Bank Holiday BBQ Pet Safety Feat. IAMS*

Many of you will be having BBQ’s this weekend and savouring that last bank holiday before Christmas. I know that every time there is a Bank Holiday I pray for some sun and hope that I can make the most of it with a few drinks and some good food. IAMS have done some research and found that one in five British Bank Holiday BBQ’s are expected to have pets as guests. For me this is certainly true as I own a cat, he is often hovering in the garden when the BBQ gets started. You’ll also find that Bank Holiday BBQ drinking sessions can start early so guests may also bring their dogs with them to save them being at home all day alone.

We decided to have a BBQ, courtesy of some food from M&S, they have a great BBQ range. IAMS survey of 2000 UK pet owners reveals that the smell of sizzling sausages will have 50% of pets licking their lips and 30% of pet owners will give their pets some food from their BBQ. Being a pet owner I know how easy it is to slip them a little treat from the plate however in the long term this can have damaging health implications such as increasing the risk of heart problems. Hearing this made me really think about how I treat my pets.

IAMS survey also revealed that almost a third of pets are given food at a BBQ. According to IAMS Nutrition Expert and Veterinary Training Manager, Kellie Ceccarelli, although our pets love to eat whatever they can get their paws on, we need to be careful to ensure they remain as happy and healthy as possible: “It’s important to understand what your pet needs to be happy and healthy. A diet rich in high quality animal proteins, such as chicken and turkey, will help in maintaining optimal overall health for your pet, supporting a strong immune system, healthy skin and a shiny coat.”

Photo provided by IAMS

Instead of giving your pet a sneaky sausage, why not let them have something that is made for them such as the IAMS Proactive Health. This contains high levels of protein in every bowl keeping them fuller for longer and hopefully away from the BBQ food! Chicken and turkey protein is the number one ingredient in IAMS Proactive Health which give cats 47% more animal proteins and dogs 24% more than the top two leading brands. If you haven’t heard of IAMS before, it is an advanced nutrition pet food brand that uses quality ingredients to provide great food that your dog or cat will love. I can vouch for this, whenever my pets eat IAMS it barely touches the sides!!

Kellie also reveals the top BBQ foods to keep those pets paws away from: (*Information provided by IAMS).

1. Chicken wings and drumsticks
Cats and dogs love the smell of chicken, but anything with bones runs the risk of splintering and causing intestinal obstruction. Look for a pet food that has high quality animal proteins, such as chicken and turkey, as the number one ingredient. IAMS contains 47% more animal proteins for cats and 24% more protein for dogs than the top two leading brands.

2. Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are unhealthy and contain high amounts of preservatives and salt which can cause diarrhoea and digestive problems for pets.

Feed your pet a 100% complete diet to help maintain optimal overall health, supporting a strong immune system, healthy skin and a shiny coat.

3. Corn on the Cob
Whilst this isn’t toxic for pets, the shape alone could cause choking and obstruction so avoid letting your pet sneak a lick of your buttered cob.

4. Onions
Big plate of sliced onions awaiting burgers? Keep them away from the dogs. All close members of the onion family (shallots, onions, garlic, scallions, and the like) contain compounds that can harm your pooch’s red blood cells if sufficiently ingested.

5. Alcohol
Both dogs and cats are uniquely sensitive to alcoholic beverages, but may not shy away from lapping up an abandoned drink. Even just a few ounces of beer or wine can be poisonous to a dog or cat so be careful leaving drinks in pet’s reach.

Will you be having a bank holiday BBQ with your pets? I hope you’ll be bearing in mind this information. To find out more, visit the IAMS website.

*I received some items free of charge in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way. Information retrieved from IAMS.

Beer & Burger Night - Feat. Brewbarrel*

When I think of Summer I picture BBQ’s in the garden, fun times with friends, burgers and a nice cold beer. With my Birthday and Father’s Day around this season it’s a great time to celebrate. I was recently contacted by a company called Brewbarrel who offered me the chance of brewing my own customised beer within just one week. What a fantastic idea I thought this was and a great concept.

Brewbarrel was founded in Germany with the aim of providing the German Beer Market with a bit more variety in what is generally available. Home brewing wasn’t popular and kits available were difficult to use and produced different results. Now Brewbarrel have spread their wings and joined us in the UK meaning you too can get involved with brewing your own beers.

The website is simple to use and you can customise your barrel to suit your taste. I picked lager with standard hops and the addition of cherry flavouring. The perfect combination of sweet and bitterness and a firm favourite in my household even with people who don’t normally like beer. When the barrell arrived I was really impressed with the size. Prices start at £25 and for that you get 5 litres of beer which is around 10 pints – a lot cheaper than pub prices! You can choose from a number of flavour options, beer styles and hops. I chose to customise my beer with cherry from the fruit section but there were so many other categories including spices, wood, aromas and other special additions. All of the ingredients you need are weighed out and delivered to your home. If you’re stuck for choice, there is a handy gift section with all sorts of pre-made ideas.

It takes just 10 minutes to prepare the beer for fermentation and as someone who has never done anything like this before, I found it so simple to do. Once the barrell has been prepared the beer needs to ferment at room temperature for 5 days, then matured in the fridge for a further 2 days. After the week is up, you are free to serve your beer straight from the barrell. I couldn’t believe how easy it was! I prepared this a week in advanced of my planned burger night and it went down a storm with my guests.

I made homemade burgers and topped them with cheese. They were delicious alongside the cherry lager I had created. I still can’t believe how quick and easy it was to create and how well it went down with the people who enjoyed it.

These Brewbarrels make a great gift and I think they would be the perfect Father’s Day present for June 19th!

Crack out the BBQ, cook some burgers and bring out your Brewbarrel! Head over to their website and start customising your best brew.

*I received this Brewbarrell free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.