guzzler from day one! I could have given her anything and she would have gulped it down in less than thirty seconds, as she did when I gave her her first Acana meal at home. It was a no brainer to feed Zara Acana kibble from the beginning. I will be honest, I did not transition her as they say you should, simply because I didn’t agree with the food she was being fed in her previous home. I believed in the power of Acana and I knew she would be totally fine. And guess what, I was right!
I don’t think Zara has a favourite flavour of Acana kibble, simply because she absolutely LOVES her food no matter what. So it is up to me to read the signs of her excitement and of course look out for any physical differences I see.
Zara’s flavour of the month is the Acana Pacific Pilchard which falls under the Acana Singles range. This means it is a single-protein food and suitable for pups of any breed or age and it’s great for pups with food sensitivities.
Acana is a grain free diet made up of biologically appropriate foods specifically for our beloved pooches. It’s packed with nutritional proteins and fats, plenty of vitamins and minerals that are essential in your pups overall health as well as important amino acids.
The Acana Pacific Pilchard ingredient list is pretty spectacular to say the least, it is made up of 50% wild caught pilchard, which is an easily digestible fish, green peas, red lentils, kale, spinach greens, butternut, cranberries and blueberries just to name a few! It’s hard to believe any pooch would turn their nose up at this 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.
Your pooch deserves the best!
Thank you for reading
by May sure is going to be the most exciting month of 2019 for our family. It is the month we welcome our little nugget into the world!
Zara is extremely excited to meet her tiny human, and we cannot wait for her to blossom into the best big sister we know she will be.
Download your May calendar here
Thank you for reading
by For most of us our pets are our family. We celebrate their birthdays, we take them on holidays and we include them in every aspect of our daily lives.
But when it comes to them getting sick and needing treatment, are you covered so you can offer them the very best care that is available?
Pet Insurance is a pretty new thing in South Africa. Back in 2003 when I got Oscar he was terribly ill and nearly died. For the first year of his life we were back and forth to the vet more times than I could count! Vet bills as you all know can quickly add up, and this is where pet insurance steps up to the plate.
At Oneplan Pet Insurance you can insure your household goods, your car, have your own medical scheme through them and include your pets insurance too! Oneplan Pet Insurance truly cares about the safety and wellbeing of your beloved pets. They understand just how much our pets mean to us, be it a dog, a cat or a bunny. They’re more than just an animal. The love is the same and the care they receive should be the same too.
Pet insurance is like human medical insurance. It covers your pets for various accidents and illnesses that may need treatment, both in hospital or out of hospital. The reality of life is that accidents do happen. Hundreds of pets are run over by their pawrents accidentally and the vet bills involved in an accident like that can be tremendous. At Oneplan Pet Insurance they cover accidents like these for up to R50 000 depending on your chosen plan.
Some of you may feel that pet insurance is a waste because your pet is fit and healthy. I am pretty sure you have medical insurance even though you are fit and healthy too? We all need to visit various doctors at some points in our lives, and our pets need the same. It is no secret that a simple vet consultation costs more than your standard human GP visit. At Oneplan Pet Insurance they cover four of these visits per year to the value of R1400 depending on your chosen plan.
When we got Zara we never in our wildest dreams imagined she would have to have two major surgeries before the age of three! Everyone assumes Rottweilers are strong, fit and healthy dogs. Lets just say Zara should have been wrapped up in a cottonwool ball. There is nothing you can do to stop a cruciate ligament from tearing. Unfortunately it goes back to breeding and the bloodline of your pup. Another thing we learnt is when one goes there is an 80% chance the other one will too. Zara has had two TPLO knee surgeries in the span of twelve months, would pet insurance have helped, oh absolutely!
Don’t make the same mistake we did, get your pets covered today from as little as R142 per month and sleep easy knowing Oneplan Pet Insurance has you covered should your pets fall ill, injure themselves or be involved in an accident of some sort.
Sign up online for One Plan’s Smart pet Insurance here | Oneplan Pet Insurance
Thank you for reading
by Rumour has it the Easter Bunny is on his way… Happy Easter month everyone!
Oscar is the April feature, because I miss this little Easter Bunny a lot plus he is really handsome!
Download your April calendar here
Thank you for reading
by Zara is a Rottweiler, and it’s no secret that rotties have powerful jaws! We have had to teach Zara not to use her full force when playing with certain toys or us for that matter. She has most certainly understood the concept of gentle play when she plays with us, however she still loves to go full hooligan mode with some of her toys.
Enter three of the toughest toys I have ever seen, felt and played with…
The first one is the super cute MIGHTY micro-fibre pig. This pig may be pink and pretty cute to look at but it is also strong and durable. There are no seam lines which makes this toy unique. It is often the seam lines that are the weak spots in plush toys for your pooch. Another great thing about the MIGHTY pig is that it is stuffing free. Zara loves to rip out the stuffing in her toys and even eats it which can cause some kind of chaos later on, as you can imagine… So I tend to shy away from toys with stuffing inside. The MIGHTY pig has four super loud squeakers throughout its body which have provided Zara with hours of entertainment, the louder she can squeak it, the crazier she goes!
The next toy in our tough and durable toy package is the Dura Force boomerang. The best thing about this tough toy is that it can be used as a pool toy, and you all know just how much Zara LOVES swimming! The Dura Force boomerang floats which makes it easy for Zara to play with. It also doesn’t soak up too much water which keeps it light and easy to throw for her. The durable webbing around the edge of the boomerang is extremely tough, Zara has not yet managed to gnaw her way through it.
The next tough toy Zara got to investigate is the toughest of them all… the TUFFY MEGA tug-o-war toy. Zara absolutely loves playing tug-o-war with us! This is a game where she can use her full rottweiler force and show us what she’s made of. Usually we play with flimsy little toys resulting in her winning… But the TUFFY MEGA tug-o-war toy is so much fun to play with, even if I say so myself. I can get a nice grip on it and so can Zara and we can both use our strength against each other. This toy is made with seven layers of material, additional webbing along the edges of the toy and finished off with seven layers of stitching! There is no ways Zara will puncture this TUFFY MEGA toy any time soon.
Each toy has a rating on the tough and durable scale. One- being your cheap plush toy and ten- being mega strong and the most durable. My Dog Toy company only manufactures toys starting from 5 on their ranking.
The MIGHTY pig is ranked nine- extremely strong and extremely durable. This is no lie!
The Dura Force boomerang is ranked at nine too. It’s a toy that’s made to last.
The TUFFY MEGA tug-o-war toy is ranked at a whopping ten! Making this the toughest and strongest toy of them all and believe me it is.
My favourite toy of the bunch is probably the MIGHTY pig, simply because it looks cute but it is still up there on the tough-o-meter. This toy proves that dynamite does come in small packages.
Zara of course loves them all for different reasons, the MIGHTY pig is loud and noisy which she goes crazy for. The Dura Force boomerang is her new favourite toy to swim and play water games with. And the TUFFY MEGA tug-o-war toy allows her to challenge us in a safe and controlled way, showing us just how strong she is.
If your pooch is a heavy chewer with strong jaws we highly recommend these tough toys! Not only does playing with your pooch enhance the bond between the two of you, it also keeps them out of mischief where using their jaws is not appropriate. Providing your pooch with interesting and entertaining toys is a key part to keeping them mentally stimulated. I honestly cannot remember the last time Zara decided to chew something she shouldn’t have, and I believe it’s because she has always had a wide variety of toys to keep her entertained.
These tough toys can be purchased at selected pet shops or from Canine & Co in Parkhurst, Johannesburg.
To stay up to date and in the loop with new product launches be sure to follow everyone on social media
Packleader | Facebook | Instagram
Canine & Co | Facebook
Thank you for reading
by Well, and so the third month of the year begins. Happy March!
Download your March Calendar here.
Thank you for reading
by Poop…. Are you one of those people who refuses to pick up your pups poop at the park because you think its good for the grass or someone else can pick it up or because you are too embarrassed?
What if I told you that refusing to pick up after your pooch can lead to serious health issues for other pups at the park, including your own and even you! Yes, by refusing to pick up your pups poop you encourage the spread of serious diseases such as Parvo, Whipworm, Hookworm, Tapeworm, Salmonellosis, Corona plus a few more.
I’m not here to explain each of these diseases, you can google them pretty easily and what you will find should scare you half to death. What I am here to explain is that it is pretty simple to pick up after your pooch especially while out in public.
Earth Rated have a wonderful range of products to help make picking up after your furry love quick and easy. I particularly love the Earth rated poop bag dispenser. It is lightweight and small and it can clip onto any leash, so there really is no excuse for not carrying these poop bags while out on walks.
Earth Rated products are all 100% environmentally friendly and made from recycled materials. Earth Rated also cares about local shelters and donate on a regular basis, giving shelters all their unused manufactured products. Shelter dogs deserve to feel loved and pampered too right…
We received the Earth Rated poop bag dispenser with lavender scented poop bags. Yes, you read right, lavender scented poop bags! Let me tell you they smell gorgeous. Whoever said your poop doesn’t smell like flowers never used an Earth Rated scented poop bag.
I’ll be honest, Zara doesn’t make the smallest poops in the world. Her’s are pretty loud and proud for everyone to see and smell so I couldn’t wait to put these bags to the test. I have always used your standard poop bags to pick up after Zara, so I was excited to see how these fared up in comparison.
First off I cannot get over the wonderful lavender scent of each bag. It really does mask the smell of what you actually have to pick up! The size of them is also pretty decent and much bigger than your average poop bag, it can fit an entire Zara poop in one bag which I was pretty impressed with. The other thing I loved about the dispenser is the fact that it clips securely onto your leash. It doesn’t matter how thick or thin your leash is either. The velcro strap makes them so easy to attach and secure. Plus there is an added extra to this dispenser, a special clip for you to hook the used poop bag onto until you reach a dustbin and can dispose the bag properly… Simply amazing in my eyes!
Pack Leader South Africa is the sole distributer for these amazing poop bags around South Africa, so if you would like to get your paws on some, visit selected pet stores or you can pop into their very own pet store in Parkhurst, Johannesburg- Canine & Co. They are also happy to answer any questions or enquiries online via social media.
Be sure to follow everyone on social media to stay up to date with all their products including new product launches.
Pack Leader | Facebook | Instagram
Canine & Co | Facebook
Earth Rated | Facebook | Instagram
Thank you for reading.
by Happy New Year everyone! We hope you all enjoyed your festive season and holiday break. We sure did! Zara is having a little bit of a hard time adjusting back to her normal routine.
We are excited for 2019 and all the exiting things it holds for us! We hope your 2019 is your best year yet…
Click on the image to downlaod your January calendar
Thank you for reading
by Zara underwent TPLO surgery in July this year and since then recovery has been long and tough. It has been weeks upon weeks of rest, and anyone with a rottie will know what a difficult task that is… But we managed and with the help of some added extra supplements and treatments I can safely say her recovery is going well.
One of the added extra supplements I chose to give Zara was bone broth. After doing extensive research I realised just how good and nutritious bone broth actually is for her and I wondered why I had never given it to Oscar or Zara before.
Benefits of bone broth:
Some of you might think that bone broth sounds absolutely awful. I was totally one of those people and never in my wildest dreams thought I would stomach making it! I reached out to an Instagram friend @goldengirlcalibear and asked for her advice. She is a vegetarian herself, but feeds Cali a totally raw diet- yes that includes raw meat of all kinds. I figured if she can do this then I can too, plus it was for my baby loves!! So I pulled myself together, bought the ingredients and went home to make some all important bone broth…. Here is my recipe:
Ingredients
1-2kg of bones (you can use chicken or beef or both)
2-3 tbs apple cider vinegar
Enough water to completely cover your bones in the pot
Optional-vegetables or vegetable cuttings
Directions
Place your bones in a huge pot and add the apple cider vinegar, stirring it over the bones- it helps break down all the fat and cartilage which is the good stuff in bone broth. Leave it for about 30 mins. Then fill your pot with cold water making sure you completely cover the bones. Gently bring the pot to a boil and then turn it down and let it lightly simmer for at least 10 hours with the lid on. Once done strain your broth, making sure absolutely NO bones or bone fragments end up in your final bone broth stock. Please throw away these soft bones immediately-NEVER give them to your pooch no matter how much they beg for one!! Let the strained broth cool completely. You will notice all the fat will rise to the top and solidify as it cools. You gently remove the fat layer and underneath is your beautiful and nutritious bone broth. I simply pour the broth into cute ice cube trays or even small tupperware pots and pop them into the freezer. Take them out as you wish to use them. You can give them to your pooch frozen or let it thaw a little. Your pup will LOVE you for making the effort!
Tips and findings from my experience making bone broth:
The more bones you use essentially the more broth you will end up with. Don’t let the pot boil for long, the idea is for it to gently simmer for hours on end. I also find the longer it simmers the better the outcome of the broth. Don’t be alarmed if your broth reduces significantly, on my first attempt I started with 5 litres of water and ended up with 400ml of broth. I was horrified-haha! I then learnt that I filled the pot too much and so water kept spitting out through the lid which caused more evaporation than usual. You will soon learn when your broth looks right and you can turn it off or if it needs a few more hours. I also found that adding veggies to mine did dilute it a bit. When I used bones only it made a beautiful bone broth. Again the choice is yours. Adding veggies increases the nutritional value too, but please be mindful of safe veggies for your pup. You might think you cannot stomach the smell of boiling bones, honestly that was what I was worried most about and it actually pleasantly surprised me. It smells like a simmering soup and it is not offensive at all-I promise!
I feel that if my vegetarian friend can make bone broth for Cali and I can make it for Zara (yes I am probably the worlds fussiest eater who drives my husband crazy) then anyone can! The nutritional value and benefits from bone broth are endless and in the long term you will see a difference in the overall health of your pooch. I do hope you give it a try and feel free to share the results with us either on Facebook- @stylishpaws or Instagram- @stylish_paws
Thank you for reading
