everything pets + a tiny human
December is the most wonderful time of the year. Everyone is getting ready for their Christmas celebrations, and over all it is quite a cheerful month! Whatever you and your family get up this December, we hope it’s a magical one. Be merry and stay safe.
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by 
Most of us would agree that when it comes to our pets they are our four legged children. And just like any other member of the family, Santa comes to visit them too.
There is so much excitement in our house around Christmas time. This year will be slightly different because we now have an extra stocking to hang up-Zara’s. Oscar knows the drill, I put the Christmas tree and decorations up, bring out the dress up goodies and take a million super cute photo’s of him looking like Santa’s little helper. While putting the Christmas tree up last weekend, there was so much curiosity from Zara. She really did think it was Christmas when she saw this giant tree going up inside as something to chew on and pull all over the house! This year it is strategically placed next to the couch with a coffee table in front of it-yes I am learning how she operates! Santa won’t be able to make his delivery until late on Christmas Eve when Zara’s inquisitiveness has been put to sleep and she is too tired to investigate.
On Christmas morning Oscar is like a proper excited child! He wakes up knowing he has tons of gifts to open and he runs straight to the pile that Santa delivered. Somehow he just knows exactly which ones are for him, and they are not all treats for him to sniff out! He just knows! I love watching him tear open the wrapping paper and his pure excitement with whatever it is he has discovered. He loves new things be it homemade treats, a new teddy to chew the eyes off or a new collar. He loves anything that is just for him. I cannot wait to see the excitement and chaos that Zara will bring to Christmas morning. Of course I will be there with my camera in hand ready to capture the fun and excitement. She is so much fun to be around and she brings so much joy to all of us.
Of course Valentine and Duchess are included in our Christmas celebrations and they get gifts too. They, like Oscar love getting new toys, treats and boxes. And this year will be no different.
Here are some gorgeous goodies that are on Oscar, Zara, Valentine and Duchess’ wish list this year, we hope you find something special for your furry love too…
This is a stunning gift for you to share with your furry love! The concept of these collars is beautiful and we are in love with them. Your pup gets a stylish collar and you receive a matching bracelet. The quality of these collars goes far beyond our expectations, they are made from vegan approved leather and super soft. There is a variety of colours and designs to choose from, making sure there is a set to suit everyone. They don’t know it yet but Oscar and Zara have got the Top Dog collection, because after all they are my Top Dogs! Spoil yourself and your pooch, because best friends should match! Click here to shop
What pup doesn’t love sticks? We often find ourselves unsure on what type of wood a particular stick is which Zara has brought home with her, many of which are toxic! With the PetStages Dog Wood Toys, you don’t have to worry. This toy is so durable, made from innovative material that combines real wood with durable synthetic material to create a stronger, safer stick. The natural wood smell attracts and keeps Zara’s interest for hours. Zara loves her Dog Wood so much that she has asked Santa for another one 😉 Click here to shop
Four Paws and Me offers a wonderful box filled with surprises for you and your pooch. The limited edition Christmas boxes are filled with wonderful goodies that won’t disappoint! There is a box for everyone with three different options to choose from. When Oscar and Zara received their November box, there was so much excitement and I got to share a gift with my fur babies-what could be better than that? Have some fun opening a gift with your pup too. When placing your order use the code STYLISHPAWS and R10 from each sale will go to Woodrock Animal Rescue. Click here to shop
These Egg Shaped Pet Pods from Cosmic Pets are absolutely gorgeous and are on Valentine and Duchess’ Christmas list. Of course they can be used for cats and small breed dogs too. It comes with a soft inner velvet cushion and a fleece blanket to keep your furry love happy and comfy. Make sure your furry love sleeps in style, they deserve it. Click here to shop
No Christmas stocking is complete unless it has treats in it-Oscar knows this all too well! Spoil your pets with some yummy Pupcorn they will want all year round. Choose from two yummy flavours for your pup to tuck into while you enjoy your Christmas treats. The food we eat is often far too rich for Oscar and Zara so instead they can have fun with their Pupcorn without feeling sick later. Click here to shop
Make your pup feel extra special this Christmas in a one of a kind Christmas Bandana from Swanky Mongrel. Sizes available fit Yorkies to Rottweilers, so everyone is included. Each bandana is made with tons of love. Go on, spoil Santa’s little helper, he has been a good boy! Click here to shop
Cats love to show off so why not make your kitty feel extra special with a new stylish Gummi collar for him to show off to all his friends. These collars are durable and come with a removable bell and have a safety strip too. There is a variety of colours to choose from, and when held under a uv light they glow in the dark-how awesome!! Click here to shop
What cat doesn’t love cat nip? Let your kitty go a little wild with this Cool Cat cat nip spray. Simply spray it on your cats toys, bedding and scratch posts and watch them have fun. Click here to shop
Fill your cats stocking with these super cute Feather Buddy’s from PetStages. Feather Buddy will become your kitty’s new best friend. With bunches of colourful feathers, this cute creature offers hours of play. So spoil your kitty this Christmas. Click here to shop
Cat tree’s are awesome and your cat thinks so too! Valentine and Duchess have also asked for a cat tree for Christmas, are they bunnies or are they cats-haha? Cat tree’s provide so much entertainment for your kitty and it will keep him from scratching things he shouldn’t… You can also hide some feather buddy’s in the tunnels and spray come cat nip spray on it too. Make this Christmas amazing for your kitty. Click here to shop
Christmas time at Little Critters is not always a happy and festive time. Families want to go away on holiday and it is the Little Critters who suffer, being abandoned without a second thought. If you can, any donation would be greatly appreciated. No pet deserves to be abandoned and left unwanted around a time that is supposed to be all about families coming together. Please email lauren.namer@iburst.co.za if you would like to donate. Click here to visit their Facebook page
We hope we have given you some wonderful ways to spoil your furry loves this Christmas! This year will be chaos in our house and I cannot wait!! We wish you a wonderful festive season. Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
Thank you for reading
by Last week we took a short break and went exploring the African bush in Botswana. It was wonderful to be in nature, have no access to wifi or have any cell phone reception. You realise just how much you reply on your cell phone and how often you check in on what’s happening in the social media world. I realised that I won’t actually die without it-haha! We did however buy a local sim card and some airtime to check in on our babies at home as well as our family members, we didn’t want the flying squad to come looking for us 😉
There is one very important task we have to tackle before we can go away on any holiday… Finding the perfect house sitter! Unfortunately we cannot take Oscar, Valentine and Duchess on every holiday we go on. Living away from friends and family is tough as it is, but you truly realise just how alone you are when you have no one to rely on and help you out! Inviting a stranger into our home, to live in and look after our babies, is terribly daunting for us. Alexis was recommended to us by a mutual friend and she turned out to be the absolute best! Oscar got on well with her and Valentine and Duchess warmed to her too. She sent us photo’s regularly although we only received them once back in the land of the living 😉 It was comforting and heartwarming to know everyone was enjoying themselves. Unfortunately Alexis will not be available to house sit for us again as she returns back to her home country-The USA. SO the process starts all over again….
Here are my top tips for finding the perfect house sitter:
Ask questions- Write down a list of everything you want to know from the potential house sitter and don’t be afraid to ask what you really want to know. After all this person will be sleeping in your home and looking after your most precious beings-your furry loves! Try and get to know the person as well as you can in the time you have available. See how they react and respond to your questions. If something doesn’t sit well with you, move onto the next person ASAP! Always trust your gut…
Let them know- Always let the potential house sitter know what it is you expect from them. Explain how things usually work in your home, for example, Valentine and Duchess expect their breakfast at around 8am every morning and dinner time is around 6pm (depending on what time the sun goes down). Oscar is less demanding when it comes to his meals, however he has 2 homemade bedtime treats every single night. Explain the smallest detail and expect it to be carried out. The idea of a house sitter is to keep your fur babies as undisturbed as possible, so the house sitter needs to slot in and take your place for a few days.
Type it out- I always type and print out everything that was said while showing the house sitter around. It is a lot of information to process and to ensure mistakes don’t happen it is best to give them something typed out. To you it may seem simple and obvious, but you do it every single day without even thinking about it. To someone new there could be an overwhelming list of things to do. We are not perfect and having a typed out sheet makes the house sitters job a lot easier. I include photo’s too. It is a lot easier when you have a visual image to refer to. For example, how Oscar likes to be covered at night or how I plate Valentine and Duchess’ meals. The more information you provide, the better things will be.
Prepare them a room- Just like having any other guest over, it is important to make sure they have a comfortable bed to sleep in and space to unpack. They need to feel welcome in your home. Add some flowers or leave a chocolate under their pillow, after all they are a very important guest!
Invite them for dinner- Sometimes this one is a bit tricky as time doesn’t allow it. But it is not a bad idea to invite your chosen house sitter round for dinner or even a cup of tea or coffee and have a friendly casual catch up. Notice how your fur babies respond to them and how they interact with your fur babies! Let your babies get used to this person before they suddenly have to share their home with them.
Thank them- Make sure your house sitter knows exactly how much you appreciate them helping you out. After all, without them you wouldn’t be going on an amazing holiday! Leave a special treat for them to enjoy and buy some of their favourite foods. The more you appreciate them, the better they will look after your home and fur babies.
Having peace of mind knowing everything is absolutely fine at home and your fur babies are being looked after allows you to enjoy your holiday that much more.
Thank you for reading.
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