Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all wake up tomorrow surrounded by love and happiness.


Festive wishes!
Hayley, Bambi and Bear
XXX

Tea Parties for Dogs with Juicy Occasions

I've been meaning to blog about this for absolutely ages but I completely forgot about it after I came back from my Holiday in September (Yes, really that long ago!)

 In the summer, my lovely friend Lucy from Juicy Occasions and I got together to to a tea party photo-shoot with Bambi and Bear. The pictures came out slightly amazing and Lucy now runs a small business producing tea parties and other cute things for events on top of her already established Wedding & Event planning business.

Lucy offers a fabulous range of mix and match vintage bone china tea sets including beautiful cake stands, stunning tea cups and saucers, teapots and many more!

"A ‘Juicy’ Affair Tea Party Package:

Create an exquisite afternoon tea party for that special occasion; pour fabulous Earl Grey Tea from stunning vintage tea pots and sip from our delicate tea cups with matching saucers. Using our cake stand to display cucumber sandwiches, chocolate éclairs and of course fabulous homemade scones and jam. Our Juicy Affair package includes everything you need for the perfect tea party."

Bambi and Bear had a fabulous time and ate far too many treats for dog of their size, but they worked it off the next day with an extra long walk!

For more information on the types of packages they  have available please send Lucy an email on info@juicyoccasions.co.uk Or look her up on Facebook to see the latest photos. 

http://www.juicyoccasions.co.uk/

http://juicyoccasions.blogspot.co.uk/

Dog Owner of The Month: Hayley Southwood (AKA Mrs Scoops!)

The lovely Hayley Southwood is our fabulous Dog Owner of The Month for December. Let's get to know her...

Hi Hayley! Thanks for talking to us. Great name! ;) Why don't you introduce yourself?

I was the founder of Vintage Scoops, the vintage ice cream company. Over the past 3 summers of scooping I found out a lot about myself and discovered I had a passion for PR and social media. I started managing people's accounts and it kind of progressed from there. This summer I sold my Ice cream business and decided to reclaim my weekends !!

And how about your gorgeous dog?

My dog is called Sid, he will be 4 in December, he is a very special dog. Well I guess they are all special but we collected Sid the day my mum passed away so he means so very much to us as a family. Sid helped us to have a focus and a purpose to get up in the morning when we were all grieving. Sid is a mini schnauzer and he is perfect for us as my husband is allergic to dogs and cats. As Sid does not malt my hubby is OK with him.  Phew!!! 

It's amazing how much dogs can help us to heal. It's the festive season now and Christmas is nearly upon us. Do you do anything special for Sid on Christmas day?

We buy Sid a little soft toy for Christmas. He has a delicate tummy so sadly he cannot partake in the turkey dinner, which he would love!!! He doesn't like chewy toys so it's always a soft toy for him!!! Although he'd be pleased with a pair of socks really!

Ah, dogs are so easily pleased.

If you could buy Sid one special Christmas present and money/time were no option what would it be and why?

If I could afford it id like another schnauzer, to keep Sid company!!! They are such lovely dogs.

Does Sid have a special Christmas outfit to dress up in during the festive period?

No special outfits, but we do like him to have a new leather collar from Redhound for dogs .... Their dog beds are really lovely too!

 Oh I do like a nice new collar. What is the most enjoyable thing about having Sid in your life?

I love having a dog for so many reasons, walking him everyday is my time, my peaceful thinking hour. I walk him as soon as get up and then again after 4pm.... It feels like a real luxury to take an hour out of our busy hectic lives and just enjoy the fresh air.
Sid is also a lap dog so it's great in the evening... he snuggles up and always loves a cuddle.

Dog walks have to be one of my favourite things. It's so beneficial for you both. How do you fit in looking after Sid around your busy working life? 

I work from home most days and we have a busy house with two teenage boys so there is always someone here to take care of him.

That's great that you have a big support network to look after him. What do you find most challenging about having a dog? 

It is really hard when we want a day out and it is somewhere where we cannot take Sid... I hate leaving him for long periods of time.

  

I hate leaving my dogs too! I always feel so guilty. What is your absolute favourite thing to do with Sid when you are home? 

I love long walks... 

Do you have any special tips, tricks or products that you would like to share with other dog owners? 

When puppy training we used a crate, I think it was the best thing we did. Sid is a laid back dog, I think that is because we are a laid back family...

Eary training is SO important! If there was one piece of advice that you could give to anyone thinking about getting a dog, what would it be and why? 

Research the breed really well, be sure you have time to train your puppy, a tired dog is a good dog... 

A big THANK YOU to Hayley and Sid for sharing with us. If you would like to keep in touch with them both then make sure you pop over to Hayley's blog at
http://mrsscoops.blogspot.co.uk/.

Dog's Trust "Vintage" Dog Training: 4 Ways To Improve Your RelationshipWith Your Dog

Continuing the theme this week of vintage doggy related videos, I was delighted to find this Dog's Trust training video that they've filmed in the 1950's style. It made the laugh and Bacon the Staffie is very cute!

YouTube Link (http://youtu.be/wQeRCyw-4kQ)

Pampered Pets of The 1930's and 1940's

Did you think that pampering your pets with such things as clothes, accessories, custom dog bowls, specially cooked quality food and top notch grooming was a new thing? 

Think again! People have been doing it for nearly 100 years!

Check out this video from the 1930's/40's that demonstrates the lengths people will go to to spoil their pets.

P.S Keep watching until the end - there is a very special segment on the first guide dog's of America.

Blue Poodles, Matching Outifts and Vintage Dog Fashions (1950's)

I was researching vintage dog clothes earlier today and I stumbled across this AMAZING video from 1958.

All of the vintage dog clothes designs in the video are by Jane Grievson and I'm a little bit in love with the fact that one very stylish lady's outfit matches her dog's. There's also a blue poodle in the video! You can't go wrong really, can you?

(YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1RmnjdAv0I)

P.S Don't you just LOVE the voice-over man? Why does no one have that accent any more?

Old Hollywood Stars and Cute Animals

The title says it all really.

Happy Friday!

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Keeping Your Pets Safe and Happy During Fireworks Night

Remember, Remember the 5th of November: Gunpowder, Treason and Plot. 

I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot! 

Enjoy your bonfire night everyone but PLEASE KEEP ALL ANIMALS INSIDE as this is a very stressful and frightening time for them. And if you are lighting a bonfire tonight, PLEASE make sure you check it thoroughly for hedgehogs, move it before you light it & only light it on 1 side.

For more information on hedgehogs and fireworks night please visit http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/


The PDSA have provided some really useful information on keeping your pets safe and happy on Guy Fawkes' night that you can download as a PDF leaflet from this link.

I've included some of the most important points below, but if you require any more information please visit the PDSA website at http://www.pdsa.org.uk/

Fireworks advice for pet owners on Bonfire night

PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing Report revealed that over 9 million cats and dogs suffer fear and anxiety due to fireworks. The leading veterinary charity is advising owners to take steps to help their pets on Bonfire night.

PDSA Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Sean Wensley, says: “Many people don’t seek help for their pets’ fears, perhaps believing nothing can be done. But with a little preparation, owners can make a big difference in minimising the anxiety that many pets suffer during the fireworks season.”

To help owners, PDSA has produced a ‘pet firework guide’ to ensure pets stay safe and calm when fireworks are going off over the coming weeks.

Preparation

• Make a cosy den for your pet with blankets, pillows and cushions. For dogs this could be behind a sofa or inside a wardrobe, while cats feel more secure when high up, so a cat bed safely placed on an accessible shelf or cupboard may be better.
• Reward your pet when they spend time in the den to help build a positive association, so it will then be a reassuring place to hide if they get scared.
• Start using pheromones near to the den – calming scents available as plug-ins or sprays that we can’t smell, but that can help to reduce anxiety in pets.
• Get your pet microchipped, so if they do panic and manage to run away, you are much more likely to be reunited.

On the night

• Never take your pet to a fireworks display, and walk dogs early before fireworks start.
• Bring in any outdoor pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs and give them extra bedding to hide in so they feel safe.
•  Keep all doors, windows, cat flaps and curtains closed, and play music with a repetitive beat to help mask the noises.
•  If your pet gets scared, act normally and ignore the fireworks and any fearful behaviour. Even though it is tempting to reassure them, this will just reinforce their fear and teach them that it is the appropriate response.
•  Allow your pet to hide in the den, or somewhere else if they prefer, but don’t try to coax them out. This is a place they feel safe and allows them to take control of the situation.
•  Don’t pick up or restrain a cat that is scared, as cats prefer to control how they cope.

Owners should be aware of signs of stress. Dogs may tremble, pace, pant and become ‘clingy’, while cats may try to hide behind furniture, or attempt to run away. Both dogs and cats may refuse to eat and may soil the house because of firework-related stress. Rabbits may freeze and remain motionless, or may panic and try to escape their hutches.

Sean continues: “It is worth imagining what Bonfire Night must be like for our pets – we know why there are lots of loud bangs outside, but our pets don’t, which is very distressing for them. Many of our pets have very acute hearing, so the range of sounds adding to their anxiety may also be greater than we can appreciate.”

If your pet is very fearful, ask your vet about long-term behavioural therapy. This can take weeks or months, but with time and patience it teaches noise-phobic pets that loud noises are nothing to be scared of. These evidence-based behavioural techniques can achieve excellent results to improve your pet’s quality of life.

For further information and to download a free copy of PDSA’s Fireworks and Your Pet leaflet visit www.pdsa.org.uk/fireworks.

Halloween Dog Treats from Pet-isserie UK

When this box came through the letter box yesterday I couldn't wait to share the contents with everyone.

I ordered these amazing Halloween themed dog treats from Pet-isserie, and whilst I usually make my own dog treats at home, when I saw these ones I just had to snap them up (and lucky I did because they soon sold out, and I think I might even have got the last box!)

There is no added salt, sugar or preservatives in any of the treats, so they are super healthy and safe for your dogs to eat.

Bambi enjoying a Petisserie Doggie Doughnut

The box includes one spooky mummy cookie, 2 eyeballs, 2 severed fingers and one Halloween pupcake. Yummy! 

If you want to order some goodies yourself (They also do doggie doughnuts that I got 2 of, pupcakes, birthday cakes and all kinds of sweet treats) then head over to their website at http://www.pet-isserie.co.uk or you can find them on Twitter and Facebook.

Happy Halloween! X

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!!!

My New Tattoo!! Dog Tattoo by Cassandra Frances (CFB Tattooist)

So for my birthday this year I was very lucky to be given some money towards a new tattoo. I was so excited as I've been wanting another tattoo for ages and have so many planned, but with running a small business all the spare money I have either goes back into the business or into my savings account as I'm trying to buy my first property in the next few years.

I have 3 major tattoos that I have been planning on getting for a long time now (nearly 2 years) and I finally decided to go ahead and get one of them.

I booked an appointment with Cassandra Frances of End Times Tattoo, Leeds as I knew she was a great animal lover and awesome artist. Alice from Things & Ink, Rowan from KitschenSink and Jenna from Pilfered have also had work done by her before and they all gave her such glowing reviews, and having checking out he portfolio I knew I had found the right artist.

I travelled up there on morning of the 23rd from London (4.5 hours on a bus and a very numb bum!) and spent the night in Leeds (more on that later!) and then went for my appointment in the city centre at 12pm on the 24th.

My tattoo was also a cover up of 2 smaller tattoos that were there before and both done at the same time by a rubbish person disguising themselves as an "artist". I promised myself that I would not start on any new pieces until I have had the ones that I got at a really bad shop fixed, so that is what I'm doing.

Needless to say that I learnt about the importance of choosing a good tattoo artist at a very young age! 

I also have to say that I did have second thoughts about getting the lizard covered as it was a memorial tattoo and even though it is an appalling quality it is very sentimental but I have decided to cover it and get a new (obviously much higher quality) memorial tattoo which is more fitting to the person it is supposed to represent.

I'm beyond pleased with the result of my new tattoo and can't wait until it's healed to show it off in it's full glory. Bambi and Bear love it too and I can't believe how much it looks like them!

Thanks so much, Cassie. You are one very talented lady.

Old and Appalling Quality tattoos done by a sham "artist" in Buckinghamshire.

Tattoo Tuesday: Cassandra Frances (CFB Tattooist)

  Today's Tattoo Tuesday blog feature is dedicated to Cassandra Frances as I'm currently making my way from London to Leeds as I type to get tattooed by her tomorrow. How exciting.

Look at her amazing work below, and I'll be back on Thursday to unveil my new tattoo!

 Cassandra Frances

 http://pink-gin.blogspot.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/tattoosbycassandra

End Times Tattoo -

19 Merrion Street, Leeds, LS2 8JE

http://endtimestattoo.co.uk/

 * Tattoo Tuesday is a monthly blog feature that is put out on the first Tuesday of every month, showcasing my favourite tattoo artists around the world. To see previous Tattoo Tuesday posts from my old blog, please click here.