Annabelle

Hello! This time I’m going to let Annabelle tell you a bit about herself! OK so Annabelle what do you have to say?

Hey I’m Annabelle! I’m an afghan hound but I still don’t have all my big girl fur. I was in a…pet store…for a while. A while as in about 3 months. People were just afraid of how furry I was going to get in my lifetime. They knew how big I would get and just said it was too much work so they took ones like the Shih Tzu and such.

I’m a very aloof dog. My owner will call me and I just look at her and wander the other way. Hahaha! It gets on her nerves I can just tell. Just about the only time I do what she asks is when she has a treat in her hand! Ooh yes I’m a sucker for the treats!

My owners train me in French so that alpha dog Zena does not do my tricks…but to tell you the truth she told me that she’s getting the hang of the French. Really the only tricks I do are sit and lie down.

That is about all I have to say. Besides I love Busy Pawz Treats! I'm gonna go see if I can get some. Talk to you later!

Thanks Annabelle! Hey Annabelle! Get away from the treats I’ll give you some in a second.

Sorry I gotta run!

Zena

Hey, today I decided to do a quick, little input on my dog Zena. So here let her talk.

Hey. I’m Zena. Well my real name is Zippin’ Zena but my owner just calls me Zena. I am about four years old. I was the third pup born in my litter. I know because it was (and still is) tattooed in my ear. You may wonder why. The answer is simple, I was born on the track! I raced and raced until I was two years old. I had won no races so the track decided I had to retire. Yay! At the track we stayed in dog crates for hours. But after we were in a race we got marshmallows! Well when I retired I went to a greyhound rescue. There I was given a foster owner. At my foster home I learned to understand new things like sliding glass doors and stairs. Little did I know it was not my forever home. As the weeks went by I learned more and more. The strange place was…well it was no longer strange. My diet got wider and that made eating new foods a little easier. Now while I was with my foster owner I went to these things called greyhound meet and greets. At these I would try to get adopted. It made me very used to different people so I became very friendly. Finally at one meet and greet I was chosen! I was taken home! I was loved a ton! We moved to a nice big house and here I get taken on nice big walks all around the neighborhood! Then my owner started to make dog treats! Super yummy. So here I am, a retired greyhound. Racing number tattooed in one ear, birthday in the other.

Now as a greyhound you may think we need tons of exercise. News Flash: Greyhounds need one 15-minute walk in the morning and one at night! Simple. We are like…cats…in dog’s clothing. But we are way more fun! We are protective (if we are not too friendly). You can teach us cool, fun tricks. And best of all we have tons of love for our owners. Us greyhounds are very, very easy to groom. We need a bath only every three months or so. Greyhounds don’t have undercoats so we hardly shed! My owner just sits and pets me for about 10-15 minutes each day and at the end by my tail a very small amount of loose hair will form. My owner takes it off, throws it away, and that is about all the grooming I get in a day! So that is a little bit about me, and greyhounds in general. This has been fun. I need to see if I can do this more often. Talk to you next time!

Thank you Zena. I hope you liked meeting her. Next time I will talk about my other dog, Annabelle! Talk to you then.

Some “People” Foods That Are Safe & Good For Dogs

My dogs love “people” foods. But some are not ok for dogs. Like I bet some of you know chocolate is not ok but did you know that grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs? Don’t give your dog those because they can cause your dog to have kidney failure, diarrhea and/or it can make them not want to eat. So what do I do if my dog swallows some? Call your vet. They can surely tell you what to do. Mine told me when one of my dogs got into a bag of dark chocolate candies. But this article is not about unsafe foods but safe ones so here is a list of some:

·      Carrots – they can clean your dogs teeth when they are not cooked

·      Cheese – dogs love them and they make a wonderful treat. In fact they are a Busy Pawz dog treat flavor.

·      Peanut Butter  - yet another Busy Pawz flavor. My dogs adore it. They lick it right off the spoon. Not too much just by itself though or it can clog up your pups esophagus.

·      Salmon – you guessed it another treat flavor I make. It is wonderful for your dog’s coat and helps if your dog has flaky skin like my greyhound, Zena, gets sometimes. The omega 3 oil is great. Never give it to them raw though.

·      Green Beans – they are very filling and work as a great part of a meal. Try adding some to a scoop of kibble.

So there is a nice list of some “human” foods that your dogs can eat. Remember these are only snacks. And they don’t need to be in something like a treat. By itself is fine. Always ask your vet before feeding your dog human food though.

A Fun Game To Play With Your Dog

I love playing games with my dogs. In fact today we played outside with the garden hose! That makes a good summer game but here is another fun game to play.

Set up an obstacle track for your dog. (Maybe just in your backyard?)  Here are some simple, fun things you can include:

·      Cones – to go between

·      Wading Pool

·      Hurdles

·      Tube or Tunnel – to go through (best for little dogs)

·      Nice Big Prize

A good prize could be giving him the treat you lured him through the track with. Or maybe he would rather have his tummy rubbed. Some pups may even just want to go through it again! Keep in mind that this does not have to be complex. Maybe a piece of rope could be his hurdle. Or see if he can jump over the garden hose. Playing games with your dog will build a better bond with him and that is a key to having a good dog. So keep having fun with your dog and remember summer is hot so be sure your pup has a ton of water all the time, especially outside.

10 Tips To Have A Happy & Healthy Dog

Hey, everyone.  This is just a quick post of a few reminders of things we can do to have happy, healthy dogs.  Give your dog some love and don't let the dog days of summer get you down.  Arf!!

1.   Fresh Water – Be sure your dog can get to it at all times.

2.   Exercise – Walk him down the street once or twice a day.

3.   Keep Your Dog At A Nice Weight – A good rule of thumb is feel the ribs but not see them. Ask your vet if you are uncertain.

4.   Lots Of Attention – Spending time with your dog may help you notice a problem in your dog’s health. Report these to your vet as soon as possible.

5.   Healthy Diet – Ask your vet about a safe diet for your dog.

6.   Regular Vet Visits – Just like you need to go to the doctor your dog needs to go to the vet. Take your dog at least twice a year for a check-up.

7.   Brush Your Dog’s Teeth – Just use a used or new toothbrush and be sure to use toothpaste made for dogs. Your vet can recommend some for you.

8.   Comfortable Bed Area – Your dog needs a nice place to sleep. Try a dog bed with a removable cover so it can be washed easier.

9.   Good Hygiene – It will lower your dog’s chance of getting sick. Don’t forget to not just clean your dog, but also the areas your dog goes to most often. For example his bed or crate.

10.Have A Strong Bond With Your Dog – Try to keep/make a nice bond with your dog. It will make things much easier when you have a strong bond. Some ways to strengthen the bond is to play games together, or take him on walks. Talk to him when he is relaxed. Or talk to him to relax him. Over all spend time with him. 

An Introduction

Hi.  My name is Bailey but my dogs know me as the Treat Baker.  I make Homemade Dog Treats.  I started doing this for one simple reason, I love my dogs.  I didn't like feeding them treats made out of stuff I didn't understand.  So I started making treats out of simple, all natural ingredients that are good for dogs.  And guess what?  My dogs loved them.  In fact, they loved them so much that one day they sneaked into the kitchen and ate three dozen treats off the counter!!  I thought, "If they love them that much the dog treats must be pretty good."  So, I decided to start Busy Pawz and sell my homemade dog treats to my neighbors for their dogs.  Someday, I might sell them online but first things first.  And the first thing I have to do is bake more treats.  Bye for now and I'll talk to you soon.

- Bailey the Treat Baker