Author: fatin

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How having a pet helped me with my mental health during a pandemic

The pandemic saw an increase in stay-at-home orders, with many individuals struggling to cope with the effects of minimised social contact.

For Sheryl, whose mental health has greatly affected her daily life – the enforced lockdown caused by the pandemic affected her with cabin fever, a condition that threatened her well-being.

Yet, her saving grace came in the form of a loving kitty named Princess. 

We talked to Sheryl to learn more about the importance of mental health awareness, especially with regard to the pandemic. We also learnt about the positive aspects of pet ownership, and how owning a pet might help one get through even the darkest of times. Her story is as below:

Sheryl’s Mental Health

Prior to covid and lockdown, I was already struggling with anxiety and depression. 

I was lucky to be able to travel a lot because of my job, and travelling helped a lot in coping with depression because I got to visit new places and meet new people all the time.

When the decision for the lockdown was announced, I mostly felt relief seeing the scale of the pandemic. But once I was able to think about what that meant for me, I started panicking. I wasn’t ready to deal with the mental health issues that could come up with lockdown, like cabin fever.

Meeting Princess

A colleague who knew about my mental health recommended getting a cat to keep me company at home, and showed me videos of Princess (then Tallulah) at the shelter. 

I’ve always wanted a pet but because of the frequency that I used to travel, never dared to commit to one unless I knew I could give it enough attention. I started researching the cost of having a pet, veterinary care, relocation, etc. 

Talking to my therapist, we agreed that adopting a cat will definitely help with my mental well-being, but only if I was sure I could properly care for her and not cause additional stress and anxiety for myself. 

The lockdown was the perfect opportunity to do that. 

I met Princess and immediately fell in love. 

Having Princess at home helped establish a routine both for me and her – feeding, playtime, etc, even down to cleaning her litter box. 

She gave me purpose – to give her the best life she could have. 

Plus having that cute little face around all the time, and all the cuddles, help with serotonin boosts. 

Throughout lockdown, I never experienced cabin fever like I thought I would because I had Princess around all the time. I knew friends who were desperate to go out, but I just wanted to stay in and spend time with my baby girl. 

Sure, I’ve had times when I started feeling claustrophobic at home, but P would want to cuddle or run over asking to play, and then I’d forget about all of that.

Cats as a Source of Comfort

Cookie came at a time where I was looking for a companion for Princess. I was about to adopt a little boy from a rescuer, but I found Cooks (or more like she found me). She was getting kicked by people on the street trying to shoo her away. I couldn’t take it and brought her home, hoping to rehome her. Instead, I decided to keep her to reduce the stress of re-introducing another cat to Princess. 

Cooks is the cutest thing. She cracks me up all the time, and I suspect she gives me more of a serotonin boost than Princess does because of all the dumb things she does to make me laugh. She’s also the most loving one out of the three. She loves unconditionally and is also the one who’s most in tune with my moods and emotions. She’ll be the first to run to me when I’m upset and cuddle with me even though she’s not usually a cuddly one. 

Monkey (formerly Sweetie) was rescued from the street when she was about 9 weeks, with a severe upper respiratory infection that caused her to go blind, and eventually losing both her eyes. She was a super shy and sweet girl when I met her and I just fell in love. I couldn’t deal with seeing her in the rehoming display box and brought her home. She really grew into her own character and got so confident at home. She was climbing everything and therefore her name. 

She’s the baby girl of our family – the one who cuddles with me every night, but also the one who terrorises her sisters all the time. 

I think having 3 cats is a great thing because they can feed off each other’s energy and play with each other. I don’t have to worry about them when I was back in the office. It helped me alleviate the anxiety worrying about whether Princess would be bored at home alone when I was out. 

It’s been a year and a half since bringing Princess home, and about 6 months since bringing Monkey home. I’m even off antidepressants right now (after consulting with my doctor and therapist of course) because I’ve been doing so much better mentally ever since the girls came into my life.

Mental Health and Pet Ownership

I do not necessarily think seeking pet companionship as a means to improve mental health would be productive as it comes with responsibilities, and its own challenges and stressors. I’ve seen many pets being dumped after restrictions were lifted, and that isn’t cool at all. 

I think there are a lot of considerations before getting a pet. There are a lot of upsides to it, but also potential stressors to consider. If you’ve thought through all the potential challenges as well, then I would say by all means get a pet because it can help so much with mental well-being. 

I have a friend in Europe who is in the midst of getting a PTSD service dog who is specifically trained to help with her needs. So that’s another example of how pets can help with our mental health, but with considerations in mind.

Thank you Sheryl for taking the time to share with us your story.

For those struggling with mental health, feel free to check out these helplines for further assistance.

If you, or a friend have a similar experience, or have a heartwarming pandemic-related tale to tell – reach out to us here.

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Community Stories

My family member did not see pets as part of the family. I had to move out.

This article is an expansion of Iris’ submission for Pawjourr’s #WhatsYourReality campaign. We recommend reading her original submission before proceeding with the article [link].

Pet ownership is a difficult journey, but its challenges can be exacerbated by family members who are not understanding of your pet’s needs.

For Iris, she experienced this first hand when she invited a new family member into her home, someone who took an immediate disinterest in her cat, Kitty. 

We reached out to Iris to know more about her struggles in maintaining relationships with her family while continuing to pursue her responsibilities in pet ownership. 

We hope that through her story, we will be able to raise awareness of the importance of acknowledging pets as family members and cultivate a greater understanding between pet and non-pet owners. 

1. Tell us more about your relationship with Kitty, and why you chose to adopt her.

We found Kitty as a stray kitten living near a void deck in Woodlands.  The mother cat could not be seen anywhere near the area, so I took her in and brought her to the vet because I felt it was dangerous for such a tiny kitten to be roaming around alone! 

Initially, I was just fostering her – I kept her in an old cage that I had for my guinea pig since she was so small! Even smaller than a guinea pig! 

She was estimated to be about 3-4 weeks old at the time. I was looking for an adopter, but after a month of fostering her, I could not bear to let her go and decided to keep her. I had to convince and show my dad that I could take good care of her. He eventually agreed. I think she secretly had grown on him too!

2. What are the common misconceptions non-pet owners have about animals?

Non-pet owners that I have come across so far seem to think that pets/animals are just animals – and that they are of a “lower class” than humans. Another misconception is that animals are “dirty” and especially for cats – they are stereotyped as destroyers of furniture.

3. Why do you think it is important to treat your pets like family members?

Pets, just like any other human, have feelings! 

Hence, they deserve equal care and love just like any human being. It is really important to make sure that pets are well-loved and well taken care of, as they will learn to reciprocate the love they feel. Plus, their love is unconditional.

Treating pets like our family members also has a positive effect on us humans, because they can help to reduce our stress and cheer us up when we’re down. After a long day at work, nothing that feels better than giving my cats a big hug. Plus point is definitely when they start purring on me 🙂

4. How can non-pet owners show respect and understanding towards pets, and pet owners in general?

Have sensitivity and if there is nothing good to say, just don’t say it. 

If a non-pet owner is someone who feels strongly against animals, he/she can choose not to visit a pet owner’s house to minimise interaction with the animals – you can always meet outside (although not so much during P2HA!). 

From my experience, I’ve actually been really lucky and managed to “convert” some of my friends who were scared of animals into being less scared of animals, just by simply letting them be around the cats. Being exposed to pets and animals in general in a safe environment helps non-pet owners understand that there really is much to love about pets!

5. I understand you moved shortly after submitting the story. How has Kitty adapted to the new home, and has there been improvements with regards to your relationship with the family member?

Kitty has adapted amazingly to the new home! We moved in just at the start of the first P2HA so that gave us a lot of time to be at home with Kitty and her siblings, Munchie & Floofy, monitoring them and making sure that they are comfortable and happy. 

Kitty, being the oldest, took slightly longer than Munchie to adjust to the new environment, but she soon found and claimed her spots in the house and now she is very at ease in the new home.

Unfortunately, that family member has not come to visit us, partially due to the current regulations, and partially because we are unsure of how they would react to seeing Kitty again. Despite her, the rest of the family have also come to visit because they’ve missed the cats and it’s quite obvious that the cats miss them too! 

Taking the cats out of the picture, our personal relationship with that particular family member has definitely improved since moving out. We are hoping that in time, the family member will grow to be more comfortable around the cats. 

But for now, we’ll likely stick to meeting outside first!

Iris is not alone in facing such challenges. If you have faced a similar situation, let us know how you overcame it.

Do share with us your thoughts on the common misconceptions between pet and non-pet owners as well!

Thank you to Iris for sharing her story.  Read her original submission to our #WhatsYourReality campaign here.

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Brand Highlights

You can now raise money for charities by dog walking!

The article below has been written by the Pawsome team. For more information, feel free to reach out here.

Sign Ups are NOW OPEN.

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Community Stories

Living with Separation Anxiety: How I helped my Cat overcome it.

This article is an expansion of Sherlyn’s submission for Pawjourr’s #WhatsYourReality campaign. Linked [here].

When Sherlyn first rescued Leo, he was afraid of being alone due to his past as a street cat. He meowed non-stop, causing her to be worried about his throat. His anxiety fuelled her to seek out a vet for assistance. Eventually, he adapted to being left alone and began to form close relationships with her other cats. 

Separation Anxiety is a condition that affects both dogs and cats. It is commonly found in pets who have been brought up in a busy household, where they become accustomed to constant attention. For those who raised their pets during a pandemic lockdown, they might discover that their pets grew to develop separation anxiety once restrictions have eased.

To find out more about separation anxiety in cats, we reached out to Sherlyn once more to ask about her experience. She also shared some advice for pet owners who endure a similar struggle.

1. Hello! Nice to meet you, do tell us more about your relationship with Leo.

We adopted Leo a year ago. He was found alongside his 2 other siblings at the car park of a light industrial area. Before adopting Leo, we often fed him at the car park despite having no intention of getting another cat. We already had 7 at home. Besides that, Leo proved to be protective of his wellbeing and his siblings. He often tried to attack and hiss at us when we got close to him though we were feeding him.

Over time, Leo and his siblings became more familiar with humans. Leo’s brother was adopted first due to his openness to humans. On the other hand, Leo and his sister remained. On the day we took him home, he acted differently from his normal self. He sat alone in front of the glass doors which he would never do. Previously, he would always be hiding under the cars or at faraway corners. 

We knew something was wrong. We tried feeding him but he refused to eat at all. He started meowing loudly and rubbed against our legs, a total 360 change from how he normally was. His sister was nowhere to be found.  We thought she might have been adopted too thus leaving him all alone. That’s when we thought “Hey, he is ready to be rehomed.” 

We didn’t think much at first. Our priorities were to bring him home and foster him. However, after showering and spending time with him, our family’s hearts melted. We decided to keep him for good.

Amongst all our cats, Leo is the youngest and the most affectionate of them all. He is our only lap cap and loves the attention. His desire for constant attention is what led us to suspect he might have developed separation anxiety.

2. What is separation anxiety in cats? What were the main symptoms you noticed in Leo?

Separation anxiety is a dislike of solitude that is commonly seen in cat behaviour.  A cat with separation anxiety may insist on being with the owner at all times, even following the owner from room to room. 

When Leo first joined us, he was confined to a cage and was placed in a separate room from all the other cats. He was there for about 2 weeks. In these two weeks, we realized that he meowed excessively which felt as though he was crying. He also ate too fast, demonstrated destructive behaviour by ripping/peeling off cat scratchers, often tried to vomit (similar to throwing up hairballs but nothing came out) and lastly, attempting to escape from the cage to come out.  

When we weren’t in the room and Leo was in his cage, we would leave the door slightly open to observe what he does. He would meow non-stop if he hears someone moving past the room. Following this, he would try to pry the cage latch open. 

We figured it was separation anxiety as he followed us wherever we went and always tried to get our attention. At first, we thought it might have been a result of him failing to adapt to indoor life or even an expression of him missing his siblings. Yet, his odd behaviour continued past the initial 1 week with us. We eventually sought professional advice from vets that Leo visited and was told: Yes, it might be separation anxiety.

3. What kind of measures did you take on to reduce Leo’s anxiety? Were they successful?

Although his separation anxiety did not affect our daily lives as we were mostly home– we wanted to make sure he did not feel left out when we interacted with our other cats.

We ensured that we continued to spend more time with Leo so as to ease his worries about socialising with the other cats. In comparison to them, he was a lot less active thus making him feel a little left out. 

To improve interactions between Leo and the others, I had to constantly find things all of them would be able to do together. I looked for interactive toys and combined their feeding and treat times. 

Over time, Leo got better and the rest began to play with him more. We saw that the meowing reduced and he began to follow us around less. He is now able to do what he wants independently. He also grooms the other cats/lets the other cats groom him and cuddle together.

4. What advice do you have for pet owners whose cats struggle with separation anxiety?

I think it is important to assure the cat that they are not alone and keep them as comfortable as possible to reduce their stress. Have lots of quality bonding time especially through play! Try to keep the cat occupied with interactive toys, tunnels, scratchers etc. 

If the cat is a new addition to the family (be it your first cat, or subsequent cats), please take note of the commitments. This includes having ample time to keep them company. Leaving them alone for long hours during their initial stages would further exacerbate their stress. 

If these actions result in little or no improvement, owners can also try using Feliway to further calm the cats down. 

Personally, I strongly feel that asides from the company he got through spending time with us humans, Leo improved due to my other cats. However, this would differ from cat to cat. Some cats are just not suited for multiple cat households. Hence, I’d advise you to thoroughly assess the situation at home before getting another cat.

We thank Sherlyn for her valuable advice. For pet owners whose dogs suffer from separation anxiety, we urge you to read Qiu Li and Taro’s experience with crate training. 

Do you know of anyone whose pets might be suffering from separation anxiety? Are you one of them? Share your stories with us down below. 

Read Sherlyn’s original submission to our #WhatsYourReality campaign here.

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Community Stories

My dog might inherit Hip Dysplasia, what can I do to offset medical costs?

Hip Dysplasia is a skeletal condition that commonly affects large and giant breed dog breeds. It might also occur in smaller breeds occasionally.

Hip Dysplasia affects your pet’s hip joint function. For dogs with hip dysplasia, their ball and socket joints are misaligned, making them rub and grind instead of moving smoothly.

Over time, it can also cause the joints to deteriorate, resulting in the loss of the joint’s function.

This condition is hereditary, however, it can also develop due to excessive growth rates, exercise habits, unhealthy weight and/or improper nutrition — (Source)

For pet owners whose dogs suffer from hip dysplasia, keeping up with their medical expenses can be tricky. Diagnosis of the condition alone incurs costs such as X-ray examinations, blood tests and radiographs.

We spoke to Sandra, owner of Dizzy and Woozy, of which the latter suffers from the aforementioned medical condition.

1. Hello, nice to meet you! Tell us more about your relationship with Dizzy and Woozy.

Dizzy and Woozy are our 2 golden retrievers. We could never imagine owning Golden Retrievers as they shed a lot!

However, in 2019, we had the chance to look after Dizzy due to our job as pet sitters. He came to us fortnightly for a couple of months.

Afterwards, my fiancee and I decided that we are ready for our own furkid, hence we began looking around for a doodle. As luck would have had it, we were given the opportunity to be Dizzy’s pawrents! 

We’ve been looking after him since he was 5 months old and we finally adopted him when he was 10 months old.

Dizzy grew up in an environment with other boarders and daycare furkids. When Covid happened, it got quiet around the house as fewer boarders came to us.

We wanted him to have a sibling to play and grow up with. During the 2020 circuit breaker, we were given a chance to provide Dizzy with a little brother. Hence, we adopted Woozy who was 10 months old at the time.

Dizzy will be turning 3 years old in Aug 2021, while Woozy will be turning 2 years old in 2021. 

We enjoy a very close relationship with both of them.

As we are pet sitters, we are home nearly 24/7, always doing things together especially during the circuit breaker ◡̈ They follow us around the house no matter what we are doing! They particularly love going on adventures and car rides!◡̈

2. How does having Hip Dysplasia affect your everyday life with them?

We suspected that Woozy might have hip dysplasia from the way he walked (his hips tend to sway). He doesn’t seem to have the strength to climb stairs, jump up onto the sofa/bed, and car either.

We have to carry him up to the car, help him up onto the bed and sometimes even wait for him while he climbs up the stairs.

3. How did you find out about your pet’s medical condition?

After a long 8km walk, we noticed that he began to walk a little funny. His hips were swaying a lot, which was very different from Dizzy’s.

Other golden retriever owners also informed us of this irregularity – many of them commented that his hind legs appeared to cross over each other as he walked, which were not common for most dogs.

Out of concern, we spoke to a vet about it. She suspected that he might have hips dysplasia but could only confirm via X-Ray under general anaesthesia, which we did not want.

So, we did not seek any treatment for it as it didn’t seem to be causing him any pain/discomfort.

4. Did you take on any activities/treatments for Woozy as a result of this condition?

The vet suggested swimming lessons and to reduce Woozy’s walking actions. We bring him for swimming 2-4 times a month, each session costing us around $24.

We also feed him rosehip powder daily, around $70-$140/month depending on the promotions available.

Because of swimming sessions, we also have to send him for grooming after swimming, which costs us around $80-$100/session. 

  • With regards to offsetting medical costs, we also checked with Sandra about her interest in pet insurance and how it might help her and Woozy.

5. Do you think pet insurance is helpful to owners whose pets are affected by hip dysplasia?

We have attended a lot of animal events since entering the pet industry, and have heard about pet insurance.

With regards to how it helps– I think it really depends on what the insurance covers. As you can see, hip dysplasia is an illness that requires long term care regardless of it being mild or serious. For e.g. swimming/supplements, and in serious cases, even surgery.

Will any insurance cover all of this? 

If it is suitable for our boys, we are definitely interested in purchasing it.

To answer her question; Yes! Aon Happy Tails does cover hip dysplasia under their specific hereditary and congenital conditions!

Under their insurance policy, the surgical treatment of any sicknesses, injury or accident including post-surgical follow-up during the policy term.

Also covered are specified hereditary and congenital conditions and cancer treatment.

Photo Credit: Instagram @aonhappytails

However, there is a ninety (90) days waiting period for sicknesses and a 12-month waiting period for Specified Hereditary and Congenital sicknesses from the policy’s first commencement during which sicknesses claims are not payable.

During the twelve (12) month waiting period, if conditions or symptoms of hip dysplasia begin to emerge, it will be considered a pre-existing condition and will no longer be covered by Aon Happy Tails.

Hip Dysplasia coverage will only be applied to pets who are enrolled before six (6) years of age.

You can find out more about Aon Happy Tails pet insurance via their Instagram or Website.

Follow Sandra, Woozy and Dizzy on Instagram

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Community Stories

Life with 10 Different Cats

This story was originally written for Pawjourr’s #WhatsYourReality campaign. Linked [here]. It has since been edited prior to uploading.

Original story belongs to Bella of @loudtwinklebaby. 

Have you ever thought about owning 10 cats, all of which are of different breeds, in the house?

Some common questions we always get include: Will they quarrel among themselves? How does it affect the house odour?

These are the most challenging part for pet owners who are new and inexperienced in handling house animals. Most cat owners in Singapore adopt 2 to 3 cats per house which are already considered difficult to manage. Many find it hard to juggle time for themselves as well as the cats.

The full Twinkle Babies family — as pictured on Instagram @loudtwinklebaby

For us, we never thought of owning such a big cat family. Rather, it all started when our very first cat encountered a terrible accident and died. For that, we could not forgive ourselves. At a first glance, owning a cat might appear all cute and cuddly. However, from our experience as the Twinkle Furmilies, we have grown to understand that there is more to it than just taking care of a cuddly little furry. The most challenging part as a cat owner is that we cannot control them like how we want to control a hooman. They are just unpredictable.

Sofe, Sofena and Sofea Lavender — as pictured on Instagram@loudtwinklebaby

Managing their Behaviours

As cat parents, we would likely understand the characteristics of our own cats in terms of their food, behaviour and affections towards others. They would fight and could possibly tear the house mercilessly down through their combined paw force. I can recall countless broken vases, destroyed sofas and incessant scratches on the wall which really tested our patience. We had to face that every single day and it eventually became a routine that we had to deal with.

Sofea Lavender plays with the dustbin — as pictured on Instagram @loudtwinklebaby

During the day, it is rare to see them active as they usually sleep in their comfortable areas and never wake up till the sunset. Once they do, they will start their ferocious engines and run around the house as though they are Olympic competitors. During the night, they will begin to hunt, and that is when you will see countless cockroaches and lizards who have lost their heads, tails and even half their bodies. Honestly, that is how we saved our money from buying insecticide spray. Due to the cats’ activity, our house has the best pest control service. Definitely an advantage to having cats in the house!

However, having cats at home also requires a lot of responsibility. We need to put aside a lot of things such as their expenses for needs such as food, hospital bills and as well catering to their environment. Among the Twinkle Babies, Mutiara (Persian) is the pickiest, prompting us to call her ‘The Selfish Queen”.

Mutiara — as pictured on Instagram @loudtwinklebaby

She is adorable yet requires a lot of high maintenance due to her behaviour (not her breed!). We spend about $40+ for her dry food alone. This is excluding expenses for her treats and wet food. Plus, Mutiara never shares. If she has to, she will not eat for several days after. 

Elysya — as pictured on Instagram @loudtwinklebaby

Moreover, we also need to prepare medical bills for Elysya(DSH) the “Sensitive Skin Queen”. All of her shampoos are prescribed specially by the vet which can cost us upwards of $300+. This can include prescribed lotions, sensitive powders etc.

Facing Exhaustion

Photo Credit: Instagram @loudtwinklebaby

Raising 10 cats could be very exhausting.

Especially so if we happen to be rushing to finish work and the Twinkle Babies decided to be busy in their litter box one-by-one. It could take up to15-20 minutes before the last kitty finishes their business so we might find ourselves waiting in front of the litter box just to clean up their mess and clean them up.

“Cat Jealousy”

It may sound ridiculous but cats do have strong feelings especially if they are aware of a newcomer around them. Feelings of being ignored and insecurity can be shown. They might express this by biting, or sometimes even ignore you. Some might not even eat for several days. Our advice is to not worry! No matter how much they sulk amongst themselves, their only weakness is food especially treats.

Photo Credit: Instagram @loudtwinklebaby

Having said that– They might quarrel, growl at each other non-stop, but in nature, they actually have this soft instinct of loving each other. Some might think that animals have no sense especially in terms of looking out for one another and we totally disagree! Despite all the hard times endured when we are trying to get them to bond for the first time whenever one of them is in trouble, the others will automatically try to help and save them.

Photo Credit: Instagram @loudtwinklebaby

It truly touches our hearts to see that they care for each other no matter the breed differences. Despite the common belief that different breeds are not suitable to be together, we think it simply means that takes a lot of time and patience to bond them together.

In conclusion, we faced many hard times but never once did we think that they are a burden to us. For us, they are our family and even though it might take up a lot of our energy and finances, they are also the one who brightens up our day.

Twinkle loves you,

Loudtwinklebaby

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Brand Highlights

4 Dog-Friendly Recipes feat. Bronco Always Good Peanut Butter!

Last month, we launched our very first The Woof Agency (TWA) Cookoff featuring Bronco Always Good Peanut Butter.

Inspired by @dubuwubu, pet owners were invited to concoct their very own dog-friendly recipes with Bronco Peanut Butter. We were truly impressed with the creativity of our paw-rents.

1. Dubu’s Satay

We kicked things off with Dubu’s amazing satay meal. Her dish inspired other pet owners to experiment and create their own recipes with Bronco peanut butter.

Photo and Recipe Credit: @dubuwubu

With that– Check out our Top 3 entries!

2. Truffle’s 5-course Meal

Photo Credit: Instagram @truffleruffel
Photo Credit: Instagram @truffleruffel

Carrot and Cheese Pizza

Ingredients

  • Minced Meat (Pork)
  • Carrot
  • Cheese
  • Bronco Peanut Butter

Steps

  1. Shape minced pork loin into a circle, about 1cm in height
  2. Bake it for 4 mins at 180 degree celsius
  3. Remove from oven and let it cool to room temperature
  4. Spread peanut butter onto cooled minced pork
  5. Top with carrot cubes and mozzarella cheese
  6. Bake it for another 10 minutes at 180 degree celsius

Peanut Butter Soy Milk Shake

Ingredients

  • Unsweetened soy milk or Goat milk
  • Bronco Peanut Butter

Steps

  1. Mix a small amount of peanut butter into milk
  2. Dip the back of a spoon into peanut butter
  3. Take a shot glass and run the back of the spoon up the inner side of the cup
  4. Pour in mixed milk

See Truffle’s full collection of recipes here.

3. Latte and Croissant’s Dumplings

Photo Credit: Instagram @idiot_and_kosong

Peanut Dumplings

Ingredients

  • Minced pork
  • Bronco Peanut Butter
  • Half-cut deshelled peanuts
  • Chopped carrots
  • Bamboo leaves
  • String
  • Boiled egg yolk (optional)

Steps

  1. Wrap minced pork in bamboo leaves while incorporating peanuts and carrots until half full
  2. Insert peanut butter in the core – Boiled egg yolk can be added here, depending on how large your dumplings are
  3. Wrap pork around fillings until the desired shape
  4. Secure it with a string
  5. Boil dumplings in boiling water and pork are fully cooked

Check out Latte and Croissant’s post here.

4. [WINNER] Kobe’s Satay BeeHoon

Photo Credit: Instagram @furrychua
Photo Credit: @furrychua

Kobe’s Satay Beehoon

Ingredients

  • Bronco Peanut Butter
  • Bee Hoon (Vermicelli)
  • Meat (Chicken or Beef)
  • Mussels
  • Prawn
  • Egg
  • Chicken Stock (Optional)

Steps

  1. Soak Bee Hoon in water till soft
  2. Wash ingredients and place in a bowl.
  3. Steam ingredients for 20-30 minutes.
  4. Cook egg in boiling water for 10 minutes.
  5. Assemble steamed ingredients and egg. Add in Bronco Peanut Butter and enjoy!

Check out Kobe’s winning entry here.

We would like to thank all our participants for their wonderful entries. In no particular order: Bai.leywatch | be_like_chewie | Billie_barkington | Bingo_binguu | Corgicallednugget | Corgimochichan | dailyy.cocoa | hey.buibui | Ilikethatcookie | itsbailey2017 | Lexi.the.spitz | miku_pomapoo | Milky_thesillydog | Mizuthecorgi | Peanut_thelittleboss | promisethedoggie | shooting.star.cockapoo | Twinkle_themaltipoo

Check out everyone’s amazing recipes. Linked above.

Stay tuned for more campaigns like this with Pawjourr’s Pet Jobs Portal.

Let us know in the comments if you’d be trying out these recipes soon!

Categories
Community Stories

5 Questions with a Stay at Home Mum and Paw-rent to One

For Liang May, @mmlittlee on Instagram, parenting is never easy. She balances work as a Stay-at-Home Mum (SAHM) while taking care of her 1-year-old English sheepdog, Gypsie. 

We reached out to learn more about her life, and the challenges she faces. Let’s appreciate the hard work she puts in to take care of her family!

1. Hi there! Tell us more about your family.

We are Meyer, May, Ewan, Faye and Gypsie; An out-going and uncontrollable bunch!

The kids are loud and their parents can be too especially when excited or in disciplinary mode. It’s no wonder the pup has the voice of a loud hailer! She must have been nurtured into it when she became a part of our family a year ago.

We work hard but play harder as a team. Though we do set ground rules, we are also believers in free play.

2. Bring us through a daily life routine at home.

On a regular day, our children hit school and spend six hours away from home. Every morning, we send Ewan and Faye to school as a whole family unit. We never leave Gypsie home alone even if school drop-offs are less than 20 minutes. Gyps patiently waits for us to leash her up for her morning school runs while the children put on their school shoes and bags. 

As much as we miss Ewan and Faye when they are off at school, we get to spend quality time as husband and wife. It is especially nice when we detour to a cafe to partake in a leisurely breakfast before starting work [at home]. Plus, our lucky floofy little one gets to bask in the morning sun while we indulge in cappuccino and poached eggs.

The Work From Home [WFM] situation now is really quite a blessing for us and especially for Gypsie. We are hardly away for hours at length and she’s always got one of us home with her giving her belly rubs and playing fetch.

The Welcome Home [From School] ritual from the children and Gypsie is one that is extremely heart-warming to watch. From a distance, I will be able to hear Ewan and Faye squealing “GYPSIE!” as they run home. Gyps will portray her happiness with lots of pounces and licks. No rules here – just go crazy you guys with the Welcome Home!

For the rest of the day, we will go about our routines of school work, work work, relaxation and play. Dear Gypety Gyps will hang loose around us and wait patiently for her next walk!

When it is time to turn down, everyone enters the children’s room too, well, put the children to sleep. Mommy and Daddy will sneak out to enjoy the rest of the night with Gypsie in tow. She will watch Netflix with us, wonder if she could snack on that crunchy salty bowl of snack we dip our hands into, gets combed and has her teeth brushed.

If she is lucky, she’d get a quick midnight walk under the starry sky should her daddy feels up to it!

3. What would you say are the main challenges you experience working as a SAHM mum plus taking care of a furpup?

Oh wow. This is a story to tell. Two weeks after we brought Gypsie home with us, Daddy broke his foot from parkour. He was out of action for months and things were thrown out of proportion from then.

If you’ve never known about the challenges of raising a puppy, allow me to enlighten you. A puppy, like a newborn baby, needs to poo and pee almost every other hour. We had been taking turns to wake up in the middle of the night to bring Gypsie outdoors to do her business.

We decided to not crate-train Gypsie. Remember, we prefer Free Play and that includes “Freedom of Speech”, “Freedom to Live” and “Freedom to Poo and Pee”.

Initially, we thought of training her on a pee pad but quickly decided to have her outdoor trained as she showed a preference to it even as a three-monther. She is after all a large breed and would eventually “grow out of” a pee pad. We also kept in mind how we can cut down on wastes to help our environment, we sacrificed sleep and brought her out [whenever she called] five times a night between 12am to 7am every day for a few months.

The biggest challenge I faced during the time Meyer broke his foot was to single-handedly take care of every toilet runs, walks and feeds. Not to mention two other human rascals who needed help with school work and of course, cooking and feeding the family.

Without a helper at home, it got really draining but I persisted out of love for my family. Eventually, it became a routine and I got used to it.

What can’t break us, makes us stronger!

As soon as Daddy recovered and out of crutches, everyone rejoiced! Having Gypsie is a shared responsibility from everyone at home. With that understanding, life as a paw-family gets a lot more enjoyable. The dog is happy, the children are happy, mommy is happy and then, Daddy will naturally be happy.

4. What motivates you as a paw-rent?

The smiles and health of my children.

Additionally, I also look forward to every outing in the family calendar. When the week gets dreary, I count down to our next beach outing or the next dog run or staycation or anything that frees our minds from any kind of work. But one that involves every single member of our family.

5. What advice would you give to those struggling to balance their duties as a parent and a pet owner?

First of all, embrace the presence of your new Furkid. For us, Gypsie is our baby, our third child. The love for her burgeons and naturally, we struggle less even though the extra commitment is real!

Paw-rents, like parents, guilt trip themselves too when they see other puppies get more than their own. Social media can be a toxic space for comparisons and I must stress, how we should not compare or feel inadequate when judged by others.

To be honest, I felt a little sorry we did not have time to send Gypsie to puppy training when we had her. There were a lot of self-doubts about our paw-renting style and if we were doing it right for our dear puppy Gyps. But I just couldn’t, especially when Daddy had to go into surgery for his foot and the children going to school every day.

We decided to bring Gypsie up like how we bought Ewan and Faye up. There were no baby training schools or manuals to read. We parented them through trial and error and so we shall do the same with Gyps.

She is an extremely clever pupper but there was no time for fancy trick training because I would be knackered by the time I finished grooming her at night. I always say, “It’s her paw-rents who aren’t very clever.” *haha* But in reality, we are stretched with all that we have on our plates. That doesn’t mean we are doing her any less because Gypsie Gypety Gyps Gyps is one happy child. It doesn’t matter if she understands only Sit, Down, Paw, Stay and Let’s Go!

It matters a lot more to her that she is loved.

And that this family of hers loves her so very much.

A big thank you to Liang May for sharing her insight into double pa(w)renting! We are truly impressed by her ability to juggle both work and taking care of her family members.

Her socials: Instagram | Facebook | Blogspot

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Community Stories

Does Crate Training help dogs with Separation Anxiety? Read this article to find out.

With working from home restrictions slowly easing, pets raised during the pandemic may grow to develop separation anxiety once their owner is out of their line of sight.

In order to help pawrents whose dogs may suffer from separation anxiety, Team #TWA has reached out to QiuLi, AKA @taroandtoastie, to learn more about what it entails.

Read on to learn about QiuLi’s experience with crate training, and how Taro’s separation anxiety has since improved.

Experience with Crate Training

Hello! Tell us more about your relationship with Taro.

Hello! Taro is my first dog and I’m mainly the one feeding, training and playing with him that’s why he is very attached to me. 

Credits: QiuLi and Taro

Being a first-time dog owner, I didn’t know much about dog training. At 3 months old, Taro was a little terror. He showcased slight aggression when handling, a tendency for resource guarding and kept chewing on things he’s not allowed to. 

It definitely wasn’t what I thought having a dog would be like. But since working with him on setting structure and boundaries, our relationship definitely grew stronger and he is able to understand what is most expected of him.

What is separation anxiety and how does it affect your daily life with Taro?

I think Separation Anxiety in dogs is characterised by their inability to cope when left alone. 

They would get stressed and start to whine, bark, howl, pace around. They just can’t seem to lie down and settle. If left to roam freely, they might even display destructive behaviours or have indoor accidents despite being potty trained. 

As I work from home most of the time, Taro had always been by my side and follows me wherever I go into the house. He is only able to nap during the day if I am nearby or within his line of sight. Thus it became quite stressful, especially on days that I am heading out because he would whine the moment I accessed my closet.

If he’s allowed to free roam, he will obsessively follow me everywhere and start pacing around because he’s either excited that we’re heading out or panicking that I’m leaving him at home. I used to arrange for someone at home to accompany him but he refused to engage with family members either. He would just wait for me to come back and that’s when I realized I needed to do something to boost his independence and to have a healthier state of mind.

Bring us through a day of training with Taro.

Taro was crate trained since the day we brought him home. He is able to sleep overnight and nap during the day in the crate in the day but once he is awake he whines and barks to be let out. Other than that, he spends most of his time free-roaming throughout the house.

When I started working on his Separation Anxiety, I moved his crate out into the living room so he could learn to sleep overnight alone. The first night, he barked and howled throughout and would not settle down to sleep. After a week or so, he could sleep overnight without any whining. We also stopped engaging with him at home, refrained from giving him too much affection (though I still do sneak in some affection time haha) or playing excessively with him. 

Credits: QiuLi and Taro

Hence, whenever he’s at home, he’s either in the crate or hanging out on the cot. We stopped letting him free roam the house as well. I would bring him down for potty and walks twice a day and I use his meals to do training for some mental stimulation. When we go outside, I would use his toys to engage with him. This taught him to focus better despite having distractions.

On days when my family members are not at home, I will also take the opportunity to leave him alone in the crate while I sit outside the house and observe him through the camera. He usually naps for the first hour but once awake he begins to whine before going back to sleep. After 2-3 hours, I will go back in and he will begin to whine for my attention. Despite this, I will continue to ignore him for at least 1-2 hours depending on how fast he calms down. This helps to teach him that leaving and coming home is not a big deal.

How long has it been since you started crate training and have you noticed any improvements?

Credits: QiuLi and Taro

It has been about 3 months since we started this new routine and his Separation Anxiety has significantly reduced. He used to whine when he saw me gathering clothes, or when he hears me preparing my bag to head out. He even whines when I am just visiting the toilet. After training, I can head to the toilet without getting him anxious. Though he still does whine a little when he sees me preparing to head out, it is a lot lesser compared to last time and he stops when I step out of the house.

Advice for Beginners

Do take note that QiuLi is not a professional trainer. Hence, interested pawrents are advised to consult a professional if they encounter behavioural issues.

How can I introduce crate training to my dogs?

If you have a puppy, that would be the best and easiest time to crate train them. Older dogs that require crate training might need a longer time to adapt. You’d need a lot more patience to endure the transition period where they’ll be whinier. 

The ultimate aim is to let them know that the crate is a safe haven that does not harm them. This would help them fully relax in the crate. I always use food and toys to help them associate the crate with positivity so that they would enter it of their own free will. 

You can start by feeding meals outside, yet near to the crate. Afterwards, slowly progress to placing some food inside the crate so that they would willingly step inside it. For puppies that nap frequently, invite them to nap inside the crate for short periods of time throughout the day. If they’re awake and starts to bark, do not attend to them immediately and only let them out when they’ve quieted down.

It is also important to choose the correct crate size. Small crates might be uncomfortable for them. Big crates may result in potty accidents inside. The length of the crate should be just ample for them to walk one round and height should still provide some allowance while they’re standing. 

When it comes to crating overnight, most puppies tend to whine in the middle of the night as it’s a new environment and they’re separated from their family. I took this chance to potty train Taro. When he begins to whine in the middle of the night, I wait for him to quieten down before bringing him out to his designated potty area. I then put him back to the crate straight after.

Credits: QiuLi and Taro

While doing this, you want to make sure there are no fun distractions as we do not want them to think that whining can get them out of the crate for some cuddle/baby (affections) instead. 

Sometimes after he has gone to potty and he still continues to whine in the crate, I would bring him out to potty again so he knows that whining only provides potty visits. There are times we went to and fro from crate to potty at least 3 times (and all 3 times he did go) before he settled. 

Another method that worked incredibly well for us (after you know he definitely cleared his bowels), was to sit in front of the crate door and leave the door open. The moment he attempts to step out, shut the door to prevent him from doing so. I would repeat this until he gives up trying to come out and would eventually settle. After around 1 week, Taro was able to sleep in the crate without waking up in the middle of the night.

What should pet owners take note of when pursuing Crate Training?

When it comes to any aspect of dog training, I think consistency is very important. 

Do the same thing every day, set up a routine, and make it into a habit and they’ll adapt/learn quicker. I know some people cannot bear to ignore their whines when they’re crated and hence give up. Yet, I assure you crate training definitely has more pros than cons. We just need to persevere during the initial stage and be consistent and you’ll be able to reap the results after.

PROS

  1. It provides your pet with a place to relax and sleep, hence reducing their sense of heightened alert whenever a passerby walks outside the house.
  2. It keeps them out of trouble and from practising bad behaviours, your house and items do not get destroyed and there are no potty accidents.
  3. Preventing separation anxiety as they learn to settle on their own. Remember to not only crate them when you are leaving the house as they might then associate the crate as being left alone. Crate them during the day for short periods of time even when you’re home so it becomes a normal routine. 

A big thank you to @taroandtoastie for sharing her experience with crate training! For pet owners whose cats suffer from separation anxiety, we urge you to read Sherlyn and Leo’s experiences.

If there are other styles of training that you think is important for pet owners to know, let us know in the comments below!

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Flea-Flea Go Away with Tasty Bravecto Chews!

Flea and ticks thrive in warmer climate hence the humid weather of Singapore increases the vulnerability of our pets. If left unattended, flea and ticks can cause serious health problems such as tick-borne illnesses and allergic reactions. Not to mention, the constant aggravating itch that your pets will endure. 

Bravecto recently formulated an oral chew for dogs, that targets most fleas and ticks. A single chew provides you with up to 12 weeks of protection! During which, the chew promises to eradicate pests such as the brown dog tick, American dog tick and even the lone star tick.

It also addresses other ailments such as ear mites, sarcoptic mange and Demodex mites. Bravecto also kills newly emerged fleas before they lay eggs. Thus, breaking the flea life cycle.

Their long-lasting coverage also breaks the average monthly medication cycle – Say goodbye to monthly purchases and/or medication reminders! With their Bravecto Chews, paw-rents can kick back and relax as the chew works its magic.

Not forgetting that this tasty chew makes it easy to feed. You no longer have to worry about forcing your pets to stay still while you apply topical ointments onto their fur.

Bravecto Chews disguises medication in a delectable coating making it a treat your dogs would be eager to consume.

Check out what our pet owners had to say!:

Super fuss-free and easy to feed even for picky eaters like Eurus!

Instagram @babyeuruschan

It worked so well with Toto, and I can also administer it less frequently than other monthly treatment options. ??

Instagram @Toto_thedoodle

I am a Bravecto super fan! I’ve been using Bravecto for almost 3 years now and I’ve never had a single tick spotted on me before – serious, not kidding. Bravecto is fast, easy and lasting as it kills active fleas and ticks within 12 hours.

Instagram @Yuri_thecorgi

A few attractive benefits stand out:

  • Easier to administer than topical ointments
  • Effectively kills all fleas and ticks (within 8-12 hours of consumption!)
  • Lighter on the wallet – long-lasting protection means fewer dosages = less medication required!

Bravecto owes part of its success to its active ingredient – fluralaner. When a chew is consumed, fluralaner is dispersed throughout your pet’s body hence killing all fleas and ticks upon contact. Not to worry, the substance itself is safe to consume. However, it may be wise to check with your veterinarian if your pet is suitable for the product before switching over to Bravecto chew. 

They are currently offering attractive discounts for Shopee and Lazada’s 7.7 sales! Try them out today! Their storewide sales cover all of their Chew variants – do check your pet’s weight before purchasing the corresponding product.

Get up to 20% storewide!

Purchase 2 for an additional 7% off!
Alternatively, paw-rents looking to stock up can also purchase a bundle of 4 and get 1 pack free!

You can also continue to check out their ongoing discounts on Shopee and Lazada. 

All the best and happy shopping!