Zara Archives - Stylish Paws

Tag: Zara

28
Aug
2022

Zara Turns 6

categories: Zara

Today is Zara’s birthday. Six whole years of loving our sassy Zara! And there’s been a whole lot of love in those six years, a kind of love I never imagined but a kind of love that I am so grateful for.

I often get asked how we ‘trained’ Zara to be so gentle and kind towards her baby sister Gia, how she tolerates her brother Ollie the cat and how caring she is towards our bunny girls Misty and Clover. And my answer is always the same… we never ‘trained’ Zara to do anything. We simply showered Zara with a whole lot of love and respect and taught her our ways.

My husband and I had a conversation the other day and I asked him if he thinks Zara would be as gentle, loving, kind and loyal in someone else’s home or is she as amazing as she is because of us and the love we have for our family and each other. His answer to me was that every dog is brought up in a different home and different environment and so their level of love and respect is different. Zara found her way to us for a reason and that reason is so we could show her what our love is and for her to be the best version of herself with us. I was pretty satisfied with that answer…

And so today we celebrate Zara in all her glory…

Zara’s Pup Cakes

It’s a tradition in our home to make something special for Zara to enjoy on her own so this year baby sis Gia helped make some yummy blueberry birthday pupcakes for our pup 😉

Ingredients- cake

1/4 cup blueberries (we used fresh but frozen would work too)

1 egg

1/3 cup plain yoghurt (we used plain double thick)

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

Ingredients- icing

3 tbs plain double thick yoghurt

3 tbs plain cream cheese

*Fresh blueberries to decorate if you want

Directons- cake

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare a cupcake/muffin pan with paper cupcake holders. In a mixing bowl using a whisk or electric beater, mix well the yoghurt, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Then add the flour and baking powder and beat for 2 minutes. Then gently fold in the blueberries using a spoon. Add some blueberry bater to each cupcake holder and bake in the over for +-12 minutes or until cooked through and golden in colour. Once cooked leave the pupcakes to cool down completely before icing and decorating them.

Directions- Icing

To make the icing beat together the yoghurt and cream cheese until light and fluffy. The spoon onto your pupcakes or pipe the icing. Decorate with blueberries.

Zara’s Presents

Zara also gets some new toys and special things on her birthday and this year baby sis Gia helped me choose some goodies she thought Zara would love. Some of them can be found in our amazon storefront so click here if you would like to shop any and some of them are local South African brands who we love 🙂

We will be sharing all of Zara’s birthday fun on Instagram so be sure to follow along @stylish_paws

Thank you for enjoying Zara’s 6th birthday with us!

Thank you for reading.

28
Aug
2020

Zara turns 4

categories: Zara

Happy 4th birthday Zara! I can’t believe Zara has been with us for four whole years already. On one hand it feels like the other day we went to collect this small(ish) bundle of fluff to bring home to Oscar. And then I think how much has happened in our lives the past four years and I cannot believe how times flies.

In the four years since Zara became a member of our family, the three Amigos joined too, she’s had 2 TPLO surgeries, I turned 30-eeek! We got engaged and married (officially), we lost Oscar, we had baby Gia, we traveled and we had a whole bunch of fun in between.

On Zara’s birthday last year, baby Gia was exactly that, a baby. This year she’s a tiny walking talking human who Zara can interact with. Zara loves having someone else to harass in the house and Gia is just as obsessed. So much can happen in a year and this past one was no different.

It’s fair to say twenty-twenty has not lived up to most peoples expectations however I do feel that having months of staying in rather than going out has made our family stronger especially the bond between Zara and Gia.

Zara is always close to Gia. If Gia is playing in her bedroom, Zara is there too just watching. If Gia is reading in her play corner, Zara is there too listening to Gia ramble on. If Gia is playing outside, Zara is watching over her and of course looking out for any lizard action too. If Gia is eating, Zara is right by her side waiting for any leftovers. If Gia watches Paw Patrol on tv, Zara is watching too. In the same way that Zara is always close by when Gia is doing something, Gia enjoys being close by when Zara is doing something. Gia loves exploring the garden with Zara, the two of them go looking for lizards and watch the birds fly in and out of the trees.

Since Zara and Gia are always together it’s kind of a no brainer that I wanted to include Gia in the birthday celebrations and that meant making pupcakes that both Zara and Gia can enjoy!

Zara’s Birthday Pupcakes

Banana bread & Peanut butter icing pupcakes

Ingredients

3 large very ripe bananas

1/2 cup melted butter

2 large eggs beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

Directions

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Line your muffin tray with cupcake liners. Then in a large mixing bowl mash the bananas well and add the melted butter and brown sugar and mix well. Stir in the beaten eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Don’t over mix. Scoop your cupcake batter into each cupcake holder and place in the oven. Reduce the heat immediately down to 180. Bake for +- 20/25 minutes or until each pupcake is cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool before topping with the icing.

Peanut butter icing

Ingredients

2 cups plain thick yoghurt

2+ tbs less sugar less salt peanut butter

Directions

Place the yoghurt and peanut butter into a mixing bowl. Using an electric beater, beat until the peanut butter is whipped into the yoghurt. Whip for about 2-3 minutes.

Once your pupcakes are cool, pipe your peanut butter icing and decorate as you wish.

You can store un-iced pupcakes in the freezer in an airtight container, simply take it out the freezer and let it defrost on its own before serving.

We love spoiling Zara with gifts on her birthday and this year was no different. If you follow us on Instagram you’ll know how much Zara loves to swim! Zara’s pool broke just before winter so an obvious gift was of course a new pool for her, I can’t wait to set it up and fill it so she can have some pool fun again. I also added some fun pool toys and some pretty pool floats all bought on Amazon.

Click here to view our Amazon store with all our favourite pet goodies.

We love celebrating Zara’s birthday, after all she is a very important member of our family. To some she’s just a dog but to us she’s one of our baby’s and always will be!

If your pup is having a birthday soon or you just feel like baking something yummy we hope you try out this pupcake recipe and don’t forget to tag us @stylish_paws

Thank you for reading.

26
Aug
2019

Acana Dog Food- Zara’s Flavour of the Month

categories: Product Reviews, Zara

Zara’s Flavour of the month this month is Acana Adult Dog. When Zara finally moved on from her puppy food onto adult food, I was slightly sad at the thought of her growing up. I know puppy days cannot last forever no matter how much I wish. As a pup Zara guzzled her food, but as an adult I can proudly say she eats like a proper lady.

Luckily for Zara, growing up meant we could switch her food up and offer her a variety of flavours that Acana has to offer. Acana Adult Dog offers the perfect balance of meat, fruits and vegetables because we all know that a well rounded diet is good for us! For Zara this is particularly important because she has had two TPLO surgeries within two years. Her recovery is on going so nutrition has never been more important to us. Acana Adult dog offers 60% meat which is made up of free run chicken and wild caught flounder and for added extra protein cage free eggs too. Fruits and veggies include fresh whole carrots, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh whole pumpkin and butternut, whole green peas, dried brown kelp, fresh whole cranberries and blueberries just to mention a few. No wonder Zara loves this flavour! I particularly love the fact that Acana is completely grain and gluten free.

Because of her surgeries and her leg issues we like to keep Zara more on the trim side, I believe Acana dog food helps us maintain this easily because it’s so full of proper nutritious ingredients that a little goes a long way! Zara’s coat is insanely shiny and she is constantly receiving complements on how clean and white her teeth are. I strongly believe it’s due to her fantastic nutrition! Proper nutrition starts from the inside and shines through.

Zara has matured from a super cute, raucous pup into such a well composed adult rottweiler. I am always extremely proud when we take Zara out because not only is she beautiful to look at but her personality is larger than life itself. As a mature adult, Zara knows exactly what she wants and how to get it-I could say she learnt a thing or two from Oscar in the moaning to get attention department! Either way Zara is a beautiful girl and we are proud to feed her Acana.

Acana offers a flavour for everyone so be sure to give them a try, your pooch will thank you later! Stay tuned for Zara’s next flavour of the month…

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.

Don’t forget to tag Acana_SA and use #acanadog in your social media posts for a chance to get featured!

Thank you for reading

21
Aug
2019

Petqwerks FLiPST!CK

categories: Product Reviews, Zara

Petqwerks is without a doubt our most favourite international doggy toy company around! Not only do they constantly spoil Zara with the most amazing surprises but their toys are always interactive and extremely innovative!

I am always excited to test out their latest and greatest inventions. This time Zara and I were asked to review their latest interactive toy… The FLiPST!CK. Let’s just say I don’t know who has more fun with this toy, Zara or myself-haha! It is hugely entertaining for both of us and a serious workout for Zara.

I particularly love the fact that the FLiPST!CK interactive toy is so different compared to any other toy Zara has. I also love the fact that it is slightly easier on her body compared to playing ball which can get quite rough. Because of her two TPLO surgeries I am always mindful when we play and never allow her to push herself too much. I rather pack the toy away and let her rest then bring it out later again for another play session.

The FLiPST!CK allows Zara to literally go wild, but in a good, safe way! I love the fact that I have a lot of control over it and can bob it as hard or as soft as I like. I can keep it low to the ground so Zara doesn’t have to jump up all the time but I can throw a jump in here and there. I also cannot believe how strong the FLiPST!CK is. Zara weighs 53kg, and the FLiPST!CK sure measures up to her rottie strength. Any toy that can withstand Zara and her strength gets an extra bonus point in our ours eyes! She doesn’t quite understand why she can’t take the FLiPST!CK from me which makes playing with it more fun.

We received our FLiPST!CK during our winter months so I cannot wait for the weather to warm up so we can play with the FLiPST!CK in the pool. The water is easier on Zara’s joints and will allow us to have a different kind of fun- I’ll keep you posted!

Of course Petqwerks loves to spoil Zara A LOT so we also received TWO new chew bones! The Boar BarkBone in pork chop flavour plus the BarkBone STICK in peanut butter flavour. We’ve had a few BarkBones in the last couple of years and I will be completely honest in saying they are the best nylon chew toys around! Again they can withstand Zara’s intense chewing for hours on end. She loves nothing more than getting herself comfy and chewing.

Since having baby Gia, I cannot always be there to entertain Zara. Gia is far too small right now for us to all play together so it is amazing for me to know Zara is relaxed, happy and entertained while gnawing on her favourite chews!

Thank you Petqwerks for always making us feel so special and part of the Petqwerks family! We absolutely love testing out your new products and giving you our honest opinions. We look forward to some more fun and interesting toys…

If you would like to spoil your pooch with fun and unique toys then Petqwerks is your place to shop! Visit their website and social media pages NOW! Don’t forget to use our DISCOUNT code “ILOVESTYLISHPAWS30” to get 30% off your order….

www.petqwerks.com

Facebook

Instagram

And don’t forget to tag them in your social media posts for a chance to be featured.

Thank you for reading

01
Aug
2019

August

categories: Calendar, Zara

August is probably one of Zara’s favourite months of the year… Not only is it her birthday month but it is also the month where our weather starts warming up, which means only one thing in Zara’s mind… SWIM TIME!!

We hope you enjoy your month of August just as much as we will.

Download your August calendar here

Thank you for reading

24
Jun
2019

Acana Dog Food: Zara’s Flavour of the Month

categories: Product Reviews, Zara

Zara’s flavour of the month this month is Acana Yorkshire Pork which is another flavour within the Singles range. Acana Yorkshire pork is suitable for all life stages of your pooch and is loaded with fifty percent pure pork! What’s not to love…

It’s no secret that Zara absolutely LOVES her food! In fact Zara lives for food. Most times I watch her eat and think to myself, did you actually taste that? I love how much Zara enjoys her food because it means I can use her food as a means of rewards for training and good behaviour.

Zara gets fed twice a day, morning and night. When it comes to meal times she will do a back flip if you ask her to. Her excitement level goes through the roof when she sees me start preparing her meal each time. It was through this excitement that enabled me to teach her how to eat appropriately because for a good few months with us Zara guzzled her food in less than 30 seconds-yes we timed her!

To start off, I placed a big clean blanket on the floor and I would scatter her food all over the blanket. At first she panicked and vacuumed her pellets at the speed of light, but slowly she learnt that actually her pellets don’t have legs and will not go anywhere. Then I introduced an interactive food dispenser ball which meant she would have to work to get to her kibble. At first she got immensely frustrated and she would throw it all over the place, but she slowly learnt that by being gentle and slow she gets more kibble out. And finally I introduced her to a slow feeder bowl. Again she was seriously frustrated by the obstacles in the way of her gobbling her food, and slowly she learnt the technique.

Fast forward almost three years and she eats like a true lady! She even pauses during bites and if I call her she happily stops to look at what I want or what I am asking her to do, this of course gets her extra treats! I am so proud of how far she has come with her eating habits.

Acana Singles range means each flavour is a single protein based food. Acana Yorkshire Pork forms the main base of this food along with other hugely nutritious ingredients such as garbanzo beans, whole green and yellow peas, red lentils, fresh pumpkin, dried brown kelp, whole blueberries, turmeric root, burdock root and milk thistle just to name a few.

I love being able to change up Zara’s food and give her different flavours. Acana sure does have a variety to choose from so stay tuned for next months flavour!

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.

Thank you for reading

07
Jun
2019

Dogs and Babies

categories: Zara

On 30 September last year, we found out that we were going to be parents to a tiny human! Nothing can describe that feeling of utter happiness and excitement. That day will always be extra special to myself and my husband because that same day is Oscar’s birthday, and it will always be Oscar’s birthday!

Our biggest wish was to make Oscar a big brother, unfortunately the universe had other plans but I now understand why. In Oscar’s eyes I belonged to him and only him. My husband will even admit to that-haha. I am not entirely sure Oscar would have been able to share me, let alone get through the eleven weeks of separation.

Most of you know that we live in Zambia, but I travel to South Africa fairly regularly for various business and personal engagements. Because the medical facilities are not up to scratch in Zambia, we decided as a family that I would give birth to our nugget in South Africa. This also meant that we would all have to endure eleven weeks of separation…

On 17 May, our beautiful daughter Gia came into this big bright world! We could not be happier and more proud of our little angel. Gia means “A gift from God” and I do believe she is our gift from God and Oscar, who is by my side making sure I look after our tiny human in the best way possible.

Zara on the other hand is going to be the best big sister we could ever have asked for. Zara is extremely intelligent, loyal and a little OTT on the affectionate side, but we love that about her. From the moment we found out about our little Nugget, we spoke to Zara and explained what was happening inside my tummy. Believe it or not Zara would just sit and listen to every word. She stopped body slamming me in the middle of the night when she jumps on the bed for a cuddle. She became mindful of my growing tummy and was careful not to bump me or push me. That’s how clever she is.

We wanted to prep Zara for what was about to happen, because ultimately her life is about to change forever too! So here are the things we did to help ease Zara into the role of becoming a big sister…

Baby Room Prep

We had to shuffle things around and swap the spare rooms to make Gia’s room closer to ours. While sorting through a pile of things we didn’t need anymore, Zara was right beside us! We never once chased her out or got mad because she dug through a pile of rubbish we just sorted through. After all this is a readjustment for her too. Once the nursery room was cleared out we painted and began furnishing it-the fun part!

Doll Practice

We decided to buy a doll and introduce it to Zara. We wanted Zara to get used to us holding something in our arms quite a lot. She needed to learn that sometimes there will be an extra person in the bed in the form of her baby sister, and she needed to be a little careful. At first Zara was unsure especially when the doll made a noise. But with patience and time Zara began to recognise that this little thing is quite special and lives in the newly decorated room.

Our Scent

When I left Zambia in April, I left behind a shirt that I had worn to remind Zara of my scent. My husband says she loves sniffing that shirt! After Gia was born I sent my hubby home with another shirt that smelt like me and baby Gia. We decided to do this so Zara can get used to the scent of me with someone else. Zara is so intelligent she knows exactly what we are trying to do, I just know it!

Zara’s Gifts

Often articles will tell you to separate your pets from your baby and to never allow pets into the nursery. We have been the total opposite with Zara and have allowed her to walk in and out of Gia’s room as she pleases. As a result, Zara now delivers one of her toys (her most prized possessions) and leaves it either on the rug, the chair or in a corner for her baby sister. When Zara gifts you with one of her toys, you know she loves you! It is something she started doing all by herself, we did not teach her to do it. So by Zara leaving presents for Gia I know that they are going to be the best of friends!

Of course this chapter is not complete yet because Zara still has to meet her tiny human. I am in South Africa until the end of June so I will be sure to post an update when Gia and I have settled back home…. But for now we continue to video chat, where Zara is most intrigued by her baby sister especially when she moves or makes a sound.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram for all the goings on.

Thank you for reading.

03
Jun
2019

June

categories: Calendar

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.

10
Apr
2019

Oneplan Pet Insurance

categories: Product Reviews

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.

What exactly is Pet Insurance?

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.

Why Is Pet Insurance Important?

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.

How Pet Insurance can save the day…

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.

Thank you for reading

01
Mar
2019

March

categories: Calendar

Well, and so the third month of the year begins. Happy March!

Do wnload your March Calendar here.

Thank you for reading