Happy holidays! Like you, I think the holidays really snuck up on us this year and I’m running just a little behind. Christmas cards will have to be New Year’s cards. Intricately wrapped gifts are going to be presents plopped into gift bags with tissue paper. C’est la vie; ce sont les vacances!

But increasingly, I enjoy the holidays because of the people I get to catch up with. I’m trading in a little of the pomp and dressing up for Christmas for some simpler pleasures. Like getting to have a longer conversation with someone who I don’t get to see as often as I would like.

Keeping up the tradition of baking treats for dogs

But shorter and more harried schedules don’t mean we leave the dogs out. I just have to be a little smarter this year in the dog treats I choose to make. I love baking for dogs — they’re so appreciative! It’s definitely a tradition I want to continue but if I could be a little more efficient about it, that would be great.

So this year, in baking for friends and neighbors’ dogs, I decided to go with one standard (peanut-butter and pumpkin), one new one (pumpkin and cranberry) and one super-simple (sweet potato) dog-treat recipe.

Here’s a hint for the pumpkin/peanut butter cookies: follow other reviewers’ comments and double the amount of pumpkin . It makes the dough more pliable and if you feel it is too moist, you can always add more flour to the dough. Also flour heavily your workspace to make cutting the dough easier.

The dried sweet potatoes are something I should have tried a long time ago. It’s a very easy recipe and the house now has a great smell in it: there’s a hint of sweetness in the air, a little like a very expensive perfume that you don’t want to overdo.

I’m sorry that I’m just getting these recipes to you now and I realize that you may not have time to crank them out before Christmas day. But that’s just one more reason to love baking for dogs. You can make them the treats on Dec. 26 and they will still love them (and you).

Happy, happy holidays!!

Wait, aren’t they the same as the former Happy Dog Phoenix mascots? Beagles? No, not really. And as I am learning, no dog completely replaces the previous dogs in your life. Maybe you just keep on grieving for a dog while you begin to accept and adjust to the loss.

Artie, my beloved Beagle goofball, passed away in July and I couldn’t bring myself to write about it publically until now. She had been sick and I had poured out my heart in this post. And I just couldn’t write about it again, after all, the name of the blog is Happy Dog Phoenix. Not Incredibly Sad Person Phoenix. And in thinking about Artie, I tried to be grateful for the time we had together but I couldn’t; all I had was a very deep hole in my heart.

To Phoenix from Arkansas with love

Arizona Beagle Rescue reached out to me to offer their condolences at Artie’s death. And I reached back to them to cautiously say I would be looking for a new beagle. Just not sure when.

“How about fostering? We have two dogs in Arkansas whose owner just died. There’s no beagle rescue there. And they will end up in a pound and will probably be separated. They’re sisters.’’

Well, a photo is worth a thousand words. In this case it sure was. Here’s the photo they texted:

My only reaction: THEY”RE SO FAT!!

Of course, I will help them.

It was a true kindness relay that got these dogs from a small town in Arkansas to Phoenix. Good-hearted people who were making the drive to Texas and others parts agreed to take the girls as far as they were driving and then another team picked them up. If you ever doubt that people can be genuinely wonderful, just volunteer for one of these road trips. It restores your faith in humans.

Enter Giggy and Lizzy

So I met the girls. Turns out Giggy isn’t fat at all. In fact, I’m not so sure how much of a Beagle she really is. I see a lot of Brittney in there. But Lizzy, true to being a Beagle, was definitely was overweight. Turns out she weighed about 40 pounds, at least. Your typical Beagle is about 25 pounds. The vet sternly told both of us that we needed to be aggressive about her weight loss.

They arrived in the summer. And since then, they’ve been in a couple different houses because I had a couple of vacations planned before their arrival. There was also an emergency sleepover at a friend’s house when my home’s AC went out. The most progress for girls comes when we are consistent in our schedules; for these two, the more stability the better.

Hey, they are my dogs!

Arizona Beagle Rescue realizes fosters may fall in love with the dogs they are helping. As part of their contract, AZBR give fosters three weeks to decide about the dog before posting the dog’s photos and telling the world they are available for adoption. A bonded pair like Giggy and Lizzy who are sisters (at heart, if not in shared DNA), are usually more difficult to adopt out.

But after two weeks, AZBR contacted me asking for photos because they were had a family interested in a pair of Beagles. I thought to myself “Hell no, those are my dogs!’’ and that pretty much settled it. I became a foster failure.

How it is going

Not going to lie – two dogs all at once is a lot. Walking them together is basically You Tube material since Giggy is a speedster and Lizzy, well, Lizzy is no speedster. When it comes to being in motion, she’s more Basset Hound than Beagle! We entertain our neighbors with my attempts to pilot them through the ‘hood.

We three are a work in progress. But so far, Lizzy’s down eight pounds and she just finished a hike at Fraesfield – one of our recommended dog-friendly hikes. More to come on that later.

At the same time, while I am determined to make things work for these two, I still find myself thinking about Artie with such sadness. I’m not sure psychologists would think getting two dogs so soon after Artie is a good coping strategy. Right now, I’m allowing myself to tear up for the loss of Artie and at the same time, feel so much joy at the small signs that these two very different Beagles are making themselves at home: mastering steps, being polite at mealtime, coming when called.

I’ve had four Beagles now: HoneyBun, Artie, Giggy and Lizzy. Same breeds but so different.

I’m learning what makes each of the new Beagles tick. Giggy loves warmth, snuggling under covers, sitting in the sun and eating cheese. Lizzy, despite her pudginess, loves to play and commanders every toy in the house.

There’s a lot of barking, mostly at dogs and cats, and we need to work on that and I think a trainer is on the way for all three of us. So, between the weight loss, living with two new dogs and taking them on adventures, there’s going to be lot to blog about.

Stay tuned!

Everywhere in metro Phoenix these days developers are building apartments or condos. And many, many dogs are living in these high rises.  So the big question becomes what to do when Poochie needs a patch of grass to use as her bathroom and you are eight stories up? Where does the dog pee?

Enter the Pottio Box – please don’t confuse it with a Bark Box!

What’s a Pottio Box?

Stephen Brandt got the idea of providing grass potty boxes and delivering fresh grass to replenish them after seeing a definite need for relief among people and their dogs.

The former forest-fire fighter hotshot moved to Ahwatukee more than a year ago. He quickly noticed how people in metro Phoenix love their dogs. He also noticed how stressed these folks were as they raced home to take their dogs out for a good walk and a pee.

Why does my dog want to pee on the grass?

And for many dogs, peeing on rocks just isn’t the way they want to ummm, go.

Dogs’ upbringing plays a large role in whether they select grass, gravel, concrete or your pajamas as their place to pee. Doggos start figuring out a preference as early as eight weeks old, says, Daily Dog Discoveries.

Brandt believes his grass boxes are better for dogs than synthetic grass because they eliminate the need for chemicals. The grass boxes also pose less risk for the environment as well, he says.

Pottio boxes come in three sizes, the largest being 27 inches by 42 inches.

And Brandt delivers throughout the Valley, with Tempe being one of his largest service areas.

Pottio boxes’ grass doesn’t really have to be watered. Some dogs don’t want to get near mud, Brandt says. And most people don’t want mud tracked through the house.

Under normal use, the grass will eventually get saturated and will need to be thrown away after one to two weeks  (that will vary by frequency of use and size and number of dogs). Just heave-ho the grass pad into the garbage

The Pottio Box can help with the urine side of the equation. But you still need to pick up the dog poop – there’s no magic box for that!

Editors note: We don’t own stock in Pottio Box; nor are we using their products or being paid by them o write this. We just thought they were an interesting local business with a unique service!

This post is going to be a little political.

You can stop reading now. Right now. Turn back. I warned you.

All about Humane Voters of Arizona

Ok, disclaimer out of the way. Humane Voters of Arizona acts as a watchdog for state legislation involving all types of animals. If you want to learn about state laws and how they affect your dog, follow this group.

When it comes to dogs, the Arizona state legislature does a lot. Last year, they banned faux service dogs; in 2017, they passed Good Samaritan laws to legally protect people who break a car window to rescue a dog or kid.

This year, legislators want to fine people $100 if they drive with an animal on their laps, according to Arizona Sonora News.

Humane Voters of Arizona keeps tabs on that legislation like that by tracking bills and voting records of legislators. They also survey brand-new candidates on their views.

Just as importantly, HVA keeps an eye out for bills that could harm animals or erode existing protections.

New attempt at animal abuse laws

This year, they will be working with others to create a special Class 5 felony penalty for those who abuse animals.

Animal-rights champions and law enforcement both want to make animal abuse a felony instead of a misdemeanor. If an animal abuser was charged with a Class 5 felony, he could get mandatory counseling.

Animal lovers believe this could help reduce acts of animal cruelty. Law enforcement believe it could help prevent violence against humans.

Saying animal abuse is often comes before assaults, domestic violence and homicide, groups like the National Sheriff’s Association supports the move. It cites a landmark academic study that showed animal abusers were five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people.

The bill failed in last year’s legislature. It was opposed by the Arizona Cattleman’s Association that argued the language  was so broad that it could be used to charge ranchers with felonies if they kill dogs who chase their cattle.

What else is cooking at the legislature

This session, HVA also will look out for efforts to limit the citizen-initiative process. Unlike other states, Arizona allows citizens to propose legislation. Arizona voters have several times successfully used the process to protect animals. In 1994, voters banned leg-hold traps; in 1998, they outlawed cockfighting and in 2006, they voted down gestational crates for pigs.

Lawmakers fought against all of those animal protections but voters passed them overwhelmingly, says Karen Michaels of the HVA.

How things are improving for animals

Michaels started in animal-related legislation in the late 1980s/early’90s as she became concerned about the link between poorly treated farm animals and safe food for humans.

When it comes to animal rights, people are changing their minds, says Michaels.

More legislators vote bipartisan when it comes to protecting animal rights.

They aren’t so much wrapped in being a Republican or Democrat but just want to do the right thing for animals, especially companion animals like dogs.

Michaels said she knew things were changing when she saw staunch conservative Sen. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) share a podium with Tucson Democratic legislator Steve Farley to support particular animal legislation.

“I thought, this is great. Now we are getting somewhere.”

Wow, Democrats and Republicans working together – it’s like dogs and cats living together!

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Dog-friendly: Aunt Chiladas at Squaw Peak

Dog-friendly: Hopdaddy in Phoenix

Dog-friendly: Phoenix Public Market

Dog-friendly: Uncle Bears in Chandler

Dog-friendly: Windsor inPhoenix

Welcome to the official Do-over Day!

Jan. 17 is earmarked as the Ditch Your New Year’s Resolutions Day, a day that gives you time to re-consider your resolutions, minus the holiday fairy dust in your eyes, and to zero in on what you really want to accomplish in 2019.

If the resolutions that you made when you were full of champagne and holiday spirits now strike you as unrealistic, may we suggest something a little more down-to-earth- — how about a resolution of taking the dog with you to more places?

Where to take the dog

There are events; dog-friendly restaurants; dog-friendly stores. Or dog parks. Or hiking trails. The Valley offers plenty of places for you and the pooch to hang out.

But how does taking the dog with me help me with my resolutions of losing weight, saving money, and finding true love?, you ask.

Simple.

Getting off the sofa and outside for a walk with the dog is a lovely step in getting in more exercise for you and the hound. Also, if you are walking the dog or at the dog park, that means you can’t be parked in front of the refrigerator scarfing down your third serving of lasagna.

How to make taking the dog fun

Speaking of lasagna, there are plenty of restaurants in metro Phoenix who are OK with having dogs on the patio. And there are some wonderful ones that really roll out the red carpet. Here are some quick tips on how to make dining with the dog a good experience:

• Plan ahead: Call ahead to find out if the restaurant really wants your dog; also make sure the dog has had plenty of food and water before you get there.
• Bring stuff: The restaurant may not have water bowls so please bring yur own. Also, a blankie/pad and a non-squeaky toy may help distract and calm the dog.
• Know when to bail: Some dogs just aren’t ready for the dining scene. Realize that and know you may have to leave. Fast.

As far as the resolution of finding true love: There’s always the true love at the other end of the leash. Your dog will love you when you get her out of the house more. And as far as true love of the same-species, well, your dog is the best wingman possible. Your dog, well-trained or not, will certainly draw attention to you. And you may just get the attention of a fellow dog lover – who sounds just like your kind of person.

As for the saving-money, you and the dog are on your own on that one!

Once again, it is one of my favorite dog time of the year — baking holiday treats for dogs!

I love baking for dogs for so, so many reasons

Why do baking for dogs?

First, it’s for the dogs. And for the most part, they like food, so they aren’t too terribly picky, unlike Aunt Shirley, who is a real fusspot when it comes to the type of cheese used for the mac and cheese and the vinegar used in the salad dressing and the origins of the apples used in the pie.

Nope, chances are the dog is going to enjoy as is. The amount of baking powder doesn’t have to be exact; the cookie shapes not precise. The dog will just love them –and we love them just a little bit more for their non-judgey ways.

Second, you know what’s in your treats. How many times this year have you read about dog treats or dog food being recalled? When you bake for your dog, you choose what goes in the grocery cart. Organic honey? Sure.  Applesauce with no extra sugar? Check.

This year, I decided to experiment in baking with carob – which is like a cousin to chocolate. Chocolate is super dangerous to dogs but carob is free of theobromine and caffeine so it won’t harm your canine pal. Carob is also low in fat and high in fiber making it a healthy alternative to chocolate, according to our friends at the ASPCA (which runs a great poison hotline for canines).

Baking for humans, too

Homemade dog treats also can be a great way to show appreciation to the humans around you. Most of my peeps have enough stuff. They don’t want more stuff. So that leaves experiences and consumables as gift-giving choices. But so many people are now on specific eating plans (paleo, keto, low-carb, high-fat, high-sugar (just kidding — the last one is my diet this time of year as I flit from dessert to dessert!). But your family/friends/colleagues/neighbors have a dog, chances are the dog isn’t on a diet so much – at least someone in the house can enjoy a little baked goodie.

And for personal reasons

And lastly, it’s for sentimental reasons. Once your get past the tricky math of tripling and quadrupling the recipe, baking can be pretty mindless. The repetition of kneading the dough and cutting out cookies allows me time to think about the dogs who I am baking for and the dogs who left us in 2018.

This was a difficult year for many of us who had to say good-bye to our cherished friends. Amid the flour measuring and cookie cooling,  I reminisced about those dogs and thought about the new dogs who have entered our lives in 2018 — remembering the beloved and gratitude for new  – isn’t that a big part of the holidays?

And without further Hallmark-like thoughts, here are the recipes I used for this season’s doggie treats:

• Calvin’s Christmas Cookies: Just press the cranberries and pumpkin seeds really hard into the dough to make the little “jewels” stay in the cookies.
• Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats:A perennial favorite. This time, I doubled the amount of canned pumpkin and the dough became a lot easier to work with.
• Peanut Butter and Banana Cookie: Appreciated the warning about xylitol.

Enjoy! And happy, happy baking and gift-giving!

Thanksgiving ranks up there with Halloween and Easter as a terrific holiday. And after the kindness of Arizona Beagle Rescue, it’s a little more special because it’s also Artie’s Gotcha Day.

Four years ago, I had just gotten over the heartbreak of losing a dog to a long illness when I contacted Arizona Beagle Rescue looking for another dog. I grieved the loss of HoneyBun and wasn’t sure I was ready for another dog.

“You know, we have a dog who is being fostered and the volunteers need to go to back East for Thanksgiving,’’ they told me. “Why don’t you just take this dog until they get back?”

Of course, we all knew what was going on – if I loved the dog (which they knew I would), then she would stay at my house for good.

Not exactly love at first sight

We all make snap judgments and the first time I met Artie, I wasn’t so sure she was the dog for me.

She slobbered so much and shed so much – so much dog hair coming off of one dog! Her tongue hung out because of a misshapen jaw.

She was nervous and understandably so. She had been at the Maricopa County pound in Tempe, which is such a heartbreaking place – it is so loud, so Spartan and so sad. My eyes tear up just thinking about how overwhelmed Artie must have been there with all of that noise and cold, concrete floors.

And she had problems with her teeth, so she must have been in pain as well. Arizona Beagle Rescue volunteers found her, paid for her dental bills and placed her with some terrific foster parents.

You know if I had just met her, I wouldn’t have necessarily picked her as the dog to take home.

Just another reason why I am thankful for Arizona Beagle Rescue: I trusted them and they led me to her.

What made for a great Gotcha Day

Despite what she had been through, Artie effortlessly rode in the car. She just sat in her seat and looked out the window with a thoughtful politeness about her.

We got home and she explored as we settled in. I quickly learned that she knew all about doggie doors and how to claim her spot on the sofa. On the very first night, she hopped into bed with me. The next morning, worried that she may have to pee, I tried to shake her loose from her position on the comforter. She just looked at me. Her eyes seemed to say “Woman, please. I’m in a good spot here and I’m not budging.’’

I fixed her green beans so she keep on her diet.

And I could tell she liked the creature comforts of my house but I just wasn’t sure….. Then while I was working on my laptop, she cantered over, plopped down and proceeded to roll on her back, wiggling on the hardwood floors. With her goofy tongue hanging out, she looked like she was smiling and emitting joy.

I know, I know, a dog lying down exposing his belly is a sign of submission. But I could tell she had a sparkle in her eye and that at that moment, she was happy. And she was home.

And then it dawned on me — here I thought I was choosing a dog but in reality, she had picked me. She’s the one who “got me.’’

Happy Gotcha Day to everyone who has ever helped a dog find a forever home. We are thankful to you all!

Ah, fall in Phoenix. Can you smell the Pumpkin Spice Latte? Actually, in our neighborhood (and possibly yours) the smell of fall comes more from the fertilizer on people’s new winter lawns and less from brewing coffee. And that winter grass means all kinds of problems for my dog when we go on our daily walks.

In our neighborhood, many people over-seed their Bermuda grass with perennial ryegrass which grows lush and deep during the winter. Yes, those lawns do take a lot of water to maintain but geez, they look so nice!

But for my dog (and possibly yours), over-seeding time seems like an early Halloween, especially if your dog likes to eat poop. (No judgment here: dogs eat poop because well, they just do.) Think about it: Like Halloween, over-seeding time comes in the fall; one of the best parts is going house to house for “treats’’ and there can be a stomachache at the end. Sounds like over-seeding in my hood!

Protecting your dog from poop and pigeons

So this time of year, my neighbors mow their grass really low and clear out dead and unhealthy Bermuda grass with de-thatchers. The optimum time to over-seed in Arizona is right now, the first two weeks of October, or when the evening temperatures consistently stay below 65.

After the scalping, my hard-working neighbors throw grass seed over their now-naked yards.

Then problems begin. Pigeons flock into the yards to eat the grass seed; some OD on the stuff, and become sluggish and easier for dogs to bring down. (The previous beagle could bring down a pigeon and basically eat it in one gulp; the Current Beagle is a little more finicky.) But still the dog is now fixated on those plump, slow-moving pigeons. She tries to chase down every single one of them.

Compounding the problem is that after the pigeon-stuffing grass seed goes down, fertilizer is piled up high on the lawns. Most gardeners use a starter fertilizer that is a 6-20-20 (6-percent nitrogen, 20-percent phosphorus, 20-percent potassium) or 15-15-15 (15 percent each of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) mix.

Whatever the chemical composition is, it spells deliciousness for the Beagle, who is always willing to sample some new delicacy that could involve poop of any kind, regardless of which animal it came from. So, invariably, we bound into the neighbor’s newly fertilized yard. The string-and-tinfoil concoctions that neighbors put up to scare away pigeons are no match my determined beagle. Poop, pigeons, here we come!

Fertilizer: gross but is it dangerous?

Turns out the Beagle isn’t alone. Dogs eating fertilizer is pretty common, reports the Animal Poison Control Center run by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In fact, calls about pets eating lawn and garden products were among its top 10 toxin calls in 2007.

Some dogs will tear open fertilizer bags to eat every last morsel. Most fertilizer ingestions cause mild GI upset and are not a huge concern, according to ASPCA. But the dogs who chow down on the whole bag can get bloated or experience some muscle stiffness or soreness after ingestion.

So, bottom line: the fertilizer may be dangerous and it is definitely kinda gross.

Happy Fall everyone; watch out for the poop and pigeons!

Feel that nip in the Phoenix air? Now that the rains are over (at least for a while), it’s a perfect time to take the dog for a walk at night. As it gets cooler, though, it also is getting darker earlier. How do you keep the dog safe when you are walking at night?

And not to sound too grandmotherly but… traffic in my area has really picked up. I live in central Phoenix where there is about a jillion condos being built, creating more traffic all the time. And some of our new neighbors drive really fast. (Wow, that was the most grandmotherly paragraph I have ever written!)

Equipment for a safe walk

So being the loving pet person that I am, I decided I am going to be a little safer when it comes to walking the dog. I always have her on a leash – she’s a Beagle, for goodness sake!

I bought this leash because it was supposed to be reflective. But really, I am not sure how you are supposed to check there in the store. But I suppose you could go shopping at night, buy the “reflective’’  item, take it to a dark corner of the parking lot and see how truly glow-in-the-dark it really is. But I didn’t. And now I have a leash that is so-so when it comes to being seen at night. I do like the leash, though, it is nice and study but it seems to blend in with the night as much as the last one did.

I’m not really crazy about having a light attached to the dog because I worry that it will bother her eyes.

As it gets cooler, I guess I can start wearing a neon-colored light jacket to wear while I walk the dog. The neighbors, the ones who are driving slowly enough, will appreciate me wearing something other than grungy grey! Or  I could outline the dog’s bones in nontoxic glow-in-the-dark paint and get a jump on Halloween.

I’m still on the hunt for a leash that is more reflective and will keep you updated on that. But in the meantime, here are some other things to keep in mind as you and Poochie take a stroll:

• Walk against traffic so you can see what’s coming.
• Ditch the headphones when walking your dog at night. You need to be able to hear what’s going on around you!
• Stay on the sidewalk along well-lit roads, and avoid shortcuts through dark lots or alleyways.
• Take the cellphone with you: You never know when you will need to call home and the built-in flashlight can be used as a backup light source.

Let’s be careful out there!

Signed, Grandma

Well, I never thought it would happen – I got a new-to-me car! And now the big question: How do I keep it clean and still have my best friend (aka the dog) ride shotgun with me?

First, a confession:

Pigpen in the car

When it comes to the car, I am a slob of the highest order. There’s hiking gear, a tennis bag and swimming stuff in the trunk. I believe in recycling, so there are plastic bags that need to go back to the grocery store. There’s aluminum cans for the lady in the neighborhood who collects them. And I eat in the car – and the dog has loved that because there is always a crumb or chunk of something left behind for her to graze on. And there’s coffee stains and God-knows-what stains. It’s disgusting.

And there’s dog hair. So much dog hair. Literally a forest of little, spiky white short dog hairs are stuck in the fabric car seats and won’t let go.

It was permanently filthy but what the heck, it ran. Until one day it didn’t.

But no more

And enter the new car.

And by the power of Armor-all, I will keep this one clean.

Tomorrow is a test day, I’m taking Artie to the vet for some routine maintenance (for her, not the car). I haven’t had time to get all the seat covers and floor mats that I have been fantasizing about. So I am going to rig a bed- sheet-and bungee-cord contraption to fit over the seat and floor until I can get the slipcovers of my dreams.

(The dog riding shotgun is not the best possible thing – instead she should be crated in the back or strapped in on the backseat. But her in the passenger seat next to me makes me a more focused driver — that’s my rationalization and I’m sticking to it)

Tips on keeping car clean with a dog

In writing the latest version of Happy Dog Phoenix, I interviewed a Sedona auto detailer about how to get dog hair out of the car. He suggested some great tips (the book is available in late October).

But I am looking for ways to prevent the dog hair from even coming in and taking hold – and the new car even shows the hair I bring in by the seat of my pants. Who knew a human being could be a dog-hair carrier!

There are some tips I could find about preventing dog hair in the car:

• Brush the dog before the trip
• Brush yourself off — I now carry around a lint roller so much it feels like my second hand!
• Choose easy-to-wipe leather seats
• Contain the dog to one spot in the vehicle.

If you know of any others, please let me know.

Oh, no eating in the new car!