Cheesy Whole Wheat Dog Treats

-Post by Patricia

Dare I admit that I have never really been a dog person? I know many people love their dogs like they might love their own children, but I have never been one of those people.

When you are raising five children, the amount of pee, poop, and vomit you deal with is no small amount. And I just never wanted to deal with that when it came to adding a dog to the family.

But that changed when a certain dog came into my life. A dog I like so much (ok, love) that I actually bake dog treats for him. Go figure.

This is our sweet Chewie. The guy really lives up to him name too. He has been know to destroy everything from a fabulous pair of new high-heels, to a complete set of wooden toy blocks.

But he is always forgiven, of course. Just look at that face.

I whipped up this batch of easy cheesy dog treats for Chewie, and he loved them. They look especially cute when you use a bone shaped cookie-cutter, and it's an easy shape for your dog to eat.

These treats are great to give as gifts too, around the holidays, to the dog and dog-lover in your life.
I guarantee the pups will gobble them up.


Recipe for Cheesy Whole Wheat Dog Treats

Ingredients:

3 cups whole wheat flour
11/2 cups cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 cup water or beef broth

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place flour in medium bowl, add cheese, egg, and water or broth. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Roll out dough on floured surface to about 3/8 of an inch thick.
Use cookie cutter to cut shapes. Place them on a foil lined cookie sheet and cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until firm.

Makes about 2 dozen treats, depending on cookie-cutter size.

Missing My Pup

We were at the mall looking around at clothing for the Fall and Summer clearance when my son spotted this display of Boo Dogs. He told me "Mom I miss my puppy Kosha". It made me so sad that he misses our dog. She was not a puppy but to him she was. The two of them were the sweetest pair of boy and dog. As soon as we get a home of our own the first thing I am getting him is a black lab puppy. I can buy him a million dog stuffed animals, and I do lol, but nothing is like having a real dog. I miss that sweet pup too.

We were updated by the people who opened their hearts and homes to our dog and she has found a permanent home with a woman who loves her. They said the woman was feeling lonely and not much made her want to go out and live life but having a dog as sweet as she is made this woman feel loved and a purpose. When I read the email update I was at work and tears started streaming down my face. I am happy someone loves Kosha as much as we did and she is living a good life.

PETSMART Review and Giveaway

 

If you are a pet owner and love getting your furry friend great quality products you know you can trust PETSMART. 

Not only do they have everything you could ever imagine for your pet they have a line called Martha Stewart PETS. If you are a Martha lover like me than you know that if she gives it a stamp of approval it must be good. The Martha Stewart PETS line carries products for your dog or cat. Everything from toys, clothes, beds, leashes, bowls and feeders and more.

We recently celebrated our dog Chewie's 1st birthday. My boys were so excited to give him his new Martha Stewart PETS toys and clothes they could hardly stand it!

Here are all of the great toys and clothing items he received,  needless to say he is spoiled :)

GIVEAWAY

Win a Martha Stewart PetSmart item up to $25


a Rafflecopter giveaway




*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts May 6 2013 and ends on May 19, 2013 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.

Sacramento Kennel Club Dog Show 2013

Sunday morning we attended the Sacramento Kennel Club Dog Show. I was so glad we were able to make it on the last day. My son had so much fun last year I knew this year he would be delighted to go. We were watching Good Day Sacramento on tv with a morning cup of coffee and saw the preview of the Dog Show. My son was so happy and asked to go so we jumped in the car and drove down to Sacramento.

I am happy we went! My son adores dogs, he always asks people at parks if he can pet their dog. He gets the biggest smile on his face. Since we moved and had to find a new home for our dog ( you can red the story about that here) my son has asked about our dog a lot, he still calls her his dog and when he sees a black lab he yells her name. It breaks my heart! I knew he would love to see all the dogs at the show.

He was so excited for all the different dog breeds. He asked what kind they were and what their names were. He got many dog kisses lol which for him was awesome! He got to shake some paws, give a few high fives and petted so many dogs he could not stop smiling.

Last year his favorite dog was a Great Dane named Patrick. This year we met the sweetest, mellow dog I have ever met, Anya. She is an Anatolian dog that originates from Turkey. Anya's owners were just as sweet as she is! They let my son pet her, shake her hand, look in her mouth at all her teeth, mess with her paws, touch her tail and the dog even laid down to get belly rubs! My son did not want to leave the dog. The owners live and breed the dogs on Rare Breed Ranch in Northern CA. It was nice to meet breeders that were from Cali.

Anya the Anatolian dog. She is so mellow!! 

Another Dog from the Rare Breed Ranch, Boris 

He did a few crying fits since after all he is 3 1/2, he wanted to get in the ring with the dogs. He put his little hands on the gate to watch as close as he could without getting in there and a volunteer came over and told him dont touch the fencing and gave me a look. He loves dogs he cant help it! :)

My son took this picture. He wanted to pet them then take a pic lol

He cried again when he could not pet EVERY dog he saw. The poor kid would have stayed all day petting dogs if I let him. We were there a few hours and when we left he asked me pretty please can we go back. I am glad he had so much fun. I am hoping by next year he will have his own dog to go home to.

Taking more pictures of the dogs in the ring that he could not pet

* We were guests of the Sacramento Dog Show and received tickets to enter. This is a non paid post.

Sacramento Cal Expo First Ever Puppy Show Oct. 13-14

Earlier in the year my family and I attended a Dog Show at Cal Expo in Sacramento CA. My son loved it! All the dogs were great and the trainers so informative and friendly. My son's favorite part was when he was able to meet a litter of Jack Russel puppies. He loves puppies, everyone loves puppies right?!? This weekend Cal Expo in Sacramento CA is hosting the First Ever Puppy Show. It will be a fun and cute time!

First-Ever Puppy Show Comes to Cal Expo

-Hundreds of puppies, pet product vendors, dog lovers and media expected to attend the first-ever Sacramento Puppy Show, hosted by the Sacramento Kennel Club-

What: The Sacramento Kennel Club, a member of the American Kennel Club (AKC), will host the inaugural Sacramento Puppy Show at Cal Expo-Saturday October 13 and Sunday, October 14^th.

A great family event, the Sacramento Puppy Show will offer pet lovers dozens of opportunities to celebrate all things dog! Bringyour pet (or even just a photo) and communicate with one of our pet psychics; let your dog run through our agility course, or watch dog agility demonstrations throughout the day; plan your dog’s birthday party, or participate in a dog wedding; enjoy AKC breed and puppy competitions; adopt a pet from area rescue groups and shelters; enter your dog in one of our fun costume contests; win fun prizes and shop some of the best pet and specialty vendors around!

This is a dog friendly event, and you won’t want to miss it!

When:                 Saturday, October 13^thopen from 9am-5pm

Sunday, October 14^th open from 10am-4pm

Where:               Cal Expo, Building C

                                    1600 Exposition Blvd.

                                    Sacramento, CA 95815

Dog Wedding, 10/13:

Event highlights include a dog wedding where pet owners can let two dogs get hitched at a wedding. Participants will receive the wedding ceremony, a puptual photo, and goodie bag. The dog wedding will take place on Saturday, October 13^th at 1pm.

Dog Costume Contest, 10/14:

Additionally, and just in time for Halloween, a dog costume contest will be held in three categories- best dog/owner team or best group costume; most original; and best celebrity look-a-like costume. Register at the show, beginning at 12:00. The contest will begin at 1:00 sharp.   

                          

Schedule:            Saturday, October 13^th

                           11am- Puppy Competition

                           1pm- Dog Wedding

                           3pm- Adult Dog Competition

                           Sunday, October 14^th

                           11am- AKC Puppy Match

                           1pm- Costume Contest

                           3pm- AKC Adult Dog Match   

Shopping, dog agility demonstrations and an open course, birthday party planning, giveaways, games, adoptions and psychic readings will be available all day,every day.

Cost:                   $5 Advance Tickets Online

$10 Event Tickets at the Door

                           $8.50 Seniors (60+) & Juniors (13-18)

Children under 12 are well behaved, leashed dogs are free.

For complete event, competition and ticket information, visit www.SacramentoPuppyShow.com and ‘like’ us at www.facebook.com/CalExpoDogShow or follow our tweets @CalExpoDogShow.

Medication Discounts for your Pets with Walgreens Prescriptions Savings Club

Having no prescription healthcare plan can be very stressful. Finding a discount club that works for your family can be a lot of info that you might not understand. When you have pets that do not have coverage that can be stressful too. While looking online at Walgreens.com I found the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club that provides your family and your pets medication discounts. Your pets will be on the plan and can get human equivalent medications when available.

 It was really easy to sign up. The Pharmacist asked me a few questions to get my info and signed me up in minutes. They explained to me about the benefits and to look online for the list of medications the plan covers and the discounts I can expect.

While at Walgreens I picked up a couple items. A birthday card, Walgreens brand honey lip balm and Dog Treats for my dog. My son has been trying to teach our dog to listen to him more. He is just a toddler but we want the dog to realize when he says down or sit that he should be listened to as well. So far with treats its working, although sometimes the dog just takes the treat and dashes into the yard.

 For us the prescription discounts for our dog is important. My dog suffers from skin allergies. If I use the wrong type of laundry soap or she is out in thick grass she will sneeze and at the worst break out in hives that make her look like a big tortoise. We have worried about her at times not being able to afford the medications the vet recommended but we did have a vet tell us we can get her human allergy medication and adjust the dosage to her weight. It was a relief knowing we could find some relief for her. I did not know where to start as far as getting the dog allergy medication but when I found the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club it was informative and encouraging that we could afford medication for the dog.

My son happily feeds the treats to the dog in the back yard. She can roll in the grass and play out there all day as long as we can get her allergy meds on days its too much for her. You can sign up to the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club for your family including your pets. We paid $35 for a year. Not bad considering the amount of money we will save.

You can read my Google+ story about my shopping trip and all the sales and savings I spotted while shopping. #rxsavingsclub

*I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Walgreens. #CBias #SocialFabric

Positive Pet Ownership Tips

I have been a dog person since I was a toddler. My mom has the cutest picture of me and our dog Snowball when I was only 4 years old. From then on I have had many dogs and as an adult a few more. There are a few things I have learned over the years about being a pet owner.

#1 Crate training is essential. 

Even if your dog is an outside dog having them be comfortable in a crate is important. I have a big dog, a black lab and we trained her as a puppy. Just recently she needed to be in her crate while construction work was being done for her own safety. 

Crate training is also a vital part of potty training early on. It will take about a week of dedication but it will pay off for you and your dog. With my dog we would have her hang out in the crate for an hour or so then take her to the back door and ring a little bell that was hanging from a string. I would ring the bell and then open the door to take her potty. After she went to the bathroom I would tell her she was good and jump around all excited. Then back in the house right away. For the first week the back yard or outside was only for potty. I did not let her play out there just yet. She would play and run around the house then into the crate for a bit. Each time she came out of the crate we would go to the back door, ring the little bell, tell her potty and go out back. We did this for a 4 day weekend we had and by the fourth day of this consistent routine she went to the door and rang her little bell and sat waiting for me. SUCCESS! To this day my dog has only peed in the house twice and she is 7 years old. Be sure when they are little to respond to the bell ringing. Even if your tired and she was just out there, say potty and take her out back. 

Without the crate being the spot she was in hanging out during training I am sure she would have found a hidden spot to pee or poo. The crate is what helped her know to wait since she did not want to pee in her own bed. 

I also want to add do not do the old fashioned "rub their nose in it" or punish a dog for a potty accident. This will create a fear driven pottier. I am not a dog expert in the slightest just have seen dogs positive attitude destroyed by the fear of needing to go. 

#2 Toys keep a dog entertained.

 Dogs just like us get bored. When you buy toys for them change them out with older toys. I buy toys for my dog when there is a sale like a holiday has passed and the toys have gone on clearance. My dog will not know a bunny or snowman is a seasonal thing. If you keep their toys on a cycle they will not get bored with them. This also works on my toddler lol

#3 Positive Praise.

Just  like kids dogs enjoy praise for things they have done good. Training is a constant for dogs, even older dogs need to be reminded that their good behavior is still appreciated. I know with my dog when she rings her bell I still cheer for her and its been almost 7 years. She still wags her tail and dances around with excited. 

#4 Learning new behaviors.

Keep training them. Dogs need to be learning new things and to practice learned skills. Starting with a dog training collars can be helpful for older dogs that may have already learned un-wanted behaviors to help correct them. My dog can sit, stay and come with hand commands. I dont have to say a word just a gesture. We still keep up the practice with little drills in the back yard. She needs to know I know she listens and is sharp with her skills. We are currently working on a new skill of high five. Its a tough one for her since I did not teach her shake or to put her paws up on people. We knew we would be starting a family in the near future when we bought our dog so we tried to teach her skills to be kid ready for when we did have children around her. 

#5 Personal space for your dog.

Dogs like alone time too. They should have a den like area even just a dog bed that would be all theirs in your own home if its outside or inside make your dog their own space. One that you dont mess with or the kids. We have a dog in our neighborhood that is always kept in the front yard on a busy street corner with a chain link fence. He barks at everything and appears to be under constant stress. He sees every one and animal that goes by and he is always on guard. He barks at cars too and its a busy street. I always say if he just had his own little house or some fencing that was not see thru he would be more mellow. 

Those are my 5 tips for a positive dog ownership. I hope you find them helpful. I am not a dog expert in anyway just a dog owner for many many years.

At a local dog show checking out the puppies

This post is brought to you as a part of the Dog Days of Summer Campaign, hosted by the folks at dog training collars. It is my hope that these tips help pet owners and their pooches have a harmonious summer.

Martha Stewart Pets: PetSmart Rain Coat and Collar Review and Giveaway

My husband and I have had dogs for many years before we had kids. Our dogs were the "kids" in our lives back then. Now that we have our son, the dog and him are best friends. I love how much my son loves the dog and how much the dog adores him. We take our son to PetSmart often so he can see all the fish, lizards and hamsters. He always makes his way to the dog section to look at the dog toys. He makes me laugh how he cuddles the dog toys. He tells me he wants them for his "Kosha" our dog, he renamed the dog once he began to talk. I tell him her real name but he says No Dog is Kosha. So I guess thats her name for now lol.

For the Spring Time we like to get the dog a rain coat for when she goes out and its pouring rain. My son loves that she has one. He puts his on with his boots and we put hers on. He thinks its hilarious to see her in her rain coat. I was impressed with the quality of the Martha Stewart Pets Orange Raincoat. Its durable and colorful with cute bone patterns. My dog does not like to get her ears wet so the hood is perfect for her on rainy days.

Of course since we have a girl dog she is a fashion hound! My dog loves to wear a new collar, its like how I am with shoes. For Christmas she got a Martha Stewart Pets collar that we love. Its cute and durable. The quality is what I enjoy about the Martha Stewart Pets line. I am a huge fan of Martha Stewart, my dog's official middle name is Martha, after you know who :)

It seems fitting to have my dog to wear Martha Stewart Pets items. She loved the new Martha Stewart Pets Houndstooth Flower Collar. She pranced around the backyard in it. I could hardly get her to hold still for a picture. The collars are bright and like all the Martha products they are fashionable. She will be the cutest dog at the dog park, yes I am biased about how cute my dog is.

We also were sent a cute Martha Stewart Pets Jumbo Bunny in Egg dog toy but as soon as my son spotted it he claimed it and ran off with it. He loves dog toys. Its really cute and it squeaks. He has been taking it with us out shopping and someone asked where we got the cute toy, I had to explain its a Martha Stewart dog toy lol.

 GIVEAWAY

Win a Martha Stewart Pets Raincoat and Collar from PetSmart (in the size you need)


To Enter This Giveaway:

 What other item from Martha Stewart Pets line do you like?

*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

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#Win Martha Stewart Pets Raincoat and Collar from @PetSmart at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 5/14 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/05/martha-stewart-pets-petsmart-rain-coat.html

 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts May 2, 2012 and ends on May 14th, 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. I was provided the item reviewed in this post for free by the company or PR company that represents them. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Mr. Chewy Orijen Dog Food Review

Just like with the rest of my family I like to make sure my dog is eating enough and getting the proper nutrition. Sometimes for us on a budget it means getting my dog a base food an then adding in a higher end food. She thinks of it as a treat to get great dog food like Orijen with her normal food. Its like being able to have lobster for dinner when you normally eat chicken. She really loved the flavor and I loved the high quality ingredients. 

Orijen is a Canadian dog food brand. They select all their ingredients regionally including free range chicken and turkey and wild caught fish. Almost sounds good enough for me to try! Orijen Adult Dog Food is Biologically Appropriate. Which means "formulated to nourish dogs and cats in keeping with their evolutionary and anatomical adaptation to protein-rich diets that include a broad variety of fresh meats." Many dog foods have the first ingredient as corn or corn meal, this is not the natural main ingredient a dog would eat, they are meat eaters by nature. I love that Orijen Dog food contains no corn. My dog has refused some brands of dog food and I assumed she was picky but she is not, she just knows she likes meat!

Mr.Chewy.com carries a variety of Dog and Cat food including Orijen Adult Dog Food that can be delivered to your dog step. No more trying to get a big bag into your cart than into the house. Makes shopping for dog food super easy. With a wild two year year old and a busy schedule it can be easier to have it delivered.

 *I was not paid for our review. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others. I was provided the product mentioned in this post to review for free from the PR company that represents them.