Simple Homemade Dog Treat

A super simple, ever adaptable, highly entertaining homemade treat for your dog!

So, back on the first of the year, I adopted a Dachshund puppy from a local rescue that had saved her from a Bakersfield shelter. I named her Dixie, and I love her dearly! True to the breed, however, she is smart, feisty, and stubborn as a damn mule when she wants to be. And oh, lordy, the girl will eat anything! So, every once in a while to give her a little extra mental stimulation, coupled with a yummy healthy treat, and to keep her busy during times when I need her out from underfoot...the pup popsicle!



This one is peas, kibble, and lumps of peanut butter frozen together with a bit of water in a small tupperware. Dixie went crazy for it! Even frozen, she could smell what she knew was going to taste good, and worked ferociously to lick and gnaw away at the thing. It kept her busy for at least 30 minutes, maybe more! Invaluable time for me to make dinner without having to worry about things like tripping over my little one in the kitchen and dropping something hot, heavy, sharp, or toxic (think onions or chocolate) that could potentially be harmful to her.



If you have a Kong, you're probably familiar with the wonders of interactive, freezable treats. If not, experiment! I love Kongs, but frankly, anything I don't have to wash makes my life that much easier. These are completely edible, freezable alternative ideas to a stuffed Kong.

-applesauce and veggie bits
-pumpkin puree and peanut butter
-low sodium broth and fruit chunks
-mashed banana, blueberries, and dog biscuits

I could go on and on!!! And honestly, it only takes a few seconds to throw together in the morning before work..guaranteed ready by evening!



So go forth, promote good dental health, provide a good challenge to keep your dog's mind active, and reward the little (or big) one for everything they do for you!


*Disclaimer: Of course there's always a risk of excessive wear on the teeth with a long standing ice-chewing habit. I'd recommend only using enough liquid to keep solid pieces together, or freezing liquids that are softer (think no-sugar juices or purees). And remember, a treat is something special, not an all the time thing!

Tilden Regional Park

Took an afternoon hike around Lake Anza in Tilden Regional Park above Berkeley and Oakland. It's been pretty unseasonably warm around here..perfect opportunity to get out with the dog and wander around the woods for a few hours!

Simple Life Lessons: Taught By a Dog

1) "Five more minutes.." is usually so worth it.
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2) When you see something you want, let nothing stand in your way. Gallop-bordering-flight is a good option for getting there.
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3) Always let your real friends know you love them.
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4) Let your heart shine!

Primal Raw Cat Food

So I've been introducing my cat to a raw food diet for a couple weeks now. A little bit on the benefits of feeding a raw diet as opposed to a dry diet can be found here. Basically it boils down to feeding your pet the diet their body has evolved to best digest, which is the closest thing they would be eating in the wild. For cat's specifically, that means a no grain, high meat, high moisture diet. At first I started off with the chicken medallions from Nature's Variety. He eventually took to them but it always took a bit of time for him to eat the whole thing. He'd literally eat all of the Grandma Lucy's (which is an amazing freeze-dried grain free food that you rehydrate with warm water)around it and pick at the little patty last. I'd heard that cats take a little longer to get used to eating raw food, especially if they're used to eating nothing but kibble. No surprise! Kibble is sprayed with fat and other things to make it tasty after the extreme heat cooking process kills off all the flavor. That, and domestic cats are notoriously picky eaters. Recently, I was given a few bags of Primal Beef and Salmon formula for cats and just started feeding it on Saturday.

I found that the easiest way to portion out this food, since you need to serve it completely thawed, is to wrap each nugget in the bag in tin foil, and transition one piece from freezer to fridge at each meal. That way, by the time feeding time rolls around, I've got a thawed piece ready to go and an easy, low contamination risk method of thawing the next one. I never have to touch the raw thawed meat, which is good for me on more than one level!

So, the transition has gone excellent. Poe took to the new beef and salmon formula surprisingly quickly, and he looks great from the amazing benefits it provides! His coat is softer, shinier, and he sheds less! He's got renewed energy like a kitten. And this may sound gross (but helpful for pet owners) there's less poop! I've become a big fan of both the freeze-dried and raw diets and would be more than happy to help anyone out with a transition from kibble!

Middle Harbor Shoreline Park

On a blustery Tuesday afternoon, Sonny and I decided to take Apple on an outing. We went out to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park to do a little exploring.

I miss you already...

I love you bubby.. you're in a better place now...

my little Pickle head..

Pet Care: Common Poisonous and Toxic Plants

If your canine and feline friends are at all like mine, they are mischevious and LOVE to get into everything...including plants. No matter what time of year it is, its always a good idea to know if the plants in and around your home are safe for your furry companions. With spring and summer planting going strong, now's a perfect opportunity to educate yourself, and keep every 4-legged member of your family safe.

The following video, which watches a little like a lecture, is a great visual resource for 17 common decorative plants and flowers, both indoor and out.


This is a comprehensive, searchable database for all toxic and poisonous plants, both indoor and out, food and decorative. Some may be surprising, like Tomato Plant and Aloe Vera!

Finally, a good list of "People Food" you definitely do not want to share with your little buddies. Their digestive systems are NOT the same as ours!

Thanks to the ASPCA for the links, all the great work they do!

Super compost, and dog-cat love (or mutual tolerence)!

Found this giant sprout growing out of the middle of my worm compost bin. I am AMAZED, because not only did this grow from a tiny piece of leek root put into the bin just a few days ago, but it grew in the complete black darkness that is the inside of the worm bin! Needless to say my hopes are high for the potency of this batch of compost!!!


Pickle and Poe, my dog and cat, have made a GIANT step towards living with each other in a somewhat amicable tolerance. Poe was sleeping at the foot of the bed, when Pickle, antsy as always, decided he needed to lay down directly within my line of sight because my attention was not 100% devoted to him at that particular moment. That line of sight happened to be over the top of a book I was reading, and right next to Poe! This pose lasted for about a minute...which is approximately 58 seconds longer than any other time they've shared the same square foot of space. Amazing!


Obligatory HSSV cute stray puppy time...


On a side note...today I invented a new word.
Snoozapalooza (noun):
To spend every extra minute of your morning hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock, staying in bed, and not getting up until you absolutely must, drifting in and out of deep, blissful sleep.

The Little Things

Its cold here. Possibly colder inside than out. I have to gather more willpower than strength to get out of bed in the morning.

I was browsing through my phone and found some of the little things in my life that make things ok.

Surprises in nature


Dog crunching through leaves


Cat being cute


Purple potato tofu scram


Creamiest mac and "cheese" ever! (no animal stuff, no fake cheese....just pure genius!)


p.s. I know two of them are food. I miss cooking.