May. Spring's in full bloom, the sun is starting to shine, and the misery of the winter has started to fade. It's the perfect month to treat your pup to a box of goodies, hand-picked for you so you don't have to mull over the hundreds of toy and treat options available on Amazon for hours and rack up a £100 basket within the blink of an eye. Fortunately, for the weak-hearted (like me) who struggle to narrow their options down, a myriad of companies now offer monthly surprise boxes for dogs to ensure your beloved pet is never short of a special treat come payday, for being such a wonderful friend throughout the month. The Pawsome Box is one of these monthly boxes, who will provide a monthly box of 5-6 items uniquely chosen to suit your pooch. These could be anything, from toys, to accessories, to treats, or even healthcare products, from only £14.90 per month! In my box, I received two packs of treats, two toys, a water bottle and a lead. A perfect combination for a day out, we promptly put them to the test. TREATS The two packs of treats provided in the box, were a pack of Chew 'n Snack Tripe Strips, and some Snackys Ham-flavoured, bone-shaped treats. Both of these serve as perfect training treats for us, as they are soft enough to be broken up into tiny pieces. Simba is not a picky dog when it comes to treats, who immediately scoffed the lot, so I cannot determine how palatable the more selective dog might find these. For this reason, he may not be the best food tester... TOYS The box also contained two toys; a plush toy shaped like a luggage bag, and a rubber flip flop toy. Simba's a serial plush toy destroyer, who sometimes attempts to consume the stuffing which means his access to the toy is limited. He loves rope toys, so the flip flop will become a staple in his toy box. We may even take it on our next beach trip, just for the irony! "Nooo, give me the bag, I want to go on holiday!" "Do these shoes make my feet look small?" ACCESSORIES & OTHER The final two products were a convenient, portable dog water bowl and bottle combination, and a strong red lead. We've been meaning to acquire one of these bottles for a while, and receiving one in time for the summer (providing we get one warm enough to require refreshments) was just perfect. The lead has a subtle texture to the webbing, to create a checkerboard pattern. It's surprisingly comfortable to hold, despite not being as soft to the touch as you'd expect. If you'd like a box just like it, be sure to use my personal promo code ukbbt9fy for £5 off of the cost of your first order!
Thank you for reading, Milla & Simba
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2/28/2017 3 Comments Easy Doggy Pancake RecipeIn order to celebrate Shrove Tuesday- or more commonly recognised and appreciated as 'Pancake Day', I decided to try to create my own recipe for dog-safe pancakes. These are Simba approved: Simba and Piper watched my every move as I prepared the delicious treats for my favourite pooches, and both gulped their two size-appropriate pancakes down as soon as they were set down in front of them! These are simple pancakes to make, and kind to a sensitive tummy if not accustomed to eating 'human' food. Prep: 5 mins Cooking: 10 mins Recipe (makes approximately six small pancakes) 80g of plain flour (gluten free, coconut or chickpea flour is preferable) 150ml of milk 1 egg 1 tbsp peanut butter 1 tsp clear honey Method 1. Sift the flour into a medium sized bowl. Add milk gradually, and whisk the ingredients together. Add 1 egg, peanut butter and honey, and whisk the mixture by hand for 60 seconds, or until the consistency resembles that of double cream. It should pour easily. Let your dog lick the spoon! 2. Heat the pan on a medium to high heat. Heat a teaspoon of coconut of olive oil at the bottom of the pan to grease the surface and prevent the pancakes from sticking. Transfer the batter from a bowl to a jug. Once hot, pour a small amount of batter into the pan, and allow it to cook for around 15-30 seconds, then turn the pancake with a spatula and cook for a further 10-20 seconds until it is 'spotty' (see the image below!) 3. Serve in their bowl or on a regular plate. Top with peanut butter, honey, fruits, natural yogurt, or ham. Do not give sugar, lemon, or nutella!!! I personally used 1 piece of ham for each pancake, and drizzled with honey. Milla, Simba & Piper
2/16/2017 0 Comments Raw FeedingNutrition- it's a hot topic right now. Wet Vs Dry, extruded or cold pressed, there's a lot of conversation and controversy on the topic as people are becoming more and more aware of how nutrition directly effects their beloved pets short term health and longevity of life. Since both of my dogs are raw fed, I thought I'd help to introduce my readers to the world of what I'd consider the most natural way of feeding a dog. Dogs are physically designed to be carnivores. There's no beating around the bush with that fact. They are part of the taxonomy order of 'carnivora', and everything about their bodies reflects that. Sharp teeth designed for tearing flesh, short digestive tracts that allow bacteria to swiftly pass through without a negative effect to the dog, and the incredible sense of smell are only a few of the modern dog's features that once contributed to them being a relentless predator. Whilst it is true that dogs are opportunists when it comes to diet, and would be just as thrilled to see a smelly sock in their dinner bowl, as they would a bowl of the finest meats, it must be noted that dogs can survive on almost any diet, but have been known to thrive on what centuries of evolution has equipped them to consume. There are many versions of raw feeding, such as BARF (known as Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, or Bones And Raw Food), and PMR (Prey Model Raw) being the most common types. BARF may include vegetables or other carbohydrates, whereas PMR is usually exclusively made up of meat, and/or whole prey animals. Nowadays, there are many pre-prepared minces available that make feeding a balanced raw diet almost as convenient as dumping a pile of kibble in a bowl! (However, it is extremely important that you DO get the balance right with raw, as it is not always done for you!) Most raw feeders, some vets and nutritionists included, recommend that the dog's raw diet is made up of 80% muscle meat, 5% liver, 5% other offal and 10% bone, from a variety of different proteins, such as beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, duck, and pork. Other meats are available, however, and the more variety, the better, as to prevent allergies developing to different types of meat. The reason they are fed in these proportions, are because stools are the most consistent in most dogs when the food is fed in these ratios. Too much bone can lead to constipation, but not enough bone can mean a runny bum. Dogs fed too much offal, especially liver, are prone to diarrhea as it is very rich in nutrients. It's important to include certain types of fish in the diet, as they offer omega 3's and 6's that regular meat cannot provide in such high quantities. You have to be careful with certain fish such as tuna that contain excessive levels of mercury. Below are some examples of my dog's dinners! On the far right is their usual pre-prepared mince, that contains the correct ratio of bone, offal, and meat. The rest are special treats - the DIY dinners we make up between waiting for food deliveries. Muscle Meat Sources (besides from the obvious steak, breast, etc)
Meats and fish that can be fed include: chicken, duck, rabbit, horse, turkey, pork (this can cause diarrhea in some dogs) beef, lamb, goat, salmon, white fish, mackrel, sprats, venison, pheasant and other game birds, and some other exotic meats such as zebra and kangaroo. Green Tripe - Beef or Lamb Heart (in limited quantities as it is high in phosphorous) Gizzards Lung (this is not particularly nutritious and shouldn't be a large part of the diet) Tongue Trachea Meat on bones such as drumsticks. Offal Sources Testicle Brain Sweetbreads Spleen Liver Kidney Bone Sources - You have to be careful with bone, as bones that are too hard can break teeth. No large animal weight bearing bones, such as legs, or shanks should be consumed. Chicken or duck wings, carcass, thighs, and drumsticks. Turkey, Chicken, Lamb and Duck necks. Chicken Feet Salmon Head Lamb Spine These can be fed with caution- these can be too hard for some animals. Beef Ribs Pigs Trotters Lamb 'stock' bones (shoulder, pelvis) Lamb Ribs Lamb Head Ox Tail Beef Knuckle Bone Marrow Bone Goat Bones Turkey Drumstick How do you switch to raw? It is really quite simple - a cold turkey, straight swap is normally recommended, as raw and kibble/wet food do not digest at the same rates, so feeding them together would not make sense. You can feed your last kibble meal the night before, and swap straight onto raw the next morning! It can take some time (no more than a few weeks) for the body to sort itself out and the dog to become accustomed to raw. It's best to start with feeding just tripe meals for a week, and then move onto chicken and tripe for another week, and continue slowly introducing new meats over a course of time. Whole bones can be introduced after 3-4 weeks. How much food do you have to feed? (of their current body weight daily) 0-4 months 8% - 10% 4 - 6 months: 6 - 8% 6 - 9 months: 4% 9-12 months 3% Over 12 months 2%-3% Depending on the dog's activity, you may have to feed more or less. For example, a working dog may need closer to 5% daily if they are working. Since I started raw feeding almost a year ago now, I have noticed some benefits, and disadvantages to the diet. Some of the points I have made are generic, whilst others are Simba-specific. Advantages Shiny, Soft Coat- Many raw feeders report that their dog's coat becomes softer and shinier after switching to a raw diet. I can definitely vouch for that - I enjoy nothing more than running my fingers through Simba's baby-soft, silky fur. He is also practically odourless, and sheds a lot less overall than when he ate only kibble. White Teeth - chomping on a raw bone even occasionally (ours get a whole bone every 1-2 weeks), paired with not chewing on extruded carbohydrates are responsible for Simba's pearly white teeth, at almost two years old. Smaller Poop / Less Farts - I have personally discovered that ever since I began raw feeding, Simba's stools have been significantly smaller, and he only poos once a day on our walks (although, he does several poops during that hour, and walks around in circles as he pushes them out to make my job a lot harder...) the stench is not nearly as bad, either. Longevity - this is only anecdotal, but some owners report that their dogs live to an older age as they are not, or less likely to be compromised by nutritional problems in their life. Allergies and skin problems improve. Fantastic overall health, and less vet visits! Disadvantages Neosporisis and Toxoplasmosis are two 'bugs' that can be found in raw meat, if they are not frozen adequately before feeding. It is recommended that ALL raw meat, including human grade are frozen for 1-2 weeks prior to feeding to a dog to ensure that these are killed off. Things like salmonella and E-coli are unlikely to affect a dog, as the meat passes through the digestive system so quickly (usual digestive time for raw is around 4-6 hours). Freezer Space is another big disadvantage in raw feeding - unless you have a hefty freezer, with lots of space for one of the big, clunky machines, you are likely to be buying food frequently, which can get quite expensive. I can just about squeeze 10kg, or 20 days worth of dog food for my two with a combined weight of 21kg, into two regular bottom freezer drawers. Cost - Raw can both be expensive or cheap, depending on suppliers, location, and space. Delivery usually costs £6 or more at a minimum, and becomes more expensive depending on how many KG of food you are buying at a time. If you have a butcher or slaughter house locally that is willing to sell or give you offcuts, bones and unwanted meats, then feeding can be made significantly cheaper providing you have the freezer space. For our two dogs, it costs us £27 for 20 days worth of food from a relatively cheap supplier - which is more expensive than a cheap kibble, but not more expensive than feeding Orijen, Guru, or Barking Heads. Convenience- although ready-made minces in the correct ratios of bone, muscle meat and offal are available, you may still have to spend several minutes weighing out each meal every day. If you feed DIY, you will have to spend several hours weekly, or monthly, weighing out the correct ratios yourself for your dog or dogs. Popular Suppliers Morrisons Supermarket offer a great range of bones and offal, especially if they have a butcher onsite. I have picked up Trotters, Lamb stock bones, beef and lamb ribs, and have seen many other things such as hearts, liver, ox tail and lamb neck rings in Morrison's Supermarkets. Online Suppliers that deliver nationwide Natural Instinct / Nutriment, Scruffles Pet Supply, Poppy's Picnic, Raw To Go, Landywoods, Nature's Menu, Honey's, Albion Meat Products Wolftucker. These are only a few of the many suppliers! If you have any more questions or feel I've missed something - please let me know in the comments! I'll try my best to answer accurately. Milla & Simba |
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