Getting Ready for Christmas

We don't do too much around here for Christmas. With family far away, we don't enjoy fighting the weather, crowds, and expense of travel to spend the holiday with them. I have to admit, I have mixed feelings about the holiday in general, but that's another blog post!

But we (I) do like to decorate -- put up a tree, wreath, string lights outside. It really makes the long, dark winter days much more palatable.

And I like to bake. This year I made almond spice cookies, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, toffee, and spiced nuts. I'm thinking of making some pumpkin bread too. I also included my doggie friends in my baking. I made pumpkin dog cookies for Anika and Steffi. And to give away to our neighbors' dog Norah (who will be going back with her family in January) and for their soon-to-be-adopted new dog, Jubilee.

Anika and Steffi think they turned out pretty good. Here's the recipe, courtesy of  California German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue:

Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

2 eggs*
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons dry milk*
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 cups brown rice flour **
1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

In large bowl, whisk together eggs and pumpkin to smooth. Stir in dry milk, sea salt, and dried parsley (if using, optional). Add brown rice flour gradually, combining with spatula or hands to form a stiff, dry dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface (can use the brown rice flour) and if dough is still rough, briefly knead and press to combine.

Roll dough between 1/4 – 1/2– depending on your dog’s chew preferences, – and use biscuit or other shape cutter to punch shapes, gathering and re-rolling scraps as you go. Place shapes on cookie sheet, no greasing or paper necessary. If desired, press fork pattern on biscuits before baking, a quick up-and-down movement with fork, lightly pressing down halfway through dough.

Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn biscuits over, then bake additional 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely on rack before feeding to dog.

* I didn't have any dry milk, so I used almond milk. I found the dough exceptionally dry, so the added moisture helped!

** I couldn't find brown rice flour, so I used 1 1/2 cups white rice flour and 1 cup barley flour.

So to all the hungry dogs out there: Happy Howlidays!

Our Squirrel Saga

Last week, Anika captured her first squirrel. To say she is obsessed with squirrels is an understatement. But I never thought she could catch one.

It's hard to believe this sweet looking dog is so blood thirsty.

It went like this:  I saw her outside with the squirrel in her mouth.I commanded her to drop it. And like a well-trained Weimaraner (not!), she did. The squirrel scurried into the garage and hid under the car. Meanwhile, the dog is going crazy trying to get at the squirrel. My husband held the dog while I opened the garage door and tried to scoop the squirrel outside.That squirrel was having nothing to do with that idea.

I did manage to get him outside into the fenced-in part of the yard though and put the dog into her kennel for a couple hours.

I searched the yard for the squirrel and found him under a fern. I nudged him with a shovel and he scampered up the tree. I knew he was injured and I hoped he would wander into someone else's yard and die.

In the middle of the night I let the dogs out and heard the dog scream and the squirrel squeal. Got the dog in, dabbed the cuts on her face with antiseptic soap and went back to sleep.

In the morning we did a full sweep of the yard and Anika found the dead squirrel hiding behind some fencing.

I should have just let Anika kill the squirrel when she had the chance because that poor squirrel suffered for a long time before it died. 

But I think the word is out:  I haven't seen another squirrel in the yard since then!