Fluffy blueberry pancakes for dogs!

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Today (January 28th) is National Blueberry Pancake Day! What better way than to celebrate with fluffy blueberry pancakes? (Aside from waffles haha) There is no better way to celebrate! And why not craft some fluffy blueberry pancakes for your dog too! 

Ok, your first question is… can dogs have pancakes?

Heck yes they can! Moderation is key to pancakes along with any bakery style treat like cupcakes, cakes, breads, doughnuts and waffles. The more sugar and fats in the treat, the less dogs should eat. With pancakes, small dogs can have a small pancake or two (quarter to half dollar size) while bigger dogs can have a bigger portion. Big dogs like Blue can have a couple of “regular” human sized pancakes, I’d say no more than 2 or 3.

The ingredients – what dogs can and can’t have!!

This recipe is modified from the 1950 Betty Crocker cookbook (our current favorite for human pancakes).

We will need: egg, buttermilk, baking soda, flour, sugar, soft shortening, baking powder and salt. For the modification, the flour will be oat flour, the buttermilk will be a sour oat milk, and the sugar will be omitted. 

Baking soda & baking powder aren’t good for your dog if they just eat them in their powdered form or get ahold of the box or container. Luckily since we are baking/cooking the batter the baking soda & baking powder become inert and non active. (Baking soda & baking powder are a main reason why these pancakes end up rather fluffy!)

Shortening is… margarine, lard or vegetable shortening (or any fat that is a solid at room temperature).  Butter and coconut oil aren’t shortening though they can be used interchangeably with shortening. Butter melts when baked/cooked and gives the final product a buttery taste. Coconut oil will add coconut flavor to the finished product. 

When it comes to shortening, dogs can have it though is best to NOT allow your dog to dip right out of the Crisco tub. Fatty shortenings can cause tummy upset and pancreatitis in dogs, so moderation is key! Used in a baked/cooked item like pancakes the shortening will be less tummy upsetting as it is combined with other ingredients and cooked.  If you’re solidly worried about it, opt for coconut oil.  We will be using shortening. 

Why oat flour? 

All purpose flour is… basic. Typically bleached, this flour is usually a staple in the kitchen, though nutritionally they are quite low. If that’s all you have on hand, go ahead and use it! Otherwise you can use almond flour, brown rice flour, buckwheat flour, chickpea flour, coconut flour, oat flour or whole wheat flour. 

I opted for oat flour because Blue’s favorite limited ingredient treats use… oat flour! Bocce’s Bakery makes unique flavored, limited ingredient dog treats – either crunchy or soft – and Blue LOVES them! Plus they are limited ingredient, which means I don’t feel bad feeding Blue an ample amount of them. Find them at Petsmart, Petco, Home Goods, Target or online!

Oat flour is relatively healthy as well! It has ample dietary fiber, protein, healthy fats and low in carbohydrates compare to other flours!

Onward to the recipe!

Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes for Dogs

Adapted from the recipe "Favorite Pancakes" in the 1950 Betty Crocker cookbook (pg 73 if you're curious!). These make a multitude of fluffy, dog friendly pancakes. Make small ones for small dogs and big ones for bigger dogs. Leftovers freeze well, freeze up to 3 months!
Remember, these are a decadent treat and should be fed in moderation!
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

Heat Griddle slowly while mixing batter.

    Beat well:

    • 1 egg, room temp

    Beat in:

    • 1 1/4 cups oat milk, soured *
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda

    Then beat in:

    • 1 1/3 + 3/4 of 1/3 cups oat flour (we used Quaker oat flour) *
    • 2 tbsp soft shortening *
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt

    Lastly, fold in carefully:

    • 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

    Instructions
     

    • Beat with a rotary beater until smooth.

    To "bake":

    • Heat griddle while mixing batter. To test, sprinkle with drops of water. If bubbles "skitter around" heat is just right, and cakes with brown immediately.
    • Pour batter from tip of a large spoon or from pitcher, in pools a little apart (for perfectly round cakes). If it is necessary, grease griddle very lightly.
    • Turn pancakes as soon as they are puffed and full of bubbles, but BEFORE they break... important for light cakes. Turn and brown the other side.
      FYI: A thick batter makes thick cakes and a thin batter makes thin cakes.

    Notes

    The original recipe calls for buttermilk or sour milk. You can use them in the recipe, though many dogs can't tolerate lactose very well. We opted for oat milk. 
    • For sour milk, add 1 TBL vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup milk (works with non dairy milk as well!). Let it sit a minimum of 5 minutes (oat milk takes a little longer to thicken and "sour").
    • Sub milk with:
      • oat milk
      • coconut milk
      • almond milk
    The original recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of sifted flour. Since we swapped for oat flour, the conversion is 1 1/3 cup oat flour to 1 cup of flour. It lands us at the weird measurement of 1 1/3 cup + 3/4 of 1/3 cup. (I eyeballed roughly 3/4 of a 1/3 cup measurement.) In general a little more flour will make your batter thicker, a little less flour will make your batter thinner. 
    We used vegetable shortening (Crisco) but you can use butter or coconut oil in a 1:1 swap out ratio. 
    If you want to make them for yourself you may want to add a bit of sweetness - the original recipe calls for 1 tsp sugar. Or add sweetness with honey, maple or blueberry syrup or whipped cream! (I nommed on a "spare" pancake with maple syrup and it was quite tasty!)
    For toppings for your dog,  you can do a small dollop of whipped cream or a handful of fresh blueberries scattered on the top or even a smear of peanut butter. If you want to drizzle maple syrup, you can just use moderation. Same goes for honey! 
    NOTE: let the blueberry pancakes cool well before you give them to your dog! Those little blueberries turn into molten lava when cooked which could burn or irritate your dog's tongue! 
    Keyword blueberry dog pancakes, blueberry pancakes, dog pancakes

    Ooooo soooo yummy! 

    Blue rather enjoyed his fluffy blueberry pancakes! No, he’s not sitting on a chair or stool, he’s table height! He’s just tall enough that he can put his head on the table and let his tongue attempt to snack off plates. He tries to be sneaky, but he’s typically thwarted quickly. Usually he just watches and drools while we eat haha!

    Celebrate National Blueberry Pancake Day by making these fluffy blueberry pancakes for your dog!

    Fluffy blueberry pancakes for dogs! Read More »

    What are toe beans? How do they relate to paw shape of different breeds?

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    Toe beans, originally coined for those jelly bean shaped toe pads of cats, are also seen on dogs, though within a greater variety of size. From tiny Chihuahua toes to monster St. Bernard paws with equally as large toes pads, those are the toe beans in the dog world!  The real name for toe beans is digital pads. No not digital as in computer & technology, but in reference to each digit of a dog’s toe. 

    Toe beans typically come in sets of 4 per paw! Toe beans don’t directly relate to paw shape, though they are a part of it! Before we talk about paw shape, let’s start with this: 

    If you were to compare a human hand and a dog’s front foot you’d find loads of similarities in the bones and structure. (Where the image below was found).

    WHOAH! Wrist bones, assorted finger bones and… thumbs! See that funky little “thumb” bone on the dog’s foot? That’s a dew claw! Thoughts are dew claws are the remnants of prehistoric evolutionary thumbs! Quite nifty!

    Even though our hand structures and dog paw structures are similar, we differ in how we walk upon the ground. Humans are plantigrades, meaning we walk with our toes and metatarsals flat on the ground. We share this trait with some primates, bears, skunks, raccoons, weasels, badgers, otters, red pandas, mice, rats, porcupines, rabbits, hedgehogs, hyraxes, kangaroos, opossums, loons & grebes. (Most early primitive mammals were plantigrade, digitigrade and unguligrade modes of movement evolved later.)

    Dog walk on their fingertips and toes, which means they are digitigrades! Joined with them as digitgrades are birds, cats, big cats, hyenas, mongoose, wild dogs, coyotes, wolves, and foxes. (There are semi-digitgrades too! Pigs, peccaries, hippopotamus, elephants and capybara are all semi-digitgrade!)

    Additionally, dog feet come in 3 main shapes – hare feet, cat feet and webbed feet. 

    Hare foot paws have extended 2nd and 3rd digits making the foot longer (similar shape to the feet of a rabbit or hare). Typically thought to be an advantage in running and speed, it also may be an indicator of a similar ancestor of the past, as Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and Bedlington Terriers aren’t heavily noted for their speed and have hare feet noted in their AKC standards!

    Cat foot paws are neat round paws with the toe beans nestled snugly together. This gives the toes a high arch and stance similar to the paws of a cat. The shape lends to greater endurance over speed, or so its thought. (Toy dogs don’t strike me as the endurance type… though with short legs they may have needed paws that could match their master’s stride…). To note – there are more breeds with cat foot paws than hare foot paws!

    Webbed feet are found in all dogs (webbing refers to the membranes between the toes) though some dogs have much more pronounced webbing, as noted by their AKC standards. Webbed feet lend towards stronger swimming skills as well as digging skills! Note: all dog have webbed feet – some just more than others!

    Those three aside, AKC standards also note: neither cat nor hare foot (or halfway between), round or rounded and oval or slightly oval shapes. Round paws are found in 56 different breeds while oval shaped paws are found in 29 different breeds. There are a few breeds with no noted shape of paws (mostly mentioning toes & their arch) and some breeds with some really funky paws. 

    Literally cat feet… this is what a cat foot paw on a dog resembles!

    Snowshoe hare feet… this is what a hair foot paw shape should look like. 

    Before we gander at all the breeds, I have a theory.

    Perhaps the natural foot shape, as gained from ancient ancestor dogs and wolves is… a round or slightly oval foot shape. Modern wolves leave prints that are nearly equal as wide as they are long, lending to a round or slightly oval shape. Looking into the ancestry of dogs, the  proto-dog / ancestor wolf prints alongside the child’s footprint in the Chauvet Cave in France are rounded as are the ancient paw prints in the Grotta della Bàsura cave system in Italy. 

    African wild dogs, maned wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals, and hyenas all have rounded or slightly oval feet as well. The Azawakh breed is exceptionally fast and has rounded feet… 

    Perhaps in some lineage there was a genetic funk that lent towards long middle toes (this article from 1857 talks about different common greyhound types). Really fast dogs were bred with other fast dogs to create further fast dogs, not always aligned to the greyhound breed in itself. (Remember, many modern breeds were refined to the types and standards in the late 1880s when dog shows became vogue.)

    Merely a wild theory. I digress… onward to what you want to know – what breeds have what type of paws?

    Breeds with hare foot paws as noted in their AKC breed standard:

      • Tibetan spaniel
      • Chinese crested
      • Italian greyhound
      • Japanese Chin
      • Papillon
      • Borzoi
      • Greyhound
      • Ibizan hound
      • Sloughi (can also be elongated oval)
      • Whippet (more hare than cat, both acceptable)
      • Bedlington terrier
      • Skye Terrier
      • Samoyed

    Breeds with cat foot paws (round with arched toes):

      • Bichon
      • Chow
      • Keeshond
      • Lhasa
      • Shiba inu
      • Miniature Pinscher
      • Pomeranian
      • Silky terrier
      • Belgian malinois
      • Belgian sheepdog
      • Belgian tervuren
      • Canaan dog
      • American English Coonhound
      • Bluetick coonhound
      • English Foxhound
      • Harrier
      • Redbone Coonhound
      • Treeing Walker Coonhound
      • Australian terrier
      • Bull terrier
      • Miniature Bull Terrier
      • Miniature Schnauzer
      • Parson Russell Terrier
      • Welsh Terrier
      • Gordon Setter
      • English Cocker spaniel
      • Vizsla
      • Wirehaired Vizsla
      • Akita
      • Cane Corso
      • Doberman pinscher
      • Dogo Argentino
      • German Pinscher
      • Kuvasz
      • Leonberger
      • Standard Schnauzer
      • Tibetan Mastiff

    Breeds with webbed feet (with variable foot shapes noted):

      • Newfoundland (cat feet)
      • Xoloitzcuintli (hare feet)
      • Otterhound
      • Lagotto Romagnolo (slightly rounded)
      • German Wirehair Pointer (round)
      • Chesapeake Bay Retriever (hare feet)
      • Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (slightly oval)
      • American Water Spaniel
      • Boykin spaniel (round)
      • Field Spaniel (round)
      • Weimaraner
      • Wirehair pointing griffon (round)
      • Chinook (oval)
      • Portuguese water dog (round)

    Neither cat or hare foot or halfway between:

      • Pug
      • Chihuahua
      • Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
      • Pharaoh Hound
      • Brittany

    Breeds with round & rounded feet:

      • Boston Terrier
      • Coton de Tuler
      • Dalmatian
      • Finnish spitz
      • Schipperke
      • Affenpinscher
      • Biewer terrier
      • Brussels griffon
      • Maltese
      • Yorkshire terrier
      • Australian cattle dog
      • Beauceron
      • Bouvier des flandres
      • Briard
      • Cardigan welsh corgi
      • Entlebucher Mountain Dog
      • Old English Sheepdog
      • Puli
      • Spanish water dog
      • Azawakh
      • Basset hound
      • Beagle
      • Irish wolfhound
      • Rhodesian Ridgeback
      • Airedale terrier
      • Dandie Dinmont Terrier
      • Smooth fox terrier
      • Wire fox terrier
      • Glen of Imal Terrier
      • Irish Terrier
      • Kerry Blue Terrier
      • Lakeland Terrier
      • Norfolk Terrier
      • Norwich Terrier
      • Scottish Terrier
      • Sealyham Terrier
      • Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
      • West Highland White Terrier
      • German Shorthair Pointer
      • Curly Coated Retriever
      • Golden Retriever
      • Cocker spaniel
      • English Springer Spaniel
      • Sussex spaniel
      • Welsh Springer Spaniel
      • Spinone Italianio
      • Bernese Mountain Dog
      • Black Russian Terrier
      • Boerboel
      • Bullmastiff
      • Great Dane
      • Great Pyrenees
      • Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
      • Mastiff
      • Neapolitan Mastiff
      • Rottweiler

    Breeds with oval or slightly oval:

      • American Eskimo
      • Poodle
      • Russian toy
      • Toy fox terrier
      • Australian shepherd
      • Bearded collie
      • Bergamasco
      • Border collie
      • Collie
      • Finnish lapphund
      • Icelandic sheepdog
      • Norwegian buhund
      • Pembroke welsh corgi
      • Polish lowland sheepdog
      • Pyrenean shepherd
      • Shetland sheepdog
      • Swedish Vallhund
      • Basenji
      • Cirneco Dell-Etna
      • Norwegian Elkhound
      • Portuguese Podengo Pequeno
      • American Hairless terrier
      • Rat Terrier
      • Russell Terrier
      • Nederlandse Kooikerhonji
      • Pointer
      • Flat Coated Retriever (oval or round)
      • Anatolian Shepherd dog
      • Siberian Husky

    Breeds with no notable foot shapes:

      • Bulldog
      • Shar-pei
      • French bulldog
      • Lowchen (middle toes slightly in advance of outer toes)
      • Havanese
      • Manchester terrier (middle toes slightly longer than others)
      • Pekinese
      • Shih tzu
      • German shepherd dog
      • Afghan hound
      • Black and tan coonhound
      • Bloodhound
      • Plott
      • Saluki (not cat-footed)
      • Scottish deerhound
      • American Staffordshire Terrier
      • Border Terrier
      • Cairn Terrier
      • Cesky terrier
      • Manchester Terrier
      • Staffordshire Bull Terrier
      • Labrador Retriever
      • English Setter
      • Irish setter
      • Irish Red & White Setter
      • Clumber spaniel
      • Irish Water Spaniel
      • Boxer
      • Dogue de Bordeaux
      • Giant Schnauzer
      • Komondor
      • Saint Bernard

    Really unique feet:

      • English toy spaniel (fused toes often seen and acceptable)
      • American Foxhound (feet foxlike)
      • Dachshund (five toes, four in use!)
      • Alaskan malamute (snowshoe type)
      • Tibetan terrier (snowshoe type)

    The most unique feet go to….Norwegian lundehund!  The feet are oval with at least six fully developed toes, five of which should reach the ground. Eight pads on each foot. The additional toes consist of one three jointed toe, like a thumb, and one two-jointed toe along with corresponding tendons and muscles that give the foot a strong appearance! This unique foot design has a practical use – Norwegian lundehunds were used for hunting puffins and needed to be nimble as they crawled & climbed over rocky outcroppings and cliffs where puffins live. 

    WHEW! All those feet on all those different dogs! 

    How about Blue’s big mitts to wrap things up? In measuring he has feet that are roughly 3.5 inches long and 3.5 inches wide – WOLF sized feet! (Wolves typically have feet that are 3 to 4 inches wide and 3-4 inches long though some can have larger). He has dainty white socks, two black toenails (one on a white paw!) and one mostly brown toe. 

    With his feet measuring roughly the same size width and length wise puts him in the appropriate round / rounded foot category!

    Such a transition into feet from adorable toe beans (which on Blue are the BIGGEST beans I’ve seen!) into how dog’s feet are like our hands, how dogs are digitigrade and walk on their toes to the different types of paw shapes for different breeds! 

    What shape of paws does your dog have? 

    (Images aside from Blue’s big paws were found in various places via Google searches. They are used merely for example purposes. )

    What are toe beans? How do they relate to paw shape of different breeds? Read More »

    Today is Squirrel Appreciation Day! Here’s 12 facts to help you appreciate them!

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    Indeed, today is Squirrel Appreciation Day and who appreciates squirrels more than… dogs! 

    Those fluffy tailed birdseed bandits provide for hours of watching as well as exciting things to chase as they scurry about the yard. And like you, Blue and I both didn’t know there was a Squirrel Appreciation Day! This day of appreciation began in 2001 by a wildlife rehabiltator in Asheville, North Carolina named Christy Hargrove. She wanted to to encourage people to enjoy the company of squirrels and understand how they fit within our ecosystems.  23 years later and its the first time I’ve heard about it!

    Let’s do some squirrel appreciation!

    • There are more than 200 species across the world! (Though Australia seems to be the exception!)
    • Sizes range from 5 inches from nose to tail (African pygmy squirrel) to squirrels that are 3 FEET LONG (Indian giant squirrels)
    • Squirrels, like their rodent cousins, have front teeth that never stop growing – which means they never wear down from constant gnawing!
    • Two main species are tree squirrels and ground squirrel with the third being flying squirrels
    • In Minnesota you can find:
      • Flying squirrels
      • Fox squirrels – the biggest squirrel in Minnesota!
      • Grey squirrels
      • Red squirrels 
      • Thirteen lined ground squirrel (aka Minnesota gopher)
    • Groups of squirrels are called a “scurry” or a “dray” (groups only happen when they snuggle together in the winter, otherwise squirrels are solitary!)
    • Tree squirrels belong to the genus Sciurus, which comes from the Greek words “skia” (shadow” and “oura” (tail).
    • Squirrels belong to the Sciuridae family which also includes chipmunks, prairie dogs, marmots and woodchucks!
    • No vomiting, burping or experience heartburn because squirrels can’t!
    • Black squirrels are not their own species but… grey squirrels or fox squirrels!  The black coloration comes from melanism – the development of dark pigment. 
    • White squirrels can be albino, though they frequently don’t have pink or red eyes owes their coloration to leucism. 
    • Squirrels lose approx 25% of their buried food which frequently results in assorted planted plants & trees in assorted locations!

    Wow! Loads of cool facts to help us appreciate those birdseed scavenging fluffy tailed squirrels on this day of appreciation!

    Blue is posing with this month’s BarkBox toys: blue squirrel “Scamper” and yellow squirrel “Nutso” (it seems BarkBox was on top of Squirrel Appreciation Day!). He thanks his grandma for these nifty boxes that come every month full of new toys (because he needs more…) and tasty treats.

    Also… Blue isn’t the greatest catcher… he closes his eyes and treats or toys hit him right in the face! This happens rather frequently haha!

    Today is Squirrel Appreciation Day! Here’s 12 facts to help you appreciate them! Read More »

    Keeping your dog cozy this winter season!

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    BRRRRRR! It’s cold out there! And unless your dog is of husky or arctic dog breed lineage, they will feel that chill too! Let us all bundle up in our sweaters and blankets and bunker down until the milder above 30 degree temps arrive (randomly next week is forecasted at… 40 degrees! CRAZY WARM for WINTER in MN!!!)

    So how do you keep your dog cozy during the winter season, especially when the temps are below freezing? See below!

    But first…
    Let’s talk winter temperatures!

    Water freezes at 32 degrees, which means temps under 32 degrees are considered freezing temperatures. Average temp for January in MN is in the teens, with lows in the single digits. (This doesn’t account for any wind! Adding wind = windchill = VERY COLD!) Which means we are all frozen popsicles for the month haha! February holds similar averages though a titch warmer in the 20s on average. March bumps us to 30s when we finally begin to thaw out slightly. April arrives frequently with snow… so April snows bring… frozen roses? Haha!

    The cold and windchill also bring something gnarly with them: frostbite!

    Frostbite can occur at any temp under 32 degrees! Add in wind for those lovely windchills and frostbite can happen even quicker!  This nifty chart from the National Weather Service gives a wad of different temps and winds where frostbite can happen. Yes we get -15 to -30 temps here in Minnesota on an average winter. 

    Once the temperature drops below 32 degrees DOGS can also get frostbite! Ears, tails, noses and paws are the most susceptible! Frostbite occurs due to the body redirecting the warm cozy blood to the main organs and away from the extremities. The drop in blood flow causes the extremities to freeze resulting in frostbite! EEK! Small dogs, shorthaired dogs, puppies and senior dogs are at the most risk of frostbite. 

    The general rule of thumb: too cold for you, then it is too cold for your pup!

    So how do you keep your dog cozy during the winter season?

    • Start with short outdoor time and short walks.
      Roughly 30 minutes is the timeframe where both you and your pup will start to feel the uncomfortable effects of below 32 degree weather.

    • Load up you pup and pop into a dog friendly shop to get your steps in. 
      You’ll brave the chilly temps for a brief moment from house to car to store and back, but you’ll be able to stroll in comfortable temperatures in a large space.  If you visit a non dog supply store, make sure you dog is well pottied before strolling.
      • Pack a cleanup kit for just in case: poo bags and some paper towels moistened with the enzyme cleaner you have at home (DIY doggy wet wipes!). Don’t forget some dry paper towels as well. Clean up, put everything back into the bag your brought it in and drop it into the nearest trash bin. 

    • Dress your pup for the elements.
      There are a multitude of different clothing items that will keep your dog warm and cozy this winter from boots, hats and full bodied coats. Some dogs may not need a coat (Blue & Axle) while others of the shorter hair variety would prefer a wam cozy jacket (Bender).  Blue being a no coat guy there aren’t any coats I can recommend at the moment!

    • SNUGGLE!
      Load up on cozy dog beds and ample warm cozy blankets. Set them in warm areas, such as the couch and near heat registers (Bender’s favorite haha!). Encourage your pup to cozy up on a bed, on or under a blanket with you. Add a loved plush and ready up your favorite show. 

    • Boredom busters!
      Ok, boredom busters won’t make your dog comfy and cozy this winter, but they will help them from going completely bananas in your house while you attempt to stay cozy until the winter passes. 

      • Find the treats
        This can be as basic or challenging you want to make it. Hide treats and have your dog find them, hide them in Easter eggs and hide those, scatter around the room with your dog in the room or out of the room. Pair with the find it command. 
        – For Blue and I it goes like this: soft tasty treats broken into teenie tiny bits and tossed around the living room. Brown treats are the best as they tend to blend in to the rug, toys and his bed making Blue use his nose heavily to find where each teeenie morsel is. (We used popcorn originally but he can see the light color contrast so finding the pieces was rather easy for him haha!)

      • Which cup?
        Similar to find the treats, but only this time put a treat under one of two opaque cups. When your pup picks the right cup they get the treat. Up the ante by adding more cups. No cups around? Use bowels, boxes or anything else to cover the treats. 

      • Train a new trick!
        Your dog may already known sit, lay, stay but what about bow? Bow, high five, hug, shy (cover their eyes), spin, sit pretty, and kiss are great easy tricks you can teach your pup. Working together helps to strengthen your bond, plus the mental exercise will tire out your dog. 

      • Get your “XYZ”
        This is a fun one to teach your dog. Start with a couple of toys – ie bear, ball, lizard. Name one (say “lizard”) and hand it to your pup. Repeat a couple of times. Put the trio on the floor and say “lizard”. If you dog picks the lizard, huzzah! If not, repeat the name of the toy and try again. Once your dog gets one toy name down, add in another name until your dog can pick out each individual toy in his toy box by name. Remember, dogs can only see in blues, yellows, some brown tones, greys, blacks & whites, so telling them to find the “pink toy” may not work (unless pink toy means the shape toy that looks like star wand). 
         
      • Sniffy sniff!
        As easy as the spice rack in your cupboard. Break out a bunch of spices, tea, coffee or other aromatic items from your kitchen and let your dog sniff them (not lick or eat them though!). Sniffing is great mental exercise for dogs and when they can’t do it outdoors, the kitchen is a cozy place that also has loads of smells! You can also let them sniff through your groceries too! Be cautious of spicy spices – red pepper, cayenne, black pepper, etc – as they can irritate your dog’s nose!

    Break out the blankets, take short walks and do the boredom busters this winter and you and your dog will stay nice and cozy this winter season!

    Keeping your dog cozy this winter season! Read More »

    The new year and upcoming things for dog photography!

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    Typically, I’m on the New Years carriage of resolutions, looking back on the old year, planning for the new year to come. This year I want to do it a little different (hence the multiple days into January we are currently at). 

    The past year has been foggy. Mentally I have been lofty, a bit blue, focused on all things (gardening, being outside, farting on my computer, etc) other than dog photography. Oh I’m still sewing with Atomic Collars, though the number of events I did last year was relatively low. Tired, low energy, unfocused in the right direction.

    If I missed the emails you sent, I’m sorry. If the normal level of care & awesomeness I bring has been dull and low, I’m sorry.  Mentally it wasn’t a great year which means I wasn’t the best version of me. I feel like I failed you and my business. 

    When is a better time to start fresh, then within the first month of the new year? To quote from the song Guerrilla Radio by Rage Against the Machine: “It has to start somewhere, it has to start sometime. What better place than here, what better time than now?”

    PERSONAL:

    • Vitamin D daily, or at least do my best to remember it every day. 
    • Walk more, outside when the weather doesn’t freeze my face off, inside at other times
    • Bring Blue out to more places & work on his training & stranger danger
    • Manage my weight better (better choices for intake – more veggies!)
    • Wear more dresses & skirts, embracing my feminine vintage style more 
    • Less Fortnite play time (this is a massively bad habit of mine… play with me – VintageDonut)
    • Manage energy & blues better
    • Organize & declutter clothes, basement & collections

    BUSINESS:

    • Dogs of the North Shore > now Dog’s Guide to the North Shore! 
      • There are still LOADS of places to visit from Duluth to Grand Marais and I would love to have a plethora of pups to showcase the highlight areas – Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock, tons of various waterfalls. Black Beach & the Duluth lighthouse are taken but we have so many other places to explore! The goal is to create a guide book that features dog friendly places to visit, eat and explore, as a guide for dogs to do with their parents. Ideally this awesome book will be available at gift shops running from Duluth and up the shore!!!! If you would like to participate, email or text me! 
    • More dog photography!
      • Shitty Weather Sessions / Garage Sessions are currently available! We can do clean classic backdrops, ample props or none, treat catching, holiday or seasonal themed, all in a warm cozy garage at my house in St. Cloud. 
      • Spring, summer & fall sessions can be in the garage or anywhere around Minnesota! (We can travel out of state too if you’d like! Mountains perhaps?)
      • more PUPPY sessions! 
      • bringing my damn strobes outside for EPIC images! 
    • BLOGGING more & consistently! Dog tips, photography tips, cool training things to do with your dog, and anything assorted that pertains to dogs, photography and the pair combined. Goal is minimum 1 time a week, ideal 2 times a week. 
    • More consistency in responding to inquires and upping client interaction to be EPIC every time.  (If you don’t hear from me via email, please call or text!)
    • Sewing more for Atomic Collars (there are a bazillion neckties and pieces of fabric that need to be turned into awesome dog collars haha!)

    It will be an AWESOME year to come. My mood, ideas and energy have been on an upward trend, a return to awesomeness. I’m mega mega excited for the Dog’s Guide to the North Shore and doing studio sessions. I appreciate all of you and the support you’ve given me. Let’s make this coming year EPIC together! 

    The new year and upcoming things for dog photography! Read More »

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