Dog Nail Clipping! 101 On How To Do It!xo

Hey Guys!

Todays post as you can see from the title is about dog nail clipping! I am going to be explaining how to do it, why a dog owner should do it, safety procedures and nail filing!

The importance of clipping a dogs nails

Trimming a dogs nails isn't necessary for all breeds of dogs, some dogs will need it more or less than others. If you have a indoor dog, they have a increased need of getting their claws cut, however it you have a outdoor dog this is less likely. Some breeds are known for having fast growing nails such as the basset hound and dachshunds so they will need theirs done more frequently. If a dogs claws are not trimmed, it could lead to in growing into the dogs paw pads and these could lead to a number of different problems, such as the dog limping and getting infections.

When cutting your dogs nails you will need;

· Guillotine-type nail clippers

· nail files

· Scissor type nail clippers

· Styptic powder

How to do it!

Grasp the dogs foot from the ankle up in the palm of your hand , grip it firmly but gently.  Ensure that you do this in a position which allows your hand to be facing in the same direction of the paw, ensuring it is away from the dog. Never hold the paw in-between the pads as it will tickle the dog and they could jerk away.

Stabilize the nail to cut– Gently wrap your fingers under the pads as you use your thumb to stabilize from the top of the claw which you are working on,

Identify the quick– If the dogs nails you are cutting are white, it will be easier for you to see the red quick in the middle of the nail. With dark nails, ensure you are careful not to cut the quick as it will cause bleeding, so do it little by little to decrease your chances.

Tip the nails for the beginning– do this if the dogs claws are unusually long or if it is the first tine you have done this. Tipping the nail would involve stabilizing the guide protein of the clippers to the surface of the dogs nail and taking a thin saving of the nail off with the blade.

Cut the nail-  When ready to cut the nail-, look at its shape. You will be able to see that the bottom of the nail is straight until it curves sharply at the tip. Using the clippers, cut the tip by continuing the straight line. However ensure the quick isn't damaged.

  

Filing the nail

Simply use the original technique to grasp the paw and hold it away from the dog. Get the nail file and simply file away any edges from the dogs nails to stop them from getting themselves. File as you would if you were filing your own nails.

If injury occurs (if the quick is cut-take control)

Stem the bleeding– use the styptic powder and place it at the end of the nail. Use the original grasping technique and press the powder to the end of the nail until the bleeding stops.

If your dog has dark coloured nails– try lighting a torch underneath them! This will show exactly where the dogs quick is!

Safety Procedures!

-Always ensure before clipping the dogs nails you have all the equipment ready!

-Always ensure you can perfectly see the nail before cutting!

-Always remember the dew claw!

-Don’t clip the pink part of the nail as it can cause bleeding!

-If the nail is still bleeding after half an hour-please see a veterinarian!

-If your dog really doesn't like you cutting their claws take them to be professionally done (by a vet or groomer) because it is less traumatic for them.

-If you are worried about the first time cutting your dogs nails go and see a professional most of the time they will be more than happy to help!

Thank you so much for reading this! Stay tuned for the next blog post!

Love Sam&Pepper xoxoxo

It's breeding awareness month!xo

It's breeding awareness month!

Let's take this time to think about the breeding of animals in this country!
Everyone knows that there's kennels in a number of different places in the UK and all over the world! Some breeds of animals don't need to be bred, for example Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Bearded Dragons! So in some cases it could be irresponsible breeding these animals when there is animals in need of a loving home in different places! I feel like if someone wants a specific breed like a Staffie or larger breed then check the dog homes and kennels before rehoming because you could save a life!

However breeding animals in the correct way is important as it shows people the high standards of how it is done! As everyone knows there are some people who are unable to breed animals in the correct way and this often leads to puppy farming which everyone knows I DONT agree with, I feel like there should be high standards in which people have to follow to be able to breed animals no matter the animal or the breed,

But this is the time of the year where everyone should take a look at what they can do to help! Spread the word about bad breeding and spread the word about good breeding!

As a final word I feel it is important to spread the word about ALL animal breeding, horses, exotic animals, cats, fish, rodents and other animals. It is also important to give love to animal rescue centres which are giving animals these second chances!

Thanks for reading!
Sam&Pepper xo

Bakers Mini-Bones and Rewards Treats Review-xo

Hello!

Animal Zones latest post is going to be on  Bakers "Mini-Bones" and "Rewards".


The Rewards treats are listed below showing that they come in beef, chicken and beef flavouring. Now I found this important as it shows that by getting these treats that your pampered pooch will get a variety from them. Another thing which I like about these treats is that they are easy to break into smaller pieces meaning that if the treat is too long for your pampered pooch you can break it into smaller pieces so it will be easier for them to eat. For new people using these treats at the back of the pack there is a chart showing how much of the treat different breeds can have per day. This is important because it shows the nutritional benefits.

Price-wise- If you go into must supermarkets you will pay around £1.80 per pack, with deals like 2 for £3 which I don`t think is too bad. However you can get these in some Pound shops and cheaper online so always shop around!

Overall Review- Pepper seems to like them. I have also been using these as rewards to teach him tricks and it has worked a treat!(literally!) So yes, I do recommend giving these a try as normal treats and as training treats.


The next treat is Bakers Mini Bones. Now these only come in chicken flavour, chicken flavour is a popular flavouring in dog treats so I didn't think this much of a issue. Like the rewards they are easy to break in half meaning if would be easier for smaller breeds to eat them but Pepper (Shih-Tzu) doesn't have a issue with eating it. With the rewards treats if you look at the back of the packs you can see the nutritional benefits of the treats and the restrictions on the amount of these treats your pooch can have a day, which of course is important as it will stop your pooch getting various illnesses or obesity.

Now I have found that recently they have decreased the package size and keep the price the same which is kind of disappointing as Pepper loves these. However Im sure that I will probably buy these again, or try another treat by Bakers as my pooch does particularly like these.

Many Thanks For Reading!
What do you think of these treats? Does your dog like them?

Sam and Pepper xo

Real Techniques- Core Collection Review-xo

Hiya Guys!

As you know from our last post, you can see that here at  Animal Zone, one of the most important things is cruelty free beauty and we have made it our mission to enlighten people about this subject

Most recently I have purchased a makeup brush set called " The Core Collection" from Real Techniques!
This set contains four brushes;

-The Detailer Brush

- The Pointed Foundation Brush

-The Buffing Brush

-The Contour Brush

-Panoramic Case

As Pictured Below!




Each of the four brushes have different uses including applying foundation(liquid, mineral or powder), applying lipstick, highlighter, eyeshadow, bronzer and blusher.

A overview of the brushes is that that are all 100% cruelty free, all hand precision cut and the way in which they are build means that they will last you a really long time! They have a flat surface at the bottom of the brush, which means that they can stand on their own on flat surfaces!

The contour brush, this brush can be used to apply highlighter, blusher and bronzer. It is really soft which is important as you wouldn't want to be applying your makeup with a rock hard brush! I personally won1 be using this brush a lot, not because I don't like it, because I don't really apply that much blusher, bronzer & highlighter! But when I do wear it I will be using this brush as I find it works with every different face shape! I also like the fact that the brush is quite compact so you could put it in your bag and take it on your travels! One negative I would say is that this brush is one available in the Core Collection Set, which can be a bit of a pain if you just need the one brush! But the sets in most cases do work out better value for money.

The next brush is the buffing brush, this is used to apply either powder or mineral foundation, however it could also be used to apply bronzer, highlighter or blusher but extra care should be taken not to apply too much of it! I have used this brush to apply some of my powder foundation and I found that it gives a even coverage! I personally wouldn't use it for wither blusher or bronzer as I think it would become too much! Again, This brush can only be bought in a set but a few reviews have said it is very similar to the expert face brush but i wouldn't know as i don't own them both!(yet ! lol ). As I said previously with the contour brush, the brush is soft, it is well structured and it has a flat base so it is able to free stand!

The next brush the detailer brush, this is used for concealer, eyeshadow, to toucher up foundation and even lipstick! Now I must say this is my FAVOURITE brush! Simply because you can use it for pretty much everything! I've used it for mineral eyeshadow and concealer and it is definitely one of my favourites! Like with all Real Techniques brushes, they are soft, well made and cruelty free! The only down side of this brush is the fact you can only buy it in a set, otherwise I would purchase many more of them! Like the other brushes in the set, this one also has a flat base meaning that it can free stand!

The last brush of the core collection is the pointed foundation brush, This is used to apply liquid foundation and I must admit that I have used this brush as of yet as I haven't purchased my foundation yet. But I am excited to use it! It has all the same features as the other brushes in the core collection, freestanding, soft brushes. And i feel like this will be one of the brushes which I use on a daily basis! This brush can also be used for concealer as well! The only negative of this brush is the pointed foundation brush can only be brought in this set. However there is another Real Techniques foundation brush on the market which you can buy separately, however I haven`t purchased it as of yet!


As a whole, I LOVE this set and Real Techniques, there are some quite good deals on at the moment with their brushes including buy one get one half price at Boots so go get it while you can!

I will definately be purchasing Real Techniques Brushes again!

Any questions just comment below!

Thanks for reading,
Sam and Pepper xo

Cruelty Free Beauty!

Hey Guys!

As you all know, the Animal Zone members (Toni, Yasmin and Me (Sam) ) All love beauty! But when buying a product how do you know that it is "cruelty free" ?

Well, now cosmetic testing as be BANNED in this country, so if a company does this it will be against the law. However, this doesn't mean that companies from overseas don't test on animals!

Now the company reviews overall!
I am going to be doing reviews on companies as a whole today, and will be doing separate product reviews over the next few weeks( if there is anything specific you wanted me to review let me know!).

The first company is Real Techniques!

Real techniques are a makeup brush manufacturer and their brushes are 100% cruelty free! I have recently purchased their core collection and i must say i'm in love! They are just so soft and well made! My review on the core collection will be up during the week! But reviews from others also shows how good this company is! I recommend people looking around for deals for these brushes as some really good prices around! p.s people let me know what deals you can get!



The next company I am reviewing is another makeup brush company and this one is known as Ecotools! I also recently purchased their foundation brush and it is so soft and easy to clean! Like with the real techniques, they say that their brushes are 100% cruelty free and handmade. I haven't used my ecotools brush yet as I haven't decided what foundation to use!(silly me!) but I will soon! Hopefully! These brushes are so soft and well made! Like i said before, before buying shop around for the best deals! Could save you money!

Another cruelty free company is The Body Shop! Now I LOVE this shop! I own pretty much everything! I've used their shampoos, hand cleaners, soaps, conditioners, foundations, mascara, body wash, perfume and plenty plenty more! There are so many reasons why I just love the body shop! One being is reasonably priced, its GREAT quality! The staff are always nice no matter what store I go into! They do some awesome discounts! And of course, it is cruelty free! Now I have been using this brand for nearly a year and I can say I generally cant get enough! Please comment your favourites below!


Lush is another cruelty free beauty brand and I must say it lives up to its name! I must admit, I love Lush but some of their products are so overpriced I haven't tried them all yet! However I have tried a number of their bath bombs and they are SOO good! There space girl one has to be my all time favourite and for the price of only £2.35! I think that EVERYONE should go and give it a go! More product reviews from Lush will definitely be up this week!



Three other makeup brands which are popular and cruelty free are Urban decay, Barry M and Burts Bees! Urban Decay is one of my favourite brands and to know that it is cruelty free is even better! Barry M! I think that everyone has used Barry M`s Nail Vanish!(Reviews up later this week) And Burts Bees, Burts Bees Lip Balm... Everyone should try it, it is immense!
 


Like I said, during the blog post, there will be separate blog spots on a number of different companies during the week so keep your eyes out!

Thank you for reading this!
Sam & Pepper xo

Pet Product Review! - Halti & Training Lead

Hello!

Today, I am doing a pet product review on my monster's halti and training lead!

Above I have included a picture of Ocean wearing her halti from Pets at Home! (I know what a poser!)

A halti is a nylon halter that loosely goes around the dogs muzzle and clips behind the ears. Although the halti may not look very appealing it is completely safe for your fury friend's! Many people mistake a halti for a muzzle but because it's loose fitting around the muzzle they are able to open their mouths fully and they are able to eat, drink, and even yawn without discomfort. The halti also attaches to the dogs collar and the lead can be attached just under the chin.

The main reasons for using a halti is:

1. To stop dog's from pulling

2. An active training aid

As Ocean is a Siberian Husky we expected her to pull on the lead because of her breeds instinct to pull sleds and due to husky's being used as working dogs. As she started to get bigger her pulling got worse so I decided to buy her a halti when she was around 1 years old. It took her a little while to get used to the fact that she had something around her muzzle that was stopping her from pulling. But after a while it was no problem at all! 

She still wears her halti when she's out on adventures now and I can happily say her pulling has completely stopped! She walks loosely on the lead and even by my side at times (bonus!) 

I would recommend purchasing a halti to anyone that has a fury monster that loves to pull! 

In terms of price and place, there are varying prices and different places that sell halti's. Personally I purchased my little monster's halti at Pets at Home as i was able to take her inside with me and pick up the correct size. You could also find halti's at your local pet store, some supermarkets and even Amazon and Ebay! On average I've seen them sold from £6.95 to £15.00. They can also be found in various different colours! 

Above i have included an image of the lead i use to walk Ocean!

I purchased this training style lead a while back as Ocean kept eating through all her leads! Someone over at the local park recommended i get a training style lead like this and i needed a thick lead that Ocean would find difficult to chew through. 

As most people have heard it is murder (literally) trying to train a husky off lead as they love to run off and even chase smaller animals! I decided to try Ocean off the lead a few times but she would just run off and wouldn't come back when she was called. I tried treats, clickers, dog whistles etc and nothing worked! The amount of unfriendly dog's at the park also increased so I decided it would be safer to have Ocean on the lead so that she was under my control and wasn't able to run over to unfriendly dogs. 

I hated the fact that Ocean didn't get her own freedom, so i purchased a training lead! The fact that this lead has 2 clips allows me to attach one to her halti and one to her harness is great! As this lead has 2 circular rings I am able to change the length of the lead and give Ocean her own freedom to explore but still be in control. 

Ocean absolutely loves having her own space to run around and investigate!

I still use this lead and will continue to use it until a new one is needed to replace it!

In term of pricing and place, there are varying prices and different places that sell these types of leads. Places such as Pets at Home, Ebay and Amazon all sell training leads and the price varies. I got Ocean's lead from Ebay for approximately £15. If i am able to find the seller or a similar lead I will link it below ASAP. 

Thanks for reading!

- Toni xo

If you have any questions please comment below and we will answer you ASAP!

Follow us on Instagram @animal_zonee

Animal Welfare - The Five Freedoms!

Hi guys!

As you may already know our blog is all about animal welfare and caring for animals. So our third post today (I know we are on a roll!) is going to focus on the 5 freedoms of animal welfare.

The five freedoms are a set of rights which apply to animals under the control of humans. The welfare of animals include it's mental and physical state. The five freedoms are used as the basis for the actions of professional groups, such as veterinarians and other animal health organisations. The 5 freedoms were originally developed from a UK government report on livestock husbandry in 1965. 

The current 5 freedoms are listed below:

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst

    By ready access to fresh, clean water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.

2. Freedom from Discomfort

    By providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease

    By prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour

    By providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.

5. Freedom from Fear and Distress

    By ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

These 5 freedoms should all be followed to ensure your fury friend is the healthiest he/she can be & they should all be considered when deciding to get an animal!

Thanks for reading! 

- Toni xo

If you have any questions please comment below and we will answer you ASAP!

Follow us on Instagram @animal_zonee

Comment below any blog posts you'd like to see us post in the future!

Pet Product Review! - Dreamies Tasty Cat Treats!

Hello!

Today, I'm doing another pet product review on Dreamies Tasty Cat Treats!

For those who have never brought Dreamies they are said to be "treats cats crave"
Personally, I don't know a cat that wouldn't love little crunchy squares filled with a delicious soft centre.
Also, with only 2 calories per treat I think they are perfect for kitties of all ages (especially porky kitties looking for a fulfilling snack aka Jerry - my little monster).
Having read good reviews from buyers of Dreamies and the ingredients of the products I believe the Dreamies treats are safe and healthy snacks for cats - so what's not to love?

In terms of price and place, there are varying prices and different places which Dreamies can be found. On average I've seen it sold from £1 to £1.35 and can be found everywhere from Supermarkets such as Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrison's to pet stores and good pound shops such as Pets at Home and £-stretcher.

The first time I fed Jerry Dreamies was 3 months ago to suppress his greedy tummy at lunchtimes. Since then it has become his favourite treat! He happily chooses Dreamies over all his other treats including milk! (which is shocking because he ADORES his cat milk!) The advertisement for the treats is worth watching because it is 100% true that your cat will come running like a lunatic when it hears the Dreamies treat pouch shake!

Dreamies comes in LOADS of awesome flavours including:-
~ Tasty Chicken (Jerry's favourite)
~ Tantalizing Turkey
~ Tempting Beef
~ Heavenly Tuna
~ Scrumptious Salmon
~ Detectable Duck
~ Delicious Cheese

Not only that, Dreamies sell pouch mixes of these flavours e.g. scrumptious salmon with heavenly tuna!
Making them even more enjoyable!!

Dreamies new range of pouches include treats with health benefit for your cat such as;-
~ Vitamins & Omega
~ Anti- Hair Ball
~ Skin & Coat

Jerry is yet to taste all the Dreamies products however I still strongly recommend anyone of the Dreamies treats to cat owners who love they're furry pal :) Dreamies gets 5 stars from Me and Jerry!

Thanks for reading, please follow us on Instagram, like and comment on here also!

Have a happy day,
Yasmin and Jerry xo

Pet Product Review! - Pedigree Dentastix!

Hello!
Today, I am doing a pet product review on Pedigree Dentastix!

If you have seen our Instagram page this morning, you would know that Pepper had a package of them delivered by the postman! (http://instagram.com/p/r1YciDo5QV/?modal=true if you havent already seen it!)

Dentastix is a treat which should be given to your dog daily, as it is daily oral care. They were originally made because the amount of dogs which are getting gum disease. (4 out of 5 dogs having it).

Gum disease is caused plaque and tartar build up around the dogs gum line.  Giving your dog a dentastix once a day is proven to reduce the chances of your pampered pooch getting the disease!

There are two different flavours in each pack, these are chicken and beef and you can see which one is which by the different colours of them! (one being lighter than the other one)

Another reason why both me and Pepper love dentastix is because they are both low in fat and low in calories! Only 82 Calories per stick which is good compared to some normal treats in which you could be giving your pooch! 

As I said before, Pepper loves these and he looks forward to his daily dentastick! As they reduce him from getting gum disease and them being tasty, what's not to like?

Price- There are a number of different places which sell them including supermarkets such as Asda`s and Morrisons and pet online stores such as Fetch and Pets at home!

Thanks for reading, please follow us on instagram, like and comment on here also!

Have a nice day,
Sam and Pepper xo

An Adorable Dalmatian!

We know Dalmatians are one of the cutest dog breeds ever!

So when we saw this little cutie on Instagram we just had to feature her!

This is Lilly! She is an adorable Dalmatian, and we think she should have a role in the film!

The Dalmatian is a middle sized breed, which is known for being both well-defined and muscular! It also has excellent endurance and stamina. When this breed is fully grown is can weigh between 16 and 32 kilograms and its height is 48 to 61 cm. In most cases the male will be taller than the females.

The Dalmatian is known for having a short dotted coat, however this doesn't mean that the dog shouldn't be groomed regularly! They should be groomed weekly and bathed monthly to ensure that there coat is kept healthy!

The Dalmatian breed has a number of different duties including being a normal house hold pet, rescue dog and fire rescue dog! 

This breed in some cases can be born deaf, however 70% of this breed will be born with normal hearing!

Overall, they are a great dog breed, a good family pet and great around children!

This is Lilly below! 

Check her out @mom_n_lilly on Instagram

Introduction To Our Pets And Our Experience! ;-)

Hiya!

If you have seen our previous post you will know some random information about us! You will also know about our pets!

Between us we have;
- 1 Husky(Called Ocean)
-1 Shih-Tzu(Called Pepper)
-2 Cats(Called Patch and Jerry)
-11 Fish(Called Tokyo, Einstein, Paris, Bubbles, Obama and 6 Nameless)

There are different needs for each of the animals we own. For example Ocean will need triple the amount of food and exercise compared to Pepper. This is because of breed and size difference.

Thanks for reading,
Please remember to like and share!
xo

Animal Zone - Who Are We?xo

Hello!

We are three 17 year old girls who just love animals! We are currently studying Animal Care at a Level 3 Nationals Diploma in Sixth Form!

There is -Yasmin

             -Sam

             -Toni

Between us we have 2 dogs, 2 cats and 11 goldfish! But have experience with a various different animals including livestock and equine!

Hiya, I'm Yasmin! A bubbly gal who thoroughly enjoys life. I spend most of my time volunteering on a local farm, eating cake and chicken nuggets (nomnomnom), studying biology, sleeping and playing with Jerry (my cat). He's a troublesome 1 year old tuxedo puss and the love of my life. I also have 8 boring fish, 6 nameless minos and 3 goldfish called Paris, Tokyo and Einstein. My favourite movie of all time is Spirited Away <3 - the ultimate Japanese anime!

Hey, I'm Sam! Im a bit of a boring person LOL! But i do a lot of things with my time, including volunteering at a local dog groomers and eating my favourite food, Chinese! My main man in my life is my 6 year old Shih-Tzu, Also known as Pepper, and little git! I also own a tiger! Also known as Patch, a tortoise shell cat. Also have two goldfish, called Obama and Bubbles! My all time favourite film has to be Toy Story as I am a big kid at heart! However, I'm a lover of all things Disney!xo

Hi, I'm Toni! Im probably the most childish and immature out of all of us LOL! (literally). I own a 2 year old Siberian Husky known as Ocean (aka Puddles/beast!) I spend most of my time watching TV series, eating food-normally pizza or cookies, walking my beast (Ocean) and volunteering at a dog rescue. I am currently studying science and business studies along with my animal care level 3 national diploma. My favourite films have to be Peter Pan and Divergent because everyone knows they are the best!

Together, we are three peas in a pod, Literally! We all have something in common, whether it be food or a favourite film! We thought together, we could help people with problems that may occur when looking after their animals or when having difficulties choosing an animal by providing helpful tips, tactics and reviews from our knowledge gained ;)

Thank you for reading this!

Remember, follow! follow! follow!