hair of the dog

Cats & Dogs Festive Finds

Day 2 of our festive finds week and we think it’s important to show our four-legged friends how much we appreciate their company all year round. Here at The Amazing Blog we are huge animal lovers and when it comes to Christmas we cannot help but spoil our pets with some Christmas presents too. So here are some of our favourite pet gifts this year we are sure you will love as much as we do. top pooch lead

Top Pooch is the place to go for stylish and patterned collars for your dog. We love their wide range of vintage inspired fabric collars made with bright and bold patterns that are perfect for any fashion conscious pooch. One of our favourites is a unisex option, the Classic Houndstooth Collar, it is simple yet stylish. Not only can you have a gorgeous patterned collar, you can also buy a matching lead, and the best part: Collar accessories. We love the doggy Bow Ties as they simply slide onto the collar to complete your dog’s sophisticated look. There is a large range of patterns on offer, including a London and Royal themed collection. You can also get hold of matching bows and bandanas. These wonderful collars and accessories can be purchased from the Top Pooch website. Collars retail from £11, and accessories from £5.

Ibone hi res

Just like children, all dogs want to open up a toy on Christmas day, and we have found the perfect toy for dogs who love… technology, and you would be surprised at how appealing an iPhone style toy can be to your canine friends. Now your dog can be as tech-savvy as you, with the Anything Dogz iBone Phone Toy.  This plush dog toy looks just like a smart phone complete with dog apps carefully embroidered onto the fabric. The material used to make the toy is very durable so it is long lasting and there are also no small parts for your dog to swallow. We think that this toy is just right for dogs on the move a lot and very excitable as it is small enough to take out and about with you. If you want to treat your pet to the latest addition to dog gadgetry, you can get the iBone Phone Toy from Anything Dogz for £11.50.

puppy kit hair or the dogWhile we all know that a dog is for life and not just for Christmas, some of our very lucky readers may be getting a new puppy in time for Christmas. What better way to welcome them to your family than with the Hair of The Dog Puppy Starter Kit Hampers. The kits come in two varieties depending on the sex of your puppy to make sure you get treats perfectly suited to the puppy’s gender. The hamper gifts come in a beautiful vintage looking suitcase either in pink or blue. Inside the hampers are a beautiful selection of handpicked products that are perfect to get you started and treat your new puppy too. Every hamper includes some Lily’s Biscuits or Treats, a chew toy, a red and ruby edible greetings card or a teething toy, a training clicker and a towel or grooming product. We think this hamper makes the perfect gift for any new addition to the family as it is full of all the essentials your puppy will need. The Puppy Starter Kits are priced at £36.50 for a girl and £34.30 for a boy and can be purchased from the Hair Of The Dog website, where there is also a version especially for kittens.

Pampered pets cat hammockMost cats often need something to get their claws into, and instead of your furniture being ripped to shreds, there is an alternative. This Christmas we think your kitty would love to be treated to The Pampered Pet Great and Small Hammock Playground. Not only does it feature scratching posts, but it is a three tiered kingdom for your cat to rule. The Playground features play balls hanging from the upper tier that are sure to keep cats of any age amused. There is also a hammock where your cat can snooze the afternoon away. The Hammock Playground is made of soft fabric to ensure your fury friend is always comfy, but underneath lies hardwearing sisal to prevent damage from claws. It’s a far more exciting present for your cat than those ordinary scratching posts that all the cats in the neighbourhood have…It will keep your pet entertained for hours. You can get the Great and Small Hammock Playground from The Pampered Pet for just £44.99.

viva le chat knitted catnip mice

Cats old or young are very playful, and if they aren’t clawing at their scratching post (or your curtains if you’re not so lucky) then they are keeping themselves busy with cat toys. We have found these gorgeous Viva Le Chat Catnip Mice from Hair of the Dog. These lovely little mice are hand knitted in the USA and stuffed with Cosmic Catnip. It is a very potent form of catnip that your kitty will go mad for too. The wool is knitted very tightly to make sure that even with the roughest play the catnip will stay secure inside the mouse. As the mice are hand-made they come in a whole variety of colours and patterns. The Viva Le Chat Catnip Mice can be bought from the Hair of the Dog website for £8.50, and we will definitely adding this to our pets stocking this year.

mungo and maud cat bowlIf your pets like the finer things in life, maybe it is time to update their bowl to something a bit classier that the average plastic bowl. We love this beautiful ceramic Cat Bowl Meow from Mungo & Maud. They have a chic and classic design with gorgeous fish bone illustrations, and your cat will be sure to love dining from it. There is also another version of the design featuring a fish bowl illustration. As the bowl is ceramic, it will be heavier and less likely to move as your cat eats so there is less mess to clean up. Even better, the bowl is dishwasher safe so just pop it in every now and then like you do with your own dishes and it’ll be spotless and ready to use again in no time. You can treat your cat to one of the Mungo & Maud bowls from their website where they retail at £28. myteddybear1Hashtagdogtag is a unique brand bought together by two artists with a love for animals and especially their dogs. The concept is about showing off a dog’s personality through their own hash tag. The ladies behind these wonderful creations artistically make one off pieces with details to emphasise what your pup loves. The tags are worn on collars and give a bit of animal individuality, they are bound to cause some jealously in the park. This Christmas you can treat your dog to one of these customised tags which use the finest quality materials. There are many sizes, styles and combinations to choose from so you can really summarise your dog’s character. We think these tags are very sweet and definitely worth a purchase. They add a little style to your dogs attire whilst also storing necessary information on it. They are found here and vary in price depending on how much your dogs deserves!

Oggi christmas setOggi’s Oven has designed the perfect treat for your pups this Christmas. The Christmas Gift Pack allows you to enjoy your pups present just as much as they will. You get to do some fun baking whilst your dog sits watching desperately with puppy eyes before eventually devouring them, there’s enjoyment for everyone. One thing we really like about this brand is their products are completely additive and preservative free, making it a pleasant and healthy alternative to some of that fattening and unhealthy processed rubbish you can find in supermarkets. Oggi launched with 2 objectives, to help tackle animal obesity and to encourage children to get involved in caring for the family pet. The brand values and the concept behind the products are very admirable and appealing. There’s lots of fun to be had with these kits and a great way to get everyone together in this festive season. Now your pets don’t need to be eating your roast and pudding leftovers on Christmas day, they are part of the family after all. It really is the perfect gift idea this Christmas for everyone to enjoy together.  You can browse the stockists of the products here

 Tomorrow we have some exciting Christmas beauty gifts to share with you  for Festive Finds day three so make sure you have a read!

A Wiley Tibetan Spaniel’s Guide to Crufts - for Humans

Remember the Christmas card picture? It’s me, Mojai, aka Champion Ambylan Chyn-Cha At Braeduke JW (great title, eh?) Well after much begging and pleading by my owner I’ve agreed to write this blog (tapping a keyboard with fluffy paws isn’t easy!) but it’s amazing what you can do when you’re a handsome, debonair Tibetan Spaniel like “moi”.

But first a bit of background…I’ve done many a star-turn at Crufts and won a few prizes but that’s all in the past now.  This, my furry foray into blogging is my Guide to Crufts for Humans (it also includes a smattering of treats for you too!)

 

The Grand Show Preparation

First, the grooming…actually I rather enjoy a good wash and blow dry (Tibetan Spaniels do not get trimmed!) and for extra special pampering, my favourite groomers are Hair of The Dog London for a mere £30 – I’m coiffed and fluffed beyond my wildest dreams….  I’m very fussy about how I smell but FuzzYard products are fabulous. My favourite is their Shea Butter & Avocado Oil Paw Balm – yummy.

Now all spritzed up and ready to go, it’s time for a good brush and comb – or “le brushing” as my French basset hound friends at Crufts call it.  To smooth my very fine and silky coat (even though I say it myself) I like the Bristle Dog Brush £18.40 and Dog Comb £6.90 from Mungo and Maud.  My human loves the wood handle and they’re ‘tirelessly chic’- one must be seen being brushed by the best.... Finishing touches can be done with a dab of Aubrey Organics Grooming spray £9.68 from  Aubrey Organics.

The Journey

As a solo traveller (multiple dogs go in cages – not moi!) I’m normally belted up in the back of the car with this rather chic adjustable dog car harness (good for my varying waistline – I was very pleased to have it for Christmas when it rather alarmingly had to be let out slightly).

Hemmo and Co Adjustable Dog Car Harness is a good one with nylon webbings, solid hardware and craftsmanship at £11.99 ex VAT from The Pampered Pet Company.

A stylish travelling bowl is a must too, one that can go from car to show bench. I don’t like to follow the pack so my pick would be The Hair of the Dog London’s exclusive Hand-made Vintage Wine Crate Feeder at £85 which fits the bill.

Arrival

Meeting and greeting (and generally showing off) takes place in the car park. But a dog needs to get from car park to the arena without getting wet or muddy, so here’s what I’ve found: A Doggie Mac! Yup, this is the clever coat cover protects from cold and wet conditions plus has a removable fleece interior that keep me both warm and dry . In 5 base colours with 8 trim colour combinations you can have a Made2 Measure coat from £54 or a Ready2 Wear coat from £45. My personal favourite is a Forest Green fleece lined Made2Measure Doggie Wrap from £34.99. Both are available from Doggie Macs TOP TIP: This is soon to be the biggest doggie ‘must have’ when it makes its debut appearance at the London Palladium on 21st April  for the Comic Relief show of the Wizard of Oz.

The Wait…

Now at the arena there is a lot of hanging around on the show benches. These horrid and uncomfortable wooden benches with metal partitions need padding out so this is where the Sheepskin Pet Bed comes in. (In my case, particularly soothing for my arthritis). They are soft and warm with quilted pads underneath and best of all - humans will appreciate this – they’re machine washable.

Into the Ring

For top dog shows owners usually use slip leads.  My favourites are these half check leads made from soft lamb skin, reinforced with strong nylon cord that come in a myriad of colours – one of these is bound to coordinate with any human’s wardrobe. From £30 Hide and Collars.

Whilst show leads must co-ordinate with humans, it’s important that humans do not embarrass their dog i.e. with bright garish colours, swirly skirts or silly high heels (aw-woof-ful!). A copy of Judith Watt’s Dogs In Vogue may give a little inspiration for your coordinated look.

Humans have lots of things to juggle in the show ring so an elegant treat bag is essential. I like the Waifs & Strays Designer Dog Treat Bag at £36 ex VAT from The Pampered Pet Company which is definitely  a stylish accoutrement for the discerning pet owner. It can be filled with our favourite titbits to encourage us to smile and wag our tails. Cooked liver and goat cheese are my personal favourites (are you taking notes?)

Rewards

After our fine performances we deserve something rather delicious…like Wilson's Paw Bakery Gift Box of 3 Dog Cookie's.  So much more than “doggy biscuits” they look like human confectionery and only use the finest ingredients that are safe for dogs.  The products contain no cocoa and no theobromine.  I hope everyone knows that human chocolate has cocoa and theobromine which is highly toxic to dogs. These treats are wheat & gluten free, no artificial colouring or flavourings, no GMO's (Genetically modified organisms) and are proudly handmade and hand-decorated in the UK. The complete range has been tested and enjoyed by humans. So if your pet is feeling generous he might share…

 

 

 

Finally, how about immortalising your pet? Not just some boring old photo or a painting to hang on the wall, think  Banksy, think 21st Century. The artist Teddy Baden has some great suggestions for painting your prize-winning pet as a mural on your garden wall or perhaps on the front of the house...well it would give the other dogs in the neighbourhood something talk about.

*EXCLUSIVE OFFERS* - FOR MARCH 2011 ONLY

  • Hair of the Dog London www.hairofthedoglondon.com. Call up to book in for TWO grooming treatments and receive one FREE.
  • Crufts takes place from 10-13 March at the NEC, Birmingham (www.crufts.org.uk), Tibetan Spaniel day is the SUNDAY !