Latte Love for Your Pets

    Even though many of us are getting into the holiday spirit, it's still fall. Which means it's pumpkin spice season. Now you give your pets some latte love with a drink that is designed just for them!

Latte Love for Your Pets

    I don't personally like to drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes, but I do have many friends that do. So when I saw that The Honest Kitchen has Pumpkin Spice Latte mix for pets, I knew my girls had to have some. As a matter of fact, last Christmas I got them The Honest Kitchen's Egg Nog Mix, and they went bonkers for it, so I knew they'd love the latte mix as well. Thankfully Chewy.com carries all of this yummy stuff (and more) so within two days, their new drink mix was here. 

Paws Down, The Yummiest!

    All three girls drank it right down. That's right! Both dogs, and the cat loved it. I love that it's a treat that is designed for both canine and feline babies. It makes me happy to be able to give them all of the same thing. (Our girls are our babies, and I hate to feel like one feels left out.) Best of all, it's good for them!

Honestly Good

    This all natural treat is made from real goat's milk! Yes, you read that right. They combine that with pumpkin, honey, and other spices to create a liquid treat for your furry kids. Best of all there is no artificial colors or flavors, no fillers, grain, wheat or soy. There's also no GMO ingredients either. After all, pets are our family, and they deserve the very best too.

An Easy Treat That's Perfect for Cold Days

    Pumpkin Spice Latte from The Honest Kitchen is perfect for chilly days because you serve it warm. Just follow the directions on the back, and go by your fur baby's weight to figure how much to make. Let it cool a bit, and serve warm. The holidays are coming, so why not treat your furry family to this tasty drink to accompany their holiday meal! 

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Savory Beef Left Over Cookies

    If you follow my blog, you know I hate to waste. I try to use every bit of leftovers from our home. Whether it's feeding our dogs raw diets, or freezing them to use in pet recipes. Over the weekend, I created a new recipe. I took some savory beef scraps and drippings from a roast. I want to share this with you because my girls went bonkers for these and I know your fur babies will too!

Savory Beef Left Over Cookies

    Back home, our loved ones raise farm animals for meat. When we were moving, they stocked up our freezer with grass fed beef and pork. (We have amazing family!) Last week, I cooked up a hearty beef roast. I took the drippings from the crock pot and froze them, as well as scraps from the roast that we didn't eat. I knew these would make fantastic cookies for our dogs. Using just a few other ingredients that I had in the pantry, I whipped some tasty vittles. Are you ready to get started?

What You Need:

• Cooked Beef Scraps (I'm not one to measure when I cook or bake. My best guess was about half a cup of shredded beef)
• Beef Drippings (I used about a 1/4 of a cup.)
• 1 cup of Oats
• 1 cup of Flour
• 1/4 cup of Water
• 1/4 cup of Applesauce (unsweetened, but cinnamon in it is fine.)
• 1/4 cup of diced (cooked) green beans

PREHEAT OVEN to 400°

    Normally, I used my Ninja and blend up the meat and veg, however, that somehow ended up in the attic. I actually didn't even find it until Sunday afternoon. (Thank goodness because I love that thing!) So I just sliced and tore up the beef. Then I cut the green beans into smaller pieces.

    Add in the beef drippings, water, and applesauce. Mix well. Next you'll add the oats, and stir. Lastly, add your flour a little at a time. Once you get a thick dough, you're ready for baking. I lightly greased my cookie sheet. Then, using a tablespoon, I dropped dough onto to pan. (I didn't use the entire tablespoon, so if you want a measurement, I would say the cookies are about half of a tablespoon.)

    Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool, and let your fur babies enjoy! You can store these in the fridge for a week or so. Since there's no preservatives, I freeze mine. I take out a few each morning to thaw. They last that way for months.

Yields approximately 3 dozen

Halloween Hot Spots

I'm not talking about the fun places to explore this Halloween. I'm actually referring to the dreaded hot spots that our tiniest fur baby gets. Poor Josie has terrible skin allergies, that cause her to lick and chew all the time. Which in turn makes her skin sore. So how do we treat it?

Halloween Hot Spots

    Gluten, insect bites, and dry skin lead our sweet girl to chew and chew. She then flares up with hot spots. We took gluten out of her diet, and she wears Seresto collars at all times. However, the collar doesn't prevent flea or other insect bites, it only keeps them from living on her. So her skin still itches. Then she chews and scratches until a hot spot erupts. It breaks our hearts when she has them so we have had to find other ways to help heal her skin.

Look at my Tootsie Roll! She doesn't deserve itchy skin! (By the way, this was Liam's very first Halloween costume. I did a little cutting and sewing and made Josie her first Halloween costume from it.)

Medicated Baths

    The first thing we did was get her medicated shampoo. It has anti bacterial and anti fungal meds in it. When she has a big hot spot or a few, we have to bathe her every two days for a couple of weeks. While it helps, it wasn't enough. You see, you wash her with it, and leave it on for a few moments. But that alone didn't seem to do enough. Her fur was dry as well as her skin on the patches that were healing. She needed conditioner. But do they make such a thing for dogs?

Yes. Yes They Do!

    GNC Pets actually makes a medicated conditioner for fur babies. Like the shampoo we use, it's anti fungal and anti bacterial. After her shampoo is rinsed off, I rub this cream rinse into her fur and skin. I rub and massage her for five minutes, then rinse her off. You can feel the difference in her fur after the first use! Her skin? Well he healed spots aren't dry and flaky. It's just new, soft skin. And her ht spots are healing faster as well. I was really impressed with how well it worked. Even Liam commented on how "nice she feels!"

Josie refused to sit for another picture. But Bayleigh loves the camera :)

Smells So Nice!

     Oh, and it's lavender scented too. This was huge for us. Liam would complain after Josie's medicine baths that "she stinks like medicine." It's true, she did. The shampoo smells awful. However, the GNC conditioner smells fantastic. So not only does it help her hot spots, and dry skin, but it smells amazing too. Josie loves getting her "pretty massage," with her GNC Pets conditioner. So if you have a fur baby with hot spots, then head to Chewy.com and grab some.

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Time Flies When You're Eating Well!

   I can't believe it's been thirty days since switching my dogs to a raw diet. Time surely does fly when you're (moving and) and eating well! My girls are so in love with their Stella & Chewy's raw food, that they wouldn't know what to do without it!

Time Flies When You're Eating Well!

    A month ago I started slowly introducing my girls to a new raw diet. If you remember correctly, I chose the Venison from Stella & Chewy's. Since animals tummies can get upset if you just up and switch their diet, we started gradually feeding the raw food.

24 days into the diet....we were in the process of packing to move south....however, look how nice she looks!

    At first I gave them a small amount. Josie was started on about two and a half patties in the evening, while Bayleigh got eight to ten. During this time, they also had their normal dry kibble. Of course, they went for the venison first. Once that was gone, they whined, barked, and paced for more venison. When they realized that was all they were getting, they reluctantly ate their typical kibble.

You can serve the patties dry with water on the side, or add water and make a nice soft, and tasty meal!

Fast Forward Thirty Days

    Both of my girls are on just the raw diet. Dinner time is their favorite time of day! They gobble it right down! I noticed Josie's skin seems less itchy and irritated. Which is great because her hot spots are starting to heal up. (The gluten in typical foods wreaks havoc on her skin.)

We moved, so excuse the mess....but look! NO RIBS SHOWING!

    Bayleigh has started to fill out nicely, and I can't count every rib in her body. She looks so much more healthy. I no longer fear someone will report me to our local ASPCA for starving her. My girls give the Stella & Chewy's Raw Diet foods "two paws up," and our family definitely recommends this diet to other pet parents as well. We get ours right from Chewy.com along with our treats, medicines, and all other pet products.

Two Weeks into the Raw Diet

    So it's been a couple of weeks since my fur daughters have been enjoying their Stella & Chewy's Raw Diet. Let me tell you, they wait very impatiently for their dinner every night!

Two Weeks into the Raw Diet

    Since day one of trying the Venison Raw Diet, they have been in love. They know mom feeds them every evening at the same time, and they are in the kitchen at least 10 minutes before it's time. They know their yummy food is coming soon!

    We worked into this diet gradually, so as to not upset their digestive tract. While they have been eating one meal of the raw diet each evening, I still keep dry kibble down for them. That way they have a "snack" when they want it. My goal of this diet was to put weight on our German Shepherd. Our little mutt Josie was actually a bit overweight. So for her, I fed her a bit less of the raw diet. For Bayleigh, she is given the full amount, which is about 15 patties.

Results?

    Josie has thinned out some, which is perfect. Bayleigh on the other hand is filling out. I can see less of her ribs and I feel better knowing that she's working her way towards a healthier weight. I'm pleased with the ease of feeding them this diet. I'm also happy knowing that it's healthy for them, and I'm not feeding them fillers.

Is it time for my Stella & Chewy's yet?

    I also love that there's no gluten in the Stella & Chewy's Raw Diet. For Bay, gluten is fine. However, it's not so great for Josie. She has pretty severe skin allergies, and gluten seems to exacerbate them. I don't give her any gluten because if I do, she's itching and creating hot spots on her body. (Now if I could just get Liam to quit sneaking her bits of his sandwiches or cereals!) Josie seems to be less itchy, and her hot spots are healing up nicely. She'll be happy when she isn't getting her "medicine bath" every two days!

    I would definitely recommend this raw diet to anyone looking for a healthier food option for their dog. Whether you're looking to keep your canine companion at a healthy weight, put weight on them, or want to eliminate allergy inducing Gluten, this diet is perfect. After all, our pets are our children, and we should be just as picky about what we feed them as we are our human family.

   To get yours, head to Chewy.com

Raw Feeding Thirty Day Challenge

    Chewy.com reached out to me and asked if I'd like to take part in their Raw Feeding Thirty Day Challenge. Since no matter what I do, I can't keep weight on Bayleigh, I was ecstatic to take part.

Raw Feeding Thirty Day Challenge

    As I said, Bayleigh is a very active girl. She always has been. Because of that, she has never put weight on very well. You can almost always see all of her ribs. We hoped that when she was fixed, she would hold weight better. However that just isn't the case. So we've been exploring her diet to see what we could do to add some weight, without making her unhealthy. When Chewy.com asked if we'd like to take part in the Raw Diet 30 Day Challenge, from Stella & Chewy's were excited to try it.

First Thoughts

    When the thirty day order came in, my girl's were both all over the box. I'd like to say that they can tell it's a Chewy box just by looking at it, but let's be honest, their noses for news can smell those boxes coming! Inside was three large bags of Stella & Chewy's Freeze Dried Dinner Patties Raw Dog Food. We chose venison since both of my fur girls love when their uncles bring them deer meat.

    The patties are the size of a small hamburger. Don't let the "dried" part of their name fool you. These patties are compressed and dried meat, but they are still a bit soft. You can easily break them up. When you're feeding your dog, you can simply break up the patties, and serve them that way. That is if, your dog drinks while he or she eats. (Make sure to have a bowl full of water for them if feeding this way.) If they don't normally drink while eating, then you can soak the patties to soften them. You use a quarter cup of water per every two patties.

    I could immediately smell venison when I opened the bag, and my girls were right there waiting. They couldn't wait to try their Stella & Chewy's Raw Food. I did soften both of my girls patties. Bay will drink while she eats, but Josie doesn't always drink, so it was easier this way.

Weaning

    Since you can't just switch your dog's food, we started by supplementing their dry kibble. Remember, when switching any of your pets diets, you must do it slowly. Otherwise they will get upset tummies, and most likely diarrhea to boot! I fed Josie two and a half patties. Bayleigh is much larger, so I gave her ten patties. (When she is completely on this diet she will require at least fifteen and half patties per day.)

    They cleaned their bowls in a matter of seconds. I couldn't believe it. Especially since Josie is a VERY picky eater when it comes to dog foods. She licked her bowl so clean, you couldn't tell there was ever any food in it! So now we wait. I'll check bag in a couple of weeks and let you know how it's going. I'm excited to see if Bayleigh fills out a bit more.

Join us!

    If you'd like to take the 30 day raw food challenge, then head to Chewy.com. Grab your pet's preferred flavor and get started. I'd love to hear what you and your fur babies think!

Keep Your Seats Clean and Dry in All Seasons

    We have two fur daughters (and one furry granddaughter.) Our youngest daughter just happens to be the biggest of all, and the one that loves water and mud. To say our Jeep seats look terrible is an understatement. I personally hate cleaning them, so I need a way to keep them clean and dry in all seasons. Chewy.com was there to help!

Keep Your Seats Clean and Dry in All Seasons

    I do all of our pet shopping at Chewy.com. They have everything we need in one place, and their prices and customer service can't be beat. So when I decided I was tired of detailing our Jeep every week, I went to Chewy.com. I discovered the car seat covers from Frisco, and knew they were for us.

    First of all, they're made of heavy duty Oxford Polyester. Which means they will stand up to my German Shepherd, as well as the mud, dirt, and water she will get on them. This material also makes them resistant to water, spills, and color bleeding, so my Jeep seats are safe from everything Bayleigh brings their way. Since they are easy to wipe clean, and can be machine washed, I can easily keep them clean. 

I just cleaned my seats last week.... I had to clean them again before I put on my Frisco Car Seat Cover

Seat Cover or Hammock

    Frisco has these seat covers in a traditional Bench Seat Cover, or a Hammock Cover. I chose the bench style since I also have Liam that sits in the back with the dogs. This way my son and my fur daughters can't ruin my back car seat. The cover is kid and dog proof! ;) 

    The Frisco Hammock Seat Cover will not only protect your back seat, but it also keeps dirt, debris, water, mud and more from your floors. Oh, and it protects the back of your front seats as well. 

Accommodates Human Seat Belts and Pet Restraints

    I love our Frisco Car Seat Cover. It was super easy to install, which means it will be easy to remove and clean, and then put back in the Jeep. You can also access your seat belts with the cover in place. So whether you have a human sitting in the back with your fur baby, or you use a pet restraint for car safety, you can access the buckles so your babies are safe!

Let's Bake Fur Baby Style! Strawmelon Pet Grass Bites

    It was damp and rainy here in NEPA this weekend. (Actually it's even worse today!) So of course I used that time to bake some tasty treats for my fur babies. This new recipe was a hit, so join us as we bake fur baby style!

Strawmelon Pet Grass Bites

    I am very passionate about my family. One of the ways I show them my love is by baking them delectable treats. My fur babies are no exception. This weekend I created them a new recipe highlighting fresh summer strawberries, and watermelon (hence the Strawmelon name.) My girls, their fur aunt, and fur cousin went wild. I know your canine besties will too, so let's gather some ingredients and get cooking!

Side Note: 

    You don't HAVE to add pet grass to these cookies. However, it's super healthy for your fur babies, AND it keeps them from nibbling on outdoor grasses. In turn, that keeps them from vomiting in your home. So it's a win win! We get ours from Chewy.com. It's so easy to grow, and kids love trimming it and watching it sprout! 

What You Need:

    Remember, I'm an "eye baker." Measuring isn't really a thing for me as I eyeball all of my recipes. However, I am pretty good at knowing how much of something I put in, so rest assured, your pet bites will be perfect!

• 1 cup of fresh strawberries (tops off)
• 2 slices of watermelon (cut off rind, and remove seeds)
• 1 cup of Granola Mix (we happen to love this mix from Kind.)
• 3 cups of flour (If you want to use less flour, then add more granola, or substitute oats.)
• 1/4 of Pet Grass (cut into small pieces) 

Let's Get Baking!

    Preheat your oven to 400°. Grab your blender and mix up your strawberries and watermelon. (By the way, this makes an amazing sorbet for your human family. So you could always double it, and freeze half of it for them!)

See what I mean? This makes a gorgeous sorbet too!

    Pour the fruits into a large mixing bowl. Add in your granola mix and pet grass, and mix. Now, add in your flour. I do a cup at a time. As I said, if you want to use less flour, just replace with the same amount of either granola, or oats. (Granola will make them crunchier which is great for removing plaque too!) Mix well. On a greased cookie sheet, make teaspoon sized cookies. Bake from 12-15 minutes. That's it!

Look how pretty that batter is! All natural pink color :)

    Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. For longer shelf life, freeze them. This recipe makes 80 small cookies, so I freeze mine. I take some out each week, and keep them in the refrigerator.

A Sizzling Summer for Your Pooch

    My girls are happy it's summer. Josie loves to bask in the sun, while Bayleigh loves to swim and play in the water. They're two very different dogs, but can agree on one thing. That's their love for Chewy.com. They are helping my girls have a sizzling (and tasty) summer!

A Sizzling Summer for Your Pooch

    On Friday we were at the creek. Josie was sunbathing, and Bayleigh was swimming with her boy. I saw the FedEx truck come in and new what was coming. All I had to do was say, "Girls, your Chewy order is here," and they were ready to go. 

    I knew they were about to be even more happy when they saw what was in that box! That's because I ordered them the new Blue Buffalo Sizzlers. A healthy, canine friendly alternative to bacon.

A Natural Alternative That's Yummy and Healthy

    Blue Buffalo Sizzlers are made with real pork. In fact, it's the number one ingredient. They also added vitamins and minerals so it's not just tasty, but good for your pooch as well. There's also oatmeal and skim milk in the Blue Buffalo Sizzlers. How awesome is that?

    Guess what Sizzlers don't have? They don't have chicken or any poultry by products. There's no corn, wheat or soy, which is great for the fur babes with food allergies. Oh, and there's also no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

What Do My Girls Think?

    Check out the video above. I don't think I need to tell you that I couldn't even get the bag open fast enough for them. Poor Josie just couldn't contain herself and wait! They get a treat every morning while I'm making my coffee, and then in the evening. This is how she behaves when I ask if she wants a Sizzler. So, my girls definitely give Blue Buffalo Sizzlers and Chewy.com, two BIG and two little paws up!

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Scoop Away Kitty Stink!

    I love my furry granddaughter to pieces. However, I don't want to smell her urine and bowel movements. Scoop Away kitty stink so you and your family doesn't have to smell it.

Scoop Away Kitty Stink!

    I have a super powerful sniffer. My husband teases me and says my super power is sniffing things. I can't help it if my olfactory senses are in hyper drive!! That means that I can smell a litter pan rooms away. I hate it! 

    When we let our son rescue a sickly, feral kitten, one of the deciding factors was that he was in charge of feeding, watering, and most importantly the litter. He hasn't let us down, however, off brands of litter have.

    There's not much worse than smelling a litter pan. I can smell ammonia from a mile away. Which is why you can't just settle for any litter. We only use Scoop Away.

Scoop It All Away

    What I love about Scoop Away is that it clumps. That way when my son is scooping Clara's litter, he isn't just scooping up the piles of solid waste. Since Scoop Away clumps, her ammonia ridden pee spots clump up, so my son can easily scoop them away. This litter features Ammonia Shield Technology which means it keeps the smell from spreading throughout your home. It also keeps harmful and nasty bacteria from spreading.

    This makes your litter last longer, and keeps it fresh. When scooped daily your kitty will always have a clean spot to do her dirty business! Scoop Away litter is also low tracking, so no little bits all over the house. It's also ninety-nine percent dust free, so it won't take your breath away when you're pouring it. 

Chewy.com

    We get our Scoop Away litter from Chewy.com. They have the best prices around! We get a whopping FORTY-TWO POUNDS of Scoop Away litter for just $15.99! That's an awesome price, and we haven't found it beaten anywhere. Plus, with orders over fifty bucks, you get free one to two day shipping. So add your pets food and treats to the order, and wait for the goodies to come to you! (You can also get toys, leashes, collars, beds, crates, and so much more. It's one stop shopping for cats, dogs, lizards, birds, and more.)

All Natural Dinner and Dessert Doggie Style

    Yes, I cook for my fur girls. They have dry kibble available at all times, but I supplement that with healthy meals from the kitchen. Today I want to share you with a quick and easy omelet with a healthy dessert.

All Natural Dinner and Dessert Doggie Style

    I know that cooking every day for your family, let alone your pets may not be feasible. Heck, I don't cook for them every day. I try to, but sometimes life gets in the way. However, this recipe is simple and your dogs, and even the cat will love it! 

    First off you're going to need a couple of things. The first of which is the Pet Greens Medley from Chewy. We've talked about this before. For under three bucks you can grow your very own pet greens for your dogs and cats. It's super easy, and it grows so well! 

    You're also going to need the dessert! I chose the Wellness CORE Grain Free Marrow Roasts. These treats are made from all natural ingredients. They're grain, wheat, corn, soy and gluten free. Made from real beef without by products, they're packed full of calcium, iron, zinc, and Vitamin A. Best of all, your fur babies will love them!

Let's Get Cooking!

    For this omelet I used four eggs. (Fresh farm eggs are wonderful, but store bought works too! I had to use store bought because my sister delivers my eggs on Friday evenings.) I trimmed back my pet greens (which usually needs done every few days,) and then cut them up into smaller pieces.

    Mix your eggs, add a quarter of a cup of milk, and whisk well. Then add your greens and whisk again. Pour the mixture into a heated frying pan, and cook as you normally would. When mine was done, I added just a bit of shredded sharp cheese for flavor, and a calcium boost. Voila, instant doggie style omelet. By the way, the cat enjoyed a little bit of it too! 

    Plate your omelet, and let it cool before serving. Then sit back and watch as your fur baby devours it. This simple meal is super healthy for them. It adds easily digestible protein to their diet, as well as riboflavin and selenium. Cooking for your pets is a rewarding experience for everyone involved. You could even get your kids to help and teach them how to cook, as well as valuable math skills such as measuring and fractions!