Thursday, December 12, 2013

Batching with Dad

Henry wanted to come too, but I didn't want to leave Greg home with the cats...they could seriously take advantage of him.  So, Henry and Greg are in Southern California while the mama figure in Henry's life goes to Oregon to defrost frozen pipes.  I'm sure he understands his responsibilities. I explained it all very explained it all very carefully.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Treat Opportunity



Just a heads up to my puppy friends. I've been working a great scam! Mama gets me all gussied up in holiday clothes and takes my picture...now here is the scam part. I know she made treats - all I have to do is nod my head and the hat slips. To get me to hold perfectly still, she bribes me with a yummy. Ha!! I win!

Even better -- I know where my Peep is keeping the holiday stash.  I'm betting there will some new stuffed animals to rip up when Christmas rolls around.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Marilyn's Dog Biscuits

Auntie Joy sent Henry a cousin-treat goodie pack.  Now, with his treats finished off, I am making more for the boy and his fence neighbor, Sheldon. I thought I'd share this very simple-to-make yummy concoction with our cyber friends.

Marilyn's Dog Biscuits


1 1/8 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/8 cup white flour
1/2    cup peanut butter
1       cup water
2       tablespoons canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Blend wheat and white flour in bowl.
Combine peanut butter, water and oil in second bowl.
Add flour, one cup at a time to form dough.
Knead into a nice firm ball.  If it is sticky, add a little more flour.
Let stand 10 minutes.

Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on parchment paper and cut into desired shape.
Score the tops so that built up steam can escape.

Bake on parchment paper for about 25 minutes.
Turn the pan a couple of times during baking process
If treats are not hard, leave in oven about five minutes more.

Cool and then stick them in a zip lock baggie or a snap top and store on the shelf or in the refrigerator.

Henry adds his "wuff" to Marilyn's "woof."  In human words, they both approve!  The only problem with this is the pathetic looks from Henry awaiting his single treat for the day from the newly baked, cooling goodies…..okay, he was so pathetic I ended up giving him three.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

From the Three of Us!



Happy Thanksgiving! Wish we could share our holiday treats with you.  Our Papa Peep is making pies.  Mama Peep is watching Stretch save the world in Independence Day and enjoying the sunshine.

Since you can't be here, we are sharing with our fence buddy, Sheldon. He wishes you a wonderful "Wuff" right along with Henry.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Scary Snowman

Don't you just hate it that it is not even Thanksgiving and the winter holiday music is already playing?  Me too.  This is not taking it that far -- but it did make me laugh.  I wonder how our boy, Henry, would react!
http://news.yahoo.com/snowman-prank-video-140020945.html

Henry attacks falling leaves.  He goes crazy when the squirrels visit our orange and avocado trees.  I would imagine there would be a whole lot of barking going on with the angry snowman!  That snowman is earning a noisy Henry attack in return!



And, from Pet Blogs United --
1. For those of you up north, be sure to give your cow time to get off the warm hood before you move the car…..and

2.  This is for my brother and sister, Randy and Misumi.  I think this would be a great look for Billy and Momo.  Get busy with those knitting needles!

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Scary Vet

Time for Otto and Vivika to go to the vet for an update on their shots.  Out come the two carriers.  The cats disappear.  Really disappear.  Guess who gets to go for his shot today instead of Monday?  Henry.

Still pouting - 
No problem getting Henry in the car -- but when we arrive at the vet's office he does not want out of the car. He definitely does not want to go through that office door.  Even worse: Henry trembles so much that there can be no doubt that we abuse the poor boy.

The shivering pup goes in for his shot with mama leading him to the scary stuff, and two minutes later he dances out attempting to jump and run in circles on his leash.  Joy, joy, joy!  The peeps in the waiting room laugh at the before-and-after demonstration by our little wuss.
Pouting? I'm in too!

Otto and Vivika reappeared when Henry comes home.  They have the weekend to get used to the re-emergence of their carriers.  We'll try again on Monday.  For Henry, next time I'll consider leading him with a nice marrow bone.

Otto and Vivika seem to know my evil plan.  A marrow bone will not work for those two!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Cookies

I heard a bump-thump, bump-thump and checked the kitchen for the source of the sounds.  Henry, probably encouraged by his success with Stephanie's birthday cake, was doing his best to jump up to the counter.  (Scroll down three stories.) I am sure he was only trying to capture the cookies to save his peeps from themselves.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Henry Staying Hydrated


 What is it about dogs?  Henry has two perfectly good water bowls outside.  They are clean and changed regularly.  Humph.  Where does he belly up to the bar?  The water fountain.  Do I clean it?  Nope.  Do I rinse it out? Yes, but rarely.

I am counting this as an example of sympathy drinking. I mention this because Henry is still not helping with the removal of the oleander hedge.  The work has progressed up to radically cutting back the fourth oleander with  more to follow.  So, of course hydration is important.  Henry watches for awhile, takes a few slurps from the fountain and has found a lovely spot in the 95 degree heat to snooze until he deems it necessary to give his peeps more oleander encouragement.

Marmaduke's creator, Brad Anderson has come up with the perfect solution for the hefty root balls we will be dealing with soon.  Unfortunately Henry does not bury his bones.  He collects them in his toy box for further action.  Maybe I can trick him--doubt it though.



Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Laughing at the Peeps

In Henry's backyard, there are about 45 feet of oleanders creating a very solid hedge.  Well, it was once solid - still solid but now scraggly. The oleander bug has got the plants in its greedy little clutches and the hedge is dying.  The plants were installed many years before we moved in -- and have continued to grow during the 15 years we have lived in the house.  Until about a year ago, the plants were trimmed to 8 feet tall and about 4 feet deep.  They were happily thriving with their foot of oleander mulch. Now the poor darlings are dying out and looking pretty sad.  
Now I ask you, is it too much to expect Henry to do his part in the removal of these old monsters?  I made the request politely and all I got was an enthusiastic head shake.  Pretty rude if you ask me!  When my folks wanted work to be done, it got done (well, most of the time anyway).  Ah this younger generation - what is he? Generation X or Y or Z?
Worse than that, he laughed at me and the whole concept of helping out at home. He did watch the instructional pulling-the-roots video with me.  He just needs to dig down two feet around the plants in about a four foot circle cutting the roots as he goes along.  He can't officially count, but perhaps he understands the concept of 10 huge root balls.  Smart puppy!

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Sneaky Little Cutie


Henry is a good boy, but sometimes life is so dog-gone tempting! What is a dog to do when the peeps take their dinner guest through the house on a mini tour.
Look! The birthday cake is on the table and short legged Henry is just too tempted with no peeps in the room. Ah!! The chairs are not pushed in! This is the first time Henry made it to the table top. Bliss!!

Mama peep has never seen Henry scoop so much into his mouth in such a short time - and has never heard many little puppy burps.  It was so yummy…but to eat that fast, a lot of air was gulped too.

The Bad Hair Day

Recently my Auntie Lola gave us Grandma Wallitner's bread recipe. So Stephie and I made bread with the able but part time  assistance of Henry.  Very part time. Henry went in to have a comb-out and trim -- but there was a bit of a language barrier apparently (or maybe just a new groomer) and Henry came back looking pretty short haired and ragged. 

I did explain that the plan was to allow his locks to lengthen with a bit of managed care. It was about two and a half inches long in the short areas pre- grooming. Instead Henry got all but an inch cut off and that remaining fur even looks a bit whacked. Henry's mama is disappointed. Good thing he is such a sweet loveable little guy, because there isn't a lot to love about the $45.00-plus-10% tip grooming.


So, back to the bread. It fills the house with great memories of Grandma-who must have been about my age when those memories formed. I'd visit their three story shingle house in Port Angeles. When I'd hear Grandma and Grandpa were up, I'd go down the steep stair case into the kitchen. She'd fix me creamy sugared coffee and toasted fresh bread with cinnamon and sugar. So, that's what Steph and I did this morning.


Henry did not get any of the bread, much to his disappointment, but he did get lots of hugs and sympathy for his bad hair day and some bacon as a consolation prize.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Henry and Sue - (Maybe) Getting in Shape

Henry and I are trying. We've been walking too fast to whip out the camera on our walks, but as you can see, that 5k isn't going to happen anytime soon.  We are heading in the right direction but at the end of our "briskness" this is where we end up. A short crash to recharge.


11/5 -- Other neat stuff? Stephie arrived yesterday for a birthday visit.  So nice to have her home for a few days.  Today Steph, Henry and I went to Ikea (Henry in the basket) and then to Anaheim Wholesale Nursery and Landscape Supply.  Henry was such a good puppy.  Ok course he got lots of "Oh, he is so cute" comments…

Steph and I attempted the removal of an oleander when we returned - so of course Henry got lots of rake attacking and dirt collection done.

If Henry's admirers at Ikea could only see him now with his lower half coated with dirt they would not be so enthusiastic.  Lucky Henry, I am too pooped from attacking the oleander to give him a bath.

11/1/13:  33 minutes brisk walk.
11/2/12:  We won't even talk about the 2nd. What an embarrassment.
11/3/13:  29 minutes brisk walk.
11/4/13: 21 minutes brisk walk.
11/5/13: No walk day!  ….but Steph and I spent a couple of hours cutting down and cleaning out a dying oleander bush (one of many still to go).

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Halloween Preparations

Henry and I explored the Whittier walkway today. There is a dog park coming soon along that path, so we investigated. We didn't find the construction spot for the future doggie park, (and that made us nervous since it is suppose to be here soon) but Henry liked the bridges - they are perfect spots to check out the traffic from a new perspective. That, and we are working on getting really tired today before the trick or treaters come knocking. I am thinking if we are pooped, we'll sleep in front of a classic NOT real scary story, like Clifford the Big Red Dog....or Lassie (unless little Timmy is down the well! )
So, to all our doggie friends and their parents, Happy Halloween from Henry and his mom. Hope your night is inhabited with only very friendly ghouls!

http://www.jibjab.com/view/xODUiu48R02NAhefYViI6g  Click here to visit Henry and some of his pet family doing the Halloween dance and songfest!  
Rating: parental preview before very young puppies view.

Couch to K12 Halloween update:
30 minutes very brisk walk for Henry and his peep today.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Couch to 5k

I realized years ago that purchasing and watching the old Jane Fonda exercise video did not work.  You actually have to do the exercises too.  Go figure!

Henry and I are comfortable and content to sit in our comfy chair and check out what our fellow doggie bloggers are up to.  Like the Fonda video, that activity does not count as exercise.

So....when my younger daughter said she was starting "Couch to 5K" app on her phone, Henry and I decided to give it a try too.  We already do go for our 20 minute walk a time or two a day but this app actually requires brisk walking alternating with jogging -- or in my case, tottering.

If any of you guys would like to join us, Henry and I would love company - even if it is just on line.  I haven't run - even a little - for the last 20 years so if you are competitive, this will probably be an easy win!  

Are you in?

Day One Workout:
I only went 18 minutes and 20 seconds out of the 30 minutes required day one.  The first 10 minutes I alternated brisk walk and job that my app-trainer, Constance, told me to do.  Guess what, my brisk walk seemed to be as fast as my jog, but the jog used a whole set of different muscles.  Those muscles strenuously objected for the second half of the walk, so the remainder was just a brisk walk.  I'm thinking I'll use day one again for the second out of three attempts this week.

And Henry? He had no problem keeping up although he wanted to side trip and sniff - he understood this was something different.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Doggie Gardening

Life is pretty good.

Yesterday Henry had a bath and blow-dry at Bark and Bath.  Today he destroyed it all with just a little quality time with his peeps gardening in the the back yard. 

Rakes to bark at; dirt to roll in; mud to track.  It was great and there was only a bit of clean fluff left along the back.  The rest was decorated.

Every spot of dirt in the yard - each pile of bald cypress burrs,  Henry did his best to collect it all.  A nice even coating.

Two days, two baths.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Halloween Approaches


According to Henry, life is not easy in a house with cats. Otto and Vivika try to give advice from the top of the couch, but who knows if they are being pals or just their normal sarcastic kitty folks.



Henry has talked to the cats about Halloween. He can't remember holiday last year -- they fed him a story about ghosts and ghoulies -- scary stuff. They told him he had to trick the goblins into thinking he is one of them....so, Henry became a ghoul too.

He is not sure if this is a good idea.  He has a few days to think it through.  He has not asked his peeps for advice.

Bath and Bark. WUFF!




Henry visited "Bath and Bark" today. Does this look indicate resentment? ... even with a yummy chew.   

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Football Is Boring

Henry is thinking that his mom and dad are pretty silly.  They sit in front of the UW Husky vrs. O Ducks football game and get all excited.  Henry thinks it is boring. All that yelling and groaning-emotional turmoil.  Henry likes a little easy listening music instead.


On to other things:

Henry's fur is growing out. He just looks chubby -  but he is as skinny as ever.  He is just a fur ball.  Along with fur balls comes a problem.  The unofficial groomer in the house is worried about developing matts.

Not really happy about grooming even when the brusher is as gentle as possible, we are exploring possible treatments to help with matts.  We've tried the cornstarch solution - it helped but didn't help enough.

We upgraded to Petco conditioning/dematting spray.  It was a disappointment.  Then we found Cowboy Magic.  It is still not the perfect solution to those little snarls, but mama-groomer has one side of the rump done and it ready to work on the other side (that seems to be the only place Henry's coat gets those little mats).  From the pup's perspective, it is a great way to earn treats.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Pumpkin-Yogurt Pops for Pups

All of the yummy treats from yesterday disappeared. Those slices of sweet potato were great...too great.

Henry's sweet-potato chips were out and cooling on racks.   Each time anyone wandered through the kitchen they snagged a couple.  Since there were a fair number of wandering humans, Henry's chips did not last too long.

Henry was not pleased.  He only got four.  He knows who ate his treats and from this point on, he will not willingly share his kibble with any of his human friends.  So there!  (It will not be mentioned that his kibble is of limited interest to humans.) I am not even going to bring up the thievery to the neighbor pit bull, Sheldon.  I don't want to irritate that sweet boy!

So today I am working on another puppy treat.  This time it is frozen pumpkin-yogurt pops.  Henry loves pumpkin and yogurt - and apple, so I chopped one up and added it to the mix as an apology.

 Frozen Pumpkin-Yogurt Pops for Pups:
1 16 oz. can of pumpkin - not pumpkin pie filling 
(a cooking pumpkin works in place of,  of course)
1 32 oz. carton plain yogurt (I use the low-fat or non-fat yogurt)
Mix the two ingredients together and pour the mixture into cupcake papers or ice cube trays and freeze them. Henry is a 17 pound pup, so his treats are in ice-cube trays.

When frozen,  I'll try one out on Henry and promptly be forgiven for the slip-up with the sweet-potato chip distribution.

LATER: It is now officially a Henry approved treat.  Finger licking good!



Saturday, October 5, 2013

Yummy Healthy Treat!



The pit bull through our fence is a powerful fellow and I want to remain on his BFF list. Henry has decided he is not best friends material and has taken to barking up a storm when they are opposites on the fence - especially since we returned at the end of the summer.



So Henry and I are taking treats to share; one for Henry, one for Sheldon. I've explained the situation to Henry, but he just doesn't get it...the whole roll over and be submissive, or have serious injuries concept seems to be beyond him. We'll keep working on it.

This is my latest treat attempt. Henry and Sheldon seem to like it even more than Pup Corn, which they thought was pretty tasty. 



I found a bunch more recipe ideas at: http://dogsnpawz.com/make-your-own-dog-treats  I'll try some of them and share the successes and failures.  If you get there first, please tell me how it goes!