Homemade Dog Biscuits

A while back, I mentioned a dog biscuit recipe that Mom had misplaced. Well, now we've found it and would like to share it with all our doggie friends. They aren't as fancy as the gourmet treats, but they're easy to make in your kitchen.

Homemade Dog Biscuits

3/4 cup hot water

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 teaspoon salt (optional -- if you have a heart problem, dont add this one!)

1 Tablespoon beef or chicken boullion crumbies (for flavor)

1 egg

3 cups whole wheat flour

In a bowl, mix hot water and margarine. Stir in powdered milk, salt and beaten egg. Add flour, a little at a time. Knead for five minutes. This will make a stiff dough, but keep working it. Roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. We like to make dog bone shapes, but you can make bunnies, cows, reindeer, whatever. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes. Be sure to let them cool before you sneak one, they come out of the oven HOT.

So there you are, blogger friends. Make up a batch and keep them handy in a basket or jar. You can feel good about these snacks because you know just what's in them and how fresh they are. Just remember, pace yourself and don't eat too many at one time.

~Tell

Doggielicious!

I've gotten several Christmas cards in the mail, more than ever before. But imagine my surprise when I got a package from my good friend, Jackson. The box was full of gormet treats!

The treats were carob dipped peanut butter bones from a company called Doggielicious. Hmmmm....

I always sit like a gentleman before I get a treat. One of my few redeeming qualities, I'm told.

Unlike old buddy Buck, who meets the treat halfway then gobbles it whole. He's still a growing puppy. Count your fingers, Mom!

There were enough doggie treats for all of us. Cap and Glynn enjoyed theirs, too, but the camera wasn't fast enough to catch all of us snacking at once. What a terrific Christmas surprise. Thank you, Jackson!!!

~Tell

Dodgedog and Other Fun Games

My Boy and I were just sitting around yesterday when suddenly, out of the blue, he gave me a shove! Now, what did I do to deserve that, I wondered? So I pounced on him, and we began to wrestle. We wrestled and growled so much we got tossed outside, but that was alright. There's nothing I like better than a good, ol' rough-and-tumble scramble with My Boy. First we played Dodgedog. That's sorta like dodgeball, but we use a dog instead of a ball. Then we played Throw-The-Ball-Not-Really-Fool-The-Dog. I don't understand that game but it makes My Boy laugh alot. Then we finished with a game of Choke-The-Dog-'Til-His-Tongue-Hangs-Out. That's where I get rolled upside down, my tummy rubbed, and my neck choked while I wiggle and squirm my way rightside up. All this was great fun and we finally had to stop when it got dark outside.

If you don't have a Boy of your own, try to borrow one for an hour or two. Or ask Santa for one in your Christmas stocking. Or better yet, come over and join us for an afternoon. I'll pick you for my team!

~Tell

Here is our latest foster. Dad says it's a barn owl. The game warden brought her by for a little R&R before she is released. I've tried to be friendly with her, but as you can see, she just puffs up big and tries to look intimidating. Like Greta Garbo, she says, "I vant to be alone!"
Mom said not to be ruffling her tailfeathers, because this owl might turn around and snap my snoot off. Ha! A snootless wire! Wouldn't that be funny?



Or not.
~Tell

Goodbye, Girl Girl

Our College Kid is doing another rotation, this time with a veterinary internist in Tulsa. We are taking care of her guinea pig again while she is working there. Hagrid, the substantial guinea pig named after the giant in the Harry Potter movies, was especially touched by our sweet friend Girl Girl's passing. Being a guinea pig of few words, it's hard to tell, but I do believe Hagrid worshipped her from afar.

Who knew that such a little hammie could be loved by so many around the world? She will be greatly missed. We are glad, though, that her friends Eli and Bae Bae will continue their hamsterific blog. We think Bae Bae has very pretty eyes.

The temperature is going to dip down into the 20's tonight, so we're staying inside where it's warm. Mom has been talking about making some homemade dog biscuits, if she can find what she's done with the recipe. If she can locate it, we'll share it with you next time.

~Tell

What I Learned from the Dog

Here's a wonderful opportunity for all the doggie bloggers out there! If you have read any of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books, you'll know what I'm talking about. Each book is filled with short inspirational stories that really give you a lift when you need it. You can read only one or two stories at a time, or like My Family, spend a whole rainy Saturday with one of those books, a quilt and a cup of hot tea and enjoy them all.

Now, Chicken Soup is having a "call out" for stories from writers just like our people who love their dogs and want to share their stories! Just go to the Chicken Soup website, and on the left side of the page click on Submit A Story. Then click on Possible Book Titles and scroll down until you find What I Learned from the Dog. That explains what kind of stories they are searching for. There are some other titles, too, but the Dog book is the important one here, know what I mean?

After you write your story, polish it up good and proof-read, you can go back to the website and submit it for consideration. Don't get discouraged, because they get hundreds of stories a day and it may take as long as a couple of years before the book gets published. Mom has been submitting stories for several years and has been pubished in five Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and she can tell you it's great fun! Submissions are free and you can send as many as you like. With all the great blogs out there, I know there are some talented writers who can share some inspiration with the world! Happy writing!

~Tell

I've Been Diluted

Here is a photo of me taken about a year and a half ago. Notice the vibrant colors of my hair coat? Such a handome dude, I should be in movies.

Now here is a photo of me going for a walk this morning. See anything different? My hair is changing colors!

Sheesh, even the dead leaves around my feet have more color than me! I've gone from white with black and red spots to a much paler white with blue and tan. The only place that resembles the old me is a few spots where I had chewed myself this summer when the itchies were at their worst. Those bald places came back in the nice, old colors. Sorta makes me look like a Catahoula Leopard Dog, or maybe a blue merle Collie. Pay no attention to the spread of my hips.


I don't understand. Does it have something to do with being clipped instead of stripped? Age? Too many baths (I'm voting for this one)? Glynn is very pale-colored, too. Cap is the oldest, and he has the best coloring of all.


Oh well, I'll be turning seven right after the first of the year, so I guess those old greyish hairs are creeping in on me. Don't let outward appearances fool you, though. I'm still a puppy at heart!
~Tell