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Another Great WalMart Find

On the same day I found the Grandma’s Casserole, I decide to look up another dog food that had peaked my interest that is kept in a colder.  Freshpet Selects slice and serve.  Looking at the package makes one think this would be a very helpful dog food, but as we all know packaging can be very deceiving, otherwise I would be feeding my dogs Beneful  with all the pictures of vegetables and fresh meat on the package.

However when I did my research on Freshpet Select I was very pleasantly surprised as it gets a five star rating! And you can buy it in most grocery stores!!

This product comes in a roll, I take it and stuff my dogs Kong’s and that is how I now serve them there dinner.  Not only do the dogs love this new twist at dinner time, it takes them a while to eat it, so I get a few min to unwind or in most cases fix my two legged family their dinner.

We give Freshpet Selects Four Paws Up!   Let us know if your dog likes it as much as ours.

I’ve got a beef with chicken jerky

I’ve got a beef with chicken jerky
This summer more shocking news flooded in that seemingly innocent dog treats were causing more harm than happiness. Complaints surfaced from pet owners with reason to believe their pets died shortly after eating certain brands of chicken jerky. These new cases added to over two thousand illnesses and deaths that had previously been reported.
So what’s the jury on this jerky? Speculations have been made about the treats’ origin. The product in question, Nestle Purina’s Waggin’ Train Yam Good, is made in China despite misleading packaging that reads, “Waggin’ Train of St Louis Missouri.”
An April investigation by the FDA, which attempted to produce samples from plants in China, was less than successful. No samples were permitted to be released for U.S. testing and it was also discovered by investigators that the number of previous routine tests that were conducted on the meat in question ranged from few to none.
But this news is far from new. The first warning about chicken jerky was released back in 2007. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a caution to pet owners in regard to chicken jerky products imported from China. That warning has since been updated in late 2011 and can be reviewed here. However, no proof has yet to be established that these sicknesses and deaths are directly related to the consumption of chicken jerky from China, which is why the treats can still be found on shelves.
Aside from the fact that the U.S. permits pet food to be irradiated at almost twice the limit considered safe for human consumption, this particular case is more likely related to the meat and other specific ingredients that are found in the chicken jerky.
Since the product has yet to be recalled it up to you to protect your pets. We recommended avoiding chicken jerky until further information is provided explaining the exact cause of these unnatural deaths. Many safe alternatives are available, as well as more natural options.
Check back next week for more information on this issue as well as recommendations on some of our most loved dog treats.

Rescue or Buying

It seems very popular to say, “I have ‘rescued’ this animal.” In the past many people went to the “pound” to get a pet, but Rescue a Puppynow it is all about rescue. Gee whiz I thought I was rescuing when I went to the pound and got a dog. I think there is a big difference between rescue and pound animals. The animals that are lucky enough to be grabbed up by a rescue group normally go into a foster home. So when you adopt from them they can tell you a lot about the dog, like if is she good with other dogs, cats, or had a problem with strangers, and so on. When you go directly to the shelter you do not get much information. If you are a newbie to pet ownership you should think about going through a rescue group or buying from a reputable breeder

On the other hand I also hear people condemn people who buy a dog from a good breeder. Why? They say there are too many dogs that don’t have homes, too many dogs in our shelters. I agree with both of those statements but do not agree with the view that buying a dog from a reputable breeder is wrong. We seem to have gotten confused with where the problem began — with backyard breeders, those people who refuse to have their dogs neutered or spayed, and puppy mills. I would stand by stricter laws to govern the backyard breeders, the puppy mills and people who do not alter their pet, but in my mind there is nothing wrong with purchasing a puppy from a good breeder. A good breeder takes the time to make sure her puppies are socialized, usually housebreaks them, and they are very choosy about who gets one of their puppies. A reputable breeder keeps records of any kind of illnesses or diseases and is always willing to take a dog back if something happens that causes the family to be unable to keep the dog.

Sometimes trying to get a dog from a rescue group can be quite frustrating. They have many rules and regulations and in many ways these are good. The problem comes when there is no common sense used in the application of the rules. One of the rescue groups I know of has a rule that if you do not have a fenced in yard, you can not adopt one of their dogs. I know many people who have owned dogs all their lives and have never had a fenced in yard. The dogs had wonderful lives, they were walked, taken for runs in parks and taken camping, and yet the answer is still no.

I have known people who have tried to work with rescue groups that were turned down because they had a child under 10 in their household. I certainly realize that young children are not always ready to handle a dog but that’s not always true. There are many children who have been raised with dogs and are perfectly fine with them, but again the answer is just no.

I hear rescue groups send out messages, “Urgent, need help, foster homes, need adoptive parents,” and yet when people want to adopt they hit this brick wall. I realize a lot of this is a way of protecting dogs from bad situations, but I just don’t see any common sense being used. I don’t see people looking at a situation and evaluating that situation before making a decision.

All these brick walls end up sending people who would like to rescue a dog trying to find a reputable breeder instead. Unfortunately not all of these people know how to tell who is reputable and who is not and they end up purchasing a puppy from a backyard breeder or a puppy mill. There has to be a better way for everyone to work together, to make sure that people who want a dog and who are responsible enough to have a dog get one without supporting bad breeders.

What are your thoughts? What are your experiences? Are you as frustrated as I am?

Peanut Butter Apple Dog Biscuits

Peanut Butter and Apple Dog Biscuits

 

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flower

Dogs love this recipe!1 1/2 Cup White unbleached flourPeanut Butter and Apple dog treats

1 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup peanut oil

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup diced dried apples

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

 

Preheat oven to 350 digress; Blend together the apple, water, vanilla, eggs and peanut oil. Stir in the flower, oats, to form soft dough. Roll the dough into balls, put on a baking sheet, flatten (I rolled out and used cookie cutter) Bake for 25 minutes or until hard and crisp

 

Carrot and Oatmeal Dog Treats

This is an easy to make wholesome treat for your dog.  It is an easy way to increase the intake of vegetables in your dog’s diet.

2 cups whole wheat flour

Dog treats made with carrots and oatmeal2 cups cooked and pureed carrotsCarrot and oatmeal puppy treats

2 large eggs

1 cup oatmeal

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon canola oil

¼ cup wheat germ

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine and mix the carrots, eggs and oil.  In a separate bowl combine the remaining dry ingredients.  Mix both bowls together and knead until becomes a soft dough. Roll out on a floured surface and cut into desired shapes.  Bake 35-40 minutes. Turn off the oven and remove cookies. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and then return to the warm oven to dry for about an hour

 

Molasses Peanut Rewards

Molasses Peanut Rewards

Molasses is a sweetener that is actually good for your dog, providing manganese and other trace minerals.

Use natural peanut butter in dog treats 4tbsp blackstrap molassesMolasses Peanut Butter Dog Rewards

1/2 cup of peanut butter

1 cup water

6 tbsp vegetable oil

11/2 cups rolled oats

2 cups wheat flour

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the molasses, peanut butter, water and vegetable oil. Combine the oats and flour.  Slowly add to the wet ingredients. Mix and drop tablespoon (large) teaspoons (mid) onto baking sheet and press down. Bake for 25-30 or till firm. Calories 84g, Protein 2.2g, carbohydrates 9.3g, Dietary Fiber 1.6g, Fat 4.5g

 

Pumpkin Dog Treats

Pumpkin dog Treats

Pumpkin is very good for a dog’s digestive system and they love molasses

 

Pumpkin Dog Treats½ cup pumpkin pureedog shaped treats

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 tbsp blackstrap molasses

1 tsp cinnamon

4 tbsp water (or beef broth)

Round pumpkin dog treats¼ tsp baking powderBone shapes pumpkin dog treats

2 tbsp vegetable oil

¼ tsp baking soda

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Blend together the pumpkin puree, molasses, water and vegetable oil. Stir in the flower, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda to form soft dough. Roll the dough into balls, put on a baking sheet, flatten (I sometimes roll out and used cookie cutter) Bake for 25 minutes or until hard and crisp

Notes: will last up to 2 weeks in airtight container Calories …. 35, Protein ….0.7g, Carbohydrates…. 6.1g, Fat ….0.9g