Dogs Deserve Challenge Too!

It’s always so much fun when we empty a berry container at our house. We put a treat in the container then snap it shut and slide it to Bailey. It usually takes her about five to ten minutes, but eventually she is able to open the container and get the treat. A delicious reward for a job well done! Below are a few other fun ideas to challenge and entertain your doggie. Note: I always tell Bailey to stay in the kitchen if it’s a mess is at all possible.

Treat inside a cereal box (plastic bag removed)
Plastic bottle (no lid) with small treats or kibble inside
Plastic water bottle wrapped in an old t-shirt or tied into an old tube sock
Butter tub with a treat or kibble
Tennis ball wrapped with an old shirt and tied with a rope
An empty milk jug
A mostly empty peanut butter container (no lid)

There are so many creative ways you can give your dog simple and fun challenges. I hope these give you a few ideas.

Spring Bluebonnets Have Arrived in Texas!

Taking a drive down to San Antonio a few weeks ago left me so uplifted. Wildflowers have always been a passion of mine. When I was young, we often traveled “Up North” in Michigan to our cabin. Thirty-six acres of peaceful woods, hills and river to explore. My favorite pastime was taking long walks to explore the terrain. I hiked, climbed, listened and looked. Many times I would crouch down and observe closely to see things that normally go unnoticed - tiny fungi, bugs, rotted wood that had turned blue and so much more. The best discoveries were wildflowers, mushrooms (especially morels!), edible berries and unique rocks. The Michigan woods awoke my passion for nature, and grew it as well.

About a year and a half ago, we moved to Texas. Although we now live far from our extended family and the beauty of Michigan, I look at this as an opportunity to see and learn new plant and animal life. There’s a creek that runs a street over from our house that’s nestled deep at the bottom of rocked walls. It’s filled with all kinds of new critters learn about. I’ve seen cougar a few times, coyote, lizards, snakes and more rabbits that I could ever count. I’m learning new trees, observing beautiful birds and seeing amazing wildflowers painted like rainbows across large open fields.

When I drive from Dallas south through Austin and on to San Antonio I catch myself gasping at the beautiful wildflowers. (Thank you Lady Bird Johnson!) I’ve even been known to take the service drive for miles just so that I can slow down and soak up their beauty. For some reason, flowers are mesmerizing to me. Since I was little, a dream of mine has always been to run through a field completely packed with wildflowers. My dream has finally come true here in Texas. Happy spring everyone! I hope that you find small pleasures on a daily basis and that your dreams come true.

Recycling Pickle Juice (No Joke!)

So you have a favorite jar of pickles and the last pickle was just eaten. Don’t be sad... Slice up a couple of fresh cucumbers, add them to the leftover juice and place them in the refrigerator for three to seven days. Voila! Yummy pickles again, and at a much cheaper price. Other tasty ideas for reusing pickle juice: add to potato salad, use as a marinade for meat, add into deviled eggs or mix with mayo for a zingy sandwich spread. When you’re finally done with the juice but still have some left over, try pouring it on those stubborn weeds outside then laugh right back at them.