October Craziness

What a crazy last week I have had! October has not only flown by, it also has been so jammed packed with events and activities that I couldn't even fully get into the Halloween spirit. I apologise that I never got around to posting any Halloween themed posts but I can happily say that regular posts will pick back up shortly (big things are looming).

This past weekend I helped my mother shift house, which is a terrible task within itself, add to that she has two children (not including me), two dogs, two guinea pigs, a bird, three chickens and three cats to move, you can imagine how hectic that weekend was! This new house is adorable, and reminds me so much of a cottage. As I am writing this it already feels like home, in the way that my mother can only seem to make a house, and all the animals and children are happily settled in. She has a massive yard here, which Chico runs around at full speed whenever he gets super excited, and has enough room for a great game of fetch with Diego.

I stayed up here for a few days longer to help mum get settled in and sort out all the boxes. It felt like we were constantly busy, and its crazy how many errands need to be done when shifting house. This meant that the dog walks were pushed out to the end of the day and we ended up going around the corner from mums house to a large field every day. Diego and Chico are both happy with this walk, especially when you take a ball for Diego, but we were really craving the beach! All the times we went I also didn't bring my camera which means I have been lacking in new photos of the dogs recently.

On Wednesday, Diego and I took a road trip back down to Wellington in time for the HUHA Charity day on Thursday. It was great to have my road trip buddy back again, although most of the way down the weather was less than desirable. We took a stop off at the Levin Dog Park where Diego found a stick for us to play fetch with (sense a theme with him yet?) and we had a bit of a break in the rain. I have been staying at my aunties house in Wellington while I find a place to live, and my aunty owns Diego's real brother, Jagger. We stayed with them for the two nights we were in Wellington and Diego got to play with his brother again. It was awesome to see them playing together again, and going crazy around the yard after over a year of being separated. They look so similar, but so different at the same time and it's cool to see them next to each other to compare these. Once again, camera was somewhere else so no photos were taken! I now wish I got some of them together for you to see the resemblance.

Thursday was the Wellington Collection Day for HUHA so Diego and I were up bright and early to get into town by 8am. We were stationed at New World Thorndon which is where we have been the last two years of collecting as well. The first shift went well, and was only an hour and a half, although Diego did start to get a bit tired of it after a little while. During the break we went for a dog walk up in Karori, where the sun started to shine for us. We weren't needed back at New World until 1pm so I made the most of it and read my book on a bench while Diego ran around the park. For the last shift you could tell Diego was super tired and just wanted to sleep, but we trucked through it to collect a lot of money for the well deserving HUHA.

Thursday night we went and viewed a potential home in Upper Hutt and Diego met their dog. Although that meeting didn't go as well as planned, the house was super cute and would be perfect for Diego and I. It just means I have to find somewhere for Diego to go during the day while I am at work as he isn't good with being left alone for long periods of time without another dog. This does mean though, that in the near future, Diego and I will be back together in Wellington. You have no idea how excited I am for this possibility. If anyone has any ideas on what to do with Diego while I am at work, definitely get in contact with me!

Before we left for Whanganui on Friday morning we met up with Mowgli, and my friend for an early morning dog walk. It was Diego's and Mowgli's first time meeting each other and it went quite well, although Mowgli has a bit too much puppy energy for Diego's liking. We spent an hour and a half walking through the park with the dogs chasing sticks and balls, and us humans discussing all things dogs and puppies. Mowgli has gotten so big now and made Diego look like a tiny dog! It's going to be awesome having some adventures with Mowgli and Diego over the coming Summer months!

Now Diego and I are back in Whanganui, and Diego is snoring on the couch with his favourite Diamond Plate Ball pressed up to him in case someone might want to have a game of fetch. I still have the Wellington Pet Expo to attend on Sunday and then it is back to the grind of work for another week. So much has happened, and so much will be happening over the next few weeks so make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with our adventures.

What have you been up to lately?

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Book Review: Show Dog by Josh Dean

Hey, I haven't read a dog related book for a couple months now (I was getting into Stephen King) and am quite happy that I took that break so I could really appreciate this book. Show Dog follows the highs and lows of one Australian Shepherd's showing career over the span of a couple of years. This book delves deep into the American dog showing circuit, and as the writer Josh Dean is not a dog owner, or shower, it explains everything so that the most inexperienced person would understand. It gives you a rare look into the lives of people who base their whole existence around dog showing and breeding.

Josh Dean was on the lookout for a single dog to be the star of his book, and wanted to make sure he found the perfect dog that would show the many ups and downs of dog showing. In the end, he chose Jack, an Australian Shepherd owned by single mother, and until Jack, not a dog show attendee, Kimberley. He follows Jacks story, from the start of his showing days, until he semi-retires in 2011 and includes stories from all the people in Jacks life. Surprisingly, there is quite a team behind any good show dog, and this story features Jack's breeder, his handler, his owner, and a handful of other people that help bring out the best in him.

I found that the way Josh Dean's wrote was very captivating and kept my attention, this was definitely a book I had trouble putting down. I loved how he explained everything in detail, and added a variety of facts and history into the pages of this book. I learnt heaps on the history of the American Kennel Club, as well as the origins of the Australian Shepherd, which spoiler alert, does not come from Australia. This book was super insightful, but also humorously written, with little added jokes thrown amongst the stories. He explained everything in a clear manner, and didn't make any of the people in this book sound overly crazy (Which is easy to do with us animal lovers).

Before this book, I had been to one confirmation dog show, and didn't really understand why people felt the need to pursue this sport. Especially when there is a lot more active, and in my opinion more fun sports you can do with your dog. But after reading this book, I have felt the compelling need to attend a dog show, and to over-analyse every dog that is entered. This book has really made me understand how people can so easily love this activity, and made me want to get included in it. Although, frankly, I would never do dog showing myself. More of a spectator sport for me.

This book is definitely a great read, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I love the feeling of reading a book that not only tells a great story, but gives you knowledge on the chosen topic and this book was just that. I feel like I can now spit out a bunch of dog showing facts and figures and pretend I know what I am talking about when a dog gets awarded 'Best of Opposite'. I don't think you have to be on the dog showing scene to enjoy this, you can be just an average Joe and really gain a lot from this book. I do think that dog showers and breeders would also appreciate this book though.

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Goodbye Daisy, three years on

Grief is a strange feeling, and one that is not easily explained to the outsider. I don't think it matters who, or what has left from your life, the experience of grief is different to each person experiencing it. The loss of a dog leaves a big hole in your life and people who have not had the love of a dog may not understand why you are mourning for so long or so deep. It is even harder to explain that after three years, and having a new dog, that I still feel down around this time of year.

Daisy was my first dog that I truly owned, and wasn't just the family mutt. She was there through a lot of my growth years from 10 - 19 years old, where my life appeared to always be in utter turmoil. Looking back now, it most definitely wasn't, but young minds always believe that everything is a big deal. She was the one constant in my life as my parents split up, I went to intermediate, then college, had my first boyfriend, lost my first boyfriend, moved house plenty of times, left school, became an adult doing full time work. Throughout these times she was always there when I got home, and seemed to know what mood I was in. She would cuddle me when I was upset, or grab a toy and go crazy when I was in a better mood.

In Daisy's last month, she went down hill quite drastically. She went from her usual crazy boisterous self to a depleted soul. She lay around the house a lot, and didn't do any running or barking which was strange for her. In my mind I knew that her time was near, but I didn't want to believe it as I had always been told we would be 'stuck' with her til she was at least 15. Her disappearing at nine seemed cruel and completely wrong. I was lucky enough to be on temporary work at the time, meaning that I was only working one or two days a week and spending the rest of the time with Daisy. We went on a lot of road trips together, more so than usual, and shared many a McDonalds Ice Creams. It was nice to be able to spend that last month enjoying each others company and celebrating the amazing life we shared together. The weekend before she passed we even took a road trip across the country to pick up my sisters from our dads and she seemed to get a new lease on life. We stopped off at a fenced dog park where she ran around, and even completed the agility equipment. I believe this was her final farewell to us as the next day was her last day with us.

The worst part is, that even though I had a month of acceptance, I never got to say good bye to her. She went into a seizure that she never really came out of, and I had to make the tough decision to put her down. I never got that final goodbye and that effected me for a long time after her death. I wish I had that last connection with her before she left this world, but I think that if that had happened it would have been harder to let her go. Least now I know that she is in a happier, more pain-free place.

Three years on, I still think about Daisy a lot. She taught me a lot during her nine years of life and it still effects what I do to this day. The things I learnt from Daisy have changed what I have done with Diego, including socialising him early and making sure he had a solid recall, both of which Daisy did not do. She is the reason this blog exists, and helps me push through some of my writers block moments knowing that these posts could be helping at least one person out there. I think that you can never replace a dog, which seems to not be the general publics opinion, and that there will always be a soft place in your heart for all the canines you own over the years.

It's hard to explain the feeling that they are just going to one day come back. I have never lost a family member or close friend, which I am insanely grateful for. For a year or so after Daisy's death I still imagined that she was just away from me and would come back soon. Then it would dawn on me that she was never to return and it hurt a lot. That feeling hasn't really left, it has just dulled. I don't think about it as often and when I do, the realisation hits me sooner. Diego has helped me deal with the pain, but has definitely not replaced her.

If you have lost a dog, don't worry if people think you are crazy for mourning their loss. They are a huge part of your life for the time they are with you, and each has a different personality that infects your life. Dogs are mans best friend, and therefore you are allowed to feel sad at their passing.

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Out of the Conventional: Tailor Skincare Oil Cleanse

I can't say I am a regular full face make up wearer, I am more of the 'I need to put on mascara and eyebrows just to be presentable' group of people. However, because I do wear this on a daily basis, I do want a product that will remove my makeup effectively, without too much wear and tear on my eyes. I also want something that is not harming the animals in any way, and reducing its risk to the environment as much as possible. Add to that I also have extremely sensitive skin that will rash at the drop of a hat, and I really have trouble finding a decent product. So when that product comes into my life I must share it with everyone I know. That product is 'Oil Cleanse' from Tailor Skincare!

Tailor Skincare is a Wellington based grassroots company that is dedicated to making natural skincare that isn't harming to the environment or animals in its manufacturing process. The Founder Sara Quilter was working in California, USA when she learnt about what products were currently going into the skincare products she was using, and from there decided that she didn't want to be putting all these harmful chemicals onto her face and body. Once back in New Zealand, she started making her products, one by one, and experimenting with different ingredients and mixtures until the perfect result was found. Now, Tailor Skincare has eight different products, for all different skin types, which can be used in conjunction with each other to give a great skincare regime. All Tailor Skincare products are not tested on animals, and are made from vegan ingredients with the exception of locally sourced bees wax. Their packaging is recyclable or reusable, and all their shipping packaging is either recycled packaging or boxes.

The Oil Cleanse is, as the name suggests, an oil based cleanser containing hazelnut oil and organic coconut oil. This can be used as a full-face makeup remover, including eyes, or as a general cleanse when your skin is feeling dirty, or overly greasy. It is quick and easy to apply, just massage some oil into dry skin and after 30 seconds, remove with a damp cloth. I use this product stand alone for just my eye make up removal, but if you are cleansing your full face, it is good to follow up the Oil Cleanse with the Dry Cleanse product that Tailor Skincare also produces. A great thing to mention is that on Tailor Skincare's website you can see a full list of ingredients for all their products showing that they are 100% natural, and with ingredients that you will know and understand.

I originally found this company at the GoGreen Expo in Wellington at the end of last year, where I picked up a sample of their Face Masque. I loved that product so much that I purchased their Mini Pack which contains five of their products in miniature form. I didn't really use them at all after I purchased them, until recently when I ran out of my usual cleanser and I dug into my stash for something to use. Since then, I have not gone back and am addicted to the Oil Cleanse especially.

I use waterproof mascara and I find that the oil cleanse is by far the best product that I have come across to take this off. Following the instructions of massaging the product in for 30 seconds, and then wiping clean, I am left with no makeup no matter how much I am wearing. Other products take off most of the mascara, but will leave a tiny amount that overnight will give me panda eyes. Also, it doesn't hurt or sting my eyes as a lot of makeup removers can do. My eyelids are especially prone to being dry, irritated and rashing but I have not had any of these problems since using the Oil Cleanse.

Overall, I think this is a fantastic product, that has great morals and ethics behind it, and still does the job it was created to do. I haven't found any other product on the market currently that is any where close to how effective but gentle that this one is on removing makeup from the eye area. I love the idea I am also supporting a small, local company when using this product, and helping someone who has an absolute passion for what she makes. I would definitely recommend that you give this a go if you are after a great cleanser and are keen on environmentally friendly, and natural products. You can purchase Tailor Skincare online from their website, or check out their Stockists to see if there is a store near you.

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