Pumkin cookies and dog icing for cakes and cookies

Guess what's just around the corner? I know....with the summer heat still hanging on it's hard to imagine it, but it is just around the corner. FALL I mean. And with fall comes apple picking and pumkin fields. Here's a good dog friendly way to use some of that pumpkin too! And Rover will LOVE you more for it!

PUMPKIN COOKIES AND DOG ICING
PUMPKIN COOKIES




INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons dry milk

1 cup white flour

1/3 cup corn meal

1/2 cup oats

1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup water + 1 tablespoon water

Directions

Place all the ingredients in your bread machine and set the machine for the dough cycle.

When the dough is finished, remove it and roll it into sheets that are 1/4" thick.

Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into shapes and place it on a lightly greased cookie sheet or an ungreased pastry mat.

Let the cookies rise for about an hour.

Bake the dog cookies for an hour at 275-300 degrees F.

Turn off the oven, and let the dog cookies continue to dry overnight in the oven. When they are completely done, they will be hard, dry and crisp. The dog treats will be hard for you to break in your hands--and better for your dog's teeth and gums.

You can store these dog cookies for a month or so at room temperature.

If you would like to give the dog treats as a gift, serve them at a dog party or use them as a festive treat, you can decorate them with dog treat icing and sprinkles.

Your stars will be easier to decorate if you use a larger star cookie cutter to make bigger stars. You can always break them in half for a smaller dog.

Make sure you keep some pumpkin cookies on hand for the holidays.

You'll want to have some for Halloween, for Thanksgiving and for the Christmas holidays.

Dog icing for cakes and cookies

You can spread yogurt, cream cheese or cottage cheese on a cake. You may wish to puree cottage cheese for a finer consistency. Melted carob can be drizzled on many cakes for dogs.

Mashed bananas works well in dog cake recipes like this one:

Banana & Mock-Choc Frosting:

• 2 cup mashed banana

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 6 tablespoon powdered carob (NEVER EVER USE REAL CHOCOLATE IN YOUR DOG TREATS!)

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 3 tablespoon unbleached flour

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Blend thoroughly and spread on cooled cake.

Cinnamon and vanilla are fine to use as flavorings in dog cake recipes. Bananas make great treats for dogs. Especially frozen bananas on a hot summer day.

It’s up to you how you want to use the frosting and icing. You may want to spread it on thinly or, in the case of bananas, you could use them for decoration and places slices around the top of the cake. You could place a layer of cream cheese on the cake and lay banana slices on top. And so on. It’s fine to be as creative as you like when working with dog cake recipes as long as you are using ingredients that are healthy for dogs.

Birthday cakes for dogs always benefit from these frostings and icings, especially if you wish to enhance them a little with some safe food coloring. There’s no reason why all of your dog cakes have to be white or natural-colored. You can add some food coloring and make cakes for dogs that are bright and bold.

Remember that, as with human cakes, frosting for dog cakes (including dog birthday cakes) sometimes handles better when it has been allowed to cool in the refrigerator for a while. It shouldn’t be either too warm or too cold when you’re trying to put it on the cake. If you’re baking the cake then the cake should be thoroughly cooled before you attempt to do any decorating. Put the decorated cake bake in the fridge to let it “set” before you serve it. You may be making birthday cakes for dogs for a group of wild puppies but you still want it to look nice.

That’s really all there is to it. Frosting and icing are an important part of making cakes for dogs into something really special for your dog. They are, literally, the icing on the cake. Your dog will love them.

Pet Of The Week!!!

Cody L.

Hello, my name is Cody and I'm a 1 1/2 yr old german shepard mix who's filled with oodles of energy!! I've been coming to Best Friends now for a little over a year, and OMG it's Woof-Tastic!! You see I used to board and my mommy would put me in their playgroup which is 45 mins of pure bliss playing with some fuzzy friends. But now they have a new programs called Play N Stay and it's only $3 dollars more than the playgroup and I get a minimum of 4 hours of group play a day!!! Kudos to my mom, that $3 is the best money spent on me here at Best Friends yet!!! So talk, well woof, to your moms and dads that you wanna join me in Best Friends Play N Stay!!

Makeover Of The Week!!

Kaiser B.

Hi, I am Kaiser and I am a 10 month old German Shepard. This is only my 3rd time here at Best Friends Pet Salon, but wow, I love it already! Mom and dad got me the whole package today! I got a bath and brush out, got my teeth brushed, my nails grinded and I got a shedicure! Wow’sers, that shedicure is somethin’ else! It got out all that loose dead fur and make me look a few pounds lighter too!! It will reduce my shedding up to 80%, which I think is why my parents got it in the first place, but regardless, I am saying it’s all about the pup, ME! Kudos to Claire for making me feel so much less fuzzy today!!

Meet our Kitty friends!

HI! My name is Charlie

and my friends here are Amiee and Shaka.

We are kitties looking for a new home. We are staying with Best Friends Pet Care in Indianapolis right now while we wait for that oh so PUUR-FECT family who wants nothing more then to love us and spoil us rotten. We are offered through Southside Animal Shelter who is a Non Profit No Kill shelter on the south side of Indianapolis.


If you have the room (and we don't take up much!) in your home and in your heart (Ok we are all waiting to fill up THAT space!) and maybge looking for something warm soft and cuddly please keep us in mind. The girls would love to stay together but me, I'm a one man show. I'll take all of your love! We are all up to date on our vaccinations and have been spayed and neutered. We do have our claws but promise to not tear up your furniture or curtains. just give us a good furry scratching post and we are happy little kitties!

Charlie is a real sweetheart who seems to get along well with dogs and loves to talk. He loves to watch everything that we do and give us his opinion on how we do it. He is one kitty who will be at your side offering up all he can give in any chore you do.

Amiee and Shaka have become better accustomed to having dogs in their life though it may take them a day or two to warm up to any in your own home. Both of the girls are real sweet and love to cuddle with you. Amiee is the more adventerous of the two where Shaka just wants to be loved. The girls would love to go to the same home as they are used to being together but will adjust quickly to a new loving home on their own.

Please contact Best Friends pet Care 317-841-8182 if you think you might be interested in either of them or just stop by to meet them! We are at 8224 Bash Street Indianapolis IN (right off of I-69 North)

Canine lifeguards doggie paddle to the rescue

Hundreds of specially trained dogs form Italy's corps of canine lifeguards, deployed each summer to help swimmers who get into trouble in the nation's popular seas. Unlike their human counterparts, these lifedogs can easily jump from helicopters and speeding boats to reach swimmers in need of a rescue. With millions flocking to Italy's crowded beaches each summer, the Italian Coast Guard says it rescues about 3,000 people every year _ and their canine helpers are credited with saving several lives.

They leap from helicopters or speeding boats, bringing aid to swimmers who get into trouble off Italy's popular beaches.

For these canine lifeguards, the doggie paddle does just fine.

Hundreds of specially trained dogs from Italy's corps of canine lifeguards are deployed each summer to help swimmers in need of rescue.

These "lifedogs" wear a harness or tow a buoy that victims can grab, or a raft they can sit on to be towed back to shore, and unlike their human counterparts, they can easily jump from helicopters and speeding boats to reach swimmers in trouble.

It takes three years for the canines to reach expert rescue status, and currently 300 dogs are fully trained for duty, said Roberto Gasbarri, who coordinates the Italian School of Canine Lifeguards program at a center outside of Rome in the seaside town of Civitavecchia.

"Dogs are useful in containing the physical fatigue of the lifeguard, to increase the speed at which casualties are retrieved, to increase the security of both the casualty and of the lifeguard," Gasbarri said.

"The dog becomes a sort of intelligent lifebuoy. It is a buoy that goes by itself to a person in need of help, and comes back to the shore also by himself, choosing the best landing point and swimming through the safest currents," he said.

The Civitavecchia center is one of a dozen around the country for the school founded more than 20 years ago in the northern province of Bergamo by Ferruccio Pilenga, whose first trainee was his own Newfoundland.

The school will train any breed, as long as they weigh at least 30 kilograms (66 pounds), but Labradors, Newfoundlands and golden retrievers are most commonly used because of their natural instinct for swimming. Each dog works in tandem with a human lifeguard, who also acts as the animal's trainer.

"Being retrievers, they set out to pick up anything we tell them, be it a human being, an object, or a fish, and they bring it back to the shore," said lifeguard Monia Luciani. "They do not associate it with a physical activity, but it is rather a game for them."

Our thanks to the Associated Press for this story.

Pet of the Week

PET OF THE WEEK
BELLE B

Hi! My name is Belle. I'm a beautiful young
Brittany Spaniel. This is my first time staying
with Best Friends, but you know what? I'm
already loving it! I made new friends that came outside
to play with me and love me. How can
you not like that?

The play yards are fabulous And fun. My mommy went on
vacation and thought she was just boarding me. HA! This
is MY vacation! WOOHOO!!!!! I'm beat....but
hey a girl just can't have too much fun!

Make Over of the Week

MAKE OVER OF THE WEEK
SOPHIE K

HI! My name is Sophie. I am a young Yorkie

and the apple of my mommies eye. I came in to see my

favorite groomer Sara today. As you can see I was quite the

sight when I first came in ......

but Sara took control and soon made me back

into the beautiful young girl that I am!

Don't I look wonderful now?

Pet Of The Week!!!

Cleo S.

Hi, I'm Cleo! I am a 4 1/2 yr old Siberian Husky. I have been coming to Best Friends for boarding and grooming for 4 yrs now. Wow time flies when your havin' fun! When I come I bunk with my friend Sunny. My parents like this because she gets 20% off when we share a room! I love the 16 ft rooms, the playtimes, the food and of course the staff!! They treat me like the queen that I truely am! Come and see what I'm talkin' about!

Groom Of The Week!!!

Beau B.

Hello, my name is Beau and boy am I B-E-A-U-tiful!! I am a 12 1/2 yr old Chow Chow. My mom likes to keep my fur nice and long! So as you can imagine this time of year I get a little fuzzy from losing that fluffy undercoat! Claire does an excellent job of making me look like that young handsome pup that I still act like. So whether your long and fluffy like me, short haired, or even shedding, come and see Claire at Best Friends!

Pet of the Week

Daisy H.

I'm Daisy! I am a 6 month old..., well I'm a heinz 57! But none the less my family loves me VERY MUCH! In fact they let me spend the weekend at Best Friends Resort where I got to play with other pups like me in their Play N Stay!! I was a little nervous at first, but check me out now!!! The staff at Best Friends takes GREAT care of me. I love coming here to see all my buddies!! So if you want to make some new friends check out the Play N Stay!

Groom of the Week

Pookie S.

Hello, I'm Pookie. I'm a 3 1/2 yr old Bichon Frise. In the 1800's my ancestors used to lead the blind and do tricks in circuses and fairs. Although my ancestors used to enjoy doing this, I prefer to snuggle on your lap and give you lots of kisses! And who better to do this than a freshly groomed pup!! Sara always does an excellent job making me look and feel like the pup I know I am!! I'm giving her a round of applause!!

biG DoG Fat cAt FeStiVaL

Saturday, August 14, 2010 ● 11 am to 5 pm

Music ● Games ● Food ● Fun

At Perry Park (stop 11 between US 31 and Meridian St

FREE ADMISSION

Have you adopted a Special Pet from Southside Animal Shelter or another rescue? Join us at biG Dog FaT cAt FeStiVal to show off your pet at a special Adopted Pet Show. Categories include:

           Swimsuit Competition
  Look a Like (Owner & Pet)
             Best Costume/Outfit
                     Best Sports Fan
                          Best in Show

Live Music from Ol’ Skool Classic Rock and Blues Band

biG Dog FaT cAt FeStiVaL

Corn Hole Tournament

http://www.ssasi.org/bigdogfatcatfestival/bdfccornholetournament.html


 

 

 

 

 

Silent Auction

-- keep checking the website for auction items and sponsors.

If you have something you would like to contribute to the 2010 Big Dog Fat Cat Festival please contact us at robin@ssasi.org for pick-up arrangements.

Check out Big Dog Fat Cat Festival on HelloIndianapolis.com

Sign up for the Big Dog Fat Cat Festival

Adopted Pet Show & Corn Hole Tournament

Have Some Fun • Win Some Prizes

And Help Rescue Companion Animals

All information can be found through the following link:

http://www.ssasi.org/bigdogfatcatfestival.html

Looking for a furry new friend? Check out the Colts Pre-season Celebration in Noblesville!!

We will be wearing our blue and white on Saturday, August 14th as we celebrate the new football season with AN EVEN BIGGER adoption discount event!

BOTH cats and dogs ages 6 months and up will have discounted adoption fees you will not want to miss.*

If you didn't make it to Welcome to the Jungle, here's your chance to find the feline or canine companion of your dreams for an incredible deal.

PLUS...everyone who adopts a pet that day will be entered into a drawing to win Colts tickets AND the first 25 adopters will receive a gift bag.

Information provided by the Noblesville Humane Society Website- http://www.hamiltonhumane.com/index.htm

*Some restrictions may apply.

Military Service dogs coming home with PTSD

Dog comes home from Iraq suffering what military suspects is PTSD, but is now on mend


Published August 03, 2010
Associated Press

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.

Gina was a playful 2-year-old German shepherd when she went to Iraq as a highly trained bomb-sniffing dog with the military, conducting door-to-door searches and witnessing all sorts of noisy explosions.

She returned home to Colorado cowering and fearful. When her handlers tried to take her into a building, she would stiffen her legs and resist. Once inside, she would tuck her tail beneath her body and slink along the floor. She would hide under furniture or in a corner to avoid people.

A military veterinarian diagnosed with her post-traumatic stress disorder — a condition that experts say can afflict dogs just like it does humans.

"She showed all the symptoms and she had all the signs," said Master Sgt. Eric Haynes, the kennel master at Peterson Air Force Base. "She was terrified of everybody and it was obviously a condition that led her down that road."

A year later, Gina is on the mend. Frequent walks among friendly people and a gradual reintroduction to the noises of military life have begun to overcome her fears, Haynes said.

Haynes describes her progress as "outstanding."

"Pretty fabulous, actually," added Staff Sgt. Melinda Miller, who's been Gina's handler since May. "She makes me look pretty good."

PTSD is well-documented among American servicemen and women returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but its existence in animals is less clear-cut. Some veterinarians say animals do experience it, or a version of it.

"There is a condition in dogs which is almost precisely the same, if not precisely the same, as PTSD in humans," said Nicholas Dodman, head of the animal behavior program at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.

But some veterinarians dislike applying the diagnosis to animals, thinking it demeans servicemen and women, Dodman said. He added that he means no offense to military personnel when he uses the term.

The military defines PTSD as a condition that develops after a life-threatening trauma. Victims suffer three types of experiences long afterward, even in a safe environment. They repeatedly re-experience the trauma in nightmares or vivid memories. They avoid situations or feelings that remind them of the event, and they feel keyed up all the time.

When Gina returned to Peterson last year after her six-month deployment in Iraq, she was no longer the "great little pup" Haynes remembered.

She had been assigned to an Army unit, and her job was to search for explosives after soldiers entered a house. The troops sometimes used noisy, blinding "flash-bang" grenades and kicked down doors, Haynes said, and Gina was once in a convoy when another vehicle was hit by an improvised bomb.

Back home at Peterson, Gina wanted nothing to do with people.

"She'd withdrawn from society as a whole," Haynes said.

Haynes, who has worked with more than 100 dogs in 12 years as a handler and kennel master, said he has seen other dogs rattled by trauma, but none as badly as Gina.

Haynes and other handlers coaxed Gina on walks, sending someone ahead to pass out treats for bystanders to give her. They got her over her fear of walking through doors by stationing someone she knew on the other side to reward her with pats and play. They eased her farther into buildings with the same technique.

"She started learning that everyone wasn't trying to get her," Haynes said. "She began acting more social again."

On a sunny afternoon last week, Gina dashed across her training yard, jumping over obstacles on command and deftly pushing a ball with her forelegs and chest. On a visit to a store on base, she trotted calmly down the aisles and sat quietly when a woman bent to pet her.

"She's such a lovable dog," Miller said, describing how the 61-pound Gina will lie in her lap. "I could literally hold this dog like a baby."

But Haynes said they're careful not to let their affection interfere with good training. Treating Gina like a human — for example, comforting her when she's frightened — can leave her thinking that her handler is pleased when she's afraid.

"She's just gorgeous and I love her, but you also have to balance it with — you have to do what's right," he said.

Gina has resumed some of her duties, searching cars for explosives at Peterson or other nearby military facilities. Eventually, she may be able to return to the kind of hazardous duty she did in Iraq, but that's at least a year away, Haynes said.

"We're not planning on doing it anytime in the near future because obviously, we don't want to mess up everything we've already fixed," he said.

Dodman said he doubts Gina can recover completely.

"It's a fact that fears once learned are never unlearned," Dodman said. "The best thing you can do is apply new learning, which is what (Gina's handlers are) doing," he said.

Haynes acknowledged that's a concern, and although he hopes Gina recovers 100 percent he doesn't know if she will.

"Anytime someone has that much fear about anything, then obviously it will be hard just to get it fixed," he said.

"But, I mean, we don't really have many other options," Haynes said. "You can't really give up on them. They're your partner."

Camper of the Month

JOEY F.

Hello, I'm Joey. I am a 1 year old Border Collie Mix. I have been attending Doggie Day Camp for 5 months now. But I'm no newbie!!! In fact I am one of the ring leaders in camp!!

You see in DDC we all develop a very tight friendship and our friendship is un-breakable(not even for cookies! We share!)! We may play rough and sound funny at times, but you know thats when we are having the best time!! Pools, Kongs, Nylabones, Lovins and great friends.

What else could a happy dog want?

Make Over of the Week

MAKE OVER OF THE WEEK

BOW I

HI! My name is Bow (sounds like a Christmas *Bow*).

 I am an American Cocker. I've been coming to see my

 Best Friend's Groomer, Sara for over a year now.

She always makes me look and feel SO wonderful.

My mom makes sure I come regularly so I never

get unruly in my hair style, but the work that

Sara does on me makes me even

 more *stylin'* then ever!

Pet of the Week

Sasha B.

 

Hello, my name is Sasha and I am a 6 1/2 year old grey kitty. I just recently spent 17 days with my buddies at Best Friends in Kitty City. Arent I just as handsome as can be? Along with being a frisky feline I am also a talker!! I let everyone know where I am and that I am ready to play!! I love to be petted and snuggled(as you can see)! I actually fell asleep in Jessica's hand!! So if you are wanting some extra snugglin' and a fun place to relax, come and visit Best Friends!!