Toys & Games | Multiple Squeaker Toys

The first thing to say is that finding toys to keep Maisie entertained can be difficult, the one toy that she loves just as much as squeaky balls is the multiple squeaker toy dog, I'm not sure of its name but you can find similar ones at pets at home. Like a lot of terriers Maisie loves play with squeaky toys but they never seem to last very long, she will literally not stop playing with it until it stops squeaky which can get very annoying, she has even heard a dog toy squeak on TV and come to find it which is quite cute to watch. So we bought her a multi squeaker toy in hopes it would last longer than a day and surprisingly it has.

So more about the toy, it contains 6 squeakers which meant it took Maisie about a week to kill them but some she still hasn't burst yet,  they still make a noise which means that she will still play with it. 

I think this brings out her terrier instinct the most as she can shake it which does look like she is trying to kill it, she thinks it's a mouse now unlike our old Westie she hasn't kill any of them as far as we know (bonus). Okay so that is Maisie opinion.

Now mine, from an owners point of view I love this toy it has no stuffing so she can't eat it which she does with plush toys and I am constantly stitching them back together as I can't look at her little face when you take it off her, so  i do a lot of toy surgery and Maisie tries to help by trying to steal it. 

You can also get these with more or less squeakers the biggest one I have seen has 32 squeakers that is available on amazon which could end up being Maisie Christmas present but pets at home do some of these toys, I have left a link down blow if you what to check them out.

Also any recommendations for toys would be great.  

Invincible Green and Black Snake: http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/dog-toys/invincibles-green-and-black-6-squeak-snake-dog-toy-by-plush-puppies?pageSize=472#

Treats & Chews | Pedigree DentaFlex

Pedigree Dentxstix are a staple in most dogs diets. Weather is cleaver marketing or what, they're a hugely successful product that I think most dog owners will have bought at some stage, and that I'm sure all dog owners have heard of. Personally, I've never seen them to be a particularly effective, even the largest size of dentastix are small for Ziggy and she's finished them in 2 minutes or less, in three bites, doesn't seem like an effective way to keep her teeth or gums cleaner than brushing. Dentastix also are only effective if given everyday, something I tend to forget to do.

However, that said, I find the idea of dentastix to be very appealing because...well, have you tried to brush a dogs teeth? It's not the easiest of tasks! Ziggy does not like it, not one bit! So the idea of a product that could help keep her teeth clean and her gums healthy is very appealing to me. Enter Pedigree Dentaflex!

The unique X shape and spongey texture

Pedigree Dentaflex were originally only available in Pets At Home for a promotional price of £1. These are much larger than the original dentastix, and have a spongey texture, but maintain the original 'X' shape of a dentastix. This new texture and larger shape allows for the chewing action to get closer to the gum line to remove plaque and prevent build up around gum line, leading to a much deeper clean. These also only have to be given twice per week, something I really can remember! I think my favourite thing about these though is that the texture means my dog actually has to chew this up! these can last her 5 minutes or more, which is quite a long time for my Ziggy! The chews are also low fat so can be given as part of a balance doggy diet without much guilt. Since I started giving these to Ziggy, I have noticed a different in her teeth, and they've helped reduce the stubborn plaque around the top of her canines. I'm also a big fan of the size! most chews and treats come in one size, and when your dog is quite large like mine, it's nice to be able to give them something that fits them size ways. 

These chews are available in three sizes, a small for dogs weighing between 6kg and 10kg, a medium size for dogs who weigh between 10kg and 25kg, and a large being suitable for dogs who weigh over 25kg. This is really my only criticism, as once you get passed 25kg there is still a lot of dog! an extra small size for toy dogs and an extra large size wouldn't really go amiss with dog owners I'm sure!

The Large size really is large!

Pedigree Dentaflex chews are now available in most supermarkets for the introductory price of £1, and in Pets at Home for between £1.25-£1.75 depending on the size required. I really recommend these and have seen them to make a difference to Ziggy's oral hygiene.

Simone & Ziggy

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Training and Behaviour | Halti Non Pull Harness

Original Source - Far too many logistical issues with photographing a black dog,
in a black harness in half darkness half blazing sunshine

While we were visiting the lake district with Poppy we had some quite serious problems with Poppy pulling, the excitement of a new place and new smells was just too much to deal with. Myself, my mother and my brother all sustained injuries within the first day as a result of her pulling. With myself having a possible fractured finger. As a result we ended up buying a Halti Non Pull Harness to try and save ourself some problems.

Now, if you've never heard of Halti they are a brand that you really should familiarise yourself with. They have a whole range of amazing products to help with dog walking. From amazing quality leads to head and body collars to bring dogs under control they really are worth a look to if you are having problems with your dogs behaviour while walking. The idea behind this non pull harnass we found in a local little petstore in Keswick is that dogs have a sensitive spot in the armpit of their front legs and the light pressure that is placed there when the dog pulls against the harnass is enough to remind them to stop, without causing any pain due to the soft padded material of the harnass straps.

Original Source - webpage also shows harness in action showing the immediate change in behaviour 

We found this worked instantly in helping with her behaviour. We went from a labrador who was pulling severely causing a lot of pain down shoulders and back to one that walked at heel far better than we had ever seen within seconds. Even without it needing to put pressure on. But it was there as a reminder when she did decide to try and pull again. This doesnt hurt her but shows such an amazing improvement in her behaviour its hard to fathom. But even better from a dog owners perspective it reduces the risk of her causing herself harm, it removes the pressure from her neck and throat that had been a quite significant problem, we have experienced occasions where she will pull so hard she has blown blood vessles in her eyes. This completely removes this issue by placing the pressure across her chest rather than entirely upon her throat.

This is a really good harness, she looks smart in it and its easy enough to get on and off, slipping it on over the head, and then her legs through the loops it is very quick, and more importantly with things like this, it actually works. I really do love this harness and while it isnt something I use with her on a daily basis it is a really important part of our dog walking.

Rebecca and Poppy 

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Toys & Games | Chomp and Chase Field Disk

By fluke of chance when mum and I were toy shopping for Poppy in TK Maxx we found the strangest of toys, an orange rubber disk, that looks a little bit like a discus with a squeaker in the middle. We didn't think much of it at the time, but when we saw it there it was only £3.99, and we took a chance. She needed new toys so we bought.

It turns out this Chomp N Chase Filed Disk is quite possibly the best dog toy we have ever came across, and nobody in our family can understand why. But its a pretty awesome toy, it bounces, rolls and floats, responding to the surfaces it lands on, and its soft rubber and thin shape seems to be nicer for Poppy to hold than average toys like tennis balls and bone shaped throw toys. But, even better this thing seems damned near indestructible. Poppy is amazing for destroying toys, even "indestructible" toys for Rottweilers and this toy has lived strong while others and newer toys have fallen by the wayside. The squeaker still lives and the material is hardly worn.

Poppy verry happily playing her own game with the toy, we are still yet to understand
the "rules" of this game other than that dad is not permitted to join in. 

The adoration Poppy has for this toy is beyond comprehension, its the only toy that she will actively hunt out if we store it in the porch, the only toy that she will play with constantly for the entire walk and not grow bored of for a single second. The look of joy and adoration when you pull it out on a walk is heartwarming. It is pure unadulterated joy when she sees this toy. We werent able to find a second one in the UK so actually went so far as to get a relative in the states to bring one over when he visited because we are so concerned about if we lost it that we needed a spare.

And, that in itself is the only downside of this toy. It isnt available easily in the UK there are a lot of US sites such as amazon and Caitec (the cheapest Ive seen it). Its frustrating because it is such an amazing toy and there is nothing like it in the UK market. We still try to keep an eye out in TK Maxx but until then we are stuck with ordering them from the states and paying the whopping postage and packaging charges. But she is worth it purely for that joy. They seem to range from $7-13 USA readers certainly need to pick one up!

Rebecca & Poppy

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A Terrible Tragedy | Manchester Dogs Home Fire

We wanted to share a moment to give our thoughts to everyone, and every dog affected by the suspected arson attack that took place at the Manchester Dogs Home in Harpurhey on the at 7pm on 11/09/2014.  The shelter has been providing safety, and protection to dogs for over a century providing shelter to over 1million dos in its history.

As I sat to write this post at 11 o'clock last night 43 dogs had been killed as a result of the blaze, and many more have been seriously, or critically injured, and we hope and pray that this number does not increase. The death of any dog is a heartbreak and a tragedy to see so many lost to such a cruel and disgraceful act is harrowing.

As dog owners and dog lovers we are astounded that anybody could, or would ever commit such an act. 150 dogs were rescued from the blaze, and a 14 year old boy has been arrested in connections with the attack but at this time we strongly donate everybody to donate to the Just Giving page set up to fund the repairs and medical treatment of the dogs. Anything no matter how big or small will make a huge difference in this time of crisis and we urge anybody in the Manchester area to donate any blankets, leads, crates or other pet supplies to the Manchester and Cheshire homes.

Rebecca, Simone, Rebecca,

Poppy, Ziggy and Maisie 

Simone & Ziggy

Ziggy, in one of her rare, still moments.

Hi! I'm Simone. I'm a Psychology student, from Newcastle (Are you noticing a pattern here?). I normally do some blogging over at Lipstick and Long Hair, although I will admit to being a inconsistent blogger over there! I really look forward to blogging over here at Paws For Pups about my pride and joy, my dog.

Tongue out, one step away from post-walk flat out!

I'm the proud owner of a Labrador cross Golden Retriever, named Ziggy. She's 3 years old (Her Birthday is May 28th) and she's been mine since January of 2014. Ziggy was never intended to be a pet dog, she was actually born for a very specific purpose in life; She was born to be a guide dog. Ziggy was also a very special puppy who was named by a couple in Sunderland after their late son, who's nickname was Ziggy. Ziggy has lived her whole life here in the north east, she was puppy walked in Redcar, which is when it was discovered that Ziggy wasn't cut out to be a guide dog. While excellent at her job, when she was working other dogs made her very, very anxious. She started to lie down when she saw other dogs and when she saw her harness come out to wear to work, she would try and hide so she could stay at home. It was decided that Ziggy would be much happier as a pet dog than a working dog, so was withdrawn from guide dog training, and she was rehomed to the couple who had named her. Unfortunately, a few months after living with them, their young grandson developed an awful allergy to dogs, and she needed to find a new home once again. This was how Ziggy became ours, she was rehomed to us by Guide Dogs! it was for a one week trail, and honestly it was like she'd never been anywhere else in her life, she fitted in like she'd never been away from us. We adore her, and she adores us.

Wrapped up in her snake to sleep!

Ziggy is a very, very big dog! she's 36.5kg and pure muscle. She loves to swim, she loves to run and she loves to chase a ball! In fact, she's been known to steal balls from other dogs at the beach or in the park. She's a great lover of mud, anything mucky, and we think she thinks she was born in the wrong body, and that her destiny was actually to be a black labrador, as she's forever covering herself in mud. Her favourite toy (other than a ball!) is an old IKEA cuddly toy snake. She loves to play tug of war with other puppies with it, and wrap herself up in it to play by herself. Her favourite activity of all time though, is swimming. She loves chasing a ball into the water and going for a long swim, she also likes to just go for a dip sometimes, and adores swimming in the doggy pool!

Never have I known a dog to be quite as independent or moody as Ziggy! When she's had enough of the hustle and bustle of family life, she takes herself of to bed, not her bed though, my bed. She takes herself off and goes to lie on her own, she's comfortable in her own company but really loves to cuddle too. She really did complete our family when we got her, and means so much to all of my family.

Simone & Ziggy 

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Rebecca & Maisie

Maisie enjoying the nice weather

Hi, I’m Rebecca and I am a psychology student in Newcastle and I normally blog over on Beneath a Moonless Sky where I talk about everything beauty related and the occasional lifestyle post and I am also a dog owner who is now writing for Paws for Pups.

The day we brought Maisie home

I own a 4 year old West Highland Terrier called Maisie who is a very excitable little Westie, Maisie was born in December 2010 and we brought her home in the February just before my 17^th birthday. We have had Maisie for almost 3 years now and she hasn’t calmed down at all in that time, she is very excitable and she loves to play with her toys especially ones that squeak and she just loves to destroy them she also gets very annoyed when she can’t stop it squeaking.

Before her first hair cut

Maisie is quite a nervous dog though she can get scared by a lot of things mainly things that beep it first started with smoke alarms and now it really isn’t anything the makes a noise she doesn’t really like. She also doesn’t really like long walks we are not sure why but she prefers short walk to the point she will turn around and drag you home. 

Waiting for a walk in the caravan

Her favourite place is sitting in the top of the Sofa where she can look out of the window and watch the world go by which does mean that she does bark quite a lot when we have children playing outside the house. When she is in the caravan she loves lying on the front shelf where she can look out of the front windows.

Rebecca & Maisie

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