In Memory of Mojai 01/07/1997 to 17/04/2013

When God had made the earth and sky the flowers and the trees, He then made all the animals the fish, the birds and bees.

And when at last He'd finished not one was quite the same. He said, "I'll walk this world of mine and give each one a name."

And so He travelled far and wide and everywhere He went, a little creature followed Him until it's strength was spent.

When all were named upon the earth and in the sky and sea, the little creature said, "Dear Lord, there's not one left for me."

Kindly the Father said to him, "I've left you to the end. I've turned my own name back to front and called you dog, My friend."

Anon.

Our Favourite Christmas Pet Buys

The last day of our "Favourite Christmas Buys" is dedicated to our pets. At The Amazing Blog we think they definitely deserve celebrating with us, that's why the next items are perfect for those of you who want to treat your pets this Christmas.

Are you sick of the smell in your car after you take your dog for a drive? Or ever wish there was a bed small enough for your pet to comfortably sit on in the back seat? Celia Lindsell has created the perfect solution! Their Lavender Bag for the Car will freshen up the scent of your car and is designed to slip into the side door or be popped into the seat pocket. It can be used as a cushion for your dog to sit on, or even works wonders to keep kids relaxed. The outer cover is finished with press stud poppers, and the entire bag is fully washable. You can purchase the Lavender Bag on their website here for only £16.95.

Paws Couture has a dog carrier bag that we fell in love with. Designed like a tote, this carrier is 100% polyester and waterproof. It has everything someone could be looking for in a simple and stylish dog carrier bag. Your little pup will be comfortable, with the bag strap easily resting on your shoulder.  However, make sure your pet is under  8 kilos or the dog carrier won't take the weight. We were looking at this for Mojai but at portly 8.5 kilos sadly he won't fit! The carrier comes in brown and black and can be purchased on their website for £48.99.

Redhound for dogs has an adorable machine knit Christmas jumper that would look great on any dog (modelled here by our very own Mojai!) It is the perfect fit for small to medium sized dogs and will keep them warm all day and night long. Made of 100% lambswool it makes a glamorous accompaniment to this seasons on-trend  Christmas sweater for humans. They have an array of different snowflake patterns in different colours. You can purchase them on Redhound’s website for £33.00.

Looking for some brilliant handmade treats for your dog this Christmas? Try Hugo and Hennie’s Christmas Treats and Pup Cakes. These edible treats would make the perfect gift for you or your friend’s dog. They are beautiful and festively packaged and also have a lovely gift tag section on the back. They are made with 100% human grade ingredients, gluten, wheat, and dairy free and have no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives. These cute and delicious treats will certainly satisfy your dog. They can be bought on the website here starting at £2.95.

Charley Chau has come up with the perfect solution for dogs who like to snuggle under blankets! Their Snuggle Beds have a cosy Faux-Fur Fleece lined pocket for snuggling so your dog can stay warm and comfy even when you are not home to cuddle with them. The beds come in different patterns and sizes and are fully washable. A cute video example of a dog getting into the bed is attached. You can purchase these fabulous dog beds on Charley Chau’s website here.

Your dog can never have enough toys to play with. Ollie and Mo offer an adorable range of dog toys that would make perfect gifts this Christmas season. Our favourite selections of their toys are the soft, squeaky ones that are mocked off of name brand goods such as the Barkbury, Chewy Vuiton, and the Red Bulldog. These dog toys retail for £7  and can be purchased on Ollie and Mo’s website here.

Pup Aid: The Coolest Dog Show in Town!

Here at The Amazing Blog our summer weekends seem to have been jam packed with exciting activities and events ranging from nights out sipping on delicious cocktails to lapping up the sun at ice cream festivals with friends. And as a group of dog-lovers, we feel that it’s about time that our canine companions are given a little of the same treatment, and what better way to do it than an exciting day out surrounded by our four legged friends.

And what better way to indulge your furry friend than by taking them along to Pup Aid – the coolest dog show in town. On Saturday, it's located in Primrose Hill, the event is ideal for both dogs and dog lovers alike. Judged by high profile dog lovers including Sarah Harding and Brian May the show aims to raise awareness of the cruel practice of puppy farming.

This free event starts at 11am and runs until 5pm with dog registration at 10am. Pup Aid offers the perfect opportunity to spend the afternoon with other like minded animal lovers while perusing the trade stalls, sampling some of the delicious food on offer and listening to music as well as watching the scruff’s dog competition heats.

If you think your pooch is up to scratch, why not enter them into one of the competition categories which include ‘Golden Oldies’, ‘Child's Best Friend’, ‘Prettiest Bitch’ and ‘Most Handsome Dog’? And if you and your four-legged friend decide to enter there is free James WellBeloved treats on offer for the hounds.

So whether you've got a handsome hound to enter the show, or are simply an animal lover looking for something fun to do this weekend, head down to Primrose Hill and check out Pup Aid, the coolest dog show in town!

Power Paws

As regular readers of The Amazing Blog will know we have the elderly and much loved Tibetan Spaniel Mojai as a regular member of staff. He recently turned 15 (that’s 105 in human years) and I’m very conscious that his mobility is lessening (due to arthritis) as his little back legs are sliding around on all shiny floor surfaces. Mojai doesn’t have a bad life, he eats better than I do (always organic chicken no less), has a larger array of food/joint supplements than I do (including my Vital Greens) and definitely has more cuddles and compliments than I ever do! So that’s why it’s only the best for my dear one – which is where I hit upon Power Paws.

What I love about these Power Paws socks is the fact that they are really easy to put on. As all dog owners will understand, I generally get the filthiest of looks and a torrent of verbal abuse if I ever fiddle with Mojai’s feet, and so I was most concerned that this was going to be a bit of a mission.  However, Power Paws went on quickly without too much fuss. As you will see from the photo they are gripping the floor as they have a rubberised paw shape where the pad is which helps to give traction. I like the stylish black socks  (click on the greyhound image to see the variety of colours) and they also come in blue, pink and even a festive Christmas themed pair!

The thing to remember is that these socks are elasticated so will need to be snug fitting and not oversized, as they will simply roll on the foot or slip off.  The correct fitting sock will stay on without slipping and will allow one finger's room into the cuff. Power Paws come in a choice of 8 sizes and in packs of 4.   For Mojai I went for a ‘small’ which is a snug fit – curiously I notice that he has smaller back paws than the front! I cannot recommend these highly enough for anyone who has an elderly dog, as they now mean that I can leave him alone in the kitchen without worrying that he will slip and not be able to get up when I’m not there. These socks are machine washable and in my view are a very reasonable £16.99 and they have certainly given ‘power’ back to Mojai’s paws.

Pet Water Bottle

On our walks and journeys in the car during the hot weather I always have the conundrum of how to transport water for Mojai – even on short our commute to The Amazing Blog offices. Although as a sophisticated London dog, who frequently joins me to dine in the finest gastro pubs (and the odd dog-friendly restaurant) he has learnt to drink from a glass. Yes he happily laps away from any human’s glass - what a clever doggy he is! However, the point is I need a container for our trips and of course only the best will do for my pet.

Thankfully, I was recently introduced to the stylish The Pet Water Bottle it is made of the finest stainless steel It has a large opening making it easy to clean and refill.  Both the spout and the cap are made from a BPA free, food-grade quality, FDA specified polypropylene, meaning it's healthy for your dog and for the environment. It also has a unique patented floating ball that releases just enough drinking water for a single sip – so it reduces waste. I had my doubts whether my old boy would be able to master such a thing (i.e. you can’t teach an old dog new tricks…) But he soon mastered the bottle cheerfully licking away (see above photo). This Pet Water Bottle currently has 11 different designs, it conveniently hooks onto a belt or handbag and comes in two sizes 500ml and 750ml, prices start from £12.99 and they are available at The Pet Water Bottle. They are doing a Giveaway on their Twitter so please follow when they reach 100 followers they will select a winner.

Little known fact: Did you know that when dogs drink that their tongue curls backwards and under? This is how they cleverly ‘hook’ the water into their mouths without wastage – i.e. if their tongue curled upwards.