Bark-B-Q Home Made Treats

Pet stores are full of dog treats. But did you know that you can make your own healthy dog treats at home? Here is a dog treat recipes to help you find a way to your dog's heart: 

Bark-B-Q

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix barbeque sauce, honey, oil, egg, water. Add to dry ingredients. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut into 3 to 4 inch pieces. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 F. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Alice England
Makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

LET'S NOT FIGHT...

TOO FUNNY.

Sent in by Alice of www.MakingStuffWithLove.etsy.com and www.GrandmasBliss.etsy.com

Inner Peace:

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat plain food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs...

  ...Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!

Thursday - a Good Story

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.
I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.
'Hello Barry, how are you today?'
  'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'
  'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'
'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'
'Good. Anything I can help you with?'
'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'
'Would you like to take some home?', asked Mr. Miller.
'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'
'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'
'All I got's my prize marble here.'
'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller.
'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'
'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.
'Not zackley but almost.'
'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble' Mr. Miller told the boy.
'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.’ ‘When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles. Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one.

Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.
Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.
Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts---all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.
Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles.
With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. 'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.’ ‘They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size---they came to pay their debt.' 'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.' With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral: We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.
Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself. An unexpected phone call from an old friend. Green stoplights on your way to work. The fastest line at the grocery store. A good sing-along song on the radio. Your keys found right where you left them.

 It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tlls what kind of life you have lived.

Alice
www.MakingStuffWithLove.etsy.com
www.GrandmasBliss.etsy.com

Gentle Giant

Here is a video sent by Alice, of MakingStuffWithLove Not convinced that he is a gentle giant? Alice sent another video to post, same dog: Compliments of Alice www.MakingStuffWithLove.etsy.com www.GrandmasBliss.etsy.com

Tips on bathing your dog

1. Start bathing your dog regularly at a young age to get him used to the process. But remember, puppies should be at least four weeks old before they receive their first bath.

2. Before starting an indoor bath, make sure the house is warm. Turn up the thermostat a few degrees if necessary. Do your prep work and have everything ready ahead of time; you don't want to be scrambling for shampoo or a towel while you're trying to wash the dog.

3. Start by combing and brushing out all mats. Otherwise, the water will turn the mats into solid masses, which will require clippers to remove. If your dog's hair is matted with paint, tar or some other sticky material, trim with clippers or soak the area with vegetable or mineral oil for 24 hours. (Consult a professional groomer for especially difficult tangles.)

4. Prep your dog. Put a drop of mineral oil in the eyes to protect them from suds. Some people use cotton balls in the ears. If you use cotton balls, make sure they're the right size for your dog's ears; if they're too small, they may slip down the ear canal. Be very gentle with your dog's delicate ears and don't push the cotton down further than can be easily retrieved.

5. Bathe your dog as quickly as possible to make the process less annoying for both of you. Be thorough and do a good cleaning, but whether you're using an indoor tub or shower or washing him in the yard, do it as quickly as possible. Make sure to dry your dog immediately. Use a good pet chamois, lots of big soft towels, or a hair dryer set to a low setting.
(If you don't dry him, he will "shake off" all the water on you, your house or anything nearby!)

Alice England

makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

GREAT OWL VIDEO

Here is a great video from Alice:

http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/

Alice England
makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

Koala twins

It is not common for a Koala to bear twins and, regrettably in this instance, the Mum was struck and killed by a passing car. Fortunately, the driver stopped, and took the mother to the local vet, not knowing she was dead - where it was soon discovered that she had these twins in her pouch.

First photo: Tiny Koala being fed with syringe...so tiny!!
Followed by a pictorial chronology of their growth...

Thanks for saving my life!
It is just so nice to see a story that has a happy ending
in these troubled times that we live in. Taking care of
others is a great way to forget about our own problems
and difficulties!

Post provided by Alice of http://www.etsy.com/shop/makingstuffwithlove

Do Dogs and Cats Feel Stress? April is Stress Awareness Month

Some dogs are very in tune with their people. These dogs pick up on the stress levels of the humans around them and in turn feel that stress. So if you have one of these kinds of dogs, your stress from a bad day at the office might affect your dog as well.

So, how can we help our pets "de-stress"?

Dogs and cats seem to react best to classical music. Cats tend to relax in front of the speakers when classical music is playing. Dogs will actually bark less - especially when they listen to the music of Bach. Classical harp music has been shown to help alleviate stress in cats, dogs, chimpanzees and other animals.

In recent pet anxiety studies, house pets responded favorably to classical music under stress-inducing situations, often slipping into a very serene and peaceful state of mind after only a few minutes of listening. Certain instruments and sounds were more effective than others. There are now CD’s created especially for your pet. If you have a stressed out pet, these may be one way to help them relax.

　

Alice England

Makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

How Much Water Does Your Dog Really Need?

Water is vital to your dog's health. It is essential for life. Next to oxygen, water is the most important nutrient in your dog's body. Dogs can go for days without food. A dog's body can lose all of its fat and up to half of its protein and still survive. But when a dog loses just 10 percent of his body's water, bodily functions shut down causing serious illness. A 15 percent loss of water will kill him.

In general, animals should take in two and a half times more water than food. Dogs don't have to DRINK their daily fill of water. They also get water from the food they eat. Wet food has a lot more water than kibbles or dry food. Snacks like apples are also a great source of water.

When fresh, clean water is available a dog will generally drink all he needs to survive. The fresher the water, the more appealing it will be to your dog.

As a general rule, change the water in your dog's bowl at least 3 times a day.

Also, make sure your dog's bowl is clean. If you wouldn't drink from it, chances are he won't want to drink from it either. You need to wash your dog's water bowl every day and disinfect it regularly to control bacteria.

Alice England

makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

Jake and the grooming problem

Dear Pets Jubilee Team,

My newest dog, Jake, the Yorkie, is scared to go to the groomer :( I've used the same groomer now for 22 years -- amazing, huh? I KNOW it is nothing she is doing. My other dog likes to go. I've sat through complete groomings at her shop more times than I can count. She is wonderful and takes such pride in her work -- in the quality of their hair and its cut, their nails, their ears. It's just Jake. He's a rescue and I imagine in my mind that he is afraid he is losing this home as he lost so many before. I feel so guilty now to have to take him. This has really gotten worse and he has even begun to hide under the couch when I get ready to go out, I guess in case he is about to be taken somewhere (the groomer's). My groomer would be so upset to know he doesn't like to come -- she is crazy about him, says he is so good for her. She would be crushed :( That just adds extra heartache to the situation. He goes every two weeks so he doesn't get too out of shape, and the sessions aren't very long at all. I am sure he isn't being mistreated, so that's not the problem. I don't really know what to do. It breaks my heart and I guess that this morning I will be dragging him out and taking him anyway.... Any advice would be so appreciated :)

Alice

Makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

Alice Wanted To Share This With You All Today

Alice of makingstuffwithlove wanted to share this story she found with you today.

 http://www.passionup.com/mp/blank/blank100.htm?e=imkld%40yahoo.com&f=imkld%40yahoo.com&cfp=1&h=7a49f7e8064d5e26&mp=1

somebody waits for you at home

It is so good when somebody waits for you at home…

pictures provided by Alice of makingstuffwithlove

Dog Quotes

Alice from makingstuffwithlove wanted to share these quotes this week with you all.

Who kicks a dog kicks his own soul towards hell.
- Will Judy

Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend.
- Corey Ford

 

Dogs are miracles with paws.
- Susan Ariel

 

The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven, not man’s.
- Mark Twain

If dogs could talk, it would take a lot of the fun out of owning one.
- Andy Rooney

When a dog barks at the moon, then it is religion; but when he barks at strangers, it is patriotism!
- David Starr Jordan

Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.
- Agnes Sligh Turnbull

The bond with a true dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth will ever be.
- Konrad Lorenz

My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to 99 cents a can. That’s almost $7.00 in dog money.
- Joe Weinstein

Man is a dog’s idea of what God should be.
- Holbrook Jackson

Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot little puppies.
- Gene Hill

Amount of time it takes for a dog to “do its business” is directly proportional to outside temperature suitability of owner’s outerwear.
- Betsy Cañas Garmon

The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.
- Samuel Butler

Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative.
- Mordecai Wyatt Johnson

The dog is a yes-animal, very popular with people who can’t afford to keep a yes-man.
- Robertson Davies

No animal I know of can consistently be more of a friend and companion than a dog.
- Stanley Leinwoll

A The nose of the bulldog has been slanted backwards so that he can breathe without letting go.
- Winston Churchill

Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of our country as Wall Street and the railroads.
- Harry S. Truman

Man is troubled by what might be called the Dog Wish, a strange and involved compulsion to be as happy and carefree as a dog.
- James Thurber

Did you ever notice when you blow in a dog’s face he gets mad at you? But when you take him in a car he sticks his head out the window.
- Steve Bluestone

They never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation.
- Jerome K. Jerome

I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult.
- Rita Rudner

I love a dog. He does nothing for political reasons.
- Will Rogers

Why Do Dogs Shed?

Shedding is a continuous process. This is a normal event in the life of a dog and it is largely influenced by daylight.

The number of hours a dog is exposed to sunlight in a day (photoperiod) triggers the shedding process.

It is more noticeable in outdoor dogs in the spring and fall. Indoor dogs shed more consistently but in lesser amounts because of the artificial light inside the house.

What can you do about shedding? Providing your dog is just a normal shedding dog, here are some tips:

1. The first thing you can do to reduce the amount of hair in your home is to brush or comb your dog on a daily basis. This will help more than anything to reduce shedding. You are basically controlling the shedding.

2. Feed your dog a good quality dog food. Don't skimp. Stick with one of the premium brands.

3. Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise. Healthy bodies promote a healthy haircoat.

4. Don't let your dog get fat. Keep your dog at an ideal weight. Obese dogs have difficulty grooming.

Dogs shed. Nothing will change that. But regular grooming will make the biggest difference.

Alice England

makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

How to hug a baby

I Thought you might like to know about this dog and his history.
I especially like the ending ..........

The
K9 above is Brutus, a military K9 at McChord.. . He's huge - part Boxer
and part British Bull Mastiff and tops the
scales at 200 lbs. His handler took the picture.
Brutus is running toward me because he knows I
have some Milk Bone treats, so he's slobbering away! I had to duck around a tree just before he got to me in case he couldn't stop, but he did.
Brutus was the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor last year from his tour in Iraq . His handler and
four other soldiers were taken hostage by
insurgents. Brutus and his handler communicate by sign language and he gave Brutus the signal
that meant 'go away but come back and find me'.
The Iraqis paid no attention to Brutus. He came back later and quietly tore the throat out of
one guard at one door and another guard at
another door. He then jumped against one of the
doors repeatedly (the guys were being held in an
old warehouse) until it opened. He went in and
untied his handler and they all escaped. He's
the first K9 to receive this honor.

If he knows
you're ok, he's a big old lug and wants to sit
in your lap. Enjoys the company of cats..
K-9 Congressional Medal
of Honor WinnerThought
you'd find this interesting.
Talk
about animal intelligence and bonding
with humans!

Remember that they can't do a lot of things for themselves and that they depend on you to make their life a quality life!Instructions for properly hugging a baby with Brutus

1. First, uh, find a baby.

2. Second, be sure that the object you found
was indeed a baby, by employing classic sniffing
techniques.

3. Next, you will need to flatten the baby before
actually beginning the hugging process.

4. The 'paw slide'= Simply slide paws around baby
and prepare for possible close-up.

5. Finally, if a camera is present, you will need to execute
the difficult and patented 'hug, smile, and lean' so
as to achieve the best photo quality.

It will be a shame if you
don't pass this along!!

Alice from makingstuffwithlove shared this with you this week.

Alice Wanted To Share This Video

Alice from makingstuffwithlove wanted to share this video this week.  Good one for Valentine's day and any day really. 

Alice Wins A Prize From PetCollage

 

My post today is about a special gift I received. On New Years Day, I was contacted by Nancy of

www.PetCollage.etsy.com that I had won her giveaway for my response on her blog. It ‘s here: http://www.petpooparazzi.blogspot.com/2011/11/giveaway-custom-pet-collage.html Wow! What a way to start the year off!

First, I picked my background from three provided and then was offered the chance to send a photo of my furbaby to sit in the chair in the collage. Since I am ‘photography challenged‘, I asked that she insert a ‘generic’ Yorkie in the seat -- which she did beautifully! And the Yorkie looks just like my Jake, so that couldn’t have worked out better. He’s even got sparkly little jewels in his topknot!

So if you’d like to find your own furbaby in a scene set up by Nancy, have a look in her shop. So many good ideas there! And thanks so much to Nancy for this wonderful gift J

Alice England

Makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

So, what is it about a squeaky toy that dogs find so appealing?

The excitement your dog feels when he plays with a squeaky toy is instinctual - it goes back to a time when dogs had to hunt and kill prey to survive. Hunting is just a natural part of being a dog. The squeaky noises of prey animals would help dogs locate their prey - and the noises the prey animals made during the kill were very satisfying to a hungry dog.

"Hunting" a squeaky toy gives your dog the same type of satisfaction. And the more the toys squeaks, the more excited your dog becomes. That's why so many dogs will try to "kill" the toy by destroying it and pulling out the squeaker.

A good squeaky toy can provide lots of fun play and mental stimulation for your dog. They're excellent toys. But when you purchase a squeaky toy for your dog, make sure to put safety first.

Make sure the toy does not have a lot of pieces that can be chewed off and swallowed. Look for features (eyes, nose, etc.) that are embroidered onto the toy, not attached. Also, once your dog chews through the toy, he could swallow the squeaker or the fiberfill stuffing inside. This can be very dangerous. That's why it is so important to supervise your dog's play.

What is you dog’s favorite squeaker toy?

Alice England

Makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com

Tail Chasing in Dogs

Have you ever felt you were "chasing your own tail"? The expression, of course, is derived from the seemingly pointless activity that dogs engage in every now and again.

Why do dogs do it? In the last 10 years, tail chasing has been regarded as a symptom of a compulsive disorder, much like compulsive self-licking. This implies that the dog has some genetic predisposition toward this behavior when in situations of anxiety or conflict.

Tail chasing tends to be confined to certain breeds, which is evidence in support of a genetic predisposition. One study showed that the vast majority of tail-chasing dogs were of bull terrier or

German shepherd lineage.

Conflict underlies tail chasing in dogs. Conflict can take the form of confinement, social isolation, adversarial situations with people or other animals, and lack of opportunity to perform species-typical behavior.

Tail chasing may begin as a "displacement behavior." The dog finds himself in some dilemma he can't resolve, and displaces his anxiety into a behavior that has nothing to do with the problem. Tail chasing is believed to derive from dogs' natural predatory instincts. They may see their tail as something that isn't part of them, and something worth chasing and catching. Chasing the tail may provide dogs some relief from their conflict because it fills a behavioral vacuum.

Dogs exhibiting compulsive tail chasing often have other compulsive behaviors. For example, bull terriers may also pace in wide circles or show compulsive behavior towards objects such as tennis balls.

Affected German shepherds often engage in compulsive pacing and circling behavior, too, including running in large figure eights. A tail chaser that is physically prevented from tail chasing is likely to displace into some other repetitive compulsive behavior.

Alice England

makingstuffwithlove.etsy.com