Border Collies and Bacon #SatCap

This little poochie loves his food. When I'm making the breakfast he will lay on the floor between my toes and the cabinets hoping I drop something which he can scoff up. When we are eating dinner he will try and sneak into the dining area and sit under the table even though he knows he isn't allowed to. When having a snack on the sofa he will sit on the floor while resting his head on the seat so he can watch you.

He is such a cheeky one but with his puppy eyes, quite literally, it's often hard to say no and I usually save him something tasty!

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Discovering the Best Super Foods for Your Pet and You

Many people have favourite pet food brands and they will argue that their choice is the best. The discussion about which pet foods are healthiest can be as detailed as what the best fence for dogs is and whether the pet stop invisible fence is at the top of the list. It sounds silly to non-pet people, but those of us who believe our pets are family members are passionate about finding the safest, healthiest products for them.

While the proper containment for your pet is definitely important, even more so is what you feed them. Even buying pet food that is labelled organic or natural may not be the best choice, as government regulations are not that strict about what can be in pet foods that are labelled organic. The only way to be sure your pet is getting the safe, healthy food they deserve is to make it yourself. With the following list of super foods, it will be a snap for you!

Caption THIS #2

We all manage to capture a few odd expressions or mishaps on camera so why not share them so we can all have a giggle? That's what I will be doing each Saturday and for those that join in by commenting there will be a chance to win some treats each week!

Spartan wasn't keen on the drilling coming from next door so he mounted the sofa and started barking at the wall...

When Pets Become Family

I was never really keen on dogs, or pets in general, until we got Spartan. I was always worried the house would smell, that there would be piles of fur like tumbleweed and little puddles of drool awaiting my fresh bare feet, but that's far from the case. Most of the time. 

The Mr was raised with dogs. Not literally like Jacob in Twilight but with plenty of the four legged friends running around in his home, so to him it was natural to have his own when he moved in with me. I had my worries but love really does make you do crazy things and we ended up purchasing our ball of fluff on New Years Day 2012. It was hard work to begin and there were puddles of a different kind to mop up but our new companion made the Mr, the Mini Mes and even me happy so it was definitely worth it. 

It also stopped me being broody for a while which was a bonus!

Up Close and Personal

Spartan

His wet, delicate nose twitches and his tongue pokes out from between his teeth, as he sits on the cool leather and awaits the day's deliveries.

He knows they will come, they always do, and he will be ready to bark and pounce on anything that gets within reach. That much is true.

His tail waves back and forth like a snake and his ears raise at every passer by and cat, dog or bird that meets his eye.

He sees a shoe approach the path.

He hears footsteps too.

He rises onto all fours and stands on the armrest for a better look with an inquisitive stare.

The red jacket and bag is recognised and he knows his opportunity is there.

"Woof"

He runs to the door, sliding across the tiles like Bambi on ice, to claim the mail as his own chew toy. He also longs to lick the poor postman to death, with the tongue he loves to deploy.
He attempts to run back to alert me of my visitor, but then paws at the handle hoping to get a peek at what excitement lurks behind his barrier.

I gather my mail from the wire tray and return to my seat.
He sits proudly at my feet, in hope of a treat, thinking his job here is complete...

Until the courier arrives and he begins to repeat!

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*** The Mini Mes and Me have been shortlisted in the Family category of the BiB awards! ***

Many thanks for everyone that nominated us  - we would really appreciate your vote to help us get to the final too.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BiBs2014Shortlist

(Fill in your name and email address then scroll down to number 11 and select The Mini Mes and Me)

Silent Sunday

    

The Funny Things Kids Say and Do... The Dog Edition

It would appear that we have found ourselves a new dog. He is small and cute, about 7 years old, and very obedient (thankfully). He likes to play fetch and is very well behaved on and off the lead.

Minxy has really enjoyed playing with him this past week...

 

What funny things have your little ones done this week?

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The importance of pet insurance

Pets quickly become part of the family and many of us build unbreakable bonds with cats and dogs in particular as they live in our homes for many years - even if they cover it in fur!

Our Border Collie Spartan has just turned one and despite the stuffing being pulled from cushions and little puddles being left on the floor in the early days, he is very loveable, a wonderful companion and we would not want to be without him. The Mini Mes have become very close to him and are often found sneaking him upstairs for cuddles in their rooms and they are keen to come along on walks too which is beneficial for us all.

So far we have been lucky that he has never been ill or needed treatment from the vet bar his annual boosters, but if something more sinister did occur we would like to know he would receive the care he requires without a hefty bill at the end.

Illness and accidents can be costly but paying a small monthly payment can help to ensure your pet will be looked after if or when the time comes without fear you can't make payment. A lack of funds could result in your beloved pet being put to sleep or being re-homed, as harsh at it may seem, which none of us would want.

After searching online for pet insurance I came across this cute advert of a comparison site, so I headed to the Choosi website to see what they could offer.

Choosi have a variety of pet insurance plans to select from to suit your individual financial and pet needs. Insurance helps you cover the fee for unexpected trips to the vet which can add up to hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. Even a small wound or ear infection can ring up a bill that will make you cringe to look at. They have accident and illness cover or a lower premium alternative of accidents only. If you wish to include routine care within your insurance you can opt for that too which helps with the cost of micro-chipping, de-sexing and vaccinations.

We cover our household appliances from breakdown, our vehicles and our own lives too so it's important not to forget the little balls of fluff that are so important to us aswell.

Are your pets covered?

Meet Spartan

You may see our little dog (named after our love of Rome related movies) pop up in pictures and stories but I've never really mentioned much about him.

So, meet Spartan....

The Mr has always loved dogs and has always had one as a pet since he was a child. I however am not that keen on them, but with relationships comes compromise so when the Mr moved in I agreed to getting one.

He originally wanted a re-homed one to skip the little puddles that puppies leave on the floor and the destruction that they create. Having looked around a few kennels over a period of a few months we couldn't find anything suitable for our family. I was also concerned that not knowing the animals background that it may have issues with children so we started to look at puppies online.

On New Years Day this year we found a woman with Border Collies for sale on a pet website. We drove to have a look, and came home with a mini bundle of fluff!

I was surprised by how fast he settled in. He was toilet trained after 2 weeks and he will sit by the back door if he needs to go out. He may have trashed my sofa (rar!) and munched my lingerie off the clothes pile but that's replaceable and apart from that he has been superb.

"It wasn't me!"

Despite not initially wanting a dog at all, he is very well loved and spoilt. The Mini Mes adore him. He is very friendly and if anyone is upset he will sense it and pop over to cover you in slobbery kisses, whether you like them or not, and he likes to snuggle up on the sofa with me in the evenings.

He will be 1 in October and I may just have to make him a dog friendly cake, well I like baking and he is part of the family now after all.

Do you feel having a pet benefits children? Which do you have?

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