Move Over, Benji... Nipper is a TV STAR!!!!!!

Nipper with Sheila Gray!

Nipper meets Rob Williams!

The ingredients all laid out and ready to go!

Nipper with Tracey Johnson!

Nipper and his very own "Mama Rose"... ;)

It really happened! Nipper made his television debut on FOX19's new morning program, "FOX19 Morning News Extra" on Tuesday, December 21st, and as dedicated "stage-parents," Tom and I couldn't be prouder. That little black and barely white fuzzy faced guy did his Mommy and Daddy proud, chowing down on those dog biscuits like nobody's business!

I demonstrated how to bake "Nipper's Favorite Chicken Liver Dog Cookies" along with the help of Tracey Johnson, the new co-anchor. (For all those who haven't met her yet, she's a delight!)

Doing cooking demonstrations is fraught with possible catastrophes. I've done dozens, yet once forgot the eggs for a demo at a library. It made it kind of difficult to make "Birdie Bread Waffles" as my big finish. *Sigh!* All those successful presentations and that is the only one I still think of first.

The hardest part is the prep-work, choosing a recipe, making lists, measuring everything out and putting it in cups and ramekens so all you have to do is dump everything into bowls, etc. Then, you have to make a finished product so you can show the audience how the dish is supposed to look. If this is for a morning news program and you want to serve something hot so the interviewers and crew can taste-test, this might mean getting up at 3 a.m. or even staying up all night so that everything is timed out perfectly. Thank goodness "Nipper's Favorite Chicken Liver Dog Cookies" can be made the night or even days before and don't have to be served warm!

Well, enough rambling... Needless to say, the whole thing went off without a hitch and Nipper's extended fan club gave him rave reviews. His eating technique was impeccable and his timing...awesome!

That's our boy!!!!!

Peanut Butter Doggie Biscuits Earn Rave Reviews! Nipper Gives Them Two Dewclaws Up!!!

Nipper getting caught with his head in the cookie jar.

I made peanut butter dog cookies today and Nipper couldn't be happier. Here's the recipe:

Marsie's Menagerie Peanut Butter Doggie Biscuits

(Makes about 2 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutters)

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• Cooking spray

Method

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
• Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl. (I do it with my hands and wear non-latex medical gloves.)
• Mix until ingredients form a ball.
• Roll out on a floured surface (about 1/4 inch thickness).
• Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
• Place cookies on cookie sheet and place in oven.
• Bake for 25 minutes and cool on rack.

BONE APPETIT!!!!!!

I Died and Went to Doggie Heaven! Guess What? It Looks a Lot Like Mt. Adams!!!

Well, it finally happened... I officially died and went to doggie heaven at the 20th Annual Mt. Adams Reindog Parade yesterday. I was asked to represent "Marsie's Menagerie" as judge for the "Best Owner/Dog Look-a-like" category.

The Reindog Parade is truly one of the greatest events in the city of Cincinnati. Everyone there is happy and smiling; proudly showing off their dogs (who are dressed to the nines in holiday attire) and very chatty! It is a great big dog party and people are at their best. (If not goofiest.) I have always believed that dogs are an extension of their owners and taking them out is like walking your heart on a leash. The hills of Mt. Adams were truly awash in furry love.

All days should be as happy as Reindog Parade Day. Too bad it only happens once a year...

Why I Am The Way I Am...

MEXICO

TURTLE

My goldfish died last week. It’s not the first time this has happened or will it be the last. As I pressed the handle and flushed him/her to that great aquarium in the sky, I thought back on how my mother handled these situations when I was a child. Back then, I had dozens and dozens of fish and turtles, those types of pets that tend to give up the ghost on a regular basis; so I just know that she had to have been a mighty deperate woman.

Then as now, I was a great big drama queen. Age has only given me the gift of restraint, but believe you me, I feel it just the same. When I was a kid, I had no filters. That’s not to say that I can’t pitch a big old hissy-fit now and then, but I reserve them for the passing of warm-blooded creatures with fur. There’s a big difference and you have to draw the line somewhere.

One of the biggest lies that my mother told me was to stave off a “State Funeral” over my turtle Speedy Gonzales when I was five years old. I went to feed him and his bowl-mate “Slow Poke Slugger” and Speedy was gone. Now I was never the greatest at math, but I certainly grasped the concept that one was less than two. I checked under the plastic palm tree and on the table around the bowl. Getting down on my hands and scabby little knees I checked the floor. Realizing that he was well and truly gone, I shrieked so loudly that my mother had to think fast.

“Oh, Marsie…,” she said sorrowfully, “Speedy Gonzales is gone.”

“Gone?” I asked, wide-eyed, my chubby little chin beginning to quiver.

“Yes, gone.” She sighed dramatically for emphasis.

“Your Daddy and I found his shell in front of the kitchen door this morning.”

“His shell?”

“Yes, he ran away and the only way he could fit under the door was to take his shell off and leave it behind.”

Even at that tender age I had enough sense about me to not believe that a turtle could remove his shell. “

How could he do that?”

“Well, I don’t know, but he did,” she replied, summoning all of her “I’m the mother and know everything” authority.

She followed me into the kitchen where I was busily examining the small sliver of space between the door and the floor.

“He left a note,” she continued, lying through her teeth, probably hoping against hope that I wouldn't ask to see the evidence.

“It said that he was sorry, but he had to go home and visit his family in Mexico.”

“But what is he going to do without his shell?” I wondered.

“It’s warm in Mexico,” she said with a perfectly straight face, “So turtles don’t need to wear them there.”

That’s where my memory fades. Something tells me that Speedy Gonzales died and my parents found him first. But to make sure I’m going to Google “Naked Mexican Turtles.”

You just never know…

The Saddest Signs of All!

Cincinnati Observatory

Mt. Lookout, OH

Fitton Center for Creative Arts

Hamilton, Ohio

It's not right and when it's not right, it's wrong! Okay, okay...I understand why pets aren't allowed to run wild and free, but it doesn't mean I can't hate the signs!

More to come!

xoxo

M.

Nipper's Newest Favorite Doggie Snack!

Check it out...I've found a new homemade dog biscuit recipe! Nipper loves it and I'm certain that your dog will too.

These make great holiday presents for the dog lovers on your list. They are inexpensive and fun to make!

Do you have any pet treat recipes you'd like to share? Please send them to me at: marsolete@insightbb.com. I'll add more in coming weeks...

Nipper’s Bacon Barky Biscuits

(Makes approximately 2 ½ dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutters.)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Powdered milk
1 tbsp. Wheat Germ
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Beef Bouillon (Use granulated kind, not a cube.)
Four slices of bacon cooked extra crisp
1/3 cup Bacon Grease
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup ice water

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

After frying bacon, drain slices on top of paper towels. Reserve 1/3 cup of bacon grease. After draining bacon slices, place in food processor and reduce it to fine crumbles.

Combine dry items (including bacon crumbles) in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add bacon grease and flour, powdered milk, garlic powder, wheat germ and beef bouillon granules.

Stir in the bacon grease, egg and bacon. When these ingredients are thoroughly mixed, drizzle in ice water a tiny bit at a time until mixture is firm in texture..

Now comes the fun part!

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out with to 1/2 inch thickness and cut out biscuits with cookie cutters. (I use bone shaped cutters.) Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Allow to cool before serving.

Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Home Baked Treats!

Here I am with all the ingredients and finished products laid out.
Here is part of the crowd as they were coming in waiting for the demo to begin!

Here are my adorable little helpers!

This is Jessica Powell of the Newport Branch of the Campbell County Library. She is the one who invited me to speak. She is a "Librarian Extraordinaire" in my book. She even took the time to make a special display of pet cookbooks/pet care books and showed them to everyone in attendance after the presentation. Now, that is dedication!

Here is my official "Demented Martha Stewart-Wannabee Photo"

Thank you so much to the Newport Branch of the Campbell County Library for inviting me to do a "Pet Treat Baking Demonstration" last Thursday, August 26. It was so much fun that I nearly fainted from the excitement. (And from the effort of getting everything together!)

I met so many wonderful animal-people and we shared many great stories about our pets as well as recipes and tips on how to bake home-made, healthy treats.

Here are the recipes I shared. (I took samples of each so everyone could take home a little bag to share with their furry and feathered pals.)

Anne Crone

of “The Bird Shoppe’s”

Blueberry-Banana Birdie Waffles

(Makes about 6 waffles)

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour
1 Tbs. Sugar
3 Tsp. Baking Powder
3 Large Eggs
1 ½ Cups Milk
½ Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup Mashed Ripe Bananas
½ Cup Fresh Blueberries
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Method:

Preheat waffle iron.

In a large bowl combine Flour, Sugar and Baking Powder.

In a medium bowl, beat the Eggs until foamy. Add Milk, Oil and Mashed Bananas.

Combine wet with dry ingredients in large bowl and fold in Blueberries.

Place Non-Stick Spray on waffle iron and make waffles as usual.

Note:

Waffles may be made ahead, frozen and popped into the toaster. Always make sure they are cool before feeding to birds. These are also good smeared with Peanut Butter.

Katnip Krisps

(Makes about 2 dozen)

Ingredients

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Whole Milk
¼ cup Dry Milk
1 large Egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. Bran Cereal
2 Tbsp. Pure Honey
2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
2 Tsp. Fresh or 1 Tsp. Dried Catnip

Method

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a baking sheet.

Place Whole Wheat Flour, All Purpose Flour, Whole Milk and Dry Milk in a large mixing bowl and stir well.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out thinly with a rolling pin.

Cut the dough into small squares and put them on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the catnip cookies for 20-25 minutes until they turn light brown.

Allow the cookies to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Nipper’s Favorite Dog Cookies

(Makes about 2 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutter)

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour
3 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
½ Cup Wheat Germ
½ Cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 Egg
½ Cup of the Water you used to boil the Chicken Livers
2 Tsp. Dried Parsley Flakes
1 Cup Chicken Livers
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine Flour, Wheat Germ, Yellow Cornmeal and Parsley in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat the Egg lightly together with the Oil.

Add Egg and Oil slowly to dry mixture; then add broth from the Chicken Livers. Stir together.

Remove Chicken Livers from water. Pat dry on paper towels and mince very fine. (I used cooking shears.) Fold into dough. Mix well.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until it forms a firm ball.

Roll dough out to ½ inch thickness and cut into shapes with a bone shaped cookie cutter. (I suggest you use a small one.)

Place on cookie sheets that you have coated with Non-Stick Cooking Spray.

Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and firm.

Cookies should be stored in the refrigerator.
　

Note to all: I will tell you the same thing that I told the attendees at the baking demonstration: I am not a veterinarian or an animal dietician. Only you and your vet know what your particular pet can and can't eat. Please ask your personal vet before feeding any of these treats to your animal companions. Every animal is unique and may have allergies, etc. If you have any questions whatsoever about the safety of feeding these treats to your pets, please turn to the experts for guidance. I am a pet care expert, but my knowledge comes from personal experience, not from holding advanced degrees in animal medicine/care.

　

Fans of "Marsie's Menagerie" Can Also Visit My Facebook Page!

C'mon over and visit me on Facebook. My listing is under Marsie Hall Newbold! Let's be friends!

First of all, check out Nipper's 15th birthday celebration: "15 on the 15th!" It was the social event of the season!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2071658

Every Dog Has His Day...

They say that every dog has his day and tomorrow is Nipper's! It is hard to believe that that tiny, five week old puppy is going to be fifteen years old tomorrow. Where did the time go? But, most of all I want to know, why do dogs get old so young?

The same little guy who couldn't even gnaw his way through a Milk Bone back then is getting his own birthday cake tomorrow. It will have three tiers and be decorated with bacon, bologna, hot dogs and salami. I am the one baking it and between you and me, it is so much fun, I can't wait to serve it.

Here's a photo of Nipper peeking out from under the kitchen table. On top are the ingredients for a three-tier, meat-a-rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-ific doggie birthday cake.

Hope you can make it tomorrow! Don't tell Nipper, but his present is a motorized bubble machine that generates up to 1,000 bubbles per minute. His dad just came up from the basement (after installing the batteries, etc.) and declared, "It's tempermental, but it'll work."

Hmmmm...just like me?

Jake and Jake Sweeney!

I have always been easily manipulated by the media. So, when I was a little kid, I had two goldfish named "Jake" and "Jake Sweeney." You see, the Sweeney car dealerships advertised heavily on Saturday mornings and afternoons, which is when I did most of my television viewing.

Who could blame me for wanting to use the Sweeney name? In between "Mr. Hop", "Shock Theater" and "Big Time Wrestling" I would watch in amazement, milk dribbling out of my bowl of Frosted Flakes while Mr. Sweeney hawked the virtues of dozens of used cars. He'd stand out in front of the dealership holding a microphone (which immediately gave him credence in my book) and the lot guys would drive up car after car. When he was finished giving the spiel about how swell each one was, he'd rap the hood with his knuckles and it would drive on as if by magic. Now, that was power!

Once, when I was about five, the Sweeney dealerships had a promotion that gave away a free pony (or $50) with the purchase of every used car. When I got all excited and asked if we could buy a car in order to get one, my dad said that we couldn't keep a horse in the city of Ft. Thomas. A precocious child, I cited a family we knew who lived in the city who had a horse. "You need a special permit," he said (thinking quickly on his feet), "And I don't know how to get one."

Fifteen minutes later I called him to the phone. It was the Mayor's office and they wanted to know where to send the paperwork. Precocious, thy name was Marsie...

Four decades later and I still don't have a pony. But I did buy two goldfish yesterday and for old times sake, named them "Jake and Jake Sweeney." They're nice, but you can't ride 'em. Hey, maybe...that gives me an idea. If not now, when? Gotta go, I'm calling they Sweeney's; perhaps they has a few left over.

Nipper's Serenade!

Our dog Nipper has an "official" song. It's one of many, really, but nearly every day of his 14 3/4 years with us (except for the six weeks he was with his birth mother and littermates), I have sung this to him:

(To the tune of "Rubber Duckie".)

Nipper Newbold, you're the one -

You make our house lots of fun.

Nipper Newbold, we're awfully fond of you -

Boop, boop, be-do!

Nipper Newbold, joy of joys!

So pretty it's hard to believe you are a boy!

Nipper Newbold, you're our very best friend it's true!

Chorus:

Everyday you roll over and we rub your tummy.

Why? 'Cause it's so furry and chubby!

Rub-a-rub-rubby!

Nipper Newbold, you're so fine -.

We let you outside when you whine.

Nipper Newbold, we're awfully fond of -

Nipper Newbold, we'd like a whole kennel -

of youuuuu!

I have a theory. Life is a huge musical and there is a song for virtually everything! Do you sing to your pets? Bet you do! What songs are on your personal menagerie's "Hit Parade" list?

Cleanliness is Not Next to Hamster-i-ness!

Hamsterdam.
Peace offering.
Release.
Materials of cleanliness.
Inside the ball.

My hamsters are mad at me. Squeaking mad. Why? Because I had the audacity to clean their cage. (Well,actually it's an aquarium with a screened lid, but let's not quibble about the details because there is enough discord in the house right now as it is.)

It had to be done. They were getting downright stinky and since they share my office and I'm the responsible-pet-owner-in-residence, I'm the one who has to do it, even though it makes me the "bad guy." I know that they spend lots of time getting their little lair "just right," but it's not like they're not used to it. We have a routine.

Once or twice a week, I put up the baby gate to keep Nipper out of the kitchen, place Sheldon and Leonard in their little hamster balls so they can run across the kitchen floor while I work, spread the newspaper out over the kitchen table, gather the materials and give "Hamsterdam" a good, old-fashioned, soap and hot water scrubbing. Then they get fresh litter, clean water, a new bowl of food and to assuage their pique (gosh, I love dropping pretentious French phrases when it comes to talking about housepets), bribe them with a vanilla Oreo cookie to make it all better.

But they are still spitting mad...so angry they can barely run their wheel. You should see them stomping around that cage messing the place up again. Ah, well...what else do they have to do? As my Great-Grandmother was fond of saying, "Everybody has to have a hobby!"

I'm a Dog Watcher!

*Singing*
(In my prettiest, warbilest voice to the tune of “Girl Watcher” by the O’Kaysions):

“I’m a dog watcher.
I’m a dog watcher.
Watchin’ dogs go by.
My, my, my…”.

Now I may not have been awarded the Presidential Physical Fitness Award in grade school (I didn’t want to do those stupid 100 sit ups anyway), but as an adult I have excelled at the sport of dog watching.

You see, my inner child never progressed beyond the stage of pointing to every canine she sees and practically shrieking, “Doggie! Doggie, doggie, doggie!”

Dog watching never gets old and my absolute most favorite place in the world to indulge is Hyde Park Square. It is a dog-watcher’s heaven on earth. There is absolutely nothing better than sitting at one of those little tables out in front of Awakenings with a sugar-free, fat-free, vanilla latte and watching the pooches on parade.

They range from pure-breds to mutts, and the owners are all equally proud. Most are willing, if not eager to stop and let you pet their pals and share their stories. It is people at their friendliest and most open in ways they might never be if they didn‘t have their dogs with them. Admiring someone’s dog is a sure-fire conversation starter and a great equalizer. The truth is, from my own experience with my own dogs, is you are not just walking your dog…it is your heart at the end of that leash and you are taking it out for all the world to see.

Do you have a favorite dog watching spot? I'd love to know! C'mon, after all, turn-about is fair play!

Pussycat, Pussycat, I Love You!

I'm besotted with the calico cat who lives down the street. We've never met, but I look for him (or her) whenever I drive by. He (or she) is almost always lying in the window, enjoying the sun and keeping a watchful eye on the birdies. On the days he (or she) is there, it makes me smile and on the days he (or she) is not, I feel a bit blue (for just a moment or two) and wonder what he (or she) is up to.

Is he (or she) partaking in a little snack? Napping on the bed? Chasing a mouse? I'll never know, but I'm always charmed by the thought...

Funny how that works. That kitty whom I have never formally met has become a happy touchstone in my life. It's just another example of how animals, sometimes just by their sheer existence can bring us joy.

I'm going to take Nipper for a walk and leave this little catnip bouquet on his (or her) doorstep right now. Perhaps I'll see the owners and introduce myself. Maybe not...sometimes it is best to remain a "secret admirer."

Do you have any animals you admire from afar?

Good as Gold(fish)!

Oh, I have such a love-hate thing going with goldfish. I love everything about the finny little creatures, watching them and taking care of them, but I hate the nasty habit they have of dying on me despite my best efforts. Through the years I have had at least a hundred; from the dime-store Comet variety to giant $50 Raspberry headed Orandas. They have lived in everything from plain old bowls to climate-controlled aquariums with air pumps with names like "Silent Giant." And between you and me, none of them has lived for more than a few weeks to a month, with one exception: Eartha Kitt Fish.

Eartha was a Black Moor goldfish with long, flowing fins that put me in mind of an evening gown. She lived in a one-gallon bowl that sat on the counter separating the kitchen from the dining room of my single-girl condo. Eartha held court for three years and even had her own tiny Christmas stocking. Friends and family asked about her constantly and she became part of a humorous running commentary. The fantasy world that we concocted for her was far more glamorous than our own; when we weren't watching she sang in French bistros, dated movie stars and supped with Kings and Queens.

My chanteuse of a condo-mate provided more than finny eye-candy. She was a great companion and added a bit of sparkle to not only my life, but to others as well.
Not bad for a $1.75 fish from Woolworth's.

Eartha, it was my privilege to have been the one to feed you and clean your bowl. You continue to swim through my thoughts and all these years later, I still miss you.

There's No Business Like (Dog) Show Business!

Here's a photo of me with my first dog, Zero Amy at the 1968 "Girl Scout-a-Bout" held on the football field of Highlands High School. There was a dog show and Zero won first place in the costume division dressed as a bumble bee. My mother, the Edith Head of Sterling Avenue designed the costume that featured net wings, a yellow tutu and pipe cleaner antenna. If you look really close, you can even see a little stinger sticking up above her tail. (My Mother has always been a stick-ler for detail!)

This was our second foray into dog show-dom that summer and we were feeling pretty unstoppable. (Sort of like Taylor Swift must about now.) And who could blame us? After all, we were coming off the heady experience of taking first prize in the costume division, then going all the way to "Best in Show" at the Ken-L-Ration Kid's Dog Show in the parking lot of Kroger in Fort Thomas.

That win came complete with a blue ribbon, trophy and the right to represent the Fort Thomas Kroger at the regional Ken-L-Ration Kid's Dog Show competition at Coney Island. That meant that Zero got to go to Coney Island with my Mother, Dad and me. Actually (as we are fond of saying), Zero took us to Coney Island. Now, being a dog and all, she couldn't ride the rides, but they did let her into the park. That was a really big novelty!

*Now, I'm digressing, but since this is my blog and I can write what I want, let me ask you this: Do you remember when you were a kid and a dog would somehow get into the school and run around? It was a really big deal...at least at Robert D. Johnson Grade School. We thought it was the coolest thing ever. The dog would dart into the classroom with the janitor chasing behind. We would laugh and cheer and stomp our feet like the audience on American Idol. But, why was this? It wasn't as though none of us had ever seen a dog before. Most of us had one or two waiting for us at home. But a dog in school... WOW! Now, that...that was just out of context enough to have us buzzing for the rest of the day.*

Back to Coney Island...

Zero didn't win at the "Bigs." My 6 year old self was kind of miffed about it, but from where I sit the whole thing was a success because it is one my my most prized memories.

And guess what? I was just invited to emcee the "Furry Fort Thomas" dog show sponsored by the Campbell County Public Library Carrico/Ft. Thomas Branch this Sunday, June 6 from 2-4 p.m. Ryan Stacy, the Adult Services Librarian who asked me, said that there will be four categories: "Best Looking," "Best Trick," "Most Obedient" and "Best Dressed."

My life has come full-circle!

Nipper's Favorite Dog Cookie Recipe!

Eureka! I have found it, the best home-made dog biscuit recipe on earth. The ingredients are easy to find; it is fun and easy to make and best of all...*drum roll please* the final product is NIPPER APPROVED! Four paws up. He pronounced them (after taste testing two), "Good enough to serve the next time I have my buds over to play poker." Now that is high praise if I ever heard it.

Tomorrow we stop by to gift family and friends with the tasty morsels! Something tells me that I'm going to be extremely popular with the canine set! Now that the dogs are taken care of, I'm looking for a cat treat recipe. Do you have one? If so, please share...

Here's the recipe I used. Get to it!


Nipper’s Favorite Dog Cookies

(Makes about 2 dozen depending on the size of your cookie cutter)

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour
3 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
½ Cup Wheat Germ
½ Cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 Egg
½ Cup of the Water you used to boil the Chicken Livers
2 Tsp. Dried Parsley Flakes
1 Cup Chicken Livers
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Method

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Combine Flour, Wheat Germ, Yellow Cornmeal and Parsley in a large mixing bowl.

-In a separate bowl, beat the Egg lightly together with the Oil.

-Add Egg and Oil slowly to dry mixture; then add broth from the Chicken Livers. Stir together.

-Remove Chicken Livers from water. Pat dry on paper towels and mince very fine. (I used cooking shears.) Fold into dough. Mix well.

-Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until it forms a firm ball.

-Roll dough out to ½ inch thickness and cut into shapes with a bone shaped cookie cutter. (I suggest you use a small one.)

-Place on cookie sheets that you have coated with Non-Stick Cooking Spray.

-Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and firm.

-Cookies should be stored in the refrigerator.

Petsy Accessories!

Unless I'm wearing dog fur, I'm never totally dressed. You can quote me on that!

Part of the joy of having a black (and barely white) dog is if I have on dark clothing, the white hair shows and if I have on something light...well, visa-versa. There's no getting around it. Furry animals shed. I've tried asking Nipper nicely to "suck in his fur" but he isn't complying. I'm not willing to give up doggie snugs and hugs, so there you are. It is what it is. I've embraced dog hair as part of my "signature style." This is something I believe that Coco Chanel would definitely approve of considering that her nickname "Coco" literally means, "little pet." (Bet you didn't know that!)

I have lint brushes of all makes and models stashed in every conceivable spot. That's not to say that when I need one desperately, I can find one, but I digress...

Besides dog-fur, a lot of my wardrobe consists of pet-centric items. I own shirts, sweaters and nightshirts with pet-themes, slippers in the shape of bunnies and monkeys, scarves embroidered with images of dogs and cats, mittens with animal faces, a handbag with leather cut-out pups and an entire jewelry box of tiny creatures including dangly white mouse earrings. My favorite is a bracelet with a gold Cocker Spaniel charm that Tom gave me. (It is because, as my dear husband chuckled, "Nipper is "as good as gold.")

Speaking of Tom, he makes his own fashion statements with t-shirts that have Cocker Spaniels on them and several ties bearing the same motif.

But our favorite way to be "seen" is holding a leash with the real flesh, fur and grrrr guy on the other end. I always joke and say I got a black dog because I look thinner walking him. You've heard of LBD's (little black dresses? Well, Nipper's my LBD (Little black dog!)

Cuteohcuteohcuteofcuteness!

Love and Loss...

This past week I have had two friends call with the news that their beloved pets had died. Even though both had been ill for some time, when the end came it was still a horrible, stinging blow.

A pet can crawl into your heart in a way that nothing else can. (I do not have human children, so I can not even begin to imagine.) They give unconditional love and depend on you for their very lives; every drink of water, every morsel of food. You are their entire world. When they greet you with wiggling, waggling, gleeful enthusiasm, that is your reward. We need to be needed by them. They give us more than we could ever hope to give them.

But there is a flip side. The day that we all hope and pray won't come invariably does. We have to say goodbye. Our pets pass away and our hearts are broken. Sometimes we have to make that hard decision ourselves, other times they leave us on their own accord. Neither is easy.

Their loss leaves a hole in our lives that never truly goes away. Love is our greatest renewable resource and other pets may come into our lives; but those unique bonds are never broken. We never really say goodbye.

To my friends who lost their pets this week and to those of us who mourn our departed darlings, I offer the words of Albert Schweitzer. I hope that they will offer some comfort.

A Prayer for Animals

Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals, especially for animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put to death. We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessings of the merciful.

Nose Art!

Now I don't mean to brag, but our dog Nipper is quite an accomplished artist. His canvas is glass, his nose is the brush and his medium is good, old-fashioned dog slobber.

I didn't always see it that way. It's not like I'm Martha Stewart, but one of my personal bugaboos is dirty windows. I'm the kind of person who keeps Windex wet wipes in the car. Not a nutso clean-freak, but aware.

So, in the interest of my sanity (which hangs by a very slim thread to start), I've decided to "think outside the box" and embrace Nipper's habit of "snuff-ing" up every shiny surface in doggie-reach as an attempt to express himself through abstract impressionism. My budding little "Paw-blo" Picasso needs encouragement...and goodness knows that nothing is too good for the
"Nip-meister."

Does anybody have the telephone number for registrar's office at the Art Academy of Cincinnati? Perhaps we'll have a show and sell some of his work. I'm sure it would "fetch" top dollar!

Hello! Do You Like My Hat?

Do you remember your favorite childhood book? Mine was "Go, Dog. Go!" by P.D. Eastman. Thinking back, I had my parents read it to me so often that their eyes probably bled from staring at the dozens of brightly colored dogs romping through the pages.

My favorite part was a running "bit" between a pink Poodle and a yellow Hound. The Poodle would arrive on the scene wearing a frou-frou hat and after their initial greeting of "Hello!" would ask, "Do you like my hat?" and the Hound would say, "I do not." Then the book would continue with other dog antics.

Well, this mounting tension was almost more than my tiny little heart could take. The Poodle's hats grew more and more elaborate, until at the end of the book, she appears resplendent in a huge chapeau decorated with a flowerpot, mop, spider and pinwheel and the yellow Hound finally smiles and enthuses that he does indeed like her hat.

That "joke" has never gone stale. To this day, my Mother and I still ask each other once in awhile, "Do you like my hat?"

Oh yeah...go, dog. Go!

Dog Care Tips from Under the Big Top!

Every dog owner thinks that theirs is the greatest dog on earth. But Hans Klose can truly say that his dogs are part of "The Greatest Show on Earth."

In town through Sunday with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, the world-class dog trainer and his wife, Mariya own 18 dogs, 12 of which perform in his act, "Klose's Performing K9s." Most members of the pack are "rescues," among them four Standard Poodles, seven Fox Terriers, one Great Dane and several mixed breeds.

As the owner of a Cocker Spaniel who can sit, stay, lie down, stand up and shake a paw on command (the most that any dog I've ever owned can do), I am deeply impressed by people with the patience and ability to train their dogs (to paraphrase the opening of the TV series, Superman: "far beyond the abilities of mortal dogs." So, between rehearsals I took the opportunity to ask Hans what his "Top Five" suggestions for "civilian" dog owners might be.

They are:

1.) Choose the right dog (or cat) for your living environment. Use common sense. If you live in an apartment, you don't want a Great Dane. Do you have an active family with children? Pick a dog that will fit in with your lifestyle. Research before picking a pet. This will get you off to a good start.

2.) Teach your dog basic things that will keep them safe like sit, stay and come. You want to be able to walk your dog with or without a leash. This will keep them from darting out into traffic or running away. You have to teach your dog manners and that requires a lot of time and patience. It doesn't happen overnight. The more time you put into it, the better dog you will have.

3.) Feed your dog properly. A happy dog is a healthy dog that is in shape. Don't feed table scraps. This is not only healthy for the dog, it discourages begging at the table. Keep your pet on a nutritious diet.

4.) Exercise is important! Regular activity keeps them in good physical shape and is fun for you to do together. Dogs want to do things with their owners.

5.) Get proper veterinary care. Hans believes that dogs (and other pets) require as much medical attention as humans. "You need to consider the cost before you get a dog," he counsels, "Owning a pet is a big responsibility and commitment."

What is the hardest thing to teach a dog? "Not to bark," admits Hans.

That's a tough one at my house, too!

Twinkie Rehab

My husband Tom and I have no human children, so a black cocker spaniel
named Nipper has become the perfect, furry embodiment of our love.

I’ll admit it. We are absolutely wild over this dog and nothing is too good for him. We are those eccentric dog people that non-pet owners roll their eyes over. And if the old adage, “We are what we eat” is true, then Nipper has become a Hostess Twinkie.

It all started because Nipper, has suffered from ear infections all of his life has had to take various medications, mostly in pill form.

And guess what? It’s hard to give a dog a pill. So, through the years we
have tried hiding them in dog treats, peanut butter and everything in-
between.

At first, during Nipper’s puppy hood, Tom was a bit more pragmatic. So for awhile we tried the “tough love” pry-open-the-dog’s-mouth,-toss-the-pill-into-it,-hold-his-muzzle-shut-and-blow-on-his-nose-until-he-swallows-approach. Uh-huh. It sounds good in theory, but doesn’t work.

Look at it from the dog’s point of view. All he has is time on his paws. This is a great game. Why would he be in a hurry to give it up?

That brings us back to the current problem. The ear infection is under
control. There are no pills left but Nipper still expects his morning Twinkie.
It’s classic Psych 101 stuff.

This can’t go on. I’ve made up my mind. Tomorrow morning…no
Twinkie. I’m staging a snack cake intervention and putting Nipper into
rehab.

At least until the next ear infection flares up.