Winter-Ready!

Bear (the ever-indulgent and ever-patient) has a new modeling gig!!

Swing by and visit us as HOOKED to see what else he's trying on!
=P


Keep your tails wagging!
Bear's P4ws 



Mint-Kiss Dog Cookies

Pooch kisses are wonderful things.  They’re smile inducing and incredibly therapeutic.....but sometimes those kisses can be really stinky. 

Luckily I love gardening and thanks to all the sun that’s been pouring through my windows this summer, my indoor herb garden has been growing and growing and growing.

This inspired an idea and after a little online digging, Bear and I have perfected the ultimate Mint-Kiss Dog cookie.

The leaves of a mint plant have a sweet aromatic and fresh smell. Once the leaves are crushed or cut, they release even more of that pleasing aroma – this will transfer to your pooch’s stinky breath and help keep it fresh. Of course, please note that these Mint-Kisses are NOT considered a cure for your pup’s stinky kisses.  If bad breath persists, you may want to consider speaking to your vet about proper teeth/mouth cleaning routines. 

Ingredients:

1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3/4 cup chicken broth (low or no sodium is best)

1 egg

1 tbsp grated cheddar cheese

2 tbsp minced fresh mint

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Measure cornmeal into a small bowl.

In a sauce pan, bring the vegetable oil and chicken broth to a boil.

Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cornmeal.

Scoop the cornmeal mixture into a small bowl.

Allow the mixture to cool to the touch.

Spray the baking sheet with a non-stick cooking spray.

Once the cornmeal mixture is cool to the touch, stir in the egg, cheddar cheese and fresh mint.

Shape into 1” to 1 ½ “ balls. Or, scoop with a 1 " cookie scooper.

Flatten balls into cookie shapes.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Turn off the oven and let the cookies cool and continue to dry in the oven for one hour.

This recipe makes 15, 2 inch (approximately) Kisses.

The mint dog kisses will last for 1 week in a air tight container, 3 weeks in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer.

Happy smooching!

=P

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

Super-Easy ( Super-Tasty) Dog Food Bites

If your dog has ever turned up his nose at the prospect of more of the “same old” dog food, these treats are for you.

I've used them to make sure that Bear keeps his weight up during the summer months (he goes through these fast phases during the summer when it’s super-hot outside).

Ingredients

2 cups of your dog’s dry food

1 ¼ cups water

Instructions

>   Start by taking 2 cups of your dog’s regular (everyday) food.

>   Place dry food into a blender or food processor and grind the kibble into a powder (it’ll be a little grainy, but that’s just fine)

>   Pour the powder into a medium sized mixing bowl and add your water

>   Stir until a dough forms (it’ll be slightly sticky)

>   Using a table spoon or small cookie dropper, drop the dog cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet

>   Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes

>   Cook completely before serving.

* Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week

These treats are a great way to liven up Fido’s food and inspire his appetite.   They’re also great for pooches who are watching their waistlines (so long as treats are given in moderation and do not exceed your dog’s daily requirement for food).

Keep your tails wagging

Bear’s P4ws

The Good-Ole' Water-Bottle Dog Toy - Ideal for Indoor Play and Hot Summer Days

Recycle in a whole new way with bottled water. 

We've also seen those toys hangging from the pet-store display walls.  Empty stuffed animals that can be stuffed with water bottles.  The bottle makes a wonderful crunching sound when squashed and if the bottle become overly squished it can be easily removed and replaced.  It's also an ideal toy for dogs who love to rip the stuffing out of their toys because there is no stuffing to worry about. 

But why spend a ton of money on a manufactured water-bottle toy when you can make one yourself?  All you really need to do is raid your recycling bin.

=)

Combine an old sock and an empty water bottle to recreate this toy. Place your empty plastic water bottle inside an old sock. Knot the sock and watch the fun.

Poke holes in the water bottle and remove the cap. Then, fill it with small or crushed dog treats. It works like the well-known Kong, allowing the dog to pester the bottle until small pieces of treats come out of the opening. If she destroys the bottle and gets the snacks, take the plastic before she can eat it and use a new bottle tomorrow.

On hot days fill the water bottle half way with water and lay it on its side in the freezer. Your dog has a solid chewing toy that will cool him in the hot weather, but it isn't too hard for his teeth.

Bear's favorite version of this toy is the ice-filled one.  He will run through the house with his bottle toy dangling in his mouth for hours - and will usually fall asleep while sucking on it (the big baby).  

Keep your tails wagging
Bear's P4ws