Holiday Baking for Doggies

You do not want your dog to be left out of the food and festivities this holiday season.

Here are some quick and easy recipes just for dogs.

Noel Nibbles

2 tablespoons honey
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cups white flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened chunky applesauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. In a bowl, mix together honey, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add water, applesauce and egg and stir, mixing well. Add nuts. Spoon into a greased muffin tin, filling each cup two-thirds full. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on a rack and store in sealed container. Makes 16 muffins.

Festive Holiday Cookies

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups water
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, combine applesauce, egg, peanut butter, vanilla and water. Mix well. Add flours, corn meal, oats and peanuts and mix well to form a dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until thoroughly mixed together. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes. Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on rack. Makes 30 cookies.

New Year Delights

2 tablespoons honey
2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened chunky applesauce
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup dried apple chips
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, mix together honey, water, applesauce, vanilla and egg. Add flour, apple chips, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix thoroughly, scraping sides and bottom of bowl to be sure no dry mixture is left. Spoon into greased muffin pans so that each cup is three-quarters full and bake for approximately 1 hour until lightly browned. Cool and store in an airtight container. Makes 12 muffins.

Sounds good enough for me, too!

Paw Print Stamp

Here is a great idea for original wrapping paper and you will not have the mess of letting your dog walk all over wrapping paper with painted paws.

Make a paw print stamp!

What you will need:

1. Clay (regular modeling clay, modeling compound, or Play-Doh)
2. Petroleum jelly
3. Hot glue gun & glue sticks
4. Several small blocks of wood, a little larger than you do's paw
5. Sandpaper
6. Roll of plain paper
7. Nontoxic, washable poster paint
8. Paper plate
9. Paper towels

How to make it:

1. Work the clay with your hands until it is soft and pliable, then form several disks of clay, about 1/4 inch thick, a little larger in diameter than your dog's paw. The disks should not be very thick, so the paw print will be as flat as possible, to make a good stamp.

2. Press your dog's paw gently into each disk. The paw print should be shallow, while still being clearly a paw print.

3. Coat the inside of the paw print and the surrounding area of the clay with a think layer of petroleum jelly.

4. Plug in the hot glue gun. Fill the paw prints with hot glue, filling in each indentation, then covering the whole paw print and about 1/4 inch surrounding it with a thick layer of glue.

5. Gently place a wooden block on top of each paw print. This will be the back of your stamp. Allow the glue to dry for about five to ten minutes.

6. Gently remove the blocks and glue prints from the clay mold. If some of the clay has melted or stuck to the mold, just wipe it off.

7. Sand the glue to be somewhat flat, or rub it against concrete, such as a front step or your driveway. This will make for a better stamp.

8. Spread paint thinly on a paper plate. Dip your stamps in. Make a few sample prints on the plate to find which stamps make the best prints. Use the best ones for your wrapping paper project.

Stamp away on your wrapping paper or use the stamp to "sign" cards, seal envelops, or letterhead.

Be sure to treat your dog for helping you with this project.

Begging and Dogs

Company coming over for the holidays?

Does your dog beg for food at your parties?

Dog owners who have a begging dog problem must have rewarded the behavior at some point, either inadvertently or intentionally. Some owners of begging dogs decide to try to break the cycle of begging and reinforcement, but do not have the willpower to stay the course.

Instead, they occasionally cave in, reinforcing the dog's begging behavior on a random intermittent schedule. This schedule of reinforcement produces the most indelible learning of all. It ensures that the dog will continue to beg on the off chance that next time he may win.

Here are several suggestions to eliminate begging:

Have a set feeding regimen for your dog. For instance, feed him twice daily at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Feed proprietary dog food only so that there is no confusion over what is human food and what is dog food.

Feed your dog at the same time as you sit down to eat, so that he is fully occupied during mealtimes. Also, feed him in a separate location.

If necessary, crate train or tie your dog so that he is not free to roam (and beg) at mealtimes, but make sure he has something to do when confined.

Never give in to begging after you have indicated, "no" – not even once. Recognize begging for what it is and stand fast against repeat requests.

Remember that a behavior that worked in the past will initially be carried out at an even greater frequency when the expected reward is withheld. Do not worry about this exacerbation and do not let it weaken in your resolve. Your dog will eventually stop trying something that does not work. (Does this sound familiar to raising children?)

Teach doggy Zen. Hold a food item in your closed hand. Whatever your dog does by way of begging/nudging do not open your hand. When he relaxes into calm acceptance of the fact that you are in control, by sitting patiently and stopping begging, say "take it" and open your hand. You are now training an acceptable behavior – waiting for a command (more appropriately cue) before the "goods" are produced. The message is that good manners work; bad manners do not.

Punishment is never appropriate. Your dog would not understand why he was being punished and would wind up confused. Punishment teaches a dog nothing except how to avoid the punisher.

A well-behaved dog is a pleasure to have around. One that is constantly trying to push people's buttons is often viewed as a little beggar. The decision to reward or not reward should be made by the owner, not coaxed by the dog.

If the time is not right for the game in question, the dog should be instructed to perform some other behavior that is incompatible with asking/begging, such as going to his dog bed or blanket and lying down. This will only be possible if the owner exhibits firm but fair leadership.

Be in charge. Stay in control. As your faithful friend and follower, your dog will appreciate your lead.

Do Dogs Experience Holiday Stress?

The holidays put a lot of stress on everyone involved, some of it good and some of it bad. Our pets have to withstand any number of unusual circumstances that are novel each year because they don't have the chance to get used to them. Do dogs experience stress? YES!

These are just a few of the situations dogs have to deal with:

A constant stream of company. Friendly dogs may go through a paroxysm of joy because they have an ever-changing audience to applaud and adore them. However, shy or fearful dogs will see their once safe haven overrun with strangers.

Lousy eating habits. One of the side benefits to all that company is the chance to sneak some snacks, either from the floor or from a surreptitious hand under the table. This usually isn't healthy. Or in the hectic days that lie ahead, your dog's feeding schedule may get disorganized. Either way, her nutritional balance may get thrown off track. She won't know when to expect her next meal. Also, these extra snacks can cause gastrointestinal disturbances such as vomiting or diarrhea.

Less exercise. How much exercise have YOU been doing since the holiday season began? At least you have to huff stuff up and down stairs, in and out of cars, not to mention hike all those miles in malls and supermarkets. Your dog has come to expect and enjoy a certain level of activity. Depriving him of exercise is stressful. (Think about how you feel about it.)

Foreign objects. Your dog isn't going to understand just what the heck this tall green thing, sitting in the middle of the living room, is meant to do. Is it a toy? Food? Furniture to climb? Lacking your aesthetic tastes, your dog just doesn't appreciate seasonal décor. Then there are the objects under it, as well as the other things around the house that mark the holiday season. Worse even, dogs are often discouraged from exploring.

Frequent scolding. Many dogs like being where the action is – which is you struggling to carry bags of gifts or groceries into the house. Some dogs don't understand your frequent scolding or cursing, not necessarily at them but at the fact that you had to drop the bag containing three dozen eggs. Your emotions can add to the stress level.

Kenneling. The other side of traveling during the holidays is putting dogs into a kennel. For a dog, a good kennel should be like vacation, with a lot of activities to keep him occupied (although he's still going to miss you like mad). However, some dogs are very stressed at the kennel. It is a different environment, different routine, different smells, different people and he'd generally prefer his normal little routine with you.

Tips to Help Minimize Dog Holiday Stress

So what can you do to ease the burden? Three words: routine, routine, routine. Keeping as close as you can to your pet's normal schedule is the best antidote to holiday stress. Stay consistent with feeding times and amounts, and be on guard against illegal snacks.

Maintain his exercise, walking schedule and playtime. A tired pet is a happy pet. This advice, by the way, goes for people too. Exercise is a great stress reliever. If time is precious, combine your exercise with your pet's by setting aside a specific amount of time each day – 20 minutes for instance – for you both to play and work up a little healthy sweat. Staying in shape improves attitude and behavior in pets and people.

Getting your pet used to crowds in the home also helps. Bring your friends or family over to get your pet used to it, and reward him if he behaves correctly.

It is important to reserve a room for your pet to retreat to, equipped with his favorite toys, a bowl full of fresh water, some food perhaps, and clothing or blankets with your scent on it. This gives your pet a safe comfortable place to which he can retreat from the madness.

As for Christmas trees and holiday decorations, there are a lot of hazards your pet faces – it's important to know what to look for and how to secure your home.

Traveling during the holidays is stressful whether you bring a pet or not. Dogs usually travel better because they are by nature in love with car rides. Pre-planning is an absolute must, whether by car or by airline.

If you decide to put your pet in a kennel, don't try to find one at the last minute. Research the facilities in your area and ask around. A kennel should see to your pet's emotional needs as well as to his physical requirements. Be prepared to ask many questions when you visit a kennel in person.

Tips for Introductions to Canine Relatives

Will your holiday gathering with friends and family include dogs?

If you are visiting family and friends, I hope you are able to bring your dog along for the reunion. He or she will appreciate the warmth and joy that radiates from the gathering.

Cesar Millan, Dog Whisperer, has some tips for introducing your dog to its canine relatives.



If there are other dogs in the household, be sure to take the time to introduce them properly, even if you are exhausted from travel. Cesar suggests that before the meet-up, you drain both dogs' energy with a nice walk around the block. Then you can meet up – be sure they are not face to face – and continue on together. Remember to remain calm and assertive. If you are nervous or tense about the meet up, your dog will pick up on that and worry too!

Enjoy the holidays!