We Got A Puppy!

We have been wanting to add a puppy to our household for a while now. We lost our dear, sweet Lily a little over a year ago, August 19th, and ever since then, our Chocolate Lab, Cabbie has been a bit lonely. It was alright with only one dog for a while, but we figured this was the very best time to introduce a puppy into our lives, because Cabbie needed a playmate! Last Tuesday, August 16th, we took a little road trip and picked up our NEW PUPPY, Porter! 

We already had her name picked out, I was determined that I wanted a dog the same color as Cabbie. Porter, named after the style of dark beer, seemed perfect! It really took Cabbie a few days to get used to the puppy. Cabbie didn't really want much of anything to do with her at first. But, Bobby's mom came to visit us and meet the puppy pretty quickly, and Cabbie has been extremely interested in Porter ever since! 

We of course, had to start an Instagram account for her, @TheImperialPorter :) It's going to be so fun watching her grow!

Currently, she is about 10 pounds, loves biting a LOT (which we are discouraging), is extremely good about telling us when she need to go out, and sleeps just as hard as she plays. She prefers lying on our pillows against the wall, and hates being disturbed while sleeping. Such a particular little girl who seems to always get her way She reminds me of a little living stuffed animal, and is extremely soft! I just love her crested fur on her head and curly tail, making her poodle qualities show way more than I could have expected! Cabbie is going to be a wonderful teacher for Porter, and we are so happy we have completed our little family once again! 

Ugly Christmas Sweater Dog Bandana - DIY Tutorial

Looking for a last minute way to get festive this holiday season? Dress your pup in something cute and quirky. This is my take on the Ugly Christmas Sweater, but updated. Cabbie actually loved this bandana! 

MATERIALS:

Solid Colored Bandana (or solid colored square of fabric that fits your dog), Sparkly Felt, Tacky Glue or Fabric Glue, Sparkly and Solid Colored Puffy Paint, Other Holiday Embellishments (I used mini flat-backed ornaments), This Template (Here), Scissors, Permanent Marker, Computer and Printer. NOTE: You can also draw your own shapes.

Cut out the paper shapes you want to use. Then, trace them onto the back of the felt. 

Iron the bandana, and position the shapes and other adornments around so they create a cool design. ** Place a newspaper between the folded bandana to catch glue! Glue the pieces down, and wait about 30 minutes to an hour for pieces to be secure. 

Now, get out your puffy paint and outline the edges of the felt shapes. Get as creative as you want with this project, I really had a lot of fun! 

Happy Holidays from Cabbie The Chocolate Lab and Lily The Wandering Gypsy! XOXO!

A Special Treat For Your Furry Friends! Organic Pumpkin Oatmeal Dog Treats Recipe

These treats were a real hit with my little Chocolate Lab, Cabbie. We always try to make sure we only give our dog the very best. Whether it be food, we give her Solid Gold Barking At The Moon, or what treats she gets, it is always the best we can possibly get. I was checking out different dog treat recipes, and came across this one. I love how it has only all-natural ingredients and does not contain chicken broth, salt, or sugar - these were much more mild for her tummy. 

Cabbie helped me with EVERY step of this project. She absolutely loves these treats! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups oats
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Place the oatmeal into a food processor and pulse it until it's not so coarse, but it doesn't need to be a fine as flour.
• Add oatmeal, pumpkin, peanut butter cinnamon baking powder and eggs to bowl on mixer and blend on medium until it's all mixed.
• Roll out with a little flour and cut with cookie cutters.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
• Cool on rack until completely cooled.
• Place in airtight container to keep them fresh, or in the freezer. I keep them in the freezer, they don't freeze solid as there is little liquid. This is important!!!