Poodles and Pompadours Days Out: Maidenhead Festival

This Friday and Saturday we were lucky enough to attend Maidenhead Festival and have a stall there selling our wares. It was a really great weekend and I had so much fun.

There was lots of stalls celebrating local businesses and charities, a popup beach, fairground rides, live music, great food from local people and fireworks.

I had a great time and met some really lovely people. Thank you to everyone who came to our stall to have a chat or to purchase something, and a big thanks to the other stall holders and organisers for making us feel so welcome. It was also lovely to see that some of my friends and family came down to pay me a visit and be supportive.

I am really quite proud of myself for how the weekend went. As you may know, I suffer from anxiety and panic disorder, and generally find it very difficult dealing with strangers and being in unfamiliar surroundings and situations, but when I'm doing this job, I feel like it's just what I'm meant to be doing, even if I did have to get up before 6am on a weekend!

I feel like I actually know what I'm doing and what I'm talking about, and my anxiety levels are lower than usual, probably because I'm doing something that I love, and getting face to face, positive feedback about it.

I managed the whole 48 hours without any problems and I'm really happy with the progress I've made and how far I've come on my road to recovery in the last 6 months.

I got lots of lovey compliments about how pretty our stall was, and also on my dress which is a brand new Hell Bunny one from Sirens and Starlets. I was going to return it when it arrived as I didn't think I could pull it off as it has really thin straps, but when I tried it on with a cardigan I fell in love with it so I decided to keep it. It's a little on the small side, but as I'm losing weight it should be a perfect fit, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Big THANK YOU to Kym and Bear for helping me this weekend. I owe you slushies and dog treats.

Did anyone else go to Maidenhead Festival or do you hav any local events like this where you live? What did you think of it?

Let me know in the comments below.

Hayley xo

Maidenhead Festival: Friday 26th and Saturday 27th July 2013

This Friday and Saturday, we are taking part in a really exciting local festival that will be held in Kidwells Park, Maidenhead.

We will be there on both days with a stall selling our handmade doggie goods, and there will be lots of fun things to do, like visit the popup beach, fairground, live music, street food and a fireworks display.

It's shaping up to be a fantastic weekend, so pop on down with the family and have yourselves some good old fashioned fun!

Hayley x

 

 

Could your pet be Buyagift’s Next Pet Model?

Battersea Dogs and Cats Home are taking on the role of Tyra Banks as they partner up with buyagift.co.uk throughout August in their search for Buyagift’s Next Pet Model.

In a competiton designed to raise money for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, Buyagift.co.uk are asking pet owners to either email or upload picture of their pet (all animals are welcome!) to the Buyagift Facebook page through their app. The most photogenic pet (as judged by the guys at Battersea AKA Tyra Banks) will be treated like the ultimate pet star, and receive the following:

1. A pet spa day at a top London spa

2. A selection of pet accessories

3. A professional pet photoshoot

4. A selection of photos to take away

5. Buyagift.co.uk will donate £1,500 to Battersea on their behalf

The runner up will also receive a bag full of pet goodies.

The winner will be sent on a photoshoot and all photos from the shoot will be used on Buyagift's brand new pet accessories product pages – literally making them: Buyagift’s Next Pet Model.

You’ll find more information here: www.buyagift.co.uk/nextpetmodel

Will you be entering your pets? Let me know in the comments below.

Hayley x

 

 

 

Poodles and Pompadours Days Out: Windsor Dog Show

On Friday 28th June, I whacked on some read lippy and popped down the road to Windsor for the Hounds and Toys day at Windsor Championship Dog Show.

I'd actually never been to a dog show before and I was so excited to go.

I had a really nice day. There was loads of different stalls there selling everything from dog food, beds, toys, grooming supplies and pup cakes and I got to meet the lovely Charlotte and Gregory of Precious Pets Ltd who I have blogged about before, and her absolutely gorgeous Bichon, Precious.

Precious really is he best testimonial for the business that they could possibly have. Stroking her was like touching a little fluffy cloud. So soft!

My first stop of the day, however, was fairly obvious to most people who know me. It was the Long Coat Chihuahua judging ring!

There were some absolutely beautiful dogs being shown and I know Bambi and Bear would have loved to have come along and made friends with them all, but unfortunately only show dogs were allowed in the event.

The Kennel Club had a little room at the show too, and you could pop in and ask any questions that you might have and also see if your dog would pass the Good CitizenTest. I don't think Bambi or Bear would pass this to be honest as they aren't very obidient but is certainly something that I would love to do with them. Great for obedience training, stimulation and generally just bonding and spending more quality time with your dog.

There were literally hundreds of different dog breeds to look at and admire and I loved looking at the differences between them all. Seeing a chihuahua standing next to and wolf hound was really quite amusing.

I also fell in love with the Italina Greyhounds. They are absolutely adorable and I really want one!

I can't wait to go again next year!

Hopefully I might even have a stall :)

Hayley x

 

How to keep Rabbits and Other Small Animals Cool and Safe in the Summer

So, we recently welcomed a new baby bunny into our family, and since I haven't owned a rabbit since I was a child, I decided to do a lot of research on how to look after him properly.

One of the things I was most concerned about was him overheating in this weather. As I have 2 long haired dogs I know how dangerous this can be, especially as they are not usually exposed to such high temperatures here in the UK.

We keep the dogs cool by giving them lots of cold water from the fridge and changing their water every few hours. I also put ice cubes in their water to keep it cool to encourage them to drink it, and we give them pupsickles as treats.

I really wanted to think of a way to keep Ziggy cool in this heat. We are going to get two extra water bottles for him and our hamster, Sandy. That way we can keep one in the fridge at all times and rotate them throughout the day. 

I also provide him with a large frozen bottle of water in his cage everyday. I fill up a few 2ltr drinks bottles with water and put them in the fridge. I usually keep a few on the go at the same time so that I can just easily swap them over when one melts. I wrap it in a tea towel and put it in his cage.

He usually lies next to it or sometimes on top if it if he gets really hot and it's a really effective and easy way of cooling him down.

We also make sure there is always fresh cool air circulating through the room at all times, and keep a fan on during really hot days. If Ziggy is outside in the garden during the day, we make sure he is away from direct sunlight and always has plenty of shade. We also make sure he has a shelter which he can hide in if he needs to cool down or have a sleep.

Another main problem that can occur in rabbits during this hot weather if Fly Strike. Fly Strike happens when your rabbit or other small animal has a dirty bottom. The flys lay their eggs in the faeces and eventually the maggots bury into the animals skin. This can be very distressing and painful for the rabbit and potentially fatal, so it essential that you keep both themselves and their cages clean during the hot weather. You can buy a Fly Strike spray at your local pet shop which you spray on their read end (and some you can use in their cages) which essentially acts as an insect repellent. We have used this on Ziggy and the great thing is that a few sprays lasts 7 days.

Do you have any tips on how to keep your pets cool in the summer? Please do share them in the comments below and check out be Pet Tips section of my blog for some more ideas.

http://poodlesandpompadours.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Pet%20Tips?m=0

Hayley x

Introducing Ziggy Stardust...

I have been a little reluctant to introduce to you the newest member of our family, due to the recent heartbreak of losing Presley, so I decided to wait until our new baby had settled in nicely and been given the all clear by the vet before I shared him with you.

We went to the vet this morning with Bambi and Bear to have their annual health checks and vaccinations and we also had our newest family member checked over and vaccinated too. He's nearly finished with his first course of Panacure which is a preventative treatment for Ecuniculi and now I can proudly introduce you to our new bundle of joy, Ziggy Stardust.

Ziggy is a baby Lion Head rabbit which is a long haird breed. He's happy and healthy and very active. He's always jumping around and trying to get in to everything. He's a very curious little guy and he's absolutely besotted with Bambi and Bear.

We look forward to having many happy years with Ziggy as a part of our family.

Also, keep an eye out for future blog posts in the Pet Tips section on how to care for a rabbit.

Love,

Hayley x

 

 

Music Monday: Johnny Cash & June Carter - Jackson

 

 

Goodbye Presley

I had lots of very interesting blog posts scheduled for this week, and unfortunately they won't be happening until next week as I am having a few days of down time.

Last week I introduced you to my new baby bunny, Preslesy, but sadly after just 5 days of being in our family, he passed away suddenly and quickly in my arms.

The consensus is that the high street pet shop sold him to us even though he had a deadly and horrific rabbit disease called Ecubiculi. Ecuniculi is a parasite that works its way through the animal and eventually attacks the brain. It is easily preventable and treatable, but clearly the pet shop in question do not care enough about the pets in their care to take the necessary steps to prevent their animals from getting it. Despite stocking and selling the worming paste in their shop, (we brought some as a preventative measure for Presley on the day we got him, but sadly the disease had progressed too much) the don't actually use it themselves.

We had no idea we had a sick bunny, as he was acting normally until his final day. I picked him up to cuddle him as i thought something was wrong and he fitted and died in my arms.

We took him back to the shop after he had passed and they offered us another bunny, but we decided against it as Ecuniculi spreads through infected urine so it's likely that the other rabbits he was with would be infected too. When I asked what they would do about the other rabbits that had been living with him the response was that they "would keep an eye on them." Seeing as Ecuniculi is often undetectable until it's too late, I don't see what good that would do.

They also took Presley and kept him, which in my eyes was to protect themselves so that we couldn't have a postmortem performed at our vet. No postmortem - no proof.

Hopefully we can all learn from this story.

If you have a rabbit, treat them with Panacure every 3/6 months to prevent them from getting this horrible disease.

If you are thinking about getting a rabbit, DO NOT get them from a well known high street pet shop. When I shared Presley's story on Facebook, I was astounded at how many people had experienced similar things from this place. It is disgusting.

 

Go to a reputable breeder or really research the pet shop. Don't be afraid to ask questions and find out where they source their animals from. Is there lots of animals there at once? Do they have fresh food and water? Do they have plenty of hay and clean bedding? Lots of animals in the cage suggests they have mass breeders and possibly aren't as reputable as they seem.

The only positive that I can bring from this story is that we got to have a beautiful kind soul as part of our family for even such a short time. He didn't die alone, and he didn't doe having spent his whole life in a pet shop cage.

Goodbye Presley. We love you xxxx

 

 

New Additions

On Wednesday, we welcomed yet another furry addition to our family.

Meet Presley.

He's a 12 week old Angora bunny and I can't stop cuddling him!

Isn't he cute!?

Hayley xo

 

Positive Thinking: Surround Yourself with Awesome

As someone who suffers from Anxiety & Panic Disorder, this quote really rings true to me.

As a big believer is positive thinking and mindfulness, which is something that I am constantly reminded that I need to work harder on to overcome some aspects of this disease, it has become very obvious to me that the people we surround ourselves with can have a huge affect on the way in which we live our lives and look at the world.

If you are surrounded by naysayers and Debbie Downers you will probably find yourself being more critical and negative about your own life, as their actions and words can rub off onto you.

You should make a conscious effort to surround yourself with people who uplift, inspire, motivate, and appreciate you. These should be people who challenge you creatively and give you a different perspective and view point.

You might be wondering where you can find all of these awesome people (try social networking or joining a local group for a hobby you enjoy doing - or even a class to learn something new), or you might be smiling as you read this knowing that they are already in your life. Either way, sit down a write a lost of all of the positive qualities you would look for in a friend and then go out and find them (or text an existing friend, thank them for being amazing and arrange a catch up over cocktails and cupcakes.)

I promise your life will be better for it.

If you're looking for a really inspiring blog about Radical Self Love, please do check out Gala Darling and her amazing words of wisdom.

 

"Stress, worry, and anxiety simply come from projecting your thoughts into the future and imagining something bad. This is focusing on what you don't want! If you find that your mind is projecting into the future in a negative way, focus intensely on NOW. Keep bringing yourself back to the present.

Use all of your will, and focus your mind in this very moment, because in this moment of now there is utter peace." - Rhonda Byrne

 

Our Crowdfunder Project: FUNDED! WE DID IT!

Wow! I can't quite believe it!

I set out to raise £360 and on Friday we smashed that target and raised a total of £400, meaning that I can now enrol on my Professional Dog Grooming course and also buy a set of professional scissors with the extra money raised.

Thank you so much for believing in my idea, pledging your support and investing both financially and emotionally in my little business.

Thank you to all who have pledged or shared this project. If you have chosen a reward for your pledge you should have received a message from me through the Crowdfunder website on how to claim, but just to let you know that I aim to have all products finished and in the post by July 15th 2013.

Thank you again for enabling me to follow my dream and further my career. If you would like to stay up to date with how I'm getting on you can sign up to my newsletter here.

I promise not to send you loads of annoying updates - I usually only send out about 4 a year.

Thank you again for your support. I'll update you again once my course has started in a few months.

Have a great week!

Hayley x