Wear your heart on your sleeve? Then why not wear your dog with this gorgeous Pooch Posse Cardigan by Anthropologie.

Think you’ve seen it before? Fans of Glee would recognise it worn by beautiful Heather Morris who plays Brittany (thanks for the tip Fashion of Glee!)

CLICK TO BUY or for more from Anthropologie visit their website.

From Nicole:
My pet photography business is based in Pittsburgh, PA but I do get down to Southwest Florida periodically during the winter months to meet some clients in some sunshine and warmer weather.

I absolutely LOVE when clients have a dog that loves the water and want to hold their session at dog beach. It can be tricky to shoot there because there can be quite a few dogs, and the evening of our session was no different. However if you walk down the beach just a bit you can find a spot with little distraction and some delectable lighting. We held our session about an hour and a half before sunset and were graced with a spectacular Southwest Florida pink sky backdrop for our session.

Leila was the star of the show, a 9 year old golden retriever that loves the water….and her frisbee. She also loves her parents, and you can tell through the images that the feeling is mutual.

About Nicole Begley Photography
Nicole Begley is a pet lifestyle photographer based in Pittsburgh, PA, specializing in pet and equine photography. She spent 13 years in her first career as a zoological animal trainer working with a variety of animals from birds, to seals, to primates so specializing in working with pets was a natural transition. Nicole is also the creator of Hair of the Dog, a blog that was created for the pet photographer focusing on business and marketing tips.

Find Nicole Begley Photography WEBSITE | BLOG | HAIR OF THE DOG | FACEBOOK

Every so often an innovative product comes along that opens up a whole new world for dog owners. The Pet Sling is one such product.

Similar in concept to a baby sling, the Pet Sling is a hands free pet carrier designed specifically with your dog’s comfort and wellbeing in mind.

THE SLING

What’s unique about the Fundle Pet Sling is that it allows you to carry your dog as if they’re resting in your arms. Unlike conventional carriers which have you dog lower to the ground, the pet sling allows your dog to nestle close to you. This is a huge win for anxious and sensitive dogs, allowing them to feel close and protected.

FEATURES

The rounded base of the Pet Sling allows your dog to sit comfortably and nestle within the sling. With a removable zip-on/off cover, the top of the sling features padded cushioning around the edges – allowing your dog to rest their chin and look out on the world without impediment.

A padded shoulder strap, and storage space for a water bottle is a bonus for the owner!

PERFECT FOR OLDER AND INJURED DOGS

While on first glance the pet sling seems designed just as an alternative carrier for small dogs, it’s use for older and impaired dogs sets it apart from the rest. For dogs recovering from injuries or surgery, the Pet Sling allows them to get out and about without physical strain. For puppies and aging dogs, the pet sling is a great option should they tire of walking.

HANDS FREE

Possibly the #1 benefit of the pet sling for owners is the convenience of a hands free carrier. The design of the sling allows your dog to be carried safely while you have both hands free. This allows owners to walk other pets, carry their shopping, push prams etc – all the while knowing their dog in the sling is safe and comfortable.

WHAT WE LOVED:

• Hands free pet carrier.
• Sling design allows dogs to feel naturally close to you, easing anxious or shy pets.
• Padded design ensures comfort for dog and owner.
• Sewn in restraint leash for safety.
• Compact, flexible and lightweight – no bulky parts.
• Comes in a large range of colours, sizes and styles.

BEST FOR:

• Small dogs up to 8 kilograms.
• Shy or anxious dogs that enjoy being close to their owners.
• Puppies or elderly dogs that tire during long walks.
• Recovering or invalid dogs who enjoy outings.
• Multiple dog owners who need a hands free carrier option.

The Fundle Pet Sling can be purchased through My Shadow Dog. CLICK TO BUY

For more information, photos and the full range visit My Shadow Dog.

Hands up who has Gatsby fever*? It’s hit me hard. The latest masterpiece by the ever inspired Baz Luhrmann has me shopping for feathered boas, slipping into vintage frocks and downing Gin Daises. But why should we have all the fun? Here are my top picks for Gatsby inspired pieces just for the pooches.

From Top:

6 Row Swarovski Crystal Dog Collar in Silver from On All Paws – Made in Italy, Pet Follie’s Crystal leather dog collar is encrusted with six rows of dazzling Swarovski crystals and lined with metallic silver Italian leather. Perfect party attire! CLICK TO BUY

Emma Black Designer Pet Bowl – This chic dog bowl is made of hand-painted quilted polyresin base and a removable stainless steel insert for easy washing. Ensure it’s kept full with water – not gin.  CLICK TO BUY

Dharf Vintage Mint Bow Tie – Take your dog back to the 20s with this vintage doggie bow tie – available with matching collar. CLICK TO BUY

Dog Perignon Champagne Dog Toy: Bottle Plush Squeaker – The perfect way for your dog to hit the bottle and party like it’s 1922. With an inbuilt squeaker it’s ideal for playtime. CLICK TO BUY

Puppylocks Puppyclip in ‘Natural’ – What’s a flapper without her shining accessories? These clips on feathers accent all pet coats, without the hassled application process of permanent featherlocks. Eachpiece is handmade and unique, attached to an alligator clip and tippedwith silver accent. CLICK TO BUY

Hartman and Rose Original Leather Dog Lead (Gold) - The perfect accessory for a trip to The Plaza! Handcrafted in Canada from 100% Italian full grain leather, this lead features Italian hardware and polished 22 karat gold plating. CLICK TO BUY

Luxemutt ‘Heart of Gold’ Martini Bow Tie Dog Collar – Is it just me, or could Muffin (pictured) fit right into the movie poster for Gatsby? The ‘Heart Of Gold’ bow tie collar is crafted from solid gold super-soft high grade leather and is custom made just for your pooch. Did someone say dapper dog? CLICK TO BUY 

The Great Gatsby opens the Cannes Film Festival this week and opens in Australia on May 30.

* Signs of Gatsby Fever included visiting Speakeasies, singing Jazz melodies and trawling through vintage stores for flapper dresses. Although there is no cure, physicians recommend 1 x movie tickets and 1 x popcorn taken weekly til symptoms desist.

From Charlotte:
As an extra service for my commercial clients, I maintain a commercial dog model database which is always open for applications. When I received the application from Autumn’s mum Esther, I was so impressed! Not only did this girl have a gorgeous look about her (gotta love those David Bowie eyes), she is also super talented with a list of tricks as long as your arm.

With exceptional dogs like Autumn, I like to organise a mock shoot where I can see what the dog is like to work with in real life, and also obtain some promo shots of them to use with their model profile.

We decided on Bribie Island as the location as it has a good mix of beach, jetty and bushland. Unfortunately on the day it was super windy, but that just served to reinforce what a pro Autumn was to work with – the loudly screeching jetty and blowing sand didn’t phase her in the slightest! I love how the resulting photos turned out and I’m so excited to have Autumn in my database for future commercial modelling opportunities.

About Charlotte Reeves Photography
As an award-winning pet photographer, Charlotte loves discovering and telling you and your pet’s story with beautiful, natural fine art images just begging to be displayed in your home and shared with friends and family. Her photography sessions are low-pressure and are approached with a sense of fun and adventure, specially designed to bring out your pet’s personality and unique character. Charlotte is located in Brisbane, Queensland and also service the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and other south-east Queensland locations. She loves to travel so sessions are available Australia-wide by special request.

Find Charlotte Reeves Photography WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Read Humane® is an initiative created by Penguin Group (USA) in 2012 to support our furry friends in honour of National Pet Month. As part of the Read Humane® 2013 campaign, six special edition, animal-themed best seller paperbacks have been reissued featuring the official Read Humane® seal.

Through this campaign, Penguin supports the fight against animal cruelty with a $25,000 donation to The Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Rescue Team, regardless of sales. Featuring titles such as ‘Rescue my Heart’ by Jill Shalvis and ‘Till Death Do Us Bark’ by Judi McCoy I think these books might have to have a whole new section in the library named after them – dog lit!

For more information, and complete lists of the six participating authors and book retailers, please visit Penguin Group (USA)

For a blogger like myself, an organized desktop is a happy desktop. That’s why today I’m over at IHeart Organizing sharing how I tamed my mess of a desktop in just 30 minutes. Clickety click over to read the full post here. You might even find a free download for your very own desktop wallpaper!

In our family of 3, it’s very well established that Soda is our baby. But what would we do if we had a real (non-furry) baby? How would that work? Enter Tell Your Dog You’re Pregnant – An Essential Guide for Dog Owners who are Expecting a Baby by veterinarian and animal behaviourist, Dr Lewis Kirkham.

Seriously, if you’re pregnant, planning to have children, or just want to understand how your dog relates to children, do yourself a favour and get this book.

THE BOOK

Tell Your Dog You’re Pregnant is the ultimate guide for people expecting or trying for a baby and want to prepare their pet with minimal stress and change to their routines.

Filled with information, helpful tips and the latest behavioural knowledge, the book works from chapter to chapter walking you through the steps required to prepare your dog and your home for your new family member.

THE CD

With 13 different tracks featuring sounds, ranging from crying and giggling to bath-time, the CD works with the book to prepare your dog for your baby’s arrival. With detailed instructions on how to introduce these sounds to your pet, you’re able to analyse how your dog responds and develop an approach of introducing a baby to the household that is specific to their needs.

MYTH BUSTING!

In the first half of the book, a chapter is dedicated to busting myths surrounding babies and pets. Covering everything from “The dog will be jealous” to “The dog and the baby with instantly bond”, the guide allows you to see how preparation, observation and supervised interaction allows your dog to bond with your baby, all the while keeping safety as your number one priority.

ROUTINE AND ATTENTION

Possibly my favourite part of the book was the attention placed on the welfare and happiness of your dog. The fact that the guide is about ensuring everyone’s needs are met – the parents, the dog and the baby – is its crowning glory.

We all know the story – a friend has a much loved dog that sleeps on their bed and is the apple of their eye, only to be banished to the backyard when the new baby comes along. No one wants to be that person.

Through detailed tips – including establishing routines with your dog, ensuring one on one time, and baby-proofing their toys and bowls – the guide allows you to make your dog a priority during the transition. No jealous elder siblings, just happy families!

WHAT WE LOVED:

• Easy to understand step-by-step guide to preparing your dog for your new baby.
• The original CD that contains 13 tracks to enable your dog to get used to baby sounds before their arrival.
• Filled with real case studies from dog owners who have been through the experience of introducing their dog to their new baby.
• High focus on safety for your new baby and your dog.
• Suggested routines to ensure your dog’s mental and emotional health remains a priority during the transition.
• Health tips to safeguard both your dog and baby’s well-being.
• Handy guide for the day you bring your new baby home and beyond.

BEST FOR:

• Dog owners who are trying for or expecting a baby.
• Dog owners who want to make their dogs more comfortable around babies and small children.
• Parents of small children and babies looking to introduce a dog into their family.

Tell Your Dog You’re Pregnant by Dr Lewis Kirkham can be purchased through Baby and Pet as an E-Book with MP3 audio or hardcopy version with CD. CLICK TO BUY

For more information, FAQs and testimonials visit Baby and Pet.

Wow – over the last weekend, dog lovers from across Australia swarmed to Melbourne to visit the inaugural Dog Lovers Show. It was heaven for every dog lover. After visiting every single one of the hundreds of exhibitors, here are the 5 Top Trends I took away…

INNOVATIVE TREATS

Say goodbye to the common dog treat. With dog owners sniffing out healthy treats, the focus is now on fresh, natural ingredients and innovative recipes – such as Pupcorn, Doggie Donuts and home made muffin kits. Stand out stalls included:

Diamond Dog Food & Bakery (pictured) – With a treat range featuring scores of original recipes, they have something for every dog. Their focus on fresh, natural ingredients is a huge plus.
Barkday Pawty – Creating handmade treats for pets, they also cater for pet parties – handling everything from cakes, treats, decorations and set up.

DESIGNER BEDDING

Portable, washable yet stylish bedding was at the forefront of the show. The trend towards travel beds, removable bed covers, and ergonomic design showed that owners are moving towards adaptable products without forsaking aesthetics. Stand out stalls included:

Dogtired – Launching at Dog Lovers, their lightweight, portable dog beds were truly a highlight featuring form and function.
Hey Pup – These innovators of the washable dog bed sheet cover show no signs of slowing down, introducing new colours into their bed cover range, and expanding into collars and toys.
ID Pet (Pictured) – A new release brand, ID Pet specialises in a product range featuring custom printed dog beds, leads, collars, clothing and toys. With a range of designs and bespoke products available, they’re one to watch.

RESCUE MATCHING

While rescue organistions have been matching the right owners to the right dog for a long time now, the dedicated rescue centre at Dog Lovers was a one-of-a-kind feature allowing Pet Rescue to work alongside breed specific rescue groups – all with the same goal of finding forever homes for rescue dogs. Stand outs included:

Pug Rescue & Adoption Victoria (Pictured) – With their gorgeous faces, and matching pink adoption bandanas, I don’t know how anyone could say no to these guys!
Kays Greys – Focused on finding forever homes for greyhounds, this group highlighted the plight of these gentle dogs exploited by the racing industry.

CREATIVE COLLARS

Decorative collars are exploding in Australia right now, with a focus on fashionable bow ties, special event collars and modern patterns. Stand out stalls included:

Remy & Co – Dedicated to collars alone, Remy and Co are the go-to place for stylish, modern collars made in Australia and abroad. Their range is expansive and has something for every dog.
Dharf (Pictured) – With an array of custom doggie bow ties, collars and bandanas, Dharf uses a range of patterns and designs from classic seersucker to modern neon. They also offer a bespoke service for weddings and special events, so your dog always looks their best.
Kelly and Sam – Another new launch, this boutique range features classic collars in pink, mint and lilac – making them ideal for preppy puppies.

LIFESTYLE TRAINING

Throughout the show, demonstration performances kept the crowds entertained. Lifestyle training shows were easily the most popular, from working dog demonstrations to training lectures, the spotlight was on allowing your dog to use their natural instincts and talents in positive, fun training sessions. Standouts included:

Farmer Dave - Former Big Brother contestant, Dave Graham, showed off how giving your dog a job allows them to use their natural instincts of herding.
The Wonderdogs (Pictured – photo by RoseHip Vital)- Celebrity vet, Dr Katrina Warren and trainer, Kelly Gill, took crowds through the paces of the positive reinforcement training that goes into creating the ‘Wonderdogs’. With take home tips, they highlighted how dog training is all about consistency and fun for your dog.

Did you visit the Dog Lovers Show?
What were your highlights?

Who: Kayla and Lucy
Where: lovelucygirl
In A Nutshell: lovelucygirl is a lifestyle blog for the everyday girl. It’s a place where I share affordable style, beauty tips, home improvement ideas, DIY projects and the ins and outs of my everyday life. I think (hope) it relates to the normal girl by giving a glimpse into my life and seeing that we really are all the same at heart. We are all trying to be the best person, wife, daughter, friend we can be!

Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging to challenge myself in all areas of my life. Honestly, I was a HUGE online shopper and probably thought I needed to focus my energy else where or I was going to end up broke. SO I thought I would use that energy to create my own little style space that I now call lovelucygirl. It challenges me to come up with outfits that are already in my closet and use pieces that I had completely forgot about.

I also have so many favorite things to share, and why keep those to myself? It is so much fun to share my amazing finds online or a new beauty product that I’ve tried and can’t live without. My husband and I had also recently moved into our first house and I wanted to chronicle all the projects we were working on and the things we were updating. We were newlyweds, on a budget, and I wanted to share how others could update things in their home without having to purchase all new items.

Tell us about Lucy…
LUCY! She is the absolute LOVE of my life (besides my hubby). I could go on about her for days. She is so lovable, kind, sweet, friendly, energetic, carefree, protective and so many other wonderful things. Lucy is a mix between a daschund and a terrier. She is a total sassy-pants but is the best friend I’ve ever had.

She usually stays by my side all day. We wake up together and we play toys while I get ready for work in the mornings. She has the roam of the house while we are gone and greets us with the waggiest tail and lots of kisses when we get home. She sleeps right underneath my arm or on top of my head, when she wants to protect me. She makes us SO happy and I’m not sure what I’d do without her.

If Lucy was a superhero what would her name and power be?
If Lucy was a superhero her name would be Loving Lulu. She would go around solving all the problems in the world and make sure everyone was friends. She’s a total lover.. not a fighter.

How is Lucy involved in your blog?
Lucy is the true inspiration behind lovelucygirl (hence the name, haha). The blog was named after Lucy because she is so happy-go-lucky and light-hearted. She doesn’t have a care in the world and never meets a stranger. She makes everyone around her feel loved.

That is exactly how I want lovelucygirl to be perceived. I want everyone who visits to feel a part of it and be happy they stopped by. Lucy often makes and appearance on the blog and will tell you about what is going on during her life at the moment or tell you about a special puppy product she thinks you might want to try.

What is your idea of a perfect day?
My idea of the perfect day would be to wake up early in the morning, have a huge cup of Starbucks coffee, cuddle with Lucy in the bed while we read our favorite blogs or write our own. Then I would take a little shopping trip with my mom or friends, have a sushi lunch and find the perfect pair of new shoes. After shopping I would come home and take a nap with Lu, wake up and take her on a walk, have a lovely dinner with my hubby and then take a long bubble bath. To end the night I would curl up on the couch with Lucy and the hubby and watch movies.

What is your favourite blog/website and why?
I have way to many favorite blogs to name but a few are The Average Girl’s Guide, Penny Pincher Fashion, Glitter and Pearls and of course Pretty Fluffy. I love them all because I can totally relate to each and every one.

What is your #1 tip for other bloggers?
My number one tip for other bloggers would be to consult with other bloggers that have been doing this for a while. Build a community of blogging friends that you can rely on for advice + ask questions when you are totally confused. The knowledge that experienced bloggers have is SO valuable. Most bloggers are nice and will totally help you out – just send them an e-mail and be yourself!

Kayla’s TOP 5 Pretty & Fluffy picks…
1. Totally, totally love Pet Head’s dry shampoo for Lucy. It is perfect for when she has been playing outside but doesn’t necessarily need a bath. Just spray it on, brush it out and she smells like perfection!
2. I’m obsessed with Buxom’s lip plumper lip gloss. It comes in several colors and lasts stays on all day. Plus it gives your lips that extra boost!
3. Lucy’s favorite Etsy shop is BowWow Couture (pictured). They have the cutest Dog Collars and accessories. Lucy owns a few and proudly recommends them!
4. Can’t leave home without my Michael Kors gold watch! It is a total classic, timeless piece and works with any outfit!
5. I’m a total lover of scarves – in the winter & summer. My favorite ones are from Express. I love their infinity scarves (pictured). They are the perfect length and give just the right amount of fluffness to them.

Follow lovelucygirl: BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER