Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Valentine's Day and Your Pet: Keeping Everyone Healthy


Our dogs are our best friends, our cats demand to be spoiled and served like royalty. We can't help but cater to them! With Valentine's Day less than one week away on the 2012 calendar, here are some tips to help keep everyone safe and lovin' the healthy vibes this year.

  • PetMD.com has 5 Pet-Conscious Tips for Valentine's Day that bear repeating year after year. I chose this article to link to, because it also tells you the proper methods for artificial respiration and cardiopulmonary respiration (CPR) for your pets, should anything happen.

  • The AKC website has some great printable lists! For this holiday these are especially appropriate: dangerous household items and foods and hazardous plants.

  • You can still indulge your dog's sweet tooth - but do it with something that is healthy for him (and even delicious for you!). Here is a recipe from the good folks at Pawluxury for Homemade Valentine Peanut Butter and Carob Biscuit Treats. Yum! (note: these are made with whole wheat flour. I avoid wheat about 90% of the time in my Cocker Kids and 100% of the time in the dogs that have any wheat sensitivities. You can successfully substitute white flour in this recipe, although you might want to cut back on the liquid just a bit (-1/4 to 1/8 a cup) to help keep the denseness of the final cookie.

  • I didn't forget our feline friends! Kitty's love their special treats too. Take a look at three purr-fect treat recipes from Catster.com: Nik Nak's Valentine's Tuna Treats, Catnip Heart Cookies, and Kitty Valentine Sardine Treats.

  • If you are like me, you are a chocolate lover, and will outright swoon at just the right chocolate dessert. Here is one I just have to try ... I could almost eat it right off the screen: Chocolate Decorator Cookies as posted at Chocolate, Chocolate and More Chocolate.

  • I would be a bad bad friend if I didn't put up a recipe that combines chocolate and peanut butter (a combination my roommate loves). Give this one a try if you love PB&C: Peanut Butter Cup Brownies in a Jar. Easy to make, yet elegant to present!

  • Not a chocolate person (really, they do exist!)? Then try this to-die-for recipe from Apron of Grace and make some delectable Rose Bouquet Stawberry Cupcakes to sweeten up your Sweetest Person this Valentine's Day.

  • If you are into fun (easy!) hand-crafted goodies, this project really struck a chord in me: Stuffed Paper Hearts (special thanks to Michele at The Scrap Shoppe for telling me about this craft, and the cupcake recipe above)!
  • Do YOU have a favorite something-something for Valentine's Day? A recipe (for you or the pet in your life)? A tradition? A favorite memory? I'd love for you to share it in my comments section below! Happy Valentine's Day!





    Top: Scottish Terrier Puppy; Bottom: Himalayan Cat

    No comments:

    Post a Comment