#beabulls

[randomwordbyruth]

Cherish the Dog

No one tells you how quickly dogs age. How one day you wake up and suddenly their face is all white, how their eyes start to seem more milky than, how you have to call their name a few more time than you used to.

People tell you not to blink when you have children, but what about the dog who was with you before your children were even thought of? The dog who was by your side before you found…

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[heathercoladogmom]

Bree, you are and always will be my Snuggle bear.

It’s really awesome to own my own business and be my own boss - but honestly - the best thing about quitting my full-time job is that I get to spend more time with my dog.

I never wanted children - only dogs. In all honesty, I don’t find babies cute. They scream, they drool, you can’t let them out of your sight - they ARE SO DEMANDING. C’mon babies! 

But a dog! Let me put it this way - when I was little, I REALLY wanted the bear from the Snuggle laundry detergent commercials to be real and come hang out with me. AND GUESS WHAT - dogs are kinda like that. Livin’ the dream...

Seriously though, dog drool is kind of endearing, they are ALWAYS happy to see you (even if you left the room for 5 minutes because they have really bad short-term memory, but this is also cute), they are cuddly and love to be outside - WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE (looking at you, cat people). 

So, my dog is not just “a dog” - she’s like my baby. I talk to her, I take her places, I actually WANT to make sure she’s living a happy, healthy, amazing dog life (she is). 

Bree had two homes before she found her way to my husband and I. I don’t really know much about her past - I just know I love her now and she knows I love her now and I think that’s all that matters to her at this point.

I will never understand how someone could come to care for this sweet, stout, easy-going animal and let her go (let alone TWO people). At the age of 7, she’s found her forever home and she’ll live out her days going on walks, playing fetch, taking car rides and eating frozen peanut-butter treats, because DAMMIT SHE DESERVES IT. 

And she’ll have a crazy dog-mom. A Mommy that lets her share the bed whenever she wants to, who opens her favorite window everyday so she can do her mall coppin’ and who wipes all her paws when they come back from a walk. A Mommy who sneaks her bites of cheese, brushes her coat so it’s always soft and gives her endless tummy rubs.

Of course, I did all of these things when I worked full-time, but it’s really nice to be able to check on her during the day, spend a free afternoon with her and give her all of the love and attention she deserves. Bree is an amazing dog and she gives me hope; she makes me believe that even when life gets real crappy, there’s always places to find happiness and love. 

So yea, this self-employment adventure is exciting and freeing and blah, blah. It also reminds me of what’s important and where time is best spent. 

Bree, you are and always will be my Snuggle bear. 

[breezeebites-blog]

The Breebowl

Inspired by classic brown-rice bowls, Bree’s first homemade dish contains a few favorite foods while introducing new flavors and textures. While not an exceptionally picky dog, Bree has been known to turn her nose up at or completely ignore certain fare (here’s looking at you, bananas). Moist boiled chicken breast and freshly streamed carrots would go over well, but how about the granular texture of brown rice and smell of broccoli?

For this recipe, I boiled two, 6 oz. pieces of lean, boneless, skinless chicken breast. While hot, I shredded the chicken by hand and reserved the cooking liquid for added flavor. 

Next, I peeled four large carrots, cut them in half and sliced them into bite-sized pieces. After, I cut one bunch of broccoli, making sure to keep the heads large enough for steaming but small enough for eating. I steamed both veggies until soft and set aside to cool.

Finally, I cooked a 32 oz bag of bag brown rice and let it cool while I began calculating both the calorie count and composition of the meal. 

In order to meet Bree’s daily nutritional needs, the meal would need to contain about 350 calories. Following my previously established ratio, this translated to 1/4 cup of brown rice, 6 oz. of chicken and 1 cup of veggies. 

I filled the bottom of the bowl with brown rice, poured the cup of veggies in the middle and filled the space around with chicken. I topped the meal with some cooking liquid from the chicken. The result was a colorful, hearty, balanced bowl that was lovely to look at - but would Bree like it?

She spent most of meal-prep time periodically pacing the kitchen, sniffing and waiting. When the bowl finally hit the floor, she threw her toy to the side and dove in.

Bree dove in! She dove into the brown rice, into the broccoli, into the carrots and chicken without hesitation (see Bree eat “The Breebowl” on Instagram @breezeebites). In two minutes time, every bit was gone - our first homemade meal a success.

There were plenty of leftovers in the fridge, enough for Bree to have two more “special dinners” later in the week, both of which she enjoyed with the same delight.

And with that, we’re already dreaming up our next Breezy Bites - “Shepherd's Pie Unleashed”. 

[breezeebites-blog]

Getting it Right

Note: Meeting your dogs nutritional needs depends on a multitude of factors, including age, activity level and overall health. Please check with your veterinarian and do your research before deciding on a healthy meal plan. While this is the diet that works for us, every dog is different. 

Bree joined our family after a month stay at a county shelter. She was roughly ten pounds overweight and could barely make it up the steps to our apartment. My husband and I were told she had a luxating patella, meaning her kneecap would frequently dislocate, causing pain and issues walking. The extra weight lent itself to this condition. 

                                                Bree on Adoption Day

We were advised by our veterinarian to feed Bree two cups of food per day, with limited treats. Using the nutritional calculator at Pet Nutrition Alliance (find it here) it was estimated that her daily caloric intake should be 846 calories. In general, treats should make up no more than 10% of a dogs diet (AKC has a great article here) - that means, 90% of Bree’s nutritional needs would need to be met through two well-balanced meals per day. 

When you’re feeding kibble, this is easy. Simply check the calorie count on the bag and feed accordingly. For Bree, it was 3/4 cup of kibble, plus 1/4 cup boneless, skinless chicken breast on top for added flavor. We followed this diet for four months, supplementing her food with a dog-safe probiotic as well as glucosamine and chondroitin for her knee issue. A healthier diet, combined with two daily walks and plenty of playtime, brought her weight down, managing the luxating patella. 

                                             A happier, healthier Bree 

Which brings us to the present; making the switch to homemade meals is a challenge that requires quite a bit of calculating. While Bree’s daily caloric needs will remain the same, I need to figure out how to properly portion a meal full of lean meat, fresh vegetables and grain. Most of my research leads to the same refrain - 50% vegetable, 40% protein, 10% grain. While each individual recipe will require further calculating, this is the standard composition I plan to follow. 

With that, I’ve begun planning her first meal - The Breebowl

[breezeebites-blog]

Breezee Bites

It's been almost five months since Bree’s adoption; in that time, I've become accustomed to eating meals in the company of her adorable, 39 pound, sad-eyed, crooked-toothed, stubby-legged self. Her permanent pig snort grows louder as she stares longingly at each and every bite I take. Without fail, Bree’s underfoot waiting for a crumb, or at my side with an unwavering stare, hoping to convey the fact that she too loves food. 

Sure, all dogs love to eat - she’s been a good girl, eating her kibble with a sprinkle of chicken on top - the same meal she’s eaten approximately 150 times in a row. Just the sound of the pantry door opening is enough to get her in the kitchen; the crunch of the scoop in the bag followed by the clink-clank of kibble hitting stainless steel sends her into a full-on, nubby-tail-wagging dinner dance. She’s consistently overjoyed and amazed by mealtime. 

The sheer joy she feels when it’s time to eat is one I can certainly understand. There’s nothing I love more than shopping for fresh ingredients, preparing meals and sitting down to enjoy them. Food is art to me - each meal a daily dose of true happiness, a moment to relish something I’ve created. So what’s up with all the kibble?

Yes, Bree is a dog - but she is also a best friend, confidant, walking buddy and cuddle queen. For a creature who is all of those things, processed dog food seems inadequate. Her Beagle nose and English Bulldog tummy deserve so much more - and that brings me to this adventure - an experiment to create healthy, homemade bark bites on a budget.

This is my journey to create well-balanced, colorful, creative meals that not only nourish, but truly nurture my dog. I’m excited to share recipes, reactions, hits, misses and more as I work towards a more inspired mealtime for my pet and yours. 

[thehanfudesign]

Beabulls: Good Or Bad Family Pet?

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The Beabull is a medium sized dog that is a combination of a Beagle and an English Bulldog, meaning that they are a great family dog that requires a large amount of care and attention. This breed can be an independent thinker, making training difficult at times. However, if you are patient and start training […]

The post Beabulls: Good Or Bad Family Pet? appeared first on BIBO Pets.

from BIBOPETS' BLOG https://www.bibopets.com/blog/pets/dogs/bulldog/29007

[rolandhulme]

#beabulls #beabull #beabullsofinstagram

[amaryllis-musings]

Luna has stayed close to @joey_ketts all day while he recovered from stomach flu 🤒 #Luna #beabulls_of_instagram #beabulls (at Beaver County, Pennsylvania)