everything pets + a tiny human
Happy November! There are only two months left of 2023 so make them count.
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Happy Spring Day to everyone in the Southern Hemisphere! September is another favourite month of mine because it is Oscar’s birthday month…. This September he will be 14! Of course we will be celebrating so stay tuned 🙂
Download your September Calendar here
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Wow, where has an entire year gone? I have no clue, but what I do know is that my baby girl is not such a baby girl any more. Happy 1st birthday to Zara! From the moment she waltzed through our front door, she knew and we knew that she was home. She casually made herself comfy in Oscar’s teepee as if she had been here before. Of course Oscar was not sure what to think of this new fluff ball who had decidedly taken over.
Zara has grown into the most lovable, caring, loyal and beautiful girl in the world. Right from the beginning she just fitted into our family life, adjusted to how things worked without so much as a whimper. She never cried at night or messed in the house. We were the ones who woke her up for midnight toilet breaks. Her larger than life personality has made this year full of fun with lots of laughter.
I will admit, I needed some convincing that a Rottie would be the perfect addition to our family… Oscar is my very first pooch and it has always been just him, so forgive me if I had his best interests at heart here. After doing extensive research, I kind of got a sense for what we would be in for and agreed. After all I am a firm believer in the way you raise a puppy will affect their behaviour as an adult-much like raising a child.
I am not sure the research really did prepare me for Zara (haha) but I will say I am 100% a Rottie mom and totally fallen in love with the Rottie breed. She is quite frankly a dinosaur who eats us out of house and home, has mad half hours and trashes the living room and bedrooms, who takes toys out her toy box and leaves them all over the place, runs around at 7am squeaking her favourite snake toy, steals socks at any moment she can, brings me rocks as surprise presents and completely takes over our bed at night, but you know what… I wouldn’t have it any other way!
She has brought out the playful side in Oscar again and the two of them have their own unique way of playing together. She understands that he is older and he has boundaries and when he says enough she happily leaves him and comes to play wth us instead. She adores her brother and constantly sneaks licks and kisses on the top of his head. She watches him ever so patiently while he eats his breakfast and dinner to see if he has left her any scraps to nibble on. She watches him snore with great curiosity and tries to sneak in a cuddle or two every now and then.
She greets us in the mornings like she hasn’t seen us in years with a smile from ear to ear and loads of kisses and cuddles. She has the cutest morning tradition where she runs to her toy box and brings me her toy of choice as a gift, a wake up gift. Returning home after being out for a few hours is like pandemonium! Her excitement is off the charts with cries that resemble a hyena. Of course she sniffs around to see if there are gifts and usually there are-yes they are spoiled 🙂 Now returning home from a holiday is pandemonium times a hundred… She honestly gets so excited she does not know what to do with herself. She has a hard time choosing who to get cuddles from first, myself or dad. It’s a tough choice for such a loyal pup. When we get back from holidays both Zara and Oscar do not leave our sides for hours. Literally following our every move, making sure we don’t suddenly disappear again.
So today we celebrate Zara’s first birthday and no birthday would be complete without presents and cake! So here is the recipe for Zara’s birthday cake:
Cake
Ingredients
3 ripe bananas-mashed
4 tbs honey
1 egg
2 cups water
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup oats
1 cup peanut butter
1tbs coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
Directions
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together all the wet ingredients until properly combined. Then add in the oats, baking powder and flour and mix all together. I used a hand beater to make it easier and quicker. Once everything is mixed properly pour the cake batter into a greased cake tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through. Once cooked leave the cake to cool completely before decorating.
tip: if you have any left over cake after the celebrations, cut it into slices and put them in tubs and freeze for a yummy frozen treat for your pooches!
Frosting
Plain yoghurt
Peanut butter
For the frosting beat together equal parts of yoghurt and peanut butter. If the frosting seems a little thick/stiff then add more yoghurt until you are satisfied with the consistency. Once your cake has cooled completely go ahead and frost your cake.
tip: if you have any frosting left over, simply scrape it into silicone moulds (I used heart shaped ice trays) and freeze. Then pop them out and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for yummy frozen treats for your pups. Oscar and Zara LOVE these!!
Treats
Ingredients
3 ripe bananas-mashed
1 egg
1 tbs coconut oil
2 tbs natural peanut butter
2 cups flour
Directions
Pre-heat your over to 180 degrees. Mix together the mashed banana, egg, coconut oil and peanut butter until all combined. Then add in the flour one cup at a time until you have the perfect dough consistency. Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough out, using fun cookie cutters cut out the treats which will decorate your pups birthday cake. Place them onto greased baking trays and bake for +-20 minutes or until golden brown. Leave them to cool completely before decorating your cake with them. Any extras can be out in an airtight container and stored in a cool dry place or pop them in the freezer for another day.
Presents
Zara has come to LOVE getting presents and new things. Her new toy becomes the favourite of the week, almost as if to show just how much she appreciates it. For her first birthday we decided to get her some water toys. She is such a water pup and loves swimming and playing in the sprinklers. We thought her own doggy sprinkler would be a great idea as well as a doggy water fountain, some toys to play in the pool with and some treats and chews too.
I am so grateful to have both Zara and Oscar in my life. Without them I would honestly be lost. My days revolve around them, cuddles, baking treats, playing games and going for walks. They mean the world to me and today we celebrate Zara’s first year in my world. Happy birthday my baby girl-Yes you will always be my baby girl!
Follow us on Instagram where we are hosting #zarasbirthdaysafari party. Everyone is invited and anyone can join! Watch our Instagram story to see all the fun we are having celebrating this wonderful day.
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Let’s just take a moment to appreciate the magnificence that is the KONG toy!! Where has this toy been all my life? Ok let’s be honest, Oscar isn’t the most food orientated pooch on the block so I never really explored different recipes or ways to keep him entertained using food. Enter Zara, a hurricane of energy and appetite… I suddenly found myself in a frustrated mess as to how to keep my beautiful baby girl entertained and happy while sustaining her massive appetite between meals.
Zara lives for food. She will do a backflip for you if it means getting a treat, be it meat, fruit or veggies, she LOVES food! Oscar is the fussiest pooch around and will happily tell me when he isn’t so keen on a new teat recipe I am trying out.
During my months of being a frustrated mess, my Instagram family steered me in the direction of the KONG toy. Sure I had heard of it but I wasn’t sold on the idea. I had a lot of reservations about it, will it be strong enough to withhold the teeth and jaws of my dinosaur puppy? How will she get whatever I put inside out? And will this seemingly small toy really keep her that entertained?
I gave in and ordered the biggest and strongest KONG toy of the collection. And waited patiently for it to arrive… While waiting I began to explore and think of the things I would put inside this new toy. I was sorting through Oscar and Zara’s toy box and I came across two other balls that had a hole in the centre. One was a Rogz Grinz ball and the other was a BIONIC ball. The BIONIC ball would have to be modified but it would work I figured. I decided to give this a try and I filled them each with natural plain yoghurt and blueberries and put them in the freezer for a couple of hours and then surprised my two babies with a yummy frozen delight. The reaction was unbelievable. Both Oscar and Zara found a comfy spot and sat quietly and enjoyed their new treat. I could not believe that I now had some “free time” on my hands. I actually didn’t know what to do with myself so I just sat and watched while they enjoyed-haha!! I could not believe that Oscar was into his frozen treat, the fussiest pooch around!!
Oscar’s frozen ball is a very specific kind, he cannot seem to get his tongue into the smaller holes of the KONG or the Rogz Grinz ball so I have modified a BIONIC ball for him and he loves it. It has a hole that runs right through-a bit like a donut. I simply put a small piece of tin foil around the bottom, fill it up and freeze it.
Because of their eager reaction I came up with a whole lot of yummy fillings for all three fillable balls and here are their favourites…
Frozen Ideas:
Plain yoghurt, blueberries, strawberries, coconut oil
Plain yoghurt, peanut-butter, blueberries
Plain yoghurt, mashed banana, peanut-butter
Carrot mash, frozen peas, coconut cream
Sweet potato, frozen peas, carrot chunks
Pumpkin mash, frozen peas, carrot chunks, coconut oil
Fresh Ideas:
Cooked pasta, carrot cubes, coconut oil
Cooked pasta, Mince meat, coconut oil
Cooked pasta, cottage cheese, fresh peas
Butternut mash, apple chunks, grated cheese
Cottage cheese, apple chunks, strawberries
Pineapple chunks, strawberries, peanut-butter
Macaroni cheese
These are just a few of the endless possible filler ideas. They happen to be Oscar and Zara’s favourites so I just mix and match the ingredients depending on what we have in the fridge. I am obviously mindful of what is safe and not safe for pups to eat and you should be too!
Since the KONG toy arrived I have not regretted my decision at all! In fact I want to order some more so there is always one in the freezer ready to be enjoyed. Changing the filling from frozen to fresh is also a great way to keep things interesting for Zara. So if you have not ordered your KONG toy yet, I suggest you do now!
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We were so excited when Hill’s South Africa asked us to be apart of their #HillsDreamMaker campaign. For those of you that follow us, will know that Oscar absolutely loves nothing more than cuddles and snoozing in the afternoon sun, always opting for the comfiest spots around the house. Zara on the other hand is far too busy to take even a minutes rest during the day, but when she does eventually flop into her bed at night she does love a comfy bed, fluffy pillow to rest her head on and a duvet to keep her warm just like her brother. The Hill’s Dream Maker Pillow is just that… Comfy, Poofy and Stylish!
The Hill’s Dream Maker Pillow comes in three gorgeous colours to match any home. The material is durable and has a zip for easy on-off access so you can pop the cover in the washing machine at any time. How do you lay your paws on one you ask, well these stylish beds are available at participating Vet Shops and Veterinary Practices, while stocks last of course. All you have to do is purchase any two big bags (9.5kgs to 13.6kgs) of Hill’s Canine – Science Plan, Ideal Balance or Prescription Diet.
If you would like to find out where your nearest participating vet or vet store is then please do not hesitate to contact Hill’s directly on infoza@hillspet.com or call 0800 228 783 and for more information simply visit www.hillspet.co.za/News
If you were lucky enough to get your paws on a gorgeous Hill’s Dream Maker Pillow during the month of July or August please share photo’s of your pups having sweet dreams on social media and don’t forget to tag on Twitter: @HillsPetSA, Facebook: @HillsPetZA and Instagram: @HillsPetFoodSA and use the hashtag #HillsDreamMaker
For those of you with smaller pups, you can get your paws on a small Dream Maker Pillow during the month of September, while stocks last.
We hope your dog’s dreams run wild with their new stylish #HillsDreamMakerPillow just like Oscar and Zara’s dreams will.
Don’t forget to follow Hill’s South Africa on social media 🙂
www.HillsTransformingLives.co.za
Twitter: @HillsPetSA
Facebook: @HillsPetZA
Instagram: @HillsPetFoodSA
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Happy August everyone. August is an exciting month for us because it is Zara’s birthday month! We cannot wait to celebrate her first birthday this August… Stay tuned!
Enjoy this months calendar.
Download your August calendar here
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It’s winter and let’s be honest, we all love snuggling with our pups under a big blanket with the heater close and a giant mug of tea, coffee or hot chocolate! Unfortunately our furry loves cannot share these comforting drinks with us for obvious reasons. So here are two awesome alternatives which won’t disappoint…
These two recipes will have your pups wanting Puppachino’s very day of the year!
A Minty Treat:
Ingredients
1 can coconut milk
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup carob powder
1 tsp peppermint extract
Whipped coconut cream for the topping
Mint leaves to garnish
Directions
Place all the ingredients (except the whipped cream and mint leaves) into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Blending will also allow the mixture to cool. Simply pour the drink into a pup friendly cup or small bowl, top it with dollops of whipped coconut cream and garnish with mint leaves. Watch as your pooch absolutely loves his delicious puppachino!
A Cinnamon Delight
Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
1 tbs carob powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder or 1 stick of cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp honey
Whipped coconut cream for the topping
Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a pot on the stove and slowly heat up the mixture. Do not let the mixture boil as that is far too hot for your pup to drink unless you let it sit and cool. Once warmed through, remove the cinnamon stick if you used one, and pour the mixture into pup friendly mugs or small bowls. Dollop the whipped coconut cream on top and let your furry love enjoy her yummy treat!
We hope your pups enjoy their Puppachino’s as much as Oscar and Zara do!
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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 🙂
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Can you believe it is the 6th month of the year already… I can’t!! We hope your month of June is filled with love and happiness.
Download your June calendar here
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When Zara waltzed into our home for the first time, we knew and she knew she was home. It only took her a few moments to cause absolute chaos and for us to realise just how un-puppy proof our home is! Oscar is such a chilled out man that we had become totally oblivious to the dangers that lurk in every room of our home. Zara was quite happy to point these out to us! Whenever she finds something ‘new’ she happily brings us her find with her head held high and her tail wagging, we of course jump up and kindly ask her to release her new find and replace it with one of her toys. I am so blessed to be based at home so I can keep an eye on her and distract her from causing damage to our furniture as well as herself. As of now-touch wood-she has not destroyed anything that has upset us. She tries her luck-obviously-but like the saying goes… a quiet puppy is a naughty puppy! Oscar on the other hand completely obliterated the garden sprinkler system-three times! I was living at home back then so you can imagine the parentals were not happy at all. Oscar also got ahold of a few pairs of shoes and some plants and trees he liked the taste of!
Zara loves opening our wardrobes and stealing slippers and shoes, but because I am around, and because she is always so proud of her new stolen items, she brings them to me before any damage has been done.
Here are a few tips on how to keep your home and your puppy safe:
Living room: My beautiful orchid nearly became Zara’s new toy. It was the perfect height for her to lick the leaves while pretending she wasn’t actually doing any harm… Needless to say it now has a new spot in the house, much higher up. It is a good idea to keep all tv and aircon remotes well out of reach as well as coffee table books, dvd’s, and any power cables tucked away. If you have a rug perhaps roll it up until the chewing puppy stage is over.
Kitchen: Zara is a little bit of a piggy when it comes to food so it is imperative that our pantry door is kept closed at all times! She will happily walk in sniff something out, and use whatever she can to get whatever it is she can smell. Keep all cleaning products in a high up cupboard just incase your puppy decides to nibble on a toxic bottle of bleach! Alternatively you can secure all your cupboard handles with elastic bands so she can’t open the door in the first place.
Bathroom: One of Zara’s proudest moments was when she managed to manoeuvre herself so she could get ahold of my razor. She brought this to me like it was the best thing she had ever found! While her whole being was extremely cute, I was completely horrified and gave her a full medical to check if she had any lacerations on her body or in her mouth-crisis avoided, all shampoo, conditioner, soap, razors, tooth brushes and hair accessories are kept well out of reach! Our bath towels are folded up a little higher so she doesn’t take them for a tour through the garden. We thought these items were safe but it’s amazing how puppies get into things! We also keep all toilet lids down, just incase she decides to go swimming…
Bedroom: Our lovely scatter pillows now get placed in a pile in the middle of the bed. Zara loves jumping up and pulling whatever she can off the bed and throw it around like it’s a toy. Luckily she still cannot fully jump onto the bed just yet, we may have a problem once she is big enough-hahaha. My handbag has been a near victim to her shark teeth too! Dirty clothes need to be put in the laundry basket and the lid securely shut. Wardrobe doors and drawers need to be securely shut at all times too. Anything that is laying around is a potential chew toy so make sure absolutely everything is packed away or high enough so your puppy cannot reach it.
Office/Study: All lap top and cell phone charging cables have to be kept high up! Zara is quite partial to wanting to nibble on plug points and cables. I also have loads of papers and of course doggy accessories which Zara thinks should all be hers! I have had to rearrange everything so that nothing is eye level. It is a good idea to keep a busy room out of bounds for a while, or sort it out before your puppy arrives to avoid any disasters. Baby gates are great at keeping your puppy out of certain areas.
Outside: I am constantly worrying what she manages to find outside. I cannot always control her natural instincts and she needs to be a dog and be left alone to explore. She often brings in half eaten sticks and stones. And she is forever nibbling on leaves and trees. I have written a previous blog about making your garden pet safe (click here to read), however it is still a worry if I have misidentified a plant or tree. If your puppy loves to chew plants, it is a good idea to get expert advice on exactly what is pet safe and what should be removed and replaced. Keep all swimming pool chemicals and plant pesticides securely locked away! If your puppy loves to chew plants perhaps use organic pesticides or none at all. It is important to teach your puppy how to swim, but until she is old enough try and keep her away from the pool area or be vigilant and supervise outside play time. Your puppy needs to be in a safe environment.
A good way to see what is in reach and what looks like a good thing to chew is to get down to their level and look around. If you were a puppy what would you want to play with…?
After all the puppy proofing is done, enjoy having a puppy bombard your house, bring you presents and completely take over. They are small for such a short period of time, every time I blink Zara has grown just a little more! I am loving spending every single moment with her, watching her learn and explore. Puppies truly are a wonderful gift!
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