Maison Dog

A dog is a man’s best friend! We at The Amazing Blog love to spoil our pets, and we believe that The Maison Dog is the perfect shop for furry fanatics of all kinds. The Maison Dog just opened its first store in East Dulwich on October 4th. Their website is split into two stores that you can access through the two front doors- ‘Antique Dog’ and ‘Retro Dog’, depending on which you prefer. ‘Antique Dog’ specialises in canine collectibles sourced from all around the globe, while the concept behind ‘Retro Dog’ is that of eco awareness and sustainability. Not really a dog person? Well, for you cat people out there, ‘Maison Kitten’ provides a small range of feline inspired collectibles and antiques as well.

Aside from their gorgeous canine antiques and collectibles, the shop also sells their own range of top quality leashes and collars, all made in England by a top saddlery maker in the finest leather and brass. They will also have luxury dog beds and blankets, toys and other accessories available for purchase.

Finally, the shop offers a fun feature called “Dog of the Week,” starring photographs of real pets sent in by people like you. In order to have a chance at getting your pet featured, send photos of your dog to maisondoglondon@gmail.com and tell the Maison Dog staff all about your little friend. If you are interested in having your pet become “Dog of the Week,” please include the name, sex, likes, dislikes, their favourite food and their favourite toy.

No matter what kind of animal you love or what kind of pet you may have, there is a little something for everyone who genuinely loves their pet. Visit the Maison Dog’s new store at 20 Northcross Road, London SE22 9EU or give them a call at 020 8299 3390.

Take a look at Maison Dog and everything they have to offer here.

Black & Taylor - Archie Black's Dog Soap

What a wonderful discovery we made at The Amazing Blog with the handmade soap company Black & Taylor. Our dear and recently departed four-legged friend Mojai was just the perfect guinea pig for their Archie Black’s Dog Soap . In fact, you couldn’t ask for a better subject to test out a specific ‘doggy bar’ of handmade soap. Mojai was ‘super’ hairy with a rather unique double-coat, he had the most amazing undercoat which comprised of oodles and oodles of the very softest fluff.  He was also rather partial (thank goodness) to bath-time.  This dog soap contains Sunflower Oil which is rich in vitamins A, D, and E and is easily absorbed by the skin. And is scented with Lavender and Citronella Essential Oils which act as a natural bug repellent. All of which is extremely useful for those of you who have pets – with Summer approaching and with all the nasty beasties that are lurking in the long grass. It is easy to use and lathers up nicely. I was apprehensive as I wondered if it would leave a ‘knotty’ matted coat that I would spend hours combing out. But I’m happy to report that both pet and owner were extremely happy with the result – and with the price at £3.95.

Black & Taylor don’t just produce a Dog Soap they have a wonderful selection of products for humans. We were particularly taken with the Gift Sets like Gardeners and the Patchouli & Rosewood. I also love the idea of  Black & Taylor Wedding Favours.  Where you can choose up to any two soaps from their entire range of special wedding gifts for guests. i.e. Rose Geranium and Sunflower Blush for the ladies and Patchouli & Rosewood for the gents. All of which can be made into heart shapes or blocks and wrapped in a variety of coloured Organza bags to match the wedding day colours. Black & Taylor soaps are vegetable oil based, meaning they do not use animal fats and are scented using high quality essential and fragrance oils. Each of their soaps are genuinely handmade using a centuries old process that ensures each bar is of the highest quality. They will not dry your skin as they have absolutely no detergents or harsh ingredients. We are sold on this great little British soap company and their prices - starting from £3.95 on their website. We particularly love the way that these handmade soap last so much longer than commercial soaps. So throw away that supermarket brand and back British!  

Cool Your Canine

It seems like a distant memory, but it wasn't too long ago that the sun was shining on London, but while us humans are happy to bask in the sun, it may not be so pleasant for your pet. Even in the colder months, your dog might struggle with the heat - after all, they are permanently wearing a fur coat. And the same can be said for my darling dog Mojai, as a Tibetan Spaniel he has a very thick coat - great for Tibet, not so great for London. So in my quest to make Mojai comfortable, and spoil him rotten, I found the Canine Cooler, and he couldn't love it more. The Canine Cooler is designed to cool down your furry friend at any time of the year. Whether they're too warm because of the sunny weather, or in the winter from indoor heating, Mojai now cannot be without his Canine Cooler. As Mojai is designed to keep warm in cold climates (he has two layers of fur) he often has trouble getting cool and staying cool. The cooler is designed to absorb heat from the dog's body, and stays cool for ages, in order to keep your pup cooler for longer. You simply fill it with ordinary tap water, the water is then absorbed into the foam core, which helps it maintain the cold. And don't worry, the Canine Cooler is comfortable and flexible, so even the most unsettled dogs will be able to make it work for them. It fits perfectly into Mojai's dog beds, and it only takes a minute for him to settle into it. They're great for indoors, but I can imagine that the Canine Cooler would be brilliant for long car trips as well. Whilst some people have milk and eggs as a permanent staple in their fridge, currently taking up residency on my shelf is the Canine Cooler, it means that Mojai can be cool at a moment's notice. Not only does the Canine Cooler help cool down your dog, but it's also useful for canine complaints such as hip dysplasia and Cushing's disease. The coolers come in three sizes, small, medium and large, so whatever size your dog is, there's a cooler for them.

So weather it's hot sun or a hot radiator heating up your four legged friend, pick up a Canine Cooler, starting at £55.

Eyenimal

I’m extremely lucky to be able to bring my elderly Tibetan Spaniel into work. When he’s not pestering the office for his treats, he’s generally found lying in his basket with all four legs in the air making snoring noises like an old grampus. However, when home-time comes and I get changed for my evenings’ pursuits I often muse about what Mojai is up to whilst he’s home-alone… My neighbour downstairs tells me that she often hears a lot of tip-tapping on the floor when I’m out, with the odd ‘clunk’ noise followed by more tip-tapping.  Could my beloved pet be practising his fancy-footwork to impress one of his bitches in the park? The mind boggles – but what I would give to have just a quick peek at what he gets up to when I’m out. Enter the Eyenimal this  dinky miniature video camera (only weighing 35g) is attached to your pets’ collar and will record over 2 ½ hours of video footage (although it is from your pets' neck and whiskers perspective). I think that this gadget best comes into its own when an absent pet owner’s four-legged friend engages in bit of mischief i.e. upon the owner’s return the dear-one has that rather guilty look as if to say “What Designer’s Guild cushion? But I thought it was a new toy to play with? Don’t tell me off - It just flew off the sofa and into my basket!”  For a princely sum of £84.99 you can purchase your Eyenimal video camera which will allow you to step into the life of your cherished pet; making it easy to gather valuable footage to marvel at their leisure time or collecting undisputable evidence of unruly conduct to discuss with the animal behavioural therapist. Hear that, Mojai? You have been warned!