Difficult Decisions

Our dogs are like family.  When I rescued Hammond from some bad owners he fit right in to our family. I thought I would find  someone to take him, but time passed and he stayed with us.

I don't know his full history, and honestly I don't want to know.  I do know he was very mistreated so when he got here he loved running around the backyard and playing with Fergus.

And he loved snuggling and loving.

Even when we brought Baby Fish home, he seemed to adjust without a problem.

Unfortunately a few months afterwords he started obsessively chewing his paws.  And when we would get on the floor to play he would push Baby Fish out of the way and get between us.  Not exactly the best behavior around a baby.  He liked her petting him when it was on his terms, otherwise he would snarl at her.  Once that happened I became even more vigilant at not allowing them to be alone together, and started talking to friends about re-homing him.  I was not about to risk my daughter getting bit.  Tonight there was an incident that was too close for my liking.  So with a heavy heart I started calling rescues to figure out where he can go, because I don't trust him anymore.  One local rescue I contacted wanted $1000 to take him immediately and it was a $300 "donation" for them to help find a home while he stayed with us.  Others couldn't take him because I didn't live in their area, or couldn't take him till the end of the month.  I had one last option.  Megan's Paws and Claws.  Although they do not take owner surrender anymore they were kind enough to post on their page that we needed a new home for him ASAP. There, of course, were the standard "did she try ____" it was so hard to not respond myself and say, hey, I'm NOT risking my daughter getting bit period. If you aren't commenting that you are interested then move along.  I had two potential adopters for him, and chose a wonderful lady that lives very close by so I can keep in touch.

Love you buddy.

I get to do a project!

Hello my readers!  I know it's been a while, but that's how it goes when you have a baby!  She's growing like crazy and changing every day!

If you have followed my blog at all over the last few years you are familiar with my pup Fergus, and his penchant for barking at EVERYTHING.  So much to the point that I've had to put in a window covering to block his view, and unfortunately mine.

Photo Challenge - Photo 50, Outside

Well I missed a day, trying to keep up with a photo challenge on top of everything else life throws at you, sometimes you forget...tee hee!  Well I'm just going to skip that day and the rest of the pictures will be a day behind!

Today's challenge photo is simply outside, I took this photo a few days ago, but I just love the way it looks!  So I'm using it as my challenge photo.

Photo Challenge - Photo 49, Inside

Today has been a long day!  Up early to take some kiddos to cheer practice and been going almost nonstop ever since!  Today's challenge photo was taken inside my house, and was a shot I have been trying to get for a while, but I usually get interrupted by Hammond when I am down on the floor with Fergus, but I finally got the shot of my oldest puppy's paws!

Photo Challenge - Photo 36, Precious

There is nothing more precious to me than my dogs.  They are my babies!  So this photo shows what is precious to me.

Dog sweater

I had the darndest time trying to start a new crochet project.  I don't think I have ever had such a time trying to decide what to do.  I've had this fun funky self patterning yarn for a while now.  And I was looking for the "just right" project for it.

I don't know how many times I started and stopped various projects with this yarn, and other yarn, before I finally settled on a dog sweater for my beagle Hammond.  And not just any dog sweater.  This pattern is supposed to be the end all be all of dog sweaters,  based on your dog's individual measurements...it's not a pattern as much as it is a tutorial.  And best yet, it's FREE!  Yup...head on over to Jenna Wingate Designs, and download the PDF!  I LOVE free patterns!!!  If I wasn't distracted by things like cooking and cleaning I would have been able to complete this project much faster.

As it is, my pup hasn't wanted me to take this off him, even when I was just trying it on for fit while I was working on it!

But now that it's completed he has been snug as a bug in a rug.

Stay warm!

I scream, you scream, but this is dog ice cream!

As hot as it's been it is only fair that my 4-legged children get some cool treats too.  They love the pop-ice, but those really have no nutritional value.

My youngest also loves a simple block of ice to lick on when it's hot.  

Years ago I was introduced to "Frosty Paws" dog ice cream.  But at $5 for 8 small cups...it's just a bit expensive.  So I went researching, and found a homemade alternative, found on doggy loot

The basic recipe:

32 oz. plain yogurt1 mashed ripe banana2 tablespoons peanut butter2 tablespoons honey

Mix all of the ingredients in a blender and put in ice cube trays to freeze. Microwave for a few seconds before serving.

I don't have the banana, or rather I do, but the two bananas I have will be used tomorrow in a future post on banana bread. So my ingredient list looks like this

Yogurt, peaches (will be peeled and pitted of course), peanut butter and molasses.

Instead of ice cube trays, I have some 2oz mini cups with lids perfect for smaller pooches!!

Fill those up, pop the lids on, and put them in the freezer!

The pups really enjoyed "helping" me taste and clean the drops up!  And I'm sure you noted that the ingredients, are all human food.  So you can also make these for kids, just change up the flavor combinations.  If you don't have bananas, you can also use a jar of baby food.  So you can in fact make "meat" ice cream for you pooch!