I hope you all had a wonderful howl-i-day season with your furry family & human ones too!  Life has been busy in the Active Dog Adventure Pack & my pups wanted to share a wonderfully yummy treat that’s even picky Primadonna approved! So, read on!  This quick favorite recipe comes from The Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook by the Bubba Rose dog biscuit co. 

JUST PLAIN CHEESEBURGER

Ingredients:

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly until a dough forms.  Dough may be sticky, so use flour liberally when rolling out dough.  Use round cookie cutter to cut out 2″ circles.  Place the rounds on a cookie sheet lined w/aluminum foil.  Bake 20-25 minures or until tops are golden brown.

NOTES: Instead of taking time to roll & cut out shapes, I added about 1/2 cup or little more flour to the dough and made Just Cheeseburger Bars, but placing all of the dough into a `13 x 9 x 2 glass baking dish.  Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  I prefer the bars because 1) it’s less time consuming 2) I can cut out the appropriate size for my dogs!  

Store in an airtight container & be sure to refrigerate any leftovers.  You can heat up left overs in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

RESULTS: Oh My!!  Kai, Smudge & Donna were absolutely in heaven with this special treat! It was like a party in their mouths! They all oved the wonderful aroma of ground turkey and melted cheese.. & kept coming back for more! 

Give it a try & let me know if your fur-babies love it as much as mine do!

This is all you need .. notice, no oven!

Hello Summer Adventurers- (well, depending on which part of the world you live in)

For those in So Cal -it’s a warm one today!  After an active morning of hitting the dog park & walk before it reached in the 80 degree temps…We’re doing our best to beat the heat by scheduling our physicaly activities when it’s not as hot!  Please see “hot-hot-hot” on some tips for keeping your favorite doggy a cool pup instead of a hot dog!  So after our activities, the pooches convinced me to make a little frozen fun that’s lick-o-licious!! 

Check out what’s on the doggy soft serve menu:

Strawberry Frost

2 3/4 cups frozen strawberries

1 Cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup honey

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend It!

Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender.  Be sure to cover it!  Blend ingredients until smooth. You may need to stop the blender & stir it so all of the strawberries are blended.  

Pour soft strawberry mixture into a freezer safe container.  I used 1/2 cup GLAD containers with lids, which worked out perfect!  Freeze these little babies until firm or a little more firm than soft serve.  If firm when you remove it the freezer, give a few minutes to thaw slightly, the consistency of soft serve and watch your dogs go ga-ga!

Pouring happiness..

Perfect serving size for both canines & humans!Ready for the freezerReady for the freezer

 RESULTS: Oh MY!  This will DEFINITELY be a frequent summer treat!  This recipe received the “all-4-paws” up rating from my research team, along with 2 hands up from me!  It’s absolutely LICK-O-LICIOUS!!!  I dare you NOT to like this frozen treat.  If you can press a button .. you can make this treat!  It’s just so darn easy.

All three of my dogs took turns sharing one serving, but they wanted more so they shared another one!  Although I’m a huge ice cream lover, this will definitely save me on the calories and the fat!  Once again, the doggies end up giving me that look of  “Uh, hey Pop — why are you eating OUR treats .. AGAIN???”

Did we hear Frozen Fun?

 Let me know what you think & how yummy it is by leaving me a comment!  Happy Blending & stay cool!

Kai would jump INTO the container & eat her way out if she could...

Smudge is lick-O-meter is at full wags!

Trying to beat the heat w/a morning hike

1) Check the weather forecast for the day/week

2) If you’re expecting hot weather, plan your pooch’s walks early in the morning or later in the evening to beat the heat!

Our Favorite Water Container-we never go on a hike without it! H204K9

3) Be sure to bring plenty of water for you & your dog – allow them to drink!  Check out the coolest water container http://www.activedogadventures.com/Shop  look at our featured item: H204k9 My dogs love & so do I! no wasting water!

4) When going on an afternoon excursion, check to see how hot the surface is by touching it with your hand.  The ground may seem all good & well since you have shoes to protect your feet, but the hot ground may burn your dog’s pads & be super uncomfortable.

The trail got warm fast & with Hina's thick coat, she looked for the nearest shade to cool off!

5) If your dog has thin white fur or patches of thin white fur, like on their muzzle – you may need to apply sunscreen.  Dogs do burn – Donna loves to sunbathe, so when summer rolls around, she gets the sunscreen spray!

 6)Be cognizant of your dog’s breathing.  If they are panting a lot & their tongues are hanging out, find the nearest shade & allow them to rest.  You can also help cool them down by wetting their underside/chest.  Don’t force them to walk further.. they’re trying to tell you that they’re hot & tired! If your dog is having a hard time keeping their balance or can’t stand, then you should take them to get immediate medical attention. 

7) Walk with a group or another dog pal & their human.  Just in case anything happens, you’ll have someone with you to help. 

8) Please DO NOT leave your fur-baby in the car when it’s warm, even with the windows rolled down, they may be in grave danger!

I usually take a Hydro-backpack or Camelpack with the water bladder.  I’m able to carry my dog’s water or Smudge will sport a backpack, depending on how hot it is.  The dogs also have a Cool Koat, which I soak in water prior to our walk.  They wear it during the walk which helps keep the sun off their backs and cools their torso with the moisture. 

Keep your dogs safe & heatstroke free this summer by taking small precautions! Don’t forget to bring a first aid kit too!   Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure (at least I think that’s the saying….) 

Smudge & Donna take a much needed break from the sun!

Happy Trails!

David, CPDT

Smudge, Kai & Primadonna

Active Dog Adventures

“Because every dog deserves a COOL Adventure”

Recently, I was looking around my kitchen.. & low & behold, there were these brown speckled things that used to look like bananas!  Ok, maybe they weren’t that baaaad, but still when they start turning brown & freckled, I start throwing them out!  But why waste food & money when I can take advantage of making a wonderfully healthy treat for me & my pack?  Besides, it’s also a better choice than to make banana bread that’s packed with sugar! 

Baked to perfection

Here it is, something extremely delicious that passed the PrimaDonna taste test with FLYING colors! 

Banana Wheat Germ Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached white flour

1/2 cup bananas, mashed

2 TBSP wheat germ

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 honey

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Cookie scoops double as muffin scoops too!

Directions: 

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well.  Spoon the batter into muffin cups, about 3/4 full.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.  The muffins are done when inserted toothpick in the middle comes out clean.  Remove muffins to wire rack and let cool completely.

NOTES: I used wheat flour instead of white.  I used about 1/4 cup more mashed bananas (i needed to get rid of the ripe ones!) & instead of using standard sized muffin tins, I prefer bite sized mini muffins.  If you choose to go the mini route, you’ll need to REDUCE the baking time to about 12 minutes.  It yields about 72 muffins… enough for all of us!  Make sure you refridgerate these babies, because they will spoil after 3 days if left at room temperature!

Kai wonders if the muffins are cooled down enough...

Muffins? Do we smell freshly baked Banana Muffins??

RESULTS: All 3 pooches were all too excited & really went “bananas” (pun intended) for this bite sized piece of heaven!  What’s more is that my friends, family and I really enjoyed these naturally sweetened muffins too! 

"Great - now we have to actually WAIT while food is on the ground?"

The process was extremely easy, with the most time spent spooning the batter into the tins, which was a piece of cake since I used my handy-dandy cookie scoop for easy transfer to the muffin cups!  So if you have some freckled bananas starting to get browner by the day, why not give this recipe a whirl and see your dogs go bananas too?  Let me know how it goes! 

Finished product, cooled & in an airtight container.

Happy Baking-

David, CPDT

Active Dog Adventures
“Because every dog deserves an adventure!”

It’s been quite sometime since I’ve posted a new recipe & the pooches have been bug’n me to get back into cyber space to share a new creation with you all!  We’ve been a busy, busy pack – with Smudge competing in various agility events and earning his novice titles in Jumpers & Standards!  GO SMUDGE! The girls have also been having fun training and doing all kinds of packwalks with our Active Dog Adventures group too! 

But it was time to get back into the kitchen for some yummy, easy to make, no bake treats!  This selection is a variation of a recipe from one of my favorite doggy recipe books: Doggy Desserts by Cheryl Gianfrecesco… I highly recommend jumping on amazon & purchasing this MUST have cookbook!   Read on & ck out my twist on this special treat….

Carob Peanut Butter Crunch Balls

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all natural, organic peanut butter (no salt or sugar)

1/4  cup+ 3 TBSP honey

1 cup puffed rice cereal (no sugar- I use Kashi’s 7 whole grain puffs)

1/2 cup carob chips

1/4 cup uncooked oatmeal  

Directions: 

In a large bowl, beat the PB & honey until well blended & smooth.  Stir th rest of the ingredients until mixed well.  Using a small cookie scoop or teaspoon, shape into 1″ or 2″ balls & place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hr or until firm.

OK- so here’s the warning… these little babies are TASTY for both human & canines!!  You will easily end up popping 3, 4 or 5 in your mouth… so make sure you make enough for the dogs too!!  haa haa.

I especially love this recipe because it’s SUPER EASY to make & as it gets warmer, not having to turn on the oven is a big plus!  The dogs are bonkers for this first time treat … & darn it- I AM TOO!  

RESULTS: Kai, Smudge & I love these wonderful bite sized sweet treats!  Donna on the other hand, isn’t so crazy about peanut butter necessarily…. & she’s also big into texture.. so after much deliberation on whether or not to try these treats (& a hopeful Kai waiting for her to walk away from her allotted treat) Donna ate the first one reluctantly, but then came back for seconds!  Success!!  Give it a whirl & let me know how it turns out for you & your pooches!  Check back next week for something new, fun & yummy!

Happy Creating!

David, CPDT

Active Dog Adventures – “because every dog deserves an adventure!”

you can smell the wholesomeness!

Hello Canine Kitchen Adventurers!

I hope that this holiday season finds you happy, healthy & warm!  It’s been a little while since I’ve last posted a recipe, mainly due to the busy holiday rush… & while me & the pack have been too busy to actually bake, this came to me when I was craving a little something-something that I had as a kid.  I figured that I would share it with my “kids”, Kai – Donna & Smudge.  

I love this quick little meal anytime of the day.. & it’s just soooo darn easy!  SO here it is .. my mom calls it:

TORTA

1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey

1 potato, peeled and cut in small cubes

2 garlic cloves, peeled & minced

4 eggs, beaten

DIRECTIONS:  In a medium pan, heat a small amount of olive oil and saute garlic (about 1 minute) on medium high heat.  Add ground beef to pan.  Stir frequently to break up beef.  Let simmer for 5 minutes.  Add potatoes to meat mixture, stirring until well combined.  Reduce heat, cover & let simmer for about 5-8 minutes.  Mixture is done when potatoes are cooked through.  Let cool completely.  Can be made 1 day prior.

Potatoes please!

Add some of the completely cool meat mixture to the beaten eggs.  Drop 1/4 cup full egg/meat mixture to a heated fry pan, like you were cooking pancakes.  Once egg mixture begins to slightly bubble, flip the egg (only flipping once).  Remove egg from heat & repeat for the rest of the batch.

Torta Love!

RESULTS:  I love this, because it’s something that I can eat too!  I usually eat it with rice & soy sauce… but the pups seem to be happy with just the rice & torta! My 3 musketeers could hardly wait to get to their bowl full of yummy torta!  Also, I saved some of just the meat mixture to add to their regular kibble as well the following couple of days.  It was a huge hit! 

Let me know if you end up giving this a try… it’s quite good for both human & canines!  Stay tuned for more fido foodies in days to come! 

Happy Howl-idays… OH & Ck out our online shop now!  http://www.activedogadventures.com 

David, Kai, Smudge & Donna

Ready to be Eaten!

 I hope all is well in your corner of the world! This past weekend we spent competing in the NADAC agility trial in San Diego..  It was a great time (even though I screwed up poor Smudge who did awesome!).  After I got my head out of the fog, Smudge was able to take home a few ribbons & had a couple of fantastic qualifying rounds.  He took 1st place in Tunnelers & Jumpers & Smudge placed in his standards round too.   The thing with agility is that there’s always something to work on!  God knows that I need to work on tons of stuff! 

Smudge, Kai & Donna show off his ribbons

  What really helps in any training situation is finding what really motivates your pooch! I use a lot of toy & treat rewards when training.   We were at agility class last night & one of our classmates was struggling in running a specific course.  The dog seemed unfocused, uninterested & not motivated.  I shared a bag of Smudge’s goodies that I had (rotisserie chicken & salmon kibble) with the dog & BAM!!!  Someone lit a fire under her bootie & she was on FIRE!  Smudge loves playing ball & also treats, but super special bite sized treats really send him over the top!  So this week’s canine kitchen is dedicted to finding little motivater!

  I borrowed this recipe from Janine Adams cookbook: “You Bake ‘Em Dog Biscuits Cookbook”.  While I didn’t follow it to the letter, it’s a great start to being a little creative with whatever you have on hand.  Check it out!

YUMMY TRAINING MEATBALLS 

1 lb (2 cups) hamburger or ground turkey

  1 TBSP grated Parmesan Cheese

  1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried dill

Liver Bread Crumbs (see below)

  Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl & mix together with your hands.  Form small, treat-sized meatballs by rolling a pinch of the meat mixture between your palms.  Place on a baking sheet lined with greased or non-stick foil.  Bake for 8-12 minutes or until browned and cooked through.  Remove cooked meatballs onto a paper towel to absorb excess grease.

LIVER BREAD CRUMBS:  Place 3 pieces of bread and 3 freeze-dried liver treats in a food processor.   Mix until liver is completely chopped up. (Don’t bother to measure the bread crumbs-just dump this amount into the hmixing bowl.

NOTES: I changed the following– I used ground turkey to minimize the fat content  - I used Progresso’s Italian breadcrumbs because that’s what I had on hand & didn’t feel like using a food processor  - I didn’t have any dried parsley, so substituted it with oregano- mixed in an egg to bind the meat better  -had a mixture of romano & parmesan cheese & added 2 TBSP  

Putting Mom to Work

-I recruited a helper (my mom) to roll the meatballs!

Mmmm

RESULTS:  Oh Boy!!  The dogs came-a-runn’n b/c they could smell the wonderful aroma of cheese & meat!!  They were eager to earn a meatball treat!  I love really love making these treats because they are just the right size and they are high in value, so there’s no question that the pups will enjoy whatever I’m trying to teach them.  I took the following pic of our magic meatballs next to a Charlie Bear treat and a Zukes bits snack to give you an idea of how big I made the meatballs.  Tailor these delicious snacks to the size of your pup!   

Sizing it up

The pack & I have some training work to do, so I’m going to grab a ziploc baggy of these babies to take along .. & i’ll be sure to make these for our upcoming trials as well (Smudge is pretty happy about that.. & so are Kai & Donna)!  Let me know how it goes for you & Happy Baking!

Ready to treat & eat!

It’s been such a crazy week that I’m finally getting around to posting another favorite in the Arnobit household!  Kai, Smudge & Donna couldn’t be happier about turning on the heat (the oven) & getting some goodies! 

Last week, we participated in the annual Barks of Love pet adoption event in Old Town Orange, CA.  It was a smaller boutique event, but nonetheless, we had a blast raising money & hanging out w/other dog lovers.  While people in the Active Dog Adventures social group donated human goodies for our bake sale (100% of baked good sales went to the rescue even), me & the pooches went on a canine cookie craze!  Heck, we even employed the services of my parents who are visiting from WA! 

So this week’s recipe is dedicated to the adoption event doggies and features one of the cookies that I made for the barking buckets!  I also, LOVE these savory biscuits myself (no surprise, I know)… but I think that my pack is getting tired of sharing their goodies with people! haa haa… not really, they are into sharing, as long as they get their fair share too!  This recipe is an offshoot of Cheddar Lover’s Biscuits from my fav. canine cookbook Doggy Desserts by Cheryl Gianfrancesco (GO BUY IT!). I’ve changed some of the ingredients, but not much & I like to call it:

LUCKY STARS

2 cups unbleached flour

1/2 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup veggie oil

1/4 chicken broth + 2 TBSP

Cut it out!

Directions: In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients. Knead the dough on a floured surface.  Roll out the dough to 1/2″ thickness (maybe a slightly thinner for a crispier cookie) and cut out star shapes with a cookie cutter.  Put the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 min. 

RESULTS:  This little biscuit smells SOOOO good!  The combination of the cheddar, garlic and chicken broth makes mine & my dogs’ mouths water!  Seriously, my pups sprint into the kitchen when I take out a batch of these all star treats!  I also took a few extras to the bake sale & am pretty sure I sold most of the buckets because I had people actually smell the biscuits!   They are fantastic for human consumption…. especially when you put them in soup!  Or they are just as good on their own. 

I'm seeing Stars..

NOTES:  While there is a contraversy over the use of garlic with canines, my 3 have been no worse for the wear after all of these years of feeding them small amounts of garlic.  Garlic has had many uses, including flea treatment etc.  Additionally, in this recipe, you’re only using 2 cloves of garlic with all of that flour & it’s not like your dogs are eating them like potato chips or bon-bons in front of the tv!  But of course, feel free to omit this ingredient if you feel uneasy about it. 

ready to be wrapped!

I’ve had several requests for a batch of these super star cookies .. so I really hope that you get a chance to try them out!!  Well, I guess we better get baking on this end!  Have a great week & let me know if you end up making these! 

"Because every dog deserves an adventure!"

I apologize for the late post on the recipe stuff, but we’ve been a busy, busy household!  Lots of training (officially got the news that I am now a Certified Pet Dog Trainer… woohoo!), getting ready for the Online Store launch & Active Dog Adventures will be taking part in a wonderful cause, Barks of Love, this Sunday 11/1 – which promotes pet adoption this holiday season!!  Please visit http://www.barksoflove.org   for more info!

Smuge riding Shot Gun

My very own Second Strike Smudge is a rescue from the Irvine Animal Care Center and over the years has really come out of his shell!  I may have ‘rescued’ Smudge, but he really has changed my life for the better!  Smudge is even the dog in our logo!  Stay tuned for Smudge’s story… (I’m working on his bio for the website).  

Anyway, Active Dog Adventures will be representd with a booth and will be denoting time & some wonderful baked goods for humans & doggies!  We’re having a bake sale with all bake sale proceeds going to the adoption event.  So the Canine Kitchen is in FULL swing this wknd!  Even Smudge’s Aunt Linda came over to help bake some goodies!

Kai, Smudge & PrimaDonna collaborated on what we should be baking for this event & decided to share with you another Apple selection Doggy Desserts by Cheryl Gianfrancesco- Ck out what’s cook’n now:

APPLE WALNUT MUFFINS (less the walnuts) 

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1/4 cup honey   

Sweetened w/Honey

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup apple, diced w/skin & core removed

1/2 cup unsalted walnuts, chopped (optional)

1/2 cup wheat germ

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Directions

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until well blended.  Spoon the batter into muffin cups, 3/4 full.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 35 minutes.  The bread is completely cooked when a toothpick inserted in the center comes otu clean.  Let them cool, and then remove them from the pan. 

Bring on the Heat!

NOTES:

 

I dice up 1 whole apple & use a little more cinnamon.  I don’t always use walnuts, but I’ll sometimes replace it with almonds or carob chips.  Additionally, I’ll pipe some cream cheese frosting on top (8 oz low fat or nonfat cream cheese, 1 tsp vanilla & 1 tsp honey, mix well until smooth) I pipe the frosting onto the muffin & it looks awesome!  I also make mini muffins instead of the large muffins.  If you do this, you only need to bake them for 12 minutes!   

Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

 It’s the perfect bite size treat for large dogs, a good size for small dogs & also perfect for humans too!! 

RESULTS:  Alright…I’m pretty sure that all 3 of my kids have had 6-9 mini muffins each & they are always asking for more!  These nifty little muffins are so good in fact, that I also LOVE them for a guilt free treat!  My parents who are STILL visiting, really like these muffins, especially for the health aspect! 

Baked to perfection

But the point of this week’s blog is to raise awareness and help for your local rescue organization… see what you can do to help out.  There are sooo many wonderful pets that are looking for a forever home that can use your help!  Even if you can’t necessarily take them home with you, but you can definitely help in other ways… donate your time, pet items, money…. whatever you can do certainly will make a difference! 

Thanks for caring & happy baking!