We are excited to be attending the Buffalo Pet Expo in MN on October 11th, 2008. There will be many rescue groups attending and so we feel fortunate to be allowed to exhibit our product line in such good company.
We will be selling our newest product, “Blooming Sticks” which are 2 treats in one. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hello.
Hopefully the weather will be good for the estimated 500 to 600 attendees.
When dealing with muddy paws on the carpet, just sprinkle with enough baking soda to cover the mud print and let it dry. Once dry, vacuum up the baking soda and dirt. If there is a light stain, spray with carpet stain remover and it should lift right up.
Mud is always much easier to remove when it is dry so never try to clean it when the muddy paw print is wet. It will just smear deeper into the carpet fibers.
We have finally completed our relocation from San Antonio, TX to Montrose, MN (just north of Minneapolis, MN). My husband has joined me in the bakery full-time and he will focus on our packaging and taking our treat products to the next level. In addition to improving our product line and improving packaging, he is advancing our wholesale program. With all that I was trying to complete, it was almost impossible to take the bakery to the next level - now I have a partner in life that can also partner with me in the bakery.
Look for some major changes in the coming months to our product line and wholesale marketing efforts.
Thank you to our established clientele for their patience while moving our family and our bakery across the southwestern states to the upper midwest.
Diabetic dogs need oatmeal as the base for all their meals. Oatmeal does not affect their blood sugar levels as does potatoes, rice, pasta and sweet potatoes. The problem is that our diabetic basset, Daisy, won’t eat the same thing day after day. As you know, if a diabetic dog doesn’t eat then they can’t receive their insulin. In order to keep her eating, I will mix pureed vegetables, carob chips or a combination of pureed vegetable and fruit.
An example for breakfast is that I will cook her oatmeal as usual and puree in my Magic Bullet or mini food processor, one apple and about 1/4 cup of green beans. She loves this and eats it all.
Another combination could be oatmeal and pureed or sliced bananas. I have actually started making the same breakfast as she has, for our other two bassets (who do not have diabetes). They are all 3 eating healthier.
For a dinner example, I will cook the oatmeal and before it is done cooking, I will add some green peas or green beans with some kind of chopped lean meat.
We have seen our bassets coat become shiner and fuller plus their energy level has increased. Our diabetic basset is more alert, energetic and calmer since we starting feeding her homemade food and treats.
Daisy is the reason we founded TheGourmetDogBakery.com because there are NO diabetic dog treats on the commercial market and we wanted to spoil her with treats like healthy dogs receive.
Have a ‘howling’ good week!
If you follow this blog or any of my forum postings, you understand that I cook homemade food for our 3 bassets and love doing it. I love deciding which base to use, such as potato, pasta, rice or oatmeal and then add vegetables and a lean meat. If you are cooking for a diabetic or pancretitis dog, then you will need to use oatmeal as the base. Below is one of my latest creations and our bassets loved it. Have Fun!
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 c. chopped green beans
1 small can of tomato sauce (check ingredients to make sure it is only tomato puree)
4 to 5 c. of water
1/2 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c. chopped zucchini
1/4 c. red bell pepper
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves OR 4 fresh chopped basil leaves
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves OR 2 sprigs of fresh oregano leaves
3 c. macaroni noodles
In a dutch oven pan, cook the ground turkey until no pink remains. Add the water, oil and tomato sauce then bring to a boil. Add macaroni and remaining ingredients to the pot, stirring occassionally. Simmer until the macaroni and vegetables are cooked thoroughly.
Makes 4 - 2 cups of homemade dog food.
Did you know many pets have allergies to wheat, corn and soy? Read your pet’s food and treat labels, this may be the cause for their scratching, sneezing, tear staining, and potty issues in the house.
Quinoa is considered the supergrain of the future but you shouldn’t wait for the future to use it. Quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorous. This “grain” may be especially valuable for dogs with diabetes.
It is already available in the bulk grain sections of most natural food stores, such as Whole Foods. It has a mild flavor and can be added to most every food dish but it does take some prep work before adding to your food.
This is a very important step: Using a fine sieve, rinse the grain several times with cool water. Rinsing the quinoa grain will remove the bitter taste.
Bring 2 cups of water or homemade broth to a boil and then add 1 cup of quinoa grain. Bring to another boil and then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. The quinoa should absorb the broth. Fluff with a fork and let cool. Store in the refrigerator for about 4 days and add to your dishes during the week.
We use quinoa grain or quinoa flour in all of our healthy dog treats at The Gourmet Dog Bakery.
If you are seeking more information on homemade dog or cat food, then I highly recommend the book entitled, “Home Prepared Dog and Cat Diets” by Donald Strombeck, DVM, PhD.
“Diet is one of the most important considerations in a pet’s care and that it is a major determinate of health and life expectancy”. This is a quote from Dr. Donald Strombeck, DVM, PhD and Professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine at U.C. (Gastroenterology). I found the book at Barnes & Noble stores and Amazon. Have a HOWLING good summer read!
There is no right or wrong answer here, if you use moderation in feeding your dog some liver. Liver is high in cholesterol so once per week is fine. Of course you will want to add it to their regular kibble or into their homemade meal with added vitamins.
We either puree chicken hearts or chicken livers once per week and add it to their oatmeal and peas (or green beans). Our Daisy is diabetic so we add it to oatmeal but you could add it to rice, sweet potatoes or wheat pasta. The combinations are almost limitless….so you can use your creativity to the fullest extent.
There is an internet radio show and podcast just for dog lovers and it is called DogCast Radio. The owner and has covered some very interest topics such as:
-
- Coping with the loss of a dog
- Information on Breed Specific Legislation
- Crufts 2008 coverage – largest dog show in the UK, similar to our USA Westminister Dog Show
- Improving your dog’s diet
- Dogs with aggressive behavior
- And many more…
New episodes are posted twice per month (2nd and 4th Saturday of each month) and it is totally free by listening on the website, download to a MP3 device or link a podcast feed to your computer (you may need special software but you don’t need a device such as an iPod).
DogCast Radio has articles from experts on topics of interest to dog owners. I enjoyed learning from Dr. Paula Terifaj, DVM. For years, I have been looking for a vet who doesn’t believe that we must feed our pets commercial dog food in order for them to be healthy and she is it.
DogCast Radio covers on their website, dog breed profiles including temperment, dog owner interviews regarding agility & water training, professional dog trainers, listeners share their own experiences, puppy activities and they review dog related websites.
If you haven’t listened lately, check them out at http://www.DogCastRadio.com