Love Your Pets Day

I'm not sure if there is an official "Love your pets day" but maybe there should be, (as opposed to Hug your pets day, which is a bad idea). Today I put on the monkey suit and the pantyhose and the spanx and the heels and headed out to a large job fair. I can't say I was excited or even optimistic. I don't love these events which seem to be mostly populated with staffing centers, for-profit colleges and branches of the military but no one with specific positions they're hiring for. Since I'm actively looking for a new position these events are a necessary evil. While I was surprised and may have developed a lead or two at this one, it wasn't much better than a time-share sales pitch. When I left Max was snoozing on the couch. When I came home I was met by an excited, wiggling little guy.

Then I went into the bedroom (to get out of the Spanx and breathe again) and found Sadie and Charlie. Sadie sleeping and Charlie watching her before he left his post to get pet.

It's at this point I realize how great, even though all their flaws, my pets are. Charlie will bite your ankles to initiate play but most of the time he just wants head butts and body rubs. Sadie's not in the best of health and we live in mortal fear that she'll puke on our heads while we sleep but she is the best night time cuddle bug ever. Max freaks out at the sight of other dogs but is easy and willing to train and loves to follow us around. 95% of the time my pets are awesome. I can't always say the same thing about me. So for today and here on out I'll try to be more mindful of the great pets I have and when people complement them I won't be so quick to point out their flaws but appreciate all the joy, goofiness and love they bring.

Easy Grocery Store Dog Treats

Life has gotten busy! With spring here and plants to go in the ground, lawns to mow and general life I haven't made Max treats in a while. With so many pet food and pet treat recalls lately, it's tempting to go "off the grid" and make everything yourself. There are plenty of people who do. I, however, am kinda lazy sometimes and so I've compiled a list of my go-to treats when I just don't feel like doing a full effort.

You can see a full list of Max's foods here but every dog is different. Find out what makes your dog beg and use it to your advantage. If you're in doubt talk to your vet. This is by no means comprehensive but a few ideas to get you started.

If you decide to make your dogs treats (make is a very loose term here) don't be afraid to try different foods. Be aware though, there are a few foods you should NEVER feed. These include:

• Grapes or Raisins (Can cause kidney failure)
• Onions/Shallots/Leeks/Chives/ Large Amounts of Garlic (Can cause Anemia)
• Chocolate (Theobromine can cause tremors and cardiac arrest)
• Macadamia Nuts (vomiting, ataxia, weakness, hyperthermia, and depression)
• Bread Dough (swelling from the yeast fermentation)

So what can you feed your dog? It's a long list but here are a few ideas to get your creativity going!