Author: rosanne

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Homemade Dog Treats That Your Fur Baby Will Love!

This time of year we want to treat our furry family members to fun holiday time treats and snacks. But we need to be careful of what we are feeding them. Homemade treats are always best because you know what the ingredients are and of course its made with love! Baking Addiction did a nice dog treat recipe that you can try below. For more dog treats be sure to check out their website. Recipes for three different dog treats below, enjoy!

 3 Homemade Dog Treats Recipes Below:

For Peanut Butter Pumpkin Treats:

Ingredients:

1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1/2 cup oats (optional if your dog is on a grain free diet, sub an extra 1/4 cup grain free flour)
3 cups whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, or gluten free flour
3 tablespoons of all natural peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

For Sweet Potato Treats:

1 cup of canned sweet potato (you can sub fresh if you want)
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, or gluten free flour
1 egg (beaten)

For Apple Carrot Treats:

1 cup of whole wheat flour, brown rice flour, or gluten free flour
1 cup of grated carrots
1 egg
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

Directions:
For Peanut Butter Pumpkin Treats:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In small bowl, stir together the flour, oats, and cinnamon.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin and peanut butter until combined. Stir wet ingredients into dry.
Pour onto a floured surface and roll dough out to 1/2 thick. Cut out using cookie cutter.
The dough will be a little sticky, a dusting of flour for your hands and the rolling pin will help! Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
Place on cooling racks and let cool thoroughly. They will harden as they cool.

For Sweet Potato Treats:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Stir ingredients together in a large bowl until dough forms.
Roll dough into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Press dough down slightly so the biscuits are about about 1/4 inch thick. Bake until golden brown and let cool on a wire rack.

For Apple Carrot Treats:

Preheat oven 350°F.
Mix ingredients together until dough forms.
Roll dough into small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press dough down slightly so the biscuits are about about 1/4 inch thick.
Bake until golden brown and let cool on a wire rack.

Notes:
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Treats:
1/2 teaspoon of salt can be added to these treats to help extend the shelf life but, it is optional.
Cinnamon is fine to use in recipes for dogs, however do not use a pumpkin spice blend or anything that could contain nutmeg. It is toxic to dogs and even in small amounts can make them sick.

Sweet Potato Treats:

1/2 teaspoon of salt can be added to these treats to help extend the shelf life but, it is optional.

For Apple Carrot Treats:

If the dough is really sticky, add a few more tablespoons of flour.
1/2 teaspoon of salt can be added to these treats to help extend the shelf life but, it is optional.

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Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe This Holiday Season

As we gather and celebrate the holiday season with family and friends. We tend to spoil our fur-babies as well with extra helpings of food and treats. Although we love to give our furry babies some extra treats this time of year, we need to be sure that they are safe for them to eat. Austin 360 did an article on pet safety during the holidays. Enjoy the article and holiday tips below.

Turkey

The centerpiece of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner,  can be toxic to pets if you use garlic, butter and other seasoning, Fox News reported. If the bird is cooked without extra ingredients, then it is safe for dogs and cats, The American Kennel Club says. The AKC also says to remove the skin and excess fat from any pieces you sneak to the dog, and don’t let them gnaw on the bones because they can splinter and either block or tear their intestines.

Stuffing

Stuffing, while made mostly of bread, can be dangerous to dogs and cats thanks to the ingredients used. Onions are dangerous for dogs and cats. They can cause anemia in dogs, according to the AKC.

Sweet Potatoes

Again it’s not the main ingredient of sweet potatoes, but the seasonings that can cause your pets to get sick.

Alcohol

Small amounts of alcohol can make them intoxicated. It can also cause a drop in blood sugar, blood pressure and in severe cases, seizures, respiratory failure and even death, according to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Coffee

Caffeine is a big no for animals. If an animal drinks anything with caffeine, it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, hyperactivity and abnormal heart rhythms, according to the ASPCA.

Chocolate

We all know that chocolate is dangerous to dogs, but why is the sweet treat a no-no for dogs? It’s all because of theobromine, which is toxic for dogs and cats. If they ingest it, they may vomit, have diarrhea and seizures, even death, according to Reader’s Digest.

Christmas and Holiday Plants and Decorations

Be mindful this time of year with plants and flashy shiny decorations. Trees can also be an issue with pets, climbing into them and getting hurt. Some plants are very poisonous like Poinsettias. Be careful when decorating, to place them in high places where your pets cannot get to it. Watch your decorations and make sure they do not contain too much glitter or paint substances that can make a pet sick if eaten. Keep them high and out of reach as much as possible. New shiny objects bring out pet curiosity and can tempt them with eating dangerous objects.

Click here for more foods that are dangerous to pets and to read the original source article from Austin 360.

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Celebrating Family Time During the Holidays!

The holiday season is a wonderful time to spend quality family time. It is a time for everyone to be empowered to have their feelings, thoughts and ideas shared to create new memories that will last for many years. Listed below are some suggestions and tips that parents could follow to minimize stress and frustration.

  • Structure the time:

    Keep as much structure as possible to avoid chaos or frustration from occurring. Keeping the momentum of daily life could avoid a lot of stress for those who have a hard time dealing with changes in routine or too much free time on their hands. Be consistent about maintaining family rules, expectations, and schedules. This will minimize bad habits from setting in, and confusion about what is expected from you after the holidays.

  • Be Flexible:

    Allow for some unexpected changes in plans. Try not to be so rigid that family members may miss out on special opportunities that may come up. If your child asks to do something out of the usual, consider it, with clear guidelines that all rules and expectations are still expected.

  • Communicate:

    Try not to assume or expect your children, especially teenagers, will want to cooperate with last minute requests to do things. Try to give them as much notice as possible to avoid temper tantrums or arguments. This would be a good time to start a family calendar, if you do not already have one, listing activities for each day. Encourage your children to take part in the discussion, planning and recording some of the activities.

  • Volunteer:

    Try to do at least one act of kindness to instill the value of giving to others. Allow every family member to have an opportunity to suggest one activity that everyone in the family could participate in. Have them share why it would be important to them to do what they selected. Decide as a family which one you could all agree on doing.

  • Avoid Overspending:

    Be financially responsible. Plan your budget and stick to it. Teach your children the true meaning of the holidays by not over indulging them with material things that they say they want, but you can’t afford. This will only add to financial stress after the holidays.

  • Resolve Conflicts:

    If there are issues between family members try to encourage opportunities for resolving them. If you have an issue with your teenager, try to sit down and work things out. Practice listening to them and try to understand their point of view. Share your feelings in a loving way.

  • Model Calmness:

    Show your children how to de-stress and relax naturally by doing activities that will promote a calm household. Let them observe you reading a book, listening to relaxing music, going for a walk, exercising, or doing activities that will de-stress or energize you. Encourage and invite family members to join you.

  • Have Fun:

    Daily life can be busy and overwhelming at times. During the holidays make it a point to set time aside to just have fun with your family. Invite your children to go outside if there is snow and build a snowman, listen to music and sing along, have a dance contest, bake cookies, play a board game, teach them a card game that you played when you were a child, look at old family pictures and share stories.

  • Take Care of Yourself:

    Avoid getting over tired and be sure to take time for yourself. This will decrease the chances of irritability and impatience with family members. Try to stick to your regular sleeping and eating schedule as much as possible. Avoid guilt and stress, by not participating in overeating or overdrinking. Model for your children that taking care of yourself is important to you and overindulgence is unhealthy.

  • Maintain or Create Traditions:

    Think about your favorite memories and family traditions that you would like to pass on to your children and make them happen. If your family did not have any traditions that you would like to pass on, create some new ones. Make this holiday one that everyone in the family will remember for many years to come.

  • Be Purposeful:

    Focus on the true meaning of the holidays this season. What a great time to give your family the gift of a lifetime. Sit down and actually talk to your family about what the holiday season is really about. Send a message that money and material things can never replace quality time spent with those you love!I hope you enjoyed my blog post and have a wonderful holiday and time with your family!

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