A great way to keep our doggies cool and entertained at the same time is making yummy frozen treats for them to enjoy. We have some great ideas below that we know will be a tail wagging winner! 

Mix together Greek yoghurt and peanut butter. Use some chicken broth to add liquid to the mixture and help it to freeze better.  Add in a handful of blueberries and pour mixture into ice trays or freezer moulds that are a suitable size for your dog.
Serve once frozen. 

For this one you will need a suitable, stuff able toy (ie: Kong.) 
Boil up some chicken breast. Set cooking liquid aside and shred the chicken. Place shredded chicken with some cooking liquid into the food toy and freeze.

Be sure to include this amount of food in your dogs daily intake. Feeding of large food serves as treats and feeding normal meal sizes can lead to unwanted weight gain.

Blend together equal parts of watermelon, pineapple and peach. 
Freeze in ice trays or or freezer moulds that are a suitable size for your dog.
Serve once frozen. 

Be sure to offer this one only as a treat every so often as peaches high in sugar, however do offer great antioxidants for our dogs. 

Origin:
The Cavi is named after King Charles II and is a descendent of the original King Charles Spaniel. In the 1600’s, it was a goal to create a smaller dog then the King Charles Spaniel that had a flatter nose, rounder head, protruding eyes and upturned face, so the King Charles Spaniel was bred with Pugs, creating a dog that’s face looked similar to the Pekingese we know of today.
In the 1920’s, Roswell Eldrige, an American, offered up prize money when in London to anyone who could bring him a King Charles Spaniel with a long nose, the same as shown in Van Dyck’s painting of King Charles II surrounded by his Spaniels. Thankfully, through American breeders, Eldrige’s hope of bringing back the original King Charles Spaniel, prior to the Pug being bred in, lived on and although the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel we know today is slightly different to that of the original they are still the true royal spaniels of King Charles.
Due to the differentiation between the King Charles Spaniel and the modern breed we know today, the prefix of Cavalier was added to the breed name in the 1940’s, as they are classified as two separate breeds.
 
Purpose:
The original King Charles Spaniel was bred to hunt and kill weasels, lynx and bobcats however as the breed gained popularity and a level of status after being owned by King Charles II they quickly moved to trophy dogs, being ideal to snuggle on the laps of the wealthy when in their drafty castles or when travelling on carriage rides.

Coat care:
Daily brushing is required for the Cavi, focusing around the long fur between their pads, (unless this is clipped) their chest, underarms, ears, and feathers. The inside of their ears should be checked daily and cleaned as required. Cavi’s with particularly protruding eyes will need extra attention too. They should be bathed only as needed and ensure that they are thoroughly dry.

Health & Temperament:
The Cavalier is a gentle, loving, affectionate and happy little dog. Their sweet nature should not distract you from the fact they are also a fearless little dog that can often behave bigger than they actually are. Their willingness to please and love for their owner and food makes them easy to train. Their love is not restricted to just their humans, Cavis love all other animals, including dogs, cats and other small pets. They enjoy being an active part of a family so are not suited for outdoor only living. They do well in apartments or living without a yard providing daily exercise is provided. Being a social dog, they enjoy getting out and about to explore and meet everyone that is willing to give them a pat. They are a breed that is prone to weight gain so regular exercise is essential for their health.
Due to their breeding in the past, they are prone to eye issues, luxating patella (dislocating kneecaps) ear infections, spinal troubles, and early onset of deafness. Their average life expectancy is broad as breeding standards play a huge role in the health of the breed; they can live anywhere from 9 – 14 years. 

We share with you another beautiful story that we know will bring a smile to your face of the amazing impact an Assistance Dog makes to the life of the family they join. ​

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Assistance Dogs are sometimes referred to as Psychiatric Assistance Dogs.
Luis has come a long way. He is an ex-policeman and was diagnosed with PTSD in 2017. He was medically retired from policing a year later.
With the life-saving help of Piper, the PTSD Assistance Dog, Luis can look back on his journey and be proud of how far he has progressed.
At Luis’ lowest point, there would be days where his wife, Paige, was not able to go to work. She was too worried about leaving him alone for the whole day, fearing the worst.
PTSD took control of Luis’ life, especially in quiet night-time moments. Luis said,
“I used to have really graphic and horrible night terrors 3-4 times a week. I would sweat through my sheets and wake up choking and struggling to breathe.”
Luis tried for so long to feel better. He did the PTSD therapy and treatments the doctors and specialists told him to do. But he needed something extraordinary to have the breakthrough he desperately needed.


In July 2019, Luis received his highly-trained PTSD Assistance Dog, a loveable chocolate Labrador named Piper. The main skill Piper does is “Visit”, which is where Piper lays her head in Luis’ lap and releases the weight of her head, which helps ground and relax Luis when he becomes overwhelmed. Luis said,
“I use ‘Visit’ a lot, both at home and in public, as it helps me to relax and feel more secure because I can focus on Piper and not get overwhelmed by all of the thoughts that start swirling around in my head when I get stressed or anxious.”
Having Piper by his side has been a huge help to Luis when his PTSD has caused him to feel extremely distressed when he is out in public. Luis said,
“Sometimes when I run errands in town I can get really panicky all of a sudden out in the open. I focus on Piper and pet her and look at her for five minutes and then I don’t have to go home straight away and can usually finish my errands.”
At the end of the day, it is Piper’s unconditional love that has been a life-saver so many times for Luis, he said.
Luis calls Piper his “offsider”, which is what police call the officer who backs up another. She has brought so much joy and peace to their lives, and enabled Luis to feel safer, less anxious and much happier on a daily basis.
With Piper in their lives, Luis and his wife Paige can get their lives back on track and feel better about the present – and future.

Want to know how you can support Assistance Dogs Australia? There are more options then just giving a donation. Check our their website HERE for the many ways you help support the amazing work that they do. You never know how much of a difference you could be making in someone's life! ​