Puppy Sitting Lucy

I had the special honor of puppy sitting Lucy again a few days ago, and it's insane how much she's grown already. I wouldn't be surprised if by next week she had grown to the size of the Eiffel Tower and had trained herself to take over the world using her cuteness as a mind manipulation tool.

Every time you go for a walk with this little girl, it's an experience. Giant, tattooed men who look like they'd eat chihuahuas whole stop in their tracks and start blubbering like little girls about how adorable Lucy is.

Black lab puppies are always cute, but Lucy's an extra special case. Look at those eyes -- judge for yourself. Apologies about the bizarre snapshots -- my new camera screen is broken so I can't see what I'm shooting.

Puppy Paparazzi: Scarlett the Corgi Mix

I went to a friend's barbecue the other day to watch the Ghana vs. US World Cup game, and got more than I bargained for: a puppy paparazzi opp.

This beautiful stunner's named was Scarlett, and she was a corgi mix. Both the owner and I agreed that she may have some husky mixed in there, because she's definitely an independent woman.

Scarlett liked to bound around the yard off-leash, and although she stayed close by, she ran the show. Basically this dog was gorgeous but pretty much out of reach to anyone but her owner. You try to pet her, you get a momentary tail wag if you're lucky (and female). If you're a boy, you can bet on some loud and wary barking. This girl does things on her own terms, and doesn't need any hand-outs.

If Beyoncé were a dog, she'd be Scarlett.

Summertime Isn't Just for Humans Anymore!

Considering the hot, muggy, sticky, unbearable, err... lovely warm weather that has hit Boston recently, I figured it was a little unfair that our sweet little four-pawed companions had to suffer in the heat. Think about it: we feel like walking heatstroke, and we don't even have fur.

Photo courtesy of Posh Puppy Boutique

What can I do? I wondered. And then it came to me: search for ways to promote canine equality! Everything we have, they can have access to also. Below, some basics.

The Cool Puppy Summer List

1. Ice cream!

Solution: Frosty Paws Frosty Treats for Dogs, available at select Shaw's and Stop & Shop stores around the Boston area. Visit Frosty Paws for more info.

2. Swimming

Solution: The Posh Puppy Boutique has all the supplies you need for your dog to make a splash, including doggie goggles ("doggles"), life vests, sunscreen and more. They even have bikinis and swim trunks for your fluffiest friend. For more info, check out their website.

3. Refreshing Beverages

Solution: The Drinkwell Pet Fountain, a self-refilling water fountain for your pooch. Give the gift of cool so you know your slobberball isn't dehydrated when you can't be home with him. Bonus: big, wet, sloppy kisses when you do get home! Available at Five Star Fido (click the link above).

4. Air Conditioning

Solution: a Dogloo. This doggie igloo keeps your dog cool in the summer, warm in the winter. Bingo, Bingo. Available at Amazon, Petmate, and other websites.

If you have questions about any of these products, please feel free to contact me at bengalengs@gmail.com.

How to Make Diabetic Dog Treats

I've never had a diabetic dog, but one in 400 dogs develops the disease. In honor of the many pups with the medical problem, I pulled a recipe from one of my favorite sites, AllRecipes.com, for doggie treats for diabetic dogs. This recipe got a bangin' five stars. Here's the gold:

Diabetic Dog Treats

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ready in: 20 minutes

Servings: 36 (Note: if you want to make less or more, click the title of the recipe above, which will take you to the original recipe. There, you can change the servings and it will recalculate the ingredient portions accordingly)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 eggs

1-1/2 pounds beef liver, cut into pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
2. Place the liver into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. If you have room, add the flour and eggs, and process until smooth. Otherwise, transfer to a bowl, and stir in the flour and eggs using a wooden spoon. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the center is firm. Cool, and cut into squares using a pizza cutter. The treats will have a consistency similar to a sponge. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Information (Amount Per Serving):

Calories: 37

Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 79mg

A giant thank you to AllRecipes user Barb Maxwell for submitting the recipe. AllRecipes has a ton of dog treats recipes (all free!) that are easy to make at home. To learn more about canine diabetes, click here. If you have a dog living with diabetes, click here.

Puppy Paparazzi Group #7: Tommy the Yellow Lab

I know I said I was waiting on more photos, but I'll just have to do another post with them later. I had to post these pics of Tommy (a girl), the yellow lab I met on Charles Street who carries around everything -- and that day it was a giant blanket. Not only is she talented, but so pretty.

She had gorgeous eyes and I wish I could have gotten a close-up of her face, but I'm pretty sure she was only focused on two things at that point: protecting her baby (the blanket) and getting home for dinner. Mmmmm, scrumptious fleecy blanket.

Just had to add that I loooooove the name Tommy for a girl. I've always loved traditional boy names on girls; see Charlie.

Puppy Paparazzi Group #6: Penny the Puggle

Doesn't the name just swim through your ears like a melody? Her full name is Ms. Moneypenny, but Penny is a laid-back gal who isn't fussy enough to go by anything but her nickname.

She and Duke seemed to hit it off, but while she coyly flirted, Duke was full-on smitten. When she trotted away, I could see the pain in his eyes as this heart-wrenching event occurred in his life.

By the end of the day, Duke had moved on from Penny the Puggle, or had at least been temporarily bribed into bouts of happiness with jerky treats.

Penny was actually the second or third puggle I saw today, but I didn't get photos of the others. In the next few days I will post the final group, #7, but will have to postpone it as I'm waiting on more photos from the owner. Bonus: this yellow lab has an extra-special quality.

Puppy Paparazzi Group #5: Dobby the Spanish Water Dog + Barnabus the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel

What happy, curious pups. Inventive names (please Dog God, let me have gotten both their names right), wagging tails and a curiosity to match Duke's.

The first one pictured to the left is Dobby, a Spanish Water Dog. The second is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Barnabus who it was nearly impossible to snap a decent photo of. Some dogs run, some dogs turn away from the camera. Barnabus just wanted to know what was inside the camera, so he got as close to it as doggonly possible at every attempted shot.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it thrilled the dog. Need proof? Look how cute these two are.

Puppy Paparazzi Group #4: the Irish Setter

I feel so bad for not remembering his name, because he was handsome, calm and although a bit timid for a moment, liked interacting cordially with Duke. They seemed like old friends meeting up for a chat.

Unlike the puppy play fights, these two shyly introduced themselves then seemed immediately at ease in each other's presence.

A note to the friendly owner of this gorgeous Irish Setter, if you're reading this: please correct me on the name! For some reason I'm thinking Xavier, but I have a feeling that's wrong. Please comment or email me at bengalengs@gmail.com to let me know his actual name.

Puppy Paparazzi Group #3: Goose, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

I think it's safe to say that after the number of times Duke and I ran into Goose and his owner on Charles Street and the surrounding area, his owner was tired of both our faces. Oops.

Goose and Duke play fought and seemed to love it -- each fight ended in gently wagged tails -- but it was nerve-wracking to supervise. It seemed like at any moment a growl could become real. Paranoia? Probably. But somewhat legitimate as again, Goose was a baby and Duke is larger and more experienced, even if it's just at play fighting. Luckily Duke is a gentle giant (although not really a giant to people, per se) and would never hurt a flea.

Either way, Goose seemed like a great dog and I love the irony of his name considering the name of his breed. Duck, duck, Goose.

Duke and Goose play fight

Puppy Paparazzi Group #2: Sam, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi

Sam was not only a complete sweetheart but also incredibly adorable and obviously a baby. He had the fluffy thang goin' on but also had a full tail -- a rarity for a corgi. He's a cardigan welsh corgi, a breed I've never seen or heard of before today.

Sam -- what a cutie and a lover, not a fighter. Friendly with Duke who was about a gillion times his size, and courageous (or maybe just naive) enough to play with a bigger dog fearlessly. For more info on this breed, visit The Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America.

Sam in his owner's arms