Tag: bull dog

Cheat Treats

It’s no secret that I love making treats for Oscar and Zara. Be it baked biscuits, frozen lollies or stuffed Kong’s, I love finding what they love and being creative. But sometimes life gets a little crazy and I don’t always have loads of time to spend in the kitchen thinking of ideas, baking hundred of biscuits. 

The thought occurred to me while browsing the isles in the grocery store, don’t ask me what I was doing in the baby food isle since we don’t have any two legged babies just yet… But I thought to myself if the food is good enough for a baby, surely it’s good enough for the babies I do currently have? Of course I looked at all the ingredient lists and made sure there was nothing unsafe for Oscar and Zara to eat. I chose a few flavours I thought they would enjoy and started thinking of ‘short cut’ ways to make them treats….. 

You can choose which ever brand you love, I chose these Squish ones simply because I know some moms who have given them to their babies, but I will be on the lookout for some organic ones.

When you start thinking about it, the ideas are endless! But here are a few which will satisfy your pooch:

Frozen Kong:

Squeeze the entire packet into the Kong, top up with yoghurt if it doesn’t fill it completely and you’re done! Pop it in the freezer over night and there you have your frozen Kong for the next day. If your pup is like Oscar and prefers a fresh Kong, simply squeeze the Squish into the Kong until its full and then give it to your pooch. You might want to put a towel down since it can get a bit  messy! 

Ice Cubes:

Squirt a little into ice trays and freeze. These are great little treats for your pups to enjoy, especially when it’s hot! 

Lollies:

You will need an ice lolly maker tray for this one. Simply squeeze the Squish into the lolly moulds and pop them into the freezer until frozen.

Of course you can add frozen berries, coconut oil or peanut butter to any of these ideas to spruce them up. All of the above ideas will take you less than 10 minutes to make!

Biscuits:

Making baked biscuits using the Squish eliminates you having to think of a flavour for your pups treats (banana and peanut butter, carrot and apple etc etc..) The flavours are already made for you! 

Ingredients

1 Squish packet

1 cup flour

1 egg

Directions

Mix together all your ingredients in a bowl. If the dough is too sticky then add extra flour, if it is too dry then add a splash of water. Once you have a nice dough, roll it out onto a floured surface. Now because time is of the essence here, I skip the cookie cutter part and simply cut the rolled dough into small squares using a sharp knife then scoop them up and place them onto a greased baking tray and bake for +-20mins or until cooked through and golden in colour. Store the cooled teats in an air tight container for up to four weeks. 

I hope you can now find the time to make some yummy treats for your pups. Life gets hectic for all of us but our pups deserve wholesome, healthy teats too. And remember to be creative and try different ideas and combinations. Have fun! 

Thank you for reading

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Oscar Turns Fourteen!

A very happy 14th birthday to my baby boy. Yes he will always be my baby boy!!!

I cannot believe that Oscar has been my little sidekick for fourteen years already. Time really does fly. In some ways it feels like I don’t know a life without him and in other ways it feels like yesterday that this bundle of skin and ears came into my life. We sure have had our fare share of adventures together and I wouldn’t have it any other way! He is such a gentle yet feisty soul. A real contradiction I know.

I am not quite sure where I would be without my little man. He sure made new beginnings a little easier. At times he was my only friend, now I have two friends-Oscar and Zara hahaha-True story! From day one we were inseparable. He came on his first beach holiday just a few weeks after joining our family, and he loved it. From then on he grew into a mature sidekick and very loyal best friend, it was a love me love my dog situation and luckily for us both, I found the perfect human companion.

Oscar has never been the adventure outdoor junkie like Zara is. He has always opted for the couch, snoozing being his favourite activity. After all, what could possibly be better than a nap? His puppy naps were rather long and his playful outbursts were short and sweet. I think Oscar takes the crown as King Snorer too. I am so used to it now that I actually struggle to fall asleep without him snoring next to me! It can be 100 degrees outside but Oscar sill wants to be covered with his special duvet and rests his head on his pillow for a good nights sleep. Oscar has always been the best snuggle bug in the world!

He is the fussiest eater on the planet but apparently I only have myself to blame for that 😉 They say your pups take after you, and well yes I am quite a fussy eater too. Although I do believe Oscar knows how to act up for me when it comes to breakfast and dinner time because I am the only one who seems to have an issue when I feed him. Yes, he knows he is wrapped around my little finger and will give in sooner rather than later…

Like most boys, Oscar has had a few scuffles. Rather scary scuffles for me but Oscar being Oscar made sure his bigger opponent didn’t walk away unharmed. And luckily for Oscar all his extra skin and wrinkles served as a protective layer. His dislike for bigger dogs was converted into complete adoration and love for smaller creatures. When Valentine and duchess came into our lives he honestly loved those babies with his whole heart. He was so patient and nurturing with them. He even taught Zara how to behave around them. When we lost them he mourned their loss too, showing me once again just how sensitive my boy is.

Oscar allowed Zara to become his sister. The bond they share is unique and wonderful. He showed her tough love when it was needed and he plays with her to keep her happy. He is a true gentleman and will stop drinking water if she would like to drink, waits for her to finish before he carries on drinking. He doesn’t know that I know this but he leaves just a little of his breakfast and dinner each day so Zara can finish it off for him, his way of telling her he loves her!

Today we celebrate 14 years of love, loyalty and companionship, with many more to go!! Of course Oscar loves celebrations with cake, treats and presents. This year Oscar’s cake is a little different, here is the recipe…

Cake

Oscar’s ice cream cake:

Ingredients

1.5L plain greek yoghurt

1/2 cup carob powder

1 cup coconut oil (melted)

1 cup fresh or frozen berries

Honey

Directions

Pour the yoghurt into a cake tin or mould of your choice. Slice up your berries and stir them gently into the yoghurt. In a separate bowl mix together the carob powder and coconut oil until combined and a liquid consistency has formed. Then take a spoon and spoon the carob mix into the yoghurt so it forms swirls through the yoghurt. Don’t mix it too much because you want the carob to show when you cut the cake. Do the same with the honey. Place the tin into the freezer for 24 hours. Remove from the freezer, cut into slices and watch your pup enjoy his ice cream cake! Keep frozen.

Presents

Oscar absolutely loves opening presents and of course I love buying and wrapping presents for him. This year we ordered him a birthday box from Four Paws and Me. This birthday box is AMAZING! Not only does it include gorgeous goodies for Oscar but it includes something special for me too. We got him a new bed for my study/office, one that will help his joints but keep him cool during the hot summer months too. No doubt I will have to bring along a blanket for him to snuggle up with 😉 He also got some yummy treats, a ball that growls and a treat toy. All in all some lovely spoils for a very special fourteen year old!

Oscar really is the light of my life. He has never been too lazy to get up and follow me to the loo, kitchen, outside or even sit with me while I bath. He is constantly next to me, walking around the house or resting on the couch. Whatever I am doing, my sidekick is right there beside me. And I wouldn’t change a thing.

Follow us on Instagram where we are hosting #oscarsgangstagram party. Everyone is invited and anyone can join in the fun! Simply post a photo with the hashtag #oscarsgangstagram and you’re in. Watch our Instagram story to see all the fun we are having celebrating this very special day.

Thank you for reading.

 

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