First attempt

I bought some organic peanut butter and molasses treats for Maddie on a trip to a pet store last month. Looking over the ingredients, I thought, ‘Hey, I can make these.’ And as they tasted pretty cardboardy, ‘Hey, I can make these taste better.’ (Not that Maddie cares about the taste. I’ve seen what she eats when she’s outside.)

I made my first attempt at duplicating the recipe Friday night. I didn’t quite have everything I needed in my pantry, but I had enough so I punted. The ingredient list names organic oat flour, organic rye flour, natural peanut butter, organic whole oats, whole eggs, canola oil, unsulphered molasses, and sunflower seeds. I didn’t have oat flour so I substituted organic wheat flour, and I didn’t have sunflower seeds.

I mixed everything together and it tasted rather good, even by human standards. I wanted to make them crunchier than the other treats I had made, so after browning one side, I put them back in the oven. Mistake. The extra few minutes gave them a lovely burned flavor. While that turned me off, it didn’t seem to bother Maddie. She gobbles them up every time we give her one.

The next time I go to the store, I’ll pick up some oat flour and sunflower seeds and try again.

D.O.G. Book — Beck

Beck will be three years old in April. He’s half rottweiler and half black lab, at least that’s the best guess. He’s a happy boy — that’s the lab side. He likes chasing squirrels, rabbits and deer. He’s definitely a dog and people lover. Originally I was going to name him Steiny after one of my favorite authors, John Steinbeck. But my mother preferred Beck, so that stuck.

D.O.G. Book — Boji

Boji is a shiba inu, which most people translate to looks-like-a-fox. When his owner bought him, he made sure to get the most rambunctious puppy in the litter. Though nearly 3, Boji still gets excited when anyone comes in the door. He loves to play tug with his rope, and he also loves to chase his squeaker fish and his rubber ball with a bell in it. Boji’s overall a pretty quiet, laid-back dog. He loves to sleep in the sun or by a radiator heater, and he loves long walks so he can sniff everything known to man. Oh, and he’ll do tricks for treats.

Selective memory?

Why do dogs seem to forget ‘roll over’ after they learned it? Maddie twice now has forgotten it after being a roll over expert. She just will not do it any more, even when there’s a treat involved. One of the dogs on our play date Sunday has the same issue. Do they just not like doing it? Or is there something else to it?

Maddie’s Photo Gallery — Radiant River

I love to look at pictures of other animals. Email your pictures to me at maddie@freeoftheleash.com, and Mommy will post them. — Maddie

This is my friend, River. His owners belong to the same triathlon club as my Mommy. By Rob Van Pelt

Playing in the snow

Maddie had her second group play date this afternoon. We again went to the park and this time met Beck and Boji.

Maddie and Beck had hung out before, but neither had met Boji. Once the Shiba Inu warmed up to the other two doing the dog thing and sniffing his behind, the trio had a blast running around.

Maddie finally crashed when we got home. I am having trouble typing right now as she is sacked out on my lap and I’m stretching over her to get to my computer.

Beck and Maddie

Maddie, Boji and Beck

Maddie’s Cookbook — Quick Dog Treats

I have just started exploring opportunities to make treats for Maddie. As we experiment in the kitchen, I will post our successful recipes. If you have your own recipes, go ahead and post them in the comment section, or send them to Maddie at maddie@freeoftheleash.com

Maddie and her friends on our play date loved these. I made two versions, lamb and sweet potato, and veal and peas.

Quick Dog Treats

Recipe Courtesy of Eco Dog

1 c. organic wheat germ

2 small jars organic baby food

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a baking sheet with butter or a little oil.

2. Combine the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on the baking sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake 25-30 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Variation: Try adding 2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed or flaxseed meal for a shiny coat.

Maddie’s Cookbook — Shiny-Coat Treats

I have just started exploring opportunities to make treats for Maddie. As we experiment in the kitchen, I will post our successful recipes. If you have your own recipes, go ahead and post them in the comment section, or send them to Maddie at maddie@freeoftheleash.com

Shiny-Coat Treats

Recipe courtesy of Eco Dog

1 c. organic whole-wheat flour

1/4 tsp. salt

4 1/2 Tbsp. flaxseed meal

1 organic egg

1 Tbsp. organic honey

1/3 c. organic beef or chicken stock

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease a baking sheet with butter or a little oil.

2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and flaxseed meal. In another bowl, combine the egg and honey.

3. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture and add stock until the dough has the consistency of drop biscuits.

4. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between biscuits. Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove, cool on a wire rack, and store, tightly covered, in a glass or ceramic container for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.

Quick treats at home

I made four batches of homemade dog treats in the past 50 minutes. They were super easy and if her joy in licking out the bowl is any indication, Maddie is going to love them.

We first made two batches of Quick Dog Treats from the Eco Dog book. They are just organic wheat germ and two jars of baby food. I made one batch with lamb and sweet potatoes, and one with veal and peas.

We then made two batches of Shiny-Coat Treats, a tad more complicated. Instead of two ingredients, these take six.

I’m going to bring the Quick Dog Treats to our puppy get-together in an hour and see how they go over. When I get back, I’ll post recipes and pictures (if they get two paws up from everyone!).

The incredible shedding dog

Maddie isn’t actually too bad in the shedding department. We notice some hair around, but only once, during her fall shedding, did we really have a fur problem.

Where we do notice it is in the vacuum cleaner.

When we first got Maddie, Rob and I decided we needed a Dyson, the super-suctiony (yes, that is a word. Being a professional writer, I am using poetic license) vacuum with a specific line for pet owners. Rob is in a monthly poker game with some friends, and he noticed immediately when one of the guys got a Dyson. The cat and dog hair allergies did not bother him when they played at that person’s house.

So that was our big Christmas present from our family members. And it is great.

I don’t know where it finds all the fur it sucks up, but I had to empty the bin three times just cleaning the living room. Then I did the area rug in the bedroom, and it found another ton of the fur. Between the vacuum and when I brush her, we could build another whole Maddie!