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.

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.

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

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.

 

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.

Oh Puppy Tree!!

Christmas is supposed to be a happy time of year but it can be dangerous to for us pups.  Many pups find it hard to resist the Christmas tree.  There are all those pretty likes, sparkly string stuff that you say isn’t a pull toy and those things that look like toys hanging all over.  Sometimes a pup can get into trouble by climbing into the tree, tip the tree over and maybe pee on it.  Many people get creative about how to puppy proof.  Our friends have a little one they put on the table out of reach….they have doxies so not much is in reach just saying.  On Facebook someone used their couch to help block then a baby gate across.  However, the pups could go over the couch or pull on the higher stuff.  Another lady puts all the breakable ornaments (that’s what she called them) and then plastic on the bottom.  We also have a friend that gets small trees in a heavy pot then hangs puppy goodies all over…now that’s my kind of tree.   When I was little mama had the tree behind the chair and NO breakable ornaments.  I was allowed to sniff and lay by it.  Mama used it as an opportunity to practice my leave it and since it was so fascinating she had me practice my other commands.  We also played a game of how close could I be to the tree without pulling stuff off.  If I was able to lie next to it I got a special chewy, if not I had to move a way and do something else.  I wasn’t allowed to be around the tree unsupervised which is a good idea.  The little hook things on ornaments can be a chocking hazard or cause a blockage as well as if we chew something we shouldn’t.  We can also get tangled in something; this can be really scary for us. 

Now that I’m older mama has the tree out but at night she puts the x-pen around the tree to block it off so there’s no accident. I like to sit and look at the tree and sniff it when it first comes in but that’s it.  Ruby on the other hand tries to sniff out our presents but mama doesn’t put them under the tree.

So here is what I suggest to help make the tree safer:

• Use ribbon or string to hang ornaments instead of those hooks.
• Keep the breakables out of reach.
• Have your pup do something to take their mind off of the tree.
• Don’t leave them around the tree unsupervised
• If need be block the tree off or get one for on the table out of reach.
• Use items that are safe: pupcorn garland (yummy), doggy treat ornaments...just some ideas

Have a Safe and Pawtacular Holiday!!!

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!!