"Safe Homemade Irish Stew For Dogs"

Irish stew became Ireland's national dish in the early 19th century out of necessity. During times of economic hardship and famine in the 18th & 19th centuries Irish stew was a survival dish for the poor. Today Irish stew, also known as Guinness stew when enhanced with stout for a deeper, richer flavor, is eaten all over the world on St. Patrick's day. Dogs can also enjoy a condensed version of Irish stew, as long as it is made without toxins such as onions, garlic or excess salt. The stew can be cooked with beef, root vegetables and sometimes peas or barley. Try the recipe below if you want to celebrate this fun day with your fur baby.

• 1 lb of lean ground beef or diced beef
• 2 cups of chopped carrots
• 2 cups of potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• 4 cups of water
• Optional: 1 tsp of turmeric (anti-inflamatory) or 1 tsp of ground flax seed (omega-3)

• Brown the meat draining off the excess fat (prevents the threat of pancreatitis)
• Add carrots & potatoes to meat mixture, along with the water
• Simmer for 20-30 minutes, until tender
• Add frozen peas the last 5 minutes of simmer time
• Cool completely before serving
• Serve in moderation, as a meal topper or special treat, not as a total meal replacement
• Any remaining stew can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or can be frozen

If you are not up to cooking, Merrick Dog Food offers a "Kiss Me I'm Irish" canned stew. Enjoy!

~~March Dog Observances:

Month & Week Long observances:

• National pet poison awareness prevention month
• Professional pet sitters week - 1st week in March

Daily Observances:

• National peanut butter lovers day - March 1st
• National "If pets had thumbs" day - March 3rd
• National canine veterans day - March 13th
• National puppy day - March 23rd
• Respect your cat day - March 28th

Happy St. Patrick's Day!



St. Patrick's Day Safety Tips For Your Dogs

• Keep an eye on your beer - any alcohol consumed by dogs can result in depression, lethargy, lack of coordination, vomiting and sometimes collapse;
• Don't treat you dog to Irish Soda Bread - this type of bread contains raisons which are highly toxic to dogs;
• Keep shamrocks away from your dogs - Shamrocks are toxic to dogs due to the presence of soluble oxalis - a poison;
• Avoid taking your dogs to parades - crowds and busy, noisy places are often stressful to dogs.

With a few simple precautionary measures, there is no reason why you and your dog can't have a fun time celebrating this fun day:)

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With

Ruffles & Truffles

A St. Patrick's Day treat for sure! These lovely Shih Tzu boys are a bonded pair and truly the luck of the Irish may be yours if you meet them and fall in love. They have great personalities and are a pair of handsome boys. If you are looking for cuddlers, look no further, and they both enjoy being with people. While they both enjoy lap time, Ruffles absolutely is happiest when he can spend any amount of time in a welcoming lap being pet. They are also playful and get along well with other dogs. Visit their video and you will see these sweet boys at play together and also Truffles engaging with Benji (who was adopted).  

Ruffles has a beautiful black coat, and is about 9 years old and a petite 8 pounds. Truffles is a warm shade of tan, around 7.5 years old and a hearty 16 pounds. 

As the Irish blessing says: 

"May your dog rise up to meet you with a bark and a wag of the tail. When your day's journey is o'er may the woes of the day be gone. As your faithful companion greets you, eager to welcome you home. May God hold you both in the palm of His hand..."

In honor of St. Patrick's Day we hope you will enjoy Tommy Makem singing

"If I Was A Dog"



--Click on Ruffles & Truffles picture to see their Video

Article by: Peggy Doepper

Princess Gia

This sweet Pekingese angel has truly hit the jackpot with her new mom and dad who fell in love with her instantly. You can see how happy and calm she already is in her mom's arms, and they undoubtedly will have many beautiful years together.

Have a happy life sweet girl!

Gizmo Beau:

We featured this dog in last month's newsletter, and a wonderful family came forward to adopt him. Now there is a great big beautiful tomorrow for this sweet boy, on the left in his new mom's arms. Gizmo Beau has found his forever home with this wonderful couple, and also gains a new sister, Sadie, who was also adopted from the shelter! We are thrilled that this 8 year old angel boy has found a home where he will be loved and cared for the rest of his days. Happy life little guy!

Benjamin Ace:

From the moment this little guy came to the shelter we were in love with him! We are happy to share that the moment Benjamin Ace's new parents laid eyes on him they were in love too! We are so happy, this little guy is going to have years and years of unconditional love and care. It's what we wish for every dog, and it melts our hearts that it is finally Benjamin Ace's turn.

Sending lots of love and kisses!

- Does your dog need advice about human behavior that only a trained dog advisor can answer? Ask Amber!.

Amber is one of the editor's dogs who, of course, is a Shih Tzu Rescue Alumni:

• Dear Amber,

My human leaves the house to run errands or to go to appointments and leaves me at home for a few hours almost every day. I clearly show them my "sad eyes face" as they are walking out the door, but they still leave. I don't understand why they need to go out almost every day. Why can't they stay at home and throw me my toys to chase?

~~Lonely In The Living Room

• Dear Lonely In The Living Room,

This is a hard question that many dogs have raised. It is clear that you need entertainment when your human leaves the house. There are interactive toys to keep you busy, puzzle treat holders to challenge your brain, and YouTube has great dog jazz videos that you could listen to and watch to help relax you (click the button below to listen). Hopefully your humans are readers of my column and will get ideas for your particular personality to keep you busy while they are away. Good luck!

~~With pearls of wisdom & a perfectly fluffed tail, Amber

Send us your fun dog questions for Amber and we will feature them here!

Balto - The sled dog that saved a town

In 1925, a diphtheria outbreak threatened the town of Nome, Alaska. A life saving serum was needed, but the only way to get to the town of Nome was through harsh, freezing conditions by dog sled. Balto, a Siberian Husky, led his team through the final, most dangerous leg of the journey, covering 54 miles in near-blizzard conditions. Thanks to Balto's determination and leadership, the medicine was delivered saving countless lives. Today his statue stands in central park, honoring his courage and endurance.

--Story as posted on iheartdogs.com