NEW PET STORE!!!

Did you know Tillamook now has its own pet store?  Well we do it is located right next to Tangled Yarn on Main Street.  Currently it is painted hot pink and on the left so very hard to miss.  Maybe once everything gets set-up the paint will change…the former shop owner painted that color.  I went in and scoped things out and am very excited to say there are TONS of fun stuff and healthy food.  There is pretty much something for every pet (except livestock) in there.  Yes, there is even things for fish, birds and snakes.  I was happy to see the great food selection and samples are available….very important.  This means people that feed their pups Taste of the Wild can get it locally and no have to drive to Manzanita.  Some of the food I saw was Taste of the Wild, NutraSource, Evangers and Blue Buffalo they are still getting the food organized.  Did I mention the TOYS well they have several choices and this cool floppy one on a stick that mama can swing around that would be perfect for Ruby.  Maybe she would leave my toys alone then…hmmm.  Well you just have to stop by and see for yourself.  Monday – Saturday 10am to 6pm.

EXCITED!!

I'm so EXCITED TODAY cause mama found out that MY (ok so mama wrote it) recipe made it to the voting stage of the Excalibur Dehydrator contest!!  You can head over to Kol's Notes and checkout all the other wonderful recipes.  Oreo Pup the one we shared and entered is #2 so please click on the like button but voting ends on April 14th. 
We would really like to win but it's not because mama needs the dehydrator.  Instead mama is going to donate it to the local 4-H so all the kids can use it for all kinds of stuff but I'm putting my paw down that the first thing they need to do is make goodies for their pups and the shelter pups.


Better go Mama is baking human goodies and I have to supervise to make sure she makes me and Ruby something......I wonder if Kol has this much trouble with his mama.

Oreo Pup!!

I'm SO excited my friends over at Kol's Notes told me about a goodie contest for a dehydrator.  I told mama to get busy and make something really tummy yummy.  So after many many tries mama came up with these yummy goodies that can be made directly in the dehydrator....frees the oven so mama can make even more goodies!

Oreo Pup

• Ingredients
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/4 cup carob powder
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp mint extract
• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• Directions
• Mix the coconut oil, honey, mint and vanilla together
• Add the carob and coconut flour
• Slowly add the water a little at a time.
• You can chill if you want.
• Make small balls and flatten
• Place on the dehydrator trays
• Set to 160 and let run 5-16 hours depending on how crunchy you want.

Now I have spied mama sampling these so you need to watch the humans cause these are super yummy.  Mama has also used doggy safe frosting and made little sandwiches out of these.

Healthy Treats

I'm sooo exited!!  Mama is going to be sharing recipes of some of my FAVORITE treats!!  We're even going to be sharing treats we (I supervise) made from some recipes our friends from Kol's Notes and Doggy Dessert Chef have shared.  Kolchak and Felix's mama regularly shares some yummy treats and some crafty things.  Sadly I don't know the pup(s) from Doggy Dessert Chef but they sure have a creative mama to.  This is going to be fun and sooo yummy since I have to taste test EVERYTHING!!  I will try to get mama not to go to crazy with her flavor combos but most times those are really yummy.

Making Yummy Carob Chips

Every pup mama and papa should know that chocolate is toxic to their pups even a small amount can cause an issue.  Even people can have an issue with this sweet stuff.  How can it be toxic to pups but have so many benefits for people?

What makes chocolate toxic, anyway?
Chocolate is made from the fruit (beans) of the cacao tree. Theobromine, a component of chocolate, is a toxic compound in chocolate. Caffeine is also present in chocolate and a toxic component, but in much smaller amounts than Theobromine. Both Theobromine and Caffeine are members of a drug class called Methylxanines.

So what is a pup to do?  The answer is Carob but tell your people not to get you the store bought Carob Chips.  These aren’t that healthy and contain SOY!! Many pups are allergic to soy and it isn’t as easy for us to digest.  I know there are soo many recipes on line that use carob chips and may be yummy.  Mama has a couple recipes that she uses carob in and there is one that is more of a chuck.  You may be thinking my mama is bad after I told you the chips aren’t that healthy.  My mama is smart and makes her own chips!!!

Makes her own? I need to learn this!!

Since I supervise everything, as any good pup should do cause it might be something for us, I can tell you how.

Ingredients

• ½ cup carob powder.  Mama said toasted is fine but make sure it only has carob in it.
• ½ cup melted coconut oil

Directions (Time for mama to get her hands busy)

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a bowl place the ½ cup carob powder.  You need to have room to mix.
• Place some coconut into a microwave safe bowl and heat it at small intervals until melted.
• Measure out ½ cup.  If you have over it will harden back up so no waste
• Start adding in the coconut oil, mixing as you add.
• Now you’re going to spread the mixture onto the cookie sheet.  Try to make it even.
• Place it into the frig to cool and harden.
• Once it is hard you can cut it into chunks or whatever size you want.

That’s it and it’s a lot healthier than the store bought carob chips.

Making Safe Chewies

When people think of a safe chewy they think of pre-made ones.  Did you know you can make your own at home?? Yep, homemade chewies are my and Ruby’s favorite!! What can you make for a chewy you ask?  Sweet Potato Chews are one of the easiest, healthiest and tastiest chewies you can make.  Mama usually makes a BIG batch around Thanksgiving cause that’s when you can find a good deal on sweet potatoes and yams. 

There are a couple different types: white or orange sweet potatoes or yams.  We only know of the orange yams.  In our house we use all 3.  You are probably thinking “Oh I saw this on another blog”, yes that may be true but I’m going to give you some new ideas.

Most people do a light bake of their sweet potatoes/yams before slicing them and dehydrating them….what the woof.  By doing this your pup isn’t getting all of the nutrients and mama said they don’t dry out as well.

White Sweet Potatoes are (according to mama) easier to slice and we do Stack Sticks mostly out of those.  What are Stack Sticks?? It is when you half the potato length wise and then half it into a smaller chunk, then cut it into thick slices about an inch thick.

Orange Sweet Potatoes are a little sweeter.  Mama cuts the potato so it’s more box looking then starts slicing it into about 1” x 1” inch squares about 1” thick so more like cubes.  She does this so they will fit into some of our toys.

Yams are bigger (the ones we get) and A LOT harder for mama to cut so she uses a meat slicer and cuts them into almost 2” rounds. Sometimes she uses a core and cuts a hole in the middle and sometimes not.

So Instructions:

• Choose you potato/yam
• Peel it (we wash then peel then wash again).
• Slice it into your desired thickness (I recommend no thinner than 1” but 2” to 3” will give you a longer lasting chewy)
• Place on dehydrator trays and set temp. at 160 (you can do lower but will take a lot longer)
• Let run for 14 hours.  This will really dry it out.

So here are some ideas to make these chews funnier.

1. After slicing you can submerge them into broth and let sit in the frig for 8 to 12 hours, then dehydrate them.  Mama will take the juice from a ham and make me some (Ruby can have the plain) or you can use pineapple or apple juice.
2. Mama has done some with olive oil and cinnamon. All you do is drizzle extra virgin olive oil on and do a light dusting of cinnamon.  Mama said if you do them thin you can make human sweet potato chips……You pup might not like sharing though.
3. The funniest one is what mama does with the one with holes.  You can take a rope (mama uses hemp) and thread several on and knot both ends.  You pup with have a toy and chew all in one.

These aren’t just for pups, oh no.  Mama originally would do the squares and sticks for her rabbits.  She would make a hole big enough for a string to go through and then make hanging treat/chewies for them loaded with dried berries, dried apples and carrots and these chewies.  They were safe, healthy and fun.

So next time your at the store pick some up and give it a try.

Chewies in the dehydrator

Oh Great!

What a great start to the New Year a trip to the Vet...grr.  Today mama was going to take me for a walk but first we were going to stop by the mailbox.  You have to understand something we live right along the highway so when you read this remember that.  Anyway, we were almost out of our driveway when the neighbor dog bust through his gate and ATTACKED me!  Can you believe that, I try to be nice by running the fence with him and he did that.  Well mama was in a bad place for me to really defend myself and the highway was right behind us.  I was good cause when mama said enough I backed off but he didn't.  Mama got him off of me but he came back at me.  After the third time and the brother coming out scared him back into his yard.  Mama had blood all down her arm and I had it all over my neck.  Mama got me cleaned up but it's hard to tell were my wounds were since I have all that undercoat.  My ear got the worst, mostly from when he grabbed me and tried pulling me into the highway.  My ear kept bleeding and mama said it was bad.  So off to the vet we went, I just wanted to be with mama.  My vet is really nice don't get me wrong but I didn't know what they were going to do and I was in shock from what happened.  The vet started to clip my ear with BIG clippers (they're bigger then mama's) but I didn't like it so he got scissors.  I wanted my ear left alone so I tried to get as flat as I could on the table and push him with my paw but it didn't work.  With how the gashes were on my ear he couldn't put stitches in but he put this wound stuff that helped numb my ear.  Well I came how with antibiotics and wound stuff..shhh.  I have to take the meds twice a day and they may make me sleepy but he didn't want to take a chance.  It does mean that I get yummy food to take my medicine with.  I clearly heard him tell mama I had to eat before I got my medicine and I'm sure (at least I'll tell mama this) he said to make it really yummy.  Well mama is going to wrap my ear at night so hopefully it doesn't start bleeding again...I'm sleepy now so Goodnight every one.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Ruby and I wanted to wish everyone a very Happy and Safe New Year!!  Something we try to do is leave the past in the past.  This is a fresh start and hopefully filled with more Goodies!!  I can't wait to see what the New Year holds for me (Ruby too) and all of my friends both humane a pup alike.

Taster’s Job is NEVER DONE!!

As many of you know my mama owns Cristina’s Dog Treats and I’m in charge of taste testing EVERYTHING.  Yes, I even taste test each batch mama makes even if I already approved the flavor you just never know when it just doesn’t taste to my liking.  This is a job I take very seriously….Ruby not so much.  I’ve been doing this well….forever.  I can be quit picky and I mean picky but not as bad as one of my predecessors.  His name was Kal and he was one of mama’s first tasters.  If he didn’t like something it went in the trash and that was just from it touching his tongue.  If he really didn’t like it he would go put it in the manure pile!!! Now that is brutal so my spitting them out is nothing. 

Ruby and I are subject to mama experimenting on flavors.  Yep we get to choose the new flavors your pups get to choose from.  This is far from an easy job; I mean some of mama’s flavors are crazy like pomegranate pumpkin with a splash of mint.  I actually watched Ruby to see if anything happened to her when she only took a nibble I sure as woof wasn’t going to try.

Some people call us treat snobs and me a major treat snob but I know what I like and don’t so it’s a complement.  I mean really how can mama say its approved if I ate anything I was handed…I saved so many pups from mama’s weird combos you should thank me.

There are flavors that I like that Ruby doesn’t which is rare. Today mama was working on a chamomile/lavender treat, Ruby wouldn’t eat it, it was okay but mama has some work to do. 

This coming year mama is going to have a panel of other pups to help decide which treats will be offered after they pass MY approval.  It’s kinda like those treat of the month club but ours is going to be called the “Paw Club”.  To begin they will get a sampler pack with some of MY favorites. Each pup will be able to choose the one they like to get every month on top of a sample of NEW flavors before anyone else can get them and a pack of one of our other flavors.  This way pups get to try something new and help mama decided which one of her new creations will be available for ALL pups to try.  When the pups get the sample of the ‘New’ flavor they’ll need their humans to fill out a little questionnaire and then return it.  I told mama she would include a TOY and have a couple levels since she’s ALWAYS creating something new.  Mama is thinking about it and I’ll let you know when she decides.

 

Help Bring You Pup Home with Microchips

Hi, it’s Ruby here.  Nanqu is off somewhere looking for the “EVIL kitty”.   Many of you know that once upon a time I was a stray rooming around.  I know Nanqu talked to you about our COOL glow collars but I wanted to talk about another safety item all pups should have….Microchips.  I was someone’s pet before and how many of those pups that have gotten lost have people looking for them but never found them.  One of the first things mama did was have me scanned for a microchip (which I didn’t have) and then she put up flyers.  No one claimed me and mama wasn’t going to take me to a shelter so she kept me.  Now if I was chipped the vet would have called the number in and got the contact info for my “old” family.  This would have reunited me with them.   The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice so they are small, yes some can be bigger.  Nanqu got his at a fundraiser event and said it hurt a little but he can be a sissy.  I on the other hand got mine when I went in for my ration shots and I don’t think it hurt at all.  Some of you may be thinking it costs so much but mama said it’s worth it by having peace of mind.  The price can vary from vet to vet for administering it but a lot of the time different rescue groups will have events and offer low cost micro chipping.  We have ‘Home Again’ which is what a lot of vets have the scanner for.  I think they have a multi pup fee but I know that the initial setup is $20.  You can then log onto their website and update your pup’s info. like vet, your phone, etc.  Also if your pup goes missing you can do an alert.  Mama prints off cards with our chip numbers that goes into our emergency pack and then if someone is watching us.  She also has a copy of our chip numbers on her keys just in cases.

Let’s face it tags are great but we can NEVER loss a microchip. 

If your pup goes missing a Microchip gives them a better chance of finding their way back home to you!!!  Mama says if you’re not sure about to chip or not to then think about not only how you’ll feel if you can’t find your pup but how scared, abandon, cold, hungry and lost your pup would feel.  I know I was scared, hungry and sick when mama found me.

No bigger then a grain of rice!!

Holiday Wishes

Ruby and I just wanted to Wish Everyone a Happy Holidays and I hope everyone has a safe and fun time today!!

Today we delivered goodies to all our friends.  Now we are going to relax and enjoy our chewies mama got us.  I might even share with Ruby….well give her mine after she got hers started.  That’s nice right??? I think so.

We didn't get snow but today was filled with LOVE!

A simple Puppy Wishs

Tomorrow is a BIG day for most people and pups, filled with family, food and goodies!  Today mama, me and Ruby are going to be delivering some goodies to pups that don’t have anyone.  We’re also going to go see some of the elderly mama regularly goes and see cause they don’t have anyone either.  This makes me really sad but I always feel better after seeing their smiling happy faces.  A couple of the people we see adopted one of the elderly pups, this makes me really happy cause they’ll have each other. 

One of the things I like best about this time of year isn’t all the goodies (even though they are good) but spending time with loved ones that you don’t get to see regularly and how so many people open up their hearts to help those in need even if they don’t have a lot their selves.

My wish is for everyone (pup or human) to have someone that LOVES them no matter what and to have a safe warm place to live.  That isn’t to much to wish for is it??

Well I better go cause our first stop is Nana Meg and she is one you DON’T keep waiting.

Oh, one more thing take time to tell those you care about how much you appreciate and love them.  It’s always nice to do that.

Something Sad

I want to talk about something sad but it has to be talked about.  It can be supper hard on our people when we leave them and they get sad.  I’ve seen mama really sad when Jordi left us and even though him and Simba have been gone for several years it still hurts her.  A friend of mine is going to be leaving his family soon cause he is really sick and old.  I know there isn’t anything we can do about this, it just happens.  I think it’s important that our people know that day is going to come but not focus on it even when it is close.  Every minute is so precious and we need to enjoy it while we can.  When mama gets sad Ruby and I show her extra love or let her love and hold use until she’s not so sad anymore.  It’s also important that our people not blame their selves or feel guilty about opening their heart to another pup.  I know mama tried everything possible for Simba and Jordi but also tried to make every moment she had left count for something.  Even though mama would have loved to have kept them longer she knew they were ready to leave and she didn’t keep them. My friend’s family is doing the same, when he tells them he’s ready they will say good-bye.

Mama always says “they are never truly gone because the love and memories of them I hold in my heart forever and I know they are watching over us”

Are we really gone or are we just becoming angels to watch over our humans??

"They are never truly gone those that leave paw prints on our hearts"

No More "EVIL" kitty

Happy Day the ‘EVIL kitty’ is gone!!!  Mama’s friend came over early this morning and set out traps with stinky stuff.  He said it would attract the kitty and it would be REALY hard for it to escape.  Well mama and I went outside to get some firewood when we heard a ‘bang’ noise and screaming.  Mama went over to check and there it was in the trap…it was screaming cause it was so mad!!  I felt kinda bad cause I don’t like being caged but it wasn’t very nice.

Well mama called her friend and he came to get the traps and the ‘EVIL kitty’.  Don’t worry the kitty will go live on his farm.  He said this kitty is mean enough to hunt down those pesky rats.  I’m told that’s natural for kitties and I think it will enjoy that every much.  The traps also catch some other kitties that will get a vet check and go to a nice lady until they get a forever home.  Whenever mama would catch the other kitties she would call this lady and take them to her.  I call her the ‘Kitty Lady’ cause she takes care of stray kitties and finds them loving homes.  Which is really nice cause kitties need love too!!

Poor Ruby

Ruby had a scary day with the ‘EVIL kitty’!!! We were outside playing with our ball running around.  It was a lot of fun until it went wrong.  The ball went over by our blueberry bushes and the raised beds for the garden.  Ruby ran after it and as she went to grab it the ‘EVIL kitty’ jumped out and grabbed a hold of her, it wouldn’t let go and she was crying.  Mama and I went running to help Ruby but by then it let go and started to run off.  I went after it while mama checked Ruby.  I wasn’t able to get the ‘EVIL kitty’ and Ruby was okay just really really scared.  She went inside and stayed ALL day, she wouldn’t even go out when I asked her to come play with me.  Now I have had my own run-ins with this kitty and it always lays in wait then attacks.  Mama has tried live traps with tuna but other strays windup in them.  Once mama say it push another kitty into the trap and another it climbed into the trap without getting trapped.  This is one smart kitty. Now I don’t mind kitties except this one…this one is different.

A few months ago I had a bad run-in with the ‘EVIL kitty’ and when I say bad I mean I got hurt.  Usually it jumps on my back with claws which hurts and is scary but this time it slashed my leg open.  Mama had to clean it and doctor it….I was so MAD…I hunted for that kitty whenever I got the chance.  Anyway this is about Ruby not me. 

Finally we go Ruby to go outside to go potty and she would go out only if mama went out to with a flashlight.  We walked out to our potty spot and everything seemed to be okay but that was short lived.  That kitty was in the apple tree waiting and we didn’t see it until it was too late.  Out it jumped onto poor Ruby attaching her AGAIN.  Well this time I was close behind and got a mouth full of hair before it got away.  Mama has a friend coming tomorrow to place some different live traps to catch that ‘EVIL kitty’ and hopefully it works this time.

Let me clear a few things up for all the kitties reading this.  I like to play with kitties but not hurt them.  I try to respect their personal space but grandma is allergic to kitties and people like to abandon kitties by our house which is very sad.  The ‘EVIL kitty’ has been around for a few years; it hurt other kitties and has even attached mama!!!