There was never ever any doubt that I would be a Princess Mary fan. Just the fact that she was a brunette born in Australia that ended up marrying a super hot Danish Prince was enough for me. The fact that they met in a bar I, ummm, visited back in the day was the icing on the cake. Then when she introduced a chocolate Border Collie to the family – well, that was the cherry on top! As a style icon in her own right now, Princess Mary rarely makes a wrong step in the fashion stakes. So it goes without saying that her pup, Ziggy, follows in her footsteps. Let’s steal their style…
Clockwise from Top Right:
Princess Mary sharing a sweet moment with her Chocolate Border Collie, Ziggy from Hello Magazine.
I want this office! And the outfit, and the shoes… Mary at home from Hello Magazine.
Get the Mary look with these OTK Nude Boots from Cherry Red
Perfect for a Princely Pup: Preppy Lead in Brown & Pink from Mungo & Maud
Princess Mary and a puppy Ziggy from SMH.
A Royal Dog has to keep clean. Aesop Animal fur and body wash – Australian made, just like Mary!
I first discovered today’s beautiful blog through an adorable photo of her dog when her home was featured on the Glitter Guide back in February. It’s safe to say since then I’ve been smitten. Combining a fresh sense of style and a fine eye for design, Chevrons & Stripes is the spot to go to for inspiration galore. Every post by the lovely Sarah spins out new ideas, bursts of colour and fabulous finds. Oh and did I mention she has an adorable little pup that will melt your heart like butter? Time to meet Sarah and Ziggy…
Who: Sarah and Ziggy Where: Chevrons & Stripes In A Nutshell: Chevrons & Stripes is a lifestyle blog with a focus on interior design, fashion, food, travel, and all of the little things that make life worth living!
Describe your blog in 3 words…
Colorful, Modern, Quirky.
What are your most popular or favourite posts to date?
I’m really excited about a new weekly feature that I launched a couple of months ago called “The It List.” Every week I ask one of my favorite bloggers ten questions about some of their favorite things (i.e. artists, music, shops, etc.) I love learning about everyones latest and greatest finds! You can find the entire series here.
Tell us about your dog…
Ziggy is such a special dog. I think everyone says that about their pet but we can’t help but feel like Ziggy is a pretty unique little dude. He’s whip smart, can learn new tricks in under an hour, and uses his skills to get into some serious mischief. His antics have us endlessly laughing. He’s only 1 and 1/2 years old so his personality is still developing but it’s safe to say he’ll always be a sweetheart – he loves people and other pups and I’m pretty sure he knows he’s a charmer! If only he had another little buddy to play with – but that’s a conversation for a later date…
If you had to describe your dog in three words, you’d say…
Funny, Mischievous, Loving.
How is your dog involved in your blog?
Ziggy is C&S’s number one cheerleader. Not a day goes by where he’s not sitting at my feet or on my lap while I write. I think that’s his way of showing support, haha. He’s also quite popular on instagram.
If you had one tip to share with other blogggers it would be…
Stay true to your own aesthetic and try not to let looking at other “bigger” blogs make you feel unimportant. There’s a niche on the internet for everyone.
Sarah’s TOP 5 Pretty & Fluffy picks…
1. One of my most prized possessions is a customized dog portrait that Katie Logan of See Scout Sleep did of Ziggy. She truly captured him perfectly and even replaced one of the stripes from our bedding in the drawing with jamaican flags – representative of his name’s heritage, haha. (Pictured)
2. This Instax MINI is the perfect gadget for snapping pics on the go – that is, when I’m not glued to Instagram. (Pictured)
3. Macarons - I can’t get enough! When my sweet tooth kicks in, these are my vice.
4. This adorable gingham dog bed from Wagwear would be perfect for our family summer home so that Ziggy doesn’t continue to steal my parent’s dog’s bed.
5. I am dying for the complete set of these metallic F. Scott Fitzgerald novels re-designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith. I’m pretty sure they’d add the perfect pop of sparkle to my bookshelf (plus, re-reading some of the classics is on my to-do list)!
Want to follow Chevrons & Stripes? You can follow Sarah on Twitter or subscribe to the full blog here. Look out for a Facebook page coming soon!
When I first heard Adele’s cover of the Bob Dylan song, Make You Feel My Love, I was instantly smitten. Since then, she has gone on to become an international superstar, multiple Grammy winner and a style icon with her sexy, timeless appeal. What I wouldn’t do to have her sleek, honey hued hair, her amazing winged eyeliner… and her gorgeous little sausage dog Louie! (Named after Louis Armstrong of course) Lets steal their style…
Clockwise from Top Right: Adele and Louie for Nylon Magazine
Adele rocked the cover of this month’s VOGUE, and they scored an out-take of Louie joining her on the shoot!
Love this shot of Louie greeting Adele. Doesn’t everyone have they face when they see their dog at the end of the day? Photo by Bauer Griffin.
Luxury Quilted Parka with Detachable Hood by Urban Pup Penelope Passion Pawfume Dog Shampoo by the iconic Dachshund loving brand Peter Alexander. Just like his mum’s golden mane, Louie keeps his coat glossy and sleek.
Want more Louie? Check out his cameo in VOGUE’s Behind the Scenes video:
Visit iTunes to get Adele’s amazing albums 19, and 21.
How many tricks can your dog do? Shake hands? Roll over? Sit? Well today you’re in for a treat as we have Dr Katrina Warren, celebrity vet and author, sharing the secrets of one of her favourite tricks featured in her brand new book Wonderdogs Tricks & Training.
Most of you will probably know Katrina as the former co-host of Harry’s Practice, or for her role on Animal Planet’s Housecat Housecall. But most recently Katrina has teamed up with renowned trainer, Kelly Gill, to bring us all their tips and tricks of the trade. Based completely on positive reinforcement techniques, the Wonderdogs Tricks & Training handbook starts with the simplest of tricks – such as sit, drop, stay – and works all the way up to counting, spelling and advanced TV/Film tricks. Dogs love to learn and reward training is a great, fun way to spend time with your pooch, and bond, while also improving their behaviour and providing the mental stimulation they often crave. Wrapped up in a handbag sized book, this guide is perfect for training your dog the basics plus a little razzle dazzle for fun – no dog owner should be without it. Suitable for puppies right up to old grandmas like Soda, this book proves you can teach old AND young dogs new tricks! And to get you and your pooch started today, we’re going back to the Wild West for a trick called ‘Bang!’
THE TRICK: BANG This is where you point your fingers like a toy gun at your dog and say ‘BANG’. Your dog falls to the ground and plays dead. This trick is a modified fun version of ROLL OVER, but far more impressive because you progress to teach your dog to do it from the SIT position so there is a lot of movement. This is one of Flynn the Wonderdog’s favourite positions, he even likes to sleep like this. He also knows that small children like to pat him on his chest while he’s in this position.
WHAT YOU NEED • A dog who knows how to SIT, DROP and STAY • Treats
HOW TO: WONDERDOG STEPS 1. Begin with your dog in the DROP position and reward him with a treat.
2. Hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose. Slowly move your hand towards his shoulder with his nose following and reward him with the treat. Repeat and eventually your dog will find it easy to lie on his side. Reward him for being on his side.
3. Now hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose, and slowly move your hand towards his shoulder, then continue to move your hand over his back until he is lying on his back with his legs in the air. You may need to help support him in this position to start with. Say ‘BANG’ and then reward him with the treat.
4. Keep practising until your dog naturally rolls onto his back from the DROP position when he hears you say ‘BANG’.
5. Start including a hand signal of fingers pointing like a gun.
6. Once perfected from the DROP position, commence from the SIT position. Go slowly as he needs to SIT then DROP then ROLL OVER.
7. The final step is asking him to hold the position when he is on his back with his legs in the air. This is just a matter of asking him to STAY when in this position. Be sure to reassure him with verbal praise.
8. Always release your dog from being ‘dead’ with an ‘OK’.
9. Once your dog has mastered the trick, you can progress to teaching him to respond from a standing position, always using the same hand signal and verbal cue.
HANDY TIP: The key here is to take your time and not expect your dog to put it all together at once. Do several sessions just learning to ROLL OVER before you consider progressing. Even the smartest dog can get confused when asked to do several movements at once.
Voila! And just to prove that this trick CAN be done at home, here’s a pooch I prepared earlier…She’s only a few more fun-filled training sessions away from a gold star:
Wonderdogs Tricks & Training is available now at all good book stores. Copies are also available through the Animal Welfare League with profits from those sales going towards animals in need. Click here to buy and help a pooch at the same time! Happy Training!
