Pumpkin Cookies for all!

Tonight I had the urge to bake. I started with a variation on these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and followed it up with a little something for RogerDog. In season, and tummy-soothing!


Pumpkin Pie Dog Biscuits 
from the You Bake 'Em Dog Biscuits Cookbook
Combine all dry ingredients. Blend together wet ingredients. Mix together (I always skip the separate bowls, and mix everything together from the start). Roll out and cut with cookie cutters. Line baking sheet with tin foil, bake at 350F for 30-40min.

-1.5c whole wheat flour
-2c white flour
-1/2c rolled oats
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp nutmeg
-1/2c chicken broth (I just used water)
-3/4c canned pumpkin
-1 Tbsp oil
-1 Tbsp maple syrup
-1 egg

Roger stayed in the living room the whole time I was making these, but as soon as they came out of the oven he magically appeared at my side to taste test. Based on his reaction, these won't be around for long!

In the Kitchen with RogerDog: Cheddar Biscuits

I love baking for Roger! He's pretty easy to please. Our standard go-to recipe is peanut butter oatmeal cookies, but for my birthday Meghan gave me the You Bake 'Em Dog Biscuits Cookbook, so we're doing our best to branch out!

Roger is a big fan of these - I mean, what's not to love? They're full of Cabot Cheddar. I rolled them thinner than the recipe specifies, so they're a little crunchier, which he seems to prefer. I may try them thicker next time, just for variety.

Cheddar Biscuits
-1c all-purpose flour
-1c whole wheat flour
-1c shredded cheddar cheese
-2TBSP butter
-3/4c milk
-grated Parmesan cheese (topping)
-extra flour for rolling a MUST - our dough was very sticky!

Put flours & cheese in food processor (I skipped the food processor and just mixed by hand which worked fine, but the dough was a bit inconsistent). Mix in butter & milk. Turn out on floured surface and roll out to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Poke with tines of fork and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cut with cookie cutters (we use a pizza cutter to make bars - very efficient!). Place on baking sheet covered with non-stick foil. Bake 15-20 min or until golden brown. Store in the fridge.

Both the Sir and our guest taste tester Miss Madeline gave rave reviews, and the ingredient list is so simple that these will surely be a permanent addition to our regular cookie rotation! Let me know what your pups think if you give them a try!

Tuesday Trifecta

Roger's Colorado cousin. Brass Armadillo: Fiesta Heaven. My mile-high city favorite.

Inspired by the blog Orange Pattern

TIME FOR RUNNING!

(Ready, Roger?)

SUPER-FAST RUNNING TIME, GO!!

Ridiculously fast dog?

Really slow camera?
Top-secret government super-dog?
Or something completely different?
You decide.
(Hint: it's the first & second one)

Our Hike With Shawnee!

Today Roger & I went to southern Vermont to hike with @ShawneeShep and her mom Daniela. It was the perfect autumn day for a hike!

We met up at the Winhall Brook Campground in South Londonderry, VT, then all piled into my car and drove to the Jamaica State Park. We hiked the 12+ miles back up to the campground, with trail detours for an overlook and a waterfall! Along the way, our four-legged amigos found plenty of mud to play in, and water to splash around in.

Here are our beautiful happy pups at an overlook, enjoying the view and a quick cookie.

For most of the hike, the trail ran along next to a river, and there were several spots where they got to jump in! (Which also meant plenty of clean running water - real athletes know the importance of staying hydrated!) There was even a waterfall with great wading pools at the bottom. Here's Roger, doing his classic "fuzzy log" impression.
If snapping a photo of one moving dog is tough, imagine trying to get two! Let's just call this one an action shot.
Closer to the end of the hike was another smaller waterfall and pool, and the pups got another well-earned swim!
Shawnee & Daniela are very impressive hikers, Shawnee kept up her steady pace the whole day. Roger, on the other hand, was completely worn out before 10 miles, and spent the last 2 only a few feet in front of me.
Both dogs were more than willing to sack out in Daniela's back seat on the way back to my car!
Check out more great pictures from our day in Shawnee's blog, too! Shawnee & Daniela, thank you so much for making the trip up to Vermont, we had a wonderful day with you!

HSCC's Walk for the Animals

Last Sunday, Roger and I participated in the 15th annual Walk for the Animals! It's the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Humane Society of Chittenden County, which is the shelter where Roger and I found each other.

The weather was perfect! Sunny and 60's in Battery Park. We arrived at about 10:15am to find the park already packed with dogs and their people checking out the booths of sponsoring vendors. We found the registration tables and took our place in line. That might have been the toughest part of the day - waiting our turn near so many other dogs, but not being able to play! At last it was our turn. Since we raised over $100, I received a t-shirt and a ticket for a free lunch!

With registration successfully completed, Roger and I headed over to one of the several tents set up around the park for shade. I didn't wear nearly enough sun block, and silly Roger was wearing fur! There were also sponsored water bowls scattered about - not that Roger would drink from a communal bowl, but it was a great idea.

A few minutes after 11am, the crowds formed a line on the path and started the march down to the waterfront and back. Roger refused to start walking until Erin was with us. Erin has been at the shelter since I started as a volunteer, first as canine coordinator and now shelter supervisor. Roger has always loved her - she's one of the few people for whom he willingly leaves my side. Throughout the walk he insisted on being near her! I hope she found it cute and not obnoxious...

On the way back up the hill, there was a deep fountain, and several of the big dogs took the opportunity to take a quick dip to cool off. At first Roger was hesitant, since the water was too deep to step into one foot at a time, but with some gentle nudges from Erin and me, he finally landed in with a splash and a smile.

After that, at last it was time for food! Upon re-entering Battery Park, volunteers were handing out big huge dog cookies on strings (I think they were from PupCat Bakery). We got in line and received our free lunch. I got a veggie burger with cheese, the former of which I shared with the Little Sir.

We took some time to wander around to the different vendors' tents. There was of course Pet Food Warehouse, which is just about Roger's favorite place in the world. We spoke with a woman from Pet Naturals of Vermont, and got a free sample pouch of their Daily Best soft chew vitamin supplements, which Roger absolutely loves.

Of course no event in Vermont would be complete without Ben & Jerry's! There were volunteers dishing it out, and Roger even got his own cup!

It's good to be a dog in Vermont :-)


Roger and I raised $227, and we couldn't have done it without the help of our wonderful Twitter anipals and friends! @SidTheCatahoula, @ruthiegelber, @jessiea, @SylvieDog, @MugsyDog, @coldnosephoto, @actionjackson95, as well as our non-Twitter donors, Amanda, Lesa, Jenny & Reuben, Erin Ryan & Mason, Jess Shane & Haiden, and my parents. THANK YOU so much for your donations and support!

Overall, the event raised over $52,000! HSCC is such a wonderful shelter, run by an amazing group of people. We were so happy to be a part of this event. If you didn't get a chance to donate before the event but would still like to support the HSCC, our fundraising page is still open!

BraveDog and the Three Daycares

Throughout our first year together, I've striven to provide Roger with the best care possible. At times, that means long morning runs, lunch hour walks, and evening trips to the dog park. At other times, that has meant bringing him to doggie daycare. Currently we are on our third daycare, and I'd like to share our trials. This story is a very Goldilocksian experience.

The first one was affordable, but dirty and unloving. The second was lovely and clean, but too spendy and far away for everyday use. The third one is airy and bright, and they quickly knew Roger by name. Juuust right!

I used to work two blocks from home, so I was able to come home at lunch to take Roger for a walk. I never thought I would need a doggie daycare. However, then our downstairs neighbor complained about Roger's separation crying in the mornings when I left for work. And so the search began.

Gulliver's Doggie Daycare The first one was affordable, but dirty and unloving.
I chose Gulliver's because it was the most affordable at $15/day. I tried to get a tour, but was denied. They scoffed at my statement that Roger has a crate aversion. At pick-up time, the staff assured me he had a great day, with no further details. Even though my gut told me it was not a wonderful place, I rationalized that Roger was an easy-going dog, and maybe he didn't care if the staff was gruff and abrasive. The third morning I brought him, Roger resisted getting out of the car. Normally an enthusiastic participant, I took his reluctance very seriously. I did leave him there for the day, but drove away with tears in my eyes promising it was the last time ever.

The Crate Escape The second was lovely and clean but too spendy and far away for everyday use.
In the winter I work as a ski instructor on the weekends at a mountain several towns away. That means early departure, uncertain return time, and clearly no lunch hour walk. The Crate Escape is basically at the base of the mountain, and has a wonderful reputation in the area. Although not thrilled with being left behind, once I was out of sight Roger settled in and played hard all day. I bought a ten-day punch card that worked out to $19/day. That was a great reintroduction to daycare because there were fewer dogs on Saturdays, so he was able to have interaction with the staff, and chill at the front desk when overwhelmed. I blew out my knee at the end of February, thus ending my mountain job for the season, and his weekly daycare.

A couple months ago, I had knee surgery. Since then, Roger has taken his guard dog duties very seriously, including keeping guests off the couch and away from me. He also refused to go on regular walks with other people - apparently he has a strong aversion to being stolen. I tried taking him to the dog park, but he was too busy protecting me from the other dogs to play. I realized Roger needed a break from being my BraveDog, somewhere he could just play and run and tire himself out, without keeping an eye on me.

Play Dog Play The third one is airy and bright, and they quickly knew Roger by name. Juuust right!
I decided to check out the new kid in town, Play Dog Play. I was immediately impressed with their bright clean lobby and observation window overlooking the playroom. We did a half-day as a trial, most of which I spent watching him from home on the web cams. When I picked him up, the staff was able to give a full report on how he spent his afternoon, and was truthful in telling me he cried and moped a bit in the beginning before joining in the play. I purchased a 10 half-day punch card, coming to $14.40/day.

Roger has attended two more afternoons since then, and seems to really like it! With only the slightest pause, he trots into the playroom leaving me grinning proudly in the lobby. I watch him on the web cams, and see him happily jogging around with a pack of equally happy dogs and an ever-present chaperon. Staff members easily recognized him at the HSCC Walk on Sunday, and he was happy to greet them.

Since Play Dog Play is still relatively new in town, they have not yet reached capacity. That means currently no reservations are needed for daycare, but they seem to be growing quickly. And given the high caliber of care, I'm sure they'll be full soon. Go NOW and do your entrance interview, Burlington dogs!!
From the Play Dog Play photo gallery - my boy is SO handsome.

***UPDATE: Roger now attends at least one full day a week, and loves it as much as ever.  As predicted, PDP is almost always at capacity, so advance reservations are a must!  We have a standing reservation for our day, and there is no cancellation fee, unlike other daycares in the area. 

2009: Things I'm Looking Forward To

It started as a numbered list, but these aren't really the type of thing one can easily rank.

• -The inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama.
• -KSV's Corporate Race League team, The Disrupters!
  
• -Tulip season, expanding my vegetable and flower gardens
• -Warm weather run-arounding with Roger
• -Camping, hiking, cliff-jumping w/ Roger and the boys
• -Feminist meet-ups
  
• -Home improvement projects - painting and stenciling my bedroom!
  

Personal Highlights 2008

#1: Adopting ROGER

(Um, duh. We all saw that coming)

#2: KSV

I love my job, I love my company. I love walking to work. In reality, this should be first on the list, since it made so many of these other things possible.

#3: Buying my condo

Finally, I'm the girl who can entertain company at a moment's notice!! Impromptu happy hour after work, weekend guests, etc - oh yeah and I'm building equity, blah blah blah.

#4: Watching Haiden grow

My amazing godson will be turning 2 years old in March, can you even believe it?! He's turning into such a cool little person.

#4.1: Watching Erin's belly grow
Erin and Ryan are due February 11th, I'm so excited for them!

#5: Making Friends

Here at KSV and through my feminist meet-up group, I'm making friends! (Meeting people after college is HARD!!)

#6: Reconnecting with Family
My cousins Patrick and Sara both got married in 2008. Traveling to St Louis, seeing family and going out drinking with the cousins was wonderful!

Roger meets Peanut Brittle

"OMD WHAT IS THAT???"

"I would really really really like to eat that thing that you are eating, Girl. Please can I?? I will continue my sniff-sniffing a half-inch from your mouth as long as you are eating that, so you should maybe just share it with me..."

Sadly, the Little Sir did not get to share my peanut brittle. It was delicious!

Stalling...stalling...

As you have possibly noticed, I have not been updating at the same pace lately. I've had my hands more than full finding a housemate, then getting settled in with our new housemate, then losing said housemate, and now searching for another housemate (and someone to repair the damage)!

But that doesn't mean you dear readers should suffer!! So until I can offer a cohesively written entry, here are some pictures of a silly dog!!

Don't give up on us, regular entries will resume soon!

Networking 101: Welcome to the dog park

This is a piece I wrote for the KSV intern newsletter, The Know, on starting to network.

It’s all about who you know, right? That’s what “they” say, and they seem to have a point – the more people you know, the more likely you are to hear about potential job openings, new clients, and exciting opportunities. How do you get started though? It can be intimidating!

It’s hard to get used to, but forming and using personal connections are important steps to building a reputation and getting your name out there. At the beginning, attending networking events felt forced or uncomfortable. I realized I much preferred a more natural, real world approach – meeting people through shared interests! For me, the logical connector is DOGS! Every dog parent likes talking about his or her dog, so it’s an easy way to start a conversation. In my first few days at KSV, I was able to make a personal connection with 4 different coworkers just by being genuinely interested in their dogs.

As well as an ice breaker technique for getting to know your fellow KSVers, you never know who you’re going to meet at the dog park or in the dog-friendly shops on Church Street. And as far as personal interaction, it doesn’t get much more low-stress than watching your dog have fun! It’s easy enough to strike up a conversation about your dogs, and then venture to other topics. “Oh yes, Rufus comes to the office with me every day, it’s wonderful! Where do I work? KSV – we’re a full service ad agency. What do you do?”

Poof, you’re networking.

The way I was finally able to be comfortable with the big scary concept of networking was to take it for what it is, at its core – building personal connections that will benefit both of you down the road. For me, dogs are my foot in the door. But everyone has his or her own best fit. Maybe you love hiking and camping around Vermont, you’re a total green thumb, or a budding wine aficionado. Give it some thought, what’s yours?

Yummy nomz!

It's always an ego boost when someone loves your baking, even if it is a dog! And there's no little dog I'd rather bake for than Roger.

Roger's Favorite Cookies

-2 cups whole wheat flour
-1 cup oats
-1/4 cup peanut butter
-1 cup warm water

Combine all ingredients, it works best to mix it with your hands! Roll out and use cookie cutters, or just slice into bars. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 40 minutes (flip over after 20min for best results).

Depending on how thin you rolled them, they're either crunchy or a little soft. Crunchier cookies last longer, so especially for bigger batches let em cook a bit longer. Store in an air-tight container, or freeze extras for longer storage.

(If this picture had been a little wider, you'd see a little gray dog sitting very patiently, waiting for his cookies to be ready.)

Photo Shoot #1

The Little Sir and I had a photo shoot!

Clearly, we are a very glamorous pair.

Recommended Reading: Her Dog Has A Blog

From Mutt Gal's blogroll, I found Her Dog Has A Blog!

Maintained by Buzz's Food Lady, it's filled with great photographs and stories about Buzz and all his dogfriends. She offers proof that Buzz is, in fact a supermodel, and even put together a video of his silly puppy antics in celebration of his birthday! The entry that got me hooked was Don't buy a dog!, where the food lady works to explain puppy mills to Buzz:

Lady: Well, Buzzy, imagine if each of your toys was a dog. Now imagine that not only do we have 100 dogs in our house that need to be killed because we don’t have room for them or food to feed them, but also picture that there are 100 extra dogs at Billy’s house. And Milly’s house. And at every house in our city. That would be 9,000,000 dogs.

Buzz: Whoa. Do they deserve it?

Lady: No, Buzz. Those dogs are very nice dogs. Most of them are even better behaved than you.

Buzz: I’m perfect.

Lady: You chase cars. And try to take down joggers. And snap at bicyclists.

Buzz: I would like to revise my earlier statement. I’m mostly perfect.

When Roger's a little older, I'll use her conversation as a guideline to have the talk with him!

I love this method of story-telling, through pictures interspersed with the narrative, it's inspiring me to get more shots of Roger in action. She must have a remote clicker for her camera...maybe I can bribe a friend to come play photog for a day?

Beautiful dog/blog!

Roger and I just found an exciting new dog/blog friend pair!!

Roger is pup pals on Dogster with a pretty little Catahoula mix, Charlotte. (They even have the same colored spots!) In her Dogster profile, Charlotte links to her mom's blog, so I decided to check it out. It's delightful!

On She Wears Socks with Sandals, Mutt Gal posts beautiful photos of her outings and adventures with Char, along with her other dog Wilbur. They look like such a fun pack!! Roger would love to chase her around. I only wish they were closer to us than Washington state!

Roger and the Lock

Oh, Roger! Why do you do these things?!

I came home for lunch today. I don't get to do that every day, so I was pretty happy about it. That quickly changed when one of my more random, less probable fears was realized: Roger had locked himself into my bedroom.

As you can see, to lock the door is a simple flick of a switch and presto, privacy. However, to unlock it, one must turn the porcelain knob from the inside. On my side, the living room side, there is only a hole above the knob for a "key." Now, I know from my many years as an amateur babysitter that responsible parents keep the key on the frame above the door for just such an occurrence. However, I am not one of those responsible parents. Also, I don't even have a key for it.

After trying such genius materials as a pen cap, paperclip, and screwdriver, I ran down to Marla, who once again saved the day, this time by lending me a wire coat hanger. I was able to pop it open, and Roger smiled and danced, oblivious to the peril he had so recently been in, wondering only why I had waited so long to open the door.

And that, Matt, is why I go home at lunch.

Roger and the Window

Now that I live safely on the second floor, I invested in a window fan to help keep my place tolerable during the hot weather. I put it in the bedroom window and use it at night - it really does the trick!

Roger stays at home in my room while I'm at work. He's very well-behaved, never chews up my shoes or barks out of boredom. But I guess he finds ways to entertain himself.

One morning several weeks ago, I was at work and our downstairs neighbor Marla called me. I almost didn't even answer, I assumed it was house stuff that could wait. The call went something like this:

"Oh hi Marla, yep I'm at work. Yeah, heh, busy as usual. What's up? He's crying and barking? Hmm, that's unusual--hanging OUT OF THE WINDOW?!? - YES OF COURSE, I'M ON MY WAY!" (insert running noises here)

I immediately ran the two blocks home, expecting to see my little dog somehow stuck halfway out the window - or flying through the air in a daredevil leap. Marla was in her robe in her driveway looking up at my window as I neared, and there was Roger, proudly standing on the window sill, smiling at us.

I bolted up the stairs and into my room. He was so happy to see me! I was just trying to get my heart to stop pounding. He had somehow managed to knock the fan out of the window back onto my bed, push the window sash all the way up, and knock the screen out onto the ground below!

Needless to say, I now remove the fan every morning and lock the window before leaving for work.

A very important introduction

Roger McKenna
Birthday 10.16.06
Adopted 4.16.08
60lbs of pure awesome

So long-time readers may notice my blog description has been revised from "Advertising - Environmentalism - Feminism - Friends" to now read "Advertising - Environmentalism - Feminism - Roger." Roger is my dog. He's my best friend, and he certainly gives me a lot of material to work with and adventures to blog about! When I mentioned to some coworkers that I had a blog, they insisted that Roger Stories needed to be on there. I've got some catching up to do!

Roger was adopted as a housewarming gift to myself in April '08 from HSCC, when he was 1.5 yrs old. I'd been volunteering at HSCC for over a year, waiting for the right dog to come through, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect! He's a Catahoula Leopard dog, which happens to be the state dog of Louisiana. Like most of the people who ask me about him, I had never heard of the breed. I did a little research before going to meet him. I don't know why they're not more popular up here - he's exactly what I was looking for!! - athletic but not hyper (able to chill at home all day, then go romping around in the evening and hiking on weekends); bonds really closely with his family; webbed feet for swimming; loves and needs human interaction. The very first time we met, I knew he was my dog. We had a paw-jama party later that week, and the very next day I spent my lunch break filling out the paperwork and we've never looked back.

From what I've pieced together from his medical records, he was in at least two different shelters in Florida, then transferred up to VT. Before he and I found each other, he had been adopted by another family here in VT, and lived with them for about 6 mo. He nipped at their young daughter a couple times when she cornered him for a hug, but their loss is my gain. It's only been about 10 weeks, but I can't imagine my life without him! He's always happy to see me, protective and very lovey and cuddly. Roger is mellow for such a young dog, and for the most part, well-behaved. I continue to be amazed at how clever he is.