At home with the Hiltons!

2012-03-24T03:01:00.000+00:00

Unfortunately due to ill health (my own) things have been very quiet here in terms of posts recently, hopefully normal posting will resume early April, so please bear with us and check back soon!

Rio.

Alright, keep your pants on!

2012-02-12T08:27:00.001+00:00

Today's post is another about something we bought recently. We bought some new light coloured bedding a few weeks ago, that wasn't really what you would call cheap (stay with us here, it's not a post about our new sheets, I promise lol) so to avoid the inevitable little stains when the girls are in season, we invested in some puppy pants.

Some people use them to prevent accidental matings, some to help keep elderly dogs clean and some to deter scent marking. Most people use them though how we intend to, as a sanitary product.

We got ours from a lovely lady on eBay who hand makes all the pants and will do custom sized orders for no extra charge! Her shop has a huge variety of these pants, so be sure to take a look :)

We bought 4 pairs, 1 each for the older girls. (They tend to bring each other in so we played it safe and got 1 each). An XS fits Rafferty & Lily and a Small fits Buffy & Monroe.**
Lola will get a pair in a few weeks once she's fully grown and is coming up to her first season :)

Now, ladies don't normally flash their panties, but we'll make an exception this once..!
(Click any image to enlarge it)

Buffy's;

Rafferty's;

Monroe's;

Lily's;

So far the girls don't seem to mind them at all, they're pretty used to clothes and the pants are working perfectly. They're great quality too, the legs are elasticated for a better fit and the velcro waist means that although you choose the size closest to your pup, the pants are pretty customisable and will grow/shrink with your pet. Obviously if your dog doesn't really match up well to any of the pre-sized ones, as we said before you can order a custom fit pair :)

Now to try and decide which pair little Lola will eventually get! Choices choices!

Love & licks

Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

** To get an idea of the size of the pants, here's them compared to my phone;

XS;

A Healthy Future

2012-01-24T20:13:00.002+00:00

'Dogs - A Healthy Future', narrated by Clare Balding, is the Kennel Club's latest short film, focusing on the health and welfare of dogs in the UK. One of the main subjects covered is puppy farming and what it's done to the health of many innocent dogs, with puppy farmers irresponsible and overly selective breeding being the leading cause of hereditary diseases in dogs today.

The film also takes a look at what is being done to rectify the issues and how the KC intends to keep our dogs welfare a top priority on everyone's list this year. It calls for united action against the concerns raised, to ensure real progress is made in 2012 and for years to come. Our dogs' future is in our hands.

The film was uploaded to the KC's youtube channel last week and has already totted up over 22,900 views. You can watch the full film below and do your bit to help spread the word by sharing a link to this post or directly to the video, awareness and understanding is only a click away.

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

P.S We've been away for a long time, due to illness (my own, the girls are all fine!) but we'll be doing some major catching up over the next week, so be sure to check back with us soon ;)

Our top 10 doggy products of 2011.

2012-01-01T13:00:00.003+00:00

With 5 very spoilt Chihuahuas running around our house we're pretty much always buying doggy products, looking at doggy products, researching doggy products or as of late, blogging about them. So now 2011 is over, we decided to take a look back over all the wonderful things we've had this year and pick our top 10 'must haves' from the pile! Some of these were new out this year, some were older but all were close at hand throughout these last 12 months. Starting with #10 and counting down to the top spot, #1, these are our must have items for every dog...

10. The Furminator De-shedding Brush. The Furminator made it into our top 10 as it's quite simply the best brush we've come across and it always makes my girls look and feel fabulous, year round. It's great for saving your sofas from all that moulted dog hair too! We love ours, which we got here.

9. Coachies Puppy Treats. One of the very best treats we come across - no nasty ingredients, the girls adore them and they're nice and cost effective! We buy the 'puppy' variety here, as the girls prefer the flavour over the adult variety :)

8. SMP's Pink Gingham Dress. We didn't actually buy this, we won it in Style My Pooch's recent competition, however we love it so much it just had to have a place in our line up! Stylish and cosy, it's a perfect winter dress for your darling doggy and Buffy loves hers! You can order one directly from Style My Pooch's website.

7. Kong Wubbas/Snugga Wubbas. Available in 3 sizes, 3+ materials and a multitude of colours and styles, the Kong Wubba is hugely versatile and a ton of fun. We have 2 Snugga Wubbas (the fleece ones), 1 large blue one and 1 small pink one. We also have a small Fox Wubba Friend. All 3 provide the girls hours of tugging mayhem, or if preferred, hours of snuggly sleepy chewing! When Summer rolls around again we'll probably buy a 'Wet Wubba', for fun in the pool :) We got ours here!

6. Puppia harnesses. The girls recently got some of their 'Jacket' harnesses for Christmas and the quality, comfort and design of these harnesses is second to none! There's so many designs that there's something to suit every doggies discerning taste ;) We got them here.

5. Charley Chau's 'Snuggle Bed'. We have the large 'chocolate dotty' snuggle bed and the girls absolutely love to scrub about in it, before settling down for a long snuggly snooze. Having tested it myself I can confirm how deliciously comfy the bed is ;) It fits in great with our furniture and wouldn't look out of place in any stylish home. You can buy Charley Chau's beautiful handmade beds direct from their website!

4. The Hartz Chew n' Clean ring. Having been through several toys with similar ideas behind them, this has been the one that the girls just couldn't put down. Ours has been through the wars this year but has stood up to all the abuse brilliantly and is still a treasured toy amongst the Hilton girls! You can get it directly from the link above :)

3. The Aikiou. Our absolute favourite 'interactive dog feeder' yet, if we fill the girls regular bowl and the Aikiou, then let them at 'em, they'll empty the Aikiou first every time. Something about it draws them in and holds their attention like no other food based toy! A family favourite that we have in pink and got from this website.

2. Animology. From our past posts it may be known already how much we adore Animology's shampoo range, so we won't repeat ourselves, we'll just say they're totally fabulous and definitely worth a try, they make our girls look, feel and smell wonderful! You can get their shampoos and sprays at most good pet stores or online here.

And finally we're here, our top spot, numero uno...

1. Orijen. We have Orijen to credit for our girls great health, so of course it had to be number 1. By far the very best food we found after a lot of research, we can't imagine feeding anything else because we just love it so much! We feed the original flavour adult food but with a variety of flavours and several age appropriate formulations, there's a bag of Orijen for every dog! Once a month we order a bag from this website and that'll be our routine for years to come ;)

That's it then! We hope you enjoyed our run down of the best products we bought in 2011 and if you try any of them be sure to let us know what you think :)

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

New Years Eve Safety (Tips)

2011-12-30T16:44:00.001+00:00

The festive season runs really from late October, with Halloween, through to New Years Eve/Day, with Bonfire Night, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day all happening along the way. (Plus any other country specific events, like Thanksgiving.)

The point is, there's a lot of celebration this time of year and to try and help you and your darling dog(s) we've been posting tips on how to keep them safe and happy. (You can see our Halloween/Bonfire Night, Christmas and Snow specific posts by clicking the titles, with Halloween/Bonfire Night being mainly about fireworks, the Christmas post covers decorations and a little on food and the Snow post is pretty self explanatory!) Now the clock is ticking down to the New Year (get it? clock?) we wanted to make sure your pups 2012 starts with a bang - and not a bang that causes them utter terror! So this is our New Years Eve safety advice, we hope it helps!

Now, we covered most bases in our other tips posts but there are a few problems that could come up with New Years that we thought it would be helpful to write about!

The main issues with New Years Eve, from a dogs point of view, are all the extra noise - fireworks, music, rambunctious party guests and if you do have a party/group of friends over, all the extra people - feet to stand on them, doors being left open, extra mess with food/drink being spilt etc.

Lets start with the noise. We covered fireworks pretty thoroughly in the Halloween/Bonfire Night post, so I shan't repeat myself, I'll just advise that you check it out! As far as loud music and guests, if you're having that kind of party it might be wise to have a friend or family member take care of your dog(s) or even look into an overnight kennel stay. (I'd advise family over kennels, if you know someone up to the job, as some dogs can find kennels quite unpleasant.) Although they'll be away from you, both options should be less stressful and a lot safer than them running around your party!

As far as your guests go, if you do keep Fido or Fluffy at home, try to educate yourself and your friends. If your party might get a little 'wild', consider turning one of your bedrooms into a doggy den. To set up a den room you'll need a comfy bed, perhaps a hidey hole tent or snuggly blanket, a very sturdy toy (you don't want any pieces swallowed), fresh food and water, plus newspaper or pee pads. Make sure you don't leave anything chewable, breakable, sharp, poisonous in the room. It's worth not leaving anything electronic in the room, apart from the ceiling light of course lol and please check on your pup regularly! No one likes to be forgotten. Where possible let them out to pee and it's probably wise to walk them before your party.

It might seem 'harsh' to 'shut your dog away', but the alternatives are so much worse. They could be let out accidentally by people arriving/leaving, by someone going outside for a cigarette etc. A well meaning but clueless tipsy guest could feed them inappropriate (and possibly dangerous) snacks or find it funny to 'get the dog drunk'. The wrong food or drink, especially alcohol, can be literally life or death for a dog, so please don't risk it. A friend could be strutting his/her stuff on the dance floor and stand on your poor pooches paw. We all know how much that hurts, don't put your dog in that situation. There's also the simple fact that your dog may just get overwhelmed by a large group, so be kind to your dog and let them stay with family, a kennel or if all else fails, build them a doggy den and let them relax.

As I mentioned in my Halloween/Bonfire Night post it's always wise to know when your dog has reached its limits and be prepared to call in the professionals - your vet can administer sedatives and offer you a lot of great advice. It's a good idea to check your vets emergency/out of hours services covering the New Years period, just in case.

So with all that in mind, be safe and we hope you and your dog(s) have a very Happy (and healthy) New Year, see you in 2012!

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Christmas Day/Boxing Day catch up!

2011-12-27T13:24:00.000+00:00

It's been busy busy busy here the past few days, so we thought a little catch up was in order! Everyone had a great day and it seems the girls were good this year because Santa Paws dropped in to give them their presents...

(Gotta love my dad for dressing up for us! Bless him haha)

We did the usual, presents, big dinner, family visits and we all had a fab time and were totally spoilt. The girls got some lovely gifts! They had an Oscar Newman 'My Agility Set' and a Puppia harness each from myself and Jonny, then they had a cute toy set and 2 bags of treats from my Dad and Step Mum Angie! (The treats were from my step siblings and Alfie apparently haha).

(We'll get pictures of their gifts up as soon as we have time! Christmas takes a while to recover from lol!)

Yesterday (Boxing Day) we had my Mamma and Ray (Step Granddad) over, so the girls got a ton of attention, which suited them perfectly! It was the first time my Mamma had actually met Lola, she was quite taken with her, although she has a soft spot for Lily :)

All in all it's been a lovely festive few days, although we're wiped out from all the hustle and bustle! We'll drop in very quickly tomorrow (hopefully) to post those pictures of the girls modelling their Style My Pooch prizes, as promised. After that we have a few reviews to do and New Years safety tips, so check back soon!

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and got everything you wished for :)

Love and licks,

Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Christmas Eve!

2011-12-24T16:26:00.000+00:00

Christmas is almost upon us and the fun has started early here at the Hilton household, with all the girls showing off their Christmas costumes!

Buffy in her jumper!

Rafferty as 'Mrs. Clause'.

Monroe as an elf :)

Lily (also) as an elf!

(She really wasn't into having her picture taken today lol!)

Lola as a Christmas tree :D

(Sneaky Lily peaking from her Lola's right ear!)

You may have noticed 2 things about our pictures...

1) We have 2 elves. Unfortunately I neglected my duties and never realised that Lola didn't have her own costume, so everyone had to trade round and luckily we had a spare elf costume that nobody usually wears, so it worked out in the end! Next year we'll be buying some new costumes though, so things should be simpler Christmas 2012!

2) We have a severe lack of presents under our tree! That would be because Lola is an absolute monkey and has developed a fetish for wrapping paper/boxes. She actually ruined one of my dad's presents, before we'd even wrapped it...

She did that in literally 2 minutes! We only left the room to hunt down the sellotape so we could wrap it :( Naughty Lola!

Our presents have, for this Christmas at least, been relegated to the relative safety of the coffee table...

Other than that adjustment all is as planned and we're very excited for 'Santa Paws' visiting! My dad and step mum are visiting tonight to drop our presents off and collect their gifts, so tomorrow at some point, when we have a spare minute, we'll drop in and post about what the girls got this year :)

Until then, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love and licks,

Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Style My Pooch Prizes :)

2011-12-22T17:15:00.001+00:00

Yesterday we posted about winning the Style My Pooch competition and today our prizes arrived... Super speedy delivery eh! :) We're thrilled with all 5 pieces, they're so adorable!

Everything came wrapped up in some lovely gold tissue paper...

Buffys dress!

I fell in love with this the moment I saw it on SMP's website and it seems I'm not the only one who adores it, Buffy fell in love the moment I unwrapped it! It's stunning in person, the fur trim is wonderfully soft, the body sits so beautifully and the little ruffled skirt part falls perfectly. So in love with this!

Raffertys cow hoodie!

This is almost an inside joke, as we call Rafferty 'Gibby Cow' sometimes (a reference to her pregnancy), so we just had to have this for her! Although Raff isn't one for clothes, this hoodie is so soft and cosy even she couldn't complain. You can't see too well here but there are little silver sparkles in the furry trim on the hood - precious!

The 3 adorable t shirts!

(1. Monroe. 2. Lola. 3. Lily.)

Ahh I love these even more in person than thought I would! The blue t shirt is still my favourite and looks amazing with Monroe's colouring. The red-ish t shirt is a beautiful colour, it's not quite red, not quite shocking pink and Lola works it ;) The lime green is almost neon and has a fab retro/80's/pop art party vibe, it looks so cute on Lily!

Also in the package were 3 cards for SMP...

2 of which had a lovely Chihuahua on! How appropriate?! ;)

Isn't everything super cute!?!

We absolutely adore every single piece and the girls look beautiful in their new clothes, so we want to say an absolutely massive 'thank you!' to Nicola, Tiny and everyone else at Style My Pooch :)

Sadly the light wasn't on our side this afternoon, but over the next few days we'll be sure to get some pictures up of the girls modelling everything! In the meantime if you see something here you like don't hesitate to order, the 20% discount we mentioned in our last post expires January 10th and we'd hate you to miss out!

Love and licks as ever,

Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Style My Pooch contact info:

Website - www.stylemypooch.co.uk

Facebook - StyleMyPooch / Tiny

Twitter - @StyleMyPoochUK

Blog - http://stylemypooch.co.uk/category/blog/

Style OUR Pooch(es)!

2011-12-21T13:00:00.005+00:00

As you may know we're on twitter (@riochanelhilton) and we follow a few great doggy sites/brands, one being @stylemypoochuk! Tiny (the adorable Yorkie and SMP model) and the Style My Pooch team decided to run a fabulous Christmas competition, with the grand prize being £100 worth of their lovely clothes!

We decided to enter and thank our lucky stars we did, because we won!
(Which caused me to dance around my kitchen a little)...

We chose 5 items, a pink gingham dress for Buffy, a black and white cow print hoodie for Rafferty and 3 fabulously cute t shirts (1,2,3) to go between Monroe, Lily and Lola! (I think t shirt 2 is my favourite of the 3). We're all so excited for everything to arrive, I know the girls will love their super special Christmas presents, Buffy especially will enjoy her new 'princess dress' :)

We want to say an extra big 'thank you' to everyone at Style My Pooch and we advise anyone looking for cute clothes to check out their website, blog, twitter account or facebook page!

We'd suggest you to get your orders in quickly too, because Style My Pooch are certainly in the festive spirit, as we're not the only ones getting an extra pressie or 2... To say thank you to everyone who entered the competition they've very kindly arranged a 20% discount on all orders, plus free shipping! Just enter 'STYLISHCHRISTMAS' at the checkout to get your discount ;)

Love and licks as ever,
(With extra licks to Tiny!)
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

P.S We'll be back soon, not least to show the girls modelling their beautiful new SMP clothes, so be sure to keep an eye out for our 'Style My Pooch Prizes' picture post!

Snow Joke!

2011-12-19T16:11:00.000+00:00

With Christmas almost here and more than a nip in the air, the big freeze has certainly begun. A lot of places throughout England/Wales/Scotland/NI have been affected by the sudden snow already and I don't doubt there's more to come. With that in mind, I wanted to take few minutes out to make 5 essential points that I hope you'll keep in mind when the white stuff hits!

1. Many people enjoy taking their dogs for a walk and nothing beats an early morning ramble in a winter wonderland but be aware of the dangers that may lie in your path. Everything from sharp black or broken ice, to unforeseen dangers such as broken bottles concealed in the snow drifts, are all too common. Ice and broken bottles (etc) can cut paws and may lead to a trip to the vets. Fore warned is fore armed!

2. When the salt grit trucks are out in force, a route change may be for the best. If that's not possible, then you should be sure to wash your dogs paws thoroughly in warm soapy water after your walk. Salt grit will irritate pads and can upset tummies if ingested during a cleaning session. For your dogs comfort it's best to gently dry their paws after, no one likes cold feet! If your dogs paws do become sore, irritated or even cracked, there are several 'paw treatments' out there that will help soothe them. (Always consult your vet first!)

3. This is probably the most important piece of advice any dog owner/walker will ever receive... Stay away from frozen ponds/lakes. Even if it's 'not that deep'. Even if the ice 'seems thick'. Never ever risk it, because it could be your dogs life, and your own, that will be lost. Sadly this is something we hear about year after year and only today another dog and owner were lost to icy waters. If your route involves/comes close to any frozen water, a river, stream, lake or pond, please keep your dog on a lead and stay well away. The risk is simply too great.

4. I've mentioned sharp/broken/cracked ice being a problem, but even seemingly harmless smooth ice can be an issue for young puppies, golden oldies or otherwise fragile dogs. Avoid ice as much as possible, no doggy wants a sprained or broken leg for Christmas! Games of 'fetch' will be best played indoors or on soft snow :)

5. Finally, keep your doggies warm! They have their fur of course, (well, most do) but with bitter cold winds and possible snow on the ground, a nice thick coat will surely be appreciated, as will an extra blanket in their beds and a warm lap to lie on! (Few can deny the winter snuggles being a 'win' for both doggie and human).

The festive season is full of fun and being in the know is the best way to stay safe :) Between this post, our 'Christmas Safety' post and the upcoming New Years post, hopefully you'll be clued up and ready to enjoy the holidays with your whole family.

One last thing I feel I should mention, don't eat the yellow snow! ;)

Be safe and enjoy the festive season with your furries,
Love and licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

P.S As an extra but important precaution, it's wise to check your vets opening times and out of hours service arrangements over the Christmas/New Year period. It's always best to avoid being caught out or put in a tricky situation. Be safe and be prepared.

A Winter Warmer!

2011-12-14T10:53:00.000+00:00

Our girls love nothing better than a good snuggle and at this time of year, when there's a nip in the air, they go into cuddle overdrive. Lola and Buffy are the biggest culprits by far, while Lily prefers to adopt Jonny's (daddy's) neck as her cuddle buddy!

(Click any picture to enlarge it)

Buffy and Lola.

(Sorry for the poor quality of this first one, my phones camera isn't amazing in low light!)

Monroe and Lola.

Buffy and Lola, again...

Different angle :)

Buffy and... you guessed it, Lola... See a theme here? ;)

Buffy and Rafferty.

Another Buffy and Lola snuggle!

Lily and Daddy :)

Not all our snuggle pictures are new though, here's one from a few weeks ago, of Buffy and itty bitty baby Lola!

(Sorry again for the poor quality!)

And a real blast from the past now, taken September/November time last year (2010), baby Lily and mummy Rafferty! (I love their matching muzzle/chin markings!)

Makes those chilly nights seem a little more bearable when you have a couple of cuties like these next to you on the sofa :)

That's all from us for now but we'll be back in a day or 2, we have a lot lined up including 3+ reviews, more picture posts, our Christmas list and much more!

Love & licks for now,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Pet of the Month (November) - Animology Competition!

2011-12-12T15:48:00.007+00:00

A while ago we reviewed the wonderful Animology line and ever since we've been keeping an eye on their Facebook page and Twitter. A few weeks ago they came up with a fun new competition on FB - 'Pet of the Month'. We decided to test the waters and enter one of our favourite pictures of Lola (incidentally it was her 1st bath and we were using Puppy Love!).

We're delighted to say Lola was chosen as a winner and we got some fabulous prizes from the lovely people at Animology. (Thanks guys!)

The next competition (POTM December) has already started so be sure to head over to their FB page now and upload your pets picture to be in with your chance of winning! Good luck if you do decide to enter :)

We'll be back soon, we have quite a few posts lined up so be sure to check back with us!

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

The Organic Pet - coming out T.O.P!

2011-12-07T13:30:00.001+00:00

I've bought so much stuff for the girls over these past 3 years of having them that it takes quite a lot to get me truly excited when it comes to pet products. Most things seem to be re branded copies, ridiculous and useless, horrendously overpriced or poor quality, which isn't acceptable even if they're -just- for pets. (Just, ha.)

So when I stumbled across The Organic Pet I must admit I did get rather excited!

I don't tend to give my girls treats too often, they wouldn't be treats if I did but when I do I try to keep them natural and organic. We've tried other treats in the past but they never went down amazingly well, some obviously weren't too tasty and some stank the house out!

We're always up for trying new things though, so we went ahead and placed and order on The Organic Pet's UK website.
(They sell their products at a really amazing price and no, the usual e-tailers can't beat it!)

The Organic Pet company stand by their name and keep every ingredient organic and as nature intended, they don't use any wheat gluten, soy or dairy in their treats and avoid all additives and preservatives. The don't use any added salt or sugar. They explain it all on their nutrition page.

T.O.P have 3 sizes of treats; minis, bites and jumbo. They also do some pretty cool selection boxes. The selection boxes would make a great doggy gift! -hint hint- ;)

We opted to try out all their flavours, 5 in the minis form and 1 in the bitesize.

(Click to enlarge.)

L-R Banana, Carrot & Apple, Cinnamon & Honey, Mint & Herbs and Sun Dried Tomato, Spinach & Herbs.

Banana and Peanut butter.

Don't the flavours sound delish? The human Hiltons might have to have a sneaky nibble too, just to test them of course ;)

So onto what we thought!

Well, firstly their website is great, it looks good, has great service and prices, we cannot fault them as a brand at all. When the treats arrive, they're beautifully packaged in good quality materials, they're actually nice to look at, the cover bodes well for the book! (Never judge a book by its cover, except for here, here you can.)

The treats themselves are a good size and they smell amazing. We tried the girls with all the flavours and they went down swimmingly, with the Cinnamon & Honey being the favourite so far.

With the quality ingredients and the fact that the girls really seem to enjoy them I can see these treats being in our cupboards for good!

Oh and did we mention how much we love their motto!?!

Says it all really doesn't it?

Bon Appétit!

Love & licks,

Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

'Tis the season to be jolly...

2011-12-01T08:00:00.001+00:00

Indeed it is the season to be jolly! It's also the season to be safe and although Christmas brings a lot of cheer, it can also bring a host of doggy dangers... It's not all bad, you can take the following simple steps to ensure your Christmas is a happy one!

1. Out comes the tree, up go the lights, yum goes your pup! Be aware that dogs, young and old, will find these shiny, twinkly ornaments are fascinating as you do. They'll show their appreciation with their teeth though, so it's wise to never leave your dog alone with your tree. It's worth avoiding real trees too - the needles will hurt gums and paws alike and never, ever hang chocolate decorations anywhere your dog goes.

2. Lighting candles creates a lovely cosy atmosphere, but that atmosphere won't extend to the vets office if your pup gets burnt! Make sure candles are high up and on a sturdy base.

3. At Christmas food plays a huge role, look out for stray bones and any fruits/vegetables that aren't dog safe. You can find a pretty comprehensive list here, but if in doubt always check with your vet.

4. Unwrapping presents is the highlight of the day for many, including your dog. Indulging in their game is fine and we certainly let them open their gifts, just be sure to take away all the pieces of paper as soon as it's open - they should want their new toy/treat anyway! :)

5. Another decoration to keep an eye on are those festive plants we bring in around this time of year, I'm looking at you Mistletoe! While there are some myths, many plants are still very dangerous to dogs, so getting clued up is wise. You can check here to learn more.

6. Mulled wine. Or any 'adult beverage' as it happens is definitely not Fido friendly! If you want your dog to have a bit of extra Christmas 'cheer' then a nip of the doggy safe good stuff will do ;)

7. Christmas is a time for family and like us, you may get your share of visitors. Be sure to educate them about what is and is not okay for your dog to have. Ignorance is bliss until it makes the family dog sick, so being clued up is key.

8. If you're the ones doing the visiting this year, then don't forget that where your pup usually stays while you're out may no longer be suitable! The kitchen will have a bounty of forbidden foods and your living room a toy the size of a tree! (Okay, it is your tree, but your dog won't know that). Crates can play a huge role in keeping your pet safe while you're out.

9. A lot of doggy stockings have the right idea, but sometimes the wrong products. Rawhide is practically a staple in these common gifts, but it's not always as innocent as it seems... The lowdown on rawhide!

10. Last but not least, don't forget that while your dog wants to be involved, sometimes putting them in their crate is for the best. During the cooking a dog running under your feet could be a disaster, so let them take a break from the action.

Christmas is about having fun with all your family, furry ones included, so be sure to fit in lots of fun stuff for your pup too. Supervised present unwrapping, a family walk in the snow and their own dog friendly dinner will give your dog a day to remember :) Even the countdown to Christmas can be fun with a doggy advent calender!

We hope you have a very 'Merry Christmas' and come back soon,

Love & licks,

Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Buffys 3rd Birthday!

2011-11-28T07:00:00.034+00:00

It's Buffy's Birthday today! I can't believe my big girl is 3, time really does fly...

We're celebrating her day in style, with a beautiful 'snuggle bed' from the fabulous Charley Chau and a bundle of goodies from the lovely Laughing Dog! She got a large 'Dotty Chocolate' snuggle bed, plus 3 packs of 'Oaties'.

She's thrilled with her gifts, I love how excited she gets! She's super excited to show her gifts off to my dad and step mum too, who will be visiting soon to bring her a little gift, so we'll update asap about that!

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Birthday Girl Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Blame Lola!

2011-11-27T23:52:00.004+00:00

So it seems we've been gone a whole week! Eek! Well, you can thank little Lola for that, because her Ladyship decided the 50 or so toys we have weren't good enough for her and obviously not nearly as interesting as the computer monitors power cable...

Thanks for that Lo!

Luckily we got a replacement cable (obviously ;p) so we're back just in time for Buffys birthday (tomorrow)!

We'll pop a post up for that in the morning obviously and in a few days we have another tips post, for the festive season ahead, so be sure to keep an eye out for that :)

Glad to be back btw,

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

National Little Dog Day!

2011-11-19T08:00:00.001+00:00

You may remember a while ago we did a short post for National Dog Day, well now we're here to share a bigger, um, smaller and better day (in our opinion ;))...

Introducing, National Little Dog Day 2011!

Although we love all dogs, big or small, our heart does belong to the little critters we call our own and a day dedicated to celebrating them is right up our street! Every dog is unique but the 'Great Dane in a Chihuahuas body' mentality we find with our little dogs makes them worth the extra fuss ;)

We hope you have a fabulous day and enjoy celebrating it with the little dog in your life ♥

Little love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Snuggles with Monroe :)

2011-11-18T01:51:00.000+00:00

It's starting to drop chilly early in the evening now, so last night we popped jumpers on the girls whilst the heating warmed the house through. We came across a pair of PJ's we ordered months back from Tinkerbells Closet, so we decided to put them on Monroe. She was thrilled with her new found warmth and got down next to me on the sofa for a cheeky nap!

Isn't she a cutie pie?

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Take a picture, it'll last longer!

2011-11-14T16:30:00.000+00:00

It's been a good long while now since our last 'picture post' and we've been snapping away, especially with Lola growing up so quickly! Here's a few of our favourite pictures that we've taken over the past few weeks;

I might be biased but I think our girls are beautiful :)

We'll be back soon with some exciting festive themed posts, including baking posts - complete with recipes and much more!

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Bark & Read Foundation.

2011-11-09T18:00:00.003+00:00

"Dogs are the new weapon in the battle against child illiteracy."

The Kennel Club Charitable Trust has always been there for dogs, helping our furry friends wherever and whenever possible. Now though the KCCT has teamed up with Pets As Therapy (P.A.T) and Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D) to form the Bark & Read Foundation so they can help dogs help children!

You may be thinking, 'dogs can't read!' and you're quite right, they can't, but they can provide a relaxing, pressure free atmosphere and a sympathetic ear. Studies have shown that children can become stressed when learning to read to others or to a group and so often the nerves can show in a reluctance to practice. Practice makes perfect and that's especially true when it comes to primary skills like reading!

The idea is to take away the stress of learning to read and give children some comfort and reassurance as they venture into the world of literacy. Reading aloud can be scary if you struggle or lack confidence and a lot of children will fear judgement or criticism. A dog will still adore you even if you make a mistake - a positive fact that the KCCT, P.A.T and R.E.A.D are trying to extend to the children in need of a helping paw.

The dogs' sociable natures will also provide motivation and inspire self esteem. By using dogs in this way reading will hopefully become a hugely positive and rewarding experience for children, giving them a love for books that will last a lifetime. Reading is such an important skill, every child should be able to unlock their full potential and hopefully 'Bark & Read' will give the estimated 1 in 6 illiterate children the help they deserve.

Bark & Read will be officially launched at this years Discover Dogs, where children under 12 go free, so be sure you take your children along so they can visit the Bark & Read Corner and see what it's all about! Even if you don't have children you can always call in to the corner and find out what's going on, so you can spread the word and maybe bring it to your local schools attention.

If you'd like to have one of the Bark & read sponsored dogs visit your school, group or club then you can contact Pets As Therapy by calling 01844-345445 or email R.E.A.D via tonynevett@yahoo.co.uk

The KC Library (Clarges St, Piccadilly) will also be holding 'reading days' for children from London primary schools and children with special needs from senior schools and colleges. You can find out more information about the reading days by getting in touch with Ciara Farrell on 020 7518 1009 or ciara.farrell@thekennelclub.org.uk

We really hope you'll get behind the fabulous Bark & Read campaign and maybe even do your bit to help the cause! If you need any encouragement at all, these heart warming testimonials should do the job...

Until next time,
Love & licks as ever,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Discover Dogs (Plus Our Ticket Giveaway!)

2011-11-07T13:00:00.002+00:00

Discover Dogs is right around the corner now and with that in mind we thought we'd share a little information about the big event and tell you how to get your hands on a pair of complimentary tickets!

Discover Dogs is a huge 2 day annual event run by The Kennel Club and sponsored this year by Royal Canin. At Discover Dogs you can expect to meet over 200 breeds of purebred dogs and their knowledgeable owners, who are waiting to tell you all about their furry friends! You'll learn about not only the look of the each breed, but also about their personalities, any distinctive traits and their needs as a breed.

Discover Dogs isn't just all about the purebred pups though, scruff-ty mutts are more than welcome with events such as the Scruffts Grand Final being held there and the Companion Dog Club Competition!

As well as the purebred meet and greets and the host of shows/competitions and agility demonstrations, there's also the winners display from the Dog Photographer of the Year 2011 competition!

If that still isn't enough for you then you're in luck, the 100+ trade stands should keep you busy for a while ;)

For any more info on what's on at this years Discover Dogs you can check out the list of events and start planning your route around the show!

With only a few days left before the show starts it's time to grab any last minute tickets you might want... We're pleased to say we can offer a little help on that front to one lucky winner, with our giveaway! We're offering 2 complimentary Discover Dogs tickets to you, our lovely readers!

To get your paws on this pair (2) of tickets all you have to do is tweet or RT a link to this post, with the hashtag - #DDTicketsAHWTH and we'll pick a winner! I'll put out a tweet that you can RT to simplify things :)

We'll message the winner Wednesday 9th November, so take to Twitter and RT for your chance to win!

Best of luck to everyone who enters,
Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

ETA - Congratulations to our winner from Twitter, @misstew :) Glad you had a fabulous time!

Remember remember...

2011-11-05T18:59:00.004+00:00

the 5th of November, gun powder, treason and plot...

Well there's no treason or plot here, although there's been a fair amount of gun powder around already tonight, in the form of fireworks! I love fireworks, the girls however are not so keen and we've had to take some of our own advice to keep them settled.

Hopefully this years Bonfire Night will pass without any major upset, so we can start looking forwards to the next holiday, the big one, Christmas!

We'll be back soon with 2 recipe posts, a post about our giveaway winners, another giveaway and closer to the 'big day' we'll have some fabulous festive themed posts for you, including some sneak previews of our presents to the girls! :)

We hope your night goes smoothly and your dogs stay safe,

Love & licks,
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

Giveaway - Win a copy of 'Awkward Family Pet Photos'!

2011-11-03T21:30:00.004+00:00

You may have seen our recent post about 'Awkward Family Pet Photos', if you didn't then be sure to read our review and find out what all the fuss is about!

Now we're very pleased to be able to offer a copy to give away! Entry is simple - I'll post a message on Twitter and everyone who RT's it will be in with a chance of winning :) Alternatively, if you don't have a twitter account then you can comment on this post below to win!

I'll message the winner Saturday 5th November to get their postal address, so if you enter be sure to check your inbox ;)

Good Luck!

P.S We'll have another giveaway coming up soon, so keep a look out for it...

ETA - Congratulations to our winner, Clarissa!

Awkward Family Pet Photos Book Review

2011-11-01T15:33:00.003+00:00

In the modern human/pet relationship a lot of boundaries get blurred. We lavish time, attention and sometimes a ridiculous amount of money on our furry little friends, like never before. Sometimes though people take their love to an extreme that borders on the obscene. There's a secretly strange section of the population, whose actions are just plain awkward and that's what this book, 'Awkward Family Pet Photos' is all about, those actions caught on film!

Enter the brilliant minds behind the book, Mike Bender and Doug Chernack. They saw an opportunity to gather together a host of funny, bizarre, weird and sometimes, down right cringe inducingly awkward 'family photos', that people have dragged their pets into! Many people feel their pet is a part of the family, us included and a family photo includes those with 4 legs as well as 2. Reading through the book though you'll come to see that so often the pet isn't the awkward one in the picture, it's us, the people setting up these amazingly odd shots!

I was lucky enough to get a pre release copy, so I've had a look through the book and I can say it's an intensely odd mix of the funny, the weird and, as the title suggests, the down right awkward. You can expect to find gems like Page 13, where cowboy chic meets a pet possum or Page 159, where one dog had his day, right behind the cute prom couple! One of the funniest shots (to us) and by far our overall favourite is on Page 54, so be sure to check it out if you grab yourself a copy!

The book is officially released today, so it'd be a great stocking filler or Christmas present for the animal lover in your life, who may well have a picture of themselves and their pet that would fit in! The book is a good read, it's put together nicely and is great quality, with a nice price tag to match. To check it out more and see how you can order your copy you can visit the 'where to buy' page, there you'll find links to this book and also see this books predecessor, 'Awkward Family Photos' for sale!

We hope you do get a copy and if you do then we'd love to hear about it! You can share your favourite pages or tell us about your awkward pet photos by emailing us or tweeting to @riochanelhilton

Love & licks,

Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.

P.S We'd like to say a big 'thank you' to Jonathan from Crown Publishing at Random House for sending us our copy!

(Products mentioned in this post were sent to me for review.)

Halloween with the Hiltons!

2011-10-31T20:49:00.000+00:00

Happy Halloween everyone! We love this time of year and our 5 girls are a huge part of the fun :) We said we'd share our celebrations with you, so here it is...

First off everyone knows you need a pumpkin for Halloween! With 5 Chihuahuas running around it was obvious what we had to do, so here's our Chihuahua pumpkin...

That's not a Chihuahua pumpkin Lola, this is a Chihuahua pumpkin!

Isn't it a cool idea? To try making your own simply print out the stencil and give it a go!

We didn't let all that pumpkin go to waste either, the girls made short work of it in these yummy pumpkin and cinnamon 'furrycakes'...

We whipped them up by modifying a basic vanilla sponge recipe, simply pick a recipe, add around a cup of pumpkin and reduce the amount of milk/water in the recipe accordingly :) For the 'frosting' you just combine some light cream cheese, a drizzle of honey and a dash of cinnamon, then spread it on. We'll do a detailed recipe post with some step by step pictures soon!

We hope you guys have a super spooky and very happy Halloween,

'Treats & tricks',
Rio, Jonny, Buffy, Rafferty, Monroe, Lily and Lola.
xo

p.s feel free to check out our last post all about keeping your pet safe over the upcoming holidays.