Valentines Day Homemade Puppy Treats

Make your pet a special treat for valentines day. From heart shaped dog biscuits to a heart shaped dog toy. For less than $10 you can make them both.

1. heart shaped cookie cutter from dollar tree
2. Natural Peanut butter and other ingredients
3. Red cloth or felt from Walmart
4. Use old t-shirt or newspaper and shred for stuffing

The heart cuddle toy:

Draw a heart, fold in half and cut along the lines. Do this for two separate sheets of material and hand sew them together leaving some room to stuff with material.
Spray the material with your favorite scent. Vanilla is our favorite.
Turn right side out and stuff the toy.
Voila a perfect little heart for your dog to enjoy.

The heart dog treat:
You can make all natural dog treats in many shapes but our favorite is the heart shaped valentines treat.

Total Time:30 min
Prep:10 min
Cook:20 min

Ingredients
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup creamy peanut butter (try the natural peanut butter for a healthier option)

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats and baking powder. Stir in the broth and peanut butter until the mixture forms a crumbly dough. Press the dough together to form a ball.

On a lightly floured work surface, knead the dough for 30 seconds until smooth. Roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle, about 1/2-inch thick. Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out bones and place on the prepared baking sheet (any scraps of dough can be formed into a ball and re-rolled).

Bake ~20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/peanut-butter-dog-bone-treats.html?oc=linkback

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet

How to Travel with your Dog

Travelling is something all dogs must get used to. It's important to not only take your pet to the vet and groomer, but to also ensure that your pet enjoys some trips. If the only places you take your dog are the vet and groomer it is likely to get a distaste of travelling rather quickly. Try taking your pup for outings to the park and to local pet retail warehouses where they can help pick out there favorite treats. Take them for pleasure drives when you go sight seeing or visit the mountains or beach. All national parks and beaches have designated pet welcome areas that you can usually find on their websites. Many times there are also local listings on where you can eat with your pet.

There are plenty of patio seating restaurants that don't mind if you bring along your pal. If you leave your dog in the car every time you run in to grab a bite to eat or shop he/ she will feel excluded and won't be having any fun. By including your dog in your regular activities it is more likely to enjoy car rides on a regular basis and less likely to experience any sickness related from nerves.

Another important thing to keep in mind is long distance travel. Travelling with your pet long distances can be unpleasant for all. Here are a few ways to alleviate the discomfort of long flights and car travels and how to make travelling life a little easier.

1. Make sure the hotel is truly pet friendly. It's nice if they allow pets but you want your pet to be treated as a guest too. After all you are paying extra for your pet to stay.
2. Benedryl isn't just for people it can also be used as a natural relax aid for your pet. It isn't as strong as a sedative and doesn't have any long lasting effects. So it can be perfect for those long drives when you think your pet may get a little nervous. Just make sure to check with your vet first to make sure they approve. They know your pet and its ability to medication best. Other relaxing herbs can be administered to your pet including: valerian extract, inositol, and soothing chamomile; fortified with Vitamin C and you can often find treats that have these natural ingredients.
3.Exercise, Exercise, Exercise...The famous Cesar Millan swears by the exercise method. Nothings helps better than to a recently exercised dog. "It will be in a more relaxed state during any long trip.
4. Make sure you bring lots of toys, your pups favorite blanket, and treats. Anything that helps your pup feel at home will help it enjoy its travels more.

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet

Treat Your Dog to a Treat

There are lots of different dog and puppy treats on the market today. From the old fashioned rawhide treats to today's all natural bites, nylabone, and of course the Kong making a decision for your pet can often get tricky. Just browsing the aisles at a larger Pet Retail Warehouse can be bewildering and overwhelming with countless rows of toys and chews. So here are a few quick tips on how to choose based on your dog and his/ her preference.

    First of all, don't fret if at first you don't succeed. You may try several treats before you find your pet's favorite but sometimes size and age does matter.
 

 For instance, puppies may prefer smaller toys that they can cut their teeth on. A small kong with a treat inside could be the perfect combined toy for both reward and play. Or, you may prefer to try the smaller training bites and reward your puppy only when it has done something you've asked of it such as waiting at the door instead of jumping up on a visitor or settling in his / her bed. Even the smallest rewards can make the biggest difference in the bond you make with your pet and can help your pet to grow into a much smarter adult dog if used properly to manipulate your pet into better behavior.

Once your pet is older, it may lose its ambition to complete a challenge and you may be seeking something for health reasons. Treats in older pets can be given for a multitude of health issues today such as bad breath or for joint care. Or, if your pet just needs something to keep it busy during the day while you are at work a good oversized bone or chew often does the trick. If your dog isn't very large you may prefer the nylabone to the rawhide because it is less likely to splinter.

Lastly, you may want to go the alternative route and create your own special treats. Check out our holiday gift article and get the recipe for all natural peanut butter bones.

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet

Elderly Dog Care

Many dogs will experience similar symptoms to us as they get older. They may experience arthritic pain, have a changing metabolism that causes weight issues, or even experience dementia. Other common health issues in older aged dogs include loss of hearing and eye sight, bad hips and joint pain, and dental issues. Getting old is never fun, but we can help ease some of our old pal's troubles. A dog reaches its senior years at around the age of seven or eight and from there we should be taking early precautions to try and prevent some of these problems from occurring later in life. If your pup is well taken care of it can go on to reach anywhere from fourteen to twenty years old typically depending on its size and how quickly your dog ages. So here are some of Golda's Grooming tricks of the trade for caring for an elderly dog.

  1. Routine dental care and even professional vet cleanings

Nylabone Dental Products

  2. Natural joint care
  3. A healthy senior diet
      All dog diets should consist of natural ingredients, chicken and lamb are often easier on a dogs stomach. Always check your dog food to make sure it doesn't have any dyes. This can often cause problems of an immediate nature such as indigestion and vomiting, but can also have long term effects.
  4. Use of ramps and beds that are made to ease joint and arthritic pain

It's normal for you as an owner to be concerned about your pets health and well being. We all want the best quality of life for our pets and sometimes its difficult to know if your dog is experiencing the normal symptoms of aging or if they are having a more serious problem. There are a few things you can keep a look out for in the event your dog may need to be seen by a vet such as the following:

1. Diarrhea and Vomiting on a consistent basis is never normal
2. Cloudy pupils could mean cataracts and does need to be treated to prevent further vision loss
3. Painful urination
4. Loss of ability to control urination - incontinence could mean kidney problems
5. Weight gain - watch out for hypothyroidism and;
6. Weight Loss can be a result of several more serious underlying problems and your dog should
     receive a thorough exam regarding any serious weight loss
7. Disorientation - doggy Alzheimers can make you wonder if you know your dog at all
8. Wounds no matter how small always need to be checked by a vet to prevent infection
9. Excessively smelly breath, loss of appetite, difficulty eating could be periodontal disease and needs     to be determined by a vet.

For more information on dog care check out the Golda's Grooming Website.

Golda's Grooming

 "We Care About Your Pets" 3629 Western Ave. Knoxville, TN 37931 Right off of I-40. Or 
Schedule an Appointment for a Pet Grooming via email here:

Golda's Grooming Schedule Your Pet