Hill's Prescription Diet and our dogs

We were contacted last year to test Hill's Prescription Diet. Based on our dogs' profiles we got the Hill's Prescription Diet k/d + Mobility food for Benji (the oldest) and Hill's Science Plan Mature Adult for our pavement special, Petite Peu. (Petite Peu is already a senior after she passed the age of 7 years already. So quick!)

We had to say goodbye to our little Yorkie Benji last year. It was difficult for me to write about him, and think about him. Even while writing this, I am tearing up! Our pets are not only our pets, they are our companions and our friends! He left a huge gap. He was such a happy chappy all along!

Dog Heaven at Walkhaven

We found a Dog Heaven at Walkhaven on Sunday! We are always searching for places in the outdoors that does not cost an arm and a leg. Places that cater for the whole family. What a treat to be able to bring along your dogs as well!

The dogs roam free and they are all well-behaved. Except for our little "monster" that we had to keep on a leash... But she did leave a little bit more calm after all the running around!

Our pavement special "screamed" (there's no better word for it! as all our nerves are shot driving with her!) all the way to Walkhaven. (I think she thinks we are taking her to the vet! Or maybe she can't handle the excitement? Who knows!)

Our old boy, Benji, took it all in his stride, and while missing a few steps and strides, we think he had a lovely time. We even took him off his leash, and he could not be bothered by other dogs sniffing his behind. (The same can't be said for the other anxious one!)

We told Benji several times he can go to the light! (A family joke, because he is OLD, and the regular foul-smelling pees in the house is a huge irritation!) To die while walking in Walkhaven must also be like missing a step crossing over into Dog Heaven! He would carry on walking in the fields...!  But as long as he still catches the snacks with such ease, he must be okay!

Walkhaven is in the Muldersdrift area, right next to the Cradle of Humankind. There are braai and picnic facilities on the premises, as well as a great outdoor restaurant at The Dog Box Grill. We had the burgers as they were on special, but the pizzas look great as well!

Adults pay R35 and children and students R20 for entrance for the day. (Not bad!)

I was there as well! ;-)

Yorkie boy update

Our Benji boy is still with us! We got this new addition to the family when he was 7 or 8 years, which means that he is now 14 or 15 years old. That's a lot in dog years!

But the vet thinks he still has many more years to go! (Much to Hubby's disappointment, because he can be a handful!) He is worse than a toddler which made me try to give him away five years back, but here he is! He still loves going on walks with us.

He is now also covered in moles, which makes the doggy parlour owner reluctant to cut his hair shorter. That does not help with his appearance at all! Yorkies can look scruffy very quickly, especially since the other dog "grooms" him, and Yorkie boy loves "vacuuming" the floor for scraps! And the food scraps get stuck in his beard...

Last night we wanted to leave him at home when we went for our afternoon walk, but he was waiting at the gate as well. Because he is a boy, he marks every bush, tree and pole in the street! That slows us down quite a bit. We also have to pick him up when he gets tired. But for most we are very impressed with the way his short legs can still keep up with the pace!

The Vet reckon it is his bad teeth that infects his liver, and that's why we get the accidents in the house. (Large foul-smelling puddles!) The Vet proposes that we pull most of his teeth, and that could aid in clearing up the liver. 

It is going to cost me, but I am starting to save! Poor boy! 

What would you do? Spend the R3500 ($259.95)  on the vet's bill?

Donations are welcome! 

(hint-hint family?)

The dog that we wanted to give away for free is still alive and living with us

We have tried giving our Miniature Yorkshire Terrier away for free, because he is some most of the times worse than a toddler.

Our Benji Boytjie is a dog that has one brain cell, and that brain cell is focused on scavenging for food. The rest of the times he gives us a bark when he wants to go out, and a bark when he wants to come in again. It happens about 100 times a night. And when we do not adhere to his demands, we are still sometimes rewarded with a puddle of a surprise.

He had a limp in his hind legs, but since we started feeding him with Fido (what the guy at the local pet shop recommended), he has shown remarkable improvement. (To great disappointment of Hubby.)

At the vet

He started coughing the previous week, and had to be taken to the vet. (And who took him to the vet? Hubby , of course! And he had to fork out the R650. Thank you, dear Hubby!).

Benji got kennel cough. Where, and how we are not sure, because he lives in an enclosed garden, and the other dog is not sick.

We are beginning to suspect that he has a separate life during the day where he roams around... (We have caught him getting out underneath the gate where he is not supposed to be getting out.)

Benji, you are Special!
We all love you!