Black and White Sunday | Your turning into a right geek mum!

Sunday's they are made for lie in's, right? Well, this Sunday was no exception. A tradition in this household is Lottie comes through to my bedroom at around 8am, jumps onto my bed and has a sleep until I get up at around 9am.Well this Sunday followed the same routine as normal, expect Lottie was perhaps more comfy than usual as she conveniently used one of my teddies as a pillow. Honestly I'm sure she think she is human sometimes!

We had a lovely Sunday dinner at Nana's followed by a sit out in the garden. It's been lovely today here.

When we arrived home Lottie was determined to get me to play with her. I unfortunately was distracted with Uni work, she didn't let me get one for long though. First she sat in her toy box as if to say "Maybe if I sit in it she will think I'm so cute she will just have to play with me". When that didn't work she emptied the entire box and sat inside it performing tricks. Maybe she thought I wouldn't be able to resist her then. Her third and final attempt was to pick her favourite toy, known as 'Spacehopper' and carry it around it with her everywhere I went.

 

 

I had so much fun watching her trying to get me to play. She won! We had a quick game of fetch before I carried on with my studies.

She seemed quite content once she had played fetch and lay down beside my desk for the rest of the afternoon.

We hope you guys all had a great Sunday too?

Jessica and Lottie


We're participating in the Black And White Sunday Blog Hop hosted by Dachshund Nola and Sugar The Golden Retriever - thanks again, guys!

Sepia Saturday | Organised at last!

Now that I'm back at University I had the 'be organised' bug again!

When I started blogging I had no idea the amount of work I would be taking on. Since then I have done far to many posts last minute on my knee in front of the television. Well... NOT no more!

I am finally organised!

A new desk has been purchased and I have to admit it looks like a proper little office now. This is where all our posts will be written from now on.. I have all what I need contained in one little corner. I cant get wait to started.

 

 

 

Jessica and Lottie

Today we are joining the Sepia Saturday bog hop hosted by Ruckus the Eskie. Thank you Ruckus!
This is a Blog Hop!

Wordless Wednesday - Almost | The BEST News.

For any of you that follow our Facebook page, you will be well aware of what a worrying time we have had over the last two weeks.

Lottie went to the Vets for her routine check-up. As part of this they scan her microchip to make sure it hasn’t moved dramatically or gotten lost. As the Vet got the scanner out I made a comment on how easy it would be find her as she had a lump of her back. I naively thought nothing of the lump as when Lottie was 6 months old the nurse had told us ‘don’t worry it’s just her microchip, it sometimes happens’.

What the Vet said next is something all animal owners dread! ‘I don’t think it’s her chip, you can’t normally feel them’ he replied. He then explained that it would need to be investigated further. He measured it and also said Lottie would need to come in to have a sedation so that X rays and a biopsy could be carried out.

How could I possible feel any worse? I had all sorts of thoughts flying around my head. What if the lump was something nasty and I have ignored for years because of the information I was told from the nurse. What if it has spread and would no longer response to treatment? Lottie was booked in for a week’s time. I was very adamant that nobody was going to know until we had the final result. The more I talked about it the more it upset me. So I figured it was best put into the back of my mind.

I starved Lottie the night before as per the instructions. Of course Lottie was completely oblivious about what was going on and just thought I was been extra mean when she didn’t get her night time biscuit as usual. She was still completely oblivious the next morning when I dropped her off at the vets, she just wagged her tail as normal when the nurse took her off into a sideroom. If only I had that privilege.

That day seem to last forever! When the receptionist did eventually ring, she informed me that Lottie was awake and had come round from the sedation very well but was just very groggy.

I felt so sorry for her when the nurse brought her out, she was trying so hard to let me know she was pleased to see me. But was so desperate to catch up on some more sleep, only managed a brief hello.

The receptionist informed us that the results would take between 7-10 days to come back. What? How could I possibly wait this long?

What I hadn’t thought about when I was been so adamant about not telling anybody, was that when they had taken the biopsy they had to shave a substantial amount of her fur from around the lump leaving a big bald patch on her back. How was I going to take photographs of Lottie for our Facebook page without you guys noticing?

After taking a few shots of Lottie sleeping in her bed once we got home. I soon realised it was impossible for the bald patch to be hidden. So, I decided to write a short post explaining that the Vet has found a lump, biopsies had been taken and we were now just waiting for the results.

Lottie after she came back from the Vets.

Lots of comment flooded in wishing us good luck and telling us that they hoped Lottie would be OK.

Well….

We got the results back yesterday and its clear! The Vet rang me to explain that there is nothing nasty in the lump and it isn’t any form of the dreaded C word! Thank goodness for that! The most likely explanation is a cyst that has burst inside rather than out and its Lottie natural way of fighting it. Unfortunately though it doesn’t quite end there. She has got to have the lump removed which is happening next Friday. She should be in as a day case providing she recovers well from the aesthetic. It also routine that they then send the removed lump off for testing again, but the Vet is quite sure it will come back with the same result.

What a traumatic couple of weeks we have had. Something I NEVER want to go through again in a hurry.

Thank you to all our friends who have wished us well with Lottie. I will be sure to keep up guys updated after the operation.

Of course Lottie isn’t as affected. She just thinks I’m been extra nice at the moment with all the extra cuddles. She definitely deserves them though!

 

Enjoying cuddles with Mum.

Have you guys ever experience finding a lump of your pet?

Jessica and Lottie

This post is part of the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday blog hop. Hop around and see what others are doing this Wednesday

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday - Almost | In a spin.

We shared this post on our Facebook page this morning, but thought it deserved to be featured on the blog too.

If you follow our Facebook page you guys will know that Lottie has a lump on her back. She had investigations on Monday and we are currently waiting for the results. When she came back from the vets she was very groggy and clearly didn't feel very well.

Today however, was a completely different story. She woke up bright and early and couldn't wait to go out for an early morning walk. We had time for a cuddle in the sunshine before I had to go the hospital for an appointment.

Once I arrived home we did our daily training session. We like to learn practical tricks as well as some that are fun. At the moment I am teaching her to spin right and left.I thought it would be great to share a video of our progress so far. 

Our left spin is coming on great, but as you can see we have some way to go with the right spin. I dont't know if your dog does this, but if Lottie isn't sure of what I am asking her to do she does every trick she knows in the hope that one of them has to be right. Of course it makes great viewing for us humans. 

Does your dog know any clever tricks? 

Jessica and Lottie 

This post is part of the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday blog hop. Hop around and see what others are doing this Wednesday

Please Don't Go | Adventure Dog Blog Hop

In an ideal world we would spend all of our time with our pets. Unfortunately, this is just not possible for most of us. But what happens when this becomes a problem for our dogs?

Separation - related problems can be one of the most frustrating and difficult challenge's us dog owners face. Some of the signs are so subtle that more dogs may be suffering than previously realised.

Dogs can show signs of stress by whining, panting, pacing, or salivating. If your dog is particularly excited to see you when you return or appears anxious before you leave they may have separation- related problems.

To start tackling separation problems you need to get as much information as possible about your dogs behaviour.

Taking a video of them when you are out is great idea. You can then find out exactly what they are doing and start to work out why.

Once you know exactly what your pooch gets up to when your out and about you can then start to correct it. Depending on the type of separation anxiety you dog shows will vary the treatment. There are three types of separation related behaviours.

1. Attachment - a dog gets distressed as they have an attachment to one person.
2. Fear - dogs think that without their owners around bad things will happen to them.
3. Frustration -  the dog is more frustrated at being alone rather than anxious.

Tackling Separation Problems


Attachment - If you dog has a particular attachment to one person, you need to teach the dog that nothing bad happens when they are not around. When Lottie was a puppy she would have some time of her own even when we were in the house all day. We had a baby gate in the kitchen and would place her in there with a stuffed Kong and closed the gate. We varied the amount of time she would spend on her own and always told her she was a good girl if she stayed settled. If you dog shows a particular attachment to you, its a good idea if you have other member of the household get involved with your dogs everyday routine. Maybe they could go for a walk together, or to the park. It helps teach your dog that they can fun without you been around.

Fear - You need to use techniques that look to desensitise and counter - condition your dogs behaviour so he learns that it is safe to be home alone.  A desensitise CD is a great tool. we highly recommended this one - CLIX Noise and Sounds CD. They can be played during the day whilst you are at home and can then be increased in volume each time to get your dog used to the sounds. Adaptil offer a great range of products that can help calm your pet. We particularly like the spray and use it every time Lottie travels in the car. Their products are highly rated from users including us.

Frustration - Dog are social creatures, so leaving them alone goes against their naturals instinct. We provide them with company and something to do. Without us they simply get bored. There are things we can do to help. Kong's are our savor, we leave Lottie with one every time we go out. We have a great Kong recipe here. If your going to be leaving your dog regularly for a long period of time, doggy day care is a great alternative. We know lots of doggies that have great fun!

Lottie enjoying her Kong

The main tip we would give new or existing dog owners, is to build up the time gradually. When we first had Lottie we left her for five minutes at a time then built it up from there. We also have a routine for every time we go out. I don't make too much fuss and leave her with her a tasty treat each time.

We hope these tips are useful? Have you ever had problems with separation anxiety, we would love to hear your tips too?

Jessica and Lottie

This is part of the Adventure Dog Blog Hop hosted by yours truly, DOGthusiast and Tiffany’s Diamond Dogs 

The journey so far | Black and White Sunday

When I started this blog back in April. My main aim was to raise awareness of my disability - Osteogenesis Imperfecta, and how Lottie has changed my life. 

Since then things really have been a whirlwind experience. Blog hops were something I hadn't even heard of, never mind participated in! Other dog bloggers have been very welcoming to their pack, letting me join Facebook bloggers groups and even featuring me in an international post! More about that coming very soon. 

Not forgetting the reason I started this blog. I thought it would be a great idea to give you an update of what’s been happening over the last few months.

If you follow our Facebook page you will be well aware that I had a major operation back in May. Nearly 3 months on this is my progress.

The operation was much bigger than first anticipated. I spent about 2 weeks in hospital followed by several weeks of bed rest at home. I had plaster change after plaster change as many of them either rubbed my leg or were too uncomfortable. At first hospital appointments didn't shed much light on how successful the operation was.  The bones hadn't started to heal at all, something my surgeon was quite concerned about. I won’t pretend it was a smooth ride. I’m just not used to be at home, so I was driving my mum mad and vice versa.

My leg back in May. 

The blogging was keeping me going. I learnt so much along the way; I got involved in lots of blog hops, made connections, and increased our Facebook followers. We even made connections with companies that specialize  in dog products. We have had several products sent for us to review which is something Lottie was extremely excited about. Even when I was unable to do ‘normal’ things I still had my blog!

All this good sprite definitely helped me heal! During my next hospital appointment we had the news we had been waiting for, the bones had started to heal. Just a tiny little bit! But still, some is better than nothing.

I have had intense Physio to try and build my leg muscles back up. I lost a huge amount of strength after the surgery; it certainly doesn't take long for them to waste. Now thing are starting to definitely look up. My old ‘normal’ life is coming back, for now anyway. My mum always says until the next time. It’s enviable that I will have to go through this whole process again in about 12 months.

I went swimming today which might not seem like much, but to me it’s a big milestone. I didn't do any swimming, but just going into the water was good enough for me. I start back to University on the 22^nd of this month; I’m doing it part time as this will be much more manageable. I have been successful in finding a work placement which lasts for 6 months. Something yet again I never thought would have ever been possible 2 months ago.

As for the blog, I seriously want to give it a face lift. I have a great blogging friend who is going to help me change the layout (Blogger and me are not a match made in heaven). She has also put me in touch with an artist that has kindly offered to create a cartoon graphic for our header. We have a photo-shoot coming up with a local photography; my mum definitely isn't David Bailey (she tries her best).

The name Waggy Tales just came out the blue. I spent many hours sat in front of my computer screen trying to think of a genius name but couldn't. Then Waggy Tales just sprung out of nowhere and it stuck! I’m no computer whiz and at that time had no idea about buying a domain name. I naively thought I didn't need one. 5 months later, I have spent my life on Google. After a lot of research, unfortunately our domain name is taken. I really wanted ww.waggytales.co.uk but it’s not available. This leads me at a cross roads – do I change our name so people can find us easier. Or do I stick with Waggy Tales and our BlogSpot web address. I still haven’t made the decision fully; it’s such a tough one. There will definitely be more info coming soon.

Just to finish the post - I went to zoo yesterday and brought Lottie this cute elephant as a present. She loves it, it makes the ideal cuddle buddy. 

Jessica and Lottie. 

We're participating in the Black And White Sunday Blog Hop hosted by Dachshund Nola and Sugar The Golden Retriever - thanks again, guys!

Pet First Aid | Are you aware and prepared?

Most of us carry a first aid that can be used on humans, but very few people (including me) carry a pet first aid kit. After attending a pet party hosted at our vets, I soon realised that I needed to make an investment and quick!

Even if you don't carry a first aid kit there are still simple thing you can do to help save your pet in an emergency.

Here are a few handy tips on the four most common problems dogs face:

Wound Care

• Place pressure with gauze or clean cloth to stop any bleeding.
• If there is any debris, flush the wound with saline or clean water.
• For deep wounds or severe bleeding, keep pressure until you can your pet to a veterinarian.

Seizures

• The most important thing is to keep your pet from injuring itself.
• DO NOT place your fingers or any other objects into your dog mouth.
• Clear the area around your pet to help avoid injury during the seizure.
• DO NOT attempt to restrain your pet, but you can place a hand on their body.
• When the seizure has stopped, contact your veterinarian for further instructions.
• If the seizure does not stop within 3-5 minutes or if your pet comes out of the seizure and goes into another one within an hour, transport the dog immediately to the vets.

Choking

• If choking, hold the upper jaw open with one hand, and look for a foreign object.
• Unless you can clearly see and grasp the object, DO NOT put your fingers into your dog's mouth or throat.
• Lift smaller dog's legs into the air so gravity can help dislodge the object.
• If you can't remove the foreign object, using the heel of your hand, deliver 4-5 sharp blows on the dog between the shoulder blades.

Poison

• If you suspect poisoning, seek care immediately.
• If you know the subsence you pet has taken try and take the packaging with you.
• If your pet has chewed a plant, try to find out the identify of the plant.
• DO NOT make your dog sick unless your vet instructs you to do so.

These are just a few of the common problems dog owners face in their day to day life. You should always call your vets if you are unsure. They all offer an out of hours service. Not so long ago we thought Lottie may of swallowed a prescription tablet not made for doggies. We rang our normal vets, who's phone line put me through to an out of hours call centre. They took some basic details about the problem and said that somebody would ring us back. About 5 minutes later our usual vet rang us from our surgery. He ensured us that if we had any problems during the night just to ring as he was based at the surgery all night. Needless to say it was great to hear a familiar voice at a time of crisis. Luckily for us Lottie was fine and back to her normal self within 24 hours. The Blue Cross also have a handy information leaflet in  PDF format that you can download that has all pet first aid tips. For the file just click here. Please remember I am NOT a qualified vet. Please ALWAYS seek professional veterinarian help.

Jessica and Lottie

Pet Parade | A BIG Thank You!

I decided to set up Lottie's dog blog on the 10th April 2014, nearly 5 months later I can't believe how much it has grown. It has definitely been a world wind experience. We have made so many great friends who have the same passion for dogs as we do. Our Facebook page now has such a great bunch of followers that never let us down.

We thought it would be a nice idea to say a special thank you in pictures, here they are: 

We hope you guys continue to love our blog and Facebook page. We have lots of exciting things coming up - I will be doing a diary from Lottie perspective for 24 hours, then you can really see what a dog's life is really like. It's nearly November which can only mean one thing, Fireworks! We all know dogs hate them so be sure to look out for my fireworks survival guide, coming soon. 

These picture didn't come with ease, here are a few of our favourite outtakes. . 

Come on mum hurry up. I had biscuits to eat! 

Yes I've got one! 

If only I could read. 

YUM!

Do you guys have any ideas on how we could improve the blog?

Jessica and Lottie. 

We're participating in the Pet Parade Blog Hop hosted by Rascal and Rocco, and co-hosted by Jan's Funny Farm, Basil the Bionic Cat, Barking from the Bayou, and Love is being Owned by a Husky! - thanks guys!

Wordless Wednesday - Almost | Competition winner - Rupert.

Here in the UK the famous X Factor auditions have started. We thought it would be a great idea to have our auditions. Each week we will have a different theme. You guys simply comment with your best photos and the winner will be featured on the blog the following week.

This week's theme was "What is your pet's cutest habit?"

We had so many great response and it was so difficult to choose a winner. But, unfortunately there can only be one winner.

This weeks winner is the adorable Rupert, he is a 20 week old Cava Poo.  His owner Jessica, wrote in to tell me that his cutest habit is that he loves to roll over in the mornings for a belly rub. We think he's such a gorgeous little puppy, Lottie would certainly love to play.

Rupert

Auditions open again on Saturday. There will be a brand new theme next week. So let's see your best photo's remember, It could be you that is featured next week.

Jessica and Lottie

This post is part of the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday blog hop. Hop around and see what others are doing this Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday | Doggy Liver Cake.

We have a great programme here in the UK called The Great British Bake Off. It got me thinking. Maybe I should bake for Lottie, when a recipe came up in one of the magazines I am a regularly subscriber too. I just
had to get started.

I am a very fussy eater and  liver is something I have never tried (And don't think I ever will!). Lottie however, isn't so particular and as long as it smells good she generally like it.

Here the recipe for the liver cake I made:

Ingredients 

1lb (375g) of liver (pigs or lambs - lamb's is better)
6 Medium tablespoons of stoneground flour.
6 tablespoons of milk
2 eggs

Optional Extra's 
1 Oxo cube per 1lb of liver
Big handful of grated cheese
1 teaspoon of Marmite (Dilut this with milk)

Method 

• Blend the liver until it has a very runny, liquid consistency! 
• Add the flour and blend again. 
• Add the rest of the ingredients and blend again. 
• Leave to stand for 10 minutes. 
• Heavily grease a baking tin a Swiss roll tin is idea. (I used grease proof paper instead) 
• Pour in mixture 
• Cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes on 180 degrees (Gas mark 4) or until you can put a knife in the centre and it comes out clean. 
• Leave to cool on a cooling rack 
• Cut into tibit-sized chucks and freeze. (Once frozen you can give to your dog frozen or thaw before hand, whatever your dog prefers). 

The recipe in picture (Warning some of the pictures look disgusting!)

Four simple ingredients

Blended liver

All the blended ingredients 

Mum, is it ready yet? 

The finished result 

YUM!

I only used the basic ingredients for the version I made. I didn't want to waste too many things if Lottie didn't like it. How wrong could I be. She loves it! On the next batch I will definitely be giving some of the added extras a try. This cake is easy is make (Only took me about 30 minutes) and is hassle free. Even if you are a novice baker like me, you can't go wrong with this! The only down side is the smell, its rather stinky both raw and cooked. However, due to the smell its great as a high value treat for training such as recall.

What do you guys think? Have you ever baked for your dog? 

Jessica and Lottie

We're participating in the Tasty Tuesday Blog Hop kindly hosted by Sugar The Golden Retriever and Kol's Notes If you are looking for tasty ideas, take a look at what other dogs are baking and eating!

Monday's Mischief | Say Cheesseee

Let me take a selfie! 

Do you think this is my best side? 

I had such a great day on Saturday. Our vets called Lime Tree had a photo event that they wanted us to attend. The idea of the event is to get lots of great photos to use on their website and leaflets.

I love my Saturday morning lie in, and this Saturday was no different. However, as I was lying their dreaming about rabbits. Mum scoops me up and puts me straight into the bath with no warning what so ever. I mean how very dare she!

This is the first moment I knew something was happening on Saturday. After the dreadful bath, out came the hair dryer. Why do they have to make them so loud? I was given a quick brush after and was ready to go. 

Car rides I love them, especially when its a trip to the park. Saturday's car journey was to a place I'm not particular fond of. Although the nice lady behind the desk always give me a cuddle. We arrived at the dreaded vets and I was expecting something rather nasty. This visit was very different. There was lots of furry friends to say hello to, and humans to have attention from.

I also met the lovely A.J.Photography, she was such a nice lady and made me feel very special. Me and mum had a photo taken which we can collect in a few weeks. Be sure to look out for the photo on our Facebook page. Mum was so impressed with her photography that she has asked her to do a photo shoot at home so we have some great pictures for our blog and Facebook banner.

I met of lots different doggies including lots of different breeds. From a Great Dane to a chihuahua. I even played snapped when I met a pair of Westie's that were just like me.

I had such a great day on Saturday and was very tired once I got home.I spent the rest of the afternoon having a well earned sleep been so cute is a hard job but somebody has to do it! 

Lottie (And Jessica, I struggle with those keyboard keys I wish they made them bigger!).

We've taken part in Monday Mischief blog hop hosted by Snoopy’s Dog Blog, Alfie’s Blog and My Brown Newfies