I popped into the shop by the station to buy some gravy bones as a treat for the dogs as yesterday was Bud's 13th birthday. Or at least the 1st of October is the day Battersea Dogs Home chose for him as they didnt know is exact age. Bud is a Border Collie and the oldest of our dogs.
Then we have Cassie the Yorkshire Terrier who is 6. Here she is looking very smart out and about in her winter jumper!
After our beagle Poppy died two years ago we decided to get another dog as Cassie missed her so much and Bud has always been rather aloof. So we got Tess the Border Collie puppy then a couple of months later out of the blue Layla the Springer Spaniel arrived. My eldest son took her from a couple he knew who were going to put her on the secondhand selling site Preloved at a very cheap price as they just wanted her “out of their flat” as she was “bonkers”. He was horrified and told them that it was a very bad idea as she could end up anywhere but they didn't care. Less than four months old she bounced into our life with a string of previous owners and names on her inoculation certificate. Staying for the weekend before my son was going to take her to springer spaniel rescue, we decided we never wanted her “out of our house” and she has settled in perfectly to her new four dog pack. Tess and her have bonded beautifully and are like partners in crime, the happy youngsters who were meant to be together. Here are the naughty pair!
However feeding four dogs well is no easy of cheap task. We have always fed our dogs tinned meat with mixer meal supplemented with scrambled eggs and vegetables. Not only was this extortionately expensive for four dogs, I was horrified at the pile of tin cans in the recycling bag outside our house each week. I always worry the quality and source of the meat in these tins and for some reason with poor Layla, who has a sensitive stomach and because of her early stresses a nervous disposistion, it just goes straight through her.
We are lucky enough to still have a fantastic local butcher who prepares pet mince. It is a mixture of the off cuts of all the meat they prepare which is all from sources they are sure of the high quality of and reasonably local. It is certainly not the rubbish, it looks delicious when we cook it! We either feed it raw or put it in tray at the bottom of the oven when we are cooking our meal. They love it both ways. It costs £1 per kilo which although not the cheapest option for the quality is very reasonable. We give them rice, pasta, vegetables or scrambled egg with it, what ever we have in the cupboard.
The dogs are looking fantastic, glossy coats, bright eyes and best of all Layla’s wind and diarrhoea has disappeared. Since the end of the dogs eating a highly processed meat diet which has been transported miles their carbon paw print must have been greatly reduced. Not only this, the dogs are clearly happier and we are also supporting a brilliant local business
And finally Cassie who was feeling so lonely has found a new friend to cuddle up with!
Happily this morning is a lovely start and apparently it is set fine today so I am off to catch up on lots of little jobs that need doing. I hope you all have a great day what ever you are doing. xx
