A Healthy Future

'Dogs - A Healthy Future', narrated by Clare Balding, is the Kennel Club's latest short film, focusing on the health and welfare of dogs in the UK. One of the main subjects covered is puppy farming and what it's done to the health of many innocent dogs, with puppy farmers irresponsible and overly selective breeding being the leading cause of hereditary diseases in dogs today.

The film also takes a look at what is being done to rectify the issues and how the KC intends to keep our dogs welfare a top priority on everyone's list this year. It calls for united action against the concerns raised, to ensure real progress is made in 2012 and for years to come. Our dogs' future is in our hands.

The film was uploaded to the KC's youtube channel last week and has already totted up over 22,900 views. You can watch the full film below and do your bit to help spread the word by sharing a link to this post or directly to the video, awareness and understanding is only a click away.



Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

P.S We've been away for a long time, due to illness (my own, the girls are all fine!) but we'll be doing some major catching up over the next week, so be sure to check back with us soon ;)

Training Tombles (Lola).

Everyone who has a dog thinks theirs is beautiful and each dog is, in its own way. As any proud parents would, we think Tombles (Lola) is gorgeous. She's also really quite clever and very quick to learn new things, so we've decided to try her out in the world of doggy modelling. Before we can sign up with an agency though we need to get her trained up and be confident in her skills. While we're on the training path, we thought we'd share some of our sessions with you!

We actually started training her to 'sit' yesterday, so she's pretty good at that already;

However mid session Daddy (Jonny) decided to throw her a curve ball and try her with 'down'. We caught her first attempt(s) and her third attempt on film! (Her second attempt was used on a 'practise go' ready for the next video).

First ever attempt - working out what exactly 'down' is;

I love how enthusiastic she is hurling herself into the 'down' position in this next video, she seems so pleased with herself! Obviously over time once her confidence grows and she gets used to the commands we'll polish up her method of going into the lie down pose, but for now we'd rather she enjoyed our short sessions and keep it fun and happy for her :)

Third try - pretty darn good!;

Of course it's early days, so Tombles still makes mistakes, here's a little blooper video - she does a half sit, a real sit and then she drops her biscuit - please excuse my giggling, we were dying laughing!

We'll post updates on her training every so often, when she learns a new trick or really perfects one we've already started working on :)

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Note; We don't use what's known as the 'Alpha method' (used by certain TV dog trainers/whisperers, ahem) and physically push them into a sit or a lie down, or scold them if they do it 'wrong', we exclusively use what's become known as the 'Victoria Stilwell method' (plus positive reinforcement) and wait patiently while the puppy/dog actually figures out what it is we want her to do. If she doesn't do it we don't make her feel like she's failed, we just try again and when she does do it, we give her a treat and praise her, so she learns doing the command = something really good. Personally we find it feels kinder and seems more effective than other methods, it's better for them to use their brains, right?

Dog Vlog!

It's been a while since we shared a video here, so we thought it was high time we did so! We'll be back in the next day or 2 with a ton of pictures as well, we've been snap happy lately lol. We're hoping to do some more shopping soon, so there'll be some haul posts in the next 2/3 weeks and we might do a review type post? Maybe!

For now though,

Love & licks (and camera clicks!)

Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Someone's got a chip on their shoulder...

In honour of 'National Micro Chipping Month' we got our butts in gear and got Lily and Monroe chipped finally yesterday. It timed pretty well with Buffy her booster jab.

They all did really well, with minimal fuss :)

Buffy usually has to be kept an eye on as she tends to have a mild reaction to her jabs, having flu like symptoms for a day or 2 after, sickness and some pretty bad swelling on the actual site of the injection, however this time she's bounced straight back from it and has no swelling! The vet used a different brand of vaccine this time, (we've had Duramune in the past, this time she got Nobivac) so we're thrilled at the difference!

In other news we bought the girls a toy a while back, (we've been trying to cut down seeing as our toy stock is approaching 50*), so we've uploaded a video of Lily showcasing her football talents, for everyone to see :)



It's a blueberry flavoured bouncy ball (that floats too) and it's really does smell yummy lol! Not sure any of the human Hiltons will be having a nibble on it though!

*We might do another toy inventory soon, seeing as we've acquired so much since our last one... click -here- to see the original toy inventory.

Until then,
Love & licks as ever,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe and Lily.
xo

Movie stars.

As promised, here are the videos we mentioned in our last post :)

Rafferty playing;

Lily being cute;

Our week has been pretty uneventful, so we shan't ramble, but other people have had some exciting events recently, which we'll be sure to post on tomorrow :)

Until then, au revoir!
Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe & Lily.
xo

P.S As we said last week, if anyone has any ideas for 'summer toys', be sure to drop us some info via the links in the sidebar :) >>>

'Haul' aboard!

Today has been a lovely super sunny day so far, so we decided to get some pictures and videos of the girls with their new toys! :)
We ordered them some peach flavoured (pet safe) 'Incredibubbles', a 'giggle' ball, a Starkmark bob-a-lot treat dispenser, all 4 'flavours' of the Walkies crisps by Sharples N Grant and a pink Zig a Zag motorised ball... Phew.
Everything has arrived, aside from the Zig a Zag ball, which we're expecting tomorrow or Friday :)

Here's our haul;

A few pictures of the girls enjoying their new things;

And to finish, some videos of them in action;







Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe & Lily.
xo

Order up!

A few days ago we were all bored and had a few spare pennies, so we decided to add to the girls ever expanding toy collection!
(Which is now standing at 34 toys!)
(The rainbow ring arrived as you may remember and the pink rope sheep was resurrected!)

So this time round, we got them the Kong Wubba fox, a rope scruffer toy, a Hartz dental ring and a small Choo Chum chocolate flavour chewy ring...
Then, the crowning jewel of our shop, we fiiinally ordered the Trixie Gambling Tower! :D

I think we're more excited than they are...

Here's what we got in pictures anyway;

 

We'll have to upload some pictures of them enjoying their new toys in our next post :)

Back soon!
Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe & Lily.
xo

A big hello all the way to Belgium and a big "Happy Birthday" to Daddy!

Just for Chiel <3


P.s Happy (late) Birthday to Daddy!
Hope you had a great day, lots of love Mummy/Rio, Buffy, Rafferty & Monroe!