Christmas Tag

I've been in the Christmas spirit for a while now and I'm happy today as it's Friday :D so I thought I'd give this Christmas tag that's been floating around a while a whirl :) Don't worry, dogs are involved!



Christmas Tag


What's your favourite thing about Christmas?
I love everything about Christmas! I love getting together with my family on Christmas morning and opening our presents - watching other people's faces when they unwrap their gifts makes me happy :) I love decorating the flat and coming home every night to a sparkling Christmas tree, it cheers me up after a long day. I love choosing presents for people, even though some are far easier than others! I love getting Ted ready for Christmas! I love Christmas smells, especially cinnamon and gingerbread. And I love all the Christmas themed drinks coffee shops do :)



Real tree or fake tree?
I really love the way real trees look and smell BUT they are crazy messy and I'm allergic to the pines. We had a little one when Dan and I first moved in together but I came up in a crazy rash after decorating it - then I realised. So we have a fake one now and it still looks lovely (I think so anyway!) Complete with doggy decorations from Wilkos! Here it is :)

 

 

Giving presents or receiving presents?
Definitely giving! I do love getting a present I've wanted for ages but, as I said, I really love seeing other people's faces when they open my gifts. Last year, as stocking fillers, I got my brother and sister matching Labrador tops (like Alan in the hangover) for a laugh, so they posed with the dogs for this shot :) As you can see, we're not really morning people (apart from Bonnie!)

Do you open your presents Christmas morning or evening?
Morning! I don't know anyone with the will power to wait until the evening! Besides, what if I get a gorgeous dress/jumper and I want to wear it on the day?! This is us, first thing on Christmas morning last year at my mums :)

Handmade Christmas cards or bought?
I really like handmade cards but I never have time and I'm very messy! I think we might do a moonpig card with Ted as a pup in his reindeer costume on it this year! :) Does that count?













What's your favorite Christmas food?
My mum's roast dinner - nothing beats it! Pigs in blankets are the best. Although whatever I eat, the dogs will share. Going to try making the doggy Christmas dinner from my Lily's Kitchen cookbook!

That's a wrap folks. What are your favourite things about Christmas? Do your dogs love Christmas? Let me know if you do the tag!

     

Teddy's going to Scruffts 2012!

I've always loved dogs and I've always loved watching Crufts on the box ever since I was tiny. I know people have mixed opinions on the whole thing, but I do enjoy going as most people there have the dogs' best interests at heart and it's always nice to meet other doggy mad loons like me :)

So you can imagine my excitement to find out today that Teddy has been selected to compete at Scruffts 2012 - the Kennel Club's annual dog show for Crossbreeds!

I got really into the whole Crufts thing this year and finally got the chance to go up to Birmingham and experience it for myself after winning some tickets. It was an amazing day and I'd say it's a definite must for any dog lover!

It was around that sort of time that I applied for Teddy to enter Scruffts - to be honest I'd completely forgotten about it until I saw the kennel club headed letter when I got home today!

Scruffts was launched in 2000 and is just like Crufts but for mixed doggies :) it's also a lot more light-hearted and fun! Entry is £1 and all proceeds go to the Kennel Club Charitable Trust.

As there is no 'breed standard' for crossbreeds, the judges base their decision on 'good character', 'good health', and 'good temperment with people and other dogs'.

All the dogs involved get a few minutes to shine in the ring and wow the judges - fingers crossed Teddy will be in a good mood on the day!! He's already perfected his posing!

So I'm sooooo excited! My older dog Bonnie entered a few fun dog shows last summer and actually won a few rosettes :) she seemed to really enjoy it. Ted wasn't even born then, but hopefully he will follow in his big sister's footsteps!

Ted's heat is being held at the London Pet Show at Earl's Court on Sunday 13th May. So even if Ted doesn't get any prizes, we'll still have a lovely day out :)

If you too are a doggy lover, or even an animal lover as they have all sorts there (including rabbit show jumping!! - which Barnaby would absolutely smash), you should check the London Pet Show out - it's on Saturday as well and you can book tickets here. The show is open from 9.30 - 5.00pm and is a relatively cheap day out for all animal lovers!!


Any tips for how to prepare for Ted's dog show debut?? Wish us luck!!

Pedigree Play Again

I was contacted by the lovely people over at Pedigree last week about my older doggy Bonnie taking part in their new Joint Care + trial, 'Play Again'.

They have released a new range of treats, for older dogs, to help with stiff joint. Bonnie's 8 1/2, has joint problems and, being a Labrador, LOVES treats - so I figured why not give it a go!

We received our special welcome pack in the post today - very quick turnaround!

The pack contained a welcome letter, a bright yellow backpack, 6 weeks worth of treats, a tube of bouncy balls with a ball thrower, and a video camera! How cute is the camera?! Can't wait to get some snaps of the pups!

Sadly, we do have to send the camera back when we're done, but it's sweet all the same :) its for recording bonnie's progress and antics. (She's very silly so I'm sure we'll get lots of footage!)

Pedigree's claims about the treats:

See a difference in 6 weeks!

72% of dogs fed Pedigree® Joint Care™+ daily experience a higher level of mobility within 6 weeks

3x more glucosamine per daily stick compared with the number 2 selling joint health dog treat

All active ingredients in a palatable easy to feed stick format -­‐ no tablets or powder

No tablets or powder, just a delicious easy-­‐to--feed stick

Clinically proven recipe

Developed with vets

Low in fat -­‐ small/medium contains 49 calories per stick, large contains 67 calories

Free from artificial colours or flavours

If you have an older doggy and would like to bag this nice little set of goodies and help your dog out in the process, you can get in contact with pedigree on twitter here! There's life in old dogs yet!

Anyone else have an elderly dog who's young at heart??

The LOVE Cushion - A Perfect Gift :)

When Mothers' Day or my mum's birthday rolls around, I'm always stumped for what to buy. In fact, I actually have plenty of ideas, it's just that she's crazy fussy. She also refuses to tell any of us what she wants - helpful!
So, as there is no easy route, we have to buy her different things that she won't have seen anywhere herself. And, usually including dogs in it somehow is always a winner. After all, dogs make us all smile!

This year I stumbled across a gift I thought she'd really like through twitter. I found a website called Chic Shack, full of cushions, canvases, and other gorgeous items, most of which you can have personalised. There are lots of doggy items on the site, but the item that really caught my eye though was the LOVE cushion.

Some other tweeters had already ordered their own and it came highly recommended. The cushion is handmade by Martin; all you have to do is send him an image of your choice that will fit nicely into the O. And this means any image - so sit your little darlings down and get them to pose! Think of the possibilities (I'd quite like one with Barnaby bunny)

As my mum isn't very fond of me and my brother and sister, at least that's what she wants us to think, I decided to use a photo of our two dogs; my Teddy and Mum's Bonnie. A cushion with the pups' faces on?! Perfect!

I sent the photo off to Martin, paid for the cushion and it arrived in a matter of days. The end result was gorgeous and better than I'd expected. The quality of the cushion is lovely, the size is perfect and the letters are soft and velvety. The picture itself is a little hardier, which is good as it won't wear or get scratched. There's also a little zip at the bottom to wash the cover if you need to (it is white after all!)

Here's the finished product:

It now sits in pride of place on my mum's sofa; one of the only gifts I've bought her that she hasn't wanted to return! (moral = if it's personalised she can't ;))

 

So, if you're looking for the perfect gift for anyone you know who loves dogs this might just be it - who wouldn't love a cushion with their fur baby on it? I'd love it! Hint hint...

Be sure to give Chic Shack a look, like I said they have some lovely doggy themed items!!