All Things Dog Blog

Mutt Meatball Recipe and Snoopy Prize Drawing

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 09:31 PM PST

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Our tribute to Charles Schulz has come to an end. Oliver has done his job well; he guarded the prizes, making sure Tanner did not decide they were chew toys. That's a very big job for a little guy and he deserves a reward, don't you think?

Of course! Before I announce the winners' names, let's share a sneaky little recipe for Leftover Night that your dogs will devour. I'll be sure Oliver gets his reward. Here's what I do with leftovers:

Mutt Meatballs

Your dogs will likely enjoy any assortment of meats you have available. Go ahead and mix them up, or make one-flavor meatballs if you prefer. I used 1/2 leftover cooked chicken breast, 1/2 braised pork chop, and 2 slices of leftover ham to make the meatballs in this photo, with a few cooked carrots mixed in as well. Even this small amount of leftovers made a dozen meatballs and filled 2 Busy Bones; great money saving opportunities shouldn't go down the garbage disposal. My dogs think this is heaven.

When you clean out your refrigerator for those leftovers that just aren't going anywhere, give them a sniff. If they're still okay--no spoilage--then set the meats and veggies aside. Toss the onions and garlic; they're not safe for Fido.
Separate the vegetables into one pile for addition to the mixture last.
Cut up any large pieces of meat into bite sized chunks.
Toss all the meats into the food processor with the blade in place at the bottom.
Run the food processor until you have an evenly blended, course grind that looks somewhat like ground meat.
Now add the vegetables and do a few quick whirs of the blade to mix them into the ground meat. There will be flecks of color from your vegetables now.
The resulting mixture of ground meats and veggies will be a smorgasbord to Fido and a delightful addition (or partial substitution) to his dinner. Be sure to adjust his kibble accordingly, so he won't be getting too many calories.
Using a soup spoon, I form meatballs with most of the meat. Size these to your dog; they should be too large to swallow whole. You want them to bite and chew them up, so they are not a choking hazard when frozen.
Then I pack some of the mixture into hollow, sterilized beef bones. I freeze these for serving anytime I want to keep the pups busy while I have company, an important phone call, or something I can't be interrupted from. A frozen "Busy Bone" will keep the dogs working to chisel out the icy meat for anywhere from 15-30 minutes, depending on the shape and size of the bone. Great fun!
The meatballs made above, can be served fresh today, and then freeze the remainder for serving either frozen (like a Busy Bone) or freshly thawed.
To thaw safely, do it in the refrigerator overnight, and then serve the next day to assure freshness.

Now it's time to announce our Snoopy board book boxed set winners. If you're one of the lucky names drawn, be sure to drop me your address to LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com ASAP. Your address will be used ONLY for this shipment--no spam mail afterwards. Today's winning names are:

Janet and Mike Merriman

FiveSibesMom

Congratulations. Hope to see you here for more upcoming children's books giveaways. Happy tails!

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Ask the Dog Trainer, with Terry Lynn CuylerWhy is My Dog Restless?

Posted: 17 Feb 2011 09:01 PM PST

by Terry Lynn Cuyler, APDT, CPDT-KA

Dear Trainer: Why is my dog so restless?
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Dear Restless,

Many dogs who exhibit restlessness are young, under exercised and under stimulated. And restless behavior often grabs our attention so that is rewarding, even if it is negative attention. Two 20-minute brisk walks per day would be great, if feasible. These walks should be moving walks, not sniffing every bush. Only once or twice in said 20-minute walk should dog need to eliminate. Walks are great, but so are many other forms of exercise. TV trainers sometimes use doggie treadmills.

Dogs have working brains and they need to be used. Our sedentary lives and long work days do not lend themselves to enriching our dogs' lives. Training a trick can drain energy because it makes a dog use his brain. Something as simple as scattering half his kibble in the grass and making him hunt for it is an enrichment exercise.

Many enrichment toys are available to keep dogs brains as busy as their feet and mouths. Check out Pet Expertise for some of my recommendations: Kongs, Buster Cubes, Squirrel Dudes, Wobblers and the Everlasting Fun Ball are but a few. Chew toys also act as doggie pacifiers. I like the Nylabone Durables, hollow bones and real marrow bones.

HIde a food dispensing toy while your dog is practicing a STAY and then go back to him and release him to go find the food toy. Nan Arthur has written a book for your restless dogs entitled Chill Out, Fido that has some excellent exercises to practice. Hope we hear a report that your dog is soon a couch potato.

Terry, PawsProf

Our ASK THE DOG TRAINER Column can be reached at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. For more information on Terry Lynn Cuyler and her training, you may find her at Paws Prof. A personal appointment with a trainer will likely provide more specific information on your dog's issues and your questions.

The PawsProf's advice does not replace an actual consultation with a qualified trainer.

Related Reading:

Dog Treadmill Training: Is it Right for Your Dog?

Dog Mental Stimulation