Tag: oscar


Jun
2017

Puppy School: Our experience so far

categories: Zara

On Sunday 7 May we enrolled our not so small puppy Zara into level one of puppy school. I am not sure who was more excited, us her pawrents, or her! The entire drive to school was filled with severe bouncing around and howls out the window as if to say “dad please can you drive faster so we can get there faster” haha!!

Our first attempt at puppy school was back in September 2016 when Zara was just 12 weeks old, but there was a sudden parvo outbreak within the area and being the neurotic pawrents that we are we pulled her straight out until she had completed her full course of puppy injections as advised by our vet. Fast forward to January. We were very hesitant to let our now big bundle of joy out the safely of our own garden. We slowly began with puppy socialising, and took Oscar with so he could have some fun too… Well, little did we know that when we walked into the social ring with our two gorgeous babies that all hell would break loose!! Oscar and Zara became gangsters of puppy school. The two of them ganged up on everyone. We were of course horrified! We tried this for quite a few weeks trying really hard to get them both to settle down and play with the other pups in the ring.

On one particular Sunday the teacher came to us and said perhaps we should try next week with just Zara, we of course said ok. We knew Oscar could be a grump at times but we could not believe Zara’s behaviour. The next week came and we took Zara alone… The difference was mind blowing! She was suddenly this happy go lucky pup who played with everyone! It turns out when she has her brother with her, she knows she is the biggest pup around and of course Oscar is her back up!!

 

The next step was to start level one of actual school and so on 8 May our training began… From the very first lesson Zara became the teachers pet, always stepping forward to volunteer how good she can be. The teacher was amazed and so were we at how quickly she learns what is being asked of her. Zara is extremely treat driven and will do a handstand for you if it means she gets a treat, which makes training her an absolute breeze. Of course training isn’t only one hour a week, I worked very hard practicing what we had learnt each week and by week four Zara was even surprising herself. We can successfully sit, down, paw, sit slightly on her back legs, stay, steal, circle and just be outright cute! Everyday we practice what we have learnt so far and Zara absolutely loves it.

 

I would most certainly recommend puppy school to any new puppy parent! Not only does your pup interact with other pups and people but the two of you get to connect on a different level together. You get to learn more about your pup and you get some extra quality time together. Our pups want to please us all day everyday and training is a wonderful way to connect on that level.

Here are some tips on choosing the perfect puppy school for you:

 Visit the school without your pup before hand. Observe the goings on and see how things take place. If you like it enough then take your pup for a visit and see how she reacts. Notice if she is afraid, happy or excited. Listen to your pup!! If she is not happy then move along. Training is all about her and she needs to be happy and comfortable in her training environment.

 Don’t be afraid to ask a million and two questions!

 Ask what their rules and regulations are. If you are not happy with any of them challenge them and ask why they implement that rule.

 Speak to the teachers, ask about their experience. Ask how long the school has been going.

 There are many different training methods out there, find one that suits you the best and find a school that uses it too. (Our puppy school uses clicker training and only positive reinforcement training)

Which ever puppy school you decide on make sure you are one hundred percent happy with everything! It is a fun and exciting time for your pup so have tons of fun with her. A well trained pup is a happy pup 🙂

Thank you for reading!

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May
2017

May.

categories: Calendar, Oscar

It’s May, and for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere it means winter is closer than we would like it to be.

I decided to dedicate the May calendar to Oscar because well, he is just so handsome and I adore him! We hope you enjoy this months calendar too 🙂

Download your May calendar here

Thank you for reading.

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Mar
2017

Product Review: Dognition Assessments

categories: Oscar, Product Reviews

When our Instagram besties Anya, York and Ro or @yorkthebully as you may know them, gifted us our Dognition assessment I was beside myself with excitement! Not only had no one ever gifted us anything before, but certainly nothing like this. So thank you Anya, York and Ro for this very special gift!

Dognition is a series of games that you play with your pup and each game assess something different. The assessment categories are, Empathy, Communication,Cunning, Memory and Reasoning. After each game you record what you experienced with your pup and that gets saved and at the end of the entire assessment it gives you a full report of how your pooch approaches each of the categories. There is no right or wrong answer in this test so there is no percentage mark. The report explains in great detail how your pups brain processes different information in different situations.

For our first assessment I chose to do it with Oscar. I absolutely LOVED every minute of this experience with him. Oscar and I have always had a very special kind of bond, and Dognition has brought us even closer! Oscar came out to be an Ace Dog-I am so proud of my little man!! I have often received negativity from strangers towards Oscar, saying he looks like a silly couch potato that can’t run faster than a sloth. Well, to all the haters out there, Oscar will outsmart you any day!!

As an Ace, his report showed me some things I was aware of and others I would have got wrong had I had to fill in a written test about him. His Empathy skills were off the charts meaning the two of us are 100% bonded. He is my little side kick for sure. His communication skills were slightly self-reliant but he mainly looks to me for communication in certain situations. He was more trustworthy as opposed to cunning, meaning he doesn’t do things behind my back. His memory is absolutely brilliant, and what surprised me the most was he actually used his memory over his sense of smell!! Being a hound I thought his sense of smell always came first. His reasoning before doing something was quite logical, and this was because his memory was so good. All in all a fabulous report on how my baby boy deals with situations and how he solves problems.

I cannot wait to do the assessment with Zara and see how she chooses to play. Stay tuned for her results.

If you would like to do the Dognition assessment with your pup, here is a 20% off unique discount code: RAFLZD6EQG
Simply go to www.dognition.com and sign up using the unique code above. You can also follow them on Instagram at @dognition

I would love to hear feedback from your assessments and how your pups chose to play. We hope you have as much fun as we have had!

Thank you for reading.

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Mar
2017

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

categories: Holiday fun, Oscar, Recipes

Happy St Patrick’s Day to you all. It just so happens that I decided to try a new recipe of treats for Oscar and Zara this week that are bright green so I thought it fitting to share the recipe with you on St Patricks Day. Not only are they super easy to make-less than an hour! But your pups will love them, unless they are as fussy as Oscar when it comes to trying new food groups-haha!! Somehow he knows exactly when I am up to something and his basset hound nose works overtime 😉

Zara couldn’t wait for the treats to cool down so she could be first in line to taste them. She nearly ate my fingers off, thats how good they are in her eyes. As for my little man Oscar, he sniffed them for about 10 seconds, took one into his mouth then decided he wasn’t sure of this new taste and spat it out again. Zara of course was there to vacuum it up, slobber coated and all!! I had to offer him a few which he turned his nose up at before he noticed that his sister was actually totally fine eating these new green things so maybe he should have a go too…. Now he loves them-success!!

Here is the recipe for my awesome green St Patricks Day doggy treats:

Ingredients

1 cup frozen peas thawed and blended to make a paste

1 egg

1 tbs coconut oil

1 cup wholewheat flour

Directions

Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. In a bowl mix together the pea paste, egg and coconut oil until combined. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. If it’s too sticky simply add more flour, if it’s too dry simply add a drop of water. Once you have a perfect dough consistency, roll it out onto a floured surface. Using cute cookie cutters, cut out and place the treats on a greased baking tray. Bake in the oven for +-20 minutes or until cooked through and slightly golden. Not too much-you want to keep their bright green colour. Let the treats cool before allowing your pooch to tuck in! Store them in an airtight container for on hand treats.

I hope your pups enjoy this recipe as much as Zara and eventually Oscar does 🙂

Thank you for reading.

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Mar
2017

Say Cheese…

categories: Oscar, Zara

I am by no means a professional photographer. In fact, I am such a newbie it’s frightening!
Watching Oscar grow-up and taking photographs of his every move, I have over 30 000 of him saved to my hard-drive-and no I am not exaggerating at all. Oscar came into my life thirteen years ago. There was no Facebook, Instagram or Snap Chat and my photography skills were less than desirable-haha!! Hence the reason I am a newbie with a new camera. But over the years photographing my soul mate growing up, our fun and lazy moments together has been amazing and I continue to capture those special moments of my baby boy.

Then we added baby Zara to our family. Who doesn’t love photographing a gorgeous fluffy puppy? Zara being Zara would pose only long enough for you to get one photo and then demand to do something fun like attack the camera. It took a lot of patience and care to get the cute puppy photos and moments I did capture. She is now eight months old and has had her fare share of thousands of photos taken. She is becoming more and more comfortable in front of the camera.

It’s all about getting that perfect photograph. But what is the perfect photograph? When photographing pets, you soon realise to accept any photo as the perfect one 😉 Of course there are pets out there that seem to listen and pose in any position with any prop for the camera… I have clearly not inherited those pets-haha! But I wouldn’t have it any other way, both Oscar and Zara make me work very hard to get a photograph I am happy with, a photo that’s worthy of sharing with the world.

So here are my top five tips for achieving the perfect photograph of your furry love…

Natural lighting.
It is always best to try and photograph your pup in daylight. There is no better flash than the sun. Wherever I choose to photograph Oscar or Zara, I always make sure it is a well lit area. Flash photography can often affect your desired look of a photo-and not in a good way. It can cause the dreaded ‘red eye’. White fur often looks washed out, and the flash can also scare your pet!

Add a prop or two.
Adding props incorporates so much fun to a photoshoot, especially with pets. It can be a chalkboard with a quirky quote, their favourite toy, funky hat, their cutest outfit, or simply their favourite bed. I love getting Oscar all dressed up for photoshoots. He on the other hand can think of a million other things he would rather be doing. Zara is new to the dressing up scene and she would rather attack the princess crown I would like her to wear-but it is a work in progress and we will get there.

Treats.
Now this I find is particularly important!! Oscar refuses to work unless he receives a treat for his good efforts. Of course this is cute, but it also means I need a load of homemade treats on hand. Zara very quickly caught on that when she sees the camera, it means “do what mom asks and I get a treat”.
Here is a yummy recipe that will get your pups attention:

Ingredients
1 apple-grated
1 banana-mashed up
1 egg
1/2 cup oats
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour

Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together your apple and banana then add the egg. Add the oats, flour and cinnamon and mix together until a dough forms. Roll your dough out onto a floured surface and use cookie cutters to cut into cute biscuits. Place them onto a greased baking tray and bake in the oven for +-20 minutes or until cooked through and slightly golden. Remove from the oven and place them on a cooling rack to cool. Store the treats in an air tight container.

Studio vs Outdoor setting.
This is obviously a personal choice, however I recommend both! Oscar has done several professional photography photoshoots in a studio as well as photoshoots outdoors. I honestly cannot say which photos I adore more because I believe every photograph of my baby is a wonderful one! Being in a studio is a bit more formal and adding props is a must! Being outdoors allows Oscar to be a little more relaxed and enjoy his surroundings. Zara has not had a professional studio photoshoot before and perhaps I should book one for us all, but her natural outdoor photos that I have taken are wonderful. I absolutely love looking back and seeing the crazy moments with her tongue hanging out, or her flying through the air because she runs so fast! It is often the natural non-posed photo’s that turn out the best.

Your subject-of course.
Of course you need your pooches! I always like to bath Oscar and Zara the night before a big photoshoot to make sure they are looking their best. For our little mini-photoshoots that happen almost daily I just like to give them a quick wipe down and a nice brush. This always makes them feel extra special, like they know I am about to take photos of them.

All in all, I believe you can never have too many photographs of your furry loves! Remember it takes time, patience and a lot of love to get a posed photo. Enjoy capturing those special moments, after all “no one ever takes a photograph of something they want to forget- anonymous”

Follow us on Instagram for daily crazy fun moments of us all @stylish_paws

Thank you for reading.

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Feb
2017

Product Review: PetQwerks Toys and Chews

categories: Product Reviews

When our box of the latest and greatest PetQwerks toys arrived at our door, I was jumping for joy. I don’t know who was more excited, Oscar, Zara or myself-Haha!

PetQwerks is a US based company that makes the most awesome and unique dog toys I have ever come across. When I realised that our box contained the latest BarkBone-I only had to smell inside the box, my heart skipped a beat with excitement! I couldn’t wait to see what Oscar and Zara would think of their new chews and toys…

The first item that was tested was the BarkBone. I have no words to describe how amazing this chew toy is. It smells like real peanut butter and is specifically designed for aggressive chewers-think Zara!! It also has small indents so you can smear more peanut butter onto it-how genius is that!

The next chew toy on the menu was the FlovorIt Bone. These are very similar to the BarkBone, just not as durable for a heavy chewer like Zara. Our one is BubbleGum flavour-AMAZING! Again this chew has small indents for you to smear peanut butter or even coconut oil on.

Oscar’s favourite of the pack is the Antler Chew. He isn’t big on chewing but this one took his fancy and it smells and apparently tastes like chicken! Zara tried stealing it but Oscar was having none of it. He has claimed this one as his!

My favourite of the pack is the Babble Ball. It is HILARIOUS!! It is activated by touch and spills out 20 super funny and quirky sayings. Zara is so intrigued with this ball. She has learned that she needs to touch for it to talk. She stares at it with a crumpled forehead and serious curiosity. I of course sit and giggle at all the funny things it says!

We also received a tube of pet friendly Bubbles. Let me tell you they are the best bubbles I have ever blown. They are super cute and don’t burst on the first thing it lands on. Both Oscar and Zara had them all over their whiskers-It was very cute! Zara saw these floating bubbles and knew she needed to jump into the air and attack every single one-even the ones that land on Oscar!!

Then we got a really cute squeaky emoji toy which Zara absolutely loves putting in her mouth and running around the house squeeking it like a mad thing! We also got a cute squeaky fish and a durable tyre ball with a bell inside.

Every single chew and toy received in our PetQwerks box was a winner in Oscar and Zara’s eyes. Thank you for the spoils PetQwerks!!

You can follow PetQwerks on Instagram @petqwerks and view their website at www.petqwerks.com

If you are interested in buying any of these gorgeous chews and toys, please send me an email on stacey@stylishpaws.co.za. I would be happy to place a bulk order, provided I know my fellow South Africans are interested 🙂

Thank you for reading.

Stacey, Oscar and Zara

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Feb
2017

My Furry Valentines.

categories: Recipes

Valentine’s Day. You either love it or hate it. Of course having someone special to share it with makes a world of difference. Luckily I have my four furry companions as well as my two-legged companion to share this super cliche day of love with.

Any chance I get I love to spoil my furry loves and Valentine’s Day is no different. It doesn’t always have to be something bought, homemade gifts often make the greatest gift. Taking time out of your busy day to prepare and make something for someone you love often speaks louder than the gift itself.

This year my fur babies will be receiving a giant collection of home made treats. When it comes to food, you have my furry loves sold-all four of them! To keep in line with the love theme I decided to make some homemade beetroot doggy treats for both Zara and Oscar and special beetroot bunny treats for Valentine and Duchess. Here are the recipes:

Beetroot Doggy Treats

Ingredients

2 large beetroots

1 egg

2 tbs coconut oil

2 cups flour

Directions

Start by peeling the skin from the beetroots. Then cut them into chunks and steam them for about 40 minutes or until cooked and soft. Let them cool then blitz them up so it becomes a beautiful dark red paste. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. In a bowl mix together the egg, coconut oil and the beetroot paste until combined then add the four one cup at a time. You can judge how much flour is needed by how sticky or dry the mixture is. Then roll it out onto a floured surface and using heart cookie cutters cut out your valentines treats. Place them onto a greased baking tray and into the oven for +-20 minutes or until cooked and slightly golden-not too golden otherwise they will lose their red colour. Once cooked let them cool, you can package them into cute boxes ready for your pup to enjoy on Valentine’s Day.

Beetroot Bunny Treats

Ingredients

1 large beetroot

1 cup oats-blitzed up to make oat flour

Directions

Start by peeling the skin from the beetroot. Then cut it into chunks and steam it for about 40 minutes or until cooked and soft. Let it cool then blitz it up so it becomes a beautiful dark red paste. Then set aside to cool slightly. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. Once the paste has cooled enough for you to handle, mix in the oat flour a little at a time. You want to get a firm consistency but it will still be sticky. You should be able to break off tiny pieces and roll into bunny bite sized bits. Place them onto a greased oven tray and bake for +-15 minutes or until they are hard and cooked. Be careful not to over cook them. Once done set aside to cool. You can package them in toilet roll holders with tissue paper wrapped around. This will provide some entertainment for your bunny while trying to reach the treats.

And if you are feeling in the mood to spoil your pups even more, then head on over to our online store and shop for some gorgeous collars, beds and toys.   

Enjoy this Valentine’s Day with the ones you love most.

Thank you for reading.

 

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Jan
2017

Zara gets spayed.

categories: Zara

Today is the day that my baby girl gets spayed. She is six months old and ready for the procedure. This is the first time we have dropped Zara off and left her. The howls and cries were heartbreaking, to the point where I asked Dr Sally if I could please stay with her for the day. Obviously this is not in Zara’s best interests and it was better if Oscar and I go home and wait patiently while time passes slower than every before. I am a little lost without my bounding puppy. I am missing the chaos she brings into our home. I know that she is in extremely capable hands and everything will go just fine.

Oscar’s story

Oscar’s procedure wasn’t as easy as we had hoped it would be. He was five years old when we had him neutered. He began behaving badly when we went out for walks and he would mark his territory all over the house. We took him to a divine behaviourist who suggested neutering him along with some positive reinforcement training sessions. The day I dropped my boy off at the vet for his procedure was just as awful as dropping Zara off! Instead of howling, Oscar gave me his intense sad eyes and pushed his ears right back. With a lump in my throat I had to walk out and fetch him later that afternoon. I was reassured that everything will be fine.

Oscar is a very sensitive boy and he takes everything to heart. He was not a very happy boy when I fetched him later that afternoon. I took him straight home where I had made an extra comfy spot for him to doze off and sleep away his anaesthetic. During the night Oscar licked his stitches to the point where I had to rush him back to the vet first thing in the morning because he had developed an infection. He was put on a course of antibiotics and now he had to wear a cone! Of course I chose a cute one with yellow paws all over it but Oscar was NOT impressed!

Because my boy has such slobbery cheeks and constantly drools, his chin and neck skin was constantly damp, and we all know what loves warm damp environments… Mould!! Oscar’s fur turned lime green and began falling out. He had developed a skin infection. So it was back to the vet for another course of antibiotics and a topical cream and it was good bye cone! I had to watch him like a hawk to make sure he didn’t lick his stitches again and create another problem. Thankfully my efforts paid off and he recovered wonderfully.

Reasons to spay or neuter your pooch

Spaying and neutering your pets is so important. Not only does it prevent unwanted puppies, it also helps prevent a number of diseases and cancers including uterine infections, breast tumours, testicular cancer and prostate problems just to name a few.

It will also help with behavioural problems, although it is not the quick fix solution. You will still need to positively train your pup as we did with Oscar.

Neutering will also help your pup stay close to you and not wonder off to find himself a girlfriend! Oscar was a serious ladies man-and still is I might add. But with him being neutered I know that he will always come running home to me.

The myths

It is believed that spaying or neutering your furry love will cause them to put on weight… This is not true. A lack of exercise and too much food will cause your pup to gain weight. Be sure to keep your furry love active and healthy to avoid any weight problems.

As I have said already, neutering your pup is not a quick fix to his behaviour issues but It certainly helps with the training process. To change your pups behaviour requires time, patience and love. It took months of constant training for Oscar to realise that he isn’t the biggest dog in the park nor does he have to be the meanest, we still have to remind him at times!

Post op

Try to keep your pooch as calm and quiet as possible because you do not want her to rupture her stitches. It is also important that she doesn’t lick her stitches, she may need a cone. You will need to provide a comfy, quiet spot for her to rest and recover in. Your pup doesn’t need to bath while she is recovering, rather spot clean any messes with a warm damp cloth. And never wet her stitches or wound area, this needs to stay as dry as possible to avoid infections. Keep a close watch on her stitches and wound to make sure the healing process is on track.

Post op, Zara will need a lot of TLC! It is going to be a challenge keeping her calm because she is such a happy and excitable puppy who loves nothing more than playing fetch, bringing us various presents from sticks and leaves to her cute cuddly teddies. I have rearranged things so she has comfy spots all over the house and she can decide which one is the best for her to recover. All her bedding has been freshly washed to help prevent infections too. No doubt she will be starving when she arrives home so I have her food ready and waiting along with fresh water and of course some homemade treats are on the menu!

Spaying or neutering your furry love may be daunting but it is the responsible thing to do for both you and your pup!

Thank you for reading.

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