Pumpkin Dog Cookies

It turns out PUMPKIN, a faithful addition to pies, soups, and cakes, works a certain enzyme magic on stomach irritation in dogs. Does it work on people? I don’t know.
Another couple of interesting facts, PARSLEY is great for your dog's breath and MINT is an excellent anti-depressant for your dogs too.
Now my 3M's will just about eat anything, but I wanted to see if I could make it a treat for them.
The review is in - paw licking delicious!
I hope your fury kids like my recipe for PUMPKIN DOG COOKIES as much as Mac, Maesie and Mattie do....

MAESIE'S PERFECT PUMPKIN COOKIES
2 eggs
½ cup mashed pumpkin
2 tbsp. dry milk powder
¼ tsp. sea salt - optional
2½ cups brown rice flour or rye flour (you can use wholemeal)
1 tbsp. dried parsley or mint - optional
1 tbsp. honey - optional
Preheat oven to 180° C (350° F).
In large bowl, whisk together eggs and pumpkin to smooth consistency.
Stir in dry milk, and any or all of optional ingredients.
Add flour gradually, combining with spatula or hands, to form a stiff, dry dough.
Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead lightly until mixture comes together smoothly.
Roll dough to ½ inch thickness and cut using desired cookie cutters.
Knead scraps lightly, re-roll and cut shapes, continuing this process until all dough is used.
Place shapes on paper lined cookie sheet. If desired, use tines of fork to decorate, lightly pressing down to only halfway through dough.
Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully turn biscuits over, then return to oven and bake an additional 20 minutes.
Allow to cool completely on wire rack.

Mattie's Carob Mint Cookie Recipe

I made these yummy treats for Mac, Maesie and Mattie. How do I know they are yummy? After they had taste tested the sample, I went by the amount of dribble, drool, whatever it is called pooling on the floor, as they each sat and gave me "The Look" - "please mum can I have some more".
Here is the recipe if you want to bake them for your four-legged family.

MATTIE'S CAROB MINT COOKIES
3 cups wholemeal flour (whole wheat is the same)
4 tsps. carob powder (DO NOT USE CHOCOLATE AS A SUBSTITUTE)
½ cup mint leaves - lightly packed
¾ cup water
4 tbs. margarine or oil
1 egg
1½ tbs. maple syrup
1 tbs. honey (optional)
Preheat oven to 190° C. (375° F.)
Combine all ingredients in food processor, process until well mixed, mint is chopped, and a large ball forms.
Press or roll on non-stick surface to a thickness of ¼ inch to ½ inch.
Cut with cookie cutter of your choice and place on non-stick cookie tray.
Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool and store in air-tight container.

Aural Haemotoma's & training....

Our beautiful fury family, Mac, Maesie and Matilda, aka the "M's", aka our three Golden Retrievers, are all doing great. 

Mac and Maesie are now 10 and 11 years old respectively and Miss Matilda or Til Til as we call her, is now 18 months old.
What's been happening in their lives.....
First, let's talk about Mac. He developed an Aural Haematoma, basically a large blood blister in the underside of his ear flap. He was successfully operated on, but the stress of the operation and the anaesthesia, when combined with his age, really took it's toll on him.  It has taken months, but thankfully he seems his happy self. 
Let's now move to second....As if not to be outdone, Maesie decided, if Mac can do it, so can she.  She also developed an Aural Haematoma. 
OK, now I'm thinking I may need to explain just how these Aural Heamatoma's develop. When a pet scratches its ear or shakes its head vigorously in an effort to rid itself of an itch/irritation, it may unknowingly cause some damage to the ear flap. As a result, an accumulation of fluid can often build up between the skin layers and the ear flap, a blood blister, or as it is medically known, a Aural Haematoma forms. 
After our experience with Mac's haematoma/surgery/recovery, we were really hesitant to put Maesie through the same trauma, so it was a relief when our Vet suggested he would prefer not to operate, but to monitor her. Now several months and Vet visits later, Maesie and her ear are doing great. The blood in the blister has slowly been reabsorbed and apart from a little scaring to her inside ear flap, she is doing great. No trauma.
How I wish we were given the same option or that we decided against surgery with Mac's ear. Lessons learned though. 
Now on to Miss Matilda.....as I mentioned earlier, our dear Til Til is 18 months old. She is an absolute treasure, such a loveable girl, so happy with her life, her tail always wagging. It's great to see her with Mac and Maesie, she adores them. She has learnt so much from them, picked up many of their mannerisms, mostly good. 
It's beautiful to watch them interact, amazing to see how much they have come to rely on one another. 
Thanks to Holdfast Dog Centre, Til Til made it through to secondary school in her training. She absolutely loved going to her lessons, so much so, it became a battle to get her to come home after each lesson. No easy undertaking lifting her into my SUV, especially as she weighs 40 kgs.  
I guess you could say, it's been a good year for our fury family.

R. I. P. Giggles - Ohio, USA

This photo of Giggles was taken by her "Dad" Joe Ott.

RAINBOW BRIDGE........
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...