Sunday, December 30, 2012

Lucas and Zack

These two brothers are a fun duo. They love to howl when a siren goes by, snuggle in the backyard, and they get so excited when I give them pieces of cheese for treats :)

Friday, December 28, 2012

Party of Four!

I got to watch two dogs and two cats from the same family after Christmas. Here is what they were all up to:

I sent this picture to their Mom the first day :)

Hazel liked to wrestle with Lucy, sleep under beds, and drink from the pool.

Lucy loved her meal times, walked well with her gentle leader, and could eat liver treats all day. She grew so much bigger since the last time I watched her!

Sweet Pea was just as her name suggests, so sweet! She loved to get pet and rub against my legs :)


Sophie was a little camera shy this time, but here is a picture of her from the last time I watched her in the summer. She liked to hang out on the patio.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Happy Holidays From Boston

Boston's Mom made my day when she sent me this picture of her boy Boston:

The message said, "Hi Sharell! Merry Christmas from Boston! Hope you had a great Christmas. I wuf you!"

How cute is he?! I took care of him a few months earlier and have been missing him. Thank you for making my day :)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Hanging Out With Max, Minnie, & Patches Again!

I got to watch these cuties the week leading up to Christmas again! Here are some more of our adventures:

Max loves his walks. (Thank goodness for tripods and self timer!)

Minnie sure does love her wet food.

Patches liked to stay warm and cozy in her bed.

'Tis the Season

Someone got a little carried away helping with the decorations.

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Dog Treat Recipe

Want to make your furry friend some delicious treats this holiday season? Here is a recipe that you can try out:

1 cup whole wheat flour (I used WW pastry flour)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
¼ cup wheat germ
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder, such as Rumford
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two large cookie sheets with parchment or silicone pads. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix together the flours, oats, wheat germ, and baking powder. In a small bowl, stir together the chicken broth, peanut butter, honey, and olive oil. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until incorporated. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or up to an hour. This gives the flour and oats time to absorb moisture and it will become thicker and easier to work with as it stands. 

Roll out to ¼ inch thick on a floured surface and cut into shapes and place treats on prepared baking sheet. Bake cookies for 15 minutes.

If your dog prefers softer cookie-type treats, cool the treats at this point and package in airtight containers. If you want to bake them into hard biscuits, which stores better and has the added benefit of helping clean your dog’s teeth, simply turn off the oven with the cookies still inside and leave them in overnight, or until the oven is cool. If you bake them in batches, remove each tray as they finish, and let them sit on the sheet until all the batches are baked, then turn off the oven and return all baking sheets to the oven to sit overnight, or until the oven is cool.

Good luck! I hope your dog enjoys them as much as mine did! 
[Recipe found here]

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Relaxing With Alice

I have been getting to hang out a lot with Alice recently. She loves sitting in the morning sun, using her scratching pad, and sleeping right next to me. I even heard her snore a couple times!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Meet Karma



This cutie is a fun one! She has so much energy but is very well behaved and knows lots of commands. She loves her Kong balls stuffed with frozen peanut butter and is a great running partner. Can't wait to see you again Karma!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Max, Minnie, & Patches

Meet the trio: Max, Minnie, & Patches

When ever I would pull into the driveway, max would be perched in his favorite window seat watching what was going on outside. I would wave to him and say "Hi Max!" as I passed him and walked to the front door. I could see his little tail wag and hear excited whines through the window. When I would open the front door, he would be racing to his toy basket to pick out a toy to carry around and show off to me. It was the cutest thing ever!

What a handsome guy!

Minnie gets her food served to her on a silver platter! How cool is that?!

Sweet Minnie

I let Patches get some fresh air and explore the backyard, walk through the garden, and lay in the sun. Boy, did she love that!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Karma Turns 1!

Here is the birthday card I made for Karma the chocolate lab for her first birthday. I was watching her kitty sister Alice while she was away with her mom. Happy Birthday Karma!


Thursday, December 6, 2012

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Ellwood Walk

I love taking Penny to the Ellwood Bluffs. She especially enjoys when she gets to run next to my mountain bike :)

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Derby Goes Hiking

Derby is the dog that I normally take on runs in the morning since his owners are no longer able to. In the beginning I noticed he needed some obedience training in addition to his exercise. So this time, instead of our normal neighborhood setting, I took Derby out for his first hike to work on getting socialized in public. 

Boy did he surprised me with his manners! Unlike his usual bold self in his own neighborhood, he was very reserved and a bit shy on his hike. He was able to meet a few dogs and was very gentle, calm, and quiet. He was great on the leash and is making more progress with me every time I see him. Way to go Derby!

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Boston: One of the Most Handsome Goldens You Ever Did See

Isn't Boston just so handsome?! He is six years old, loves being brushed and getting his tummy rubbed, is super soft and silky, and so well behaved. Here is a look at some adventures we had while I was caring for him.

He could play fetch in the backyard for ages.

Look at that cute smile!

I took him to the More Mesa bluffs one night to go romp around, smell new smells, and watch the sunset.

He was excited to make new doggie friends and was very friendly.

What a great way to end the evening :)