Long time, no write!

Wow - it's been a long long time since I've updated Alec's diary. He's now 1.5 years old and weighs 26 pounds. He's big, but apparently not too big to hop onto laps and be carried around the house. He is big enough to stand up on his tippy toes and grab things off the kitchen counter. As I type this he's running around with a pair of scissors! (Fortunately PRP got a hold of them!)

It's cool to see so many other pug/beagle mixes on this site. When I joined about a year ago, there were only a handful - now there's over 50! Speaking of being on dogster for a year, I have a little birthday cake next to the "Joined Dogster on..." entry. How cool!

I'm glad the weather's finally warming up here in Michigan although I know Alec will miss the snowy weather. He loved to run up and down snow drifts and grab bites of snow. It was so fun to watch him romp around in the snow - he was hilarious. But now that spring's here, I can take him on longer walks and we can play at the park. I'm sure he'll love that just as much!

********* Alec's First Birthday!!!! *********

Hooray! Yesterday was Alec's first birthday - my puppy's growing up! I can't believe he's nearly full grown - I can remember when he was so small, he couldn't climb up stairs and I could hold him comfortably in one hand. Now he can stretch up and grab things on the kitchen and bathroom counters and weighs over 25 pounds! He still has that mischievous puppy attitude though... today he got a hold of one of my cds and chewed it up.

This is what I made for him to celebrate his special day:



Carrot and Cinnamon Puppy Treats - From Better Food for Dogs

Makes about 1 lb (500 g) of treats
- Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
- Nonstick baking sheets - Food processor
- Rolling pin - Pizza cutter
4 cups whole wheat flour 1 L
1/2 cup cornmeal 125 mL
1 tsp ground cinnamon 5 mL
1 cup chopped carrot 250 mL
1/2 cup water 125 mL
2 tbsp each canola oil and liquid honey 25 mL
1 large egg 1
1 tsp vanilla 5 mL

- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal and cinnamon. In a food processor, combine carrot, water, oil, honey, egg and vanilla. Puree until smooth. Pour over dry ingredients and stir until well incorporated.

- In the bowl and using hands, knead until dough holds together. Transfer to lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness. With a fork, poke holes all over the surface of the dough. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut dough into 1/2-inch (1 cm) squares. Place about 1/2 inch (1 cm) apart on baking sheets.

- Bake in preheated oven, in batches if necessary, for 20 minutes or until firm. Place pans on racks and let cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 300 F (150 C). Bake for 25 minutes longer or until hard. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool completely. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 30 days.

Excerpted from Better Food for Dogs: A complete cookbook and nutrition guide. David Bastin, Jennifer Ashton and Dr. Grant Nixon D.V.M. Published by Robert Rose Inc.

NB: This recipe is for doggie treats. It should not constitute the primary diet of your dog, and is not suitable for cats.

from: http://www.pets.ca/recipes/recipe10.htm

Whoo hoo! Dog of the day!!

On Friday, October 1 Alec was selected to be "dog of the day". When I told him, he insisted on making an acceptance speech (although he swears it was unprepared, I have my doubts). It's excerpted below:

"Puppies, dogs, dog owners and lovers, lend me your paws. Wow... this is quite the honor. I would like to thank members of the academy (of dogster that is) for choosing me. I would like to give a bark out to my fellow pugs and beagles, I couldn't have been born without you. I'd like to thank the makers of Wellness dog food and Greenies for providing me with tasty nourishment and making me strong. My vet Dr. K gave me all the necessary puppy shots - and I'm glad I don't have to go through those again! Finally, I'd like to thank my owners - they rub my ears, give me yummy treats, and play fetch with me.

(music plays - time to wrap it up!)

Oh, and don't forget to visit www.theanimalrescuesite.com to fund bowls of food for animals living in shelters. With one click, you're helping other dogs who aren't as fortunate at no cost to you."

Good luck fellow dogster dogs! You're all "dog of the day" in my book!

Super sneaky about supper...

Alec is really crafty about his food. Yesterday we were eating some brie cheese, grapes, and bread. He didn't bother us too much while we were eating - he had other ideas. He crept into the kitchen and stretched on his tippy-toes to grab a huge hunk of brie cheese off the counter. (I thought I had put it safely out of his reach, but never underestimate the will of a hungry puppy!) He grabbed the cheese and triumphantly trotted out into the living room. When I saw him, the chase was on! We chased him around the house - he had to drop a large piece of the cheese, but still manged to swallow some. Who would have known that my pug mix would have a hankering for some French cheese? =)

September 2004

Alec is almost a year old - he's gone from 3.5 pounds to 26 pounds. He knows a few basic commands and has carved out several "favorite spots" in the house. Alec can be quite the kleptomaniac. One day he tried to run off with a heavy mallet from the tool closet. Although he could only drag it slowly on the ground, I had to give him an A for effort. He should stick to smaller items like pens, cell phones, and floppy disks.