One night I nearly swiped a lady walking her dog as I was driving around a corner. My chest hurt from fright and what scared me even more was that the lady had no idea of the near collision. It made me think how safe we thought we were walking in the darker hours. 

When I received a press release from MightyPet by Laser about its LED Light-Up collars and leashes, I wanted to find out how the products’ ‘high visibility’ can ensure both owners and their dogs can be seen by drivers at nighttime. So I contacted the company to find out more and received a sample collar and leash – X-Large to fit my Anatolian Shepherd’s neck!

The collar and leash are made from durable pet-friendly nylon material and powerful LED lights, with the option of three light modes – a fast flash, slow flash and constant glow.

With a battery life of up to 10 hours, you can go weeks without worrying about recharging it via a micro USB cable (included). Available in three sizes which are adjustable and will suit most dog breeds.

I love the colour. I think it really suits Cruz. I also love that the collar and the leash have their own LED light mode options.

I chose a ‘fast flash’ mode for Cruz’s collar and a ‘constant glow’ option for the leash. It has made me and my family feel much safer walking Cruz late evenings and in the early morning fog!

What’s more, I can easily follow Cruz in the backyard at night! Wish he would do his business more quickly and come back inside! Too cold!

Check out Cruz roadtesting the collar here.

We ordered a ‘vegetarian picnic’ with some yummy local apple pie, picked up a large picnic blanket and sat under a fruit tree overlooking the beautiful grounds. We saw llamas grazing on the farm and, to our surprise, several people with dogs on a lead! This place just went from fabulous to amazing in the blink of an eye! We promised to come back with Cruz and we did!

Upon arrival, Cruz was greeted with lots of pats by staff and visitors who were lined up for cider tasting. We picked up our blanket and ordered a little basket of food with some lip-smacking cider and apple pie!

We were  soon surrounded by several young children asking to pat Cruz. He was in heaven! They shared stories about their pets and asked a zillion questions about Cruz. What breed is he? Anatolian Shepherd. Can they ride him? No, sorry. What does he eat? Only naughty children (just kidding ). Would he eat a llama? Well I hope not!  

Cruz hadn’t seen a llama before so we didn’t know how he would react to seeing them. The moment our livestock guardian laid his eyes on the camelids, he was in a state of shock. What are these large creatures? Will they spit on him if he wagged his tail? Truth be told, we didn’t stay long enough to find out. Good boy Cruz. Let’s leave on a good note shall we before you decide to drag me through the fence?

We walked around a little more, played badminton with the kids and guessed the name of the birds in the trees that made the bell sound (the Bell Bird!). We met the owner Sean and told him how happy we were to find such a pet friendly venue.

The Bilpin Cider Company is a fabulous place where your dog is welcomed to enjoy the day with you. I’m going back soon for sure!

I came across an advert on Instagram for Oh Crap Dog Poop Bags made of cornstarch. 100% compostable! ?

I ordered a box of 80 biodegradable bags (4 rolls) for $19.99. I received a lovely email thanking me for helping to save our planet earth. (They donate 30% of profits to dog causes, too.) My package shipped that day! 

Result? These bags are brilliant – large, stretchy and passed Cruz’s inspection!

After I collected Cruz’s ‘dinosaur poo’, my hands didn’t smell. 

Bonus, they’ve got handles! Woohoo! 

10 out of 10!

Setting up the Furbo Dog Camera was easy enough. I plugged in the machine and put a handful of round kibble treats in through the top. I installed the Furbo app on my phone, followed the prompts and was sharing the love in no time!

It took me a few minutes to figure out how to talk to Cruz through the app (press mic button) and release it to hear Cruz (I expect him to bark back, of course). I press a button on the app and a treat pops out. How cool is that?! The app also notifies me when Cruz barks. (Oh, my poor baby!)

The most challenging part of using the Furbo Dog Camera was training Cruz to come to the Furbo when I called his name through the phone app. He normally ignores me unless I’ve got food. So, you can imagine how long it took for him to respond to the Furbo.

Once Cruz finally agreed to play along, I put the Furbo to the test from the neighbour’s yard up the street. I saw through the app that Cruz just stared at me from the security door. I returned home, went into my office and closed the door. I called for him through the app and he ignored the Furbo again – stared at the closed door instead. Argh! This wasn’t going to work. He knew I was there.

I got a better chance to test the Furbo at my daughter’s dance concert – too far for him to follow and hear. It was a hot day, so Cruz wanted to stay indoors and made himself comfortable on the couch. Throughout the afternoon, we checked in on him every 30 to 45 minutes and each time found him napping in a different location around the living room.

At concert intermission, we huddled around the phone and called out to Cruz. “Cruuuuz, Cruuuuzzy, hello boooy Cruuuuz.! To our great delight he walked over to the Furbo and stared into the lens …. “Oooooh good booooy Cruuuuz!!!” Here’s a treat … and another just because we love you! Check out the video here.

We looked up to discover a group of parents were staring at us. Yes, we’re the crazy family who speaks to their dog on the phone.

What can I say, we spoil our dog. But he loves it and we do, too!

It’s World Pet Memorial Day today and I’m remembering all the amazing animals that were once a part of my life.

Today, I remember my childhood canine companion, Blackie, who taught me to swim and to protect those you love. When I was just a few years old, I apparently decided to take a walk to visit my grandmother at her furniture store a few blocks away. Friends and family combed the streets searching for me and eventually found me safe near the store accompanied by Blackie, who walked me safely through two traffic lights and didn’t let any strangers near me.

I remember Beauty, my grandmother’s beautiful German Shepherd, who showed me how to have fun. My cousins and I used to set up an agility course in the yard and somehow taught her to jump over obstacles made of chairs and sticks by throwing stones over them. I would tease Beauty with the sway of the stone in hand … ooooone … twoooo …. her eyes would twinkle with delight as she prepared to play the game.

My first horse was Impayable, ‘Impy’ for short. He was a large Thoroughbred who had retired from showjumping and would spend his senior years teaching a little wide-eyed girl how to ride. Impy not only opened my heart to the incredible and addictive world of horses, but also taught me to get back up when you fall – literally. I invented many creative ways to fall of that horse and even surprised my riding instructor.

My horse ‘Lutfu Bey’ had the softest nose and picked up his tail when he got excited. I remember the moment I met him standing in his stall. I had just turned 13 and he was my present. (Thank you mum and dad.) My heart was pounding in my chest from excitement. Lutfu became my best friend throughout high school and taught me that patience, resilience and lots and lots of practice are key to success. He loved to jump and would lunge forward a little when he saw an obstacle, even if we were just passing by. He taught me how to ride well and be a good sport even when you lose. He gave me the courage to jump the highest hurdle I didn’t think I was capable of. Lutfu taught me to believe in myself.

I remember Rex, a limousine of a German Shepherd who adored my younger brother and scared away bullies from the basketball court. Rex taught me a lot about canine behaviour and how to blow bubbles in the water. He had the biggest ears I’ve ever seen on a dog. So big that he used to block the view of the TV screen with them when he wanted to go for a walk. Rex had cancer and sending him to dog heaven was the hardest and kindest thing we could have done. The day he died, I sat outside my 14-year-old brother’s room listening to him mournfully play his guitar like I’ve never heard before. It was then that I understood the true meaning of ‘man’s best friend’.

My family also had a Peach-faced Lovebird named Barnie, who used to hide in his home-made hammock and jump out to scare us. He loved to hang off my pencil when I did homework and stuff pieces of paper (usually nibbled off my homework!) into his feathers, then paraded around like in a fashion show. Once, he escaped out an open window and flew into my Year 6 teacher’s flat a block away. What are the odds?

When I went overseas for university, my husband (fiancé at the time) and I found a worm and mange-infested dog sniffing around the bins at a petrol station. We took the stray home, got him the vet treatment he desperately needed and ended up adopting him. ‘Rolphy’ soon became a popular study buddy with uni friends, as well as the life of the party after exams. He became besties with Tyson the Chihuahua next door. His owner would come home squealing ‘Heeeeey little maaaan’ and Rolphy would bark madly. He had an adventurous spirit and managed to escape a couple of times. Tragically, one night he got hit by a car and died on the way to the vet. 

When I came to Australia 17 years ago, we got a Peach-faced Lovebird, named Joe, who thought I was his mate and would threaten my husband with an agitated flap of his wings and an ‘evil eye’ stare. Joe would love to hide under my hair and one day I went out to pick up pizza and realised he was still on my shoulder! Embarrassingly, Joe would also hump my pony tail and we somehow ended up on Dr Harry’s ‘house calls’ segment on Better Homes and Gardens TV show. Dr Harry put a nesting box in Joe’s cage and a baseball cap on my head. I was relieved for these solutions but also mortified for being recognised at the shops as the ‘humping bird lady’ and probably the joke of the BHG Christmas party that year. (The camera guys had a good laugh!)

The animals who left a deep imprint in my heart are my Dobermanns, Logan and Chase, who passed away two months apart. Chase had cardiomyopathy and we knew he lived on borrowed time, but preparing ourselves didn’t make it any easier when he died. Logan was a healthy senior but he became so depressed without his best friend, he barely ate and would howl so hauntingly. One night, he just let go.

Losing Logan and Chase was the worst time of my life and it took a long time to heal. I can finally peacefully cherish the wonderful moments that made our friendship special. When I became a mum for the first time, I would spend long nights nursing my baby with Logan always at my feet. I learned quickly to keep the nappy bin lid shut!

When we came home, Chase was always first to greet us at the back door. His ears would lift like an elephant in a stampede and he would grin at me, showing his front chipped tooth. Sometimes he’d snort from excitement. How lucky I am to have had a friend truly happy to see me, no matter what.

This Pet Memorial Day, I remember my animal friends with love and gratitude.