Healthy living in Hong Kong

Happy Holidays from Chestnut and Pepper! We are enjoying our new adventure and home here in Hong Kong... But being in a new and unfamiliar place, Mummy and Daddy say it's been more difficult to find our stuff for puggy upkeep here. The Hartz wee pads have been replaced by a Japanese brand wee pad that measures smaller in size (lengthwise and width). Is everything just smaller here too or are we getting chunkier?

Mummy and Daddy say never fear... WE found a place Whiskers N Paws in Ap Lei Chau for our Wellness brand dog food. We even shared some with Seva, while Mum and Dad were away on holiday and we stayed over at Seva's home with her parents in Repulse Bay. We played, played and played for 5 days! Seva loves our Wellness dog food too...

Another day before we got extra Wellness, Mummy made us a very special treat of chicken, rice and veggies.

Mummy's recipe below for healthy home-made dog food---

400 g skinless chicken breast (organic free range chicken preferable)
2-3 carrot sticks (diced/chopped)
1/2 stalk of celery (diced/chopped)
half capsule of probiotic (optional)
1 cup uncooked rice (more if you like, as cooked rice can keep in the refrigerator a few days)

Wash rice once or twice. Place into cooker and press to start rice cooker. Alternately, a small pot used to cook the rice will suffice but must watch the pot carefully for under or overcooking the rice.

Wash chicken breast thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Please on a ceramic dish. In large deep pan, fill with ~1/3 or ~1/2 water. Boil water in pan. When water has boiled, place a boiling/steam rack into pan and place the chicken and ceramic dish into the pan. Cover with lid and let steam for about 10-12 minutes (until fully cooked).

After chicken has been fully steamed, let chicken cool for 15-20 minutes. Shredding the chicken during this time will allow the chicken to cool quicker. Let rice cool for 10-15 minutes as well.

With measuring cup, mix proportions of chicken and rice equal to dog's size and proportion of food usually eaten per meal amount. Top chopped carrots, celeries and vegetables over chicken and rice. Add a half capsule of probiotic (can be purchased at CitySuper or 360). Probiotic helps aid in digestion. Mix everything well. Voila! Yummy home-cooked dog food is ready to be served.

Veggies can be kept raw (just wash thoroughly) since essential vitamins can vanish when cooked.

Enjoy... we know you might be too busy eating the homemade dog food to look up and follow anymore.. we have done the same

New friend from Repulse Bay

Pepper here posting to the pug blog. We're just back from a delightful weekend of exploring Hong Kong by car, paws (and feet) and sea. Mummy and Daddy took us out to Repulse Bay this past weekend where we made a new friend, Seva, a 5 month old female black mixed pup from the HKDR.

Mummy says Seva is just like me, nerves abound probably because of the rescue. Nevertheless, like Seva, I have a wonderful family to love and kiss me. I even kissed Seva's mummy b/c she's so enamored with me. Seva, though, was a wee bit jealous.

WE had so much fun playing then afterward walked from Repulse Bay to Deepwater Bay where Mummy, Daddy and we sat down by the Thai shack next to the beach. Mummy and Daddy enjoyed some quite delish Thai food which really tempted us, but alas, we weren't allowed any.

Well if more weekends were spent like this we sure are really enjoying Hong Kong.

Chestnut's Birthday and Halloween

I didn't have high hopes of celebrating my birthday and Halloween here in Hong Kong since Mummy had managed my expectations that it would be rather difficult to find a customized pet costume, and albeit not one but for two, since I did arrive with that annoying pug sister of mine, Pepper-Marli.

Behold, Mummy and Daddy come home extremely excited on Friday with some delicious smelling contents in a box. I was only allowed to sniff but not look. Turns out that the contents in the box was my cake from Three Dogs Bakery. Mummy said she would have baked me one just like I had for my 2nd birthday which I spent in Ithaca. But she didn't have all the materials here for baking me a cake.

Saturday afternoon rolls around... And with a knock on the door Auntie Michelle and Uncle Greg appear with a gift (too bad non-edible) as well as my Corgi buddy, Jasper, from New York! It was the best birthday ever with my fave foie gras baked treats from Bouchon in New York i.e. asides from the birthday party I last had with Spanky Doodle Dandy. We sang, blew out my candles and had some yummy-licious carrot cake topped with yogurt frosting. All that sugar got burned off with a walk to the Peak. I was so very excited to be reunited my pal, Jasper.

Well, if all my birthdays are going to be like my 4th birthday I am sure lovin Hong Kong all right! Off now for some leftover cake 'fore Pepper Marli nabs my share too.

Pugs & kisses! Meeoowww...

Chestnut

Hong Kong!

Well everyone-- we are now East, where we descended from in the Middle Kingdom dozens of centuries ago. Having arrived almost 2 weeks now in Hong Kong Island, Pepper and I are still recovering from some jet lag. Mummy and Daddy seem quite lethargic when we are up and wanting to play.

We welcome you to continue following us and our adventures--just now it'll be in Hong Kong! Check in with you soon again.

Pugs and kisses!

C. & P.

Back from Long Island

Chestnut signing on today...

Just back from East Hampton. Guess Pepps and I have built up a local fan base. There we were, with Mummy and Daddy, on Main Street, window shopping. Everyone was just coming up to us, well, mostly Pepps and then turning to me and going gaga over us.

I'm pretty debonair. Something that Pepps and her goofiness lack. Maybe it's her size. She's petite. But it's not like I'm fat either!

WE had the most fun out there. Pepps and I ran all over the place. Such grass! Mummy and Daddy finally got it into their heads that I can't swim. They almost drowned me out by the pool! Pepps proved herself the country girl she is. Paddling from the pool and back onto shore.. errmm, rather grass that is.

Ok I'm pooped from East Hampton. Pug lovers-- til next time.

Pugs and kisses,

Chestnut and Pepper-Marli

Salty Paw Valentine's Contest

We won!!!! Mummy and Daddy are so proud of us that we worked as a team to win the prize at the Salty Paw just in time for Valentine's Day.

We won by Mummy brainstorming what to outfit Pepper in. She was a little flapper pug, down to the headband (that was Daddy's idea) and Mummy suggested adding her real triple strand pearl necklace along with the Van-Cleef Arpels inspired Alhambra necklace. Gotta say, my sis looked very flapper darling. Just too bad, her character does not reflect her way of dress. Such a baby!

And for me, I, Chestnut, am always so dapper and debonair in my collar and bow.

Mummy and Daddy says we won a pastel portrait. We'll have to see if it's as accurate in portraying as if I were in the flesh.

pugs & oooo

Chestnut's debut at PUG stardom

And it's finally here! My debut as Wally's sidekick in video for Steve Martin, shot by M. Carman and her crew.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbcciw_final-wally-on-the-run_fun