Bone Cookies

And here we are, back with a new recipe... Delicious banana's cookies!

Very easy and fast to prepare, will surely be appreciated by your furry friends!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 banana
• 250 gr rice flour
• 1 egg
• 100 ml water

DIRECTIONS:

• With a fork, mash the banana until you have a smooth puree
• Mix in a bowl the banana, flour and egg and gradually add water until the dough is elastic
• Roll out the dough on floured work surface to a thickness of about 4 mm and cut out biscuits with shapes
• Arrange the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
• Bake for 40 minutes at 180 ° C

DogCookies

On February 6, Zelda has finally taken a year.

I wanted it to be a special party, although very intimate. I bought gifts, made the cake for us and searched for thousands of recipes on the internet to make a cake for Zelda. I was looking for something unique, original and above all extremely healthy. So, a little by chance, I came across the Facebook page of DogCookies, an Italian brand truly amazing!

It is a real bakery for dogs born in 2011 which deals to pack biscuits, cakes, lollipops and even macarons using only natural ingredients and absolutely healthy for our loyal friends. Needless to say that the eye wants its part, since every dessert is a true masterpiece! One of the features that I liked the most (besides the aesthetics, of course!) was the ingredients list. In DogCookies' products there is absolutely nothing that can hurt our friends, neither corn (to which Zelda is super allergic!). In place of the chocolate it is used carub cream and instead of chemicals, which are commonly found in animals cakes in markets, DogCookies uses only products from the earth. So, even if your dog is diabetic, at least for his birthday he will satisfy a whim!

Another feature in my opinion very very funny, is the originality with which this brand offers itself. For each holiday, DogCookies launches a special edition really delightful. Here are some of their masterpieces:

Valentine's Day Edition 2013

Christmas Edition 2012

Birthday Edition

But could it end up here? Clearly not, because DogCookies is also involved in charity! For each delicacy sold, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to F.I.B.A. (Italian Federation for Animal Welfare).

What do I have to say more? Try it for yourself (and you will be pleased!).

DogCookies ships wherever you are! For more information contact info@dogcookies.it

Muffins

Yes, now I'm in love with my kitchen!

The problem is that the only things I prepare are desserts: cookies, cakes, muffins, ...

Could I forget about Zelda? Of course not!

Here's my latest invention.

Enjoy your meal!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3 cups of water
• 1 grated apple
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon sesame
• 1 can of tuna well rinsed under running water

PREPARATION:

• In a bowl, mix honey, flour, cinnamon and sesame
• Add water, apple, egg yolk and mix very well
• Pour into muffin cups and bake for 30/35 minutes at 180°C

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Just like her biped mom, also Zelda loves snow!

Proprio come la sua mamma bipede, anche Zelda adora la neve!

Accessorize - Fairisle Pet Jumper

Accessorize - Fairisle Pet Jumper

Camon - First Steps Sweater

Camon - First Steps Sweater

Pet Passport - Passaporto per animali da compagnia

Why do I need a passport for my pet?
From 1 October 2004, any pet (dog, cat, ferret, rabbit, ...) that must go beyond his own country, while remaining within the European Union, is FORCED to get a passport.
The passport is necessary to guard against health risks (EC Regulation n.998/2003).

How do I get a passport for my pet?
In Italy, getting a pet passport is quite easy. First, you must immediately consult your vet to vaccinate your dog against rabies (I recommend you to check out at least one month before, all the deadlines of the country of destination). The vaccine should always be carried out at least 21 days before your departure and in some countries no more than 6 months.

After that, you must take an appointment at the local health Veterinary council (Asl). Remember to ask if you can pay the passport with the credit card / ATM or if you need to pay by postal order.
It is essential to bring with you:

• The animal for which you need a passport
• The certificate of registration
• The tax code of the animal's owner
• The health record of the animal

The vet will check that the animal is regularly vaccinated and that at least 21 days have elapsed since the last vaccination against rabies. After that, He will check that the animal has the microchip or tattoo and that the informations in your possession correspond with those reported in the registry office.

At this point, you will be issued a passport.

What is the cost of a pet passport?

The passport costs less than 15 Euros (payable by postal order or cards).

L'otite - Otitis

Unfortunately, as often happens, even our dogs can be affected by otitis. And Zelda obviously could not to miss this too...

Otitis in dogs is divided into outer, middle and inner. Fortunately, outer otitis is the most common and also the most easily treatable, but if left untreated, it becomes middle otitis and later on, inner otitis.




The causes can be many:

• External bodies (such as the spikelets and seeds that become entangled in the hair and make their way into the ear canal)
• Bacteria and fungi (normally present in the ear of the dog, if they proliferate too much, give rise to very painful ear infections)
• Pests (common in puppies and dogs that live outside)
• Allergic reactions to foods or environment (it is not uncommon that a dog with an allergic dermatitis gets even an otitis... Zelda, what do you think about that?)
• Leishmaniasis (causes otitis similar to the allergic one)

There are dogs naturally predisposed to otitis, such as:

• Dogs with pendulous ears, that "close" the ear canal and leave the right climate for bacteria to proliferate (Cocker, Cavalier King, Basset Hound,...)
• Dogs with food or environmental dermatitis
• Dogs that often moisten their ears (that is why it is important to be very careful during baths!)
• Predisposed breeds (Poodle, Labrador, ...)

Thanks to a careful observation of your dog, it isn't difficult to identify an ear infection. There are universal behaviors that all dogs take to make us understand that they are feeling pain at that point. 
Zelda has been so good to make me understand, that the veterinary classified her problem as a "principle of otitis." Better than that, could not go.

• The dog is often scratching with intensity his ears, causing also lacerations because of the nails
• The dog often shakes his head
• The dog holds his head cocked to one side (the side of the ear that hurts the most)
• The dog shows pain when you touch his ears
• The dog's ears give off an unpleasant odor and the wax inside is of an unusual color
• In the case of erect ears, if the pain is very strong, the dog will tend to lower them

If it is fairly easy to identify an ear infection in progress, it is not as easy to identify the cause, and only the vet will be able to tell you what to do, thanks to some specific tests.
Meanwhile, there are some medicines with a broad spectrum that may try to arrange things awaiting the results of the veterinarian.

Of course, after this wonderful experience, we will pay more attention to the prevention of otitis by following a few simple tips:

• Make a daily cleaning of the outdoor pavilion of the dog (in markets there are specific drops)
• Remove the hairs that grow inside the dog's ears
• Do not wet dog's ears
• Do not take the dog blows air (such as do travel by car with his head out the window!)
• Try to cure food allergies or environmental (I know this isn't simple!)

Now, the most difficult thing to do will be holding your dog while you try to clean his ears!

Come sopravvivere ad un'allergia al tuo cane - How to survive to an allergy to your dog

Increasingly, I hear chilling stories of dogs abandoned or taken to the pound due to sudden allergies of their owners. Needless to say, if you love your dog, you will always find a solution. In any case, here is some simple advice to make this coexistence a bit more relaxed.

First, the allergy to cats or dogs is given by the skin and not the hair. The skin, as happens with ours, flakes off and disperses in the air when the dog scratches or rubs on coatings. There are breeds of dog whose skin is more elastic and others less, but in spite of everything, a lot of people can confirm you that YOU CAN SURVIVE! Here's how:

• From a few years, there is a sublingual vaccine that should desensitize your body to allergies. You must refer to an allergist before taking it.
• The classical antihistamines are the most widely used, but also in this case it is necessary to contact an allergist.
• Clean the floors every day with a good hoover and disinfect floors and furniture (in pet stores you can find the appropriate detergents for floors).
• Don't let your dog (or cat) get into your bedroom.
• Try, where possible, not to let the dog jump on the couch and cover all the pillows with tightly woven sheets or special hypoallergenic pillowcases.
• Prefer leather or eco-leather sofas than tissued ones.
• Remove carpets and curtains (maybe apply the glass curtains, lighter and easier to clean).
• Frequently wash bedding, clothes, curtains and other tissues.
• Prefer feather pillows to synthetic ones.
• Wash bowls and toys (apart from the dishes) after each use.
• Brush the dog outside every day (maybe several times a day).
• Use air purifiers (in pharmacy are located at 30/40 euros).