Newsletter and Customer Update

I've been updating my customer database and would love for you to fill out a little form. I emailed it to everyone but if you want to be my customer and would like to fill this out for me I'd appreciate it. Just fill it out and email it back to me and I'll update my files.

Also, if you want to be added to my newsletter, please send me an email and put Newsletter in the subject. If you want to write me a note, that is always welcomed. :) But not necessary.

My email is: doreen@doreensdoggiedelights.com

Here are the questions. If you could just copy and paste them into an email that would be great!

1. My dogs name is:_____________________ (please add extra lines for more dogs)
2. My dogs breed is:_____________________ (same here, add extra lines for extra dogs)
3. My dogs birthday is:____________________ (same here, add extra lines for extra dogs)
4. Do you purchase large or small size cookies or both? ________________
5. How often do you purchase? Once a month? Once every two months? ______________
a. Would an auto ship be of interest to you? _____________
6. How many bags of cookies do you purchase at a time? 1-3 ___ 4-6 ____ More than 7____
7. Your name: _____________________________________________
8. Your Street Address_____________________________
9. Your City, State, Zip _____________________________
10. Your Phone # _________________________
11. Best time to call _________________________
12. Preferred email _________________________13. Any other information I should know? _____________________________________________

Wrigley's Being a Fussy Eater!

Lots has happened this week at the Hammond house. Wrigley is being very fussy with his dinner. I bought legs and thighs on sale for .99 per pound. I thought that was a good price, so of course, I bought a bunch of it, skinned it all (Gary had a fit and I think the dogs did too!) I put some i the freezer after washing it, turned some into chicken and dumplins for us and then put a bunch in the crock for the dogs, thinking that would be easier for me. Easier than boiling a big ole pot of water, then trying to cool big ole pot of water, then storing big ole pot of water.

Well...after chicken was cooked and cooled, I put the crock in fridge and deboned it the next day. I cleaned off the fat and left the jell and froze it until I needed to make rice. So, in a couple of days, I made rice, three pounds and pulled out the jell and put it in the pan of water along with a bag of carrots, some peas and corn from the fridge. I started it first thing in the morning and it cooled most of the day.

The next day, it was time for them to eat the rice. Wrigley was NOT happy with his breakfast or supper for that matter. The rice was mushy and just didn't taste right. I tried to hand feed him, feed him with a fork, but he still only ate about half of his usual portion. Hmm...what is the problem, I'm wondering.

Finally, it dawns on me, I didn't cook the chicken in the rice water. That must be it. These kids are spoiled! Well, he's gonna eat it or go hungry. LOL I mean, he's eating just not all of it, so I'm gonna have to cut down on Lucy's portion cuz she's eating her's and his both. She likes the new arrangement.

Rescue This Girl...UPDATE...She's RESCUED!...And Euthed

After several more emails, it turned out that Shaney was probably more likely to be around 8 years old rather than 13, but she was very ill. They took her to the vet hospital and did raise enough funds to perform a sonogram. She was full of cancer and was euthenized with loving hands holding her. This is what the email said,
"I just learned the sad news that the sonogram was performed and Shaney was full of cancer and she was humanely euthanized this afternoon. So very sad that her family would dump her at a shelter this way.

Thank God she knew love and kindness and was comforted as she was given eternal rest."


Thank you all for your prayers and support.


SHANEY was rescued! I don't have the details except someone saved her!


I got this in my email last night and have been very disturbed ever since:





Unfortunately, this girl will probably be put down if she's not adopted quickly. This just really is disturbing to me. How do you give up a thirteen year old??? I hate people who do this! I can't get her out of my mind or stop tearing up over her. Dang this just breaks my heart! Someone please help her!





Athens - Clarke County Animal Control


45 Beaverdam Ext.


Athens, Georgia 30605706


613-3540


Thank you for anythng you can do, if nothing but cross posting...Doreen"


Age: 13 years


Breed: Pitbull


Gender: Female


Impound date: 9/19


Ledger number: 26961????





Why Choose Me?Shaney is an angel DESPERATELY in need of a savior. She was just surrendered at the end of the day today by her owners who were moving and couldn't bring their loyal companion and friend with them. It is a shame that such a sweet, senior girl with some special needs could just be dumped at the pound. Shaney probably has impaired vision, and lost her right front leg when she was hit by a car as a puppy. She gets along fine with her remaining legs; it is what she's used to! It's easy to tell that in her day she was a beautiful girl. Unfortunately, Shaney is entering a new, strange place without her humans, and faces an uncertain future. She remained sweet and gentle through the whole impounding process, and happily relished in the attention of volunteers and officers. If you have room in your home to save a good girl, please give her a chance to live out the rest of her life in peace and comfort."

Wrigley Won't Eat His Peas!

In the beginning of our new food regiment, all was well. Nobody fussed, least of all Lucy. She wolfs her food down like there is no tomorrow. Wrigley, he's in no hurry, but there's nothing new about that. He's NEVER in a hurry, except when the mailman comes. Anyway, so I've noticed after the first pot of rice cooked, he started leaving a couple of green beans in the bowl. Now, he's leaving the peas! Mind you, they are all mixed in with the rice. We are on our third huge pot of rice. The second pot had frozen peas, the third pot; I just tossed in can of peas. One little can to a 5 gallon pot of rice. I know most of the peas stayed towards the top which is fine but still, he shouldn't be getting that many where he should be that picky! Anyway, now he is licking his food and all the rice and picking the peas and putting them in a pile.

Lucy on the other hand knows he's leaving these little treats and thinks he's leaving them for her. She waits and watches for him to finally finish so she can go clean his bowl.

I thought I was being a good mommy by getting them dishes on stands. Each one a different color. After Lucy had her leg surgery last spring, she stopped using hers because she started eating laying down. She would start out eating standing up, but half way through her meal, she would have her chin on her bowl as she slouched to the floor. Then she started laying down...WHINING! So, I set her bowl down and then she started eating again. Now, she just plops herself down where she wants to eat and I put her bowl between her legs. If she moves, and the bowl is not close to her, she won't come to the bowl, she wants the bowl to come to her. LOL Spoiled? Naw!

Wrigley is making a mess when he eats and then making a mess around his raised bowl thing, so I've decided he probably doesn't need his either. After he's done eating, he must wipe his face...ON EVERYTHING!, the blankets, along the couch, the chairs, the rug. LOL, he doesn't like a dirty face and if I wash it for him, he still goes through his own little ritual. Yeah, I have some silly kids I wouldn't take a million for!

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Lucy Cried Wolf!

Well...it seems Miss Lucy has decided on another avenue of attention getting behavior. Not that I mind giving her attention...and lots of it. She's had a pretty hard life for a seven year old. But I do draw the line at her demands when she is standing in the middle of the living room, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, and lets out one bark, just to see if I'll get up. LOL! She's done this two nights in a row.

The first night, I thought I was imagining it, you know, how you may hear your spouse call your name when they really don't? I thought, "Doreen you are losing your mind, thinking Lucy is barking in the middle of the night!" But then...the next night, she did it again. I couldn't believe it! What is she thinking? Hungry? Gotta potty? She should be able to wait till 6, don't you think? Her second bark, bark was at 4:45.

Now, to her defense, she likes to wake early with me. When I worked at the office, we used to get up early and then earlier until we got up at 2 or 3am. That is how I got started writing my books. But...I'm not writing right now and she doesn't know that. LOL, so anyway, she just needs to wait till 6.

Diabetic Cookies Are Now Part of Doreen's Doggie Delights

In my search for the dog nutritionist, my plea was heard and I found a vet that looked over my recipes. As I suspected, Wrigley's Pumpkin Surprise cookies are a safe alternative for Diabetic dogs. Obviously, dog mommies need to watch their diet and it's best to buy the small so you don't over indulge your kiddo, but other than that, the recipe is good to go. Spread the word!

Another Dog Food Recall

"Mars Petcare US (makers of Pedigree Branded Foods) announced a voluntary recall of products manufactured at its Everson, Pennsylvania facility. The pet food is being voluntarily recalled because of potential contamination with Salmonella serotype Schwarzengrund. This voluntary recall only affects the United States." According to the vet that emails me.

PEDIGREE ® Small Crunchy Bites
Best Before 02/2009
808G1PAE01 12:00

Here's the link: http://www.petplace.com/dogs/mars-petcare-us-issues-voluntary-recall-due-to-salmonella-contamination/page1.aspx?utm_source=dogcrazynews001et&utm_medium=email&utm_content=petplace_article&utm_campaign=dailynewsletter

And the reason I cook for my dogs. Who can you trust to take the very best care of your dogs? I can't/don't/won't trust anyone again. Paranoid? You betchya. You don't know who's messing with their food anymore and more and more recalls are coming out. Sure they may fix it but what happens in the mean time? Sick, dead dogs. Well, mine aren't gonna be used as guinea pigs anymore. Them being sick this last go around was enough of a warning for me. I'll cook for them and pray over their food as I serve it up.

Dog Nutritionist Needed

I am looking for a Dog Nutritionist. I have a diabetic dog cookie that I would LOVE to put on the market but...I won't put it out there until I have the stamp of approval of someone that knows it's okay. I believe its okay and that my recipe is solid, but I want someone that KNOWS to say, Yes and Amen, you are good to go with it.

So, please if you know anyone that can help me, send them here or to my website, have them email me. I would love to get this cookie out there by Christmas or before. I know this is a God idea so I just need to get my request out there to the people. Someone knows someone that can help me. Please, contact me as soon as possible.

Thank you!
Doreen

Want to know what keeps me sane?

I listen to music and lots of it. Most of these songs are what we listen to at my church. It feeds my Spirit, gives me good things to listen to and keeps me focused on what I'm doing and why. I can't answer God's questions but I can go to Him for comfort when I need it and in the "dog" business there is a lot of comfort needed. If I let my thoughts go where they wanted and didn't direct them I would be a total disaster by now, depressed and angry, but I can honestly say, I am relatively happy, taking one day at a time and trying to make a difference to one dog at a time learning as I go.

Hugs,
Doreen

Do You Clean Your Dog Bowls?

Cleaning the dog bowls used to be such a chore for me. I just wouldn't do it. I mean...I would clean them but not every feeding and when Idid clean them, I had to soak them to get them clean. After Lucy and Wrigley got sick last month from the Canidae and before I knew it was the food that made them ill, I thought it was from unclean bowls or at least the unclean bowls contributed to their illness. I promised them that I would start being a better mommy and start washing out their dishes after they eat. What I've noticed is it is much easier to wash out their bowl directly after they are finished eating then when it sits and dries. So, I wait the minute it takes them to eat and wipe the bowls out with a soapy sponge and hot water and they are ready for the next meal. One more thing off my "to do" list.

Doreen's Doggie Delights Website

I can't believe I haven't enclosed my website before now. I just figured everyone knew about it. LOL! Well...now you know...go check it out. There is tons to look at, Rescue stories and News and of course, cookies to buy. I will be adding Note Cards and Christmas Jumbo cookies soon, so stay tuned!

Hugs,
Doreen

General Update

Hi Everyone...I thought I'd give you an update on how Lucy and Wrigley are doing on their new food. THEY LOVE IT! Of course, was their any doubt? LOL They whine, well, Lucy whines to get out of bed in the morning knowing food is coming. And Wrigley, he sits and wait, ears perked while I fix his bowl of food, however, he doesn't wolf down his food. He is a slow eater, unlike his sister.

Rice cooked in chicken broth with mixed veggies. a handful of cooked chicken (which is more protein than they get in a bag of kibble, I'm sure!) and on occasion, some cottage cheese. I knew in the beginning stools might be loose, so I added cottage cheese to their meal day 3 and day 4 along with just a little by itself as a snack on day two and I've had no problems with sick dogs. Their coats are very soft and shiny. Lucy's actually looks thicker. And Mom? Well, I'm happy to be giving them good healthy food.

I found rice at a cheap price, .56 a pound. I also bought some cans of tuna in oil for emergency food. I got one of my roaster chickens out of the freezer yesterday and have a couple of days before I need to cook it. After I cook it, I will let it cool over night before I worry about taking it off the bones, just because I won't be in a hurry, like I was when I first started. Then, I will cook the rice and veggies in the broth and we will be ready for another week. All for about 5 bucks or so for two dogs. Not too bad and well worth the peace of mind.

Oh, just a little side note, this morning, Wrigley decided to play his finicky side and spit out his green beans. LOL Oh well...more for Lucy.

Is Canidae Making Your Dog Sick?

Check out this link http://www.consumer

and see if it is what's been bothering your pooch. Wrigley has been sick several times this last bag and I've had to force feed both of them which is very odd for Lucy because she LOVES to eat! After I got the email last night containing this link, my husband and I finally made our decision that I will make their food from now on. NO MORE KIBBLE! They get crunchy snacks from my homemade cookies and they are nutritious and healthy and I know what's in them. I'm tired of the unknown and you know what they say...knowledge is power so I'm going to be empowered where my dogs are concerned and I hope and suggest you do the same. They deserve it. Am I suggesting you cook for your dogs? No. I'm just suggesting that you look into and keep searching for a good brand of dog food. I thought that was what I was getting when I bought Nutro, but that wasn't the case, then Canidae, so I'm done looking and spending money on crap dog food. I'll spend it on actual meat and chicken and veggies they like.

I'm very happy about this decision and was glad to watch them wolf down their breakfast this morning.

Hugs to all!