Finally, a comfortable pet cone!

Olive (and many other dogs I’m sure) hates the regular Elizabethan collar, the plastic “cone of shame” used to keep dogs from licking their wounds or rashes. She completely freezes and will stand for hours staring at you with the cumbersome E-collar on. Hours. That’s if you can monitor her for that long. Because the moment you turn your back, she will shake her head vigorously and paw it off somehow, no matter how tight I’ve tied it on, along with her collar!

So we jumped at the chance to try out the Kong Cushion, which is a comfortable inflatable ring which will prevent your dog from licking their paws or wounds. It is also super easy to clean and to put on with velcro fasteners.

Olive is able to FALL ASLEEP with this on. This says it all. She is still very much conscious of it but it doesn’t bother or scare her like the E-collar. She can eat and drink unhindered. It is effective enough in preventing her from licking and scratching most parts of her, but she can still reach her tail and in some cases, the tip of her hind paws. Maybe a Large will solve that issue completely, but the Medium is good enough for us.

Olive catching up on her beauty sleep…

We do not recommend this ring for dogs who will bite the ring or continuously try to paw it off, as it can be punctured with teeth or sharp nails.

The Kong Cushion is available for sale at Kohepets, ranging from $30 to $56.

Finding Treats that Work

Some dogs will gobble down anything (like Olive), while other dogs like Muddy are more discerning with their tastes (a.k.a. picky). Even when it comes to treats, Muddy doesn’t go for biscuits or ‘fake’ meat; he will only accept those with REAL meat that are air-dried or dehydrated, for example.

Treats are important for training and rewarding on a daily basis. So when we got to try these amazing Absolute Bites Air Dried Duck Breast treats, we decided to test it out on a pack walk down busy Orchard Road (during Christmas).

Cheese! Muddy is staring straight at his owner with the pack of Absolute Bites in her hand – it works wonders!

Muddy’s owner said that Muddy was willing to sit and stay for photos longer, and his recall is quicker with this treat. In addition, she’s been working on his shyness with strangers and is improving as she feeds him the treat whenever someone approaches, even going as far as interacting with them especially if they feed him too.

The product itself is easy to tear into small pieces and the smell is mild so your hands don’t smell after that. All in all a great product!

Muddy at the vet: “Muddy is usually terrified at the vet but these treats in particular did help him relax more and distracted him very well.”

Available from Kohepets.

Never Enough Balls

Lucy the Cocker Spaniel recently got to pick out a bunch of new accessories, courtesy of Kohepets.

For ball-crazy dogs like Lucy (who must play fetch everyday and when when she’s had enough, she lies down and squeaks the ball to her heart’s content), Kong Air Dog Squeaker Balls are perfect.

Such a difficult choice…which shade of gray do I want?

Good quality,  non-abrasive tennis-ball fabric, and bright colours – what more could a girl want? These made-in-USA balls don’t fall apart like some other squeaker balls after a few games of fetch, and are pretty much the only balls Lucy get.  

(Did you also notice the oh-so-pretty detachable Bowtix handmade collar on her neck? It’s suitable for small dogs and is better used as a secondary collar if your dog is a strong puller. In love with the geometric fabric on this one, and so tempted to get one in a floral print too!)

As ball crazy as Lucy is, she’s never really played ball outdoors at night because she’s so dark that both her and the ball could be lost too easily and not found til dawn. So owner Sisi was psyched to get the All For Paws K-Lite ball. Shake it to activate the glow-in-the-dark effect, and you’re all set to play with your pooch at night. It’s amazingly bright!

What does the magic crystal ball tell you, Lucy?

It is a tad bigger than an average tennis ball, so Lucy had a little trouble carrying it over longer distances.

One more light-up accessory for those dark nights is a light-up leash! Jet-black Lucy is now safer with the Marukan Safety Light Up Leash. Available in three colours and two light-up modes (regular and blinking), it is very handy to have on night walks or cycles. All Lucy needs now is a glow-in-the-dark vest and she’ll be all set to go exploring the jungles at night!

This leash requires special batteries (which can easily be found in most HDB DIY or miscellaneous shops) which is stated on the packaging so don’t throw it away before getting the batteries like we did! It is also more suited for small dogs.

Watch out for my fancy new leash!

Thanks, Kohepets, for all the balls and glow-in-the-dark toys for Lucy! Very useful and practical and they’re being used on a daily basis.

PERROBOX Goodies!

The Furry Tales dogs are so fortunate and loved. Olive and Lucy had the privilege of reviewing their PERROBOX surprises recently.

Olive and Lucy waiting for permission to get at ’em!

PERROBOX handpicks toys, healthy and wholesome treats and other goodies, and delivers a personalized subscription box to your pooch at a small fee. Who doesn’t love getting surprises in the mail right??

Lucy got a PERROBOX for small dogs and Olive got a large dog one. We love the simple and natural packaging!

Olive went straight for the beef rib stick amongst all the other yummy treats she was given (Oven-Baked Dental Care Treats, Zeal Free Range Naturals Venison Shanks) and even ignored her Petstages stuffing-free lion!

I smell a beef rib stick somewhere in here!

Found it!!

Lucy on the other hand ignored most of the treats (Merrick Powerbites, Bark-Kwa and beef rib) and dug out the Kong squeaky ball. Lucy loves toys and couldn’t wait to play with it.

I spot a toy in here!!

Okay, she couldn’t resist The Barkery’s Bark-Kwa either! Mama can I have this?

Overall, we find PERROBOX good value for money (40-50% off individual retail prices). The boxes had at least three treats, a chew stick and a toy each (and Lucy’s box also had a cute doggy bowl), and it will save us from having to run to a pet store to stock up on them for at least a few weeks. The treats were healthy and showed the use-by and expiry dates. We were also pleased to learn that 10% of PERROBOX subscription procceeds every month go directly to an animal shelter. By subscribing to their newsletter, you will be able to find out which charities benefit from your purchases.

I’m not sharing these with any of the other dogs. Mine. All mine.

Happy doggies.

If you would like to order your own subscription box filled with at least 4-6 healthy treats and toys, PERROBOX is having an AWESOME deal on Groupon at the moment (til 14 June) – 50% off their regular subscription prices!!

The deal:
Subscription for small dog for $14.90 instead of $29.90
Subscription for medium dog for $17.40 instead of $34.90
Subscription for large dog for $18.40 instead of $36.90

Go get a PERROBOX now, seriously, at those prices it’s a no-brainer.

If you prefer normal pricing, head to www.perrobox.com and decide if you would like a monthly, bi-monthly or yearly subscription and choose your box based on your pooch’s size. If your dog has diet restrictions or any allergies, PERROBOXtakes note of it in your subscriptions so that is one worry that can be ticked off the list. Your first box is delivered within three days of your order and subsequently delivered on the first week of every month with no delivery fee! (In Singapore only.)

PS. Lucy loves her ball so much that she slept with it in her mouth, and also kept it very close to her nose so nobody would be able to take it away from her.

Mommy, I’m tired from playing. Zzz…

 

 

Paw Pet-radizing

Our dogs haven’t been out much recently due to the haze in Singapore, so we thought a Saturday night visit to Paw Pet-radise was in order, to catch up on their social life.

Party night for Junior, Hyper, Olive, Kafka, Lulu and Lucy (L-R).

We didn’t get the dogs any food from the doggie menu this time (although they went begging to other tables as a result), but the humans enjoyed their meal. The Kimchi Stew is pretty yummy, but also pretty spicy!

Yummy Kimchi Stew with rice.

And everything cheesy is always good!

Cheesy chicken with rice.

Cheese fries.

There is a large enough space in the center of the cafe for a few smaller dogs to play in, but it gets a bit crowded with bigger dogs if they are all running about.

The play space in the middle of the cafe.

Our dogs alternated between begging at our table and others. They are quite expert at it. Some even got a cheese fry or two.

Handsome Kafka doing his best begging face.

We also bumped into Instagram friends @mangothesheltie and @somewhitecookie whom we’d not met face to face til last Saturday. It was nice to finally put faces to names. Lucy and Cookie were forced to take a photo together, and he flatly rejected the idea of posing with a strange girl.

Cookie turning his back on Lucy to talk to his fellow white friend!

Paw Pet-radise is located at 530 Balestier Road Monville Mansion #01-07, Singapore 329857. There is plenty of parking close by. Opening hours: Mon, Wed & Thu 5:00pm-11:00pm, Fri 5:00pm-1:00am, Sat 12:00pm-1:00am, Sun 12:00pm-11:00pm. Cash terms only.

Picnic-ing with Hot Dogs!

The Furry Tales visited a very scenic spot in Bukit Batok for a picnic, otherwise known as Singapore’s Little Guilin. It was a perfect day – slightly overcast weather, yummy food, beautiful view and our (hot) dogs ran their hearts out!

A beautiful day for a picnic!

Cooling off in the water after playing hard!

Our dogs also got to test out some really cool stuff from Tiny Krew, a retailer and distributor of premium pet products. For one, they got their own hand-crafted tipi tent (which they had to share). Besides outdoor fun, the tipi can be used as a cozy den area for indoor sleeping (and we could also see it being used as a play area for children and other small animals!).

Sharing is caring. We all like to cozy up. (Growler Goods tipi from Tiny Krew)

Before getting wild and dirty, the dogs modeled their new collars, leashes and poo bags! They loved showing off their fashionable and chi-chi side almost as much as the humans enjoyed shopping for them.

Snazzy collars, matching leashes and stylish poop bag holders!

What we like about the Waggo collars and leashes is the fact that they are made from recycled plastic bottles! That’s pretty cool, right? And their fun prints really make our dogs look good. The stylish eco-friendly Business Buddy (haha) poop bag holders also come in many prints, which made choosing one for each dog a challenge – we want them all!

Doesn’t Muddy look dapper in polka dots?

Little Guilin is a great place for us to bring our dogs because there is plenty of space for them to run around in, and we humans had shady trees to relax under. Some water-loving dogs (ahemmm Kafka and Lucy…) jumped into the brown water to swim, without permission, we might add!

Lucy is ready to take herself for a walk, complete with her Business Buddy poop bag holder!

While the rest of our dogs had a little dip of their paws in the pond, Kafka and Lucy went for a real swim!

We all had an amazing time, we will be back for sure! (Parking is easy at the HDB flats along Bukit Batok St 52.) The dogs were conked out for the rest of the day after their showers, along with the humans.

Oh, and we teamed up with Tiny Krew to bring you an attractive 25% discount off all their Jax & Bones, Waggo and Growler Goods products for the month of July (quote “TFT25” at checkout). We think Tiny Krew’s toys and accessories make great presents for fellow dog-owners or as a special treat for our own pooches, so get shopping! (See further terms and conditions below.)

Here are some more pictures of our outing.

Muddy got muddy by rolling in the wet grass!

Kafka and Lulu chilling under a tree.

Having the time of their lives! Ah, young love…

It was peaceful once the dogs got tired.

And a video to sum up the dogs’ cool runnnings!

Terms and Conditions of “TFT25” code:
1. No minimum purchase required.
2. Discount will be applied at checkout.
3. Not valid with other promotions and sale items.
4. Valid storewide except the following brands: ohpopdog, AGnix, Smart Pet Care.
5. Not valid on the following bundles: Starter Kits, Adopted Charity Packs.
6. Valid until 31 July 2015.

Little Yarn Friends

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting and crocheting small stuffed animals.

Rachel from Little Yarn Friends recently sponsored 3 cute little corgi keychains as giveaways for our #TFTsleepingdog Instagram contest. Thank you, Rachel!

Corgi prizes for our TFT contest winners

Rachel is a self-taught crochet-amigurumi artist. She started making her first few amigurumis with the help of crochet books. Now she transforms simple balls of yarn to cute little yarn friends! We love love love her adorable crochet dog series. She’s made corgis, schnauzers, labrador retrievers, malteses and more.  If there is a particular dog breed you want made into a keychain or brooch and don’t see it on her store, you can always e-mail her and she might be able to do it. They make great gifts too!

Labrador retrievers.

Schnauzer and Kitty.

Head over to http://www.littleyarnfriends.com or e-mail Rachel at littleyarnfriends@gmail.com to check out all her adorable designs.

Photo credit: Little Yarn Friends

Princess Lucy’s Fan Pack by Rao Canine

Rao Canine online store has another great offer for you this week. They’ve put together a pink package for Princess Lucy’s fans.

A true princess.

Lucy’s favourite colour is pink black and white, but Lucy’s mama loves pink so Rao Canine put together a basket of pink treats and toys for her.

I be blend right in with my pink ears!

Save $9.30 when you buy this Pretty in Pink bundle! What’s in the bundle:

• Wellness Petite Treats Chicken, Cherries & Spearmint, $7.90

These bite-sized soft treats are the perfect size for use as training rewards. Although it is meant for small dogs, it’s also great for big dogs because they are able to quickly eat it during training. It comes in 4 tasty flavours and even the humans want to eat it. The soft treats can be broken into half if you are worried about giving your little one too many.

• Real Meat All Natural Venison Jerky Treats, $9.50

Real Meat All Natural Jerky Treats are made from 95% meat. Sourced from the finest free range grass fed meats with no added hormones or antibiotics, Real Meat is a healthy choice for your dog.

• Cloudstar Buddy Biscuits Soft & Chewy Sweet Potato, $15.50

For dogs that love to eat their veggies, Cloudstar has a soft & chewy sweet potato treat. We love soft treats because they don’t crumble as much and they can be broken into smaller pieces.

• KONG ZoomGroom, $13.00

ZoomGroom is a fantastic brush that can be use for daily grooming or while shampooing your doggie. To be honest, the dogs don’t care about the hair that it picks up like a magnet. All they are in for is the therapeutic massage the rubber bristles give them when you brush them.

• Safemade: SafeChew Gimme Octopus, $12.50

Safemade toys is a great way to keep your dogs entertained. You can stuff treats in it and let your puppy chew it or toss it like a ball. It is also oven and freezer safe which means you can bake the snacks right in the toy. You can also fill it with fruit and yoghurt to make a cool snack on a hot day.

• Petz Route Strawberry toy with rattle, $6.00

Lucy’s absolute favourite is the pink strawberry. Throughout the photo taking, her mouth kept creeping nearer the strawberry and sometimes nibbled on it like a baby’s pacifier. Instead of a squeaker, this toy comes with a rattle.

• KONG Dodo, $19.90

The KONG Dodo is there because Lucy loves stuffed toys and it is so darned cute.

The total value of this bundle is $84.30 but for a limited time, you can get it at only $75.00 (savings of $9.30)! This offer is valid till the end of July!

Lucy a.k.a. Toy Monster enjoys 10% off ShopYbf

Contributed by Sisi Soh
Lucy is a toy monster. She has a big box full of toys and still, I can’t crinkle a packet of anything or bring home a plastic bag without her thinking it’s a new toy for her. If I bring her along with me when I tutor preschoolers at their homes, I have to get the children to hide their stuffed animals because Lucy goes right for them. Every night, Lucy sits by my bed or the sofa and waits for me to ask what she wants. Once I do, she rushes out to her toy box and picks out something to bring to me to play with her.

Mama? Play? NOW?

Lucky for her, Christmas came really early this year! She received a parcel in the mail and in it were some really cool surprises from ShopYbf. She received the cutest doggy iPad  (iPaw), a rockstar guitar and a cute polka dot fishbone. We also got a tin of Sunday Pets Free Ranger Happy Lamb dog food and a yummy BURP chew stick. Thank you so much! The house was filled with the “wonderful” sounds of squeaking all day long that day.

She loved all of them but the iPaw was the biggest hit. She hasn’t seen much of her friends this week so she was busy face-timing them. We also enjoyed working side by side on the couch together. Her on her iPaw and me on my iPad.

Lucy replying to her 1079 emails!

ShopYbf (which stands for “Your Best Friend”) is a Singapore-based online store, selling good quality and affordable merchandize not just for our pets, but for us owners as well. We love their customizable tote bags which we can’t wait to receive.

Just for our TFT readers, ShopYbf is giving a cool 10% off their products up til 31 July 2015. So go to www.shopybf.com and quote “TFT10” to enjoy it. Do note that the discount code won’t be applicable to food/treats or promotional items on the store.

Mine, all mine!

Muddy’s Diet: Holistic Select Grain Free Dog Food! ($10 coupon inside)

Contributed by Tanya Rongkavilit
Muddy has gone through two massive 11.8kg bags of Holistic Select GRAIN FREE Adult & Puppy Health Salmon and Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe (kibble). I’ll first go through the quantitative aspects this food then Muddy will give his qualitative review later on.

Holistic Select believes that total body health begins with the digestive health. Their pet recipes contain a Unique Digestive Health Support System (digestive enzymes and digestive botanicals as well as pre- and probiotics), in addition to vegetables, fruits, proteins, whole grains and omega fatty acids. The main ingredients include: salmon, anchovy & sardine meal, potatoes, peas, dried ground potatoes, canola oil, menhaden fish meal, tomato pomace, flaxseed, pea fibre and pumpkin.

Salmon is the main protein source, which is supported by anchovy and sardine meal. This kibble recipe uses potatoes and peas (instead of grain filler) and canola oil provides omega 3 fatty acids (instead of  animal fat).  It has been scientifically proven that this balance of fish and potato is ideal for treating dogs with sensitive stomachs. (Source: Best Puppy Food Brands)

Muddy with his favorite kibble

We have seen two major improvements in Muddy after switching to Holistic Select Grain Free. Firstly, he has always had a sensitive stomach. The slightest change in diet or even just one wrong treat could trigger a massive diarrhea session. On average, Muddy gets diarrhea about once a month and we’ve always had to be on alert when it came to what he ate and what other people gave him. Surprisingly, since he started on Holistic Select Grain Free, we have not had a single diarrhea incident. His stool is now always solid and dark in color.

My old food used to make me poop too much!

The other noticeable improvement is his eagerness to eat his kibble. Muddy is a picky dog when it comes to kibble. We always had to mix it with either cooked food or canned food. But with Holistic Select Grain Free, he eats them as is and really enjoys it. That gives us such comfort!

We have also seen other good things that have come out from switching to this kibble. His skin and fur is really healthy now and Muddy has been receiving compliments all over town. It’s shiny, soft and silky.

My fur is so shiny I can be in a hair commercial!

He also used to fart like an old man and now it has stopped completely (sorry to embarrass you, Muddy, but it’s useful information)! Another observation is how he doesn’t stink even after two weeks of not showering! Not that I usually wait that long in between baths, but sometimes I do forget because I decide to shower him according to how he smells.

The only thing to keep an eye on is that we think Muddy has gained a bit of weight – perhaps because it’s grain free and his body is able to absorb more of the nutrients present. We are still adjusting the amount to find the perfect balance. But all in all we are super duper happy with Holistic Select Grain Free and won’t be changing anytime soon!

It spells Muddy right? Cos its for me?

I’ll just eat the M for Muddy

You can order Holistic Select GRAIN FREE Adult & Puppy Health Salmon and Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe from Rao Canine. From now till End of June, get $10 off each large bag of Holistic Select Dog Food  and $5 off each small bag of Holistic Select Dog Food ordered from Rao Canine. Use coupon code muddy10 for large bags and muddy5 for small bags.