Celebrity Dogs - Katy Perry and Her Dog

Katy Perry and her Cavoodle

Puzzle Toys Solve Pooch Problems

Anyone with rambunctious puppies of any age knows that some toys have the same shelf life as a carton of milk – five minutes after Brutus is given a new toy, piles of stuffing, too-easy-to-access squeaky parts and all sorts of once-stuffed limbs are strewn across the lounge room carpet.

It looks like a scene from The Walking Dead, really.

It’s not good for your dog – how many of us have picked up pieces, mentally putting them back together like a jigsaw puzzle to make sure each piece is accounted for, whilst simultaneously reaching for the car keys in case an emergency trip to the vet is nigh?

That’s where Kyjen was born.  Realising that quality dog toys and accessories were hard to find, Kyjen became one of the first manufacturers of plush toys specifically for dogs, making them not only high-quality, bright, eye catching and fun – but also durable. 

Kyle Hansen, founder of Kyjen realised that dogs need to be stimulated mentally, just like the toys that we give to our human children.   We’re not talking iPads for pooches or an abacus for an Alsatian, but mental games that keep Fido from getting bored and ripping poor Teddy’s head off.  Puzzle toys work in reverse of human puzzles – pooch pulls the pieces out, you put them back in.  Puzzle Toys were developed to enhance paw-eye coordination skills whilst increasing intelligence and problem solving skills by testing their natural instincts towards prey. 

There’s the fun Hide-A-Bee which is a bee hive with mini plush bees  – pull the bees out of the hive, Mum (or Dad) puts them back on, then Benji pulls them back out again.  It comes in Squirrel version too, if you’re worried about pup getting an eye (and puffy cheeks!) for bees! 

Bottle buddies are great for dogs that love plastic bottles and paired with a stuffed animal, it’s doggy nirvana!  They come as they are, but when the bottle is crushed, simply replace with another and - boom! – brand new toy. 

Kyjen produces items that keep dogs active and engaged, educating them and sharpening their paw-eye coordination.  Whilst this sounds boring, it really isn’t – Puppies of all ages and sizes love the Puzzle Toys! 

All dog lovers know that a happy dog has four things: A plush bed (or three), a great meal (or three), doting parents (or three) and an array of toys to keep them happy and occupied.  Whilst not food-orientated, Kyjen Puzzle Toys will stand the test of time, the test of boredom… and the test of strength! 

Villa Mondo is the exclusive wholesaler for Kyjen dog toys.

Best names for Maltese Dog

Looking for a good Maltese dog names? Maltese dog names can be so personal, but check out these top 10 maltese breed names and meanings for inspiration.

Angel	Angelic; messenger of God. (Greek)		Bear	Strong; brave. (English and German)
Bella	Beautiful. (Latin)		Buddy	Friend; brother. (English)
Daisy	Eye of the day; synonym for Sun. (English)		Buster	Hitter; puncher. (English)
Ginger	Pep; liveliness. (English)		Charlie	Manly; strong; free. (English)
Lucy	Light. (Latin)		Duke	Leader; noble. (English)
Maggie	Pearl. (Greek)		Jack	God is gracious. (English)
Molly	Star of the sea. (Irish and Latin)		Jake	Held by the heel; supplanter. (Hebrew)
Princess	Royal daughter. (Latin)		Lucky	Fortunate. (English)
Sadie	Princess. (English and Hebrew)		Max	The greatest. (Latin)
Sophie	Wisdom. (Greek)		Rocky	One who gives rest; strong, firm. (English)

Are Lilies Poison for Dogs

Vets are aften asked "are lilies poisonous for dogs?" or "are lilies toxic for dogs?". When it comes to toxic garden plants for dogs, lilies seem to be the number one concern for many dog owners.

Dr Liisa warns dog owners about lilies

Dr Liisa Ahstrom, Bayer Technical Services Vet, tells us that  lilies can cause gastrointestinal upset and indeed there are many plants and flowers which are toxic to dogs including popular cut flowers Tulips and Hyacinths and popular potted or garden plants Cyclamens, Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Sago palms, Lily of the Valley, Daffodils, Dieffenbachia, Oleander and Crocus. 
 
For those of us who have both cats and dogs, it is very important to be aware that many lilies are toxic to cats including Tiger (Lilium tigrinum), Day (Hemerocallis spp), Asiatic (Lilium asiatic), Easter (Lilium longiflorum) and Japanese Show (Lilium speciosum) lilies. All parts of the plant appear to be highly toxic to cats including the petals, stamens, stems, leaves and even the pollen. Ingestion of small amounts of any part of the plant or even water from the vase containing lilies can cause severe kidney damage.

Fortunately lilies don’t cause kidney failure in dogs, but because lillies can cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs, it's still best to restrict dogs' access to these plants.

When asked what is the most concerning toxic problem for dogs in Australian gardens, Dr Liisa quickly identifies, not a plant, but  nasty life forms of a different kind. Ticks and fleas!

Most toxic garden concern for dogs

To keep your dog free from ticks and fleas, Dr Liisa tells us,  you need to use an effective parasite protection product, according to the directions on the pack.  Most products rely on parasites biting the dog to receive a lethal dose of active ingredient with their blood meal.  Bites from ticks and fleas cause discomfort and can spread disease, and the bite from a single paralysis tick can be fatal.  

To prevent ticks from biting, including the deadly paralysis tick, it’s important to use a product that can repel ticks before they bite. Advantix for dogs is the only product that kills and repels ticks.  Advantix also kills fleas and lice, repels biting flies and kills and repels mosquitoes and sandflies. To stop fleas from biting your dog, use a product that kills fleas fast, and on contact, so they don’t need to bite your dog to be killed. The Advantage Family products (Advocate, Advantix, Advantage) all stop fleas that jump on your dog from biting in just 3 – 5 minutes, and kill them on contact within 1 hour.  If you live in or are visiting a paralysis tick zone with your dog, it’s also important to check them over for ticks every day.

Celebrity Pets - Prince William and Princess Kate with Dog

Kate and William the Duke and Suchess of Cambridge with their dog

Best Staffie Names

Looking for a great name for your Staffordshire Bull Terrier? Try these great Staffie names on for size:

Bella	Beautiful. (Latin)		Daisy	Eye of the day; synonym for Sun. (English)
Diamondy	High value; brilliant)		Demon	An evil attendant (Irish)
Zeus	LIving; chief; powerful. (Greek)		Diesel	A pet form of Matthias; Urban Dictionary definition is cool, strong, hip (English)
Angel	Angelic; messenger of God. (Greek)		Sadie	Princess. (English and Hebrew)
Buddy	Friend; brother. (English)		Bailey	Steward; in charge. (English and French)

Recipe: Homemade carrot and sweet potato dog biscuits

Homemade carrot and sweet potato biscuits for dogs is a great treat for your pup
:
Ingredients:

• 2 cups of wholemeal flour
• 1 carrot
• 1 cup of sweet potato, diced
• 2 generous tablespoons of peanut butter
• 1 egg

Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Chop the carrot and sweet potato into cubes and place on the boil
• In a mixing bowl, combine flour, egg and peanut butter
• Once the sweet potato and carrot are soft, take them off the boil and drain the water out. With a potato masher (or a fork) mash them to whatever consistency you like
• Add this to the mixing bowl and then combine all the ingredients with a wooden spoon, you may need to get your hands dirty at this point to combine it all into a ball
• Roll out the dough mix between two sheets of baking paper to your desired thickness, make sure you sprinkle a little extra flour to stop it sticking
• Get your cookie cutters out (I use ones shaped like bones) and cut out the shapes, placing them on a lined baking tray
• Put them in the oven for about 20 minutes until they get a nice brown colour
• Wait for them to cool a little and then Bon Appetit! Hope your pups enjoy them!

Keep them in the fridge or freezer!