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