Dinner is ready!

Have you ever arrived home at 7pm after a hectic day at work, only to realise there's no dog food left? All the shops are closed, you've already settled for a lower than average brand of food last week and now that has run out too? Don't fret everyone! Feeding your dog from your kitchen is easier than you think.

The above mentioned scenario played out at our house last night and there's no telling Salvador that there's no food in the house for him, so I had to make do with what we had in the fridge and what we ended up with was a semi balanced meal. Here follows the recipe for Salvador's home cooked, mom-forgot-to-buy-me-dog-food dinner:

Ingredients

• 2 raw, free range eggs
• half a cup of brown rice
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 2 stems of organic broccoli
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

Cook the rice as directed on the packet. Spoon about half a cup of cooked rice into your dog's bowl and while it is still hot, add the two eggs and stir it up (some of you who already make your own pet food would add the egg shells too). Grate the carrot and broccoli over the mix and add a glug of oil.

And there you have it! Salvador absolutely adored this meal and tonight when feeding time came, I could see that he was secretly hoping that it would be the same warm dish as last night. 

Feeding your dog this recipe daily is not a good idea as dogs need all kinds of other nutrients and way more protein than what I've added here, but it sure does come in handy when you forgot to go past the pet store...

Licks & Kisses

xxxx

Salvador's Big 5

It only takes one sunny Sunday to get us excited about spring (we don't really get too excited about summer in general...) and therefor I've decided to share a list of Salvador's 5 favorite walks around Cape Town.

#1 Keurboom Park, Rondebosch

We love this park as it is really close to our house and it is huge! the park is surrounded by a couple of sport fields  so you can literally spend all morning/afternoon there - there's no end to running space and meeting new dogs. Salvador loves the fact that he can run around in the little streams cutting through the bottom part of this park and the sport fields are great for playing a game of catch (if there isn't some or other rugby/cricket/soccer game going on, in which case we avoid these areas because of the sheer amount of ball activity going on. If your dog is anything like Salvador you will also want to know about the many children parties and picnics that happen here so perhaps keep your dog on a leash to avoid snacking.

#2 De Waal Park, Gardens, Cape Town

If we feel the need to escape suburban life, we go to De Waal Park. The park is right at the foot of Table Mountain and is a bustling hot spot dogs. There are plenty of squirrels to chase and the city dogs are very agreeable play friends.
Although this park has a lovely deep fountain smack bang in the middle of it, dogs are not allowed to swim in it, which is always an issue with Salvador, him being a water dog and all. Also note that this is a hangout for children, due to the fantastic play area.

#3 Pringle Bay beach, Pringle Bay

If you have some time to kill and you fancy yourself an outing, go to Pringle Bay beach. It is basically deserted yet there are many interesting things to find (seaweed, shells, the odd dead seal). The water is freezing, but this has never stopped Salvador and if you need a rinse off, there is a beautiful lagoon just down the road.

#4 Sea Point Promenade, Cape Town

The Promenade is great if you want to take your dog for a run/cycle. the view of the sea is beautiful and there are some grassy areas where you can let your dog run free and meet friends. Because it is right next to a busy road, I prefer to keep Salvador on his leash when going here since his listening skills aren't always the best...

#5 Newlands Forest, Newlands, Cape Town

You might remember that we once took Salvador to this forest, only to be turned away as we didn't have a dog walking permit...I'm not holding a grudge and one of the busy days I will go to Kirstenbosch Gardens and buy a permit. It's just such a beautiful place to walk so I think it is well worth it. You can get more details on the the Table Mountain National Park website to find out more about these permits.
It is advised that you keep your dog on a lead while walking in the forest as there are many runners and cyclists about.

And there you go, 5 of Salvador's favorite walks, guaranteed to tire you and your dog out!

Licks & Kisses!
xxx

Mountain walking

This morning we went and tried out a recommended walking route just a few minutes away from the CBD, known as Deerpark and although we have only done one of the many routes possible on this walk, we've come to a joint conclusion that it is one of our favorite walks of all time. I, just like Salvador can't wait to explore it even more.

If you know Cape Town, you basically drive all the way up Vredehoek, past the Spar and keep going left towards the mountain, where you will find a parking lot and you're there!
We saw an abundance of dogs and cyclists and the view was absolutely amazing! I guess it's one of those walks that make us Capetonians take a step back and appreciate living in the beautiful city we always hear foreigners ranting about. I managed to take a few pictures this time.

• wear some kind of comfortable hiking shoe/takkie
• having a lead with you is recommended if you're worried that your dog is going to chase after cyclists - there are loads of cyclists.
• depending on how far you plan to walk, I would take some water.

Licks & Kisses!

xxxx

Longing for last weekend...

We had just about the best weekend ever last weekend (just a pity I didn't take enough photos, but I guess this is what happens when you have too much of a good time). It was one of my very best friends' birthdays and we all went to Pringle Bay to celebrate. What a great place for dogs!

Salavador had so much fun, he only woke up on Tuesday night - he was pretty much a blob from all the activity until then! 

The house we stayed at had no fence around the yard. If you've ever been to Pringle Bay you will know why there aren't any fences around the yards - there's just no need for them. Think tiny coastal town, basically deserted for most of the year and dirt roads. Salvador also had the pleasure of spending the night with lots of people and his friend, Suki the Airedale Terrier who is certainly his match when it comes to energy levels.

He was obviously first to rise the next day and I would say the highlight of the weekend was our walk to the beach (no leads required) and swimming in the lagoon right on the beach. 

If ever you need a pet friendly weekend away, I highly recommend Pringle Bay!

Licks & Kisses!

xxx 

Annual Doggy Checklist for responsible, adult dog owners

Hi everyone,

because we are busy people living in a fast paced city, I have taken it upon myself to compile an annual check list of things you should remember when it come to your dog. I have had some minor issues come up (do you remember the dewclaw incident?) that could have been prevented if I was more vigilant with our grooming routine, but hey, we all forget and make mistakes from time to time and part of being a responsible adult dog owner is putting some or other checklist on the fridge/mirror/ceiling so we don't make the same mistakes again, right?
Here is said checklist.

ASAP!

• Get you dog microchipped - this way you will literally NEVER be able to lose him!
• Change your dog's bowls from plastic to ceramic or stainless steel.
• Groom your long haired dog and check for things like ticks, lumps and bumps and infected ears.

WEEKLY

• Groom medium to short haired breeds and check for lumps and bumps, ticks etc.
• If your dog has smelly breath, it's time to brush teeth! I got Salvador some toothpaste and a toothbrush the other day and he loved it, probably because the doggy toothpaste is quite tasty. A much easier alternative is providing your dog with plenty of raw boned to chew on as this acts as a toothbrush, not to mention it saves you time!

MONTHLY

• Do some or other tick and flea prevention. There are the store bought varieties and now a days there are also great natural varieties around - which we haven't tried yet, but soon will!
• Check your dog's nails, especially those nasty dewclaws! 

EVERY 3 MONTHS

• Deworm your dog. You don't have to go to the vet to do this. You can buy a deworming tablet from your nearest vet shop and do it yourself. You don't even have to hide it in a piece of vienna or cheese anymore as the modern day deworming tablets are basically as delicious as a treat.

ANNUALLY 

• Take your dog for a vet check up. I know there is currently debates going on how vaccinating adult dogs aren't all that important, but living in the city doesn't just mean your dog comes into contact with all kinds of gross things, if your dog's vet record is not up to date, a doggy daycare won't allow him in or say you were planning on leaving the country and you are taking your dog (which you obviously should do) you will need to have a good recording of annual vet checks and vaccinations. 

Print this out and stick it on you fridge, add it to your calendar, write it in your diary, but whatever you do, don't say you didn't have ample prep time...

Licks & Kisses!

xxxx

Winter Warmers

Although you might revel in the idea of sitting in front of the fire while watching whole seasons of your favorite series this winter, this might not be your dog’s idea of fun (unless you have one of those very relaxed and sleepy dogs like Salvador’s friend, Jameson)

I’ve decided to round up some fun things to do with your dog during the winter months and here they are!

Rainy day walks

Now, I know while your sitting all comfy-cozy, in front of the fire, every fiber of your being is kicking against this, but taking your dog for a walk in the rain might just be the best thing that happened in his or her day! It’s really not that bad. Pull on that coat and open up that umbrella – no doubt you’ll be the only one under it. Salvador loves nothing more than getting wet and mucky!

Treasure Hunt

Instead of feeding Salvador the usual way, I sometimes hide his food all around the house. He loves this game so much, because sniffing around is his favorite past-time (all dogs love it!).

Obstacle course

Gather all your brooms, mops, chairs, step ladders and build an obstacle course. You can guide your dog around it with treats and lots of encouraging words.

Stair climber

Are you lucky enough to have a set of stairs in your house? Use these to up the normal fetch game by dropping the ball down them. Exercise for the day done!

Teacher-teacher

Find yourself wishing your dog was more responsive to those basic commands (sit, heel, stay etc.)? Why not use this time and the confines of your home to practice these?

Play date

If you have children this is probably your worst nightmare – as if organizing your human child’s social life is not enough…but seriously though, if you have a friend with a dog that lives nearby and your dogs get along, you could use this time to catch-up and let your dogs have a play date.

These are but a few fun ideas to keep you and your dog busy this rainy season. Have fun with it!

Licks & kisses!

xxx   

The FAT issue

Hi all,

there is still a quiet gloom hanging around the house this morning because of yesterday's Blue drama. I obviously get attached way to quickly! I was mulling over it all in my head and suddenly remembered chatting to the vet about dog weight.
I asked her if she thought that Salvador was at a good weight - now that his hair is short, one can get a much better idea - and she said he is definitely on the porkier side of thin. I wasn't shocked and freaked at all. I knew that moving him from the farm to the city was going to be a challenge in terms of getting him the huge amount of exercise that he was accustomed to and needs, so I've looked into other ways than merely focusing on that to also make sure he doesn't gain too much.

I've been very clear from the start on the subject of owning a dog that is not overweight and I'm not afraid to take the necessary steps to insure this, yet I know so many people that struggle with this issue.
Growing up, our dogs' food bowls were always full. My mom didn't believe in rationing their food, being of the school of thought that they would eat when they are hungry. Now, whether your dog will stop eating when he's full or not is very much personal (once again proving that your dog is more like you than you thought). The biggest problem is perhaps YOU!
How many times have you watched one of those reality shows about the severely obese and their carers, who often turn out to be as much part of the problem as the actual over eating, just to say something like "he/she is enabling the eating". Meanwhile Scruffles is lying under your feet, struggling to breath due to all the extra rolls around his neck ?

Fact #1: Your dog can only eat as much as you feed him.

It is your responsibility to figure out how much your dog should be eating. Dietary guides on the back of food packets can be tricky to get right as there are many factors that come in to play. Working dogs, puppies and pregnant females should be getting more food than is prescribed and remember, just because you own a dog with the word 'hound' audible in its name or just because your dog brings you the newspaper in the morning, does not mean it is a 'WORKING' dog...think hard labor people!

To get a rough estimate of how your dog weighs in, follow this link to a calculator and also take a look at this great diagram I found.

From http://www.aplaceforpaws.com/blog/canine-obesity-a-huge-problem

Fact #2: Indulging your dog might make you feel good for a while, but is it making him sick? 

Overweight dogs are at risk of suffering from diseases very similar to those that an obese human would suffer from. You don't want this for your best pal! Here are a few of the common things your dog might suffer from if he is on the chubbier side of plump:

• Heart disease
• Respiratory issues
• Diabetes
• Cancers
• Osteoarthritis
• Cardiopulmonary disease

If this worries you, start sorting our his diet today. Your vet can help you by calculating the right amount of food he should be having or suggesting a special diet. 

Fact #3: There's no point trying out that new diet if your not going to try out the exercise program with it!

Keeping your dogs' weight in check is simple. EXERCISE! Any old exercise will do and your dog will love you for it! 

As dog owners we all want the best for our besties and that sometimes involve turning a blind eye to those cute little needy eyes, subtly demanding a little nibble of something. We will all have to toughen up!  

Licks & Kisses!

xxx

Blue Wednesday...

Salvador's aunt and I might, or might not have saved a puppy off the streets today...

Okay so quite clearly we did rescue a puppy this morning, but don't get too attached, the story doesn't end too well...let me start from the beginning. 

Salvador's aunt was driving along when she spotted a man with a puppy in arms, clearly hawking it to whoever stopped at the intersection. She decided to contact Animal Welfare who was understaffed and therefor could not send out an inspector. She came to pick me up and we managed to get the dog from it's sad owner (who was telling us he couldn't afford to take care of the dog anymore etc. I personally think this was just a scam for various reasons that I will not go into). She arranged for us to take it into Animal Welfare to have it checked out. I didn't want to introduce it to Salvador if it was carrying weird viruses! 

We arrived at Animal Welfare and filled out the necessary forms, only to be sent away because we don't fall under the right salary bracket, so we decided to make an appointment at our regular vet instead. 

We named the puppy Blue, as he had the most amazing blue eyes and upon closer inspection at home it was quite clear that this guy was severely malnourished and skinny - WARNING SIGN #1 although strangely he wasn't too keen on the food I gave him - WARNING SIGN  #2. 

Eventually it was time to go to the vet. We got there and the first thing they did was test Blue for Distemper and unfortunately it turned out that Blue did indeed carry this rather shocking virus. At first I thought, oh well, I'm sure we can get that sorted out with a shot, but it was not until they started sending cleaners through the whole practice with sprays and chemicals that I got worried... My boyfriend Googled the disease, but it was the look on the vet nurse's face and the call for the euthanizing liquid that really made it ring home...there was NOTHING we could do for Blue...

I didn't know anything about this disease before today, apart from reading the name on Salvador's vaccination certificate, but I've never come into such close contact with it, so I thought I would enlighten all of you on the subject of this very scary disease.

It is a virus similar to Measles and it affects the gastrointestinal, respiratory system and  central nervous system of dogs, rats and ferrets to mention a few. 

Symptoms include vomiting, coughing, thick mucus from the nose and eyes, anorexia, lethargy and the list goes on.

Puppies in general and especially puppies that come from moms that have not been vaccinated against it plus adult dogs that have not been vaccinated are at risk and it spreads rapidly through close contact with a contaminated dog, through sharing of bowls etc. 

THERE IS CURRENTLY NO KNOWN CURE FOR THE DISEASE  thus prevention is key. According to the vet at Cape Animal Medical Centre , some dogs can 'recover' from the disease, but medicating a dog with Distemper is expensive, as they have weak immune systems for life and are therefor susceptible to all kinds of other viruses too. One also runs the risk of your dog spreading the virus to other dogs as they never totally get the virus out of their systems. Were we to keep Blue, he would have started getting seizures 2-3 weeks in and often the symptoms start showing in old age. 

So there you go...what an eventful day. I'm sad it didn't turn out better, but it did make me rush Salvador to the vet to get all his shots up to date and I hope that this story taught us all a lesson or 10!

• Never buy a puppy from someone on the street or from any shop or person that is not a reputable dog owner/breeder or animal welfare. If for whatever reason you do so, get it checked IMMEDIATELY  and do not let it come into your house or get close to your other pets until you've done so!!!!!
• Get your puppy vaccinated as soon as possible - call your vet and arrange it when you get your puppy or make sure whoever you get it from has done so and demand to see vet certificates.
• Keep your dogs' vaccinations up to date. Dogs over 2 years should go to the vet once a year to have a check-up. If you can't afford to do this for whatever reason, go to an Animal Welfare organization that will help you for much less or in some cases for free. 
• You don't have to be rich to own a pet! Not getting your dog vaccinated is stupid and ignorant. I'm not going to go on a rant about how you shouldn't get a pet if you can't provide it with posh healthcare. People are going to have pets. This is why there are places like Animal Welfare.

Rather be safe than sorry!

                  

Rest in Peace Blue - We are glad that your last few hours were happy-sitting-in-a-warm-lap-bathing-in-the-sun hours!

Licks & Kisses ( although with all the viruses going around....)

xxx

Jenni's Pet Parlour

Guess who went to the parlour today...??

You guessed it! This monster of fluff and all things stinky.
Spaniels might strike you as noble, elegant and classy dogs, but I assure you - none of that has been passed on to Salvador. Although he usually sports a really gorgeous silken coat of golden, sun streaked fur, keeping it that way is no easy task. With his devotion to rolling in stinky things and running through tall grass and all manner of thorny bushy plants, we had enough. I hate to share this, but I was starting to dread cuddling him and this is a serious issue for all involved so we decided that it was time for a parlour visit.

Salvador's friend Jameson regularly goes to Jenni's Pet Parlour when he comes to visit so we decided to send you Salvador there for a trim - or more accurately, a 'Seal cut' - meaning as much hair off as possible. Now you might think I'm insane as it is mid-winter and what am I doing shaving all his hair off, but I assure you, that dog jersey I had him model for the TEARS animal rescue post did not leave this house with the rest of the jerseys I dropped off yesterday...Salvador claimed it and it will come in very handy now.

The staff at Jenni's is absolutely amazing. Somehow they just 'get' Salvador, who can be off-ish towards strange adults at he best of times. Give him a child any day, but not so much a fully grown human male... Before I could suggest taking precautionary measures and plying him with treats, he was very happily whisked away and the next time I saw him he looked like this-

Jenni's is situated very close to Cavendish Square so while your dog is getting groomed you can keep yourself busy. They sell an array of yummy dog treats and also stock some holistic dog pet food brands. All-in-all, a really amazing parlour with friendly and competent staff!

Take a look at their Facebook page for their contact details.

Licks & Kisses!
xxx

On being charitable

Hi everyone,

you might remember a while ago I did a post on a great organization called TEARS animal rescue. I also mentioned that I would be making them some fleece dog sweaters which I did over the weekend! I just came back from dropping off 18 of them at their charity book shop in Bergvliet - amazing, big bookstore by the way - and decided to share the good news.

A very kind, dog obsessed friend sent me 10m of fleece all the way from Johannesburg, which we received with much interest and excitement on Saturday morning.

It was tricky explaining to him that is wasn't his...

I got a great sewing pattern online - which I will sharing later on this week - and got sewing. Once I got the basic idea down I was on a roll and soon made up 18 sweaters. It's amazing how many sweaters you can get out of a 3m piece of fleece and at around R35 per meter, it's a really great way to help a lot of cold dogs with a very small donation! 

Below are some pics of Salvador modeling the finished product.

Salvador and I will both sleep very soundly tonight, knowing that some fur children will be kept warm for the rest of this winter!

If you would like to make any donations to TEARS, have a look at the wishlist on their website. 

Licks & Kisses!

xxx

Mdzananda Animal Clinic

‘Welcome to the world of the Mdzananda Animal Clinic - the only permanent, veterinary council registered animal clinic in Khayelitsha, a township area just outside Cape Town, South Africa, estimated to be home to more than a million people.’

This is the short description on the Facebook page of Mdzananda Animal Clinic that has been running out of six recycled shipping crates since 1996.

They consult, hospitalize and in general, see around 1000 animals a month and if that sounds tough, just imagine how much more tough it is during the freezing winter months!

Unfortunately many of the animals come out of surgery and then don’t make it through the recovery period due to the extreme cold.

Due to hefty electricity bills they are forced to switch off heaters and instead rely on less effective ways like bubble wrap on the windows and keeping doors closed to keep the heat in.

This NGO is in just as much need of basic goods such as polar fleece blankets, pet food and goods for their charity shop as they are of more expensive things like surgical equipment, spay kits and an ultra sound machine.

There are endless ways in which we can all make a contribution to this amazing organization. Visit, Like and hit the Share button on their Facebook page or visit their website for more information. Below is a great kennel building event happening the 18th of July.

Licks & Kisses!

xxxx

Jimmy Choo for Jimmy Choo !

I first saw pics of Jimmy Choo the dog on Facebook - I thought it was amazing and so clever, not to mention ridiculously cute!

Yesterday I page through Vogue magazine while having a coffee break and there on the fashionable pages of that glorious magazine I spot him again!

Turns out Jimmy Choo (the dog) is the new face of Jimmy Choo (the fashion label). His dad, a very creative man called Rafael Mantesso, started drawing pictures on the walls of their home and got Jimmy to feature in them and social media 'LIKED', a lot! Fast forward and Jimmy's sweet face can now be found on Jimmy Choo merchandise such as tote bags, iPhone covers and all manner of other fun accessories as part of their 2015 Pre-Fall capsule collection.



Salvador dreams of this kind of fame...



Licks and kisses everyone!



xxx

TEARS of joy !

Gone are the days of using the phrase ‘winter is coming’…winter is officially upon us and not only upon us, but also upon our beloved fur children. Unfortunately there are many fur children going without the warmth of a blanket, let alone the warmth of a loving home.

This got me thinking about how I can turn Salvador into a more charitable dog – I only had to think about this for a minute before realizing Salvador is not really the charitable type. The only thing he likes sharing is play time and only in certain parks with certain dogs, SO I decided I will have to take on the charitable role in this relationship.

To make a long story short, I volunteered to make up some dog jumpers for an amazing organization called TEARS. You can follow the link to their page and find out all about it, but what I like most about this non-profit organization is their mission statement.

‘ TEARS is a pro-life, non-profit organisation whose core aims are to rescue, rehabilitate, re-unite and re-home lost, abandoned, abused, and neglected animals and to educate our communities, in particular the children. ’

How amazing is this?! Although this means that they rely heavily on adoption and donations. Unfortunately, as much as we want to, adopting another dog is not ideal for us right now so making jumpers for the little guys over at TEARS is my way of contributing. Being a dressmaker, I have quite a bit of off cut fabric, but I’m sure this won’t be nearly enough to make enough jumpers for all the dogs there. A very kind friend has donated about 10 meters of fleece that I will be receiving this week and if there’s anyone out there who has, or knows someone who has some off cut warm fabrics like fleece lying around, you can contact me via Facebook so we can arrange collection.

If you aren't that into making things, there are so many ways you can help this organization. If you go to their WAYS TO HELP sections, there’s a whole list of ways you can get involved like for instance, getting a MySchool/MyPlanet/MyVillage card from Woolworths and making the benefactor TEARS – this way every time you shop at Woolworths (which you all do at some stage anyway) or one of the other stores on their list, a percentage of your spend goes towards TEARS – I think this is literally the quickest, easiest way of making a difference – I’m getting my card tomorrow!

Another easy way to help is to make a direct donation via their website.

Can’t own a dog of your own (due to the hard time you’ll have finding a rental in Cape Town! Sorry, I’m obviously still cut up about that... ) ? – Problem solved! Become a sponsor for one of the many adorable dogs at TEARS! Best thing about it is, you can go and walk the dogs as part of their volunteering program so you’ll reap all the rewards of owning a dog without your landlord breathing down your neck.

The list of things you can do and donate goes on so go and have  a look. You can also follow TEARS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and don’t forget to hit the SHARE button! Awareness is key 

here!

Licks and Kisses!

xxx

---

Dogs and the City

Last night we went for dinner at Salvador's aunts house. He stayed home and protected the house with his best friend Jameson while we were there as auntie owns four cats...
During our visit I paid close attention to the cats - just thinking about how some people are cat people while others prefer dogs and how different it is being either pet's owner. I also noticed how destructive cats could be. Now, I am in no way slamming cat owners and cats - I love cats, I grew up with them and if we didn't have an allergic person in the house we would probably own a cat, but it did get me thinking about renting property and how often an apartment is advertised as pet friendly, but by pet friendly they actually mean cat friendly. 
Why is this the case? 
As a dog owner, moving is one of my biggest worries.  I worry about finding a place that will allow me to keep my dog and what do I do if I can't find a place in time? I remember when we first moved to Cape Town how exhausting house hunting was. As soon as we mentioned our dog to an estate agent it was like a steal gate slammed down along with comments like, "well, that just narrows your options right down" or "we don't have ANYTHING pet friendly like EVER". We absolutely lucked out with our current place just as I was about to enter a state of complete hopelessness. The only reason we called to look at the house is because we saw the current tenant’s dog in one of the photos they posted of the house.
We looked at places in and around the city and if it wasn’t extremely limited pickings, it was way out of our price range. This being said, I often drive through the city or past De Waal Park (the local dog park) and I can’t help wondering where all these people live with their dogs? Sure, a large amount of those pet owners own properties close by, but I see more and more people my age with dogs – and some are big dogs at that- and I assume they live in rented apartments or smallish houses with their dogs.
Why are dog owners being denied rentals?
Sure, dogs can be just as destructive, and more so than cats, but dogs offer many benefits too. Dogs are easily trained and are often quite happy sharing small spaces with their humans provided they get enough exercise and stimulations (walks, parks etc.).
Dogs act as a form of security – especially when you live in a country like SA where crime is very much a part of our daily lives, whether they are protecting your property or accompanying you on your daily walk/run.
Just like cats, dogs easily be trained in the artful skill of private time and when to have it. All you have to do is be responsible for picking up what they leave behind, which you are probably already doing when visiting a dog park.
All of this said, most people still find looking for a dog friendly place in Cape Town a huge hassle.
The sad reality is that, in a city where unwanted dogs are already a big issue, even more dogs are being forcibly put up for adoption or euthanized due to the lack of affordable, dog friendly properties. I recently read an interesting article on how landlords in San Francisco have come to compromise with pet owners on having dogs on their previous not pet friendly properties by setting up a special contract. These contracts include things like the landlord being allowed to meet the dog before they move in. In some cases the dog owners even show a resume of sorts with references from previous landlords and vet certificates etc. Other things like allowing the landlord to come and inspect the property on occasion in the duration of the lease can also be negotiated.
Knowing how hard this kind of house hunt can be, I though it would be helpful to post a few pet friendly rentals in and around Cape Town on our Facebook page so keep an eye out for that. Hope it helps!!

Licks and Kisses!

xxx

Dewclaws, CHECK!

I'm starting to remember all kinds of things that happened during our hiatus from this blog!

One of these happened about a month ago. I was so sure that I've done a post on this subject but I might be thinking of the time Salvador had issues with grass seeds - see the post on grass seeds .
Salvador has become a rather fluffy thing over the past two years. No one seemed to warn me that by shaving him in the hot summer months, I encourage epic hair growth in the winter months, thus he is now one giant ball of fur(pictures will soon follow). With out of control hair growth comes many new, and often overlooked grooming responsibilities...one such responsibility is to check nails - in particular the one called the dewclaw.

http://petcarefacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/dew-claw.jpg

Dew claws are common in dogs and you can usually find them on the inside of front legs, although occasionally they are also found on the hind legs - in Salvador's case. Some believe they are ancient remnants of doggy ancestors that have no real purpose in our modern day pals, but apparently they do assist in holding on to bones while chewing.
Salvador seems to be blessed with a dewclaw on all four of his legs. Upon further investigation(searching through many layers of fur and fluff...) I came across a pretty horrific sight! Salvador's dewclaw was so out of control, it was curling around and growing back into his paw?!

I am ashamed to say that I've never even thought about clipping his nails. I always assumed that because we walk on tar roads and cemented pavements, his nails were being filed down naturally, but because the dewclaw is positioned so high up on the leg, they never get filed down and therefor just keep growing.

http://www.cavaliersa.com/rescue.htm

We took Salvador to the vet the next day - as he would not let me close to the sore toe, where they proceeded to give him a proper nail trim and a course of antibiotics to clear up the infected toe.

OPTIONS:

So how do we prevent this from happening again?

There are a few options. Some folk have their dogs' dewclaws removed surgically - I've even come across some articles where they show basically new born puppies undergoing, what might look like, the very painful removal the whole nail. I guess it's like having your ears pierced as a baby as apposed to when your an adult - you forget about the pain...

In my case, we will just have to be more vigilant toe nail watchers. I for one don't think I will be doing the trimming myself. I find it less worrisome to have it done by a professional (be it a groomer or a vet) as it's easy to cut the nail too short if you don't know what you're doing. Checking your dogs nails every month is probably a good way of staying on top of this.

Licks & Kisses

xxx

Purina Puppy Chow Add - a sweet treat for you because I have been horrible at keeping this blog going...

Purina Puppyhood


Hi all,

I really hope you enjoy this lovely, heart warming video as much as I did! It is possibly one of the cutest things I've ever seen, apart from the time I laid eyes on Salvador as a puppy...

There really is no excuse for me not posting anything for such an extended period of time...I will have to go with the old excuse where I rant on about how busy I've been (Okay so I've been REALLY busy! I've taken on a second job, I hardly have time to go to the doctor to get a tiny shard of glass taken out of my foot, that I managed to get lodged in there on the dance floor at a wedding - don't even ask AND all of this has been the main cause for Salavador not having that many adventures to write about the past few months...) So there, that's pretty much the gist of it.

Lots have been happening in the life of young Salvador, although he is now a very mature 30 something in dog years, I've recently been told. It's a rather strange sensation when your dog child starts outgrowing you in age?! I don't feel that he has calmed down at all though. He is still very much a high energy pooch and constantly demands being faffed over.

An exciting thing that has happened recently is that one of my very close friends got a puppy - your late 20's will do that to you. She is an Airedale Terrier called Suki and she is simply adorable! Salvador thinks she's marvelous. It possibly has something to do with the fact that they both have some things in common, like having wild and out of control coats and they both like to run at extreme speeds with no means of slowing themselves down, even if that means they have to use some object (unfortunately this usually ends up being another dog or person) to do so for them.
The other great thing about Suki is that she lives in a tiny little beach town called Betty's Bay that is basically dog heaven! We were there for lunch last Sunday and we started off with the dogs having the best time on the vast, mostly empty beach. We then went and had a little rinse in the nearby lagoon - because it was on the way home, therefor we just could . The rest of the day was spent at Suki's house which is just below the mountain and has all the free space a dog could want without us worrying about them getting in the way of a car etc. All-in-all a great day in a great place!

I must now leave you as there is a fire in the other room and I want to go and sit in front of it before I have to mentally prepare myself for this coming week - bless the public holiday smack bang in the middle of it!
I'm planning on getting the glass removed from my foot tomorrow so that Salvador and I can go running in the mornings (you'll no doubt hear about how that went for us that in the near future).
Later!

Licks and Kisses
xxx

A Biscuit a Day

I've been bitten by the baking bug!

I'm slightly obsessed with sugar biscuits at the moment - and not just any old sugar biscuits. I'm thinking beautifully decorated, hand painted, illustrated ones. I'm not sure where this obsession came from - I grew up with my mom constantly baking, be it birthday cakes, rusks or cookies(you name is and she would bake it) and I guess this fond memory was rekindled when a friend of mine gave me an amazing book by a bakery in England called Biscuiteers Biscuit Company . I wanted to make some biscuits for Christmas and one page through this book turned my biscuit baking hobby into a full blown obsession!

Now, you might be asking yourself 'what does this have to do with dogs?'
What's better than a sugar biscuit? ...

Dogs !!!

And these are a few that I made -

You can go and have a look at other on Facebook .

Have a great week!

Happy Valentine's Day - Playing in parks with giants!

 HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYBODY !!!

Salvador had some extra love added to his breakfast yesterday - I decided that this day of love called for some brown rice and homemade Peanut Butter Biscuits on top of the daily helping of dry food (which Salvador seems to be getting a bit bored of, but more on that later...). 

After breakfast we went to Keurboom Park where we met these guys!

How amazing?! (I've always wanted one...)

Salvador has never seen a Great Dane before. The closest animal to this size he has seen is a horse...so I was slightly worried about how he would react to them. I also know that he strangely dislikes large skinny dogs in odd colors (ie Weimaraners and German Short haired Pointers) with eye colors ranging in shades of yellow to green (ie the same breeds as mentioned above...). These two giants had both, but I think he realized that though he might have the guts to take on before mentioned breeds, he wouldn't stand a chance with these giants. 

Have a lovely weekend!