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We’re God Parents!

July 29, 2013

I’ve never yearned to be a god parent. I don’t have brothers or sisters, so the chance of me being one was slim to none anyway, but I’m just not the kind of person to be voted god parent.

I mean, I guess I could do it if the kid was like 17 years old, gainfully employed, and going off to college in the fall. Other than that, I’m not god parent material.

At least to a kid.

But I’m not a kid’s god parent. I’m a dog’s god parent! Technically, my husband and I are the god parents to this particular dog, but this is my blog and my story. So we’ll leave him out of it for the purposes of this post.

Go ahead, laugh if you will. And then leave. Because this blog’s not for you, for I am very serious about my excitement and seriousness of god parenthood for dogs.

I think everyone should have plans in place for their dog if the inevitable happens and your dog is left people-less. Ideally, this will be put in a legal document like a will or a living trust or some other official document. I’m not an attorney, so don’t rely on me for advice on how to do this — consult your favorite legal eagle, I’m a dead end in that department.

Back to the real story — god parenthood. We were asked to be god parents to a dog we’ve helped raise. Quite a few pups have come through our house (we’re on #15 to be exact), and this is the first time we’ve been tapped to be the alternative if the worst should happen.

When we were asked, the asker said “take your time, talk it over with Dana, and get back to us. No pressure.” I was at the airport picking up my luggage from a recent trip and immediately wrote back on my phone “Yes.”

I didn’t have to think about it. I didn’t have to talk it over with Dana. The answer is YES. Thinking about it would only confirm my answer, and talking about it with my husband would only confirm his answer: YES.

This is what’s known as a no-brainer. Of course we’ll be god parents. There’s no way we wouldn’t be god parents. My life is now complete. I am a god parent.

It’s funny how something you never ever thought about and never expected can make you feel so good.

Your Turn: Are you a god parent to a dog? Do you have provisions made for your pets — just in case? Please leave a comment and let us know!

Freshpet: Good (and Convenient) Food for Dogs

October 4, 2011

I got a chance to try a bunch of new dog food and dog snacks last week.Let me say right up front that I'm a little bit of a dog-food-snob. I try hard to learn as much as I can about dog food: how it's made, what goes into it, etc.

My dogs eat better than I do, truth be told. All of them are supplemented in one way or another, those supplements tailored to their age or specific health issues.

Lily, the pretty little grey-faced Labrador on the left, has allergies to beef and grains (corn, wheat, and the like). We buy a specific food that is grain-free and she's on an over-the-counter antihistamine everyday, as well as a complex of fish oils, Omegas, etc.

Anyway, I got a cooler full of refrigerated dog treats the other day and was pretty skeptical at first. I'm skeptical of almost all commercial dog treats – usually they're a whole lot of grains, a whole lot of fillers, and a whole lot of preservatives. All things I don't want to put into my dog.

I'll keep this short and to-the-point. Here are the vitals:

Who: Freshpet
What: Dog treats and dog food

I liked:

the packaging – nine (I counted) freez-paks in a cooler, shipped overnight (not cheap!)
the ingredients – in the Vital line, for instance, here is the ingredient list (no grains!): Chicken, Chicken Liver, Cranberries, Beef, Salmon, Eggs, Spinach, Vinegar, Peas, Natural Flavors, Carrageenan, Salt, Caramel Color, Inulin, Pomegranate, Broccoli. You can actually SEE the shredded chicken, the cranberries, and the spinach! It's actually identifiable (I think that's pretty amazing…)
the variety - In addition to the Vital line above, I also found the Dognation line impressive. The ONLY ingredient in the Sweet Potato Chews…sweet potatoes! Amazing!
the palatibility - my dogs LOVED this stuff!
the uses - I create a lot of food-stuffed toys for my dogs to help keep them busy and their minds active. Freshpet has so many different types of food and treats, I can find something that will work with whatever food toy I'm using that day.
the absence of preservatives - these treats must be refrigerated. Which may seem like a hassle (it's not), but that lack of preservatives makes me a whole lot happier about feeding Freshpet to my dogs. I want as little un-natural stuff in them as possible.
convenience and availability - I can get this from my local grocery store. Normally, grocery store dog food is an automatic "NO!" in my book — the quality is just too low, usually. Those grocery store dog foods are usually loaded with wheat and corn and the dreaded by-products. Not here — just the opposite, actually. What a (happy) surprise!

I'm adding Freshpet to my fridge. I will use it for both my own dogs, as well as my client's dogs. Whether you have a really food-motivated Labrador (like I do), or you've got a finicky, picky eater, these Freshpet foods and treats will get your dog's attention. And that's where the training begins! Happy, eager dogs + delish treats = easy and fast training!

**Freshpet sent me the food samples free of charge. These remarks are entirely my opinion — I wasn't paid to write this review.**

Make-At-Home Cheap (And Easy) Dog Training Treats

November 13, 2009

In this economy, saving a little bit of money is a good thing. One way to save some scratch is to make your own dog training treats. Keep an eye on your grocery store flyer for sales on hot dogs. If they’re $1.00 per pack or less, pick up four or five packs. I’ll show you how to turn those hot dogs into cheap and easy dog training treats your dog will love.

This is an entire pack of hot dogs, just as they came out of the package.

Slice the hot dog in half, lengthwise.

Then flip the slippery sucker over and slice him again lengthwise (making four quarters).

Next, chop the hot dogs into pea-sized bits.

This is an entire pack of hot dogs diced (eight hot dogs).

Line a paper plate with a paper towel, then place the hot dogs on the plate in a single, even layer.

Cover the hot dogs with another paper towel and put the whole shebang in the microwave.

Cook the hot dogs on high for about 8 – 10 minutes. Depending on your microwave strength, you may have to add or subtract time. This is after about 12 minutes in my microwave. I’ll state the obvious: WATCH YOUR MICROWAVE. Microwave strength varies, so don’t leave these unattended. Check every few minutes to be sure the hot dogs don’t burn.

After cooking, let the hot dog pieces cool, then store in a zipper-locked plastic bag.

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