Spunky And The Apple a Day Dog Treat Dog Food Recipe
My dog, Spunky, was put on a new diet last fall by our veterinarian who sold us the food. After five days Spunky became very ill. He was vomiting, eating less, became listless and staggered when he tried to walk. His veterinarian refused to admit that the new food was causing his illness. Spunky became so ill that he was hospitalized for five days and came to the point where we were told he was dying.
I insisted that we try to feed him some of his old food before we gave up on him. We visited the animal hospital and fed him small amounts of his old food. Within hours his bloodwork was back to normal and he recovered very quickly. Some damage to his liver, kidneys and gallbladder remained but these are problems that can be monitored.
In my anger and despair I decided to publish an all natural cookbook of dog food recipes. Several months later the very food that made Spunky ill was added to the recall list and this only served to make me more aware that pet owners need to consider feeding their pets human grade food.
An Apple A Day Dog Treat
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 apple, chopped or grated
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
3/8 cup water
Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray cookie sheet with vegetable oil spray. Lightly dust work surface with flour. Blend flours and cornmeal in large mixing bowl. Add apple, egg, oil, brown sugar and water. Mix until well blended. On work surface, roll dough out to 7/8-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters of desired shape and size.
Place treats on prepared sheet. Bake in preheated oven 35 to 40 minutes. Turn off oven. Leave door closed for 1 hour to make the treats crispy. Remove treats from oven. Store baked treats in airtight container or plastic bag, and place in refrigerator or freezer.
Recipe makes 24 servings.
Pet owners who love their pets will no doubt be searching for new food sources. Remember that when changing your dog's diet (no matter what the food source) that you need to introduce the new food carefully and in small amounts before actually making the switch. If you have any concerns about allergies and food sensitivity please consult your veterinarian before introducing human grade food.
(c) 2007, Davis Virtual Assistance. You may reprint this article so long as you keep it intact with the resource box and make all links live.
Bonnie Jo Davis is the publisher of niche recipe cookbooks such as dog food, baby food, fudge, holiday meals, leftovers and more. More dog food recipes are located at http://www.fifty-fantastic-recipes.com/dog.htm
The Love of a Pet Owner
You’ve received the forwarded e-mails, I’m sure. The ones with the adorable and funny animal pictures – the cat flushing the toilet, the dog wearing sunglasses and the bird wearing mother’s jewels. There is no doubt that we are entertained by such lovable furry creatures, but why is this?
Perhaps it is because even the best-trained of our pets are like children – spontaneous in their actions and always ready to give love to the person who needs it. These are the reasons that children and pets alike endear themselves to us.
We live in a dog-eat-dog world, if you would please forgive the pun! The daily stresses of finances, a commute, family tensions and political turmoil do much to cause anxiety. This is why we are so happy when a mundane day is broken up with episodes of lightness and humor – often provided by animals!
Pets are known to bring comfort to their owners – young and old – and have even been heroes in instances where a rescue was necessary. Haven’t you heard of Spot, the Dalmatian who smelled smoke and ran out into the street, barking until someone came to help his unconscious owner? What about fluffy, the Himalayan who recognized a rodent-like creature creeping towards her owner’s crib and promptly killed it, saving the baby? It is easy to understand our fascination with animals.
People treat their pets better than ever before and both brick-and-mortar and online stores are stocked full of toys, accessories and treats for these animals. Many owners will spare no cost when purchasing a bed for Muffin or a collar for Duke. In fact, pets are now included in a family sitting for their annual photo. Dogs and cats are sent to obedience schools and day care – often at the same cost one might spend on private school tuition for their human children.
This is no joke and the individuals who feel this way about their pets will be the first to tell you so! An especially hard time for these families is when Rover or Socks passes away, leaving behind only memories and perhaps a few catnip toys hidden behind the couch in the rec room. A full-blown funeral ceremony may be necessary – much more than the under-tree burial of olden days. Support of family and friends can help during the grieving process along with a few kind words remembering a fond experience with Mitzy or Bangles.
Still, if you are not a pet owner yourself, you may still find pleasure in having funny animal pictures adorn your home – a friendly face and conversation piece without the super-duper pooper scooper and midnight barking at the moon.
-- Picture Avenue is a custom framing and art store with a wide selection of prints featuring our furry friends. Check out their latest sales and promotions by visiting www.picture-avenue.com.
Crate Dog Training and Why You Should Definitely Do It
When it comes to dog crates, they can be extremely useful in training your dog. Many dog owners use them for housebreaking. And at times, when they need to leave their dog alone for a while. So what exactly is crate training and why you should do it too?
What You Should Know About Crate Dog Training
Crate training is a well-known method of training a dog to be left alone, as well as to housebreak them, too. It is a fact that all dogs will not soil their bed if they can help it and so that is why it makes an excellent method of housebreaking a puppy.
Dog crates come in a number of different sizes, so it is vital to get one that is big enough to fit your dog. Even if your puppy is quite small, it would still be a good idea to buy a crate that will fit the dog until it becomes fully grown. This way you will save money as you will not have to go out and purchase another crate later on.
The good news is that crates are not only good to train puppies, but they are also great for an adult dog too. Older dogs enjoy going into their crates sometimes as it provides them with a safe haven to rest and have their own space.
You can also use the crate for basic obedience or whenever your dog is a little too much to handle, just place him in there for a little while. Now it is important not to shut him away for hours on end. A crate should only be used when needed and should never be used to cage a dog in there for extended periods of time. This is especially true when house training puppies to not mess up the floor and home.
As mentioned earlier, dogs will never make a mess of their bed unless they have to. So it is important when you keep a puppy in the crate overnight, that you let it out frequently. Puppies cannot hold on all night and you may need to wake up every few hours to let them out of the crate.
As also mentioned earlier, a crate should only be used when needed and leaving a dog inside for too long may elevate their stress level. I highly recommend that you only use it for a few hours. But if the crate is large and roomy enough, it can be left overnight.
A dog crate is an excellent tool for separation of anxiety, as many dogs will ruin furniture and make a big mess when left alone. As you can see, a crate has many uses and can be an excellent piece of equipment to have for any dog or puppy owner. Tip: a plastic crate is highly recommended by most animal experts.
When deciding on buying a crate, treat it like a dog’s master bedroom and be sure that his crate is big enough, comfortable and sturdy. Trust me, you will yield greater results with your dog loving you for it!
Jeremy C.W is an expert author on dogs and puppies. Visit dognpuppies.com for more articles, dog videos and useful resources on crate dog training.