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Fresh Baked Cookies

September 27, 2011

 

There's nothing like a batch of fresh baked cookies, still warm from the oven, to bring smiles to faces. With that in mind, and a little spare time one Saturday afternoon, I decided to bake up a batch of dog cookies to bring a smile to my pup’s face. The cookies turned out so well we decided to print the recipe in Modern Dog’s Fall edition and I’ve included it here for you as well (with some accompanying snap shots). Formulated for dogs, this recipe, called the Baconator, is surprisingly easy to make. After frying up some bacon to enjoy with my own breakfast, I saved the leftover fat for this biscuit recipe (along with a couple strips of bacon that I chopped up for a garnish). As I was making the cookies I recalled my mom telling me how during the great depression, when food items were in short supply, it was actually common-place to save bacon fat and substitute that for the usual lard with which they'd make pie pastry. I recalled thinking at the time, how yucky pie pastry would be if made with bacon fat, but after trying these cookies myself, I was actually quite surprised to find that they didn't actually taste much like bacon at all, (and probably that pie pastry didn’t either).  They sure had bacon-appeal for the dogs though as they yummed them down and then begged for more  (I actually taught Penny a new “roll over” trick using these treats as reward).

So without further adieu, here's the Baconator Recipe (taste tested on the dogs at Modern Dogs offices who give them two paws up!)

 

THE BACONATOR

INGREDIENTS
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water or low sodium chicken stock or the water from canned tuna
6 tablespoons bacon fat, melted (save your bacon grease!)
4 cups whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in milk, water, and bacon fat until well blended. Gradually stir in flour to make a stiff dough. Roll out dough to 1/4” thickness and cut out with a pizza cutter or cookie cutter of your desired size and shape. Regardless of your dog’s size, small is always good. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes for a softer cookie or 30 minutes for a crisper cookie. Cool on racks, then store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Freeze those that won’t be consumed in two weeks time to keep them nice and fresh.

 

We had pancakes and bacon one Saturday morning, so I saved the bacon fat for this recipe (and also a couple slices of bacon that I cut up and used as a garnish):

It took me only about 10 minutes to whip up these cookies (baking time extra)

Roll out the dough to a quarter inch thickness:

Once rolled out to the desired thickness, to save time, I used a pizza wheel to cut them into the desired size;

I looked forward to trying these cookies myself as they're made from all human-grade ingredients and my favourite, organic, stone-ground whole wheat flour from Salt Spring Flour Mill:

These ones just came out of the oven. I ended up baking them for about 40 minutes rather than the 30 minutes suggested in the recipe as I wanted an extra crispy biscuit (Penny especially loves the ones with the bacon garnish):

Lured by the delicious aroma, Penny stands up at attention and takes the first taste-test - sweet success, she loves them!

Rumor has it!!

September 17, 2011

I've just returned from the 3-day Superzoo pet industry tradeshow held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada.  According to show management, it was the biggest to date, both in terms of exhibitors and attendees. Walking from one side of the show floor to the other, umpteen times per day is exhausting, but it's easy to forget about sore feet and tired legs when there are loads of interesting and innovative products to see (many of which will be featured in our upcoming winter edition!).

At the end of a long day on my feet (starting at 8am and ending at 5pm), I'm ready to relax and the thought of navigating my way through smoky and noisy maze-like casinos in order to find the elevator to my room, is almost too much to bear. So this year we did things a little differently... we heard about a boutique hotel called Rumor that's just off the Strip, only a 5 minute drive to the convention centre, it's not only dog-friendly, but has beautiful grounds, swimming pools and pool-side tented lounging beds to name but a few amenities... and it seemed like heaven! We therefore decided to give it a try and were very impressed. Firstly, our suite was spacious and well appointed and if like me, a prerequisite is a good night' sleep, the super-comfortable bed with luxury linens won't disappoint. We had breakfast there each morning of our stay and the food was delicious and made to order. If you live in Vegas you'll have to check out their Yappy Hour held every second Thursday (one coming up this week!) where you can bring your dog and get together for a drink and snacks with other canine-inclined folk.

Two thumbs up for the Rumor Boutique Hotel!

Check out some of my photos:

HELP SELECT THE AMERICAN HERO DOG!!

September 19, 2011

VOTE FOR ONE OF THE TOP 8 FINALISTS

453 dogs from every state in America were nominated for the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards and with the nomination period now closed, 8 truly amazing dogs have been selected as the finalists. Herewith, meet the 8 finalists who have advanced to the next round of voting. Help us select the Grand Prize winner (the American Hero Dog), by voting for your favourite dog (a voter may vote for more than one entry; however votes are limited to one dog each day and the judging period closes at 11:59pm Sept 30, 2011).

 

In addition to prize packages and a cash grant awarded to the representative charity partner, the dog winning the 2011 Hero Dog Award will be honoured at a red carpet, celebrity-filled awards gala October 1st at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Tickets for the Gala event are onsale now and can be purchased through the American Humane Association's website. The event will also be broadcast in a 90-minute televised special premiering on the Hallmark Channel November 11, 2011 at 8:00PM, ET/PT.

 

In conjunction with the event, the Legacy Award will also be presented to a deserving person or animal in recognition of a heroic deed. Every vote counts, so click here to start voting!!


Arson K-9 "Sadie" 

 


Harley

 


K-9 Sage/Disaster and human remains specialist 

 


MWD Bino C152 

 


Roselle 

 


Stacey Mae 

 


SURFice dog Ricochet 

 


Zurich 

 

Dogs of Crete

September 6, 2011

 

I always stress-out prior to a vacation, worrying about taking time off work and thinking about the backlog waiting for me on my return, wondering if it’s all really going to be worth it to go. In my heart of hearts though I realize just how important it is to get away and relax, unwind and gain a new perspective on life.

This year I took a couple weeks and travelled to the Mediterranean where I spent some time exploring the beautiful Greek island of Crete. The scenery was captivating, the food scrumptious (a Mediterranean diet is one of the world's healthiest!), and the swimming/snorkeling was incredible (I spotted an Octopus as well as a Moray eel!); however, I missed my dog terribly. I was therefore always on the lookout for a surrogate pooch to pet, but with the hot, hot day-time temperatures I’d rarely see any dogs out and about until the sun went down. Those dogs that were out during the day time were always found flopped down in shady shelter, but once the sun set, I'd see plenty of dogs out for evening romps or walks with their humans.

Here are some photos that I snapped while there:

 

Here's the drop-dead gorgeous island of Santorini (if you ever go to Greece - this island has to be on your agenda) - we did a one-day side-trip there by taking a 2-hr hydrofoil ride from Heraklion (the largest city and the administrative capital of Crete).

 

This photo was taken whilst walking in Agios Nikolaos, a coastal town that we stayed in on Crete - I was surprised to see a sign advertising Orijen, a Canadian brand of dog food!

With a different alphabet, it was often times difficult to understand street signs!

Fishing is an important industry in Crete and refrigerated seafood displays frequently grace the fronts of restaurants so that patrons can chose the fish they'd like the chef to prepare for them.

Another photo from Santorini - here we ate a scrumptious lunch sea-side...

This cutie was checking out the tourists passing by, but wasn't about to venture out into the hot street.

This fellow found respite in a shady corner...

Zonked out, that is until the sun set!

This black dog was taking full advantage of the shade!

This dog decided to give me his most photogenic smile!

Lots of the tourist shops, such as this one, had a doggie mascot. With the sun finally set, here she is, outside, taking full advantage of the evening breeze off the sea and garnering loads of attention from passing tourists. 

Penny a Guest at Hotel Magnolia in Victoria

August 1, 2011

Having made the decision to bring Penny with us on our weekend getaway to Victoria, BC, we loaded up the car and headed off to catch our ferry (it's about a 90 minute ferry ride from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal to Swartz Bay and then a 30-minute drive from Swartz Bay to downtown Victoria). We had pre-booked a room at the Magnolia Hotel & Spa, a lovely boutique hotel which has earned the reputation as being one of the top 10 luxury hotels in Canada. Upon our arrival there, we were delighted to find that it was just steps away from the Victoria waterfront, Parliament Buildings, Maritime Museum and lots and lots of incredible shops and restaurants!! The friendly staff were delighted we had brought Penny with us, informing me that their dog-friendly establishment regularly welcomes the canine set.

Upon checking in we were shown to our luxurious and tastefully appointed room that had a breathtaking view of the picturesque Inner Harbour. Flopping down on the king size bed with its super-comfy mattress and luxury linens, I knew I'd be getting a good night's sleep here (a prerequisite for any successful getaway!). Next I checked out the bathroom where pampering took on a whole new level as I found it well stocked with all my favourite Aveda products (soaps, bath balms, shampoos, lotions, etc), big white fluffy towels, plus it had both a soaking tub and a separate shower!

I had the foresight to bring Penny's favourite West Paw bed along so she'd have the comfort and security of her own bed to curl up in and it was definitely doing the trick as she, too, was quickly settling into holiday mode, being content to curl up and snooze for a while. Since I was  planning to leave her alone in the hotel room for a few hours that night (her first time being left alone in a hotel room ever), I was keeping my fingers crossed she'd be okay and not put up a fuss and disturb other guests. I figured having her own bed would probably help with any separation issues, but as an extra measure of caution, I added a dose of Rescue Remedy to her drinking water which helps overcome anxieties. Also, a tired dog is usually a more relaxed dog, so prior to leaving her on her own, I took her out for a stroll along the inner harbour and shopping areas. It was a beautiful, warm evening and we met and chatted with loads of people along the way (both locals and tourists) which, in my mind, made this historic city, even more memorable. 

Penny was a model guest and we look forward to returning to Victoria and the Magnolia Hotel for another stay soon.

Here are some of the photos I took while there:

The promenade along the Victoria waterfront (just minutes from the Magnolia Hotel)  is a great spot to sit and take in the ambience of this busy harbour...

BC's parliament buildings...

 

Sailing through Active Pass on the way to Swartz Bay... 

 

Click here for more info on Hotel Magnolia and Spa.

Click here for information on Victoria.

Small Dog Ownership On The Rise

July 28, 2011

I was interested to see that the latest APPA stats show ownership of small dogs is on the rise.  I found this particularly relevant as I have become, for the first time in my life, the guardian of a small dog. Thinking that I'm still a  "big dog" person at heart I realize I'm quickly morphing into a "small dog" proponent as I discover just how much easier it is for me to live my somewhat hectic life with a petite, rather than large, pooch and these APPA statistics certainly prove that others feel the same way. I'm sure that today's busy lifestyle, combined with increasingly smaller living spaces has a lot to do with this growing trend.  Take Penny, my Wirehaired Dachshund, for instance. Weighing in at twelve irresistibly cute pounds she is small enough to fit in a doggie travel bag so she can join me in-cabin should I need to fly to a destination (see my May 31st blog), vs. bigger dogs who are treated as cargo and required to fly in the hold of the plane (an alternative I could never put my dog through).  My recent weekend trip to historic and picturesque Victoria (BC's capital), on beautiful Vancouver Island, is case in point. I wasn't planning to bring Penny with me but when my kids told me they had weekend plans of their own and couldn't look after her, I decided to bring her along ... an easy decision considering Penny's convenient size and low maintenance personality.  The trip actually turned out to be more fun as a result of having her along... check out our fun and scenic trip in my subsequent blog.

 

A Search For America's Top Dogs

July 25, 2011

 

If like me, you love hearing about dogs that help, inspire and unselfishly love, you'll want to visit the American Humane's website and check out some truly amazing dogs that have been nominated into eight different categories:

1.      Emerging Hero Dogs;

2.      Guide Dogs;

3.      Hearing Dogs;

4.      Law Enforcement/Arson Dogs;

5.      Military Dogs;

6.      Search and Rescue Dogs;

7.      Service Dogs;

8.      Therapy Dogs.

The American Humane Association is asking for our help to select the winners! All you have to do is go to http://www.herodogawards.org/view-entries.html and select a category, then vote on the dog of your choice. You can vote for a dog in each of the categories, once per day. The voting ends July 31st so there's no time to waste! As an added benefit, for every vote received, the Cesar Canine Cuisine brand will make a donation to the American Humane Association.

In addition to prize packages and a cash grant awarded to the representative charity partner, the dog winning the 2011 Hero Dog Award will be honoured at a red carpet, celebrity-filled awards gala October 1st at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Plus, the event will be broadcast in a 90-minute televised special premiering on the Hallmark Channel November 11, 2011 at 8:00PM, ET/PT.

In conjunction with the event, the Legacy Award will also be presented to a deserving  person or animal in recognition of a heroic deed.

Every vote counts, so click here to start voting!!

Penny Goes Cycling

August 11, 2011

My work schedule always seems to infringe on my exercise time at the club, so in order to keep up a somewhat basic level of fitness I’ve taken to riding my bike to work. As I always bring Penny, my canine side-kick with me, I chose a Solvit Tagalong pet bicycle basket in which to transport my precious pooch (works for dogs up to 13 pounds).  Installed in just minutes, Penny fits securely inside and the leash clip keeps her in place should she happen to spot a cat en route… an important feature since Penny loves to chase cats. Especially handy are the convenient pockets that allow me to stash my sunglasses, keys, leash, wallet, water bottle and more.  You can even remove the basket, click on the shoulder strap and use the basket as a portable pet carrier.  Brilliant! Also be prepared for the loads of “cute” comments as you cycle past bystanders. 

For those wishing a more classic look, Solvit also make a wicker-style model.

 

My Dog Was Slimed!

June 25, 2011

Last weekend's getaway to Salt Spring Island turned out to be a slimy espcade for Penny, my over-adventurous Wire-Haired Dachshund. Saturday morning found her racing through the wet grass then dashing (as only a Dash-Hound can, pardon the pun), into the forest whereupon I heard her excitedly barking after some thing or another. She returned a short while later looking like a drowned rat. There was no way she was going to roam around the house (or my car) without being washed first. I plopped her into the sink for what I thought was going to be a quick shampoo and blow dry. Little did I know that she was covered in a film of slime that simply would not wash out. As a matter of fact, the water made the slime more adhesive and actually grow in volume! Even after four repeated shampoos we had made absolutely no headway with the apparently insolvent, slippery slime. In all my years of owning dogs, I have never encountered this phenomenon. Googling "slime on dogs", I learned that Penny had most likely rolled on a slug (the one she encountered must have been a giant one that released its full arsenal of slime upon her).  My Web search also provided me with the information I needed to remove the slime, the most effective means being wiping off as much as possible prior to washing (too late for that), so I took out my hair drier and blow-dried her, the warm air effectively drying her fur and the slime along with it. I was then able to comb out most of it and then snip off any remaining globby clumps. I'm interested to know if anyone else has had a similar experience with slug slime and what you did to remove it.

 

Here's a photo of super-slimy Penny looking rather forlorn (probably knowing a bath is on the agenda)!

 

 

Take Your Dog To Work Day

June 24, 2011

An awesome benefit of working at Modern Dog is that I get to bring my dog to work with me every single day. No more do I have to say those daily farewells to my furry best friend (as I did in previous jobs), closing the door on those sad eyes that beseech me to take her along. And no longer do I have to suffer the guilt and anxiousness about leaving her alone for lengthy periods each day. If you're wishing your office was dog friendly too, well, you're not alone. A Modern Dog survey determined that 54% of our readers would take a lesser paying job for the privilege of being able to bring their dog to work with them.  

If there were ever a good time to broach this subject with your boss, it's now, as Friday June 24th is Pet Sitters  13th annual Take Your Dog To Work Day created for the purpose of showing your dog-less co-workers what wonderful companions dogs make and encourage them to adopt a dog themselves from a shelter or rescue organization (how could your boss refuse when it's such a worthy cause!!). Thousands of businesses throughout the world will be participating in this event... if you missed the boat this year and didn't plan ahead, start planning early for next year's event. You will, of course, need your employer's consent/cooperation and you'll want to make sure you've got your co-workers on board with the idea too.

First and foremost you'll want to make sure Bandit is well-groomed, fresh smelling and good-mannered (a Canine Good Citizen certificate would earn you and poochie brownie points). You'll also want to make sure that he gets some regular bathroom breaks so there won't be any embarrassing mishaps on the office floor. To be on the safe side we recommend having the appropriate cleaning supplies on hand "just in case". For more ideas on how to plan a successful dog-on-the-job day, visit Pet Sitter's official Take Your Dog To Work Day site.

Good luck!

 

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