I hope that through this community, I am able to share my personal experience & stories to help other pet parents feel less lonely navigating the pet journey.
If you have any questions, feel free to ping me at jane@thewoofagency.com!
SINGAPORE (9 March 2021) – Bolstered by a year-on-year increase in demand for their fresh dog food, The Grateful Pet (formerly known as The Grateful Dog), a pet nutrition company founded in 2017 introduces two new ranges of ready-to-feed frozen food for canines packed with premium superfoods and nutritious ingredients, available either gently cooked or raw. Each meal is high in lean animal-based protein and boosted with functional Asian and Western superfoods.
Gently Cooked Dog Food Chicken Recipe
Targeted at modern pet owners who are on the go and want the best for their pets, the range of hassle-free meals takes out the guesswork involved in preparing fresh meals at home. All recipes are calibrated to be nutritionally balanced and complete for dogs according to AAFCO guidelines. Ready in under three minutes, pet owners simply need to feed the number of pouches based on their dog’s weight as the daily caloric requirements are already accounted for.
Meals are made with 100% natural whole foods
Flat packed for easy freezer storage, The Grateful Pet meals are made with 100% natural wholefoods, with each ingredient clearly labelled so that pet owners can feed their companions with an absolute ease of mind.
How did the company start
The Grateful Dog has since been renamed to The Grateful Pet.
Founded by two friends who are passionate animal lovers, what began as a simple search for home-prepared recipes for their dogs, Lucy and Clash, sent the pair on a personal quest to create the healthiest and most irresistible meals for their best friends to enjoy. This served as the catalyst for The Grateful Dog in 2017, a fresh dog food company established in Singapore offering gently cooked meals. In 2021, The Grateful Dog was renamed The Grateful Pet to reflect the company’s expanded nutritional offerings for both dogs and cats.
8 Flavors For You To Choose From
There is a total of 8 flavours to choose from
All ingredients are responsibly sourced from reputable human-grade suppliers and prepared on an AVS-certified premise to ensure the quality of each meal.
The Grateful Pet product range includes:
Gently cooked Dog Food (8 flavors) Each box contains 8 pouches of the same flavor x 250g (total 2kg). Prices start from $38/box. Salmon & Sardine, Grass-fed Beef, Cage-free Chicken, Cage-free Duck, Grass-fed Venison, Free-range Lamb, Wild Kangaroo, Crate-free Pork
Raw Dog Food (7 flavours)
Each box contains 8 pouches of the same flavor x 250g (total 2kg). Prices start from $39/box. Grass-fed Beef, Cage-free Chicken, Cage-free Duck, Grass-fed Venison, Free-range Lamb, Wild Kangaroo, Crate-free Pork
Feeding guide
As a way of giving back to the animal shelter community in Singapore, proceeds from each sale are donated through The Grateful Give Back—the company’s community outreach arm, to Causes for Animals Singapore.
Are your tails wagging already?
To learn more about The Grateful Pet and to place an order, visit https://thegratefulpet.sg or check out their store listing on Pawjourr here.
Pet owners can enjoy 10% off their first a la carte purchase with a discount code < DROOL >. The offer is valid till 3 June 2021. (EXPIRED)
Hands up if your puppy works for the food, because mine definitely does ??♀️ Training is essential because it sets the foundation for puppies on how to act when they become an adult — especially if you have a husky like me (who is going to grow up to 35kg in the future), it’s definitely important to teach commends like sit – down – stay.
& what more to encourage these little pups than some treats and rewards for their good behavior? We’ve tried different treats and these are some of our favorites. A note that Oolong is extremely food-motivated and not fussy when it comes to food; so definitely check out Pawjourr’s sampling program to redeem free samples before committing to the full-sized products!
01. Instinct Pet Raw Boost
Product packaging vs. Product size
Why I’m in love with this product ?
I’m super impressed with the entire process of manufacturing Instinct Pet! This brand is from the USA and uses High-Pressure Processing (aka HPP) to create extreme cold pressure for extreme food safety with pure, cold water—no heat, no chemicals, and no preservatives needed.
I’ve heard of horror stories of other freeze-dried brands containing worms and it just scares me; with Instinct, I’m really confident about the quality — also because it’s premium and pricey lah.
During walks, you are going to be really busy (all the distractions — smells, noises, pulling etc). The last thing you want is your hand being all sticky and gross (did it with his kibbles and urgh) — I like that the raw boosters are of a just-nice size and most importantly, DRY. So i will just pop into Oolong’s mouth when he is behaving well!
Some consideration points ?
With puppies, you will need LOTS of treats. Instinct can get a little pricey — selling at $25.90 for 156g on their Shopee’s store. If you are looking to try, you can opt for the smaller packs first to try out different variants and deciding which is your pup’s favourite.
Definitely on the calories. It’s advertised to be a nutritious training reward under 6 calories each. I think this is really the main reason why I decided to get this product .. (perhaps also for the free snuggle mat they packaged together previously — please do not buy that dumb bundle set it’s bullshit for $48).
The size of the treat — i can’t really show you because i didn’t take a photo, but it’s shaped as a rectangle. Usually when your pup gets very excited, they might “bite” the treat and accidentally chomp on your hand – but because of the way the treat is shaped (in a long way), it helps that you get some “safe space” LOL especially if the teeth super sharp ah.
Some consideration points ?
To be honest, there are no consideration points but I guess because Ziwipeak has always been just … that brand that is not bad, I also don’t really see any unique factors that make me stick to them (?) Granted their price is not expensive — selling $15.90 for the lamb on their Shopee here but yeah like it’s just another brand lor.
I don’t really know what’s the “unique selling point” of Ziwipeak … so I bought it once and didn’t buy it again cause I felt super cheated by the dumb bundle set LOL.
I know this is BS but OMG — can someone please give this design agency a pay raise?! I’m in LOVE with Wagg’s new packaging, website and everything just says YES to me when i walk into Pet lovers centre! Long story short, i was shopping for some training treats for Oolong because obviously I wasn’t as prepared as I thought I was — walked into PLC and the packaging just caught my eyes.
It’s definitely wallet-friendly (going at $4.00 for 1 packet over at PLC Shopee’s page here) but also that the products are categorized nicely into puppies – sensitive – low fat for me already, which I find very thoughtful and convenient for first-timer like me.
The biscuits are also a nice mix-up from the meat and freeze-dried food; though i must say that Oolong focus is much lesser when i use these as training treats.
Some consideration points ?
Yes, the treats are made in the USA but if you take a closer look at the ingredients, it might not be something you want to feed daily / a lot on a long-term basis. To be honest, I’m not against carbs or must die die only feed “single-ingredient treat”. I believe that my dog can eat everything, albeit in moderation — you everyday eat veggie also not enough nutrition right????
I’ve since stopped buying these though because Oolong has “upgraded” his palate to eat meat only (he started saying NO to these after 3 – 4 packets — woah free things still wanna be choosy ah). But all in all, I think it’s a great treat to mix up with the other food!
I have so many brands which I want to recommend, but here are just some of my favourites — maybe also because I know the owner personally! ☺️
Why I’m in love with dehydrated treats ?
Depending on what you buy — e.g. Chicken is really easy to break into smaller pieces during walks.
As I feed Oolong lots of treats during training, knowing that I’m feeding him non-commercialized treats does assure me to a certain extent that he is not just eating “junk food”.
Single-ingredient treats so I know that nothing goes in — it’s just 100% protein. Balance is key.
Some consideration points ?
Short shelf life. Since dehydrated treats are all-natural, it is important to note that their shelf life might not be as long as your commercial treats.
Takes time to deliver. If you are looking for something fast, you can pop into any of the pet shop to pick up your pack of treats. But if you are looking at dehydrated treats, you will need to wait for delivery which can take 3 – 5 working days.
Potential scammers. Yes, there are people who are out there to take advantage and I’ve heard of businesses who “MIA” after collecting payment. Make sure you do you research to avoid being cheated!
Eventually, all dehydrated treats are more or less the same. This is why it can be difficult to differentiate between brand A vs. brand B.
IN SUMMARY,
This is why we created a new category under pawjourr to help brands stand out from the crowd with reviews and coupons for customers to try. Often, pet owners will just buy from a “bigger” brand because #safe, #everyonebuysfromthem and #ionlyknowthem. I understand that, but maybe we need to give the new brands a chance too!
?? Head over to Pawjourr and leave a review for the brands whom you have tried before. Customer testimonials matter and your feedback (be it positive or negative) will also help other pet owners make an informed choice!
I hope this article gives you a brief idea on where to start looking for training treats for your puppies. Remember —
✅ Dry and doesn’t make your fingers dirty when it touches saliva.
✅ Low calorie — also check ingredients if you know you are going to be a treat dispenser.
✅ Switch up protein; I like to do Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Beef, Kangaroo, etc because I’ve heard of dogs developing certain health issues when they just stick to eating 1 protein (may/may not be true).
✅ Keep within your budget, no need to go broke buying expensive treats just for the Instagram game. It’s your pet — it’s not your followers’ pet.
Do check out our new categories — home-based biz and the coupon page and comment below what do you think! ??♀️
3 months ago, we made the decision to get Oolong thinking that we are prepared mentally and financially to be pet owners (whilst running a start-up). ☺
Rather than being informative, this is more of a #thoughtcatalogue kind of article.
?: “Can we get a dog, please?” ?: “No dogs! I’m busy enough taking care of you and cleaning the house. A dog is going to make it worst. You want your mother to die is it”
Does this sound familiar to you? #AsianMums
Just gotta add this in
I’ve always wanted a dog since young. I could never understand why my mum refused to let me own a dog even though she say that she is a “dog lover”. Now that I’m a dog owner, i kinda understand where she is coming from. Owning a pet is a huge commitment — and at that point she was right that we weren’t ready for that sorta commitment.
There are lots of sacrifices you have to made — mainly changing your lifestyle depending on the breed you got. This is why it is so important to get a dog that aligns with your lifestyle vs. getting something that is “popular” or “cute”.
Getting Oolong, the Siberian Husky
When we got Oolong, we thought we were ready (mentally & financially). We had all the boxes ticked — we are 28 years old and our house is arriving soon. We run a start-up so we can bring Oolong to the office every day; we are not exactly rich but yes, we can definitely afford a dog with our combined income.
Yes, granted that we were still staying at our parent’s house but we are moving out soon. We also had “the chat” to make sure they are okay with a new dog around the house (at least for the next 6 months max).
What could possibly go wrong?
We overestimated our financials. Theoretically, we are already spending $1,000 on taxi fare since we often work till 3-4am in the office (so cannot wake up in the morning, and no more train/buses after midnight).
We use telegram hitch a lot to get private hires, but we aren’t always that lucky. Grabpet would mean $50/day (to & fro) and that’s on top of his medical bills, food expenses and grooming.
Oolong was proving to be expensive. Eventually, we decided to keep him at home and only bring him to the office 2-3x a week — it would make a lot more sense financially and my husband’s parents were okay.
All good, till last month.
Oolong started getting jumpy and pushing boundaries with my PIL when we are not at home — jumping on guests, chewing on shoes/decor items, mouthing, etc. My PIL doesn’t know how to discipline a growing puppy — on top of that, having a dog around the house can also mean a “messier” house.
They had to make a few shifts around – meeting their friends outside of the home, cleaning up after him (he loves to stick his tongue out on the floor) and eventually, the pressure got to them. I understand — having a pet around (especially a puppy) wears you down. They were also scared of Oolong as he is growing exceptionally fast / big for a 5 months old puppy.
They started having 2nd thoughts and decided that they aren’t comfortable having him in the house whilst we were at the office.
Oolong is larger than a full-sized Singapore Special now.
Everything started to derail
Our initial plan was to do alternate weeks at my house and my husband’s house — but my mum backed out when she saw the “mess” and how dirty the house was after the first 2 weeks.
It’s not my house. It’s not their dog. I started getting really stressed because i needed to make sure Oolong wasn’t being naughty.
I cannot stress enough how important it is that when you welcome a dog into your family, your entire household needs to be EXCITED and AGREES to the plan.
Key takeaway
Lucky for us, we have our own office and we can bring him here everyday. That solves bulk of the problem — and we also got a long-term hitch driver to drive the cost down on transportation.
Oolong’s “work”
We were (kinda) lucky.
But what if you are working a 9-5 job and your office is not pet-friendly? What are you going to do?
Are you going to give up your dog?
Are you going to return home to angry parents?
Key takeaway
I’m slightly embarrassed that this seems to be a useless article HAHA but i think the point here is that with COVID, i’m seeing a huge trend of people owning a pet (adopt/buy). I’m happy to see more pet owners around because i believe that this helps to push the country in a progressive way (more pet owners, more demand, increase supply for pet-friendly related F&Bs, malls etc)
BUT
If you are still living with your parents and works/study, MAKE SURE that you have 100% buy-in from the other household members. If they are hesitant, DON’T. It’s going to be painful.
No, owning a pet is not just “it’s going to pass”. It’s a daily thing. It’s a 365 thing. It gets easier after puppyhood but they won’t magically be independent like your 12 years old sister. Throw them a phone and they will be fine. They going to get sick, bored, naughty and you are responsible for that. You CONTROL their life. It’s on you.
Henlo, its me again! After my last article on puppyhood blues, I’m here with another article on what are some of the stuff you should get prior to the arrival of your pup!
MAIN FOOD FOR YOUR PUPPY
Information nugget
You definitely need to get food for your puppy – but with all the choices out there, what exactly should you be feeding?
Most pet shops have partnerships with certain pet food brands where they get sponsored free kibbles to feed their puppies. Since most peeps who buy from pet shops are first-time owners, the pet shop will advise the owners to continue feeding the same pet food brand (and continue to buy from them), which is a win-win situation for the supplier and pet shop since they get themselves a long-term customer.
My 2 cents:
Do your research. Whilst it can be confusing, do your research and try to find a pet food brand that fits your pup’s lifestyle and budget. For smaller breeds, you might want to choose kibbles which are designed to be smaller in size to help with eating. If your pup is mostly indoors and has a low to moderate exercise regime, you can consider feeling brands that cater to low-energy or indoor pets to prevent obesity.
The general rule for food transition (even between kibbles – kibbles), do so slowly over a period of about 7–10 days, mixing an increasing amount of new food with old food each day:
Start with 75% old food mixed with 25% new food for approximately three days. Then mix 50% old with 50% new for approximately three days. (credit @petco.com)
Buy online. With the push to go digital, many brands are selling on marketplaces like Shopee, Lazada and there are tons of online pet shops sprouting up every single day. Take advantage of this.
Use discount codes, do price comparison,s and get the food delivered to you for free!
We like to buy from Shopee because we get coins and there are lots of discount codes from fellow pet ambassadors on Instagram.
ENDING NOTE;
Main food. You might want to buy a smaller packet to make sure your dogs love it before buying more. For us, we are feeding Taste of the wild Puppy Prairie.
I have hyper-link all the products which we have gotten for Oolong over time in the table above, with some additional notes:
Pee Pad Trays. I put pee pad trays as optional because I didn’t particularly felt that it helped in any way, given that he would still step on the trays which have his pee. There’s also a constant odor since we only wash it once a week.
Crate. Initially, I wanted to do crate training but eventually realized that Oolong is not as destructive even when he is home alone and has free roam. We did buy a cage but it’s too weak to contain him so we are looking to sell it away.
Multi-way cruiser leash. I was hesitant at first but eventually invested in a multi-way cruiser leash and omg, I love itttttt. We have been using it so much because it just gives us a lot of freedom when we bring Oolong for walks. It’s also harder for him to “drag us” because we will layer the leash over our body and he can’t overcome our body weight.
Interactive toys. I placed this under optional because some dogs doesnt need the mental stimulation, like Milky. He doesn’t play with toys and rather sleep the afternoon away. For Oolong, he has bursts of energy throughout the afternoon and gets restless when is unable to release them. I got a snuffle toy and some interactive ones for him from Shopee and so far, the snuffle mat has been doing its job to keep him VERY busy. If you have meetings and need 30mins of quiet time, it might be worthwhile to invest in these.
Dog cologne. I put this as optional since I don’t think everyone needs one, but OMG I loveeee the one from Doggie balm. In fact, everyone in the office loves it so much that we all bought it for our dogs. Bath times can be crazy and chaotic and not something you look forward to because you get wet and your puppy might struggle to escape. So whilst it is not a long-term solution, we use the dog perfume to neutralize the odor of Oolong and it lasts for 1 full day. YES, we highly recommend the one from Doggie Balm!!
ENDING NOTE;
Consider buying preloved items. For the cage & pee pad trays, I bought them from carousel because I didn’t feel the need to buy brand new ones. These are stuff that your puppy will outgrow, so there’s no point to invest (in my opinion). I also checked out this telegram chat to see what’s out there.
Buy as you go along. You will feel the urge to buy everything (crazy pet parent alert). I bought the cooling mat and dog bed for Oolong but he rather sleeps on the floor since it’s much cooling for him. I eventually sell it away hahahahha.
TRAINING TREATS
Photo credit: dogtime.com
You are going to need A LOT of training treats. So it’s super important to buy a dog training bag (which I included above). It’s important to train your dog from puppyhood to avoid bad behaviors that might be harder to rectify in the future. Some people train with kibbles (to avoid calorie-overdose or diarrhea) but I hate the feeling of kibbles because it’s very sticky when their saliva touches the food.
My top recommendation for training treats. My criteria is on the texture, quality as well as the size.
I recently got to try this from this dog treat box which I bought from Perromart at $48 (which is a bad deal in my honest opinion) but I do like this because the dog treat is long and I think Ziwi Peak is not a bad brand (though comparably expensive and there are other alternatives out there).
But HMM, it is 5 calories per treat so ration accordingly since usually you will feed A LOT during training to enforce positive reinforcement.
Okay, I bought this because I got sucked into the packaging (SO NICE?!?!) and the price cause it’s very affordable. But we have stopped buying this because Oolong is picky now and doesn’t like this as much.
Again, get this from PLC stores since it’s the same price online and offline.
ENDING NOTE;
Don’t buy too much of the same food at the same time. Your dog will get bored. So don’t buy too much of the same food; try to interchange and keep things interesting because there’s a direct correlation between how tasty the food is vs. the attentiveness he is going to give you.
Not all treats will be suitable for your pup. We fed Oolong duck wings from Absolute Holistic and he had very bad diarrhea. Same with chicken feet and lobsters. So we cut those off from his treats’ stash. So observe as you go along and there will be trial and error.
So many things to buy, so little time to save money ?
Expect to spend $200 – $500 for the first month of your puppy’s arrival since there are going to be trial and error as well as purchasing big ticket items such as crate, bowls and accessories. We keep a separate bank account for the dogs so that we are able to track our spending expenditure with him, and we also try not to go too crazy.
It’s fun shopping for your dog because there are so many options out there! If not, you can also redeem free samples to try from pawjourr.com before you commit to the full-sized items.
Are you planning to get yourself a puppy in 2021? Perfect! Because you’ll need all the advice you can get before taking on such a responsibility. Much like any other purchase or product, getting a puppy isn’t just about plopping down some cash and taking it home. It takes research, preparation, and consideration.
#Puppyblues IS true. I know this sounds crazy but I cried the first weekend when I brought Oolong back from all the stress. My husband was very concerned about my mental health because I was looking visibly stress and couldn’t sleep well at all.
It’s been around a month since Oolong is with us – so let’s break it down week by week on what you should expect when you bring home that bundle of joy… or poop machine ?
Week 01: The calm before the storm
First night with us
The first night Oolong came to our house — to be fair to him, he didn’t give us as much issue as his siblings since he wasn’t too “homesick”. In a way, he is a pretty confident and independent kid who can be bounced around different homes and sleeps through the night.
Issues you might face with your puppyfor the first 1-2 weeks
Whining / crying through the entire night
Waking up every 2 hours to pee/poop
Sleeping on the floor with him/her
These are all actual anecdote we hear from other pet owners around us.
It is very important to note that puppies should stay with their mum until they are AT LEAST 8 WEEKS OLD. Oolong is approx. 3 months old before he left his litter.
I can’t emphasize this enough – this is SO SO SO SO IMPORTANT and I only realize it after getting Oolong! When a puppy is 5 – 8 weeks old, they get feedback from their siblings on bites/mouthing because the other pups will yelp when it’s too hard — this helps the puppy to understand when a bite is too painful and is not pleasant for the recipient.
DON’T WORRY – YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!
During Oolong’s first week, I was so overwhelmed that I cried. I stay with my parents and my mum can be very iffy about cleanliness around the house so it added on to the stress. Not helpful that I like to sleep in on weekends and with a dog around, that’s gone.
WEEK O2: The REAL shit starts
Literally. Oolong IS pee pad trained and for the first 2 weeks, there were no potty accidents at all (he sleeps with us in the room). Well guess what, he decided that it’s not going to be that case anymore! 😀
It might also be because he had his last jab and wasn’t feeling too good.
Waking up to the surprise Oolong prepared for us – thanks, son!
So yes, potty training is going to take a while. I was literally on my knees (PG13 please!) 80% of the time, cleaning up after him. I’ve read online to ignore and not to chide him but seriously, I’m not Guan Yin Ma okay. So the morning this happened, I was really livid and gave Oolong a good “beating” and by beating, I meant rolled up newspaper hitting the floor.
Another huge round of applause for Oolong, who’s poop aim is spectacular (RIP to @lokithetoast hooman’s wire)
General rule of thumb for potty training
2 months old puppy can hold their bladder for 2 hours
3 months old puppy can hold their bladder for 3 hours
It will be helpful to keep a poop journal (yes, motherhood indeed) to track his poop timing across a few weeks. Oolong is still very sporadic with his poop time but we know that he poops every morning when he wakes up, and after meals. So he poops 3 – 4x a day.
This WILL change. Milky poops twice a day and he is outdoor-trained.
WEEK 03: So you think you can leave me alone at home
SA. SA. SA. You are going to hear SA a lot. SA stands for separation anxiety, which is loosely defined as your dog screaming like he lost a limb when you leave him alone in the house.
We used Google hangouts so that different people could join the call and look at Oolong like a specimen. ? Okay lah, everyone is concerned about Oolong.
Pro Tip that works for us!
Start off with 5 – 10 – 15mins before increasing it to longer hours.
When you leave the house, give the doggo a treat (we like to give chews)
When you reach home, don’t be overly excited. Be normal and don’t get all excited and give him attention.
Oolong can be at home for a long period of time now (4 hours+). We don’t put the pee pads in his crate because we don’t want him to encourage him to pee in his crate. Now, he gets free access to the house since he is toilet-trained and will pee/poop in the toilet (without pee pads!!)
Most of the time, there are still peeps in the house so he is usually with peeps around. We bring him to the office for 2-3 days every week so that he gets to mingle with other people, dogs and socialize well.
Week 04: It WILL get better.
We brought Oolong home on 8 Dec, when he is exactly 3 months old (he is born on 9 Sep). It’s been a little more than a month now and yes, things are definitely getting better.
It feels like a long time that he has been with us — but he is toilet-trained now and growing up healthily. He still poops and pee at the wrong places, but he kinda gets an idea of what’s right and what’s wrong.
His mouthing is still an issue and we are correcting his food aggression (for high-value food) and learning to share and be nice with other doggos — be it his water bowl or toys.
Find someone who looks at you the way Oolong looks at his bowl.
He is extremely food-motivated so it’s easier to train him, but that also meant lots of trips to Pet Lovers Centre and spending tons of money on treats and toys to keep him busy.
He is also learning commands like SIT, DOWN, STAY, LEAVE IT & GENTLE (puppies are so excited when it comes to food!!).
He is learning how to behave during walks, how he gets treats when he poops and pees outdoor (or on pee pads), and will run to me to get his “reward”. The clever boy will actually “ration” his pee so that he gets more treats whuttttt.
#PUPPYBLUES ARE REAL
Yes, puppy blues are real. During the first few weeks, I was constantly bogged down by negativity and just wondering if things will ever get better.
I had thoughts of sending him back to his parents because I wasn’t sure if this is something I can handle. I felt so guilty for even having such thoughts that I just cried and felt like a useless mum. I felt that I’m useless because other peeps seem to be able to “do it” but I can’t seem to, and these are people who were working a 9-6 job or juggling a child and a pet and a job and their own mental health. HOW?
The irony is that I know it’s hard to take care of a dog, and I was mentally prepared. But the thing is — it REALLY wears you down over time. There are no off days, MCs, or short-cuts. It’s step-by-step and you don’t expect instant gratification.
There is also no “nursery” to send your kids to for a couple of hours (yes there are daycares, but there are so many horror stories when it comes to dogs dying or getting infected with ticks/flea and eventually died).
But yes, it is worth it. A dog will always love you more than he loves himself, and the feeling when he wags his tail to welcome us home :”)
Hic – Hic!
If you are thinking to get a puppy, these might be helpful:
Adopt or buy from a reputable breeder. When you buy from pet shops, you might unknowingly be supporting puppy mills. There are also other issues like:
Health problems from inbreeding or unhealthy parents.
Potty training is going to be an ass because they pee and shit in their cage.
Crate training will be an ass too because puppies in pet shops are constantly locked up.
You might face huge behavioral issues like mouthing/teething because of what I mentioned earlier — there was no chance for the puppy to get feedback on bites.
Why adoption might be better for you
Most of the time, you won’t face potty training issues because the dogs are grass-trained.
No puppy blues because most dogs should be in their adulthood already, meaning a much calmer demeanor.
It is important to note that PET SHOPS and REPUTABLE & ETHICAL BREEDERS shouldn’t be seen as the same thing. The latter takes pride in what they do and are very transparent & responsible with how they breed and who they sell.
With pet shops, many are in it for the $$ (despite the claims they put on how they love animals) and I see lots of health problems and issues because of the way the dogs were handled. It’s also extremely suspicious that when pet shop A has a Shiba Inu, pet shop B C D also has Shiba Inus for sale (much coincidence?)
End of day, a pet is a commitment for life. Make sure you are ready (financially and mentally) and yes — your family members are OKAY with the new family member. It is very tough for you to bring up a dog if your family members are NOT okay. It is also being respectful to the other family members living in the household because it really takes a village to raise a dog.
Do you feed your dogs raw? Feeding of raw meat-based diets to pets has become an increasingly popular trend amongst pet owners in recent years.
If you are a TikTok fan, loves #ASMR and intrigued by the world of raw feeding, you would have definitely heard about Chefs and Dogs, who has since gathered more than 1M followers on their Tik Tok channel! ?
We’re be honest – all of us here has been binge-watching their videos (I mean, who wouldn’t?!) From delicious sushi for rabbits, to woof-ing good pasta for your dogs, Chef and Dog has something for anyone who needs some recipes inspiration or just a break from all the Zoom calls (yes to ASMR). ??♀️
We are super excited to be able to interview Daniel to learn more about Chefs and Dogs journey – the motivations, challenges and even the little moments.
Meet Daniel & Caelan
Q:Tell us a little bit more about yourself and your pets!
I’m Daniel Tomas—chef by training and dog dad to two Australian Kelpies, Joey (boy) and Alkai (girl) and a border collie Caelan (boy) whose face is on the Chefs & Dogs logo.
Like the late David Bowie, Caelan has two different coloured eyes, a rare condition known as heterochromia, but no musical talents (that I’m aware of). We also have quails and foster cats & dogs.
Q:When was Chefs and Dogs founded? Are you doing this full-time now?
I founded Chefs and Dogs eighteen months ago as a local raw dog food delivery business in the capital of Australia (points for those who know this), Canberra. In addition to delivering raw meals, we sell a range of healthy treats and supplements Australia-wide.
You can purchase the Wagyu Christmas lunch from their website if you are based in Australia!
Running the small business has been a full-time job from the beginning, but over time I’ve invested more and more late nights producing TikTok, Youtube and Instagram content to spread awareness about pet nutrition.
Q:What got you started on feeding raw?
The journey started for me 6 years ago when Joey had lupus on his nose. After all manner of treatments proved ineffective, my partner and I consulted a holistic vet who advised changes to his diet.
Joey with Lupus
Through feeding a tailored raw diet along with a holistic approach guided by Kate from Holistic Paws, Joey underwent a remarkable recovery. It demonstrated to us what on the face of it sounds obvious—feeding a nutritious balanced diet to your pets, especially if they have special health requirements, can drastically impact their overall health.
Joey’s transformation after being fed raw
Q:What’s the motivation and reason for starting Chefs and Dogs? Did you self learn when it comes to feeding raw?
I learned raw feeding under the guidance of a holistic vet and dog nutritionist and I always advise my followers to do the same. Introducing fresh foods doesn’t need to be as radical as a complete diet overhaul. Whatever their level of comfort, we encourage pet-owners to take an interest in their pet’s nutritional needs.
Q: Where do you get the inspiration/recipes for your video content?
I’m a chef by training and have been creating recipes for the better part of a decade. Most of my inspiration comes from the amazing community. We get requests for everything from hermit crab to snail meals!
Q:What do you think is your top challenge when it comes to Chefs and Dogs?
The response of our community has been overwhelmingly positive. I try to provoke people to think of their dog’s diets differently and sometimes this requires going a little over-the-top (wagyu burritos or Michelin-star lobster for dogs anyone?).
Sometimes I work hard on a recipe I love and no one is interested, other times I throw something together in ten minutes and it goes viral. Creating content is about having the courage to take risks and put yourself out there.
The hardest part is finding the right balance between content that is fun and engaging, but also provides educational information for pet owners.
Q: Any tips for pet owners who wants to feed raw but not sure how to get started?
As with a lot of things, first do no harm. It’s best to take advice from a holistic vet and pet nutritionist to ensure you are feeding your dog a complete and balanced diet. But this doesn’t mean it’s too hard and safer to just stick to kibble—there are lots of ways you can gradually introduce fresh foods to your pet’s diet.
There are also a lot more local suppliers like us providing fresh and raw dog food which can help owners learn the ropes.
Meet Caelan, Alkai & Joey
There is always a trade-off between time, money and quality when it comes to cooking. I always say feed the best food you can afford with your budget, whether that is a little bit of a fresh or full fresh. Shop around for specials, build a good relationship with your butcher, buy in bulk and freeze. I go through some of these tips in my YouTube videos.
Food hygiene is essential when handling raw meat. Wear plastic gloves and always clean your hands, any utensils and preparation areas, as well as your dog’s bowl, between meals. While we’ve all experienced it at some point, it’s a bad idea to let your dog lick yours or your children’s faces—this can transmit bacteria.
Q:Of all the recipes and videos you have done, which is your favourite?
After over 400 videos it’s hard to pick! Birthday cakes are always fun—we make these for our clients and can cover all manner of themes. It’s as much fun for the owner to make as the dog to eat!
Q:What kind of viewership changes have you seen since you started making these videos?
The community has transformed since our early days and we’re so grateful to everyone who has been there from the start. We are seeing more and more owners of cats and other pets who are looking to feed fresh. Some of our followers may not even have a pet yet, but find the videos satisfying.
It’s a mixed community now and as the trends and specific areas of interest shift, I try to keep our core theme at the heart.
Q:What has been your proudest Chefs and Dogs moment so far?
While it’s fun to make viral content—I never would have thought I’d hit a million followers and receive almost 50 million video views a month—it’s the small things that have made me proud. In the early hours when I wrap up my work with the food business, I usually create a video and read through all of the comments and direct messages.
Hearing stories of pet-owners who have been inspired by my videos to feed their pets fresh food is hugely gratifying. You may have guessed I love dogs and the transformative impact they can have on our lives as owners, so I love hearing when it goes the other way.
Q:What is your ultimate vision and goal for Chefs & Dogs?
The vision has always been the same—spread awareness about the benefits of nutrition for a dog’s diet. I’d love to see fresh feeding becoming the norm, or at least fresh food be considered the most desirable diet for pets – just as it is for humans.
Daniel, founder of Chefs & Dogs
Follow Daniel & fam on their TikTok, Instagram or Youtube to learn more about fresh feeding for your pets! ?
Do you love such feature stories? Comment below and let us know who do you want us to interview next!
Well, check out Furry’s Kitchen who recently partnered with celebrity chef Justin Quek to conceptualise a 3-course degustation meal at a pop-up restaurant called Terrier that put the brand’s home-cooked food to the ultimate taste and quality test with some of Singapore’s top food influencers.
Furry Kitchen shouldn’t be a stranger to most pet owners, given that they have been establishing a pretty active presence within the local pets community such as events & campaign with pet influencer marketing agency, The Woof Agency.
Stephen Chua, Founder of Furry’s Kitchen said: “This experiment challenges the perception that food for dogs tastes unpleasant and is made with undiscernible ingredients and preservatives unfit for human consumption.
Just like how we love to indulge in a delicious meal and feed ourselves and our loved ones with only the best ingredients possible, our furry friends deserve the same and can enjoy the same quality and freshness in their diet”.
The purpose was to break down the notion that food that dogs eat is unfit for humans. Guests were blown away by the flavour profiles, quality and freshness of the ingredients, giving their stamps of approval & demanding seconds. Some even likened it to grandma’s cooking.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/embed/dCOW851K4Ck
Chef Justin Quek added: “As with any social experiment, we had to keep certain variables under wraps to ensure the most unbiased results. We wanted to know if by removing the negative perception of dog food, we would discover that human-grade food made for dogs could taste both delicious and nutritious too.
The dishes the food influencers enjoyed have all been taste-tested and quality-checked by me personally. You have my word that I only serve my guests food that I believe in, and food that meets my standards”.
While of course there was an element of surprise, the majority of the influencers taking part in the experiment appreciated that they had not eaten dog food, just human-grade food prepared for dogs. They understood that all ingredients such as beef, salmon, brown rice, potatoes and broccoli are sourced from the same SFA-certified suppliers used by local Singaporean restaurants, promising the same quality for humans.
Benefits of HCF feat. Furry’s Kitchen
Similar to hooman, there are different diets that you can put your furkids on depending on your budget, lifestyle and personal preference. Home-cooked food (HCF) has remain as one of the top choices amongst pet owners for its:
High-Quality Proteins & Fresh Ingredients
Furry’s Kitchen is about providing your dog with high-quality proteins, fresh vegetables and fruits. Their approach is similar to how we feed ourselves and our families. They call it “balance over time”, which will, over time, meet your dog’s needs if you vary the diet enough over a week or two. Feeding a wide variety of meat and vegetables give your dog the nutrition it needs.
2. No Preservatives & Additives
Only using the good parts of the animal. No by-products. They also say no to preservatives, additives and fillers. Their recipes are made by hand in small batches and gently cooked to retain their nutritional value. They only source our ingredients from the same suppliers who supply to restaurants in Singapore, the same quality fit for humans.
3. Nutritional Needs
Nothing gives more flavour and health benefits than fresh and quality ingredients. A diet full of high quality, fresh, minimally processes ingredients help to support the immune system and all other body functions essential for everyday health. Without it, your dog will be more susceptible to disease. They also retain a lot more nutritious value compared to processed foods.
HERE’S OUR TAKE:
At the end of the day, there are pros and cons to different diet and pet owners should do proper research (not just on the nutritional value) but also to take into consideration your lifestyle and budget — e.g. it can get pricey if you are a multi-dog household or owns a large breed who eats a lot more than your small dogs.
You can also check out some articles to learn more about HCF from our resident doggo owners here.
Last but not least, check out Furry’s Kitchen influencers #approved goodies here!
Who is guilty of buying a tad too much when it comes to their furkids? Definitely me ?
I love to shop for Milky, but sometimes it seems to me that there are only that few vendors whom I can buy stuff for him – mainly those who enjoy high visibility on Instagram. I always wondered if there’s a way for us to dig the hidden gems (amongst the many, many on Instagram).
So here are some of the hidden gems I’ve unearthed through my times on Instagram (I will try notttt to mention the well-known ones), and just in time for Christmas! ?
1. Cakki.co
Website: https://cakkicollective.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cakki.co/
Source: https://cakkicollective.com
Cakki Collective is a boutique brand from Philippines which specialises in rope leashes, bandanas + more. Their products are handmade & carefully curated with love.
Their bandanas range between S$6 – 15, depending on the size you are looking at.
Milky sporting this new bandana from Cakki
What I love about this brand
Obviously very much in love for their Instagram aesthetic and game
Super friendly and nice business owner
Handmade and their designs are really nice
I guess the only con is that since they are based overseas, I have to gather or consolidate orders before the worldwide shipping fee makes sense.
I came to know about this home-based store only because the owner is an influencer under our network. We worked with them for some campaigns and she very kindly gifted us some free samples to try!
Just look at the greedy face!
Pawjourr organised a Secret Santa gift exchange this year, and I would be sending some of her treats to my Santee! ? We also featured her bone broth recipe on The Woof Agency’s Instagram earlier this year and the effort is ?!! You can buy them bone broth at a super affordable price too
You can check out how she boil the bone broth here!
3. Husse Singapore
Website: https://www.husse.sg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hussesg/
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CGSAAV2nM7Z/
Husse is a new brand which entered the Singapore market late 2019. They hail from Sweden and pride themselves in high quality pet food, specialising in not just dog & cats, but also horses! ?
Milky loves his Taste of the wild, so we won’t be talking about their kibbles range. Instead, we are a huge huge fan of their Laxolja (also known as salmon oil ?).
This is Milky a month after being on their salmon oil.
We sprinkle the salmon oil over his food and he gobbles them up like a cookie monster. It makes the entire meal looks much appetising and there’s definitely an improvement on his coat condition which is visible to the eye.
We have been on this product for the past 3 – 6 months and we highly recommend pawrents out there to consider trying it! ?
I think Instinct Pet Food has been around for quite some time, but only became aggressive with their sales recently in Singapore. They are part of the Nature’s variety group – and the ladies who work there are so so so nice!
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CC8eq-CjOdG/
To be honest, there is a very low chance of us converting to 100% raw for Milky as we are not very confident about the food handling (though we have been tempted a few times by the benefits and The Dog Chef on Tik Tok).
So Instinct Pet is one of the brands we try to play around with the idea but with freeze dried nuggets etc. I’m very confident about the quality of their food and I’ve never heard anything about worms / weevils in their food vs. some other brands I see on Instagram. ?
I spoke to the owners before and I know how strict they are with the end-to-end (source of ingredients -> final product). But okay, it is on the expensive side since Milky is a big dog and eats quite a bit.
For the wet food, we alternate between their wet pouches and Bronco pate. As for the raw toppers, it’s really when he is being a good boy (but now we know he is okay with them and won’t “laosai”.
Everyone in the company actually love their products so much that we decided to bring them in and sell on our shopee! We only sell in bundles since Shopee has a lot of restriction around the shipping fees.
We got to know about Kin+Kind pet supplements through the sampling program offered by Pawjourr.
Pawjourr has a sampling program where pet owners pay $4.90 per month to check-out unlimited samples to try. In exchange, leave a review to help other pet owners make an informed choice.
They are also adding in more verticals like groomers, clinics, trainers etc. It is positioned to be the one-stop pet parenting app to make pet ownership easier, cheaper & much more convenient! ❤️
Check out #Whatsinmybowl flex with Milky! Special guest appearance by Clear Dog Treats (Shark cartilage powder) which you can find here, which I am obsessed with as well.
I hope this has been helpful to pet owners out there looking for some new websites or brands to stalk! ?
I think some of the brands here are pretty well-known already in the pets community, but there are a few other supplements which you can try and buy via Amazon.sg!
If you are like me and love finding new brands and products for your furkids to try, you should definitely give Pawjourr+ a go! ?
If you live in Singapore, you would know that we are not exactly the best when it comes to available pet-friendly venues. As a crazy #dogmum, I wanted Milky to be part of this important milestone since he is part of our family.
1. DECIDE ON A VENUE
Open Farm Community has a lawn for couple to walk down during the ceremony
For us, it was pretty clear that Open Farm Community would be one of our top choice since we have been there before with Milky. We love the food, the servers were really nice to Milky and simply put, we like the place.
It was also an easy choice since we don’t have too much options out there, especially since Milky is considered a large dog and most places (even pet-friendly ones) are not excited about bigger doggo 🙁
Some Important things to check also include:
Where can your dog sit / be at during dinner?
Would it be too warm, especially for double-coated dogs?
We spoke to the wedding coordinator from Open Farm and confirmed that there will be 4 portable air-con units placed around the dining area (even though it’s outdoor).
TDLR; Visit the restaurant with your dog & see if you vibe with the place.
2. MAKE SURE YOUR GUESTS ARE OKAY WITH DOGS
Milky & Tay waiting at the end of the lawn
We created a Facebook event and invited our guests from there – we made it very clear that Milky will be present on the day and if anyone is uncomfortable, they would (unfortunately) have to un-invite themselves since we weren’t budging on anything lesser.
We knew that it was going to be a super hectic day, so we arranged for Furries Ferry to transport Milky to & fro from the venue. Andrea & team were super friendly and responsive via Whatsapp – highly recommend their service!
Between Hillview <> Open Farm Community, we paid $30 in total for both trips.
(b) Person-in-charge
Assign one of your friend to be the person-in-charge of taking care of the dog. You and your partner are going to be super busy on that day, so it’s important someone is there to take care of your furkid (especially if s(he) is a big dog and needs a bit of space)!
You will need to entertain your guests & making sure everyone is still enjoying themselves, so be sure there’s someone who can help you on that.
(c) Don’t forget food and toilet break
Don’t forget his food! When we were eating, Milky was drooling on the side (even though he had his meal earlier that day). We also brought him out for his twice-a-day walks but still got someone to walk him around every now and then as he doesn’t like to be leashed up.
Also make sure that your dog is good with strangers, loud noises / crowd and always has a bowl of water to quench his/her thirst.
For Milky, we made sure that there are portable air-cons around so that he doesn’t feel too warm.
Henlo, it’s time for belly rubs
4. HAVE LOTS OF FUN
Have lots of fun! It can be a little tough to coordinate around, especially if your dog is large and you cannot just pop them on your leg and carry them around.
But it’s all worth it – I’m not sure if Milky had as much fun as us hee hee, but he sure looks happy in all the photos!
Henlo, I’m Milky and I’m a good boyMilky getting all the attention from everyoneMilky posing like the supermodel he isMilky tired liao + 80% drunk husbando
Hope this article has been helpful for anyone thinking to host your wedding with your furkids! x
We planned a birthday party for Milky back in July to celebrate his 2nd barkday & recovery from his entropion surgeries.
Planning a party for your doggo can be TOUGH. But since I’ve done this already, I’m going to detail my checklist here to make things as easy for you as possible! Here we go ?
Let the planning begin!
1. DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET
For us, we decided to co-host a birthday party with another Chow Chow owner whose dog’s birthday was the same month as Milky. Your budget will go towards:
✅ Location – any min. spending mandated by the cafe?
✅ Decoration – are you decorating the cafe?
✅ Food – are you buying food for your guests, both humans and dogs?
✅ Goodie bags – are you preparing door gifts for your guests?
✅ Cake – birthday cakes for your dog?
For us, our budget was to spend below $200. This means that we can’t choose a location that has a min. spending.
Since I am co-hosting with another owner, I did up an excel sheet to keep things clear and transparent. You can use my template here!
You can duplicate the excel sheet to your own google drive here
2. DECIDING ON A LOCATION
We don’t drive, so we wanted somewhere nearer to home (west) for easy transportation. We shortlisted Turf Club since it was along Bt Timah and had a few pet-friendly cafes there, namely WOOFTOPIA & AH B CAFE.
Eventually, we settled on Wooftopia because I’ve been there before and since we would be inviting quite a few big dogs, we wanted a larger place. I also liked that they do not have a min.spend, but reserved the tables for us.
They have 2 areas – so the large dogs (Chow Chow) were kept inside that area whereas the other smaller dogs roam at the outer area.
This is how the outside seating looks like (source: google)
? Tips!
Use the FAVE app for cashback. Get cashback when you pay via the app. Just a note that the cashback can only be redeemed on your next purchase, so what you can do is to order separately.
If possible, celebrate on a weekday. The last I was there, they were running a 30% discount off their mains if you go on a weekday. It was really empty so I guess these promotions might help to pull in some crowd!
3. PLANNING GOODIE BAGS
The fun part – because who doesn’t love buying stuff for our pets? ? But it can be a logistics nightmare if your guests are on different diets and/or has allergies on certain protein.
(a) Do up a google sheet and get your guests to fill it in.
(b) Plan your shopping! I was on a budget so I hopped onto Fave (no, this article is not sponsored by them haha) and bought the $30 Perromart voucher for $10 … and used another email address since it’s only for new customers (I realised they increased it to $20; it was $10 when I bought it).
I bought Absolute Holistic treats and also got some dental treats from Happy Doggi (btw, Woof Agency do sponsor treats for goodie bags. You can sign up here).
Zanel (the other owner) was in-charge of decoration and cake! The balloons were around $15, but the cake was pricier ($95). We got it from Onicupcakes, who is also a friend and fellow Chow Chow owner!
You can see the decoration on the wall (just balloons for Milky & Rug’s name!)
4. HAVE FUN & TAKE LOTS OF PICS!
It’s very fun, but also SUPER tiring. Just imagine it as a kid’s birthday party and you need to make sure everyone is playing nice (whilst not peeing & pooping) and your human guests are having fun.
I would highly recommend that you have another person to help around, and invite peeps who know each other so that they won’t be too bored alone!
(Left to right) Nugget, Milky, Maki, Kawaii & Bun BunFamily photo with our little boySome behind-the-scenes with the cake and trying to get a good photo (VERY HARD)
Let the celebration begin!
Planning a barkday party is both fun and tiring. But what I really love is the smile, laughter and running after your pets that makes everything worth it.
Just look at the boy with all his birthday presents – how blessed is he! ❤️
Milky with all his birthday gifts – what a lucky boy!
A huge thanks to everyone who attended Milky’s birthday party and being part of his life. It’s not easy being a pet parent, but the community and friendship makes everything better.
Have fun planning! xoxo
Sleeping after a long day of celebration; till the next pawty! x
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I work to give Milky a better life.
Kopi girl at The Woof Agency and Pawjourr, where we hope to build a community for pet owners all around the world!
You can reach me at Jane@thewoofagency.com or find Milky at @milkythecloud on Instagram!
