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Top Pet Safety Tips For The Winter

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I love the snow

As the temperatures continue to get colder, it’s easy for us to bundle up and add layers to keep us warm in the winter. Unfortunately for our pets, it’s not that easy. For them, they basically just have their fur or hair and that’s it in order to keep them warm, but sometimes that’s just not enough. With so many special risks that are posed by cold weather, it’s important to know the facts and how to keep your pets safe during the winter.

Bring your pet indoors

Regardless of what you’ve done in the past, keeping your pet indoors during the winter is the best way to keep them safe. Not only is it important to bring them inside because of the temperatures, but also remember that there are predators looking for food in the winter, and if your dog is tired and cold from being outside, predators might see them as an easy treat as other food becomes scarce in the colder months.

If your pet absolutely has to stay outdoors, make sure you provide them with a warm, solid shelter that will protect them from the wind and snow. In addition, it’s imperative that you find a way to provide your pet with an un-frozen water source. Finally, checking on your pet regularly while they’re out in the cold is a necessity.

Keep your eyes peeled for signs of frostbite if your pet is left outdoors for an extended period of time. If you do indeed suspect frostbite, place your pet in warm water for 20 minutes to help dissolve ice crystals and restore blood flow. Remember – rubbing frostbitten tissue will only cause futher damage, so be careful!

Never let your dog off leash on snow or ice

Snow and ice are tricky surfaces for dogs, and while they can normally keep themselves standing on both, they can often lose their scent or become lost through frozen surfaces of ponds, rivers, streams or lakes. Dogs are much more likely to become lost in the winter as opposed to any other season. For this reason, having ID tags made for your pets is imperative.

Don’t forget to wipe

It’s easy to forget that unlike you, your pet is walking on the snow and ice with their bare paws. With this, they can pick up salt, antifreeze and other chemicals that are used as de-icers and can actually cause life-threatening health issues to pets. The snow and ice can also cause your pet’s paws to crack and bleed, which is just another reason you should be wiping your pet’s paws!

Warm place to sleep

Just like you pile up the blankets on your bed when it’s cold outside, your pets need a warm place to sleep during the winter months as well. Not only is it important to make sure your pet has a warm and comfortable bed, but you also need to make sure that their bed isn’t on the floor right in front of a draft to ensure they’re warm throughout the night.

We all love our pets and want to keep them healthy and happy during the colder months but many of us don’t realize the dangers that winter brings. By following the tips above, you’ll be able to keep your furry friend healthy and happy during whatever weather the winter months bring!

Attached Images:

Jessica McNeal is a freelance writer and lover of all animals. Jessica recently purchased pet ID tags for all her furry friends in order to keep them safe and accounted for. For more information regarding pet ID tags, click here.





Keeping Man’s Best Friend Afloat: Boating Safety Tips For Dogs

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There’s nothing better than taking your four-legged friend out with you on all your nautical adventures. Dogs are perfectly capable of managing on water, but it’s important that you think carefully about their welfare, especially if it’s their first time aboard. Here are a few key safety tips to consider when introducing your faithful companion to your vessel.

 1.    Introductions are important
Dogs (like people) need time to adjust to new experiences. If you want your pet to be comfortable onboard, then it’s important to give them access to the boat before you set off on your first trip together. Set aside a day before your planned voyage and let your dog explore the boat whilse it’s still moored. Think about the unique experiences a boat presents and how sensitive your dog is to sound and movement. Make sure you turn on the engine so that he/she knows what it sounds feels like to be on a working vessel – if your dog is sensitive to loud noises this is especially crucial. You also need to know what you’ve got to look out for!

 2.    Water, water everywhere
Having enough drinking for your pet is always crucial and never more so when you’re aboard your boat. Dogs lose a lot of water when they pant so it’s important that you have ample provision to keep them hydrated. It can be very difficult to keep a bowl of water onboard, especially if your vessel is small, so it’s worth experimenting with different methods. Some dog owners use a tub with high sides but as this is not really practical if your dog is on the smaller end of the scale, it is worth teaching them how to drink out of a water bottle so that they can have refreshment whenever they need it. There are plenty of how-to videos on youtube to help you with this particular task!

 3.    Donning the Life Jacket
When you’re boating with man’s best friend, this is the most important pet accessory of all. However, as anyone who has tried to put a hilarious Halloween costume on their dog will attest, not every dog is receptive to being clothed. So, just as it’s important to get your dog used to the sights and sounds of the boat, you must slowly introduce the concept of the life jacket ahead of time so that you’re not faced with an endless battle on the day of your voyage and you don’t want to be constantly worrying that your dog will shuck off its life preserver at the worst moment. Be patient and kind as you are whenever you teach your dog something new – give them time and reward and eventually they’ll adjust.

 4.    Remember sunscreen
This is easily forgotten but it’s especially crucial for dogs with a light coat. Provide as much shade as you can on your vessel, but also take the precaution of talking with your vet and find out which sunscreen is most effective for use on your dog. Their skin burns just as easily as ours!

 5.    Think about the bathroom situation
This can be tricky as I can rapidly turn into a safety issue for not only our dog but also for everyone else on board – slipping is a real danger and should not be ignored. If your vessel is large enough,  you can train your dog to use a specific portion of the boat to urinate and defecate. However, it’s definitely advisable to take your dog to empty its bladder before you board and to pack as many doggie bags as you can carry.

So there you have it. If you’ve never sailed before and you spot a used boat for sale then this could be your (and your pets’) greatest journey yet. Remember, with just a little preparation, you and your dog can have all the nautical fun without any of the worry. Happy high-seas adventuring!

Attached Images:

Sam Wright has two strapping canines and is himself a salty sea dog who works with www.ybw-boatsforsale.com/

Designer Prints Go Edible

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If you’ve been in Michael’s Craft Store, you’ve seen the wide variety of gorgeous print papers available for scrapbooking. There are so many different paper crafts you can create with these beautiful designer prints and now you can even take them to your kitchen. Designer prints can be printed in food coloring on edible paper or icing sheets. These thin sheets of icing are backed by plastic and can go through a printer to print out any design you like.

The printing process is only different in the type of cartridges that are used. Food coloring filled edible ink cartridges can be used in a regular printer as long as the printer has not been used with ink. Ink contains toxins that are not food-safe, so you’ll want to have a printer exclusively for printing edible images.

IIDesigns is a line of designer prints that is downloaded to your computer and printed on the icing sheets. Once the sheets are printed, you can cut them, apply them to fondant, gum paste, icing, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc. You can even scan a design and print it out on the icing sheets. The icing sheets come in 8-1/2” x 11” sheets, legal size, and a variety of pre-cut circles and rectangles all on the same sheet.

How to Apply Them

One side of the icing sheet is the side where you will print the image. The other side will remain attached to a plastic backing to protect it. When you are done printing, you can then cut out shapes with scissors or stampers available from any craft store. Peel off the backing and apply a light coat of piping gel. Then apply the design where desired on a cake, cookie, cupcake, etc.

Design Idea

Let’s say you want to create a cake with an animal print all around the sides. After printing the animal print design, you will cut the icing sheet to the height of the cake. Peel the plastic, apply the piping gel and apply by carefully lining up the bottom of the icing sheet strip with the bottom of the cake. Smooth the icing sheet in an upward direction. If any part of the icing sheet comes above the top of the cake, trim it with scissors. Then line up the next strip of animal print where the last strip ended. When the design is all around the cake sides, finish the top and bottom borders with a black fondant trim. You can use a clay gun to quickly push out a rope of fondant, twist it and apply it to the edge of the cake. Another idea is to roll fondant balls. This is done by rolling out a thin sausage of fondant and cutting it into evenly sized pieces. Roll each piece in the palm of your hand to create a ball. Apply to cake with a touch of water or piping gel.

You can go as simple or as elegant as you like. Just think about creating a Monet cake by printing out Monet’s “Water Lilies” painting on an icing sheet.  There’s no limit to what you can create and something so simple can look like a work of art that took many hours to create.

Theresa Happe works with Icing Images, a company that supplies edible ink and paper to create edible images for decorating cakes, cupcakes, cookies and more.

How To Get Beautiful Engagement Photos

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You’re the bride to be so let’s be real—engagement photos are all about you! Many photographers will actually provide stylists to do your hair and makeup for you for the photo session.  Don’t get worried by all the reviews online about Glamour Shots rip-offs, the result of the photo session will be pictures that you cherish forever.

Tip #1: Bring multiple outfits

It’s always great to have more than one option for photo shoot outfits. Pick clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident to get the best, most natural looking poses. Vivid colors or neutrals work well—solid colors will bring more attention to your face compared to busy prints. Don’t forget to think about your outfit, accessories, and shoes from head to toe for full body shots.

Tip #2: Come ready for hair and makeup

Getting ready for your own personal glamour treatment is a piece of cake—simply come as you are! Arrive at your session with fresh, clean hair and little to no makeup. The pros will take care of styling your hair and applying your makeup so you can focus all of your energy on feeling fabulous and enjoying your special engagement shoot.

Tip #3: Speak your mind

Yes, you’re going to an expert to get some great photos done, but even the best photographer isn’t going to read your mind. Communicate your ideas, interests, likes, and dislikes to your photographer throughout the day. Express yourself to have a fun and successful photo shoot!

Tip #4: Bring your own props

Great photographers will have some creative ideas for your engagement photos, but it’s up to you and your significant other to make them even more personalized and totally you. Bringing prop items is a great way to customize your photos together: sporting goods, musical instruments, even pets can work if they are a great representation of you and your hubby to be.

Tip #5: Have fun!

You’ll look every inch the glamour queen you are if you can relax and have a good time during your photo session. Take a deep breath, snuggle up to your honey, and smile! Your pictures will be just the first step to a lifetime of great memories with your special someone, so live in the moment and enjoy!

Glamour shots are a fun way to treat yourself and a great way to capture memories with the love of your life. Use the tips mentioned above to get some great photos and have a fun special day before the big day.

Attached Images:

For more information about glamour shots rip-off please contact Heather Beleno

Chorizo & Linguica How to Make Them at Home

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If you are a fan of Portuguese cuisine you are probably familiar with the high quality cured sausages produced in most of Portugal. These sausage recipes have greatly influence cuisines around the world particularly Southern European, African cuisine influence by colonization and Brazilian cuisine. During my years as a culinary instructor I had the opportunity to work side-by-side with various chefs from Southern Portugal, Azores and Lisbon.  The most valuable piece of knowledge I received from these great cooking professionals was the understanding of how easy it is to produce high quality sausages at home.

After living in Mexico for several years my seasonings and understanding on the flavoring of chorizos started to change and adapt to absorb local flavors and ingredients. In all honesty I have come to appreciate the Mexican chorizo far above its European cousins because of its simplicity. My basic recipe requires some equipment inclusive of sausage filler. For this task I secured the commercial Kitchenaid attachment. My chorizo recipe is as follows:

Chorizo

2 pounds of pork

2 teaspoons of Aleppo peppers (dried and crushed)

1 teaspoon of salt

1 envelope of Goya seasoning with achiote and cilantro

1 teaspoon of black pepper ground

½ teaspoon of Mexican oregano

½ teaspoon of finely ground high quality cumin

¼ teaspoon of ground cloves

¼ cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon of grape seed oil

2 teaspoons of water

Using a high-power food processor or meat grinder mix all the ingredients together until ground but not into soft dough, some texture most remain as part of the sausage experience. Allow for the mixture to sit for 1 hour and fill the natural or synthetic casings. You can also store the chorizo in sealed containers and use it as a cooking condiment. In is important that your meat contains some fat for best flavor.

Linguica

2.5 pounds of pork with some fat

1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic strong variety

1 tablespoon of sea salt crushed finely

2 tablespoons of Hungarian paprika

1 teaspoon of freshly ground white pepper, not too fine

1 teaspoon of marjoram

¾ teaspoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon of mixed color pepper

½ teaspoon of Italian red pepper crushed

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon of extra light olive oil

Mix all the ingredients in the food processor. Allow for the paste to sit overnight in the fridge. Fill the casings and smoke at 250 degrees for 24 hours

These two recipes will add a Portuguese flair to your cooking without breaking the bank. Linguica is a fantastic base for sandwiches and can be paired with a variety of sauces and breads.

While I do not recommend smoking chorizo it can be done when preserving and curing the meat matters. To do it make sure that the meat has sufficient fat content and adjust your seasoning by reducing the salt slightly.

Florecita Jones loves to cook and works as part of a team of Spanish tutors online. She often shares latin and European recipes collected in her many travels.

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