Premium quality dog food put to the test by my premium quality dog

Guess what Fizz has been up to this week! She has had the best dog chore after testing dog beds, yes she's been dog food tasting!

We were lucky enough to be sent a variety of flavours from the Webbox wet dog food range to try out and review. I let Fizz do the trying out and then I wrote the review - I felt it was best that way around, although maybe less entertaining for you, the reader.

When Fizz arrived with us over a  year ago she was incredibly fussy. Despite our careful planning and searching for the best dog food, she often went a whole day without eating and even then would only try a mouthful or two, because how does a human judge what the best dog food is? I can't taste test it myself! Luckily we finally found a quality dog food she liked. Gluten free and full of meaty goodness she was happy to eat Butchers complete, and later we added some James Wellbeloved gluten free kibble. Now she has a mix of those and enjoys them. So how would she take to a new food? A new taste?

I had a look at the ingredients first of course, because only the best dog food for Princess Fizz. Webbox Natural food is free from wheat gluten, and is a complete dog food (you don't need any supplements or extra mixers) . It has no colours or preservatives added either, so it lives up to the 'natural' name. It looks almost exactly like paté too - so careful not to confuse it and spread it on a baguette.

According to the feeding guide wee Fizz could have up to one and a half of the little pots a day, but I'm not so sure, and she doesn't want to get tubby, so we stuck to just one and some snacks from the Natural Treat bar range. (in the image below she's having half a tray for breakfast)

The wet food foil trays will be great to take away when travelling and camping as the trays are small and light, and using a whole one in a day they will be better than big tins for little Fizz.

The treat bars are gluten free too and are 50% meat. they look a bit like protein bars! (do not feed them to your OH if they annoy you....they might like them) They are quite hard but you can cut them with a knife, Fizz had an inch as a chunk to chew and she really liked it. It took her a while to chew it all up but like the brave soul she is, she soldiered on and ate it all.

She was suitably impressed with the Duck Paté too, snuffling it all down very quickly and licking her bowl to check she hadn't left any. Other flavours include Salmon, Lamb, Chicken and Beef.

So Fizz is happy to give Webbox Natural wet food a ten out of ten for tastiness, and the treat bars score highly too. They include the super festive flavour Chicken with Duck and Cranberry.

I'm happy to give it ten out of ten too. It looks nice, is easy to serve up and being a complete food it's nice to know that that's all you need to serve up to keep your dog happy and healthy.

Exhausted from all the eating

You can buy Webbox dog foods (the paté foil trays are 65p) and treats at Morrisons, Asda, Ocado, Tesco and Sainsburys, and even online via Amazon.

I was sent product free of charge for the purposes of the review but have received no other compensation and all views are my own (and Fizz's)

Top Ten Things about letting your Border Terrier off the leash

I have a Border Terrier, she is 18 months old and her name is Fizz, you can read more about her here (*with tiny puppy photos!) and also here (*with training tips)

Fizz is my 3rd BT and all of them have been exercised off leash, all had/have pretty good recall. Many breeeders will tell you that BTs can never run free and are not safe off leash. So this post is my own view on the subject.

It's worth noting that American and UK views on dog's off leash vary greatly, and that some councils and many UK areas, such as beaches and common land, have rules about allowing dogs off leash. Dogs should never be off leash on a pavement near a road.

Assuming you are allowed to have a dog off leash...here are my top ten tips.

1. No dog and especially not a border terrier will ever be 100% 'safe' off leash. Dogs are not robots, however much you train, however good their recall, there may come a day that something you could not have planned for will happen, a car will backfire and scare your pup, a bitch in heat will be walking nearby, a squirrel will dash out from a bush right in front of your dog....This list will help but it can't make off leash a safe, risk-free pass time.
2. Until you have some confidence in your pup consider a long leash, not a flexi that you keep hold of, though they can be useful, but a long line of the sort used to lunge horses. We bought a 12 foot line in wide (less chance of a burn if it whips around your leg) purple (nice and clear to see against the grass). A long trailing line has many benefits. People can see your dog is learning. You don't have to get close to your pup if their attention is on another dog. Other people can easily grab the leash or step on it if you shout out! And it will get tangled on something if the dog does decide to try and bolt.
3. Choose a car free fenced area if you can for the first few months of off leash fun. A dog park is ideal or a recreation ground if dogs are allowed there. (always clear up after your dog) Visit regularly so that your dog doesn't have to 'explore' each time, if your dog knows an area it will be less likely to roam around.
4. Practice recall. It seems obvious but lots and lots of practice! Find out what your dog likes best, cheese, sausage, or a squeaky toy and make that the reward. Let your dog run and play but call it back often, treat and release. If your dog isn't coming back, use the long line! Make your dog return if you call or it will learn to disobey! Especially practice recall when your dog is interacting with other dogs, your dog must learn you are the boss, this takes time, but Fizz has finally sussed it.
5. Never punish a dog when it returns to you. No matter what your dog has done, ignored you, humped your friends chihuahua, eaten a kid's ice cream, it doesn't matter, coming back to you must always by good! You don't want to teach a dog that a return to you gets it yelled at or (shudder) hit. (Don't hit your dog)
6. Find a friend and walk far apart, take it in turns to call the dog for treats or a game, make your terrier work at watching and listening to see who will call, make it fun.
7. Consider having your pet neutered or spayed. Unless your dog is a show dog and destined for great things, have it 'done'. A girl will no longer have the desire to escape and be shagged twice a year and your boy will find he no longer has the urge to mount everything in sight, he will lose some aggression too and will be less interested in bitches in season. When we had a boy his recall became 90% more consistent after he was neutered.
8. Check your surroundings before allowing your dog off leash. Never let your dog off near roads. Keep dogs on leads where there is livestock of any kind. (one of my previous dogs was a chicken killer - he was proud of this, I was not. The farmer was extremely nice about it and we were very lucky and learned a big lesson!) Keep your terrier on a lead if they may be fox dens or badger sets about. Keep dogs on leads on cliff top walks (do not assume your dog is clever enough not to run over the edge)
9. Don't wait til the end of a walk to call your dog. Call your terrier often, treat often and pop your dog back onto the lead a few times, before releasing it again, during a walk, don't make recall and lead = the end of fun!
10. Don't feel bad if your dog has poor recall even if you've followed all the tips. Dogs vary in personality and some will be more biddable than others. Also dogs can have 'relapses' in training, especially during their 'teenage' years at around 2 years old. Keep practising, resort back to the long line or use a flexi.

Do you walk your dog(s) off leash? Any good advice I've missed? I'd love a comment below or on Facebook/Twitter (Links in the sidebar >>)

How to stop a puppy chewing your stuff

 

I joked last year when we got a new puppy that I was a puppy expert. Now one year on I'm starting to think maybe I'm just a really lucky puppy buyer!

We got our first puppy before we had DD, back in the 1990s and he was a pedigree border terrier called Diesel. He was my first dog (discounting family dogs when I was a child as they were always fun but rarely my responsibility) He was the runt of the litter, so small and cute I couldn't resist him, (since choosing him I have been told by many people that's a terrible choice, a terrible reason to pick a dog and temperament is everything). He was from fairly good lines but his breeder was not in the 'show world' and his mum was a pet.

We bought a million things for our new 'baby', a dog crate (cage) which was a new idea at the time, an American idea that was rather frowned on here but has since caught on. We bought stair gates and leads, bowls, balls, chew toys, treats, squeaky toys, rope toys, soft toys and throw toys. We had a house full of puppy stuff!

We got our pup in the summer as I was assured that housetraining was easier when you could leave doors open and the puppy would be happier to go out in nice weather and do you know what...it worked! It all worked, Diesel didn't chew shoes, he never nibbled furniture, he didn't touch what wasn't his. After the first night he didn't whine at bed time, he housetrained quickly with few accidents.

When we bought Jeep three years later we followed the same plan, we bought her from a show breeder this time and were matched by temperament, she was crated at night and when we were out, she had an abundance of toys of all sorts so she never bothered with our stuff, she learned faster than Diesel too, because she had him to copy.

Last year, after we had been dogless for over 3 years we realised we needed another and a third border terrier entered our lives. Once again we chose the early summer, Once again we followed the same pattern. Again I picked an established dog breeder. Once again we used a dog crate, bought WAY too many toys. We have stair gates and rules (which have become slightly more relaxed as Miss Fizz is such a stubborn little princess who demands lap time!) but once again we have a dog that doesn't chew things she shouldn't, who I can leave alone with shoes, or handbags, with books and newspapers and she just ignores them.

Butter wouldn't melt....

Fizz was a nippy biter of hands, trouser legs and anything that moved when she was a couple of months old, but while at the time the tiny teeth drawing blood at every opportunity seemed like it would last for ever, looking back we really only had a few weeks of it until she realised she was hurting us and her 'mouthing' during play became soft.

Is the secret a million chew toys and the firm explanation (Via a stern "No" when she nosed anything not hers) ? Is it breeding? Or breed?  or have we just been lucky?

I see so many other blog posts about dogs and puppies destroying school shoes, eating children's toys, ripping up library books and chewing through charging cables that I begin to wonder if there is a secret to it. Fizz even has her own ipad game, and as soon as she sees me open the ipad she swipes at the screen to find her game (I'm not even joking, she's addicted - you can find the dog game for ipad here) and she never bites or chews at our electrical stuff.

So purely from our experience, top tips for not getting your stuff chewed are:

• Don't leave a small puppy alone with anything it could chew that it shouldn't.
• Don't leave a puppy alone with children, they are rubbish at  supervising puppies.
• Crate your puppy when you can't be there.
• Buy loads of toys, ensure lots of different types, soft, hard, noisy, etc
• Never give a puppy anything of yours, even if it's old (shoes etc) as the puppy won't know what is his and what is yours.
• Be firm if the pup tries to touch what is yours.
• Encourage the pup to play and destroy his own stuff. Buy some cheap toys he can shred for fun.
• If you encourage your puppy to shred paper for fun, no book or newspaper will ever be safe again. (ditto plant pots - Fizz does destroy plastic plant pots but we keep them out of reach unless we have decided she can 'help' with the gardening)

"I iz allowed to chew this, it iz mine"

Do you have any top tips to prevent dogs chewing what they shouldn't? And has your dog ever demolished something it should have left well alone?

My Family and Other Animals - Ellie

This week we are hearing from Adam, and his new acquisition, Ellie...So Adam, tell us who Ellie is and why she arrived in your home, and of course, how that is working out...

When we got a puppy this year, people thought we were mad. Three boys (one a toddler), 3 jobs, a busy household and illness; all the signs were there that we shouldn’t be doing this. We ourselves had agreed that we wouldn’t get a dog until our youngest was five years old and a taller. But we did it anyway.

Why?

Well a couple of things. Firstly was the aforementioned illness. Every few years, I suffer from re-occurring bouts of depression and 2016 was a particularly bad year for me. I think my wife and I thought some kind of therapy dog would be good for me. Even though I struggled to get out of bed and doing ANYTHING was a challenge, was I really up to looking after a dog, training her, feeding her,  walking her etc? It would certainly give me something to concentrate on other than how I was feeling (but then again shouldn’t the kids already do that)?

I’d always wanted an English Springer Spaniel after spending time with an ex’s 15 yrs earlier and when a puppy became available from a breeder living in the road behind us, it seemed like fate. Duly collected, my kids of course fell in love immediately before the novelty wore off after a few days and it all fell back to me.

So how has it gone in the five months since?

Honestly, we didn’t realise how hard it would be raising a puppy. And expensive (between 1-2k a year). They’re like toddlers but with added teeth (used for exploring everything) and have boundless energy. She’s stripped all the wallpaper off in the back room, chewed through the skirting boards and chomped through a live wire amongst other things. Training is nowhere as easy as the books make it out to be, my middle child won’t have anything to do with her (although he’s mellowing - and you often catch him stroking and talking to Ellie when he thinks nobody is looking), my smallest loves her but you have to be careful, and my wife slightly resents her taking up so much of my time (although she’s mellowing and you often catch her stroking and talking to Ellie when she thinks nobody is looking).

Oh and did I mention the lakes of wee?  Every time she sees you, or you stroke her or something really exciting happens, she does an excited wee. She can’t help it, just pray she’s not sitting on you when she does it. I’m reliably told she’ll grow out of it.

In short, if we knew all this before hand we probably wouldn’t have got a dog right now. All our reasons for waiting were well founded.

But is it all hardship and bad news? Certainly not. She’s a part of the family now and it wouldn’t be the same without her.

She’s certainly helped both my mental and physical health. My depression is virtually gone (for now), all that dog walking has increased my stamina, forced me to get out into the fresh air every day and basically re-examine my priorities.  For the first time in a long time I’m beginning to see my weight drop. And the dog training? Well it’s actually training me to be more patient with both the dog AND my children. And this is a big secret. I’M USING THE PUPPY TRAINING TECHNIQUES ON MY KIDS...AND IT’S WORKING. Sorry guys.

Lastly, Ellie’s a big cuddler and there’s nothing better than an oversize dog jumping on your lap for a cuddle and an affirmation each day. She needs it as much as I do.  She brightens my day, every day and a happier me is making for a happier family. That can only be a good thing.

You can follow Ellie on instagram here

Big thanks to sharing your story - and I'm glad that despite the teeth (oh God, the teeth!) you have stuck with it - it does indeed get easier - no really....well OK a bit. Fizz is nearly one year old now! I can look back and barely recall the horror of wet puddles in the hall, and she no longer bites everything in sight!

My Family and other animals with Amy from Arty Apple

Today's guest post about animals in the family is from Amy at Arty Apple.
 

In 2014 we were on a family weekend away on the Northumberland coast surrounded by dog walkers and beautiful beaches so I randomly decided it would be a great idea for us to get a dog! The kids were aged 4 and 2 and I'm sure where some Mums experience a bit of broodiness for a third child, I was experiencing broodiness for a dog. So, I embarked on my usual journey of Googling everything and badgering my husband to agree with me until he can no longer put up with it and just lets me do what I want. Sound a familiar approach to anyone? Ha! A Hungarian Vizsla was our breed of choice. I'd always wanted a big dog, not sure why but if anyone had asked me previously what I would have had I'd have said a German Shepherd, a Pointer or a Bloodhound, I just love big dogs. Hungarian Vizslas scored really well on the family dog front being described as gentle, loyal and obedient. We have a winner!

OK. Now let me just stop here to say the idea of getting a puppy to raise with the kids was very romanticised at this point. My husband works from home so doggy day care was never going to be an issue but my oh my did I not realise how much hard work was involved in getting through the puppy stage and especially with one who is massive compared to lots of other dogs but is still just a badly behaved puppy.

Talk about tear your hair out. Going out and about with a big disobedient puppy is NOT for the faint of heart. In fact by day 4 of being the proud owner of a Hungarian Vizsla puppy I was filled with deep regret. What on earth had I done? I'd ruined our perfect family. The kids were camped out on the sofa, afraid to climb down in case the crazy puppy scratched, jumped or put their entire hand in his mouth. The idillic view I had of the kids embracing a new puppy could not have been further from the truth. They were petrified, especially our 2 year old daughter. The words the breeder should never have uttered was that if it didn't work out, we could take him back. It was like a green light for giving up and by day 4 I was telling the hubby to take him back and we genuinely were about to load the car when the door bell rang. Our friend from the next street and fellow dog owner was stood there asking how it was going. Terrible, was of course the answer and he's going back! Thankfully a pep talk and a 'you've made your bed you need to lie in it' speech later and we were determined to get on with it and power through the puppy stage. We always think back to that Sunday morning when we were so close to taking him back and had our friend not turned up, we really would have.

Fast forward 2 years and he is firmly part of our family. The kids adore him and none of us could imagine life without him or in fact, family life without a dog. In fact when my son was born I started a personalised baby gift business called Arty apple. My shop only stocked children's gifts until Yogi came along and made me realise they're part of the family too so I introduced Pets Corner with Personalised Vizsla Blankets. I’m sure you'll agree, Yogi makes a very handsome model. I'm hoping to add more breed specific blankets soon!

The main benefit to having a dog is how much it gets you all out and about. We love walks in the countryside and on the beach and even when I hated him (I feel bad saying that as I love him to bits now but this was all true at the time!) Yogi was an energetic puppy who needed a good walk every day and that was the start of my own personal fitness and weight loss journey. I have walked miles with Yogi in every type of weather there possibly is. The good thing is our two kids are now excellent walkers. They've got great calves!

Family dog walks are great and keep everyone fit and healthy. I do however enjoy the walks when the kids are at school and me and the hubby can pick up the pace, these are definitely the more fat burning walks and living at the top of a hill from the city (Starbucks cup of tea stop) reached via farmers fields does make for a tough uphill walk back. The combination of fresh air, beautiful views, muddy puddles, actual uninterrupted conversations and a brisk walk make for a great combo of healthy body and mind. If you'd like to read more about my fitness journey please take a look at my new blog called Mutha Fitness.

Thanks very much to Naomi for allowing me to share our story and thanks to everyone for reading my story.

Amy's website is Arty apple
She is also on the following social media channels…
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Gorgeous photos Amy - they put mine to shame! and a lovely story, I'm so glad your neighbour saved the day, I'm well aware of those early awful days, Fizz even managed to break a tooth biting into my jeans she was such a monster! Thank you for sharing your story.

What is the cost of a dog in the first year?

I've seen a lot of websites showing the average costs of getting a dog, but they are all a bit vague "You could spend this, you might spend that, you could buy this, you might buy that" so I thought I'd look at what Fizz has cost us in her first year.

First things first, Fizz is a border terrier. She was bought from a Kennel Club breeder, she has a good pedigree, we met her in her house with her mum where she was born and grew up, and she was microchipped (according to law) when we collected her. She was 9 weeks old.

Like most puppies she had been regularly wormed by the breeder before we got her, but she had not yet started her vaccinations against common puppy diseases.

Price of pedigree pup = £700

Our first few costs were the preparations for a pup in the house.

2 x stairgates = £23 each

1 x dog cage = £55

1 x dog bed £10

Multiple dog toys = £15

Collar, leads, harness, dog coat = £40

Dog insurance = £132 per year

Fizz arrived with food from the breeder but she rapidly taught us that she didn't like kibble, so we switched her to Butchers puppy food cans. (She's a tripe hound)

Canned dog food = 60p per day (£219 per year)

Dog Treats = £3 per month (£36 per year)

Poop Bags = £1 month (£12 per year)

Dog bowls, cleaning products, puppy wee pads, dog blanket = £50

She had a check up with our vet when she arrived and was started on her puppy vaccinations.

Vet visit and vaccination course = £79

During her first few months she managed to break a tooth while leaping and biting! We did not take her to the vet, but took the 'wait and see' approach. The milk tooth eventually fell out and was replaced. Win! Cost? £0

Unfortunately she also decided to rip out a claw while playing....much blood and whimpering ensured a trip to the vet at the cost of....

Claw removal and pain relief = £50 (under our insurance policy excess)


Time passed and nothing untoward happened until....Fizz escaped from an open door while she was in season! Although she was found unharmed very quickly, she had been out and about for over an hour, so we decided she should have the dog version of the 'morning after' pill. This is an injection to prevent pregnancy and is almost 100% effective. Sadly it is not cheap.

Anti-pregnancy injection = £130 (didn't claim on the insurance, not sure if 'owner stupidity' is covered)


Oh how could I forget, Fizz also got a urine infection (initially we thought her housetraining had failed big time!) and an eye infection.

Urine test, vet appointment, Antibiotics = £90 (policy excess is £99 obviously)

And of course she continues to need worm and parasite prevention each month

parasite treatments = £10 per month (£120 per year)

At 10 months we had Fizz spayed, cheaper than more escapes! Fizz was sold to us on a non breeding contract (which means none of her offspring, pedigree or not could be registered with the Kennel Club) and we are not breeders (have you any idea of the costs of that!) so we were happy to have her 'done'

Spaying = £216

And so here we are, Fizz is almost a year old, and we have managed to spend the amazing total of

£2000

and they say kids are expensive...

You may be wondering why we didn't claim on the dog insurance, well the truth is that there is a minimum we have to pay before we can claim and to keep the cost down we set that fairly high, and some things, spaying, routine vaccinations etc are not covered anyway.

You may also be wondering why we bother at all! Well she's worth it, making us laugh every day, snuggling with us every evening and generally being a loved member of the family.

Do you have a dog? Have you ever dared look at how much it's costing you??

My Family and other animals - our story

Once upon a time a family bought a dog. They didn't plan to have children so a dog seemed a nice way to have that patter of tiny feet. The dog in question was a border terrier named Diesel. He settled into the home as puppies do and soon was the darling baby of the family.

He was happy to lounge about the house or spend all day in the countryside. Flexible with his exercise he was the perfect house pet. Equally up for a cuddle or a run in the garden, or just a snooze in front of the TV. And so time passed.

Then the family decided to have a child after all. But what about the darling baby dog? Wouldn't he resent a mewling squealing baby? Wouldn't he feel annoyed at being banished from some rooms, and from furniture? The family thought about this a lot. And when the mummy was 4 months pregnant, and just starting to get a little bump, they decided to buy a puppy, something to keep Diesel busy when the baby came.

And so Jeep arrived. A small bundle of excited nipping, widdling fun. A border terrier like Diesel, she spent the next month or so annoying him until he loathed her. They had to be kept apart for fear he would hurt the new tiny pup. But just as the family was starting to think they would never get on...they became best buddies, well maybe not that, but he tolerated her and she adored him.

So this story is about me and my dogs obviously. When DD was born both dogs seemed fairly relaxed about the whole thing, a few sniffs at the new baby and then they carried on as before. We had stair gates, playpens and dog cages so that everyone was kept safe. The dogs grew to love and protect DD.

When DD was almost in her teens both dogs got ill, Jeep first with a brain tumor and she left us in 2011 and then later Diesel left us in 2013, he had became old and forgetful and had other health issues. After losing them both we waited 3 years, 3 long quiet and mud-free years, before deciding to get another dog.

We first looked at rescue, since DD was grown up, but were told that there were no dogs suitable for us (I know - we were rather surprised too) and so we located a puppy, a border terrier of course, and now we have Fizz the queen of the house!

I found that having a puppy with a baby was no worse than having a puppy with a teen. Puppies are hard work, they need time, patience, and cleaning up after - they also need training! but it's lovely to have a dog in the house again.

See more about Fizz in this post, after she'd been here a week, and here after 6 months.

My Family and Other Animals - The story of Dollar

It's time for a new story of a family that chose to add a pet to their family after they had children. Everyone loves a puppy but sadly getting a puppy doesn't always work out exactly as planned, partly because puppies are not all cute and fluffy loveliness, they are also high energy monsters with sharp teeth, demanding personalities and the capability to pee everywhere. So let us step into another families shoes and see what we can learn about choice and planning.

I’m Jodie, mum to a headstrong almost three year old and partner to my wonderful man, Andrew. We live in a second floor flat and once having our daughter and celebrating her second birthday, we felt as though something was missing. I’ve always grown up with dogs and Andrew has always wanted one, but his mum has a cat. After a log of nagging (sorry Andrew) and a lot of thought - we decided to research into what dogs are better for being kept in a flat. We had no intention on moving into a house any time soon, so we wanted a small furry friend that’ll enjoy being a part of our family. My mum and sisters are all severely allergic to cats, so that was ruled out of the equation.

So after a lot of thought and consideration we spoke to a lady about buying one of her new puppies. A chihuahua mix Jack Russell. We went to her house to see him and ended up taking him home there and then. He was absolutely tiny ( as you can see from the photos!) but we loved him and couldn’t wait to get him home and settled. We named him Dollar! That first night was HARD! I’m not sure what I had expected, but he cried the entire night and went to the toilet everywhere. I woke up after little sleep and the flat smelt so bad.

We trained him as best we could and took him for walks every day but something just didn’t feel right. I really struggled and although I loved having him, it was harder work than I had imagined. Daisy really didn’t like him. She would whinge and cry when he ran off with her toys, and she’d get frustrated when he jumped up at her. We decided it had to change. We tried training him as best as we could but we discovered he really just needed a garden and a larger space to run wild in.

Andrew’s lovely mum (who owns a cat!) took up the offer of seeing how he’d cope being at hers. It’s safe to say he LOVED it. He play fights with the cat a lot, but they secretly love each other. She has a large garden and has the door open the majority of the time, so it’s incredibly ideal for him. He has a much nicer life over there. I do miss him, but he is only a 7 minute drive away and I see him all the time. He recently turned one and he’s a right little character. He performs tricks for treats and show so much love and affection. We don’t know what the future holds in terms of his whereabouts. We know that rehoming a dog at a later stage in it’s life isn’t ideal, but we’d love for him to live with us when we have a garden. We’ll cross that bridge when it comes to it!

All in all, he’s a lovely little pup and a loved member of our family.

Thank you Jodie for sharing your story - it's true they are hard work and that not all dogs are good with small children, and I think you were brave to take on a puppy when you had no garden! It's great that you managed to sort such a good compromise with Dollar living with Andrew's mum, staying in your family. I shall look forward to seeing more photo's of him (he's adorably cute) and hearing how he gets on as he grows up.

Follow more of Jodie's family over on her blog.

And her Instagram: www.instagram.com/dearlittledaisy 

My Family and Other Animals - Guest post featuring cats and dogs

Lat week we were introduced to Colette and her decision to get a puppy at the same time as having  a baby. It was a lovely story and I really enjoyed the puppy and baby pictures - I hope you did too. This week I feature a blogger that not only added a cat to their family post children, but then threw a puppy into the mix too! Let's see how that worked out for Natalie, this week's guest poster from PlutoniumSox

"When I had my eldest daughter, we were a two-dog family. Much as I adored the dogs, I had always had cats as a child and the house seemed somewhat empty without one. So, as time went by, I managed to wear my husband down and he eventually agreed I could get a cat.

Well, within minutes I was online looking at all the rescue sites. We needed a very specific character of cat who would cope with our eclectic family life. Not many felines will put up with two small children and two large dogs. But as it happened, there was one. Luckily, I didn’t care what our family cat looked like. It was all about temperament and personality, both of which Jamer had in droves.

I never thought I’d get a pedigree cat, but Jamer was available for rehoming via the Cats Protection League as she was being bullied by the other cats in her house. And rescue cat was the only breed I was interested in, so she fitted the bill.

As soon as we brought her home, we realised that Jamer was a tiny cat with a massive personality. Whatever we were doing, she was there. She’d chase the sca-elextric, pop bubbles with the children, climb doors and fall off furniture. She was the boss of both dogs and slept where she wanted – even if it meant one of the dogs sleeping on the floor because she was in their bed and wouldn’t budge up.

Sadly not long after we got Jamer, our dog Soxa passed away. After a few months as a one dog, one cat family, I decided it was time for another dog. My husband and I were at loggerheads over this decision because I was insistent that it had to be a rescue and he wanted a puppy because he was worried about getting an older dog with young children.

So, we compromised. I did my research and realised there were hundreds of puppies in rescue shelters. It’s easier to get a puppy from a breed specific rescue, as there tend to be more of them there. We had a chat about it and decided we wanted a staffy. It wasn’t long before I found a 16 week old staffy cross called Millie at the Boxer and Bully Saviours rescue organisation.

We popped in to see her on the way back from a week’s holiday and it wasn’t long before she joined us in our home and Millie became Bubbles. Things have been difficult since then, my husband broke his leg badly in a motorbike accident, so instead of both of us taking responsibility for exercising our young terror, it was just me.

But despite it all, she has turned out wonderfully. She’s happy, bouncy and full of life. And most of all, she’s loyal to a fault. Last year I entered a 50-mile ultra-marathon. She trained with me every morning, with long runs at the weekends. And she still seemed to have plenty of energy.

I started to wonder if she might manage to run the race with me. I contacted the organisers and they were happy for her to join me. So, on a cold, damp October morning we set out across the Gower countryside. My husband agreed to meet me at the 30-mile mark so he could take Bubbles home if she was tired. But she wasn’t ready to stop. We eventually arrived at the finish after midnight, both totally exhausted but happy.

We sadly lost Jamer last year when she was hit by a car out on the road. We’re not ready for another cat yet because she was such a character, there will never be another Jamer. One day in the future there will be another cat in the Plutonium Sox household, but for now there’s just a large Jamer-shaped hole."

Oh I'm so sad such a fabulous cat is no more, and I totally understand how she cannot be replaced. It took us three years to get another border terrier after our last one died. But I do hope another awesome cat wriggles it's way into your life soon, it sounds like your family flourishes with the patter of tiny feet about the place.

If you've enjoyed this post (and who wouldn't!) you can follow Natalie all over social media or on her blog. 

http://plutoniumsox.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlutoniumSox

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plutonium_sox

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlutoniumSox

My Family and other Animals - Guest post

Hello all. I thought it might be fun to run a short guest post series about pets. But not just about pets, specifically about pets that people bought after having children. The sort of "oh there isn't enough pee and puke in the house, maybe we need a puppy too" sort of person.

I myself was guilty of this when at 4 months pregnant I decided one dog wasn't enough so we needed a puppy too (a whole other post) but were other people as mad as me? Well let's find out!

I thought we would start with a lovely post from Colette at Going On an Adventure

"When we got our puppy just months after having our first baby, everyone thought we were mad.

We hadn't planned it that way but our circumstances were a little unusual. We didn't go out looking for a puppy as such, but we had always said that when Mum bred from her bitch Molly, we would have one. It just so happened that my baby and Molly's puppies were born just three weeks apart.

Mum was a complete superstar and kept Thomas, our brindle boxer puppy, at her house for a little longer than usual so she could give him a head start on things like toilet training. By the time he came to live with us he was a good three months old and ready to go out for walks and such like.

I quickly found myself in a bit of a routine which worked for both Ben and Thomas - we would get up first thing, feed Ben and then take Thomas out for a walk around our local park. I soon learned that if I walked Thomas as soon as I could, he was much easier to deal with during the course of the day! Ben would often sleep in his pram for most of the walk and I tended to just stay out walking for as long as he slept - meaning not only did Thomas get plenty of exercise but so did I. With a combination of breastfeeding and puppy walking I lost my baby weight very quickly and without even really having to try.

Having a puppy to walk meant I got to know more people in the area - for a start, you don't get to walk a beautiful boxer puppy around without people wanting to stop and talk to you! But we also made friends in the park, other people who were generally walking their dogs at around the same time as us each day. It's not that I'd have gone for coffee with any of them or anything but it did mean I got a daily dose of adult conversation which any Mum on maternity leave with a newborn knows can be hard to come by some days.

We didn't suffer any sort of jealousy issues as neither Thomas nor Ben knew a life without each other, which meant that when we had the girls at a later date Thomas never really bothered with them. Babies were just the norm in our house at that time. We struck lucky with "Toss" - he was gentle and patient and surprisingly calm for a boxer (unless he was chasing around with his sister and then it was a different story altogether). He was always beautifully behaved, even if he did pull a bit when we walked him sometimes, and we trusted him as far as anyone should trust a dog with their children.

We lost Thomas at the back end of last year, he was only seven and it has been a real shock to all of us but loss is part of life isn't it and far better that our children's first real experience of grief is that of a pet than a family member. Growing up with a pet teaches children responsibility, empathy and boundaries. It shows them how to take care of the needs of others and gives them a friend. Yes, getting a puppy while we had a newborn was probably one of the maddest things we'd ever done but I wouldn't change it for the world."

Thanks' so much Colette for that sweet story. Loving the top tips about exercise and breastfeeding to lose that baby weight, and a dog is indeed a brilliant way to make new friends!

you can follow Colette on twitter at Lollinski

Keep up to date on Facebook at We're Going on an Adventure

And on Instagram at Going on an Adventure Blog

If you got a pet (of any sort!) after you had children, and would like to be featured in this guest series, email me at Tatmummy@gmail.com and include 'Guest Post Pets' in the subject line.

Wordy Wednesday's author interview with Fiona Harrison

Today on Wordy Wednesday a delightful book about a delightful pug! Allow me to introduce. Percy the Pug and his writer, Fiona Harrison. A Pug like Percy is a super read and a fun book (there is a flicker book style pug on the pages so you can flick them and make him run about! You don't get that in an ebook!)

I read the back of the book and shed a tiny tear, I'm such a softy, and the first chapter made me cry a bit too, because it's about a really cute pug and he's sad...but chin up, reading and dog fans, all will be well keep reading this lovely book to its brilliant ending. It's a book that would also make an excellent gift for a dog lover for Christmas.

So I welcome Fiona to my page, and as tradition dictates there are questions... let us begin with the basics

Fiona, Tell me about yourself and your book(s)?
I’ve been a freelance journalist for the past 15 years and I live in Berkshire right by the River Thames. I’m also a keen runner, and regularly run along the Thames Path which helps me create plot ideas and solve writing problems. A Pug Like Percy is my first novel and is the story of a pug that is abandoned at a rescue centre. Thankfully, Percy soon finds a loving new home but realises his new family are the ones that need help. Can he be the one to rescue them?

Why did you write this book?
Like many authors, all I ever wanted to do as a child was write and naively, refused to consider another career path so I became a journalist. I was convinced I would know when the time was write (sorry!) to put fingers to keyboard and pen my first novel, and thankfully a trip to Battersea to adopt my lovely cat Pico four years ago gave me the inspiration I had spent years searching for. I was so inspired and amazed by what I saw I wondered what it would be like to write about the experience of being abandoned from the perspective of an animal. I will never forget that feeling of knowing, that A Pug Like Percy, was the book I was supposed to write.

Do you have another job or are you a full time author? If you do something else (stunt woman? Archaeologist?) what is it and do you like it?
I am a full-time author but I am also a journalist and that is still very much my day job.

When did you start writing stories?
As I kid I was always scribbling away. Weirdly I was inspired by Roland Rat who was very much a part of TVAM when I was a child and I routinely made up stories about Roland Rat running the country with Mrs Thatcher!

What is the saddest story you've ever read?
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, I adored it but my goodness, I couldn’t stop weeping. The poignancy contained in that story is wonderful.

What 3 things are guaranteed to make you smile?
A full glass of red wine
A cuddle with my cats Pico and Lola
The sight of my husband cooking dinner

Do you have any pets?
Yes I have two cats, Pico and Lola and they very much help my writing process. One or the other usually keeps me company as I write, either on my lap or curled up on my desk (it’s a big desk). They have been brilliantly inspirational too at helping me work out just what Percy and his pals, would think, feel or say as they are always so wonderfully expressive with me and each other.

Who is your favourite author? Do they influence your writing or are they a total break from the sort of thing you write?
I love Emily Barr. Her books are so clever, and I love the way she takes you on a journey that’s often in a far flung destination but always has the power to make you think. Emily’s books are extremely different to A Pug Like Percy, but I think that helps when you write as if you read the same sort of thing that you’re trying to create there’s a danger the voices in your own story will get muddled.

Which book(s) are you reading at the moment?
There are so many on my to-be-read pile. I am currently reading Anna Freeman’s The Fair Fight, I love the old-school language she uses, it’s brilliant. After that I’ve promised myself to get started on Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels.

Where do you do most of your writing?
At my desk in my home office or at a little coffee shop around the corner from me. They serve the best cappuccinos, good and strong!

Tell us about the character that you've written that you like the most - no spoilers!
Obviously I have to say Percy. I had the best time writing from his perspective. Not only is he funny, kind, loyal and dependable, but he’s a charmer, enjoys a giggle and isn’t afraid to take a few risks for those he loves.

What is your favourite biscuit?
Homemade sugar-free digestives.

Tea or Coffee?
It very much depends on the time of day!

In the film of your life who would play you?
We look nothing alike but Cameron Diaz because she’s sassy, says what she thinks and has a brilliant sense of humour. Qualities I like to think I possess!!

If you could genetically cross an animal and a vegetable, what would you pick and why? I like the idea of a potato and a sloth...could you get a lazier creature? (my soul mate)
It would have to be a pug and carrot, just because I really like the idea of a ginger pug…brilliant.

A furry festive miracle who’s there for you with a helping paw. Percy definitely isn’t just for Christmas…

Debut novel, perfect for fans of A Street Cat Named Bob and Alfie the Doorstep Cat
– and all dog lovers

A Pug Like Percy by Fiona Harrison is out now (Hardback £10.99) (And currently only £4 via Amazon Prime! Bargain!)

Thanks to Fiona for taking part in this week's Wordy Wednesday

I have received a copy of the book so I can review it later and so far it's really good - DD has pinched it for a read first though! (A book for all the family)

Subscribe to Tattooed Mummy's Randoms by Email and never miss a post

Wordy Wednesday's author interview with Stanley the Border Terrier

Today the blog has gone to the dogs, literally - I'm handing over to Fizz who is gong to interview Stanley...more will be revealed but you may have seen me mention Stanley, dog and author, back in this post...

Hello it is I Fizz, I am small and full of excitement, partly because I'm interviewing a famous dog author and partly because excited is the natural state of being a puppy! Something Stanly know about only too well...

Hey Stanley - tell us about your book!


Dear Fizz
Nice to hear from you.
Why did I write the book ? you ask.

Fizz at six months

W​ell, Fizz the border terrier puppy has now been with us for 4 months.. She is now 6 months old and has totally made herself at home. Despite never being allowed on the sofa since she got here she tries every night to leap up for a cuddle, every night I calmly place her on the floor and say 'no' - she doesn't not look convinced.

Things she has learned include sitting on command, giving a 'paw' , lying down, rolling over on command, and letting go of something when asked.

Wordy Wednesday with - Dogs!

If you like books about dogs, more specifically about terriers and even more specifically written by terriers then today's book suggestions are for you!

Fizz - my border terrier

One of my favourite books of all time is by Rudyard Kipling. Called Thy Servant, a Dog, it tells the simple tale of Boots and Slippers two terriers (Aberdeen terriers) who meet and live together, of their adventures with the small human that later appears, and their friendship with hunt hounds. It has thrills (when they meet a bull in the yard!) and sadness. Written very much in a style that terrier owners will recognise "I have eaten grass and sicked up I am happy dog" it is just lovely. I think it's now out of print but you can grab an old copy either in a good second hand book shop or online if you are lucky, or read it free online here. It contains scenes that may upset younger readers.

The next book on my suggestions list is Dear Clementina, once again a terrier meets a friend in the park, and then letters are exchanged. The terriers in this story are Border Terriers (my favourite breed) and Stanley writes endearing tales to Clementina. The story starts as Stanley and Clementina meet in a Manchester park. As many young puppies are, Stanley is a mischief and a trouble maker, but even when stealing socks he is far too cute for anyone to be angry for long. Stanley's first year is a fun read for dog owners and non dog owners alike, if you are getting a puppy maybe reading this will prepare you! (or put you off!! haha) You can get a copy of Dear Clementina on Amazon. It is wittily illustrated through out. Perfect for bedtime reading,  with a letter a night from Stanley.

Not all border terriers are living a (mostly) peaceful life in Manchester though, and in Wingin' it with the Wright Brothers we meet Angus (a fictional creation, unlike Stanley) the Wright Brother's dog. He guides us through all that they get up to, thus adding some terrier thoughts to a historical incident. Angus is also a border terrier. Angus insists it was he that gave the brothers the idea of making a flying machine! You can get a copy of this book on Amazon too. And if you like dog stories try others in the Tall Tales range.

Lastly a book for grown ups and young adults. If you have lived your life without reading Fluke by James Herbert - now is the time. A book about a dog who thinks he's a man or a man who thinks he's a dog. A truly amazing tale of intrigue, mystery and adventure. Not for the faint hearted there are some genuinely scary moments and some very sad ones, but an excellent story by a world class story teller.

Do you know any books written by animals? I'd love to do a round up of more! pop over to facebook to let me know or tweet me.