An Ode To My Pup (and a doggy treat recipe)

I know that when people say their dog is like their child they must mean it, but I just don't think it's possible to love a dog more than I love mine. 

Here's a little background about me and Moles. I was in a dark place in my life a few years back. (More on that another day) She is to me a symbol of picking myself off the ground, dusting myself off, and soldering on. I had wanted a bulldog for a long time, but circumstances were never right for me to afford or mother a tiny little life. One magically colossal day, my mom and I went for cocktails at The Shops in Mission Viejo. When we were walking past the pet store, I saw her. It was like I floated across the ground and was placed by all the Gods in Heaven in front of her cage. "How much is that doggy in the window? The one with the waggly tail?" The dollar figure the store employee blurted out crushed my heart. I couldn't afford her.  And then he kept on talking saying that she was a sad little pup ( just like me!) She had just been born in last August (I'm a leo too!) she had been shipped from the Midwest  (Holy Moly me too!) and she needed some extra shots and love because she hadn't been treated very well and was a little sick.  I needed shots too (mine more vodka and not so much medical) and I needed love and I had been treated poorly! This is my doggy soul mate! I asked to let her out and when she was put into my arms we melted together. My amazing, wonderful, unbelievably giving mother said she couldn't see me without this friend in my life so we worked out a deal and just like that, Guacamole officially became mine. We were in love. Still are. This is a pup that doesn't have a mean bone in her precious little body. She is the most gentle, loving, and loyal friend anyone could ask for.  I just can't imagine what life would be like had I not found her that one fateful day. 

So anyway, Moles is a purebred bulldog. Bulldoggies are notorious for having horrible skin problems among other adorable qualities like her snoring, drooling, farting, shedding and laziness. Yesterday she woke up covered head to toe in hives which she gets fairly regularly from eating bees and flies. 

We gave her the regular dosage of Benedryl and then she passes out for about 12 hours. I just felt so sorry for her laying in the corner with her tongue falling out of her mouth, covered in red dots. I decided while Kalynn was napping to make her some doggy treats. 

Here's her favorite recipe: (thanks to comeonilene.com)

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup margarine or butter

1 cup boiling beef broth

3/4 cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons white sugar

2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg, beaten (or 2 eggs to make treats softer for older dogs)

3 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

Combine rolled oats, margarine/butter, and boiling beef broth in a large bowl. Let stand and soften for 10 minutes.  Thoroughly stir in cornmeal, sugar, bouillon, milk, peanut butter, and egg. Mix in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough comes together.  Knead dough together.

Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut out your desired shape with a cookie cutter. 

 Place on cookie sheet (they don't get any bigger so put as many as you can on one sheet) Bake 35 to 45 minutes at 325 degrees, until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool: