Getting any sort of animal requires a lot of thought. Have you got enough time? Are you responsible enough to own a pet? Can you afford it? Getting a dog is a massive decision that needs a lot of thinking and planning. As I’ve had dogs before (both rescues) I thought I knew what I was getting into. Boy, was I wrong.
In June of this year, I decided it was time to get a dog. I had been struggling with my anxiety and my doctor said it might be for the best (I definitely didn’t argue). For as long 
as I can remember I have been obsessed with dogs. I searched the rescue centres in my area and couldn’t find one that I found suited me so I went online and searched for Cocker Spaniel Puppies (my fave). I found an advertisement from a man who had two 12 week old Cocker Spaniels which he had no choice but to rehome as his baby was found to be highly allergic. So, I travelled the whole way to Dundalk and found my little fur baby. I was split on whether to get the Girl or the Boy. They were both so loving and fun and I just couldn’t choose. Both dogs I had before had been boys so I decided because of that, I choose the boy. Little spy, as he was called then, and I journeyed all the way back to my home and the fun, stress and love began.
Aiden and I both fell in love with him immediately. He followed me around everywhere. We started immediately with his house training. We soon found he didn’t like he puppy pads and preferred the matt by the front door to our utmost disapproval. He soon realised that if he didn’t go outside, he didn’t get his treat. Overall it took him about two weeks to become fully house trained. After one things come another. Teeth.
Puppies usually loose all their teeth before they turn 6 months old which along with this comes chewing, nipping and eating every single thing he gets his paws on. I brush his teeth every single day with liver flavoured dog toothpaste and until he was 6 months old I used puppy teething gel which was a god send. I found this really soothed his gums and calmed it and it only cost around £6 from Pets at Home! I also had him on Dentastix which he is no longer allowed as he is intolerant to things that are high in fat and it makes him vomit. 
If you are thinking of getting a certain breed, I highly recommend researching it before you get it. Cocker Spaniels are prone to ear problems such as ear mites as their ears are so big. They are prone to hip and joint problems so gentle exercise is encouraged up until 6 months. When older, they require around an hour of exercise a day.
Mowgli has had a few problems in the short time we’ve been together. He has the fat intolerance problem, he decided he doesn’t like Royal Canin Dry Food, He has anal gland problems and he decided Lillie’s taste great and landed himself with an overnight stay in the vets on a drip.
Mowgli’s last owner fed his James Well beloved Dry Food and I kept him on that for the first few weeks until he decided he was bored of it and made himself throw it back up so I changed his food to Royal Canin which he has since decided he doesn’t like either and I have finally found a food that he LOVES. I feed him twice a day on Lilly’s Kitchen dry puppy food and he also gets one spoonful of wet food per meal. He also gets a Lilly’s Kitchen biscuit in the morning and at night. The night time one is amazing. It contains Camomile and it relaxes him so much he sleeps from 9.30pm to around 8.30am which is great! As for treats, there’s a few different brands he likes. He really likes Good Boy Puppy Milk Drops, Wagg Puppy Junior Treats, Coachies Puppy Training Treats and Lilly’s Kitchen Organic Training Treats.
I’ve created a routine for Mowgli that happens every day at the same time and he knows when it’s time for what. He gets fed at the same times, trained at the same times, walks and play time usual vary. I clean his ears every 3 days and clean his teeth every morning. He goes to the groomers every 6 weeks and gets a bath every Friday. I have the most amazing Dog Groomer (Wizard of Pawz) that listens to exactly what I want done which is just his paws and feathering tidied up and she is so, so good with Mowgli and he loves all the Spa Treatments she gives him (He gets Blueberry Facials and Paw Soaks). He always comes out smelling absolutely beautiful.
As of yet I have not had Mowgli neutered as my vet has recommended I wait until he is atleast 10 months old. However, he humps EVERYTHING. Whether it be his doggy friend Bono, his toys, pillows, blankets, whatever he gets his paws on. He has a fascination with socks, toilet role and the toilet in general. He loves flowers and it is a nightmare trying to keep him out of the flowerbeds.
I have bought a stupid amount of toys for Mowgli and he has his own toy box and he plays with all of them. I’ve found he likes the soft teddy type toys but he rips the stuffing out of them now that he is bigger so I have to buy soft toy, take out the stuffing and stitch them back together. His favourite toy we have named Ralph the Raccoon and he carries it everywhere with him.
He is such a loving, gentle dog who is so great with children, adults and just about everyone he meets (apart from the postman, he hates him). He does bark at taller men for god knows what reason but apart from that he is a crazy, friendly pup.
I really do recommend researching dogs before you adopt or buy and think about your circumstances and if they will change.
Until next time,
Elisha
follow Mowgli on Instagram: @MowgliTheSpaniel
For dessert we opted to leave the restaurant and go to a small cafe called Gelato Cafe where we made friends with the lovely sisters who own the place. They were more than welcoming throughout our stay and even gave us free desserts to say goodbye when we were going home. They made the most incredible crepes I have ever tasted and yummy banana milkshakes. During the day we always had plenty to do.
The first theme park we visited was Universal Studios. This is definitely my favourite park. I’m not a fan of Rollercoasters but this park has so many Simulator rides and gentler rides suitable for people just like me. My favourite rides at this park were Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Spiderman, E.T Adventure and Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. We really enjoyed Harry Potter World and spent quite a while there. I even got to try Butter Beer! It was very, very sweet and I only managed to drink about a quarter of the glass. The theming around the park is amazing and it really makes you feel like you’re walking down Diagon Alley.
the same glass every day. We also had tickets for a dolphin swim in Discovery Cove and although I felt the same as above, it was an amazing experience. I didn’t like how the dolphins were treated. The first dolphin we had just wanted to play and because she wasn’t listening to what the trainer was telling her to do, the trainer got really annoyed and sent her off back out to a gated part of the pool and brought in a new dolphin. We were told what to do and when to do it and you got a 30-40 second swim with the dolphin. There’s also a massive pool full of Manta-Ray that you can swim with and you really feel like you’re in the sea. You’re provided with a snorkel and a life vest if you wish and you can spend as much time as you like in the Manta-Ray pool. Discovery Cove is a all inclusive park and you can eat and drink as much as you like when you like.
) and Aquatica which has the best lazy river in the entire world – Roa’s Rapids. I spent most of my day in this river while Aiden went on all the crazy water rides, I went on a few but I just loved the lazy river so, so much.
Mowgli is a Cocker Spaniel and is 18 weeks old. (he has his own instagram if you want to watch him grow 😉 @mowglithespaniel) He is the first thing to ever help my anxiety and I am so happy to have him in my life. Aiden and I are super proud parents already even if he is a little terror sometimes.
ext up is something I got for my birthday. I’ve wanted a Mantra Band for quite a while but never got around to getting one and I had mentioned to my granny that I was thinking of getting one and the little cutie got me one for my birthday along with this beautiful Olivia Burton watch. Mantra Bands are so simple but they have such a nice meaning behind them. Mine says ‘What if you fly?’ coming from the quote:
Something else I have been loving is part of a present I received at Christmas from a family member. I am absolutely obsessed with Bath & Body Works hand sanitisers (Pumpkin Pecan Waffles is my all time favourite). I was given the ‘Love Peace Peppermint’ Sanitiser at Christmas and I am only now getting around to using
excuse the absolute state of this blusher but it is something that I recently re-discovered in my make up drawer. It is a NARS Blusher in the shade Deep Throat. It is a peachy pink shade and I think it’s just such a nice spring/summer shade. I have been using it literally every day and it’s just so pretty. Does anyone else notice how messy the NARS packaging gets? Mine always looks so grubby no matter how clean I keep it 😦 I would highly recommend this blusher though and NARS in general.
0/10 I would highly recommend these eyeshadows!
This cleanser feels luxurious. I used to absolutely hate taking off my make up and once I discovered I could also use this as a make up remover, I started to look forward to getting home and taking it off. I used to use this product when I got up in the morning and also at night when I was taking off my make up. I now only use this product in the morning as using it twice a day can be quite heavy on your purse. The cleanser comes with a cleansing cloth and I honestly love it. It is soft on one side and a muslin cloth on the other which is great for taking off eye make up. You get one cloth per tub but you can also buy them separately – 3 for £15. The cleanser itself contains Moringa seed extract, Wild Sea Fennel and Vitamin E to balance, purify and help to minimise the appearance of open pores. Orange, Neroli and Mandarin extracts to rejuvenate and revitalise the skin and also Jasmine, cedarwood and Rose to help to recondition dull, dry, dehydrated and mature skins. It smells quite sweet but not overpowering and almost makes you feel calm. To use this balm you simply put a coin sized amount in your hand and create a cream. Apply it your face, neck and eye area and massage it into your skin then soak the cloth in warm water, squeeze out the excess and gently wipe over the whole face and neck. I have very oily skin but it can also be dry at times. I have a corn allergy and I use this when I take a reaction and it calms my skin down so quickly. I absolutely love this product and would highly recommend it to any skin type.
I feel like if I had found this cleanser before I used the Emma Hardie one, I would have loved it a lot more. Don’t get me wrong it is a great cleanser but I think the saying ‘you get what you pay for’ applies here. The cleanser comes in a 100ml bottle and also like the above cleanser, comes with a muslin cloth. I am not a fan of the cloth that comes with this cleanser and so I use the cloths from my cleansing balm for this one. I usually use this cleanser at night time and to take my make up off but I often find I have to use it twice to get all of my eye make up off. This cleanser contains purifying eucalyptus essential oil, toning rosemary plus soothing chamomile and cocoa butter. Honestly I am not a fan of the scent as it reminds me of foot cream. However, my face always feels very fresh after I use it. I love that this cleanser comes with a pump as it makes it easier to measure how much you need; one pump is enough for me. To use this cleanser massage one or two pumps (whichever you prefer) onto your dry skin then rinse your cloth in warm water just like the Emma Hardie cleanser and use the cloth to wipe off the cream. I would definitely recommend this cleanser to anyone working with a budget.
Life as Elisha 